1
|
Zhang T, Wang H, Ouyang F, Yang H, Zhang J, Zhang N. Does brain-derived neurotrophic factor play a role in the association between maternal prenatal mental health and neurodevelopment in 2-year-old children? J Affect Disord 2024; 359:171-179. [PMID: 38777264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-a crucial modulator of neural development and plasticity-in the association between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, and perceived stress and child neurodevelopment in a prospective cohort study. METHODS We included 526 eligible mother-child pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort in the study. Maternal mental health was assessed at mid-pregnancy using Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. The concentration of BDNF in cord blood was measured by ELISA. The offspring neurodevelopment at 24 months of age was assessed using the Bayley Scales. Linear and non-linear regression models were used. RESULTS The average cord blood BDNF levels were higher in female newborns and those born via vaginal delivery, full term, and normal birth weight. Prenatal maternal anxiety (β = -0.32; 95 % CI: -0.55, -0.09), depression (β = -0.30; 95 % CI: -0.52, -0.08), and perceived stress (β = -0.41; 95 % CI: -0.71, -0.12) scores were negatively associated with social-emotional performance at 24 months of age. However, no significant associations were found between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, or perceived stress at mid-pregnancy and cord blood BDNF levels, as well as between cord blood BDNF levels and child neurodevelopment. LIMITATIONS Maternal mental health at different timepoints during pregnancy and generalizability of the results warrant further assessment. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal mental health was not associated with cord blood BDNF level and that BDNF may not be a mediator in the association between prenatal mental health and child neurodevelopment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tian Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huizi Wang
- Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, China
| | - Fengxiu Ouyang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tartour AI, Chivese T, Eltayeb S, Elamin FM, Fthenou E, Seed Ahmed M, Babu GR. Prenatal psychological distress and 11β-HSD2 gene expression in human placentas: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107060. [PMID: 38677195 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta acts as a buffer to regulate the degree of fetal exposure to maternal cortisol through the 11-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase isoenzyme type 2 (11-β HSD2) enzyme. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of prenatal psychological distress (PPD) on placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression and explore the related mechanistic pathways involved in fetal neurodevelopment. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo®, and ProQuest Dissertations for observational studies assessing the association between PPD and 11-β HSD2 expression in human placentas. Adjusted regression coefficients (β) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled based on three contextual PPD exposure groups: prenatal depression, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. RESULTS Of 3159 retrieved records, sixteen longitudinal studies involving 1869 participants across seven countries were included. Overall, exposure to PPD disorders showed weak negative associations with the placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression as follows: prenatal depression (β -0.01, 95% CI 0.05-0.02, I2=0%), anxiety symptoms (β -0.02, 95% CI 0.06-0.01, I2=0%), and perceived stress (β -0.01 95% CI 0.06-0.04, I2=62.8%). Third-trimester PPD exposure was more frequently associated with lower placental 11-β HSD2 levels. PPD and placental 11-β HSD2 were associated with changes in cortisol reactivity and the development of adverse health outcomes in mothers and children. Female-offspring were more vulnerable to PPD exposures. CONCLUSION The study presents evidence of a modest role of prenatal psychological distress in regulating placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression. Future prospective cohorts utilizing larger sample sizes or advanced statistical methods to enhance the detection of small effect sizes should be planned. Additionally, controlling for key predictors such as the mother's ethnicity, trimester of PPD exposure, mode of delivery, and infant sex is crucial for valid exploration of PPD effects on fetal programming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angham Ibrahim Tartour
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Tawanda Chivese
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Safa Eltayeb
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Fatima M Elamin
- Office of Research Ethics and Integrity, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Eleni Fthenou
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammed Seed Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Giridhara Rathnaiah Babu
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Herzberg MP, Smyser CD. Prenatal Social Determinants of Health: Narrative review of maternal environments and neonatal brain development. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03345-7. [PMID: 38961164 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03345-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The Social Determinants of Health, a set of social factors including socioeconomic status, community context, and neighborhood safety among others, are well-known predictors of mental and physical health across the lifespan. Recent research has begun to establish the importance of these social factors at the earliest points of brain development, including during the prenatal period. Prenatal socioeconomic status, perceived stress, and neighborhood safety have all been reported to impact neonatal brain structure and function, with exploratory work suggesting subsequent effects on infant and child behavior. Secondary effects of the Social Determinants of Health, such as maternal sleep and psychopathology during pregnancy, have also been established as important predictors of infant brain development. This research not only establishes prenatal Social Determinants of Health as important predictors of future outcomes but may be effectively applied even before birth. Future research replicating and extending the effects in this nascent literature has great potential to produce more specific and mechanistic understanding of the social factors that shape early neurobehavioral development. IMPACT: This review synthesizes the research to date examining the effects of the Social Determinants of Health during the prenatal period and neonatal brain outcomes. Structural, functional, and diffusion-based imaging methodologies are included along with the limited literature assessing subsequent infant behavior. The degree to which results converge between studies is discussed, in combination with the methodological and sampling considerations that may contribute to divergence in study results. Several future directions are identified, including new theoretical approaches to assessing the impact of the Social Determinants of Health during the perinatal period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max P Herzberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lautarescu A, Bonthrone AF, Bos B, Barratt B, Counsell SJ. Advances in fetal and neonatal neuroimaging and everyday exposures. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03294-1. [PMID: 38877283 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03294-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
The complex, tightly regulated process of prenatal brain development may be adversely affected by "everyday exposures" such as stress and environmental pollutants. Researchers are only just beginning to understand the neural sequelae of such exposures, with advances in fetal and neonatal neuroimaging elucidating structural, microstructural, and functional correlates in the developing brain. This narrative review discusses the wide-ranging literature investigating the influence of parental stress on fetal and neonatal brain development as well as emerging literature assessing the impact of exposure to environmental toxicants such as lead and air pollution. These 'everyday exposures' can co-occur with other stressors such as social and financial deprivation, and therefore we include a brief discussion of neuroimaging studies assessing the effect of social disadvantage. Increased exposure to prenatal stressors is associated with alterations in the brain structure, microstructure and function, with some evidence these associations are moderated by factors such as infant sex. However, most studies examine only single exposures and the literature on the relationship between in utero exposure to pollutants and fetal or neonatal brain development is sparse. Large cohort studies are required that include evaluation of multiple co-occurring exposures in order to fully characterize their impact on early brain development. IMPACT: Increased prenatal exposure to parental stress and is associated with altered functional, macro and microstructural fetal and neonatal brain development. Exposure to air pollution and lead may also alter brain development in the fetal and neonatal period. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of multiple co-occurring exposures, including stress, environmental toxicants, and socioeconomic deprivation on early brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lautarescu
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra F Bonthrone
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brendan Bos
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ben Barratt
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Maul J, Behnam S, Wimberger P, Henrich W, Arabin B. Systematic review on music interventions during pregnancy in favor of the well-being of mothers and eventually their offspring. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2024; 6:101400. [PMID: 38866136 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2024.101400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mental health affects maternal well-being and indirectly affects the development of fetal brain structures and motor and cognitive skills of the offspring up to adulthood. This study aimed to identify specific characteristics of music interventions that improve validated maternal outcomes. DATA SOURCES Randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews investigating music interventions during pregnancy were identified from the start of data sources up to December 2023 using MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, or Web of Science. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Using Covidence, 2 reviewers screened for randomized controlled trials with ≥3 music interventions during pregnancy and applied either the Perceived Stress Scale score, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score, or blood pressure as outcomes. METHODS The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool 2, the checklist to assess Trustworthiness in RAndomised Clinical Trials, and the reversed Cohen d were applied. This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration number: CRD42022299950). RESULTS From 251 detected records, 14 randomized controlled trials and 2375 pregnancies were included. Music interventions varied from 3 to 84 active or passive sessions with either patient-selected or preselected music and a duration of 10 to 60 minutes per session. Thereby, 2 of 4 studies observed a significant decrease in the Perceived Stress Scale, 8 of 9 studies observed a significant decrease in the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and 3 of 4 studies observed a significant decrease in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Blood pressure was significantly reduced in 3 of 4 randomized controlled trials. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool 2 was "high" in 5 of 14 studies or "with concerns" in 9 of 14 studies. Stratifying the Cohen d in 14 intervention arms suggested a big effect in 234 of 469 mothers on blood pressure and in 244 of 489 mothers on maternal anxiety and a medium effect in 284 of 529 mothers on maternal anxiety. Small or very small effects on blood pressure, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale were observed in 35 of 70, 136 of 277, and 374 of 784 mothers-to-be, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study found a general positive effect of music interventions on maternal stress resilience. This was independent of the music but was influenced by the frequency and empathy of the performances. How far music interventions may improve postnatal development and skills of the offspring should be increasingly evaluated with follow-ups to interrupt vicious epigenetic circles during global pandemics, violent conflicts, and natural catastrophes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Maul
- Clara Angela Foundation, Witten and Berlin, Germany (Maul, Behnam, Henrich, and Arabin); Technische Universtität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Maul).
