AUTHOR=Ostlund Brendan D. , Conradt Elisabeth , Crowell Sheila E. , Tyrka Audrey R. , Marsit Carmen J. , Lester Barry M. 

TITLE=Prenatal Stress, Fearfulness, and the Epigenome: Exploratory Analysis of Sex Differences in DNA Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00147

DOI=10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00147

ISSN=1662-5153

ABSTRACT=<p>Exposure to stress <italic>in utero</italic> is a risk factor for the development of problem behavior in the offspring, though precise pathways are unknown. We examined whether DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, <italic>NR3C1</italic>, was associated with experiences of stress by an expectant mother and fearfulness in her infant. Mothers reported on prenatal stress and infant temperament when infants were 5 months old (<italic>n</italic> = 68). Buccal cells for methylation analysis were collected from each infant. Prenatal stress was not related to infant fearfulness or <italic>NR3C1</italic> methylation in the sample as a whole. Exploratory sex-specific analysis revealed a trend-level association between prenatal stress and increased methylation of <italic>NR3C1</italic> exon 1F for female, but not male, infants. In addition, increased methylation was significantly associated with greater fearfulness for females. Results suggest an experience-dependent pathway to fearfulness for female infants via epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Future studies should examine prenatal stress in a comprehensive fashion while considering sex differences in epigenetic processes underlying infant temperament.</p>