Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Research Group on Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department for Welfare, Public Health and Family, Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Oct;117:5-25. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.031. Epub 2020 Jan 28.
Cognitive and mental health are major determinants of quality of life, allowing integration into society at all ages. Human epidemiological and animal studies indicate that in addition to genetic factors and lifestyle, prenatal environmental influences may program neuropsychiatric disorders in later life. While several human studies have examined the effects of prenatal stress and nutrient restriction on brain function and mental health in later life, potentially mediating effects of prenatal stress and nutrient restriction on offspring neuroanatomy in humans have been studied only in recent years. Based on neuroimaging and anatomical data, we comprehensively review the studies in this emerging field. We relate prenatal environmental influences to neuroanatomical abnormalities in the offspring, measured in utero and throughout life. We also assess the relationship between neuroanatomical abnormalities and cognitive and mental disorders. Timing- and gender-specific effects are considered, if reported. Our review provides evidence for adverse effects of an unfavorable prenatal environment on structural brain development that may contribute to the risk for cognitive, behavioral and mental health problems throughout life.
认知和心理健康是生活质量的主要决定因素，使人在各个年龄段都能融入社会。人类流行病学和动物研究表明，除了遗传因素和生活方式外，产前环境影响可能会在以后的生活中引发神经精神疾病。虽然有几项人类研究检查了产前压力和营养限制对大脑功能和以后生活中的心理健康的影响，但在人类中，产前压力和营养限制对后代神经解剖结构的潜在介导作用仅在近年来才得到研究。基于神经影像学和解剖学数据，我们全面综述了这一新兴领域的研究。我们将产前环境影响与后代的神经解剖异常联系起来，这些异常在子宫内和整个生命过程中都有测量。我们还评估了神经解剖异常与认知和精神障碍之间的关系。如果有报告，我们还考虑了时间和性别特异性效应。我们的综述提供了证据，证明不利的产前环境对结构大脑发育有不良影响，这可能会增加一生中出现认知、行为和心理健康问题的风险。
