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prenatal stress and personality disorder - a link?

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firemonkey
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27 Jan 2020, 6:20 am

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Recent studies have tried to explore what we can do to manage and prevent a potential psychiatric disorder developing in future generations. These studies highlight that a variety of early life risk factors can influence common mental disorders, such as depression (Brown et al, 2000) and schizophrenia (Khashan et al, 2008). These early life risk factors include prenatal stress, social support, maternal anxiety, childhood trauma and temperament (Rice et al, 2007).

Could these risk factors also contribute to the likelihood of being diagnosed with a personality disorder in the future? Do early precautions need to be taken for expectant mothers? Currently, there is very little supportive literature to identify if prenatal stress exposure is related to a rise in the likelihood of developing a personality disorder.


https://www.nationalelfservice.net/ment ... y-disorder


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27 Jan 2020, 10:49 am

Makes sense, the foetus develops in response to its prenatal environment, much as the child continues developing in response to their environment.
From what I understand epigenetic disruption begins post fertilisation, and continues throughout gestation on a cellular level and there can be long term neurodevelopmental effects from stressors or the timing and quantity of stress hormones.

I remember learning about the long term health complications of adults that were born during the Dutch famine, they are more prone to cholesterol issues, diabetes, obesity and schizophrenia, it's not surprising that other conditions such as personality disorders also have foundations laid during gestation.
Though different as an example of an external agent, teratogens (eg drugs) impact on prenatal development in well established ways, it makes sense that gestation occurring with an unbalanced cocktail of natural hormones would have many outcomes.