Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Oct:117:5-25.
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.031. Epub 2020 Jan 28.

Effects of maternal stress and nutrient restriction during gestation on offspring neuroanatomy in humans

Katja Franke  1 , Bea R H Van den Bergh  2 , Susanne R de Rooij  3 , Nasim Kroegel  4 , Peter W Nathanielsz  5 , Florian Rakers  6 , Tessa J Roseboom  7 , Otto W Witte  6 , Matthias Schwab  6
Affiliations
Review

Effects of maternal stress and nutrient restriction during gestation on offspring neuroanatomy in humans

Katja Franke et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Cognitive and mental health are major determinants of quality of life, allowing integration into society at all ages. Human epidemiological and animal studies indicate that in addition to genetic factors and lifestyle, prenatal environmental influences may program neuropsychiatric disorders in later life. While several human studies have examined the effects of prenatal stress and nutrient restriction on brain function and mental health in later life, potentially mediating effects of prenatal stress and nutrient restriction on offspring neuroanatomy in humans have been studied only in recent years. Based on neuroimaging and anatomical data, we comprehensively review the studies in this emerging field. We relate prenatal environmental influences to neuroanatomical abnormalities in the offspring, measured in utero and throughout life. We also assess the relationship between neuroanatomical abnormalities and cognitive and mental disorders. Timing- and gender-specific effects are considered, if reported. Our review provides evidence for adverse effects of an unfavorable prenatal environment on structural brain development that may contribute to the risk for cognitive, behavioral and mental health problems throughout life.

Keywords: Brain development; Brain morphology; MRI; Maternal anxiety; Maternal depression; Maternal stress; Nutrient restriction; Pregnancy; Prenatal malnutrition.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Abercrombie HC, Schaefer SM, Larson CL, Oakes TR, Lindgren KA, Holden JE, Perlman SB, Turski PA, Krahn DD, Benca RM, Davidson RJ, 1998. Metabolic rate in the right amygdala predicts negative affect in depressed patients. Neuroreport 9, 3301–3307. - PubMed
    1. Acosta H, Tuulari JJ, Scheinin NM, Hashempour N, Rajasilta O, Lavonius TI, Pelto J, Saunavaara V, Parkkola R, Lahdesmaki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, 2019. Maternal Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Is Associated With Sexually Dimorphic Alterations in Amygdala Volume in 4-Year-Old Children. Front Behav Neurosci 13, 175. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ahima R, Krozowski Z, Harlan RE, 1991. Type I corticosteroid receptor‐like immunoreactivity in the rat CNS: Distribution and regulation by corticosteroids. Journal of Comparative Neurology 313, 522–538. - PubMed
    1. Aiken CE, Ozanne SE, 2013. Sex differences in developmental programming models. Reproduction 145, R1–13. - PubMed
    1. Antonelli MC, Pallares ME, Ceccatelli S, Spulber S, 2016. Long-term consequences of prenatal stress and neurotoxicants exposure on neurodevelopment. Prog Neurobiol. - PubMed

Publication types