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The beta-endorphin response to prenatal stress during postnatal development in the rat
M D Sánchez1, M V Milanés, T Fuente
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Spain.
Insights
Maternal stress during gestation alters offspring hypothalamic beta-endorphin (B-END) levels. Early or mid-gestation stress increased B-END, while prolonged stress normalized levels in rat pups.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Developmental Psychology
- Stress Research
Background:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy can impact offspring neurodevelopment and behavior.
- Hypothalamic beta-endorphin (B-END) plays a crucial role in stress response and mood regulation.
- The timing of prenatal stress exposure may differentially affect fetal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of maternal restraint stress during specific gestational periods on hypothalamic B-END levels in rat offspring.
- To determine if the duration and timing of prenatal stress exposure influence B-END levels at postnatal day 10.
Main Methods:
- Female rats were subjected to restraint stress during different periods of gestation (days 2-6, 7-11, or 2-16).
- Hypothalamic B-END levels were measured in male offspring on postnatal day 10 using radioimmunoassay.
- Data were analyzed and compared to offspring from non-stressed control dams.
Main Results:
- Offspring from mothers stressed from days 2-6 of gestation showed significantly elevated hypothalamic B-END levels compared to controls (P < 0.001).
- Similar significant increases in hypothalamic B-END were observed in offspring from mothers stressed from days 7-11 of gestation.
- In contrast, offspring from mothers stressed throughout a longer period (days 2-16) exhibited hypothalamic B-END levels comparable to the control group.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal stress exposure during early to mid-gestation can lead to long-lasting alterations in the hypothalamic beta-endorphin system of offspring.
- The duration of prenatal stress may influence the adaptive response of the B-END system, with prolonged stress potentially normalizing levels.
- These findings highlight the critical role of gestational timing in mediating the neuroendocrine consequences of maternal stress on offspring.
Abstract:
We examined the hypothalamic beta-endorphin (B-END) levels in offspring (postnatal day 10) from stressed female rats in different period of gestation: group 1, restraint stress from day 2 to 6; group 2, from day 7 to 11 and group 3, from day 2 to 16. The hypothalamic levels of B-END in the offspring from group 1 were significantly (P < 0.001) higher to that obtained in the control. Similar results were obtained in the group 2. However, in rat pups from female stressed during 15 days of gestation hypothalamic levels of B-END were similar to control group.