Prenatal Effects Research Articles

Social support buffers the effects of maternal prenatal stress on infants' unpredictability

ObjectiveExposure to stress in pregnancy has been shown to affect fetal development with short- and long-term physiological and behavioral consequences for the offspring. Although social support is known to lower perceived stress, no prior study has investigated the buffering role of social support in the context of prenatal stress effects on infant temperament. The aim of this study was to examine interactive effects of prenatal stress and social support on several dimensions of infant temperament at 9 months postpartum. Study designA total of 272 mothers completed the Perceived Stress Scale and the Perceived Social Support Scale in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Infant temperament was assessed by mothers at 9 months postpartum using the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire. Linear regression models were performed to assess the effects of perceived stress, social support, and their interaction on infant temperament. ResultsPrenatal stress interacted with social support, such that prenatal stress increased infant unpredictability when social support was below -0.5 SD. ConclusionsPrenatal stress was found to be a risk factor for infant temperamental unpredictability when combined with low social support perceived by the mother during pregnancy. Support of others, not previously examined in this context, can reduce the impact of prenatal stress.

Early Genital Surgery in Disorders/Differences of Sex Development: Patients\u2019 Perspectives

Controversy continues over a proposed moratorium on elective genital surgery in childhood for disorders/differences of sex development (DSD). Empirical evidence on patient preference is needed to inform decision-making. We conducted a multicentre survey by cross-sectional questionnaire in 14 specialized clinics in six European countries. The sample comprised 459 individuals (≥ 16 years) with a DSD diagnosis, including individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (n = 192), XY DSD with prenatal androgen effect (A) (n = 150), and without (nA) (n = 117). Main outcome measures were level of agreement with given statements regarding genital surgery, including clitoris reduction, vaginoplasty, and hypospadias repair. A total of 66% of individuals with CAH and 60% of those with XY DSD-A thought that infancy or childhood were the appropriate age for genital surgery. Females with XY DSD were divided on this issue and tended to prefer vaginoplasty at a later age (XY DSD-A 39%, XY DSD-nA 32%). A total of 47% of males preferred early hypospadias surgery. Only 12% (CAH), 11% (XY DSD-A), and 21% (XY DSD-nA) thought they would have been better off without any surgery in childhood or adolescence. Individuals who had early genital surgery were more likely to approve of it. Outcome data failed to support a general moratorium on early elective genital surgery. Participant perspectives varied considerably by diagnostic category, gender, history of surgery, and contact with support groups. Case-by-case decision-making is better suited to grasping the ethical complexity of the issues at stake.Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00006072.

Interaction between prenatal and postnatal provisioning in a subsocial bug

Abstract When females provide different types of parental provisioning sequentially, earlier provisioning can affect later provisioning. In variable environments, selection will favour the optimal combination of prenatal and postnatal maternal effects. In the burrower bug Adomerus triguttulus, females have two types of provisioning: trophic eggs, which are deposited on clutches before hatching and are consumed immediately by hatchlings, and Lamium nutlets, which are delivered progressively to the brood after hatching. A previous study showed that the female alters trophic egg allocation according to resource conditions before oviposition. Different amounts of maternal trophic egg provisioning and consumption by offspring might affect subsequent maternal brood care, including nutlet provisioning. To examine the effect of trophic egg supply on brood care, we adjusted the number of trophic eggs available to hatchlings. When trophic eggs were removed experimentally, the females attended broods for longer and provisioned them with more nutlets. In contrast, when trophic eggs were added, females did not change the duration of care, but they provided fewer nutlets than control females. This finding provides new insights into the adaptive significance of trophic eggs.

