Endocrine Abstracts

The prenatal environment has a major influence on development and function of endocrine systems throughout life. We have shown that a short period of maternal nutrient restriction (48h), at the time of maximal fetal brain growth in the guinea pig, permanently modifies HPA function throughout the life of the offspring. This effect is highly sex-specific; males exhibit decreased basal and activated pituitary-adrenal activity, while females exhibit elevated activity. In the prese...