| | - Susann Behnam
- Clara Angela Foundation, Witten and Berlin, Germany (Maul, Behnam, Henrich, and Arabin)
| | - Pauline Wimberger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (Wimberger)
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Clara Angela Foundation, Witten and Berlin, Germany (Maul, Behnam, Henrich, and Arabin); Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Henrich and Arabin)
| | - Birgit Arabin
- Clara Angela Foundation, Witten and Berlin, Germany (Maul, Behnam, Henrich, and Arabin); Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Henrich and Arabin)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Weiner S, Wu Y, Kapse K, Vozar T, Cheng JJ, Murnick J, Henderson D, Teramoto H, Limperopoulos C, Andescavage N. Prenatal Maternal Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Newborn Brain Development. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2417924. [PMID: 38900424 PMCID: PMC11190810 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Elevated maternal psychological distress during pregnancy is associated with altered fetal brain development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, prenatal maternal psychological distress more than doubled. Objective To examine the association of the pandemic and rising maternal psychological distress with brain growth in newborns using quantitative 3-dimensional volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cross-sectional study recruited mother-infant dyads at Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, during the COVID-19 pandemic (June 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022) into a longitudinal infant brain development study and compared them with an existing normative healthy cohort (recruited March 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019). Exclusion criteria included multiple gestation pregnancy, known or suspected congenital infection, documented chromosomal abnormalities, or any maternal contraindication to MRI, as well as prenatal COVID-19 exposure. Infants with structural brain abnormalities or a postnatal confirmation of a genetic syndrome were excluded. Exposure Psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic. Main Outcomes and Measures Prenatal maternal mental health was evaluated using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. Neonates underwent nonsedated brain MRI. An ordinary least squares linear regression model was used to measure the differences in regional brain volumes of neonates born before vs during the pandemic with and without exposure to elevated prenatal maternal psychological distress after adjustment for neonatal sex and gestational age at MRI and maternal age and educational level. Results A total of 159 mother-infant dyads were included in the analysis: 103 before and 56 during the pandemic (median gestational age of infants, 39.6 [IQR, 38.4-40.4] weeks; median maternal age, 34.5 [IQR, 31.0-37.0] years). Eighty-three infants (52.2%) were female. Among the mothers, 130 (81.8%) had a college degree and 87 (54.7%) had a graduate degree. Forty-four mothers (27.7%) identified as Asian, Hispanic, or multiracial; 27 (17.0%), as Black; and 88 (55.3%), as White. Scores on anxiety and stress measures were significantly increased in the pandemic cohort. Infants of mothers with elevated maternal distress showed median reductions in white matter (-0.36 [95% CI, -0.61 to -0.11] cm3; Q < .001), right hippocampal (-0.35 [95% CI, -0.65 to -0.06] cm3; Q = .04), and left amygdala (-0.49 [95% CI, -0.84 to -0.13] cm3; Q = .03) volumes compared with infants of mothers with low distress levels. After adjusting for the cohort effect of the pandemic, elevated trait anxiety remained significantly associated with decreased left amygdalar volumes (-0.71 [95% CI, -1.12 to -0.29]; Q < .001). Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study of maternal-infant dyads prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, regional neonatal brain volumes were associated with elevated maternal psychological distress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Weiner
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- The Institute for Biomedical Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Yao Wu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Tracy Vozar
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- Department of Psychology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | | | - Jonathan Murnick
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- Department of Radiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Neonatology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Diedtra Henderson
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Hironori Teramoto
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Radiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Nickie Andescavage
- Developing Brain Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
- Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Neonatology, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mandl S, Alexopoulos J, Doering S, Wildner B, Seidl R, Bartha-Doering L. The effect of prenatal maternal distress on offspring brain development: A systematic review. Early Hum Dev 2024; 192:106009. [PMID: 38642513 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal distress can negatively affect pregnancy outcomes, yet its impact on the offspring's brain structure and function remains unclear. This systematic review summarizes the available literature on the relationship between prenatal maternal distress and brain development in fetuses and infants up to 12 months of age. METHODS We searched Central, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and PSYNDEXplus for studies published between database inception and December 2023. Studies were included if prenatal maternal anxiety, stress, and/or depression was assessed, neuroimaging was used to examine the offspring, and the offspring's brain was imaged within the first year of life. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-II. RESULTS Out of the 1516 studies retrieved, 71 met our inclusion criteria. Although the studies varied greatly in their methodology, the results generally pointed to structural and functional aberrations in the limbic system, prefrontal cortex, and insula in fetuses and infants prenatally exposed to maternal distress. CONCLUSIONS The hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex have a high density of glucocorticoid receptors, which play a key role in adapting to stressors and maintaining stress-related homeostasis. We thus conclude that in utero exposure to maternal distress prompts these brain regions to adapt by undergoing structural and functional changes, with the consequence that these alterations increase the risk for developing a neuropsychiatric illness later on. Future research should investigate the effect of providing psychological support for pregnant women on the offspring's early brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Mandl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Johanna Alexopoulos
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Doering
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Brigitte Wildner
- University Library, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Seidl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa Bartha-Doering
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lubrano C, Parisi F, Cetin I. Impact of Maternal Environment and Inflammation on Fetal Neurodevelopment. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:453. [PMID: 38671901 PMCID: PMC11047368 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
During intrauterine life, external stimuli including maternal nutrition, lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, anxiety, stress, and air pollution can significantly impact fetal development. The human brain structures begin to form in the early weeks of gestation and continue to grow and mature throughout pregnancy. This review aims to assess, based on the latest research, the impact of environmental factors on fetal and neonatal brain development, showing that oxidative stress and inflammation are implied as a common factor for most of the stressors. Environmental insults can induce a maternal inflammatory state and modify nutrient supply to the fetus, possibly through epigenetic mechanisms, leading to significant consequences for brain morphogenesis and neurological outcomes. These risk factors are often synergic and mutually reinforcing. Fetal growth restriction and preterm birth represent paradigms of intrauterine reduced nutrient supply and inflammation, respectively. These mechanisms can lead to an increase in free radicals and, consequently, oxidative stress, with well-known adverse effects on the offspring's neurodevelopment. Therefore, a healthy intrauterine environment is a critical factor in supporting normal fetal brain development. Hence, healthcare professionals and clinicians should implement effective interventions to prevent and reduce modifiable risk factors associated with an increased inflammatory state and decreased nutrient supply during pregnancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Lubrano
- Nutritional Sciences, Doctoral Programme (PhD), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Mother, Child and Neonate, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Parisi
- Department of Mother, Child and Neonate, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy;
| | - Irene Cetin
- Department of Mother, Child and Neonate, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yuan Y, Yu X, Liang Z, Zhang L. The different role of adversity before and after birth in adolescent depression. J Affect Disord 2024; 349:116-124. [PMID: 38160891 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early adversity is strongly linked to adolescent depression, but there is limited research on the impact of indirect exposure to adversity before birth and the distinct role of adversity before and after birth. METHODS A total of 1911 Chinese adolescents (48.8 % males; ages 11 to 19, Mean = 13.96) reported early adversities before and after birth, depression, negative self-cognition and perceived school climate. Structural equation model was used to test the association between early adversity before/after birth and adolescent depression, with negative self-cognition serving as a mediator and school climate as a moderator. RESULTS Adversity before birth was related to adolescent depression through the full mediating role of negative self-cognition. Furthermore, it was more associated with negative self-cognition in schools with a more favorable climate. Adversity after birth was related to adolescent depression through the partial mediating role of negative self-cognition, and school climate played a nonsignificant moderating role in the mediating path. LIMITATIONS Early adversity was measured through adolescent reports, possibly generating recall bias. The cross-sectional design should be taken into consideration when drawing conclusions about causality. CONCLUSIONS Adversities before and after birth are associated with adolescent depression in distinct ways. The more association between adversity before birth and negative self-cognition in a favorable school climate supports the "healthy context paradox." Interventions that target depression should focus on promoting a positive school climate and helping adolescents who have experienced early adversity bolster positive self-cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yuan
- Department of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, China
| | - Xiaoxia Yu
- Mental Health Education Center, Students' Affairs Division, North China Electric Power University, China
| | - Zhoujian Liang
- Department of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wu Y, De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Brain structural and functional outcomes in the offspring of women experiencing psychological distress during pregnancy. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0. [PMID: 38418579 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
In-utero exposure to maternal psychological distress is increasingly linked with disrupted fetal and neonatal brain development and long-term neurobehavioral dysfunction in children and adults. Elevated maternal psychological distress is associated with changes in fetal brain structure and function, including reduced hippocampal and cerebellar volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification and sulcal depth, decreased brain metabolites (e.g., choline and creatine levels), and disrupted functional connectivity. After birth, reduced cerebral and cerebellar gray matter volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification, altered amygdala and hippocampal volumes, and disturbed brain microstructure and functional connectivity have been reported in the offspring months or even years after exposure to maternal distress during pregnancy. Additionally, adverse child neurodevelopment outcomes such as cognitive, language, learning, memory, social-emotional problems, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction are being increasingly reported after prenatal exposure to maternal distress. The mechanisms by which prenatal maternal psychological distress influences early brain development include but are not limited to impaired placental function, disrupted fetal epigenetic regulation, altered microbiome and inflammation, dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, altered distribution of the fetal cardiac output to the brain, and disrupted maternal sleep and appetite. This review will appraise the available literature on the brain structural and functional outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of pregnant women experiencing elevated psychological distress. In addition, it will also provide an overview of the mechanistic underpinnings of brain development changes in stress response and discuss current treatments for elevated maternal psychological distress, including pharmacotherapy (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and non-pharmacotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavior therapy). Finally, it will end with a consideration of future directions in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | | | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Andescavage N, Lu YC, Wu Y, Kapse K, Keller J, Von Kohorn I, Afifi A, Vezina G, Henderson D, Wessel DL, du Plessis AJ, Limperopoulos C. Intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection and early newborn brain development. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae041. [PMID: 38385890 PMCID: PMC10883413 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies suggest that prenatal exposures to certain viruses may influence early neurodevelopment, predisposing offspring to neuropsychiatric conditions later in life. The long-term effects of maternal COVID-19 infection in pregnancy on early brain development, however, remain largely unknown. We prospectively enrolled infants in an observational cohort study for a single-site study in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area from June 2020 to November 2021 and compared these infants to pre-pandemic controls (studied March 2014-February 2020). The primary outcomes are measures of cortical morphometry (tissue-specific volumes), along with global and regional measures of local gyrification index, and sulcal depth. We studied 210 infants (55 infants of COVID-19 unexposed mothers, 47 infants of COVID-19-positive mothers, and 108 pre-pandemic healthy controls). We found increased cortical gray matter volume (182.45 ± 4.81 vs. 167.29 ± 2.92) and accelerated sulcal depth of the frontal lobe (5.01 ± 0.19 vs. 4.40 ± 0.13) in infants of COVID-19-positive mothers compared to controls. We found additional differences in infants of COVID-19 unexposed mothers, suggesting both maternal viral exposures, as well as non-viral stressors associated with the pandemic, may influence early development and warrant ongoing follow-up.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nickie Andescavage
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigavn Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW Washington, DC 20052, United States
| | - Yuan-Chiao Lu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Yao Wu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Jennifer Keller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 Eye Ste. NW, Washington, DC 20052, United States
| | - Isabelle Von Kohorn
- Department of Neonatology, Holy Cross Hospital, 1500 Forest Glen Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States
| | - Ashraf Afifi
- Department of Hospital-Based Regional Neonatology at Woodbridge, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Gilbert Vezina
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Deidtra Henderson
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - David L Wessel
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW Washington, DC 20052, United States
- Critical Care Medicine, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Adre J du Plessis
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW Washington, DC 20052, United States
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW Washington, DC 20010, United States
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW Washington, DC 20052, United States
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW Washington, DC 20010, United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Unger KG, Sanapo L, Bourjeily G, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Bublitz MH. The Impact of Mindfulness Treatment on Maternal Inflammation and Fetal Neurodevelopment Among Participants with Histories of Hypertensive Disorders. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE 2024; 30:85-89. [PMID: 37751286 PMCID: PMC10801677 DOI: 10.1089/jicm.2023.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
This was a secondary analysis of a prenatal mindfulness training (MT) RCT versus treatment as usual (TAU) on neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a measure of maternal inflammation, and fetal head circumference. Fifteen participants were randomized to MT and 14 to TAU. NLR in third trimester was significantly lower in the MT group (F = 7.11, p = 0.019) relative to those in TAU. Higher NLR values in second (r = -0.644, p = 0.013) and third trimesters (r = -0.601, p = 0.030) were associated with lower fetal HC%. There was no group difference in fetal HC%. A future, fully powered study is needed to replicate these findings. Clinical Trials Number: NCT03679117.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine G. Unger
- The Miriam Hospital, Women's Medicine Collaborative, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Laura Sanapo
- The Miriam Hospital, Women's Medicine Collaborative, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Ghada Bourjeily
- The Miriam Hospital, Women's Medicine Collaborative, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Margaret H. Bublitz
- The Miriam Hospital, Women's Medicine Collaborative, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ronai C, Katlaps I, Kim A, Valent AM, Thornburg KL, Madriago E. Perinatal Stressors and Consequences for Neonates with Critical Congenital Heart Disease. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 10:497. [PMID: 38132664 PMCID: PMC10744155 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd10120497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) is a traumatic event that can cause expectant parents to experience anxiety, depression, and toxic stress. Prenatal exposure to stress may impact neonatal postoperative outcomes. In addition, expectant parents may have other psychosocial stressors that may compound maternal stress. We investigated the relationship between stress in pregnancies complicated by prenatally diagnosed CHD and their neonatal outcomes. METHODS A pilot retrospective cohort study of pregnancies with prenatally diagnosed critical CHD (2019-2021) was performed. The collected data included pregnancy characteristics and neonatal and postoperative outcomes (including the need for exogenous corticosteroid treatment (ECT)). In order to quantify prenatal stressors, a composite prenatal stress score (PSS) was established and utilized. RESULTS In total, 41 maternal-fetal dyads were evaluated. Thirteen (32%) neonates had single-ventricle anatomy. The need for ECT after CHD surgery was associated with higher pregnant patient PSS (p = 0.01). PSS did not correlate with birthweight, infection, or hypoglycemia in the neonatal period. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal stress is multifactorial; higher PSS is correlates with post-bypass ECT, suggesting that a stressful intrauterine environment may be associated with worse neonatal postoperative outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Ronai
