Prenatal Exposure to Stress Hormones May Affect Brain Development in Children

Cortisol like drugs called glucocorticoids are often administered to women who are in preterm labor to help maturation of the fetal lungs. Although this has helped save countless children, studies have shown that it has negatively impacted the development of their brain resulting in emotional problems later in life. In a study, Dr Elysia Davis and her colleagues at the University of Denver have found a noticeable cortical thinning in the brain of children exposed to artificial glucocorticoids before birth. This cortical thinning was also responsible for their mood and anxiety disorders. There was no disparity noticed between these children and normal children born after a full term of pregnancy in relation to gestational age at birth, weight or any other basic demographics. This study emphasizes that prenatal exposure to stress hormones affect fetal brain development and the will help understand the effect of maternal stress on a child.