Placental endocrine insufficiency programs anxiety, deficits in cognition and atypical social behaviour in offspring.

ABSTRACT: Abnormally elevated expression of the imprinted PHLDA2 gene has been reported in the placenta of human babies that are growth restricted in utero in several studies. We previously modelled this gene alteration in mice and found that just 2-fold increased expression of Phlda2 resulted in placental endocrine insufficiency. In addition, elevated Phlda2 was found to drive fetal growth restriction (FGR) of transgenic offspring and impaired maternal care by their wildtype mothers. Being born small and being exposed to suboptimal maternal care have both been associated with the increased risk of mental health disorders in human populations. In the current study we probed behavioural consequences of elevated Phlda2 for the offspring. We discovered increased anxiety-like behaviours, deficits in cog

SUBMITTER: Harrison DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8444454 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature