1. Objectifs

Intentions :
The authors aim «to determine whether PNMS [prenatal maternal stress] moderates the relationship between basal testosterone and cortisol response. [And they test] the behavioral relevance of the association between testosterone and aggressive symptoms, as moderated by cortisol response.» (p. 982)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The authors «hypothesized that PNMS […] would lead to dissociation between testosterone–cortisol measures, and that in turn, this dissociation would be associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior.» (p. 982)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Within 5 months of the 1998 ice storm, mothers were identified by their physicians who agreed to mail Project Ice Storm consent forms and questionnaires to them. Mothers were eligible if at least 18 years old; French-speaking and living in the Montérégie region southeast of Montreal, Québec, Canada; and were pregnant or became pregnant within 3 months of the ice storm.» (p. 983)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«These results suggest that high levels of subjective maternal distress during pregnancy can lead to sustained alterations in HPA–HPG interactions in human offspring more than one decade after exposure. Moreover, maternal states during stressful events in pregnancy may be particularly important in programming HPA–HPG interactions, given that the neuroendocrine effects were seen with maternal distress but not objective hardship. Further, HPA–HPG interactions predicted current levels of aggression in 111 2-year-olds. Taken together, these findings support the notion that children exposed to even moderate levels of subjective PNMS show meaningful changes in behavior related to a long-term disruption in their neuroendocrine programming.» (p. 991)