Intergenerational cycle of disease: Maternal mastitis is associated with poorer daughter performance in dairy cattle

Adverse prenatal environments, such as maternal stress and infections, can influence the health and performance of offspring. Mastitis is the most common disease in dairy cattle, yet the intergenerational effects have not been specifically investigated. Therefore, we examined the associations between the dam's mammary gland health and daughter performance using somatic cell score (SCS) as a proxy for mammary health. Using data obtained from Dairy Records Management Systems (Raleigh, NC), we linked daughter records with their dam's records for the lactation in which the daughter was conceived. Linear and quadratic relationships of dam mean SCS with the daughter's age at first calving (AFC; n = 15,992 daughters, 4,366 herds), first- (n = 15,119 daughters, 4,213 herds) and second-lactation SCS (n = 3,570 daughters, 1,554 herds), first- and second-lactation mature-equivalent 305-d milk yield, and milk component yields were assessed using mixed linear regression models. We uncovered a phenomenon similar to those found in human and mouse models examining prenatal inflammation effects, whereby daughters born from dams with elevated SCS had poorer performance. Dam mean SCS was positively associated with daughter's AFC and first- and second-lactation mean SCS. Furthermore, for every 1-unit increase in dam mean SCS, daughter's first- and second-lactation mature-equivalent fat yield declined by 0.34% and 0.91% (-1.6 ± 0.49 kg, -4.0 ± 1.0 kg, respectively), although no effect was found on first- or second-lactation milk or milk protein yield. When accounting for genetics, daughter SCS, and AFC (first lactation only), dam mean SCS was associated with reduced second-lactation milk fat yield (-3.5 ± 1.8 kg/unit SCS), and a tendency was found for first-lactation milk fat yield (-1.9 ± 1.0 kg/unit SCS). Taken together, the association of greater dam mean SCS with lesser daughter milk fat yield is likely due to a few underlying mechanisms, in particular, a predisposition for mastitis and alterations in the epigenome controlling milk fat synthesis. As such, future studies should examine epigenetic mechanisms as a potential underpinning of this phenomenon.

EPIGENOMIC EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE OF PREGNANT RATS TO LOW DOSE OF BISPHENOL A REGARDING THE NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEM OF THE MALE F1 GENERATION (short communication)

Aim: To study the long-term effects of exposure of pregnant Wistar rats to low dose of bisphenol A (BPA) by measuring to the level of steroid hormones and sexual behavior of adult male offspring of the first generation. Material and research methods: BPA as part of the Dorfman gel was gavaged during the last week of pregnancy, when androgen-dependent sexual brain differentiation occurs, in a daily dose of 25 mcg/kg b.w. (threshold teratogenic dose). Male sexual behavior was evaluated by proceptive reactions, the duration of latent and refractory periods, the number of mounts, intromissions and ejaculations in the presence of a receptive female. Female sexual behavior was assessed by lordosis reactions of orchidectomized and activated by the introduction of estradiol and progesterone males in the presence of a normal male. A neuromorphological analysis of the sex-dimorphic area of the brain, the medial preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, was performed by histological examination and karyometry of neurons. Results: Prenatally administered BPA caused a very slight increase in the anogenital distance in newborn animals and did not affect the terms of puberty. The levels of testosterone and corticosterone in the blood plasma of males of 6 months of age did not differ from the control indices. At 10 months of age, all experimental males showed sharply weakened sexual motivation for mating with females, and in 4 from 5 animals, copulative components of sexual behavior were absent. There was no ejaculations in the 5th male as well, while numbers of the mounts without intromissions and ones with intromissions significantly reduced. In the BPA group, all descendants showed active female behavior in the presence of a normal male, which manifested in lordosis reactions and a high lordosis index. According to the histological study of medial preoptic nucleus, the activity of neurocytes in the male offspring of BPA-exposed females was significantly reduced, and their nuclei volume distribution was some different from the control. Conclusions: The data obtained indicate epigenetic disorders of the sexual brain differentiation program due to the prenatal exposure to BPA in dose that does not cause significant teratogenic effects. This should be taken into account when evaluating the potential hazard of BPA for reproductive health. Key words: bisphenol A, prenatal effect, male rats, sexual behavior, corticosterone, testosterone.

Added sugar intake during pregnancy: Fetal behavior, birth outcomes, and placental DNA methylation.

