- JERUSALEM — Israeli researchers have discovered that stress experienced by
mothers during pregnancy affects the foetus's brain.
-
- The discovery led by researchers from the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem (HU) could pave the way for new treatments or
interventions to support a baby's healthy development after birth, Xinhua news
agency reported.
-
- Published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, the study
revealed that maternal stress during pregnancy could "reprogramme"
key molecular pathways in the foetus, particularly the cholinergic system -- a
network of nerve cells responsible for regulating stress responses and
inflammation.
-
- The researchers analysed blood samples from 120 newborns
and their mothers collected at birth, focusing on small RNA molecules known as
tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which originate from mitochondrial DNA.
-
- These molecules play a critical role in regulating cellular
functions and responses to stress.
Read: Nagaland records highest HIV prevalence among pregnant women
-
- “We found that even before babies take their first
breath, the stress their mothers experience can shape how their bodies manage
stress themselves,” said Prof. Hermona Soreq, from the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem.
-
- The study also uncovered major differences between male
and female infants. Baby girls showed a sharp decrease in specific tRFs, called
CholinotRFs, which are involved in the production of acetylcholine -- a brain
chemical crucial for memory and immune function.
-
- While baby boys showed elevated levels of an enzyme
(AChE) that breaks down acetylcholine, suggesting a diminished capacity to
manage stress.
-
- Using machine learning, the researchers determined with
95 per cent accuracy whether baby girls had been exposed to maternal stress
during pregnancy based on their RNA profiles.
