Altered cortical development and psychiatric symptom risk in adolescents exposed to maternal stress in utero

ObjectiveMaternal exposure to stress during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for cognitive and behavioral sequelae in offspring. Animal research demonstrates exposure to stress during gestation has effects on brain structure. In humans, however, little is known about the enduring effects of in utero exposure to maternal stress on brain morphology. We examine whether maternal report of stressful events during pregnancy is associated with brain structure and behavior in adolescents. MethodWe compare gray matter morphometry of typically-developing early adolescents (11-14 years of age, mean 12.7) based on presence/absence of maternal report of stressful event(s) during pregnancy: prenatal stress (PS; n=28), no prenatal stress (NS; n=55). The Drug Use Survey Index Revised (DUSI-R) assessed adolescent risk for problematic behaviors. Exclusionary criteria included pre-term birth, low birth weight, and maternal substance use during pregnancy. Groups were equivalent for demographic (age, sex, IQ, SES, race/ethnicity), and birth measures (weight, length). ResultsCompared to NS peers, adolescents in the PS group exhibited increased gray matter volume in bilateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC): bilateral intraparietal sulcus, left superior parietal lobule and inferior parietal lobule. Additionally, the PS group displayed greater risk for psychiatric symptoms and family system dysfunction, as assessed via DUSI-R subscales. ConclusionThis study provides evidence for the enduring neurodevelopmental effects of exposure to maternal stress while in utero, suggesting the dynamic alterations in brain structure that occur during the adolescent critical period may unmask the latent effects of gestational stress on brain morphology and increase subsequent risk for psychiatric symptomatology.