Adverse stressful experiences in utero can redirect fetal brain development, ultimately leading to increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Obesity during pregnancy can have similar effects as maternal stress, affecting mental health in the offspring. In order to explain how similar outcomes may originate from different prenatal conditions, we propose a “funnel effect” model whereby maternal psychological or metabolic stress triggers the same evolutionarily conserved response pathways, increasing vulnerability for psychopathology. In this context, the placenta, which is the main mother-fetus interface, appears to facilitate such convergence, re-directing “stress” signals to the fetus. Characterizing converging pathways activated by different adverse environmental conditions is fundamental to assess the emergence of risk signatures of major psychiatric disorders, which might enable preventive measures in risk populations, and open up new diagnostics, and potentially therapeutic approaches for disease prevention and health promotion already during pregnancy.

Prenatal psychological or metabolic stress increases the risk for psychiatric disorders: the “funnel effect” model / Musillo, C.; Berry, A.; Cirulli, F.. - In: NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS. - ISSN 0149-7634. - 136:(2022), p. 104624. [10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104624]

Prenatal psychological or metabolic stress increases the risk for psychiatric disorders: the “funnel effect” model

Musillo C.
Primo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;
2022

Abstract

Adverse stressful experiences in utero can redirect fetal brain development, ultimately leading to increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Obesity during pregnancy can have similar effects as maternal stress, affecting mental health in the offspring. In order to explain how similar outcomes may originate from different prenatal conditions, we propose a “funnel effect” model whereby maternal psychological or metabolic stress triggers the same evolutionarily conserved response pathways, increasing vulnerability for psychopathology. In this context, the placenta, which is the main mother-fetus interface, appears to facilitate such convergence, re-directing “stress” signals to the fetus. Characterizing converging pathways activated by different adverse environmental conditions is fundamental to assess the emergence of risk signatures of major psychiatric disorders, which might enable preventive measures in risk populations, and open up new diagnostics, and potentially therapeutic approaches for disease prevention and health promotion already during pregnancy.
2022
Animal model; Clinical studies; Glucocorticoids; Inflammation; Major depression; Maternal obesity; Mental health; Metabolism; Oxidative stress; Placenta; Pregnancy
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
Prenatal psychological or metabolic stress increases the risk for psychiatric disorders: the “funnel effect” model / Musillo, C.; Berry, A.; Cirulli, F.. - In: NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS. - ISSN 0149-7634. - 136:(2022), p. 104624. [10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104624]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1627202
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