Aged Offspring Research Articles

RETRACTED: Maternal adversity, glucocorticoids and programming of neuroendocrine function and behaviour

The fetus may be exposed to increased endogenous glucocorticoid or synthetic glucocorticoid in late gestation. Approximately 7% of pregnant women in Europe and North America are treated with synthetic glucocorticoid to promote lung maturation in fetuses at risk of preterm delivery. Very little is known about the mechanisms by which synthetic glucocorticoid or prenatal stress influence neurodevelopment in the human, or whether specific time windows of increased sensitivity exist. Glucocorticoids are essential for many aspects of normal brain development, but exposure of the fetal brain to excess glucocorticoid can have life-long effects on neuroendocrine function and behaviour. Both endogenous glucocorticoid and synthetic glucocorticoid exposure have a number of rapid effects in the fetal brain, including modification of neurotransmitter systems and transcriptional machinery. Such fetal exposure permanently alters hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function in prepubertal, postpubertal and aging offspring, in a sex-dependent manner. Prenatal glucocorticoid manipulation also leads to modification of behaviour, brain and organ morphology, as well as altered regulation of other endocrine systems. Permanent changes in endocrine function will impact on health, since elevated cumulative exposure to endogenous glucocorticoid is linked to the premature onset of pathologies associated with aging.

Fetal Glucocorticoid Exposure and Hypothalamo‐Pituitary‐Adrenal (HPA) Function After Birth

The fetus may be exposed to increased endogenous glucocorticoid or synthetic glucocorticoid in late gestation. Indeed, 7–10% of pregnant women in Europe and North America are treated with synthetic glucocorticoid to promote lung maturation in fetuses at risk of preterm delivery. Such therapy is effective in reducing respiratory complications. However, very little is known about the mechanisms by which synthetic glucocorticoid or prenatal stress influence neurodevelopment in the human, or whether specific time windows of increased sensitivity exist. Glucocorticoids are essential for many aspects of normal brain development. However, there is growing evidence that exposure of the fetal brain to excess glucocorticoid can have lifelong effects on neuroendocrine function and behavior. We have shown that both endogenous glucocorticoid and synthetic glucocorticoid exposure has a number of rapid effects in the fetal brain in late gestation, including modification of neurotransmitter systems and transcriptional machinery. Such fetal exposure permanently alters hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) function in prepubertal, postpubertal, and aging offspring, in a sex‐dependent manner. These effects are linked to changes in central glucocorticoid feedback machinery after birth. Prenatal glucocorticoid manipulation also leads to modification of HPA‐associated behaviors, brain and organ morphology, as well as altered regulation of other endocrine systems. Permanent changes in endocrine function will have a long‐term impact on health, since elevated cumulative exposure to endogenous glucocorticoid is linked to the premature onset of pathologies associated with aging.

GLUCOCORTICOIDS, HYPOTHALAMO-PITUITARY-ADRENAL (HPA) DEVELOPMENT, AND LIFE AFTER BIRTH

Approximately 10% of women in North America are treated with synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) between 24 and 32 weeks of pregnancy (term∼40 weeks), to promote lung maturation in fetuses at risk of preterm delivery. Such therapy is highly effective in reducing the frequency of respiratory complications, and as a result, repeated course treatment has become widespread. Nothing is known about the impact of repeated sGC treatment on neuroendocrine development in the human, or if specific time windows of increased sensitivity exist. Glucocorticoids are essential for many aspects of normal brain development. However, there is growing evidence from a number of species, that exposure of the fetal brain to excess glucocorticoid can have life-long effects on behaviour and neuroendocrine function. We have shown that exposure of fetuses to sGC in late gestation permanently alters HPA function in pre-pubertal, post-pubertal, and aging offspring, in a sex-dependent manner. These effects are linked to changes in central glucocorticoid feedback. Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure also leads to modification of HPA-associated behaviours and organ morphology, as well as altered regulation of other neuroendocrine systems. Permanent changes in HPA function will have a long-term impact on health, since elevated cumulative exposure to endogenous glucocorticoid has been linked to the premature onset of pathologies associated with aging.

Insulin Resistance in Middle Aged Normotensive Offspring of the Hypertensive Parents in Korea

Background：The insulin resistance is common in the patients with essential hypertension, even in the absence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM or hyperlipidemia. It is well known that the offspring of patients with NIDDM have shown less insulin sensitivity compared with that of normal parents. But it is not yet known whether the insulin resistance is common in the offspring of patients with essential hypertension in Korea, who have no hypertension, NIDDM and hyperlipidemia. The aims of this study were to find out whether the insulin resistance exists in the middle aged normal offspring of the patients with essential hypertension and whether the insulin resistance is dependent on the metabolic abnormalities such as the body mass index(BMI, obesity

Reproduction study of propiverine hydrochloride (4)--perinatal and postnatal study in rats by oral administration

A perinatal and postnatal study was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats by oral administration of propiverine hydrochloride (P-4) at dose levels of 0 (control), 2, 10 and 50 mg/kg/day to dams from day 17 of pregnancy to day 21 after delivery. Twenty two or twenty four dams in each group were allowed to deliver for the postnatal examination of their offspring. In dams, the dose of 50mg/kg caused toxic signs consisting of mydriasis, salivation and rale. One dam of this group showed piloerection, low body temperature, blanching of extremity and auricle, and emaciation associated with marked prolongation of delivery. Body weight gain of the dams was retarded in the 50 mg/kg group throughout the administration period. Food and water intakes were reduced in the 50mg/kg group. In gross pathology of the dam that showed prolonged delivery, the spleen and thymus were moderately or severely atrophied and the adrenal was moderately enlarged. The viability index of the offspring on day 4 was reduced in the 50mg/kg group. Body weight of pups slightly decreased in the 50mg/kg group during sucking and rearing periods. Absolute weights of some organs of the three-week aged offspring were reduced due to attributable depression of body weight gain. However, P-4 had no adverse effect on the postnatal development such as emotionality, motor activity, learning ability or reproductive performance. The results suggest that the non-effective dose level of P-4 is 10mg/kg/day in maternal animals and offspring.

Familial Support of the Elderly in a Rural Mennonite Community

AbstractWith an increasing number of persons entering old age and having longer life expectancies, there has been a consequent alteration of family dynamics, such that middle aged individuals frequently provide support to their older parents. At the same time, the middle aged person is often in the midst of raising his or her own children, attending to personal aspirations, and enacting the role of spouse.This study investigated support from middle aged offspring to elderly parents in a rural Mennonite community. Information on the expectation for and consequences of support to parents was gathered from pastors and middle aged family members in two Mennonite conferences, as well as from a Lutheran sample with a similar historical background.Pastoral interviews showed no differences in doctrinal beliefs regarding familial care of parents, although the institutional church responses varied. Middle aged offspring in the Lutheran congregation reported less involvement in religious practice than did members of either Mennonite congregation. Burden of caring for elderly parents felt by middle aged people showed no statistically significant differences between congregations; however, greater reported religiosity was associated with lesser burden.