title: The predictive adaptive response and metabolic syndrome: challenges for the hypothesis.
abstract: In humans and other mammals, maternal undernutrition or stress during gestation results in small offspring with permanently altered metabolism and tissue composition. It has been suggested that such responses might exist because in utero conditions provide a reliable 'prediction' of the environmental conditions that foetuses will eventually be exposed to during adulthood. Thus, some developmental responses to the early environment might improve an individual's evolutionary success in a similar future environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK. i.rickard@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Rickard
authors.forename: Virpi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lummaa
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D013534:Survival