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isabel Katlaps
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Amanda Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Amy M. Valent
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kent L. Thornburg
- Center for Developmental Health, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Erin Madriago
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhang L, Li P, Ge Q, Sun Z, Cai J, Xiao C, Yu C, Nosarti C, Liao J, Liu Z. Maternal Prenatal Depressive Symptoms and Fetal Growth During the Critical Rapid Growth Stage. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2346018. [PMID: 38048129 PMCID: PMC10696489 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Fetal growth in the critical rapid growth stage (CRGS) before delivery, approximately between 30 to 37 gestational weeks, carries significant implications for subsequent overweight, obesity, and arterial health. Previous evidence has demonstrated the association between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth trajectories from early to late pregnancy, but there remains limited understanding of the association of these symptoms with the longitudinal fetal growth change within the CRGS. Objective To investigate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth during the CRGS before delivery. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective birth cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020. Volunteer pregnant women were enrolled in their first trimester of prenatal visits. Women with severe disease before pregnancy and multiple births, fetuses with congenital anomalies, and preterm or postterm births were excluded. This multicenter study was based in 13 hospitals covering 81 counties across 12 cities in Sichuan Province, China. Follow-up visits were performed at the second trimester, the third trimester, and 24 hours after delivery. The analysis was conducted from January to May 2023. Exposures Maternal depressive symptoms, as a continuous variable, measured by the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) at a median gestational week of 24 (range, 14 to 27) weeks of gestation. A higher score on the EPDS indicates worse depressive symptoms. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes included ultrasonography-measured biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), and abdominal circumference (AC), along with calculated estimated fetal weight (EFW). These parameters were evaluated longitudinally at a median gestational week of 30 (range, 28 to 32) and 37 (range, 35 to 39) weeks. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth parameters. Results A total of 2676 mother-offspring dyads were included, in which the mean (SD) age of mothers was 28.0 (4.4) years, and 1294 (48.4%) of the offspring were female. The median (IQR) maternal EPDS score was 5.0 (4.0 to 9.0). After adjustment for confounders, a significant correlation was found between a higher score of depressive symptoms in mothers and a slower rate of fetal growth across FL (β = -0.40; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.22), AC (β = -1.97; 95% CI, -2.90 to -1.03), and EFW (β = -50.11; 95% CI, -68.46 to -31.75). These associations were stronger in female fetuses or those with better family socioeconomic conditions. Conclusions and Relevance In this prospective cohort study, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with slower fetal growth rate in the CRGS before delivery. Early screening for depressive disorders in pregnant women appears to be essential for fetal growth and later health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiaoyue Ge
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zeyuan Sun
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jiarui Cai
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chenghan Xiao
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Yu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jiaqiang Liao
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhenmi Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Systems Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Nakaki A, Crovetto F, Urru A, Piella G, Borras R, Comte V, Vellvé K, Paules C, Segalés L, Dacal M, Gomez Y, Youssef L, Casas R, Castro-Barquero S, Martín-Asuero A, Oller Guzmán T, Morilla I, Martínez-Àran A, Camacho A, Pascual Tutusaus M, Arranz A, Rebollo-Polo M, Gomez-Chiari M, Bargallo N, Pozo ÓJ, Gomez-Gomez A, Izquierdo Renau M, Eixarch E, Vieta E, Estruch R, Crispi F, Gonzalez-Ballester MA, Gratacós E. Effects of Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction on fetal and neonatal brain development: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2023; 5:101188. [PMID: 37839546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal suboptimal nutrition and high stress levels are associated with adverse fetal and infant neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate if structured lifestyle interventions involving a Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction during pregnancy are associated with differences in fetal and neonatal brain development. STUDY DESIGN This was a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial Improving Mothers for a Better Prenatal Care Trial Barcelona that was conducted in Barcelona, Spain, from 2017 to 2020. Participants with singleton pregnancies were randomly allocated into 3 groups, namely Mediterranean diet intervention, stress reduction program, or usual care. Participants in the Mediterranean diet group received monthly individual sessions and free provision of extra-virgin olive oil and walnuts. Pregnant women in the stress reduction group underwent an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program adapted for pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging of 90 fetal brains was performed at 36 to 39 weeks of gestation and the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale was completed for 692 newborns at 1 to 3 months. Fetal outcomes were the total brain volume and lobular or regional volumes obtained from a 3-dimensional reconstruction and semiautomatic segmentation of magnetic resonance images. Neonatal outcomes were the 6 clusters scores of the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the interventions and the fetal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS When compared with the usual care group, the offspring exposed to a maternal Mediterranean diet had a larger total fetal brain volume (mean, 284.11 cm3; standard deviation, 23.92 cm3 vs 294.01 cm3; standard deviation, 26.29 cm3; P=.04), corpus callosum (mean, 1.16 cm3; standard deviation, 0.19 cm3 vs 1.26 cm3; standard deviation, 0.22 cm3; P=.03), and right frontal lobe (44.20; standard deviation, 4.09 cm3 vs 46.60; standard deviation, 4.69 cm3; P=.02) volumes based on magnetic resonance imaging measures and higher scores in the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale clusters of autonomic stability (mean, 7.4; standard deviation, 0.9 vs 7.6; standard deviation, 0.7; P=.04), social interaction (mean, 7.5; standard deviation, 1.5 vs 7.8; standard deviation, 1.3; P=.03), and range of state (mean, 4.3; standard deviation, 1.3 vs 4.5; standard deviation, 1.0; P=.04). When compared with the usual care group, offspring from the stress reduction group had larger fetal left anterior cingulate gyri volume (1.63; standard deviation, 0.32 m3 vs 1.79; standard deviation, 0.30 cm3; P=.03) based on magnetic resonance imaging and higher scores in the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale for regulation of state (mean, 6.0; standard deviation, 1.8 vs 6.5; standard deviation, 1.5; P<.01). CONCLUSION Maternal structured lifestyle interventions involving the promotion of a Mediterranean diet or stress reduction during pregnancy were associated with changes in fetal and neonatal brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Nakaki
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Bargallo, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Department of Surgery and Surgical specializations, Faculty of Medicine and Helath Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Castro-Barquero, Arranz, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Francesca Crovetto
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Drs Crovetto, Izquierdo Renau, and Gratacos)
| | - Andrea Urru
- BCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Urru and Piella, Mr Comte, and Dr Gonzalez-Ballester)
| | - Gemma Piella
- BCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Urru and Piella, Mr Comte, and Dr Gonzalez-Ballester)
| | - Roger Borras
- Cardiovascular Institute, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Mr Borras); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain (Mr Borras and Dr Bargallo)
| | - Valentin Comte
- BCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Urru and Piella, Mr Comte, and Dr Gonzalez-Ballester)
| | - Kilian Vellvé
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Cristina Paules
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Laura Segalés
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Marta Dacal
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Yvan Gomez
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Lina Youssef
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona Campus, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Youssef)
| | - Rosa Casas
- Department of Internal Medicine Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERON), Madrid, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch)
| | - Sara Castro-Barquero
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Department of Internal Medicine Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERON), Madrid, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch)
| | - Andrés Martín-Asuero
- Instituto esMindfulness, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Martín-Asuero and Ms Oller Guzmán)
| | - Teresa Oller Guzmán
- Instituto esMindfulness, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Martín-Asuero and Ms Oller Guzmán)
| | - Ivette Morilla
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, Neuroscience Institute, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Morilla, Martínez-Àran, and Vieta)
| | - Anabel Martínez-Àran
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, Neuroscience Institute, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Morilla, Martínez-Àran, and Vieta)
| | - Alba Camacho
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Mireia Pascual Tutusaus
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Angela Arranz
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos)
| | - Monica Rebollo-Polo
- Diagnostic Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Dèu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Drs Rebollo-Polo and Gomez-Chiari); Radiology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland (Dr Rebollo-Polo)
| | - Marta Gomez-Chiari
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Diagnostic Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Dèu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Drs Rebollo-Polo and Gomez-Chiari); Diagnostic Imaging Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Dèu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Dr Gomez-Chiari)
| | - Nuria Bargallo
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Bargallo, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain (Mr Borras and Dr Bargallo); Radiology Department, Center of Image Diagnostic, Hospital Clínic. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Bargallo)
| | - Óscar J Pozo
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, IMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Pozo and Gomez-Gomez)
| | - Alex Gomez-Gomez
- Applied Metabolomics Research Group, IMIM-Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Pozo and Gomez-Gomez)
| | - Montserrat Izquierdo Renau
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Drs Crovetto, Izquierdo Renau, and Gratacos); Neonatology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Izquierdo Renau)
| | - Elisenda Eixarch
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Bargallo, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain (Drs Eixarch, Crispi, and Gratacos)
| | - Eduard Vieta
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, Neuroscience Institute, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Morilla, Martínez-Àran, and Vieta)
| | - Ramon Estruch
- Department of Internal Medicine Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERON), Madrid, Spain (Drs Casas, Castro-Barquero, and Estruch)
| | - Fàtima Crispi
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Bargallo, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain (Drs Eixarch, Crispi, and Gratacos).
| | - Miguel Angel Gonzalez-Ballester
- BCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Urru and Piella, Mr Comte, and Dr Gonzalez-Ballester); ICREA, Barcelona, Spain (Dr Gonzalez-Ballester)
| | - Eduard Gratacós
- BCNatal Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Crovetto, Vellvé, Paules, Segalés, Ms Dacal, Drs Gomez, Youssef, Castro-Barquero, Mses Camacho and Pascual Tutsaus, and Drs Arranz, Gomez-Chairi, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Drs Nakaki, Bargallo, Eixarch, Crispi and Gratacos); Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (Drs Crovetto, Izquierdo Renau, and Gratacos); Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain (Drs Eixarch, Crispi, and Gratacos)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kim S, Kim M, Oh MY, Seo Y, Yum SK. Impact of increased paternal age on neonatal outcomes in very-low-birth-weight infants. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2023; 36:2257836. [PMID: 37710984 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2257836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite the trend of increasing paternal age, its impact on neonatal outcomes, particularly in preterm infants, has not been thoroughly investigated. We aimed to evaluate the perinatal characteristics and neonatal outcomes associated with paternal age. METHODS Electronic medical records of very low-birthweight infants admitted to our unit from July 2013 to March 2022 were reviewed. Infants grouped according to paternal age (<35 years, 35-39 years, and ≥40 years) were analyzed for differences in perinatal findings and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS A total of 637 infants were included (194, 294, and 149 in the <35, 35-39, and ≥40 years groups, respectively). The increase in paternal age paralleled the increase in maternal age. The Z-score of head circumference at birth was significantly different between the groups, showing the lowest median value in the ≥40 years group. Small-for-gestational age (Odds ratio 71.074, p < .001, 95% confidence interval 19.337 - 261.236) and male sex (Odds ratio 3.309, p < .034, 95% confidence interval 1.089 - 8.425), but not paternal or maternal age groups were significant factors associated with head circumference Z-scores less than -2 standard deviation based on the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Infants affected by chromosomal or genetic anomaly were more frequently identified (3.4 vs 0.0 vs 0.5%) in the ≥40 years group than in the other two groups. When infants with anomalies or critical illnesses were excluded, overall neonatal outcomes did not statistically differ according to paternal age. CONCLUSION Although increased paternal age ≥40 years may be associated with relatively smaller head circumferences, the impact on fetal head growth does not imply a definite risk for microcephaly. Nonetheless, based on the possible negative impact on chromosomal/genetic anomaly, increased paternal age warrants attention, even though neonatal outcomes concerning prematurity were not significantly affected. A large-scale longitudinal study is needed to further elucidate the impact of advanced paternal age in preterm infants and provide guidelines for appropriate antenatal counseling and surveillance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sol Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon-Yeon Oh
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yumi Seo
- Department of Pediatrics, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sook Kyung Yum
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Mercer GV, Harvey NE, Steeves KL, Schneider CM, Sled JG, Macgowan CK, Baschat AA, Kingdom JC, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ, Jobst KJ, Cahill LS. Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics alters fetal brain metabolism in mice. Metabolomics 2023; 19:96. [PMID: 37989919 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-023-02061-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Plastics used in everyday materials accumulate as waste in the environment and degrade over time. The impacts of the resulting particulate micro- and nanoplastics on human health remain largely unknown. In pregnant mice, we recently demonstrated that exposure to nanoplastics throughout gestation and during lactation resulted in changes in brain structure detected on MRI. One possible explanation for this abnormal postnatal brain development is altered fetal brain metabolism. OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of maternal exposure to nanoplastics on fetal brain metabolism. METHODS Healthy pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed to 50 nm polystyrene nanoplastics at a concentration of 106 ng/L through drinking water during gestation. Fetal brain samples were collected at embryonic day 17.5 (n = 18-21 per group per sex) and snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance was used to determine metabolite profiles and their relative concentrations in the fetal brain. RESULTS The relative concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), creatine and glucose were found to decrease by 40%, 21% and 30% respectively following maternal nanoplastic exposure when compared to the controls (p < 0.05). The change in relative concentration of asparagine with nanoplastic exposure was dependent on fetal sex (p < 0.005). CONCLUSION Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics caused abnormal fetal brain metabolism in mice. The present study demonstrates the potential impacts of nanoplastic exposure during fetal development and motivates further studies to evaluate the risk to human pregnancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace V Mercer
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Nikita E Harvey
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Katherine L Steeves
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Céline M Schneider
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher K Macgowan
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ahmet A Baschat
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John C Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - André J Simpson
- Environmental NMR Centre, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Environmental NMR Centre, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karl J Jobst
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Arctic Avenue St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada.
