Paternal Stress as a Contributor to Neuropsychiatric Disease Risk in Offspring

Presentation Year

2026

College or Department

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Short Description of your Research or Creative Project (700 characters or less)

Chronic stress is increasingly common and may have consequences across generations. Paternal chronic stress has been shown to alter sperm small RNAs and influence offspring neurodevelopment and psychiatric disease risk. However, how stress signals from the brain reach the germline and how offspring respond to stress remains unclear. This study examines epigenetic inheritance of paternal stress and its effects on offspring stress responses. We compared offspring of chronically stressed and non-stressed sires and measured corticosterone following an acute stressor. Offspring of stressed fathers exhibited reduced corticosterone responses, with evidence of sex-specific differences in stress regulation.

Permission to Publish Work

Yes

Presentation File Upload

biological-sciences-roberds-chris-203405-4x3.pdf (400.48 KB)

Primary Contact: First Name

Chris

Primary Contact: Last Name

Roberds

Primary Contact: Email

car178@humboldt.edu

Primary Contact: I am a

Graduate Student

Primary Contact: Phone Number

7604815035

Indicate File Dimensions

4'x3'