The influences of paternal prenatal chronic stress on offspring selected metabolic, behavioural and neurochemistry changes.
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Exposure to past stress and trauma during early developmental stages can permanently affect
the performance and advancements of core systems in humans. Whilst many studies are
investigating the lasting effects of maternal prenatal stress, there is a paucity of information on
the long-term effects of paternal prenatal stress. Therefore, the present study sought to
investigate the effects of parental prenatal stress on the offspring’s psychiatric behaviour,
particularly the fathers, whether these can be transferred to offspring and a number of
parameters commonly associated with prenatal stress. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of
parental prenatal stress on body weight, feeding behaviour and stress response. Animals had
access to food and fluids ad libitum during experimentation and were randomly assigned to
different groups (n=8 per group). We found that the behavioural and neurochemical
manifestations in the offspring of prenatally stressed fathers suggest that stressed fathers can
transfer feelings of anhedonia and social anxiety to their offspring mediated, in part, by
offspring behavioural changes of depression and social anxiety as well as, a blunted serotonin
response. Furthermore, when both parents were prenatally stressed their stress effect to their
offspring’s behavioural and neurochemistry is augmented. This was confirmed by the
behavioural manifestations of extreme anxiety, depression and social anxiety as well as, the
subdued serotonin concentration. Additionally, we found that prenatally stressed fathers can
impact on offspring feeding behaviour and body weight changes mediated, in part, by the
offspring’s reduced food intake and body weight as well as, a dysregulated corticosterone
response. Moreover, when both parents were prenatally stressed their stress effect to their
offspring’s development is intermediary. This was confirmed by metabolic manifestations of
increased food intake and body weight which may have primarily been accomplished by
modifying the glucocorticoid system. Therefore, the prenatally stressed fathers decreased the
offspring’s sociability and increased anhedonia however, they did not transfer their anxiogenic
behaviour. The prenatally stressed fathers also decreased the offspring’s appetite and as a
consequence their however, they did not affect the stress response.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.