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From maternal mental images to modern science: How does the history of DOHaD shape our health?
In the field of medical research, Development Origins in Health and Disease (DOHaD) offers a new perspective focusing on factors in early life development that may contribute to the development of human disease. These factors include the influence of prenatal and perinatal environmental factors, such as malnutrition, stress, and environmental chemicals. This approach highlights the epigenetic causes of chronic non-communicable diseases in adults. Furthermore, fetal psychopathology may also be influenced by epigenetic factors.
The concept of "mother's psychological impression" can be traced back to the 19th century. At that time, it was a popular idea that all the mother's actions before giving birth may affect the fetus. Although this idea lacked scientific rigor, it laid the foundation for the subsequent development of DOHaD.
The modern understanding of DOHaD comes from several major studies, notably the work of David Barker and colleagues. Their study showed a strong link between neonatal mortality from 1921 to 1925 and the incidence of cardiovascular disease from 1968 to 1978, leading to the fetal origin hypothesis, which proposes that early nutritional differences contribute to adult disease risk.
The Dutch Hunger Winter Study
Between 1944 and 1945, railway strikes and German control caused severe famine in the western part of the Netherlands. At that time, expectant mothers could only get very few calories (only 400 to 800 calories per day), which fully demonstrated the important impact of prenatal nutrition on the fetus.
"The Dutch Hunger Winter Study provides important data to support the DOHaD theory. It concluded that the children of women who consumed low calories during pregnancy had significantly higher obesity rates than children who were not affected by famine."
Researchers began to examine a group of patients who were born during the famine and found that these people had much higher rates of metabolic and psychological diseases than others. The results of this study highlight the profound impact of early life environment on later health.
Develop plasticity
Parsimonious phenotype hypothesis
The parsimonious phenotype hypothesis was proposed by C. Nicholas Hales and David Barker in 1992. It is believed that poor fetal growth under malnutrition will lead to the development of type 2 diabetes later in life. The hypothesis is that this low birth weight is directly related to maternal nutritional deficiencies. As a result, the baby's metabolism will be adjusted to conserve energy and store fat.
Environmental mismatch hypothesis
The environmental mismatch hypothesis focuses on the contradiction between fetal undernutrition and adult overnutrition. For example, for pregnant women living in poor communities, their fetuses may sense a low-protein state and adjust their development, making their future metabolic patterns more "frugal." Relative to affluent societies, embryos develop insulin resistance, making them more susceptible to obesity and diabetes in the future.
“The environmental mismatch hypothesis highlights the advantages of human development but also makes us aware of potential long-term drawbacks.”
Epigenetic mechanism
The core of DOHaD also lies in epigenetic changes in gene expression. These changes include DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA abnormalities, which can be affected by maternal environmental factors during pregnancy.
DNA methylation
DNA methylation is one of the best-studied epigenetic responses associated with DOHaD, altering the hydrophilicity of regions and inhibiting the interaction of gene transcription factors. Certain metabolic diseases, cancers and neurodegenerative diseases are related to DNA methylation.
Histone modification
Histone modifications are indispensable in developmental programming, and studies have shown that maternal and paternal stress can cause histone changes. These changes can affect the phenotype of organisms and become potential mechanisms for certain metabolic diseases.
Non-coding RNA
New research shows the importance of noncoding RNAs in regulating cell differentiation and organic development. These non-coding RNAs are involved in the development of the brain, muscles and cardiovascular system, and have rich research potential.
Example study
Over the years, multiple studies have investigated DOHaD in depth, finding that the impact on health during pregnancy and early life centers on when and how exposure to different environmental factors occurs. For example, some studies have found that when mothers face stress during pregnancy, the high cortisol produced can affect the behavioral and cognitive development of the fetus. Other studies have shown that the mother's eating habits can directly affect the health of the fetus, including the risk of obesity, hypertension and other diseases.
"From history to the present, the DOHaD theory has continued to expand and continues to explore the impact of early environment on adult health. Will you pay attention to your environment and health during pregnancy, thereby affecting the health of future generations?"
