Early and long-term neuroendocrine effects of prenatal stress in male and female rats

Abstract

The effect of maternal stress or so-called prenatal stress (PS) on the neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction and stress reactivity of the progeny was studied. Prenatal stress prevented the formation of sex dimorphism of catecholamine content and aromatase and androgen 5a-reductase activities in the preoptic region of the brain and mediobasal hypothalamus of 10-day-old rats. Leveling of sex-specific differences in the size of the neurocyte nuclei in the suprachiasmatic nucleus was the morphological equivalent of functional disorders induced by PS. Stress and adrenergic reactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system was changed in prenatally stressed males and females. Remote effects of PS are regarded as a manifestation of disorders in the hormone neurotransmitter imprinting of the neuroendocrine system.