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How prenatal cortisol levels may differentially affect the neurodevelopment of boys and girls

Carolina Mariño-Narvaez1, Jose A Puertas-Gonzalez1, Borja Romero-Gonzalez2

  • 1Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.

Early Human Development
|October 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Maternal hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in early pregnancy predicted infant neurodevelopment, particularly in females. Elevated HCC in the first and second trimesters was linked to language and motor skills in female infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Prenatal Health

Background:

  • Prenatal stress poses risks to maternal and fetal well-being.
  • Maternal hair cortisol concentration (HCC) during pregnancy may influence infant neurodevelopment, aligning with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis.
  • Sex-specific effects on neurodevelopment are increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if maternal HCC across trimesters and postpartum predicts infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months.
  • To examine potential sex-specific differences in these predictions.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study design.
  • Involved 93 pregnant women and their infants.
  • Maternal hair samples collected during each trimester and postpartum.
  • Infant neurodevelopment assessed using the Bayley Scales for Infant Development III at 12 months.

Main Results:

  • Maternal HCC during the first and second trimesters predicted overall language and motor abilities.
  • Sex-specific analysis revealed maternal HCC predicted cognitive, expressive language, and fine and gross motor skills in female infants only.
  • No significant predictions were found for male infants.

Conclusions:

  • Non-toxic levels of maternal cortisol during pregnancy can positively impact infant neurodevelopment.
  • Findings highlight sex-specific vulnerabilities and protective effects related to prenatal stress exposure.
Abstract

Keywords:
CortisolNeurodevelopmentPregnancySex-specific differences

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