Prepartum chronic ultramild stress increases corticosterone and estradiol levels in gestating mice: implications for postpartum depressive disorders.
Psychiatry Research. 2005-11-01; 137(1-2): 123-130
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2005.07.020
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Misdrahi D(1), Pardon MC, Pérez-Diaz F, Hanoun N, Cohen-Salmon C.
Author information:
(1)UMR 7593 CNRS Laboratoire Vulnérabilité, Adaptation & Psychopathologie and
Université Paris VI, IFR Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière,
91 Bvd de l’Hôpital 75013 Paris, France.
Fluctuations in steroid hormones (glucocorticoids and estradiol) levels during
pregnancy and after delivery are thought to contribute to the etiology of
postpartum depression. Such changes may be exacerbated by stressful events,
which constitute a predisposing factor for postpartum mood disorders. In the
present study, blood hormonal variations associated with prepartum Chronic
Ultramild Stress (CUMS) exposure were assessed at two times (15th day of
pregnancy and 3rd day postpartum) in mice stressed from day 1 of pregnancy to
termination of pregnancy. Litter weight and litter size were determined in both
groups whereas the duration of pregnancy was determined in the 3-day postpartum
group. CUMS increased estradiol and corticosterone levels during pregnancy, but
such effects were no longer observed in the postpartum period, where cortisol
levels were decreased in control and stressed mice and estradiol levels were
reduced in previously stressed mothers. No effects of the CUMS procedure were
observed on gestational parameters. Given the link between hormonal variations
during pregnancy and subsequent postpartum depression, these results suggest
that CUMS applied to gestating female may provide a useful model for the study
of the mechanisms of stress, which may lead to postpartum mood disorders.
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2005.07.020
PMID: 16213595 [Indexed for MEDLINE]