Maternal stress linked with increased risk of schizophrenia in male offspring

Experts know little as to how the maternal environment alters offspring programming. Epigenetics, an area of research that is studying how environmental factors produce lasting changes in gene expression without altering DNA sequence, may provide new insights into this question.

A new review, published in Biological Psychiatry, has incorporated the latest insight gained from clinical and epidemiological studies with potential epigenetic mechanisms from basic research. These key findings are from a conference on Early Life Programming and Neurodevelopmental Disorders held at the University of Pennsylvania.

For example, the authors discuss findings where maternal stress has been associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia in male offspring and may alter fetal brain growth. Data also indicate that maternal stress, infection, and/or exposure to famine contribute to an elevated risk for depression in offspring.  Of critical importance, the brain continues to develop into adolescence, and so later influences, such as exposure to child abuse and/or neglect, must also be taken into account. Studies have consistently shown that adults who experience maltreatment as children are at a much greater risk of developing mood disorders.