title: Perinatal maternal stress and serotonin signaling: effects on pain sensitivity in offspring.
abstract: It has been estimated that 20% of pregnant women are facing perinatal stress and depression. Perinatal maternal stress has been shown to increase pain sensitivity in offspring. For the treatment of their depressive symptoms, pregnant women are frequently prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Since the descending pain inhibitory circuit matures perinatally, perinatal SSRI exposure has been shown to affect pain sensitivity in offspring. In the present review, we summarize experimental and clinical evidence for the effect of perinatal maternal stress and SSRI exposure on pain sensitivity in offspring. Both experimental and clinical studies show the effect of perinatal maternal stress on regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and the serotonin pain inhibitory system. Alterations in these two systems likely underlie long-term alterations in the development of pain sensitivity. This review sheds light on the effect of perinatal maternal stress and treatment with SSRIs on offspring pain sensitivity, in relation to the developing HPA system and 5-HT signaling.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology/Pain Management, University Pain Center Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Center, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands; School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Liesbeth
authors: L
authors: Knaepen
authors: Jodi L
authors: JL
authors: Pawluski
authors: Jacob
authors: J
authors: Patijn
authors: Maarten
authors: M
authors: van Kleef
authors: Dick
authors: D
authors: Tibboel
authors: Elbert A
authors: EA
authors: Joosten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin
keywords: HPA system; depression; maternal stress; nociception; pain; pain sensitivity; serotonin