Effects of prenatal stress on brain vulnerability in adult offspring

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H07213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Orthodontics/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Asahi University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Ayumi 朝日大学, 歯学部, 助教 (10804643)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 妊娠期ストレス / 咀嚼運動 / 海馬 / HPA-axis / GR / 新規急性拘束ストレス / PVN / ストレス脆弱脳

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, we found that hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor(GR)mRNA expression level was significantly decreased in the prenatal stress mice and hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH)mRNA expression levels were significantly increased after novel stress exposure. Maternal chewing during prenatal stress exposure attenuated stress-induced decrease in hippocampal GRmRNA expression and increased hypothalamic CRHmRNA expression after novel stress exposure in young adult offspring. Our results demonstrated that maternal chewing during prenatal stress ameliorated stress-induced hippocampal GR expression and hypothalamic CRH expression. These findings suggest that maternal chewing during prenatal stress enhances the negative feedback efficiency of the HPA axis, thereby suppressing the HPA axis in the offspring. Maternal chewing during prenatal stress could be an effective strategy for preventing stress-induced brain vulnerability in the offspring.

Free Research Field

小児歯科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

咀嚼刺激を与えることで妊娠期ストレスを受けた仔において海馬GRの減少が抑制され、HPA axisの機能不全を最小限に留め、その結果、新規ストレスに対して起こる過敏反応を減弱し、妊娠期ストレスによる子どものストレス脆弱脳形成は軽減することが出来る。つまり、出生前～出生後に至る咀嚼刺激を与えることにより、ストレス脆弱脳の形成を抑制することという新しい学問分野を開拓できる可能性があり、学術的波及効果は極めて大きい。また、妊婦が「咀嚼運動」という日常的な行為を積極的に行うことによって、産まれる子どものストレス脆弱脳形成の予防に有効であることを世界に発信する。