Book contents
- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Section I Overview
- Section II Exposures Driving Long-Term DOHaD Effects
- Chapter 2 The Evolutionary Basis of DOHaD
- Chapter 3 Timing
- Chapter 4 Long-Term Effects of Food Insecurity and Undernutrition in Early Life
- Chapter 5 Short- and Long-Term Effects of Maternal Obesity and Dysglycaemia for Women and Their Children
- Chapter 6 Long-Term Effects of Prenatal Maternal Stress and Mental Health
- Chapter 7 Environmental Exposures in Early Life
- Chapter 8 Developmental Programming and the Microbiome
- Chapter 9 Exposures Driving Long-Term DOHaD Effects
- Section III Outcomes
- Section IV Mechanisms
- Section V Interventions
- Section VI Public Health and Policy Implications of Interventions
- Index
- References
Chapter 6 - Long-Term Effects of Prenatal Maternal Stress and Mental Health
from Section II - Exposures Driving Long-Term DOHaD Effects
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 December 2022
- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Section I Overview
- Section II Exposures Driving Long-Term DOHaD Effects
- Chapter 2 The Evolutionary Basis of DOHaD
- Chapter 3 Timing
- Chapter 4 Long-Term Effects of Food Insecurity and Undernutrition in Early Life
- Chapter 5 Short- and Long-Term Effects of Maternal Obesity and Dysglycaemia for Women and Their Children
- Chapter 6 Long-Term Effects of Prenatal Maternal Stress and Mental Health
- Chapter 7 Environmental Exposures in Early Life
- Chapter 8 Developmental Programming and the Microbiome
- Chapter 9 Exposures Driving Long-Term DOHaD Effects
- Section III Outcomes
- Section IV Mechanisms
- Section V Interventions
- Section VI Public Health and Policy Implications of Interventions
- Index
- References
Summary
Psychosocial stress as well as anxiety and depression, which are accompanied by dysregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are common during pregnancy and the postpartum period. They are major determinants of offspring health, ultimately leading to a risk for cognitive and behavioural problems. In addition, maternal stress and post-traumatic stress disorders perceived during the preconception period may affect offspring neuropsychiatric outcomes. Increased maternal cortisol levels epigenetically desensitize fetal glucocorticoid receptors, which induces hyperactivity of the offspring HPA axis. The risk for cognitive and behavioural problems is mediated by increased cortisol levels during later life. Additionally, cortisol-induced epigenetic changes in the expression of neurotrophic factors and genes involved in neuronal and synaptic development and neurotransmission play a key role in neuropsychiatric development. Other mediators comprise neuroinflammatory cytokines and changes in maternal and offspring gut microbiota. Important moderators of the risk for cognitive and behavioural problems in offspring are socioeconomic status of the family, paternal stress, post-natal maternal care and offspring gender.
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- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , pp. 46 - 55Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022
References
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