Gröger Nicole, Matas Emmanuel, Gos Tomasz, Lesse Alexandra, Poeggel Gerd, Braun Katharina, Bock Jörg
Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2016 Sep;123(9):1037-52. doi: 10.1007/s00702-016-1570-1. Epub 2016 May 12.
The view that the functional maturation of the brain is the result of an environmentally driven adaptation of genetically preprogrammed neuronal networks is an important current concept in developmental neuroscience and psychology. This hypothesis proposes that early traumatic experiences or early life stress (ELS) as a negative environmental experience provide a major risk factor for the development of dysfunctional brain circuits and as a consequence for the emergence of behavioral dysfunctions and mental disorders in later life periods. This view is supported by an increasing number of clinical as well as experimental animal studies revealing that early life traumas can induce functional 'scars' in the brain, especially in brain circuits, which are essential for emotional control, learning, and memory functions. Such gene × environment interactions are modulated by specific epigenetic mechanisms, which are suggested to be the key factors of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Indeed, there is increasing evidence for inter- and transgenerational cycles of environmentally driven neuronal and behavioral adaptations mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Finally, recent concepts postulate that, dependent on type, time point, and duration of ELS exposure, also positive functional adaptations may occur in the relevant brain pathways, leading to better stress coping and resilience against adversities later in life.
大脑功能成熟是基因预编程神经网络受环境驱动而发生适应性变化的结果，这一观点是当前发育神经科学和心理学中的一个重要概念。该假说提出，早期创伤经历或早期生活压力（ELS）作为一种负面环境体验，是大脑功能回路发育出现功能障碍的主要风险因素，进而导致后期出现行为功能障碍和精神障碍。越来越多的临床研究和实验动物研究支持了这一观点，这些研究表明，早期生活创伤会在大脑中诱发功能性“疤痕”，尤其是在对情绪控制、学习和记忆功能至关重要的脑回路中。这种基因×环境相互作用由特定的表观遗传机制调节，这些机制被认为是跨代表观遗传遗传的关键因素。事实上，越来越多的证据表明，由表观遗传机制介导的环境驱动的神经元和行为适应性变化存在代内和代际循环。最后，最近的概念假设，根据ELS暴露的类型、时间点和持续时间，相关脑通路中也可能发生积极的功能适应，从而在生命后期更好地应对压力并增强对逆境的恢复力。
