Journal
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
Volume 73, Issue -, Pages 293-308Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.026
Keywords
Development; Depression; Early life stress; Epigenetics; Gene-environment interactions; Intergenerational transmission; Mother-child; Oxytocin; Parenting behavior
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Funding
- European Research Area Network NEURON (ERA-NET NEURON) [MecTranGen 01EW1407A]
- National Institutes of Health [NIH R01 HD-060628, R01 MH105538, R01 MH091351]
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Severe stress in early life, such as childhood abuse and neglect, constitutes a major risk factor in the etiology of psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases. Importantly, these long-term effects may impact the next generation. The intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress (ELS) may occur via pre-and postnatal pathways, such as alterations in maternal-fetal-placental stress physiology, maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as impaired mother-offspring interactions. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has gained considerable attention for its role in modulating all of these assumed transmission pathways. Moreover, central and peripheral OT signaling pathways are highly sensitive to environmental exposures and may be compromised by EIS with implications for these putative transmission mechanisms. Together, these data suggest that OT pathways play an important role in the intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS in humans. By integrating recent studies on gene environment interactions and epigenetic modifications in OT pathway genes, the present review aims to develop a conceptual framework of intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS that emphasizes the role of OT. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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