Maternal stress-induced reduction in birth weight as a marker for adult affective state.

Abstract

It is known that adverse events experienced by a pregnant woman may be reflected upon the developing fetus and adversely affect its mental wellbeing in later life. In a recent study by our group, prenatal stress was associated with a clear increase in anxiety- and depression-related behavior in male, but not female Sprague-Dawley offspring. Since birth weight data were recorded we were able to determine whether birth weight, as an important outcome measure of fetal distress, may be used as a predictive indicator for adult performance. For this purpose, a correlation analysis was performed, aimed at studying the possible link between stress-induced fetal growth restriction and adult affective state. Male birth weight correlated positively to depression-related behavior in the forced swim test. Furthermore, it weight was correlated negatively to basal, and positively to stress-induced, plasma corticosterone levels in adulthood. Female birth weight did not correlate to any of the studied outcome measures. These data suggest that male birth weight may represent a valuable indicative marker for variations in adult affective state with a developmental origin.

• Authors: Daniel L A van den Hove, Gunter Kenis, Harry W M Steinbusch, Carlos E Blanco, Jos Prickaerts
• Journal: Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition) (Front Biosci (Elite Ed)) Vol. 2 Issue 1 Pg. 43-6 (01 01 2010) ISSN: 1945-0508 [Electronic] Singapore
• PMID: 20036851 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Corticosterone

Topics

• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Biomarkers
• Birth Weight (physiology)
• Corticosterone (blood)
• Female
• Fetal Distress (complications)
• Male
• Mood Disorders (etiology)
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects (physiopathology)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Sex Factors
• Stress, Physiological (physiology)