Have you ever heard the term ‘cortisol face?’ If you haven’t, there is an idea that is becoming widely popular making individuals worried about their cortisol levels and the effects that cortisol can have on your body. It is becoming more well-known that high stress levels for a prolonged period can have a negative impact, especially on women. While experts have since said that stress is not likely to cause such obvious puffiness to the face, cortisol has been found to have negative effects during pregnancy. According to WashU’s “High stress during pregnancy linked to elevated cortisol in toddlers’ hair, study finds” written by Sara Savat, mothers who are in a prolonged state of stress during pregnancy can transmit the high levels of cortisol to their child. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a response to stress. Stress is a normal bodily function that can fluctuate throughout the day, but issues arise when chronic stress never allows for cortisol levels to come down. During pregnancy, it can easily cross the placenta, which proves problematic for the developing infant which can affect the fetal growth rate and later behavioral problems. The research team at Washington University in St. Louis and Dartmouth College have found a correlation in toddler hair cortisol levels and maternal prenatal depression. These noninvasive hair cortisol tests show a longer range of cortisol levels than saliva tests, which can only depict short-term changes in cortisol. A single centimeter of hair reflects an entire month of high cortisol, much longer periods of time can be examined so that it can be determined if support and/or interventions should be made before the effects are eminent. Catching elevated stress levels can be vital to the growth and neurodevelopment of a child during crucial periods.
The research paper “Deficits of Hippocampal RNA Editing and Social Interaction Resulting from Prenatal Stress Are Mitigated by Clozapine,” written by a team of scientists including Dr. Sodhi, underwent experimentation on mice to examine the neurological deficits during development after an induction of prenatal stress. In this paper, it was shown that neural deficient diseases were more prevalent in these mice, especially schizophrenia and autism which have large deficiencies in social behavioral development. It was found that understanding certain aspects of RNA editing could be beneficial to the repair of hippocampal function after the prenatal restraint stress had disrupted its function. Dr. Sodhi and collaborators indicate that this prenatal stress induces various molecular pathways which then escalate into deficiencies in the structure of the hippocampus during development. This paper went into greater detail about the findings of RNA editing, and how its importance with anxiety and helplessness could lead to the understanding of how the hippocampus becomes impaired and is causing these mental health disorders with deficits in social interaction. Dr. Sodhi and her team found that Clozapine may have a better result relative to Haloperidol for patients with these psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer’s and dementia, and mood disorders. This is reinforced by the RNA editing of GluA2 flop R/G, which could be a drug target to help with the long-term effects of this prenatal stress on behavior. More research will be done on this topic in the future to alleviate the symptoms of prenatal stress during the crucial stages of development.
In both of these sources, steps are being taken to support both the mother who may need external help, as well as the developing infant. The hair cortisol test is an example of a new preventative measure, while clozapine may be a future curative medication. Scientists are concerned with prenatal stress and its effects on the neurological development of the child and are looking into ways to both prevent and remedy this growing issue.
Works Cited:
Bristow, G. C.; Dong, E.; Nwabuisi-Heath, E.; Gentile, S.; Guidotti, A.; Sodhi, M. Deficits of
Hippocampal RNA Editing and Social Interaction Resulting from Prenatal Stress Are Mitigated by Clozapine. bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) 2021. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.02.429408.
Savat, Sara. “High Stress during Pregnancy Linked to Elevated Cortisol in Toddlers’ Hair, Study
Finds.” The Source, 18 July 2024, source.washu.edu/2024/07/high-stress-during-pregnancy-linked-to-elevated-cortisol-in-toddlers-hair-study-finds/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
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