Maternal Exposure to Adversity: Impact on the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis, Inflammation and Offspring Psychiatric Outcomes.

Abstract

Psychosocial stress, driven by a variety of sources and influences, can be ubiquitous in our modern society. Prolonged exposure to these stressors can have detrimental biological and psychological effects; extant findings in childhood adversity indicate that the cumulative effects of exposure to childhood adversity increase risk for developmental delays, altered immune responses, and psychopathology later in life. The pathways by which these effects are conferred continue to be studied. Given that pregnancy is a critical period during which susceptibility to lifetime health and illness are programmed, this chapter will focus on the impacts of maternal history of childhood adversity on offspring mental health, including the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. One of the most commonly used frameworks of the last several decades for measuring childhood adversity is the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) psychometric. We provide an overview of the possible mechanisms through which maternal stress, including the cumulative effects of maternal ACEs, may increase susceptibility to disease in offspring. These include altered epigenetic regulation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and peripheral inflammation, and gut microbial composition. Finally, we conclude with clinical considerations, including possible future therapeutic interventions.