- Discipline of Radiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Gibbs JM, Aubuchon-Endsley NL. Socioeconomic resources moderate the relationship between maternal prenatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms and infant negative affectivity. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 73:101889. [PMID: 37820421 PMCID: PMC11057017 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal maternal depression, anxiety, and stress are associated with poor infant outcomes. However, no known study has investigated the effects of perinatal maternal obsessive-compulsive symptomatology on infant outcomes while considering important situational factors such as socioeconomic resources. Therefore, we investigated the effects of prenatal and postnatal obsessive-compulsive symptomatology on infant behavioral reactivity, beyond the effects of postnatal depressive symptomatology, at 6 months of age. It was expected that socioeconomic resources would moderate this relationship. We recruited 125 pregnant women from a Health Professional Shortage Area for mental health and primary care in the Midwest United States and interviewed them at approximately 34 weeks gestation and again at 6 months postnatally. They were administered questionnaires at both time points measuring obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms. Infant behavioral reactivity was gathered during 6-month follow-up through behavioral observation coding and maternal-report modalities. Maternal-reported infant negative affectivity at 6 months was related to greater severity of maternal postnatal depressive symptomatology, and socioeconomic resources moderated the relationship between maternal prenatal obsessive-compulsive symptoms and maternal-reported infant negative affectivity. However, neither of these relations was statistically significant when infant reactivity was quantified using behavioral observations.
Collapse
|
19
|
Kocher K, Bhattacharya S, Niforatos-Andescavage N, Almalvez M, Henderson D, Vilain E, Limperopoulos C, Délot EC. Genome-wide neonatal epigenetic changes associated with maternal exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:268. [PMID: 37899449 PMCID: PMC10614377 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01707-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During gestation, stressors to the fetus, including viral exposure or maternal psychological distress, can fundamentally alter the neonatal epigenome, and may be associated with long-term impaired developmental outcomes. The impact of in utero exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic on the newborn epigenome has yet to be described. METHODS This study aimed to determine whether there are unique epigenetic signatures in newborns who experienced otherwise healthy pregnancies that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (Project RESCUE). The pre-pandemic control and pandemic cohorts (Project RESCUE) included in this study are part of a prospective observational and longitudinal cohort study that evaluates the impact of elevated prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood neurodevelopment. Using buccal swabs collected at birth, differential DNA methylation analysis was performed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC arrays and linear regression analysis. Pathway analysis and gene ontology enrichment were performed on resultant gene lists. RESULTS Widespread differential methylation was found between neonates exposed in utero to the pandemic and pre-pandemic neonates. In contrast, there were no apparent epigenetic differences associated with maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. Differential methylation was observed among genomic sites that underpin important neurological pathways that have been previously reported in the literature to be differentially methylated because of prenatal stress, such as NR3C1. CONCLUSIONS The present study reveals potential associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic during pregnancy and subsequent changes in the newborn epigenome. While this finding warrants further investigation, it is a point that should be considered in any study assessing newborn DNA methylation studies obtained during this period, even in otherwise healthy pregnancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Kocher
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Research & Innovation Campus, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Genomics & Precision Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Surajit Bhattacharya
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Research & Innovation Campus, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Miguel Almalvez
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Diedtra Henderson
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Eric Vilain
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | | | - Emmanuèle C Délot
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Research & Innovation Campus, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Genomics & Precision Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
De Asis-Cruz J, Kim JH, Krishnamurthy D, Lopez C, Kapse K, Andescavage N, Vezina G, Limperopoulos C. Examining the relationship between fetal cortical thickness, gestational age, and maternal psychological distress. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101282. [PMID: 37515833 PMCID: PMC10407290 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In utero exposure to maternal stress, anxiety, and depression has been associated with reduced cortical thickness (CT), and CT changes, in turn, to adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes. Here, we investigated global and regional (G/RCT) changes associated with fetal exposure to maternal psychological distress in 265 brain MRI studies from 177 healthy fetuses of low-risk pregnant women. GCT was measured from cortical gray matter (CGM) voxels; RCT was estimated from 82 cortical regions. GCT and RCT in 87% of regions strongly correlated with GA. Fetal exposure was most strongly associated with RCT in the parahippocampal region, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and supramarginal gyrus suggesting that cortical alterations commonly associated with prenatal exposure could emerge in-utero. However, we note that while regional fetal brain involvement conformed to patterns observed in newborns and children exposed to prenatal maternal psychological distress, the reported associations did not survive multiple comparisons correction. This could be because the effects are more subtle in this early developmental window or because majority of the pregnant women in our study did not experience high levels of maternal distress. It is our hope that the current findings will spur future hypothesis-driven studies that include a full spectrum of maternal mental health scores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jung-Hoon Kim
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Catherine Lopez
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nickie Andescavage
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA; Division of Neonatology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Gilbert Vezina
- Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA; Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National, Washington, DC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Rogers SC, Malik L, Fogel J, Hamilton B, Huisenga D, Lewis-Wolf C, Mieczkowski D, Peterson JK, Russell S, Schmelzer AC, Smith J, Butler SC. Optimising motor development in the hospitalised infant with CHD: factors contributing to early motor challenges and recommendations for assessment and intervention. Cardiol Young 2023; 33:1800-1812. [PMID: 37727892 DOI: 10.1017/s1047951123003165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental challenges are the most prevalent comorbidity associated with a diagnosis of critical CHD, and there is a high incidence of gross and fine motor delays noted in early infancy. The frequency of motor delays in hospitalised infants with critical CHD requires close monitoring from developmental therapies (physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists) to optimise motor development. Currently, minimal literature defines developmental therapists' role in caring for infants with critical CHD in intensive or acute care hospital units. PURPOSE This article describes typical infant motor skill development, how the hospital environment and events surrounding early cardiac surgical interventions impact those skills, and how developmental therapists support motor skill acquisition in infants with critical CHD. Recommendations for healthcare professionals and those who provide medical or developmental support in promotion of optimal motor skill development in hospitalised infants with critical CHD are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Infants with critical CHD requiring neonatal surgical intervention experience interrupted motor skill interactions and developmental trajectories. As part of the interdisciplinary team working in intensive and acute care settings, developmental therapists assess, guide motor intervention, promote optimal motor skill acquisition, and support the infant's overall development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie C Rogers
- Children's Health Rehabilitation and Therapy Services, Children's Medical Center Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren Malik
- Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anne C Schmelzer
- Duke University Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jodi Smith
- The Mended Hearts, Inc., Leesburg, GA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Jones-Mason K, Coccia M, Alkon A, Melanie Thomas KCP, Laraia B, Adler N, Epel ES, Bush NR. Parental sensitivity modifies the associations between maternal prenatal stress exposure, autonomic nervous system functioning and infant temperament in a diverse, low-income sample. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:487-523. [PMID: 37749913 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2257669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that adversity experienced during fetal development may shape infant physiologic functioning and temperament. Parental sensitivity is associated with child stress regulation and may act as a buffer against risk for intergenerational health effects of pre- or postnatal adversity. Building upon prior evidence in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of infants (M infant age = 6.5 months) and women of low socioeconomic status, this study examined whether coded parenting sensitivity moderated the association between an objective measure of prenatal stress exposures (Stressful Life Events (SLE)) and infant parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) or sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) nervous system functioning assessed during administration of the Still-Face-Paradigm (SFP) (n = 66), as well as maternal report of temperament (n = 154). Results showed that parental sensitivity moderated the associations between prenatal stress exposures and infant RSA reactivity, RSA recovery, PEP recovery, and temperamental negativity. Findings indicate that greater parental sensitivity is associated with lower infant autonomic nervous system reactivity and greater recovery from challenge. Results support the hypothesis that parental sensitivity buffers infants from the risk of prenatal stress exposure associations with offspring cross-system physiologic reactivity and regulation, potentially shaping trajectories of health and development and promoting resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Michael Coccia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Abbey Alkon
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Barbara Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Nancy Adler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sójta K, Margulska A, Plewka M, Płeska K, Strzelecki D, Gawlik-Kotelnicka O. Resilience and Psychological Well-Being of Polish Women in the Perinatal Period during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6279. [PMID: 37834924 PMCID: PMC10573938 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic, with its multidimensional consequences, is the most serious threat of the 21st century affecting the mental health of women in the perinatal period around the world. Resilience, which assumes the flexible use of an individual's resources in facing adversity, is an important, protective factor influencing mental well-being. The presented study aimed to determine to what extent psychological resilience, mitigates the relationship between adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and symptoms of depression and anxiety in women in the perinatal period. METHODS We recruited pregnant women from 17 February to 13 October 2021, using social media, the parenting portal, and the snowball method. To assess mental well-being, we used: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2), Self-report Labour Anxiety Questionnaire-LAQ and the self-developed COVID-19 Pandemic Anxiety Questionnaire (CRAQ). Resilience was measured usingthe Resilience Measure Questionnaire (KOP26). Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), an independent t-test, and a Pearson correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS Low resilience was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.46; p < 0.05) and anxiety related to childbirth (r = -0.21; p < 0.05). No associations were found for resilience and pandemic-related stress. Very high and high perinatal anxiety along with the lowest level of resilience clustered with EPDS and BDI-2 scores indicating depression. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides evidence that lower levels of resilience during pregnancy may be a significant predictor of increased severity of depressive symptoms and higher levels of anxiety related to childbirth among the perinatal population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Sójta
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Czechoslowacka Street 8/10, 92-216 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Aleksandra Margulska
- Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz, Czechoslowacka Street 8/10, 92-216 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Maksymilian Plewka
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, al. Kosciuszki 4, 90-419 Lodz, Poland; (M.P.); (K.P.)
| | - Kacper Płeska
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, al. Kosciuszki 4, 90-419 Lodz, Poland; (M.P.); (K.P.)
