Molecular Mechanisms of Maternal Effects on Infant Neurodevelopment
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1158
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The concept of 'fetal programming' suggests that an individual's phenotype can be influenced during intrauterine and perinatal development. Exposure to stressful stimuli during these critical periods may elevate the risk of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric disorders later in life. Adverse stimuli often lead to increased fetal exposure to maternal glucocorticoids, which can accelerate the maturation of fetal tissues and organs, resulting in lower birth weights and a heightened risk of learning and behavioral issues. Research indicates that low placental levels of type-2 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in stressed mothers contribute significantly to elevated fetal steroid exposure. Additionally, maternal nutritional restriction is correlated with a hyperanxious phenotype and reduced dendritic arborization in offspring neurons. However, the effects of severe gestational stressors on cellular structure and neurochemical composition in the central nervous system remain underexplored. The activation of mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptors in corticotropin-releasing factor neurons enhances anxiety-like behaviors. Research also shows that type 1 CRF receptors influence neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin and dopamine, and interact with brain-derived neurotrophic factors, which play a critical role in fear and anxiety responses. This Special Issue aims to highlight research on the early effects of gestational stress on molecular and neurochemical composition, as well as cellular profiles in various brain regions of offspring, associated with the onset of stress-induced neurobehavioral changes.
Prof. Dr. José Antonio Rocha Gontijo
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- maternal–fetal interactions
- epigenetic regulation
- neurodevelopmental programming
- placental signaling
- glucocorticoid receptors
- brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
- oxidative stress
- synaptic plasticity
- perinatal stress
- corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) pathway
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