Research Finds Life Stressors Trigger Neurological Disorders

Research from the Children’s National’s Center for Neuroscience found that when expectant mothers are exposed to trauma, illness, alcohol or other drug abuse, these stressors may activate a single molecular trigger in brain cells that can go awry and activate conditions such as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and some forms of autism in their children. Until now, it has been unclear how much these types of stressors can impact the cells of a developing brain. During the study, genes from the stem cells of those with schizophrenia responded more dramatically when exposed to environmental insults compared to the stem cells from non-schizophrenic individuals. While it has been generally known that exposure to harmful environmental factors increase the susceptibility of the brain to neurological or psychiatric disorders, new types of environmental agents are continually adding to the mix, requiring evolving studies. To read more about this study, click here.