| | - Dominik Strzelecki
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Czechoslowacka Street 8/10, 92-216 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Oliwia Gawlik-Kotelnicka
- Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Czechoslowacka Street 8/10, 92-216 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (D.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Payette K, Li HB, de Dumast P, Licandro R, Ji H, Siddiquee MMR, Xu D, Myronenko A, Liu H, Pei Y, Wang L, Peng Y, Xie J, Zhang H, Dong G, Fu H, Wang G, Rieu Z, Kim D, Kim HG, Karimi D, Gholipour A, Torres HR, Oliveira B, Vilaça JL, Lin Y, Avisdris N, Ben-Zvi O, Bashat DB, Fidon L, Aertsen M, Vercauteren T, Sobotka D, Langs G, Alenyà M, Villanueva MI, Camara O, Fadida BS, Joskowicz L, Weibin L, Yi L, Xuesong L, Mazher M, Qayyum A, Puig D, Kebiri H, Zhang Z, Xu X, Wu D, Liao K, Wu Y, Chen J, Xu Y, Zhao L, Vasung L, Menze B, Cuadra MB, Jakab A. Fetal brain tissue annotation and segmentation challenge results. Med Image Anal 2023; 88:102833. [PMID: 37267773 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2023.102833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In-utero fetal MRI is emerging as an important tool in the diagnosis and analysis of the developing human brain. Automatic segmentation of the developing fetal brain is a vital step in the quantitative analysis of prenatal neurodevelopment both in the research and clinical context. However, manual segmentation of cerebral structures is time-consuming and prone to error and inter-observer variability. Therefore, we organized the Fetal Tissue Annotation (FeTA) Challenge in 2021 in order to encourage the development of automatic segmentation algorithms on an international level. The challenge utilized FeTA Dataset, an open dataset of fetal brain MRI reconstructions segmented into seven different tissues (external cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, white matter, ventricles, cerebellum, brainstem, deep gray matter). 20 international teams participated in this challenge, submitting a total of 21 algorithms for evaluation. In this paper, we provide a detailed analysis of the results from both a technical and clinical perspective. All participants relied on deep learning methods, mainly U-Nets, with some variability present in the network architecture, optimization, and image pre- and post-processing. The majority of teams used existing medical imaging deep learning frameworks. The main differences between the submissions were the fine tuning done during training, and the specific pre- and post-processing steps performed. The challenge results showed that almost all submissions performed similarly. Four of the top five teams used ensemble learning methods. However, one team's algorithm performed significantly superior to the other submissions, and consisted of an asymmetrical U-Net network architecture. This paper provides a first of its kind benchmark for future automatic multi-tissue segmentation algorithms for the developing human brain in utero.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Payette
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Hongwei Bran Li
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Priscille de Dumast
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Licandro
- Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab (CIR), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hui Ji
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Hao Liu
- Shanghai Jiaotong University, China
| | | | | | - Ying Peng
- School of Computer Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Juanying Xie
- School of Computer Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Huiquan Zhang
- School of Computer Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Guiming Dong
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hao Fu
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Guotai Wang
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - ZunHyan Rieu
- Research Institute, NEUROPHET Inc., Seoul 06247, South Korea
| | - Donghyeon Kim
- Research Institute, NEUROPHET Inc., Seoul 06247, South Korea
| | - Hyun Gi Kim
- Department of Radiology, The Catholic University of Korea, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul 06247, South Korea
| | - Davood Karimi
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ali Gholipour
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Helena R Torres
- Algoritmi Center, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal; Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bruno Oliveira
- Algoritmi Center, School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal; Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João L Vilaça
- 2Ai - School of Technology, IPCA, Barcelos, Portugal
| | - Yang Lin
- Department of Computer Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China
| | - Netanell Avisdris
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Sagol Brain Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel
| | - Ori Ben-Zvi
- Sagol Brain Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Dafna Ben Bashat
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Lucas Fidon
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EU, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Aertsen
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Tom Vercauteren
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EU, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Sobotka
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mireia Alenyà
- BCN-MedTech, Department of Information and Communications Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Inmaculada Villanueva
- Department of Information and Communications Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oscar Camara
- BCN-MedTech, Department of Information and Communications Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bella Specktor Fadida
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Leo Joskowicz
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Liao Weibin
- School of Computer Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, China
| | - Lv Yi
- School of Computer Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, China
| | - Li Xuesong
- School of Computer Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, China
| | - Moona Mazher
- Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, University Rovira i Virgili,Spain
| | | | - Domenec Puig
- Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, University Rovira i Virgili,Spain
| | - Hamza Kebiri
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zelin Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Xu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Yixuan Wu
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Yunzhi Xu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lana Vasung
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Bjoern Menze
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Meritxell Bach Cuadra
- Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andras Jakab
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Project Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning (AdaBD), University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Na X, Glasier CM, Andres A, Bellando J, Chen H, Gao W, Livingston LW, Badger TM, Ou X. Associations between mother's depressive symptoms during pregnancy and newborn's brain functional connectivity. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8980-8989. [PMID: 37218652 PMCID: PMC10350841 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression during pregnancy is common and the prevalence further increased during the COVID pandemic. Recent findings have shown potential impact of antenatal depression on children's neurodevelopment and behavior, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Nor is it clear whether mild depressive symptoms among pregnant women would impact the developing brain. In this study, 40 healthy pregnant women had their depressive symptoms evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory-II at ~12, ~24, and ~36 weeks of pregnancy, and their healthy full-term newborns underwent a brain MRI without sedation including resting-state fMRI for evaluation of functional connectivity development. The relationships between functional connectivities and maternal Beck Depression Inventory-II scores were evaluated by Spearman's rank partial correlation tests using appropriate multiple comparison correction with newborn's gender and gestational age at birth controlled. Significant negative correlations were identified between neonatal brain functional connectivity and mother's Beck Depression Inventory-II scores in the third trimester, but not in the first or second trimester. Higher depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy were associated with lower neonatal brain functional connectivity in the frontal lobe and between frontal/temporal lobe and occipital lobe, indicating a potential impact of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring brain development, even in the absence of clinical depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Na
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Charles M Glasier
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Aline Andres
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
| | - Jayne Bellando
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Haitao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
| | - Luke W Livingston
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Thomas M Badger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
| | - Xiawei Ou
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Donnici C, Long X, Reynolds J, Giesbrecht GF, Dewey D, Letourneau N, Huo Y, Landman B, Lebel C. Prenatal depressive symptoms and childhood development of brain limbic and default mode network structure. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2380-2394. [PMID: 36691973 PMCID: PMC10028635 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal depressive symptoms are linked to negative child behavioral and cognitive outcomes and predict later psychopathology in adolescent children. Prior work links prenatal depressive symptoms to child brain structure in regions like the amygdala; however, the relationship between symptoms and the development of brain structure over time remains unclear. We measured maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and acquired longitudinal T1-weighted and diffusion imaging data in children (n = 111; 60 females) between 2.6 and 8 years of age. Controlling for postnatal symptoms, we used linear mixed effects models to test relationships between prenatal depressive symptoms and age-related changes in (i) amygdala and hippocampal volume and (ii) structural properties of the limbic and default-mode networks using graph theory. Higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the second trimester were associated with more curvilinear trajectories of left amygdala volume changes. Higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the third trimester were associated with slower age-related changes in limbic global efficiency and average node degree across childhood. Our work provides evidence that moderate symptoms of prenatal depression in a low sociodemographic risk sample are associated with structural brain development in regions and networks implicated in emotion processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Donnici
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiangyu Long
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jess Reynolds
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bennett Landman
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Moore N, Abouhala S, Maleki P, Kheyfets A, Carvalho K, Amutah-Onukagha N. The Efficacy of Provider-Based Prenatal Interventions to Reduce Maternal Stress: A Systematic Review. Womens Health Issues 2023; 33:300-311. [PMID: 37019762 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Exposure to stress during the prenatal period is often associated with adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes and is increasing in prevalence in the United States. Health care providers play a crucial role in addressing and mitigating this stress, but there is a lack of consensus in effective interventions. This review evaluates the effectiveness of prenatal provider-based interventions that reduce stress for pregnant people, especially those who are disproportionately affected by stress. METHODS A search of relevant English-language literature was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, and PyscInfo. Inclusion criteria were 1) the target population was pregnant people, 2) the intervention was delivered within the U.S. health care system, and 3) the study intervention had the goal of reducing stress (stress-reducing intervention). RESULTS A total of 3,562 records were identified in the search and 23 were included in analysis. The four identified categories for provider-led stress-reducing prenatal interventions included in the review are 1) skills-building, 2) mindfulness, 3) behavioral therapy, and 4) group support. Findings suggest an increased overall likelihood of mood and maternal stress improvement among pregnant people who complete provider-based stress-reducing interventions, especially group-based therapies that integrated resource allocation, skills-building, mindfulness, and/or behavioral therapy into an intersectional program. However, the efficacy of each type of intervention varies by category and type of maternal stress targeted. CONCLUSIONS Although few studies demonstrated a significant reduction in stress for pregnant people, this review highlights the critical need for increased research and attention to stress-reducing interventions in the prenatal period, especially as it pertains to minoritized populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nichole Moore
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | | | - Pegah Maleki
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Anna Kheyfets
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Keri Carvalho
- Department of Public Health & Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha
- Department of Public Health & Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Boots A, Wiegersma AM, Vali Y, van den Hof M, Langendam MW, Limpens J, Backhouse EV, Shenkin SD, Wardlaw JM, Roseboom TJ, de Rooij SR. Shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease: A systematic review on prenatal risk factors for Alzheimer's disease-related volumetric brain biomarkers. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105019. [PMID: 36608918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposures including toxins and nutrition may hamper the developing brain in utero, limiting the brain's reserve capacity and increasing the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize all currently available evidence for the association between prenatal exposures and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers. We systematically searched MEDLINE and Embase for studies in humans reporting on associations between prenatal exposure(s) and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers, including whole brain volume (WBV), hippocampal volume (HV) and/or temporal lobe volume (TLV) measured with structural magnetic resonance imaging (PROSPERO; CRD42020169317). Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. We identified 79 eligible studies (search date: August 30th, 2020; Ntotal=24,784; median age 10.7 years) reporting on WBV (N = 38), HV (N = 63) and/or TLV (N = 5) in exposure categories alcohol (N = 30), smoking (N = 7), illicit drugs (N = 14), mental health problems (N = 7), diet (N = 8), disease, treatment and physiology (N = 10), infections (N = 6) and environmental exposures (N = 3). Overall risk of bias was low. Prenatal exposure to alcohol, opioids, cocaine, nutrient shortage, placental dysfunction and maternal anemia was associated with smaller brain volumes. We conclude that the prenatal environment is important in shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Boots
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - A M Wiegersma
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Y Vali
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M van den Hof
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M W Langendam
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J Limpens
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Library, Meibergdreef 9, the Netherlands
| | - E V Backhouse
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S D Shenkin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Ageing and Health Research Group and Advanced Care Research Centre, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK
| | - J M Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Centre at the University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - T J Roseboom
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S R de Rooij
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Hiscox LV, Fairchild G, Donald KA, Groenewold NA, Koen N, Roos A, Narr KL, Lawrence M, Hoffman N, Wedderburn CJ, Barnett W, Zar HJ, Stein DJ, Halligan SL. Antenatal maternal intimate partner violence exposure is associated with sex-specific alterations in brain structure among young infants: Evidence from a South African birth cohort. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101210. [PMID: 36764039 PMCID: PMC9929680 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy has been linked to adverse outcomes in children with evidence of sex-specific effects on brain development. Here, we investigated whether in utero exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), a particularly severe maternal stressor, is associated with brain structure in young infants from a South African birth cohort. Exposure to IPV during pregnancy was measured in 143 mothers at 28-32 weeks' gestation and infants underwent structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (mean age 3 weeks). Subcortical volumetric estimates were compared between IPV-exposed (n = 63; 52% female) and unexposed infants (n = 80; 48% female), with white matter microstructure also examined in a subsample (IPV-exposed, n = 28, 54% female; unexposed infants, n = 42, 40% female). In confound adjusted analyses, maternal IPV exposure was associated with sexually dimorphic effects in brain volumes: IPV exposure predicted a larger caudate nucleus among males but not females, and smaller amygdala among females but not males. Diffusivity alterations within white matter tracts of interest were evident in males, but not females exposed to IPV. Results were robust to the removal of mother-infant pairs with pregnancy complications. Further research is required to understand how these early alterations are linked to the sex-bias in neuropsychiatric outcomes later observed in IPV-exposed children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy V Hiscox
