Prenatal stress produces learning deficits associated with an inhibition of neurogenesis in the hippocampus

TLDR

Prenatal stress alters brain development and behavior, impairing memory processes while the underlying mechanism remains unclear, and hippocampal granule neurons—generated throughout life—are essential for learning. Prenatal stress in rats shortens the lifespan of dentate gyrus neurogenesis, impairs hippocampal‑dependent spatial learning, and blocks learning‑induced neurogenesis, supporting an early neurodevelopmental basis for later psychopathology.

Abstract

Early experiences such as prenatal stress significantly influence the development of the brain and the organization of behavior. In particular, prenatal stress impairs memory processes but the mechanism for this effect is not known. Hippocampal granule neurons are generated throughout life and are involved in hippocampal-dependent learning. Here, we report that prenatal stress in rats induced lifespan reduction of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and produced impairment in hippocampal-related spatial tasks. Prenatal stress blocked the increase of learning-induced neurogenesis. These data strengthen pathophysiological hypotheses that propose an early neurodevelopmental origin for psychopathological vulnerabilities in aging.