title: The effect of chronic stress on prenatal development of the central nervous system.
abstract: The survival of developing embryos depends on the control and maintenance of homeostasis. Stress caused by chronic immobilization during pregnancy in rats may alter the normal development of the nervous system and increase susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. We investigated the effects of chronic stress on cell proliferation in the forebrains of embryos at 12 days of gestation, and in the hippocampus, dentate gyrus and cortex in embryos at 17 and 21 days of gestation. We examined serial sections of the embryonic brains of control and stressed rats at days 12, 17 and 21 of gestation. Brain sections were immunolabeled with anti-PCNA and stereological analysis was performed on 540 images. The results showed no statistical differences on days 12 and 17 of gestation in the proliferation area of the structures studied, whereas on day 21 of gestation, proliferation decreased in the cortex and dentate gyrus of embryos of the stressed group. These changes were related to decreased prolactin and increased corticosterone concentrations in the plasma.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Embryology, Animal Anatomy Department, School of Agronomy and Veterinary, National University of Rio Cuarto.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Giordana
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bozzo
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cots
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Monedero Cobeta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolando
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Gauna
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Romanini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: PCNA; central nervous system; gestation; prenatal stress; proliferation; rats