Investigating the Association Between Prenatal Stress and Neurodevelopment: The Contribution of the Gut Microbiota

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dc.contributor.advisorGiesbrecht, Gerald
dc.contributor.authorRojas, Laura
dc.contributor.committeememberArrieta, Marie Claire
dc.contributor.committeememberBrooks, Brian L
dc.date2022-11
dc.date.accessioned2022-07-05T17:20:45Z
dc.date.available2022-07-05T17:20:45Z
dc.date.issued2022-06
dc.description.abstractPrenatal stress is common among pregnant individuals and has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Emerging evidence has independently linked children’s gut microorganisms (i.e., gut microbiota) to prenatal stress and neurodevelopment. For this reason, the current study wanted to determine if the child’s gut microbiota mediates the relationship between prenatal stress and Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) in children aged 3-4. Prenatal stress was operationalized for 248 women using maternal salivary cortisol samples and mood questionnaires to generate a psychological distress score at each trimester. Children collected fecal samples and completed a standardized neurocognitive assessment to evaluate gut microbiota features and FSIQ, respectively. Results indicate that prenatal stress was associated with the child’s gut alpha diversity (i.e., different bacteria types), bacteria relative abundance, and selective metabolic pathways in a trimester-dependent manner. Also, we found that the child’s gut microbiota features are not associated with FSIQ. Even though prenatal stress was associated with the child’s gut microbiota, the study findings indicate that child’s gut microbiota does not mediate the relationship between prenatal stress and FSIQ in children aged 3-4. Despite previous studies providing strong evidence linking gut microbiota to neurodevelopment, the current study does not provide direct or indirect support for this relationship.en_US
dc.identifier.citationRojas, L. (2022). Investigating the association between prenatal stress and neurodevelopment: the contribution of the gut microbiota (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39874
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/114804
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultyCumming School of Medicineen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectNeurodevelopmenten_US
dc.subjectGut Microbiotaen_US
dc.subjectMicrobiota-Gut-Brain Axisen_US
dc.subjectCognitionen_US
dc.subjectFSIQen_US
dc.subject.classificationMicrobiologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationHuman Developmenten_US
dc.subject.classificationMental Healthen_US
dc.subject.classificationPsychology--Cognitiveen_US
dc.subject.classificationPsychology--Developmentalen_US
dc.subject.classificationPsychology--Physiologicalen_US
dc.subject.classificationPsychobiologyen_US
dc.titleInvestigating the Association Between Prenatal Stress and Neurodevelopment: The Contribution of the Gut Microbiotaen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineMedicine – Medical Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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