The brain development of infants with intrauterine growth restriction: role of glucocorticoids

Abstract

Brain injury is a serious complication of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), but the exact mechanism remains unclear. While glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in intrauterine growth and development, GCs also have a damaging effect on microvascular endothelial cells. Moreover, intrauterine adverse environments lead to fetal growth restriction and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis resetting. In addition, chronic stress can cause a decrease in the number and volume of astrocytes in the hippocampus and glial cells play an important role in neuronal differentiation. Therefore, it is speculated that the effect of GCs on cerebral neurovascular units under chronic intrauterine stimulation is an important mechanism leading to brain injury in infants with growth restrictions.