pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Role of Stress in Brain Development: The Gestational Environment's Long-Term Effects on the Brain - PubMed

The Role of Stress in Brain Development: The Gestational Environment's Long-Term Effects on the Brain

Claudia Buss et al. Cerebrum. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

During gestation, the fetal brain develops dramatically as structures and connections form, providing the foundation for all future development. The fetal environment plays a critical role in these early neural processes, for better or for worse. Scientists now know that exposure to maternal stress can sometimes have deleterious effects on the fetus, depending on the cause, timing, duration, and intensity of stress. Fortunately, postnatal interventions, such as a secure parent-infant bond and an enriched environment, can buffer the potential negative consequences.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Andersen SL. Trajectories of brain development: point of vulnerability or window of opportunity? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2003;27(1–2):3–18. - PubMed
    1. Gluckman PD, Hanson MA. Living with the past: Evolution, development, and patterns of disease. Science. 2004;305(5691):1733–1736. - PubMed
    1. Swanson JM, Wadhwa PD. Developmental origins of child mental health disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines. 2008;49(10):1009–1019. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Adinolfi M. The development of the human blood-CSF-brain barrier. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 1985;27(4):532–537. - PubMed
    1. Flinn MV, Nepomnaschy PA, Muehlenbein MP, Ponzi D. Evolutionary functions of early social modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis development in humans. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2011;35(7):1611–1629. - PubMed