Journal
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
Volume 32, Issue 8, Pages 1519-1532Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.06.004
Keywords
Prenatal stress; Autism; Epidemiology; Risk factors; Pregnancy; Human and animal research; Obstetric complications; Natural experiment
Categories
Funding
- Autism Speaks/Cure Autism Now Foundation, NIMH [MH 071286]
- FIC [D43 TW05807]
- Stanley Medical Research Foundation
- FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER [D43TW005807] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH [R25MH071286] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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This paper reviews several converging lines of research that suggest that prenatal exposure to environmental stress may increase risk for Autistic Disorder (AD). We first discuss studies finding that prenatal exposure to stressful life events is associated with significantly increased risk of AD, as well as other disorders, such as schizophrenia and depression. We then review evidence from animal and human studies that prenatal stress can produce both (a) abnormal postnatal behaviors that resemble the defining symptoms of AD, and (b) other abnormalities that have elevated rates in AD, such as learning deficits, seizure disorders, perinatal complications, immunologic and neuroinflammatory anomalies, and low postnatal tolerance for stress. We explain why an etiologic role for prenatal stress is compatible with genetic factors in AD, and describe how stress can disrupt fetal brain development. Finally, we discuss implications for understanding underlying processes in AD, including potential gene-environment interactions, and developing new therapies and early prevention programs. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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