BACKGROUND: Early life stress, including during fetal development, has been hypothesized to predispose individuals to several illnesses and psychiatric disorders later in adulthood. METHODS: To determine whether prenatal stress alters neural, hormonal, and behavioral processes in nonhuman primates, pregnant rhesus monkeys were acutely stressed on a daily basis for 25% of their 24-week gestation with an acoustical startle protocol. At 2 to 3 years of age, hippocampal volume, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, and cortisol levels were evaluated in the offspring generated from stressed and control pregnancies. RESULTS: Prenatal stress, both early and late in pregnancy, resulted in a reduced hippocampal volume and an inhibition of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. These changes were associated with increased pituitary-adrenal activity, as reflected by higher cortisol levels after a dexamethasone suppression test, and also with behavioral profiles indicative of greater emotionality. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the prenatal environment can alter behavior, dysregulate neuroendocrine systems, and affect the hippocampal structure of primates in a persistent manner.
BACKGROUND: Early life stress, including during fetal development, has been hypothesized to predispose individuals to several illnesses and psychiatric disorders later in adulthood. METHODS: To determine whether prenatal stress alters neural, hormonal, and behavioral processes in nonhuman primates, pregnant rhesus monkeys were acutely stressed on a daily basis for 25% of their 24-week gestation with an acoustical startle protocol. At 2 to 3 years of age, hippocampal volume, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, and cortisol levels were evaluated in the offspring generated from stressed and control pregnancies. RESULTS: Prenatal stress, both early and late in pregnancy, resulted in a reduced hippocampal volume and an inhibition of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. These changes were associated with increased pituitary-adrenal activity, as reflected by higher cortisol levels after a dexamethasone suppression test, and also with behavioral profiles indicative of greater emotionality. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the prenatal environment can alter behavior, dysregulate neuroendocrine systems, and affect the hippocampal structure of primates in a persistent manner.
Authors: Michael A Taffe; Roxanne W Kotzebue; Rebecca D Crean; Elena F Crawford; Scott Edwards; Chitra D Mandyam Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2010-06-01 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: David M Lyons; Paul S Buckmaster; Alex G Lee; Christine Wu; Rupshi Mitra; Lauren M Duffey; Christine L Buckmaster; Song Her; Paresh D Patel; Alan F Schatzberg Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2010-07-30 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Paul J Lucassen; Charlotte A Oomen; Eva F G Naninck; Carlos P Fitzsimons; Anne-Marie van Dam; Boldizsár Czeh; Aniko Korosi Journal: Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol Date: 2015-09-01 Impact factor: 10.005