Abstract:
Prenatal stress has been increasingly
recognized as a significant factor influencing fetal brain
development, leading to long-term neuroanatomical
and psychiatric consequences. This literature review
synthesizes current research on the impact of maternal
stress
during
pregnancy
on
offspring
neurodevelopment, focusing on structural brain
abnormalities and associated psychiatric disorders.
Evidence suggests that prenatal stress disrupts
neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and hypothalamic
pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, increasing
susceptibility to conditions such as autism spectrum
disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD),
schizophrenia,
and mood disorders.
Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for
developing early intervention strategies to mitigate
adverse outcomes.