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | | | - Kirsten A Donald
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nynke A Groenewold
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nastassja Koen
- The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Annerine Roos
- The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Katherine L Narr
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marina Lawrence
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nadia Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Catherine J Wedderburn
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Whitney Barnett
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, USA
| | - Heather J Zar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; SA MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Dan J Stein
- The Neuroscience institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sarah L Halligan
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Li X, Qureshi MNI, Laplante DP, Elgbeili G, Jones SL, King S, Rosa-Neto P. Neural correlates of disaster-related prenatal maternal stress in young adults from Project Ice Storm: Focus on amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1094039. [PMID: 36816508 PMCID: PMC9929467 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1094039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress alters volumes of the amygdala and hippocampus, and alters functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. However, it remains unclear whether prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) affects volumes and functional connectivity of these structures at their subdivision levels. Methods T1-weighted MRI and resting-state functional MRI were obtained from 19-year-old young adult offspring with (n = 39, 18 male) and without (n = 65, 30 male) exposure to PNMS deriving from the 1998 ice storm. Volumes of amygdala nuclei, hippocampal subfields and prefrontal subregions were computed, and seed-to-seed functional connectivity analyses were conducted. Results Compared to controls, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had larger volumes of bilateral whole amygdala, driven by the lateral, basal, central, medial, cortical, accessory basal nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition; larger volumes of bilateral whole hippocampus, driven by the CA1, HATA, molecular layer, fissure, tail, CA3, CA4, and DG; and larger volume of the prefrontal cortex, driven by the left superior frontal. Inversely, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had lower functional connectivity between the whole amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (driven by bilateral frontal poles, the left superior frontal and left caudal middle frontal); and lower functional connectivity between the hippocampal tail and the prefrontal cortex (driven by the left lateral orbitofrontal). Conclusion These results suggest the possibility that effects of disaster-related PNMS on structure and function of subdivisions of offspring amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex could persist into young adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Li
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Mental Health and Society Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada,Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Muhammad Naveed Iqbal Qureshi
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David P. Laplante
- Centre for Child Development and Mental Health, Lady Davis Institute-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Elgbeili
- Mental Health and Society Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Suzanne King
- Mental Health and Society Division, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: Suzanne King,
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Montreal, QC, Canada,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Rajasilta O, Häkkinen S, Björnsdotter M, Scheinin NM, Lehtola SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Maternal psychological distress associates with alterations in resting-state low-frequency fluctuations and distal functional connectivity of the neonate medial prefrontal cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:242-257. [PMID: 36458867 PMCID: PMC10108202 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress exposure (PSE) has been observed to exert a programming effect on the developing infant brain, possibly with long-lasting consequences on temperament, cognitive functions and the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. Several prior studies have revealed that PSE associates with alterations in neonate functional connectivity in the prefrontal regions and amygdala. In this study, we explored whether maternal psychological symptoms measured during the 24th gestational week had associations with neonate resting-state network metrics. Twenty-one neonates (nine female) underwent resting-state fMRI scanning (mean gestation-corrected age at scan 26.95 days) to assess fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). The ReHo/fALFF maps were used in multiple regression analysis to investigate whether maternal self-reported anxiety and/or depressive symptoms associate with neonate functional brain features. Maternal psychological distress (composite score of depressive and anxiety symptoms) was positively associated with fALFF in the neonate medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Anxiety and depressive symptoms, assessed separately, exhibited similar but weaker associations. Post hoc seed-based connectivity analyses further showed that distal connectivity of mPFC covaried with PSE. No associations were found between neonate ReHo and PSE. These results offer preliminary evidence that PSE may affect functional features of the developing brain during gestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Häkkinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- The Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), Oxford, UK
- Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Harnessing the Power of Advanced Fetal Neuroimaging to Understand In Utero Footprints for Later Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:867-879. [PMID: 36804195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine events may profoundly impact fetal risk for future adult diseases. The mechanisms underlying this increased vulnerability are complex and remain poorly understood. Contemporary advances in fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided clinicians and scientists with unprecedented access to in vivo human fetal brain development to begin to identify emerging endophenotypes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss salient findings of normal fetal neurodevelopment from studies using advanced, multimodal MRI that have provided unparalleled characterization of in utero prenatal brain morphology, metabolism, microstructure, and functional connectivity. We appraise the clinical utility of these normative data in identifying high-risk fetuses before birth. We highlight available studies that have investigated the predictive validity of advanced prenatal brain MRI findings and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. We then discuss how ex utero quantitative MRI findings can inform in utero investigations toward the pursuit of early biomarkers of risk. Lastly, we explore future opportunities to advance our understanding of the prenatal origins of neuropsychiatric disorders using precision fetal imaging.
Collapse
|
33
|
Wang S, Ding C, Dou C, Zhu Z, Zhang D, Yi Q, Wu H, Xie L, Zhu Z, Song D, Li H. Associations between maternal prenatal depression and neonatal behavior and brain function - Evidence from the functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 146:105896. [PMID: 36037574 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal prenatal depression is a significant public health issue associated with mental disorders of offspring. This study aimed to determine if maternal prenatal depressive symptoms are associated with changes in neonatal behaviors and brain function at the resting state. METHODS A total of 204 pregnant women were recruited during the third trimester and were evaluated by Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). The mother-infant pairs were divided into the depressed group (n = 75) and control group (n = 129) based on the EPDS, using a cut-off value of 10. Cortisol levels in the cord blood and maternal blood collected on admission for delivery were measured. On day three of life, all study newborns were evaluated by the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) and 165 infants were evaluated by resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (rs-fNIRS). To minimize the influences of potential bias on the rs-fNIRS results, we used a binary logistic regression model to carry out propensity score matching between the depressed group and the control group. Rs-fNIRS data from 21 pairs of propensity score-matched newborns were used for analysis. The associations between maternal EPDS scores, neonatal NBAS scores, and cortisol levels were analyzed using linear regressions and the mediation analysis models. RESULTS Compared to the control group, the newborns in the depressed group had lower scores in the social-interaction and autonomic system dimensions of NBAS (P < 0.01). Maternal and umbilical cord plasma cortisol levels in the depressed group were higher (P < 0.01) than in the control group. However, only umbilical cord plasma cortisol played a negative mediating role in the relationship between maternal EPDS and NBAS in the social-interaction and autonomic system (β med = -0.054 [-0.115,-0.018] and -0.052 [-0.105,-0.019]. Proportional mediation was 13.57 % and 12.33 for social-interaction and autonomic systems, respectively. The newborns in the depressed group showed decreases in the strength of rs-fNIRS functional connections, primarily the connectivity of the left frontal-parietal and temporal-parietal regions. However, infants in the depressed and control groups showed no differences in topological characteristics of the brain network, including standardized clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, small-world property, global efficiency, and local efficiency (P > 0.05). The social-interaction Z-scores had positive correlations with functional connectivity strength of left prefrontal cortex-left parietal lobe (r = 0.57, p < 0.01),prefrontal cortex-left parietal lobe - left temporal lobe (r = 0.593, p < 0.01) and left parietal lobe - left temporal lobe (r = 0.498, p < 0.01). Autonomic system Z-scores were also significantly positive correlation with prefrontal cortex-left parietal lobe (r = 0.509, p < 0.01),prefrontal cortex-left parietal lobe - left temporal lobe (r = 0.464, p < 0.01), left parietal lobe - left temporal lobe (r = 0.381, p < 0.05), and right temporal lobe and left temporal lobe (r = 0.310, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION This study shows that maternal prenatal depression may affect the development of neonatal social-interaction and autonomic system and the strength of neonatal brain functional connectivity. The fetal cortisol may play a role in behavioral development in infants exposed to maternal prenatal depression. Our findings highlight the importance of prenatal screening for maternal depression and early postnatal behavioral evaluation that provide the opportunity for early diagnosis and intervention to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shan Wang
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Department of Neonatology, the Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chenxi Ding
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chengyin Dou
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zeen Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiqi Yi
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haoyue Wu
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Longshan Xie
- Department of Functional Neuroscience, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (The Affiliated Foshan Hospital of Sun Yat -sen University), Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongliang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Maternal and Infant Health Research Institute and Medical College, Northwestern University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongli Song
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA, USA.
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neonatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Department of Neonatology, the Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Asali A, Farladansky-Gershnabel S, Hasky N, Elbaz M, Fishman A, Ravid D, Wiser A, Biron-Shental T, Berkovitz A, Miller N. Physiological and psychological stress responses to labor and delivery during COVID-19 pandemic: a cohort study. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2022; 43:441-446. [PMID: 35312463 DOI: 10.1080/0167482x.2022.2030308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate objective (saliva cortisol) and subjective (questionnaire) stress levels during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic compared to before the pandemic and their effects on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. METHODS This cohort study included 36 women with low-risk, singleton, term deliveries at a tertiary academic center during the COVID-19 pandemic and 49 who delivered before. Physiological stress was evaluated with salivary cortisol measurements, and emotional stress with stress scale questionnaires (0-10) during active and full dilation stages of labor, and 2-min postpartum. Cord blood cortisol and pH were obtained. Delivery mode, complications, and neonatal outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS Psychological stress was higher for the COVID-19 group compared to controls during full dilation (6.2 ± 3.4 vs. 4.2 ± 3, p = .009). The COVID-19 group had significantly lower cord cortisol levels (7.3 vs. 13.6 mcg/dl, p = .001). No differences were found regarding salivary cortisol level assessments at active, full dilation and 2-min post-delivery (p = .584, p = .254, p = .829, respectively). No differences were found regarding pH < 7.1 (p = .487), 1- and 5-min Apgar scores < 7 (p = .179) and neonatal weight (p = .958). CONCLUSIONS Women who delivered during COVID-19 pandemic had higher stress levels at full dilation and lower cord cortisol levels, as may be expected after exposure to a chronic stressor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aula Asali
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sivan Farladansky-Gershnabel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noa Hasky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Elbaz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ami Fishman
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dorit Ravid
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amir Wiser
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Biron-Shental
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Arie Berkovitz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Netanella Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Jeličić L, Veselinović A, Ćirović M, Jakovljević V, Raičević S, Subotić M. Maternal Distress during Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Underlying Mechanisms and Child's Developmental Outcomes-A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213932. [PMID: 36430406 PMCID: PMC9692872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal mental health may be considered a determining factor influencing fetal and child development. An essential factor with potentially negative consequences for a child's psychophysiological development is the presence of maternal distress during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The review is organized and presented to explore and describe the effects of anxiety, stress, and depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period on adverse child developmental outcomes. The neurobiology of maternal distress and the transmission mechanisms at the molecular level to the fetus and child are noted. In addition, the paper discusses the findings of longitudinal studies in which early child development is monitored concerning the presence of maternal distress in pregnancy and the postpartum period. This topic gained importance in the COVID-19 pandemic context, during which a higher frequency of maternal psychological disorders was observed. The need for further interdisciplinary research on the relationship between maternal mental health and fetal/child development was highlighted, especially on the biological mechanisms underlying the transmission of maternal distress to the (unborn) child, to achieve positive developmental outcomes and improve maternal and child well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ljiljana Jeličić
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +381-11-3208-519; Fax: +381-11-2624-168
| | - Aleksandra Veselinović
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Ćirović
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Jakovljević
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Human Pathology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Saša Raičević
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
- Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - Miško Subotić
