Lifelong effects of prenatal and early postnatal stress on the hippocampus, amygdala, and psychological states of Holocaust survivors.

FŇAŠKOVÁ, Monika, Pavel ŘÍHA, Markéta NEČASOVÁ, Marek PREISS and Ivan REKTOR. Lifelong effects of prenatal and early postnatal stress on the hippocampus, amygdala, and psychological states of Holocaust survivors. Nature Scientific Reports. London: NATURE RESEARCH, 2023, vol. 13, No 1, p. 1-9. ISSN 2045-2322. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40618-3.

Basic information

• Original name: Lifelong effects of prenatal and early postnatal stress on the hippocampus, amygdala, and psychological states of Holocaust survivors.
• Authors: FŇAŠKOVÁ, Monika (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Pavel ŘÍHA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Markéta NEČASOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Marek PREISS (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Ivan REKTOR (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Nature Scientific Reports, London, NATURE RESEARCH, 2023, 2045-2322.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30103 Neurosciences
• Country of publisher: Germany
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 4.600 in 2022
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14740/23:00131640
• Organization unit: Central European Institute of Technology
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40618-3
• UT WoS: 001113423900027
• Keywords in English: GRAY-MATTER; BRAIN; DISORDER; CONSEQUENCES; VOLUME; FEAR; CINGULATE; VERSION; IMPACT; CZECH
• Tags: 14110127, CF MAFIL, podil, rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This study focuses on hippocampal and amygdala volume, seed-based connectivity, and psychological traits of Holocaust survivors who experienced stress during prenatal and early postnatal development. We investigated people who lived in Central Europe during the Holocaust and who, as Jews, were in imminent danger. The group who experienced stress during their prenatal development and early postnatal (PreP) period (n=11) were compared with a group who experienced Holocaust-related stress later in their lives: in late childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood (ChA) (n=21). The results of volumetry analysis showed significantly lower volumes of both hippocampi and the right amygdala in the PreP group. Seed-based connectivity analysis revealed increased connectivity from the seed in the right amygdala to the middle and posterior cingulate cortex, caudate, and inferior left frontal operculum in the PreP group. Psychological testing found higher levels of traumatic stress symptoms (TCS-40) and lower levels of well-being (SOS-10) in the PreP group than in the ChA group. The results of our study demonstrate that extreme stress experienced during prenatal and early postnatal life has a profound lifelong impact on the hippocampus and amygdala and on several psychological characteristics.

Links

• LM2015062, research and development project: Name: Národní infrastruktura pro biologické a medicínské zobrazování

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR

• NV18-04-00559, research and development project: Name: Neurobiologické a psychologické markery reakce na extrémní stres a jeho dopad na potomky - třígenerační studie přeživších holokaust a jejich potomků

Investor: Ministry of Health of the CR, Neurobiological and psychological markers of reaction to extreme stress and its impact on offspring - three generation study of holocaust survivors and their offspring

• 90250, large research infrastructures: Name: Czech-BioImaging III