Pregnancy is a critical time for the effects of environmental factors on children's development. The effect of added sugar intake on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes remains understudied despite increasing dietary intake in the United States. This study investigated the effect of added sugar on fetal programming by examining the association between maternal added sugar consumption, fetal movement, birth outcomes, and placental DNA methylation. Further, primary human fibroblasts were cultured under normal or high glucose conditions to assess the effect of high glucose exposure on cells' DNA methylation. We found that higher added sugar intake across pregnancy was associated with reduced 3rd-trimester fetal movement (p<.05) and shorter gestation (p<.01). Our sample size was not powered to detect the alteration of individual placental CpG with genome-wide significance. However, a secondary analysis suggested that added sugar consumption was associated with differential methylation of functionally related gene families across pregnancy. Consistent with this, high glucose exposure in primary cultured human fibroblasts altered the methylation of 17% of all CpGs, providing converging evidence for an effect of sugar on DNA methylation. Our results suggest that diets high in added sugar during pregnancy may have implications for offspring health via prenatal programming effects measurable before birth.

Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Hypomethylation of &lt;i&gt;MEST&lt;/i&gt; Imprinted Gene and Birth Outcomes

In utero perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) exposures have been linked to adverse birth outcomes, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Epigenetic regulations such as changes in DNA methylation profiles in mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST) imprinted gene may provide a potential mechanism of the prenatal exposure effects of PFASs on fetal growth. The aim of the study was to investigate the prenatal exposure effects of PFASs to DNA methylation changes at MEST imprinted gene involved in fetal growth. A total of four hundred and eighty-six mother-infant pairs were included in the analyses from Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS), collecting from 2004 to 2005 in four hospitals in Taipei city and New Taipei City. PFASs were measured by UPLC-MS/MS in cord blood. DNA methylation levels of MEST gene were measured from cord blood. Univariable and multivariable linear regressions were performed to estimate the associations between prenatal PFASs exposures, MEST DNA methylation levels, and the child birth outcomes. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the potential pathway of MEST methylation in the relationship between PFASs and birth outcomes. We found that higher prenatal exposures to perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS) was significantly associated with lower methylation levels at 5 CpG sites of MEST promoter region, after considering potential confounding factors. Significant negative associations were also found between MEST methylation levels and child birth weight. Gender difference was observed in the association between PFASs exposure and MEST methylation level. Prenatal PFOS exposure effect on birth weight might be mediated by MEST methylation. In conclusion, our results suggest that prenatal PFASs exposures, especially PFOS, are associated with lower methylation levels at MEST promoter region, which not only leverage the role of imprinted gene for ensuring the integrity of fetal growth but also provide a potential mechanism for evaluating the prenatal exposure effect. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Taiwan University Higher Education Sprout Project (NTU-110L8810) within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 103-2633-B-002-013-, MOST 104-2633-B-002-007-) in Taiwan. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical approval of the study was obtained from the Independent Ethics Committee of National Taiwan University Hospital. Informed consent from the pregnant women was obtained before giving birth.

ЗНАЧЕНИЕ ПРЕНАТАЛЬНОГО ПАССИВНОГО КУРЕНИЯ ДЛЯ РАЗВИТИЯ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНЫХ МЕХАНИЗМРОВ РЕГУЛЯЦИИ ДЫХАНИЯ У НОВОРОЖДЕННЫХ КРЫС IN VITRO

In the prenatal period, neural networks undergo the most significant morphological changes and subsequent functional transformations. The influence of a combination of factors of passive tobacco smoking to the development of the central mechanisms of respiratory control in the prenatal period remains unexplored. The present study was devoted to the study of the prenatal effect of passive smoking factors on the functioning of the central mechanisms of respiratory control in newborn rat. The study was carried out on 107 isolated brain stem-spinal cord preparations of the brain of newborn white outbred rats in vitro. Passive smoking was modeled by fumigating experimental animals with cigarette smoke. To simulate the hypercapnic effect, the bulbospinal preparations were perfused for 10 minutes with a solution of artificial cerebrospinal fluid with a saturated gas mixture, consisting of 10 % CO2 and 90 % O2; to simulate hypoxic exposure, the preparations were irrigated with a solution of artificial cerebrospinal fluid with a saturated gas mixture for 20 minutes 5 % CO2 and 95 % N2. As a result of the study, it was found that in newborn rats that underwent prenatal passive smoking, there is a high frequency of generation of inspiratory discharges, a shift in the spectral power density peaks of respiratory discharges in both ranges towards low frequencies, a decrease in their power, a decrease in the amplitude and a shorter duration of inspiratory discharges. in comparison with intact animals. A feature of the reaction to hypoxia in newborn rats who have undergone prenatal passive smoking is a late formation of the hypoxic depression of respiratory rhythm, reaction to hypercapnia characterized by no reduction in duration respiratory cycle. Thus performed by us research shows that prenatal secondhand smoke affects the mechanism of formation of the respiratory rhythm and pattern and also modifies the respiratory response to change in the partial tension of respiratory gases in cerebrospinal fluid in vitro.

