Perinatal Stressors as a Factor in Impairments to Nervous System Development and Functions: Review of In Vivo Models

The human body is faced with stress throughout ontogeny. At the stage of intrauterine development, the mother's body serves as a source of resources and most of the humoral factors supporting the development of the fetus. In normal conditions, maternal stress-related humoral signals (e.g., cortisol) regulate fetal development; however, distress (excessive pathological stress) in the perinatal period leads to serious and sometimes irreversible changes in the developing brain. The mother being in an unfavorable psychoemotional state, toxins and teratogens, environmental conditions, and severe infectious diseases are the most common risk factors for the development of perinatal nervous system pathology in the modern world. In this regard, the challenge of modeling situations in which prenatal or early postnatal stresses lead to serious impairments to brain development and functioning is extremely relevant. This review addresses the various models of perinatal pathology used in our studies (hypoxia, exposure to valproate, hyperserotoninemia, alcoholization), and assesses the commonality of the mechanisms of the resulting disorders and behavioral phenotypes forming in these models, as well as their relationship with models of perinatal pathology based on the impact of psychoemotional stressors.

 

Comments：

It is well-known that the developing fetus is exposed to various stressors during intrauterine development, which can have significant impacts on the developing brain and behavior. Maternal stress-related factors such as cortisol play a crucial role in regulating fetal development, but excessive stress during the perinatal period can lead to permanent changes in brain function.

To study the effects of perinatal stress on the developing brain, various models have been used, including hypoxia, exposure to valproate, hyperserotoninemia, and alcoholization. These models aim to mimic the different types of stressors that can affect the developing fetus and lead to perinatal nervous system pathology.

The review assesses the common mechanisms of these models and their relationship with models based on the impact of psychoemotional stressors. The review highlights the importance of studying the effects of different stressors on the developing brain and how they can lead to similar behavioral phenotypes.

Overall, understanding the impact of perinatal stress on the developing brain is crucial for developing interventions that can prevent or mitigate the long-term consequences of these stressors. The use of animal models to study these effects can provide important insights into the underlying mechanisms and potential treatments for perinatal nervous system pathology.

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