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wang J, Nichols ES, Mueller ME, de Vrijer B, Eagleson R, McKenzie CA, de Ribaupierre S, Duerden EG. Semi-automatic segmentation of the fetal brain from magnetic resonance imaging. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1027084. [PMID: 36440277 PMCID: PMC9692018 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1027084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Volumetric measurements of fetal brain maturation in the third trimester of pregnancy are key predictors of developmental outcomes. Improved understanding of fetal brain development trajectories may aid in identifying and clinically managing at-risk fetuses. Currently, fetal brain structures in magnetic resonance images (MRI) are often manually segmented, which requires both time and expertise. To facilitate the targeting and measurement of brain structures in the fetus, we compared the results of five segmentation methods applied to fetal brain MRI data to gold-standard manual tracings. METHODS Adult women with singleton pregnancies (n = 21), of whom five were scanned twice, approximately 3 weeks apart, were recruited [26 total datasets, median gestational age (GA) = 34.8, IQR = 30.9-36.6]. T2-weighted single-shot fast spin echo images of the fetal brain were acquired on 1.5T and 3T MRI scanners. Images were first combined into a single 3D anatomical volume. Next, a trained tracer manually segmented the thalamus, cerebellum, and total cerebral volumes. The manual segmentations were compared with five automatic methods of segmentation available within Advanced Normalization Tools (ANTs) and FMRIB's Linear Image Registration Tool (FLIRT) toolboxes. The manual and automatic labels were compared using Dice similarity coefficients (DSCs). The DSC values were compared using Friedman's test for repeated measures. RESULTS Comparing cerebellum and thalamus masks against the manually segmented masks, the median DSC values for ANTs and FLIRT were 0.72 [interquartile range (IQR) = 0.6-0.8] and 0.54 (IQR = 0.4-0.6), respectively. A Friedman's test indicated that the ANTs registration methods, primarily nonlinear methods, performed better than FLIRT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Deformable registration methods provided the most accurate results relative to manual segmentation. Overall, this semi-automatic subcortical segmentation method provides reliable performance to segment subcortical volumes in fetal MR images. This method reduces the costs of manual segmentation, facilitating the measurement of typical and atypical fetal brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Wang
- Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Emily S. Nichols
- Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Megan E. Mueller
- Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Barbra de Vrijer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Roy Eagleson
- Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Charles A. McKenzie
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sandrine de Ribaupierre
- Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Emma G. Duerden
- Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Impact of COVID-19 Related Maternal Stress on Fetal Brain Development: A Multimodal MRI Study. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11226635. [PMID: 36431112 PMCID: PMC9695517 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11226635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruptions in perinatal care and support due to the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented but significant stressor among pregnant women. Various neurostructural differences have been re-ported among fetuses and infants born during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic counterparts. The relationship between maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions and fetal brain is yet unexamined. METHODS Pregnant participants with healthy pregnancies were prospectively recruited in 2020-2022 in the greater Los Angeles Area. Participants completed multiple self-report assessments for experiences of pandemic related disruptions, perceived stress, and coping behaviors and underwent fetal MRI. Maternal perceived stress exposures were correlated with quantitative multimodal MRI measures of fetal brain development using multivariate models. RESULTS Increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress positively correlated with normalized fetal brainstem volume (suggesting accelerated brainstem maturation). In contrast, increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress correlated with reduced global fetal brain temporal functional variance (suggesting reduced functional connectivity). CONCLUSIONS We report alterations in fetal brainstem structure and global functional fetal brain activity associated with increased maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions, suggesting altered fetal programming. Long term follow-up studies are required to better understand the sequalae of these early multi-modal brain disruptions among infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
|
38
|
Hedström J, Andersson B. Surgery A survey of patients' perceptions and experiences of intervention for gallstone disease during pregnancy. Heliyon 2022; 8:e11184. [PMID: 36339762 PMCID: PMC9634268 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gallstones intervention during pregnancy might be a stressful event for both mother and fetus and stress might affect outcome. The aim of this study was to identify factors that might improve the care of pregnant patients in need of intervention for gallstone disease. Methods By crossmatching the Swedish Registry of Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks) and the Swedish Medical Birth Registry, we identified patients with gallstone intervention during pregnancy. A questionnaire covering patient experience before, during and after surgery and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) were distributed. Results In total, 275 patients subjected to cholecystectomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or both were identified, and 146 (54%) patients responded. Surgery was in median performed in pregnancy week 16 (12–20), and 62 (42%) patients had symptoms of gallstone disease before pregnancy, with 17 of these patients scheduled for surgery before pregnancy. Thirty-four (24%) patients felt that the information regarding the upcoming surgery was inadequate, with differences comparing patients with overall favorable versus overall non-favorable experiences (103 (89%) vs. 8 (27%) p < 0.001) and similar differences regarding information on disease/symptoms (95 (84%) vs. 12 (43%), p < 0.001). A majority (57%) were very worried about their expected child, and 51% thought that no measures were taken to relieve their worries. Recurring as suggested improvements was more information about the disease and the surgical procedure. Conclusion Intervention due to gallstone disease during pregnancy is a stressful event that impacts many patients negatively, both before and after surgery. Patient education might positively affect patient experience.
Collapse
|
39
|
Ahmed GK, Salman SA, Elbeh K, Amer ZS, Abbas AM. Correlation between psychiatric impact of COVID-19 during pregnancy and fetal outcomes in Egyptian women. Psychiatry Res 2022; 317:114920. [PMID: 37732863 PMCID: PMC9597522 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined in 238 pregnant women with (n = 146) and without (n = 92) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Fetal outcomes in the same groups were evaluated using the Apgar score. Anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher in women with COVID-19 but PTSD scores were similar in both groups. Infection with COVID-19 was associated with a higher number of fetal deaths or an Apgar score <7. During the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 46.6% of pregnant women had depression, 5.5% had PTSD, 64.3% had state anxiety, and 60.9% had trait anxiety. Except for PTSD, psychiatric problems and poor fetal outcomes were higher in women with COVID-19 than in those without COVID-19. Lastly, women with COVID-19 were more prone to have a fetus who died or had an Apgar score of <7.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gellan K Ahmed
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Safwat A Salman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Khaled Elbeh
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Zaynap S Amer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Abbas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Ortinau CM, Smyser CD, Arthur L, Gordon EE, Heydarian HC, Wolovits J, Nedrelow J, Marino BS, Levy VY. Optimizing Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease. Pediatrics 2022; 150:e2022056415L. [PMID: 36317967 PMCID: PMC10435013 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-056415l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental impairment is a common and important long-term morbidity among infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). More than half of those with complex CHD will demonstrate some form of neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive, and/or psychosocial dysfunction requiring specialized care and impacting long-term quality of life. Preventing brain injury and treating long-term neurologic sequelae in this high-risk clinical population is imperative for improving neurodevelopmental and psychosocial outcomes. Thus, cardiac neurodevelopmental care is now at the forefront of clinical and research efforts. Initial research primarily focused on neurocritical care and operative strategies to mitigate brain injury. As the field has evolved, investigations have shifted to understanding the prenatal, genetic, and environmental contributions to impaired neurodevelopment. This article summarizes the recent literature detailing the brain abnormalities affecting neurodevelopment in children with CHD, the impact of genetics on neurodevelopmental outcomes, and the best practices for neonatal neurocritical care, focusing on developmental care and parental support as new areas of importance. A framework is also provided for the infrastructure and resources needed to support CHD families across the continuum of care settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M. Ortinau
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Christopher D. Smyser
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Lindsay Arthur
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Erin E. Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Haleh C. Heydarian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Joshua Wolovits
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jonathan Nedrelow
- Department of Neonatology, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas
| | - Bradley S. Marino
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
| | - Victor Y. Levy
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, California
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ssewanyana D, Knight JA, Matthews SG, Wong J, Khani NA, Lye J, Murphy KE, Foshay K, Okeke J, Lye SJ, Hung RJ. Maternal prenatal psychological distress and vitamin intake with children's neurocognitive development. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:1450-1457. [PMID: 35288638 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal prenatal psychological distress (PPD) is increasingly linked to sub-optimal child neurodevelopment. Daily intake of prenatal vitamin during pre-conception and early pregnancy may ameliorate the effects of PPD on cognition in the offspring. METHODS PPD was assessed in early (12-16 weeks) and late (28-32 weeks) gestation in the Ontario Birth Study. Prenatal vitamin supplement intake information was collected in early gestation. Child cognition at 4 years was assessed using the NIH Toolbox. Poisson regression was used to investigate associations between PPD and/or prenatal vitamin intake and child cognition. RESULTS Four hundred and eighteen mother-child dyads were assessed. Moderate-severe PPD experienced during early gestation was associated with reduced cognition (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRRadj) = 3.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.57-8.77, P = 0.003). Daily intake of prenatal vitamins was not associated with cognition (IRRadj = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.73-2.46, P = 0.34). Upon stratification, the experience of mild-severe PPD with daily intake of prenatal vitamins was associated with higher incident rates of suboptimal cognition compared to children of women with daily prenatal vitamin intake without any episode of PPD (IRRadj = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.1-7.4). CONCLUSIONS Moderate-severe PPD in early pregnancy is associated with poor cognition in children and daily intake of prenatal vitamin did not ameliorate this association. IMPACT Our findings expand on existing literature by highlighting that exposure to prenatal psychological distress (PPD), in moderate-to-severe form, in the early stages of pregnancy, can have detrimental effects on the offspring's cognitive development at 4 years. Overall, prenatal vitamin intake did not ameliorate the effects of PPD. Early screening and treatment of prenatal maternal mental illness is crucial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Ssewanyana
- Alliance for Human Development, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julia A Knight
- Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Alliance for Human Development, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jody Wong
- Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nadya Adel Khani
- Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Lye
- Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kellie E Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kim Foshay
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Justin Okeke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen J Lye
- Alliance for Human Development, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rayjean J Hung
- Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Rajagopalan V, Reynolds WT, Zepeda J, Lopez J, Ponrartana S, Wood J, Ceschin R, Panigrahy A. Impact of COVID-19 related maternal stress on fetal brain development: A Multimodal MRI study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2022:2022.10.26.22281575. [PMID: 36324796 PMCID: PMC9628193 DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.26.22281575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Disruptions in perinatal care and support due to the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented but significant stressor among pregnant women. Various neurostructural differences have been re-ported among fetuses and infants born during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic counterparts. The relationship between maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions and fetal brain is yet unexamined. Methods Pregnant participants with healthy pregnancies were prospectively recruited in 2020-2022 in the greater Los Angeles Area. Participants completed multiple self-report assessments for experiences of pandemic related disruptions, perceived stress, and coping behaviors and underwent fetal MRI. Maternal perceived stress exposures were correlated with quantitative multimodal MRI measures of fetal brain development using ltivariate models. Results Fetal brain stem volume increased with increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress positively correlated with normalized fetal brainstem volume (suggesting accelerated brainstem maturation). In contrast, increased maternal perception of pandemic related stress correlated with reduced global fetal brain temporal functional variance (suggesting reduced functional connectivity). Conclusions We report alterations in fetal brainstem structure and global functional fetal brain activity associated with increased maternal stress due to pandemic related disruptions, suggesting altered fetal programming. Long term follow-up studies are required to better understand the sequalae of these early multi-modal brain disruptions among infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Rajagopalan
- Department of Radiology Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - William T. Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical Informatics University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
| | - Jeremy Zepeda
- Department of Radiology Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA
| | - Jeraldine Lopez
- Neuropsychology Core, The Saban Research Institute, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
| | - Skorn Ponrartana
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - John Wood
- Departments of Radiology and Pediatrics, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
| | - Rafael Ceschin
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
| | - Ashok Panigrahy
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Perinatal and early childhood biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:956-965. [PMID: 35091705 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-01933-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The human brain develops through a complex interplay of genetic and environmental influences. During critical periods of development, experiences shape brain architecture, often with long-lasting effects. If experiences are adverse, the effects may include the risk of mental and physical disease, whereas positive environments may increase the likelihood of healthy outcomes. Understanding how psychosocial stress and adverse experiences are embedded in biological systems and how we can identify markers of risk may lead to discovering new approaches to improve patient care and outcomes. Biomarkers can be used to identify specific intervention targets and at-risk children early when physiological system malleability increases the likelihood of intervention success. However, identifying reliable biomarkers has been challenging, particularly in the perinatal period and the first years of life, including in preterm infants. This review explores the landscape of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. We highlight potential benefits and challenges of identifying risk clinically and different sub-signatures of stress, and in their ability to inform targeted interventions. Finally, we propose that the combination of preterm birth and adversity amplifies the risk for abnormal development and calls for a focus on this group of infants within the field of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. IMPACT: Reviews the landscape of biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in the perinatal period and early childhood and highlights the potential benefits and challenges of their clinical utility in identifying risk status in children, and in developing targeted interventions. Explores associations between psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in childhood with prematurity and identifies potential areas of assessment and intervention to improve outcomes in this at-risk group.