Identification of Plant Soot as Novel Safe Feed Additive: Evaluation of 90-Day Oral Toxicity and Prenatal Developmental Toxicity in Rats.

Plant soot, as a novel feed additive, could not only improve digestive function but also adsorb mycotoxins and inhibit bacterial infections. The subchronic toxicity and prenatal developmental effects of plant soot were studied for the first time. Our results indicated that there was no subchronic toxicity in the range of 2,000–50,000 mg/kg plant soot added in the feed, and there was no significant difference in reproductive function, embryo development, and teratogenicity between the pregnant rats exposed to 312.5, 1,250, and 5,000 mg/kg plant soot and the control group. The maximum no-observed effect level (NOEL) of supplemental dosage in feed could be set to 50,000 mg/kg, and the maximum intragastric NOEL could be set to 5,000 mg/kg, which preliminarily provided guidance on daily additive amount or clinical protocols for plant soot, as well as promoting the development and application of this harmless antibiotic substitutes.

Nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding brominated flame retardants from three Croatian universities

PurposeThis study explored Croatian nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding brominated flame retardants (BFRs) as indicators of their predisposition to educate future patients. The purpose of the study was to identify knowledge gaps and barriers and to propose possible remedies.Design/methodology/approachThe cross-sectional survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 114 nursing students at undergraduate and graduate levels from three Croatian universities during the winter semester in the academic year 2018–2019. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using STATISTICA 13 software.FindingsSlightly over half of the students (58.49%) were knowledgeable of BFR health effects and 45.28% showed knowledge about its presence in the environment. Only 33.02% of students identified prenatal exposure effects and 24.53% answered correctly about legislative actions. Participants expressed modest interest in the topic (M = 3.15, SD = 1.35). Although informing the public on the health consequences of BFRs was important to them (M = 4.18, SD = 1.03), they did not perceive health-care providers as primarily responsible for communicating that information.Originality/valueThere is a need to enhance related content in the curriculum to improve students' knowledge. Raising students' awareness regarding the role of nurses in clinical and policy arenas is proposed to facilitate active participation in improving environmental health.

Fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium: A biomarker of fetal alcohol exposure and effect.

To determine if meconium fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) in rat pups is a good biomarker of prenatal exposure and effect to alcohol, three groups of pregnant rats were studied: one control (pair fed) and two treatment groups given 25% alcohol at 2.2 or 5.5 g-1 kg-1 d-1. The pups were delivered on day 20 and, for each dam, were separated into a male and female group. The body, brain, intestines, and placenta of the pups were obtained, weighed, and stored at -20°C. The pups' intestines (as surrogate of meconium) from each group were pooled, and meconium was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy for FAEE. The meconium showed the following FAEE: ethyl palmitate, ethyl stearate, and ethyl linolenate and were only found in the alcohol-treated group and with high specificity but low sensitivity. Mean body weight of the pups was lower in the treatment groups compared to the control groups. Ethyl palmitate concentration correlated negatively to the pups' mean body and brain weights. Therefore, ethyl palmitate, stearate, and linolenate, in meconium of rat pups prenatally exposed to alcohol, are useful biomarkers of prenatal alcohol exposure, with ethyl palmitate a good biomarker of adverse effect on the pups' body and brain weight.

Perinatal nicotine exposure alters lung development and induces HMGB1-RAGE expression in neonatal mice.

Maternal nicotine exposure during gestation and lactation adversely affect lung development of their children. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is the encoded non-histone, nuclear DNA-binding protein that regulates transcription, and is involved in organization of DNA. Receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a receptor for HMGB1 and activates nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling. Animal and human studies have found cigarette smoke exposure upregulates RAGE expression, suggesting that the HMGB1-RAGE pathway might be involved in maternal nicotine-induced lung injury. This study evaluated prenatal and perinatal nicotine effects on lung development and HMGB1 and RAGE expression in mouse offspring. Nicotine was administered to pregnant mice by subcutaneous osmotic mini-pump at a dose of 6 mg kg-1 day-1 from gestational Day 14 to birth (prenatal) or to postnatal Day 21 (perinatal). A control group received an equal volume of saline by the same route. Three study groups were obtained: prenatal normal saline (NS), prenatal nicotine, and perinatal nicotine groups. The mice were euthanized on postnatal Day 21, and the lung tissues were collected for histological and Western blot analyses. Mice exposed to prenatal nicotine exhibited significantly higher lung mean chord length and oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and NF-κB expression compared to mice exposed to NS. Perinatal nicotine exposure further enhanced these harmful effects. These perinatal nicotine effects on lung development were associated with increased HMGB1 and RAGE expression. HMGB1-RAGE pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of altered lung development induced by perinatal nicotine exposure.

Fifty Years of Research on Prenatal Substances: Lessons Learned for the Opioid Epidemic.

Current efforts to design research on developmental effects of prenatal opioid exposure can benefit from knowledge gained from 50 years of studies of fetal alcohol and prenatal drug exposures such as cocaine. Scientific advances in neurobiology, developmental psychopathology, infant assessments, genetics, and imaging support the principles of developmental neurotoxicology that guide research in prenatal exposures. Important to research design is accurate assessment of amount, frequency, and timing of exposure which benefits from accurate self-report and biomarkers of exposure. Identifying and control of pre- and postnatal factors that impact development are difficult and dependent on appropriate research design and selection of comparison groups and measurement of confounding, mediating, and moderating variables. Polysubstance exposure has increased due to the number of prescribed and nonprescribed substances used by pregnant women and varying combinations of drugs may have differential effects on the outcome. Multiple experimental and clinical assessments of infant behavior have been developed but predicting outcome before 18-24 months of age remains difficult. With some exceptions, prenatal substance exposure effect sizes have been small, and cognitive and behavioral effects tend to be specific rather than global. Studies require large sample sizes, adequate retention, and support for social services in at-risk samples. The ethical and legal contexts and stigma associated with drug/alcohol use disorder should be considered in order to prevent harm to families in research programs. Recognition of the pervasive use of addictive substances in this nation should lead to broad scientific efforts to understand how substances affect child outcomes and to initiate prevention and intervention where needed.

Pengaruh prenatal yoga terhadap lama kala II persalinan dan kejadian robekan perinium

Labor is assumed to be a painful and tense process, but labor can be passed with a sense of security and comfort without trauma. Yoga is considered one of the alternative therapies to prepare pregnant women physically, mentally, and spiritually to face the birth process and prevent perineal rupture. This study aims to determine prenatal yoga's effect on the duration of the second stage of labor and the incidence of perineal tears at the Bumi Sehat Foundation Ubud Bali in 2018. The study was conducted by analytic design with a prospective study approach. The research subjects used 50 pregnant women who gave birth at the Bumi Sehat Foundation. The study used Mann-Whitney and chi-square. Based on the data analysis of the influence between Prenatal yoga on the duration of the second stage of analysis using Mann-Whitney p-value &lt;0.005 which means that there is an influence between prenatal yoga on the second time while based on Chi-square data analysis p-value 0.012 where p-value &lt;0, 005 which means that there is an influence between Prenatal yoga and perineum tear. It can be concluded that prenatal yoga is effective in helping pregnancy and childbirth are minimally traumatic in women.

Pace and stability of embryonic development affect telomere dynamics: an experimental study in a precocial bird model.

Prenatal effects on telomere length are increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to the developmental origin of health and adult disease. While it is becoming clear that telomere length is influenced by prenatal conditions, the factors affecting telomere dynamics during embryogenesis remain poorly understood. We manipulated both the pace and stability of embryonic development through varying incubation temperature and its stability in Japanese quail. We investigated the impact on telomere dynamics from embryogenesis to adulthood, together with three potential drivers of telomere shortening, growth rate, oxidative damage and prenatal glucocorticoid levels. Telomere length was not affected by our prenatal manipulation for the first 75% of embryogenesis, but was reduced at hatching in groups experiencing faster (i.e. high temperature) or less stable embryonic development. These early life differences in telomere length persisted until adulthood. The effect of developmental instability on telomere length at hatching was potentially mediated by an increased secretion of glucocorticoid hormones during development. Both the pace and the stability of embryo development appear to be key factors determining telomere length and dynamics into adulthood, with fast and less stable development leading to shorter telomeres, with the potential for adverse associated outcomes in terms of reduced longevity.

Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) and digit ratio associates with aggression: comparison in seven ethnic groups

BackgroundThe specific role of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene polymorphisms in emotional support seeking, related to social norms and culturally normative behavior, has been discussed in several studies. Evidence on the association between aggression and OXTR polymorphisms has also been reported. The goal of the current study was to analyze the effect of the OXTR rs53576 polymorphism, prenatal testosterone effect (second-to-fourth digit ratio, or 2D:4D), and culture on aggression assessed with the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ).MethodsThe data were collected in Russia and Tanzania and included seven ethnic groups of European, Asian, and African origin. The total sample included 1705 adults (837 males, 868 females). All the subjects were evaluated with the BPAQ. As a measure of prenatal androgenization, the second and fourth digits were measured directly from hand, and the digit ratios were calculated. All the participants provided buccal samples, from which genomic DNA was extracted, and the OXTR gene rs53576 polymorphism was genotyped. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0; the alpha level for all analyses was set at 0.05.ResultsThe ethnic group factor was the most significant predictor of ratings on BPAQ (medium effect size for physical aggression, anger and hostility scales, and low for verbal aggression). To study the effect of sex, the OXTR polymorphism, and prenatal androgenization, we conducted the z-score transformation for BPAQ scales and 2D:4D for each ethnic group and pooled these data into new z-score variables. According to the GLM analysis after leveling the effects of culture (z-transformation), all four scales of BPAQ demonstrated association with sex (main effects), with men scoring higher on physical and verbal aggression and women scoring higher on anger and hostility. Anger and hostility scales were also associated with OXTR polymorphism and 2D:4D of the right hand. The lowest levels of anger and hostility were observed in individuals with the AA genotype, especially in men.ConclusionsOur data suggest that both oxytocin (OXTR gene polymorphism) and fetal testosterone (2D:4D) may significantly affect emotional (anger) and cognitive (hostility) aggression in humans, given the leveling the role of culture.

Functional dissection of prenatal drug effects on baby brain and behavioral development.

Prenatal drug exposure (PDE) is known to affect fetal brain development with documented long‐term consequences. Most studies of PDE effects on the brain are based on animal models. In this study, based on a large sample of 133 human neonates and leveraging a novel linear mixed‐effect model designed for intersubject variability analyses, we studied the effects of six prenatally exposed drugs (i.e., nicotine, alcohol, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, marijuana, cocaine, and opioids) on neonatal whole‐brain functional organization and compared them with five other critical nondrug variables (i.e., gestational age at birth/scan, sex, birth weight, and maternal depression). The behavioral implications were also examined. Magnitude‐wise, through summing across individual drug effects, our results highlighted ~5% of whole‐brain functional connections (FCs) affected by PDE, which was highly comparable with the combined effects of the five nond rug variables. Spatially, the detected PDE effects featured drug‐specific patterns with a common bias in higher‐order brain regions/networks. Regarding brain–behavioral relationships, the detected connections showing significant drug effects also demonstrated significant correlations with 3‐month behavioral outcomes. Further mediation analyses supported a mediation role of the detected brain FCs between PDE status and cognitive/language outcomes. Our findings of widespread, and spatially biased PDE effect patterns coupled with significant behavioral implications may hopefully stimulate more human‐based studies into effects of PDE on long‐term developmental outcomes.

