Epigenetics of prenatal stress in humans: the current research landscape

Fetal exposure to prenatal stress can have significant consequences on short- and long-term health. Epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation (DNAm), are a possible process how these adverse environmental events could be biologically embedded. We evaluated candidate gene as well as epigenome...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical epigenetics Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 20 - 16
Main Authors: Dieckmann, Linda, Czamara, Darina
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London BioMed Central 02.02.2024
BioMed Central Ltd
Springer Nature B.V
BMC
Subjects:
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Children
DNA methylation
DOHaD
Domestic violence
Embedding
Epigenetic inheritance
Epigenetics
Fetal programming
Fetuses
Gene expression
Gene Function
Genes
Health aspects
Hormones
Human Genetics
Hypotheses
Metabolism
Methylation
Pregnancy
Pregnant women
Prenatal experience
Prenatal stress
Review
Stress
Stress response
Type 2 diabetes
DNA methylation
Epigenetics
DOHaD
Fetal programming
Prenatal stress
ISSN:1868-7083, 1868-7075, 1868-7083, 1868-7075
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Fetal exposure to prenatal stress can have significant consequences on short- and long-term health. Epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation (DNAm), are a possible process how these adverse environmental events could be biologically embedded. We evaluated candidate gene as well as epigenome-wide association studies associating prenatal stress and DNAm changes in peripheral tissues; however, most of these findings lack robust replication. Prenatal stress-associated epigenetic changes have also been linked to child health including internalizing problems, neurobehavioral outcomes and stress reactivity. Future studies should focus on refined measurement and definition of prenatal stress and its timing, ideally also incorporating genomic as well as longitudinal information. This will provide further opportunities to enhance our understanding of the biological embedding of prenatal stress exposure.
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ISSN:1868-7083
1868-7075
1868-7083
1868-7075
DOI:10.1186/s13148-024-01635-9