Collapse
|
44
|
Weiss SJ, Musana JW. Symptoms of maternal psychological distress during pregnancy: sex-specific effects for neonatal morbidity. J Perinat Med 2022; 50:878-886. [PMID: 35421290 PMCID: PMC9464044 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2021-0340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth. However, little is known about the relationship of a woman's psychological symptoms during pregnancy to the infant's morbidity at birth or any differential effects of these symptoms on female vs. male fetuses. Our research aims addressed these gaps. METHODS A total of 186 women were enrolled between 24 and 34 weeks gestation when demographic information was acquired and they completed the Brief Symptom Inventory to measure psychological distress. Data on gestational age at birth, fetal sex, and neonatal morbidity was extracted from the medical record. To control for their effects, obstetric complications were also identified. Multiple linear regressions were computed to examine the aims, including interaction terms to measure moderating effects of fetal sex. RESULTS Symptoms of maternal psychological distress were a significant predictor of neonatal morbidity but were not associated with gestational age. The interaction between symptom distress and fetal/infant sex was also significant for neonatal morbidity but not for gestational age. For boys, high levels of maternal symptom distress during pregnancy were associated with neonatal resuscitation, ventilatory assistance, and infection. Maternal distress was not associated with neonatal morbidity for girls. CONCLUSIONS The male fetus may be more sensitive to effects of mothers' psychological symptoms than the female fetus. Further research is needed to confirm our findings and identify potential biological mechanisms that may be responsible for these sex differences. Findings suggest the importance of symptom screening and early intervention to reduce maternal distress and risk of neonatal morbidity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra J. Weiss
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joseph W. Musana
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Ilomäki M, Lindblom J, Salmela V, Flykt M, Vänskä M, Salmi J, Tolonen T, Alho K, Punamäki RL, Wikman P. Early life stress is associated with the default mode and fronto-limbic network connectivity among young adults. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:958580. [PMID: 36212193 PMCID: PMC9537946 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.958580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to early life stress (ELS) is associated with a variety of detrimental psychological and neurodevelopmental effects. Importantly, ELS has been associated with regional alterations and aberrant connectivity in the structure and functioning of brain regions involved in emotion processing and self-regulation, creating vulnerability to mental health problems. However, longitudinal research regarding the impact of ELS on functional connectivity between brain regions in the default mode network (DMN) and fronto-limbic network (FLN), both implicated in emotion-related processes, is relatively scarce. Neuroimaging research on ELS has mostly focused on single nodes or bi-nodal connectivity instead of functional networks. We examined how ELS is associated with connectivity patterns within the DMN and FLN during rest in early adulthood. The participants (n = 86; 47 females) in the current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study were young adults (18–21 years old) whose families had participated in a longitudinal study since pregnancy. ELS was assessed both prospectively (parental reports of family relationship problems and mental health problems during pregnancy and infancy) and retrospectively (self-reported adverse childhood experiences). Inter-subject representational similarity analysis (IS-RSA) and multivariate distance matrix regression (MDMR) were used to analyze the association between ELS and the chosen networks. The IS-RSA results suggested that prospective ELS was associated with complex alterations within the DMN, and that retrospective ELS was associated with alterations in the FLN. MDMR results, in turn, suggested that that retrospective ELS was associated with DMN connectivity. Mean connectivity of the DMN was also associated with retrospective ELS. Analyses further showed that ELS-related alterations in the FLN were associated with increased connectivity between the prefrontal and limbic regions, and between different prefrontal regions. These results suggest that exposure to ELS in infancy might have long-lasting influences on functional brain connectivity that persist until early adulthood. Our results also speak for the importance of differentiating prospective and retrospective assessment methods to understand the specific neurodevelopmental effects of ELS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miro Ilomäki
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Miro Ilomäki,
| | - Jallu Lindblom
- Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Viljami Salmela
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marjo Flykt
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mervi Vänskä
- Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Juha Salmi
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuija Tolonen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kimmo Alho
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Advanced Magnetic Imaging Centre, Aalto NeuroImaging, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Patrik Wikman
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Mbiydzenyuy NE, Hemmings SMJ, Qulu L. Prenatal maternal stress and offspring aggressive behavior: Intergenerational and transgenerational inheritance. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:977416. [PMID: 36212196 PMCID: PMC9539686 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.977416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress is associated with increased reactivity of the HPA axis, the association between prenatal maternal stress and fetal glucocorticoid exposure is complex and most likely dependent on unidentified and poorly understood variables including nature and timing of prenatal insults. The precise mechanisms in which prenatal maternal stress influence neuroendocrine signaling between the maternal-placental-fetal interface are still unclear. The aim of this review article is to bring comprehensive basic concepts about prenatal maternal stress and mechanisms of transmission of maternal stress to the fetus. This review covers recent studies showing associations between maternal stress and alterations in offspring aggressive behavior, as well as the possible pathways for the “transmission” of maternal stress to the fetus: (1) maternal-fetal HPA axis dysregulation; (2) intrauterine environment disruption due to variations in uterine artery flow; (3) epigenetic modifications of genes implicated in aggressive behavior. Here, we present evidence for the phenomenon of intergenerational and transgenerational transmission, to better understands the mechanism(s) of transmission from parent to offspring. We discuss studies showing associations between maternal stress and alterations in offspring taking note of neuroendocrine, brain architecture and epigenetic changes that may suggest risk for aggressive behavior. We highlight animal and human studies that focus on intergenerational transmission following exposure to stress from a biological mechanistic point of view, and maternal stress-induced epigenetic modifications that have potential to impact on aggressive behavior in later generations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ngala Elvis Mbiydzenyuy
- Department of Basic Science, School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, Ndola, Zambia
- Division of Medical Physiology, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Ngala Elvis Mbiydzenyuy,
| | - Sian Megan Joanna Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lihle Qulu
- Division of Medical Physiology, Biomedical Science Research Institute, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Ashley-Norman T, Fellmeth G, Brummaier T, Nosten S, Oo MM, Phichitpadungtham Y, Wai K, Khirikoekkong N, Plugge E, McGready R. Persistent depression in pregnant refugee and migrant women living along the Thai-Myanmar Border: a secondary qualitative analysis. Wellcome Open Res 2022. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17744.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Antepartum depression affects around 15% of pregnant women worldwide, and may negatively impact their infants' physical, cognitive and social development, and confer a greater risk of emotional dysregulation in their children. Risk factors for antepartum depression disproportionately affect women from resource-sparse settings. In particular, pregnant refugee and migrant women face many barriers to diagnosis and care of mental health conditions, yet this group is under-represented in the literature. This study explores what refugee and migrant women living along the Thai-Myanmar border perceive as being contributory and protective factors to their antepartum depression, through secondary qualitative analysis of responses to clinical interviews for depression. Methods Previous research investigating perinatal depression in pregnant refugee and migrant women on the Thai-Myanmar border involved assessing 568 women for depression, using the Structured Clinical Interview for the diagnosis of DSM-IV Disorders (SCID). This study analyses a subsample of 32 women, diagnosed with persistent depression during the antepartum period. Thematic analysis of responses to the SCID and social and demographic surveys was undertaken to investigate factors which contribute towards, or protect against, persistent antepartum depression. Results Major themes which women described as contributing towards persistent antepartum depression were financial problems, interpersonal violence, substance misuse among partners, social problems and poor health. Factors women considered as protecting mental wellbeing included social support, accessible healthcare and distractions, highlighting the need for focus on these elements within refugee and migrant settings. Commonly expressed phrases in local Karen and Burmese languages were summarised. Conclusions Knowledge of factors affecting mental wellbeing in the study population and how these are phrased, may equip stakeholders to better support women in the study area. This study highlighted the limitations of contextually generic diagnostic tools, and recommends the development of tools better suited to marginalised and non-English speaking groups.
Collapse
|
48
|
Zhang C, Yan L, Qiao J. Effect of advanced parental age on pregnancy outcome and offspring health. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:1969-1986. [PMID: 35925538 PMCID: PMC9474958 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02533-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Fertility at advanced age has become increasingly common, but the aging of parents may adversely affect the maturation of gametes and the development of embryos, and therefore the effects of aging are likely to be transmitted to the next generation. This article reviewed the studies in this field in recent years. METHODS We searched the relevant literature in recent years with the keywords of "advanced maternal/paternal age" combined with "adverse pregnancy outcome" or "birth defect" in the PubMed database and classified the effects of parental advanced age on pregnancy outcomes and birth defects. Related studies on the effect of advanced age on birth defects were classified as chromosomal abnormalities, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and other systemic diseases. The effect of assisted reproduction technology (ART) on fertility in advanced age was also discussed. RESULTS Differences in the definition of the range of advanced age and other confounding factors among studies were excluded, most studies believed that advanced parental age would affect pregnancy outcomes and birth defects in offspring. CONCLUSION To some extent, advanced parental age caused adverse pregnancy outcomes and birth defects. The occurrence of these results was related to the molecular genetic changes caused by aging, such as gene mutations, epigenetic variations, etc. Any etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes and birth defects related to aging might be more than one. The detrimental effect of advanced age can be corrected to some extent by ART.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cong Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China
- Savid Medical College (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liying Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Tyborowska A, Gruber K, Beijers R, Kühn S, Roelofs K, de Weerth C. No evidence for association between late pregnancy maternal cortisol and gray matter volume in a healthy community sample of young adolescents. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:893847. [PMID: 36117621 PMCID: PMC9470950 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.893847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A compelling amount of animal and human research has shown that perceived maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the neurodevelopment of the offspring. Prenatal maternal cortisol is frequently proposed as the biological key mechanism underlying this link; however, literature that investigates the effects of prenatal cortisol on subsequent neurodevelopment in humans is scarce. By using longitudinal data from a relatively large community sample of mother-child dyads (N = 73), this pre-registered study prospectively examined the role of maternal prenatal cortisol concentrations on subsequent individual differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and hippocampal subfield volumes at the onset of puberty of the offspring (12 years of age). Two markers of cortisol, that is, evening cortisol and circadian decline over the day, were used as indicators of maternal physiological stress during the last trimester of pregnancy. The results indicate that prenatal maternal cortisol levels were not associated with GMV or hippocampal subfield volumes of the children. These findings suggest that late pregnancy maternal cortisol may not be related to the structural development of the offspring's brain, at least not in healthy community samples and at the onset of puberty. When examining the influence of prenatal stress on offspring neurodevelopment, future investigations should delineate gestational timing effects of the cortisol exposure, cortisol assessment method, and impact of additional biomarkers, as these were not investigated in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tyborowska
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Katharina Gruber
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Human Milk Extracellular Vesicles: A Biological System with Clinical Implications. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152345. [PMID: 35954189 PMCID: PMC9367292 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The consumption of human milk by a breastfeeding infant is associated with positive health outcomes, including lower risk of diarrheal disease, respiratory disease, otitis media, and in later life, less risk of chronic disease. These benefits may be mediated by antibodies, glycoproteins, glycolipids, oligosaccharides, and leukocytes. More recently, human milk extracellular vesicles (hMEVs) have been identified. HMEVs contain functional cargos, i.e., miRNAs and proteins, that may transmit information from the mother to promote infant growth and development. Maternal health conditions can influence hMEV composition. This review summarizes hMEV biogenesis and functional contents, reviews the functional evidence of hMEVs in the maternal–infant health relationship, and discusses challenges and opportunities in hMEV research.
Collapse
|