Effects of the prenatal injection to laboratory mice of the synestrol subtoxic dose on ovaries of the offspring

Recent studies that analyze the cytotoxic and pro-carcinogenic effects of estrogens indicate an increased risk of ovarian cancer in those patients which are treatment and do not exclude the effect of excessive hormonal levels on the formation of morphological and functional changes in tissues and organs in future offspring. The aim of the study was to study the effects of the prenatal effects of subtoxic doses of synestrol on the general morphology, histometric and immunohistochemical parameters of the ovaries of the offspring of laboratory mice in the its postnatal reproductive period of ontogenesis. Pregnant female laboratory mice were divided into 3 groups. The control group of animals was once injected olive oil at a dose of 0,2 μg/kg intramuscularly. The first experimental group of animals was injected intramuscularly a single dose of synestrol at a dose of 25 μg/kg in the form of a 2% oil solution, the second experimental group was injected intramuscularly once a single subtoxic dose of synestrol of 40 μg/kg in the form of a 2% oil solution. All pregnant female mice were treatment drugs at the gestational stage of E11.5. A histological study of the preparations of the ovaries of the offspring of the first experimental group of mice showed a change in the ratio of the area of cortical substance relative to the area of the medullar substance with a decrease in the number of follicles at different stages of development compared with similar indicators of the offspring of the control group of animals. A single intramuscular injection of synestrol at a dose of 40 μg/kg in the offspring of the second experimental group led to an increase in the area of cortical and medullar substances of the ovaries, a decrease in the number of primordial, primary (unilaminar) follicles, in contrast to the ovaries of the control group. In histological sections of the ovaries of the second experimental group, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of granulosa cells, as well as teca interna follicles were observed. The appearance of atretic bodies, focal luteinization, indicating a real prenatal effect of the hormone on the postnatal structure of the organ, was noted in the cortical substance. A decrease in the activity of markers of cell proliferation, the transcription factor p53 of an anti-oncogene, indicated damage to ovarian functions at the level of their molecular genetic predictors. The results of the study generally showed that the effect of a subtoxic dose of synestrol at stage E11.5 of the prenatal period of development of the offspring of laboratory mice leads to persistent morphological changes in their ovaries in the postnatal reproductive period of ontogenesis.

DNA methylation in children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure and environmental adversity.

BackgroundMethamphetamine (MA) use during pregnancy is a significant public health concern in the United States and affects long term brain and behavioral development in children. We hypothesized that prenatal MA exposure would be related to greater DNA methylation of HSD11B2 and postnatal environmental stress.MethodsThe Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle Study (IDEAL), a longitudinal study of Prenatal MA exposure enrolled mother-infant dyads in California, Hawaii, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Prenatal exposure was defined by maternal self-report and/or meconium toxicology screening. At ages 10–11 years, 100 children were assessed for drug exposure and DNA methylation of HSD11B2. Hierarchical linear models were used to determine the association between Prenatal MA exposure and methylation of HSD11B2 at 4 CpG sites.ResultsPrenatal MA exposure (1.4% vs 0.31%, P<0.01) and early childhood adversity (3.0 vs 2.0, P<0.01) were associated with greater DNA methylation of HSD11B2 at the CpG2 site. The statistically significant effects of early childhood adversity (B=0.11, P<0.01) and Prenatal MA exposure (B=0.32, P=0.03) on DNA methylation remained after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionsPrenatal MA exposure is related to postnatal childhood adversity and epigenetic alterations in HSD11B2, an important gene along the stress response pathway suggesting prenatal and postnatal programming effects.

Chicks from stressed females elicit overprotective behaviour in adoptive mother quail

Beyond the genetic links between mother and young, prenatal effects experienced by offspring can modulate their mother’s behaviour and stress. Here we investigated the consequences of stress-induced prenatal maternal effects on quail chicks’ behaviour and maternal behaviour. We evaluated how adoptive quail mothers (unstressed) raised chicks of females that had either been stressed (PS) or were non-stressed (NPS) during laying. We demonstrated previously that our social stress procedure during laying increases levels of egg yolk steroid and chicks’ emotional reactivity during the postnatal period. We found that, compared to NPS mothers, PS mothers remained closer to their chicks, were aggressed and neglected them less, emitted more maternal vocalisations and called their chicks more when they were separated. Moreover, PS chicks made more requests on their mother. Our results show that mothers responded to chicks’ behavioural changes caused by prenatal stress by adapting their maternal behaviour. As exemplified here, for the first time in birds, prenatal environment can affect postnatal maternal behaviour by changing their offspring’s behaviour.