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Prenatal exposure to maternal psychosocial stress and HPA axis regulation in young adults

Prenatal exposure to maternal psychosocial stress and HPA axis regulation in young adults
Prenatal exposure to maternal psychosocial stress and HPA axis regulation in young adults
Epidemiological studies have reported associations between measures of size and weight at birth and disease risk in later life. Alteration in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to prenatal stress has been proposed as one underlying mechanism. The present study investigated in humans the association of prenatal psychosocial stress exposure with subsequent HPA axis regulation in adult life, with a focus on measures of response to challenge and feedback sensitivity. Healthy young adults whose mothers experienced severe stress during their pregnancy in form of major negative life events (e.g. death of someone close; prenatal stress (PS) group, n=31) and an age-matched comparison group (CG, n=30) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a 1 microg ACTH(1-24) stimulation test. In addition, a diurnal cortisol profile was assessed. ACTH concentrations following a standardized behavioural challenge paradigm (TSST) were marginally significantly higher in PS subjects than in CG subjects (p=.06). Pre-TSST adrenocortical (cortisol) levels were lower (p=.007), whereas the increase in cortisol in response to the TSST was higher (p=.03) in PS subjects compared to CG subjects. Cortisol concentrations following a pharmacological stimulation test simulating pituitary activity (ACTH(1-24) test) were significantly lower in PS than in CG subjects (p=.006). No differences emerged between the two groups in basal diurnal cortisol levels. This study provides first evidence in humans of an association between prenatal psychosocial stress exposure and subsequent alterations in the regulation of the HPA axis.
0018-506X
292-298
Entringer, Sonja
f96a0401-9da9-4f00-aada-b6a3569501ba
Kumsta, Robert
88285030-6a7c-4ef1-ba75-b78e09cd2f1e
Wadhwa, Pathik
e5c751a8-f3b9-4141-b36d-e302f9cb96d8
Hellhammer, Dirk
b2379f6e-c74a-4fc8-8efa-a5a682da8cd1
Wüst, Stefan
530861ea-05ba-4a73-8030-9735f1759d5b
Entringer, Sonja
f96a0401-9da9-4f00-aada-b6a3569501ba
Kumsta, Robert
88285030-6a7c-4ef1-ba75-b78e09cd2f1e
Wadhwa, Pathik
e5c751a8-f3b9-4141-b36d-e302f9cb96d8
Hellhammer, Dirk
b2379f6e-c74a-4fc8-8efa-a5a682da8cd1
Wüst, Stefan
530861ea-05ba-4a73-8030-9735f1759d5b

Entringer, Sonja, Kumsta, Robert, Wadhwa, Pathik, Hellhammer, Dirk and Wüst, Stefan (2009) Prenatal exposure to maternal psychosocial stress and HPA axis regulation in young adults. Hormones and Behavior, 55 (2), 292-298. (doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.11.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have reported associations between measures of size and weight at birth and disease risk in later life. Alteration in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to prenatal stress has been proposed as one underlying mechanism. The present study investigated in humans the association of prenatal psychosocial stress exposure with subsequent HPA axis regulation in adult life, with a focus on measures of response to challenge and feedback sensitivity. Healthy young adults whose mothers experienced severe stress during their pregnancy in form of major negative life events (e.g. death of someone close; prenatal stress (PS) group, n=31) and an age-matched comparison group (CG, n=30) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a 1 microg ACTH(1-24) stimulation test. In addition, a diurnal cortisol profile was assessed. ACTH concentrations following a standardized behavioural challenge paradigm (TSST) were marginally significantly higher in PS subjects than in CG subjects (p=.06). Pre-TSST adrenocortical (cortisol) levels were lower (p=.007), whereas the increase in cortisol in response to the TSST was higher (p=.03) in PS subjects compared to CG subjects. Cortisol concentrations following a pharmacological stimulation test simulating pituitary activity (ACTH(1-24) test) were significantly lower in PS than in CG subjects (p=.006). No differences emerged between the two groups in basal diurnal cortisol levels. This study provides first evidence in humans of an association between prenatal psychosocial stress exposure and subsequent alterations in the regulation of the HPA axis.

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Published date: February 2009

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 67281
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/67281
ISSN: 0018-506X
PURE UUID: b96e6005-246f-45b8-9dee-6e2bb3cdf10f

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Date deposited: 12 Aug 2009
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 18:47

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Contributors

Author: Sonja Entringer
Author: Robert Kumsta
Author: Pathik Wadhwa
Author: Dirk Hellhammer
Author: Stefan Wüst

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