Stress Response and Perinatal Reprogramming: Unraveling (Mal)adaptive Strategies

Figure 1

Influence of early-life stress on neuronal excitatory neurotransmission in corticolimbic areas. (a) In subjects with no history of perinatal adverse challenges, acute stress induces an increase in stimulation-evoked glutamate release. This response can be both adaptive and maladaptive. On the other hand, exposure to repeated episodes of stress (chronic stress) induces hypofunction of the glutamatergic synapse with reduced evoked glutamate release, associated with increased vulnerability to stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. (b) Perinatal stress induces hypofunction of the glutamatergic synapse in adult life, with ensuing reduction in evoked glutamate release. The effects of the association between early- and late-life stress are largely unknown. See text for details.