2023/10/11 by T. Georgescu, Teodora Georgescu
Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Neonatal Respiratory Health Research #Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior #Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/jne.13348
openalex publication_date 2023/10/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Offspring development relies on numerous physiological changes that occur in a mother's body, with hormones driving many of these adaptations. Amongst these, the physiological functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system are required for the mother to survive and are adjusted to meet the demands of the growing foetus and to ensure a successful birth. The hormones oestrogen, progesterone, and lactogenic hormones rise significantly during pregnancy, suggesting they may also play a role in regulating the maternal adaptations linked to autonomic nervous system functions, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions. Indeed, expression of pregnancy hormone receptors spans multiple brain regions known to regulate these physiological functions. This review examines how respiratory, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions are controlled by these pregnancy hormones by focusing on their action on central nervous system circuits. Inadequate adaptations in these systems during pregnancy can give rise to several pregnancy complications, highlighting the importance in understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of these changes and potentially identifying ways to treat pregnancy-associated afflictions using hormones.