Sexually dimorphic responses to early adversity: Implications for affective problems and autism spectrum disorder

PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY

卷:49

Review

Davis, Elysia Poggi^1,2  Pfaff, Donald³ 

[1] Univ Denver, Dept Psychol, Neurodev Res Program, Denver, CO 80208 USA

[2] Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Orange, CA 92868 USA

[3] Rockefeller Univ, Neurobiol & Behav Lab, New York, NY 10021 USA

关键词: Sex differences;    Prenatal;    Stress;    Early adversity;    Autism;    Anxiety;    Depression;    Fetal programming;    Placenta;    Epigenetic;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.06.014

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

During gestation, development proceeds at a pace that is unmatched by any other stage of the life cycle. For these reasons the human fetus is particularly susceptible not only to organizing influences, but also to pathogenic disorganizing influences. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to prenatal adversity leads to neurological changes that underlie lifetime risks for mental illness. Beginning early in gestation, males and females show differential developmental trajectories and responses to stress. It is likely that sex-dependent organization of neural circuits during the fetal period influences differential vulnerability to mental health problems. We consider in this review evidence that sexually dimorphic responses to early life stress are linked to two developmental disorders: affective problems (greater female prevalence) and autism spectrum disorder (greater male prevalence). Recent prospective studies illustrating the neurodevelopmental consequences of fetal exposure to stress and stress hormones for males and females are considered here. Plausible biological mechanisms including the role of the sexually differentiated placenta are discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free