# The effect of cortisol on tooth development

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $53,367

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
During pregnancy, excess levels of the glucocorticoid stress hormone, cortisol, is known to significantly alter
fetal brain networks and result in long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. As of 2019, the World Health
Organization recognizes 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental health disorders worldwide.
Without proper diagnosis and treatment, these conditions dramatically impact the child’s development and
impairs their potential to live a productive life. A significant advance for the field would be the discovery of a
biosensor that produces biomarkers of prenatal cortisol exposure, which may aid in the prospective identification
of individuals with a higher risk of mental health disorders. Coincidentally, fetal ameloblasts in primary teeth lay
down and mineralize the enamel matrix during the same developmental window in which critical fetal brain
networks are established during gestation, making ameloblasts attractive candidates for biosensors. Once the
enamel matrix is produced, it remains a stable structure for the duration of development, eruption, and after
shedding of the primary tooth, making the primary tooth matrix a promising source of biomarkers. In support of
this possibility, our lab previously found that primary teeth collected from kindergarten children with high salivary
cortisol reactivity have reduced tooth enamel thickness and density. Cortisol reactivity in children is associated
with increased levels of prenatal cortisol. In this proposal, I aim to determine a panel of tooth matrix biomarkers
related to elevated prenatal cortisol exposure, and to identify the mechanisms by which ameloblasts are natural
biosensors of alterations in the prenatal environment. Therefore, I will test my central hypothesis that teeth
store permanent, measurable records of cortisol exposure as a result of altered ameloblast proliferation and
maturation during tooth formation. I will use the following specific aims for these studies. Aim 1: Determine a
panel of physical tooth measurements associated with increased cortisol reactivity. Aim 2: Identify the cellular
mechanisms by which cortisol affects tooth morphology and enamel mineralization.
These proposed studies will allow me to identify tooth matrix biomarkers that, collectively, produce a signature
for increased prenatal cortisol exposure. In addition, results from this study will provide the foundation for future
studies to investigate how ameloblasts can biologically detect and record other prenatal environmental stressors
known to impact fetal development. This proposed research plan, combined with my dental clinical training, will
provide me with the skills and experience I need to become an independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10908255
- **Project number:** 5F30DE029399-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Christine Ida Shaffer
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $53,367
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-03 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10908255

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10908255, The effect of cortisol on tooth development (5F30DE029399-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10908255. Licensed CC0.

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