The Effects of Prenatal Dexamethasone Exposure on Brain Metabolic Homeostasis in Adulthood: Implications for Depression.

ABSTRACT: Since depression produces a long-term negative impact on quality of life, understanding the pathophysiological changes implicated in this disorder is urgent. There is growing evidence that demonstrates a key role for dysfunctional energy metabolism in driving the onset of depression; thus, bioenergetic alterations should be extensively studied. Brain metabolism is known to be a glucocorticoid-sensitive process, but the long-lasting consequences in adulthood following high levels of glucocorticoids at the early stages of life are unclear. We examined a possible association between brain energetic changes induced by synthetic glucocorticoid-dexamethasone treatment in the prenatal period and depressive-like behavior. The results show a reduction in the oxidative phosphorylation process, Krebs

SUBMITTER: Glombik K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9866429 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature