Prenatal stress exposure hypothesis for infantile spasms

NR3C1 gene polymorphism for genetic susceptibility to infantile spasms in a Chinese population

“…However, the pathophysiology of IS remains generally unclear. The causes of epilepsy, such as brain dysplasia and inherited metabolic disease, are the onset foundations of IS, and stress during pregnancy, which decreases the hormone levels, remodels the neurotransmitter receptor expression, and damages the hippocampal neuron ultrastructure, is the onset condition of IS (Shi et al, 2012). The CRH-excess theory is attributed to the dysregulation of the HPA axis.…”

Detection of global DNA hypomethylation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with infantile spasms

“…Long-term (3-day) ACTH pretreatment significantly increased latency to onset and decreased the number of spasms, which is an effect similar to that in the human condition (Yum et al, 2012). Zou et al found that prenatal stress may trigger the onset of infantile spasms through epidemiologic methods and animal models (Shang et al, 2010;Shi et al, 2012). Prenatal stress exposure can alter hormone levels and neurotransmitter receptor expression of developing rats, thus sensitizing rat pups to develop NMDA-induced spasms (Wang et al, 2012).…”

“…Recently, Zou et al proposed the prenatal stress exposure hypothesis for infantile spasms (Zou's hypothesis) (Shi et al, 2012). She stated that diverse etiological factors, such as brain dysplasia and inherited metabolic diseases predispose an infant to infantile spasms, and that adverse stress during perinatal period triggers infantile spasms.…”

Neonatal hypoglycemic brain injury is a cause of infantile spasms

“…Shi et al (28) proposed a hypothesis (known as Zou's hypothesis) of prenatal stress exposure for infantile spasms. This hypothesis states that diverse etiological factors, for example, brain dysplasia and inherited metabolic diseases, are the foundations for the onset of infantile spasms, whereas adverse stress occurring during the perinatal period causes the onset of infantile spasms.…”