Mice study links maternal stress to childhood eczema

Researchers in France have discovered that stress during pregnancy can make the progeny susceptible to develop eczema, in a study using mice.  

Eczema is the most common chronic pediatric skin condition and causes itchy, scaly and flaky skin. Epidemiological studies have linked childhood eczema to maternal stress, but a biological explanation was unknown. 

Researchers at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) discovered that newborn mice born from mothers that experienced mild stress during pregnancy — by having their movement restrained and placed under light for short periods of time — were more likely to developed eczema than mice born from animals that were free to roam. 

By analysing the skin of the progeny, researchers found that a type of inflammatory cells called mast cells were altered in mice born from mothers that experienced stress during pregnancy, leading to itching and swelling. Using mice without mast cells, they found that even if their mothers were stressed during pregnancy the newborns did not develop eczema.  

If the same mechanism occurs in humans, these findings, published in Nature, could lead to new therapeutic approaches for childhood eczema. The discoveries additionally highlight the importance of stress management during pregnancy.