title: Glucocorticoids and neuro- and behavioural development.
abstract: Epidemiological evidence links exposure to stress hormones during fetal or early postnatal development with lifetime prevalence of cardiac, metabolic, auto-immune, neurological and psychiatric disorders. This has led to the concept of 'developmental programming through stress'. Importantly, these effects (specifically, hypertension, hyperglycaemia and neurodevelopmental and behavioural abnormalities) can be reproduced by exposure to high glucocorticoid levels, indicating a crucial role of glucocorticoids in their causation. However, there can be important differences in outcome, depending on the exact time of exposure, as well as duration and receptor selectivity of the glucocorticoid applied. The mechanisms underlying programming by stress are still unclear but it appears that these environmental perturbations exploit epigenetic modifications of DNA and/or histones to induce stable modifications of gene expression. Programming of neuro- and behavioural development by glucocorticoids and stress are important determinants of lifetime health and should be a consideration when choosing treatments in obstetric and neonatal medicine.
authors.affiliation: Life & Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Raquel
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wegerich
authors.forename: Alexandre V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Patchev
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leão
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Osborne F X
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D007223:Infant; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000502:physiology; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid