Effects of environmental stress during pregnancy on maternal and fetal plasma corticosterone and progesterone in the rat

Conference · Fri Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5508328

Fleming, D E; Rhees, R W; Williams, S R; Kurth, S M

Prenatal stress applied during a presumed critical period (third trimester) for sexual differentiation of the brain has been shown to alter development and influence sexual behavior. This experiment was designed to study the effects of environmental stress (restraint/illumination/heat) on maternal and fetal plasma corticosterone and progesterone titers. These hormones were studied since corticosterone has been shown to alter brain differentiation and progesterone has anti-androgen properties and since the secretion of both from the adrenal cortex is stimulated by ACTH. Plasma corticosterone and progesterone titers of both stressed and control gravid rats and their fetuses were measured on gestational days 18 and 20 by radioimmunoassay. Prenatal stress significantly reduced fetal body weight and fetal adrenal weight. Maternal pituitary weight was significantly increased. Prenatal stress caused a significant elevation in maternal corticosterone and progesterone titers and in fetal corticosterone titers. There was no difference between prenatal stressed and control fetal plasma progesterone levels. These data demonstrate that environmental stress significantly increases adrenal activity beyond that brought about naturally by pregnancy, and therefore may modify sequential hormonal events during fetal development.

• Research Organization: Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT
• OSTI ID: 5508328
• Report Number(s): CONF-8604222-
• Journal Information: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 45:3; ISSN FEPRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
BODY
BRAIN
CELL DIFFERENTIATION
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CORTICOSTEROIDS
CORTICOSTERONE
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FETUSES
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IMMUNOASSAY
IMMUNOLOGY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KETONES
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PITUITARY GLAND
PREGNANCY
PREGNANES
PROGESTERONE
RADIOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOLOGY
RATS
RODENTS
SECRETION
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES
WEIGHT