It has been reported previously that early life experiences such as prenatal stress can significantly influence the development of the brain and the organization of behavior.
In particular, prenatal stress seems to have the ability to impair memory processes, although researchers note that the mechanism for this effect is unknown.
In performing experiments on rats, researchers have found that prenatal stress:
Induced a life-long reduction of the creation of neural cells (neurogenesis)in a portion of the brain known as the dentate gyrus, which is involved in the ability of the brain to store new memories
Produced impairment in certain spatial tasks
Blocked the normal increase of learning-induced neurogenesis.
The authors conclude, "These data strengthen pathophysiological hypotheses that propose an early neurodevelopmental origin for psychopathological vulnerabilities in aging."
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, September 26, 2000; 97: 11032-11037
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