Perinatal Maternal Stress and Serotonin Signaling: Effects on Pain Sensitivity in Offspring

Liesbeth Knaepen, Jodi L. Pawluski, Jacob Patijn, Maarten van Kleef, Dick Tibboel, Elbert A. Joosten*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

It has been estimated that 20% of pregnant women are facing perinatal stress and depression. Perinatal maternal stress has been shown to increase pain sensitivity in offspring. For the treatment of their depressive symptoms, pregnant women are frequently prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Since the descending pain inhibitory circuit matures perinatally, perinatal SSRI exposure has been shown to affect pain sensitivity in offspring. In the present review, we summarize experimental and clinical evidence for the effect of perinatal maternal stress and SSRI exposure on pain sensitivity in offspring. Both experimental and clinical studies show the effect of perinatal maternal stress on regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and the serotonin pain inhibitory system. Alterations in these two systems likely underlie long-term alterations in the development of pain sensitivity. This review sheds light on the effect of perinatal maternal stress and treatment with SSRIs on offspring pain sensitivity, in relation to the developing HPA system and 5-HT signaling.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)885-896
JournalDevelopmental Psychobiology
Volume56
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2014

Keywords

  • maternal stress
  • depression
  • pain
  • pain sensitivity
  • nociception
  • HPA system
  • serotonin

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