ArticleCNS neuroscience & therapeutics2025
Melatonin Alleviates Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in Offspring Caused by Prenatal Stress.
Article in CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Stage-Specific Effects of Maternal Circadian Rhythm Disruption during Pre-Pregnancy, Pregnancy, and Lactation on Behavioral and Neurobiological Outcomes in Male Rat Offspring.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Article
- Microglial IL-27 modulates depression-like behaviors induced by postnatal immune activation.Cell reports. Medicine · 2026Article
- Maternal sleep deprivation and developmental programming of brain aging trajectories in offspring.Biogerontology · 2026Review
- Folic Acid Metabolism and Its Impact on Neurogenesis: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPrenatal stress (PNS) is a significant risk factor impacting the lifelong health of offspring, and it has been widely recognized as being closely linked to the increased prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric illnesses. However, effective pharmacological interventions to mitigate its detrimental effects remain limited. Melatonin (Mel), an endogenous hormone, has demonstrated considerable potential in treating neurological diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, as well as its favorable safety profile and broad clinical applicability.
objectiveThis study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of melatonin on neurodevelopmental and behavioral abnormalities in offspring induced by prenatal stress.
methodsUsing a prenatal stress mouse model, we evaluated the effects of melatonin on emotional and cognitive deficits in offspring. Neurogenesis and synaptic development were assessed, and RNA sequencing was performed to analyze microglial gene enrichment and immune-related pathways. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to validate the findings, focusing on the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in microglia.
resultsMelatonin administration alleviated emotional and cognitive deficits in offspring mice exposed to prenatal stress, addressing abnormalities in neurogenesis and synaptic development. Additionally, RNA sequencing revealed that melatonin suppresses microglial gene enrichment and the upregulation of immune-related pathways. Both in vivo and in vitro validation indicated that melatonin modulates the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in microglia, reducing the elevated expression of CXCL10 in the dentate gyrus, thereby restoring normal neuro-supportive functions and optimizing the neurodevelopmental environment.
conclusionThese findings suggest that melatonin significantly improves neurodevelopmental disorders and behavioral abnormalities caused by prenatal stress by inhibiting pathological microglial activation and promoting hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. This provides new insights into melatonin's potential as a neuroprotective agent for treating prenatal stress-related disorders.
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