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Liu Z. Genetic causal relationship between placental weight and autism spectrum disorder: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study. J Psychosom Res 2024; 184:111857. [PMID: 38991361 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111857] [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: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECT Previous research has suggested an association between placental tissue abnormalities and the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. This study aims to explore the causal relationship between placental weight and autism spectrum disorder. METHODS This study employed Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the potential causal relationship between placental weight and autism spectrum disorder. The study design involved two sample populations, with data for the exposed population sourced from previous studies focusing on PW, and data for the outcome population obtained from the Integrative Psychiatric Research and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium study. To ensure the robustness of the results, three sensitivity analyses were performed, including heterogeneity testing, pleiotropy testing, and a leave-one-out analysis. The inverse variance weighted method served as the gold standard for the Mendelian randomization analysis. RESULTS The results of the first analysis revealed a significant correlation between an increase in placental weight and an elevated risk of autism spectrum disorder (p = 0.02). Sensitivity analysis detected heterogeneity and outliers. After removing two outlier SNPs in the second round of analysis, the results still supported a genetic causal relationship between placental weight and autism spectrum disorder (p = 0.01). The second-round sensitivity analysis did not reveal any heterogeneity or outliers. CONCLUSION Our study provides compelling evidence supporting a causal relationship between elevated placental weight and increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. These findings underscore the significance of placental development in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder and propose a potential early predictive indicator for autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
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2
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Schrager NL, Parker SE, Werler MM. The timing, duration, and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes among controls without birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2334. [PMID: 38578229 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2334] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) occurs in approximately 70% of pregnant people, with varying severity and duration. Treatments include pharmacologic and herbal/natural medications. The associations between NVP and birth outcomes, including preterm birth, small for gestational age (SGA), and low birth weight are inconclusive. OBJECTIVE To determine whether NVP and reported medications are associated with adverse birth outcomes. METHODS We used data from the population-based, multisite National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2011) to evaluate whether self-reported NVP according to timing, duration, and severity or its specific treatments were associated with preterm birth, SGA, and low birth weight among controls without birth defects. Odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were adjusted for sociodemographic, reproductive, and medical factors. For any NVP, duration, treatment use, and severity score analyses, the comparison group was participants with no reported NVP. For timing analyses, the comparison group was women with no reported NVP in the same trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS Among 6018 participants, 4339 (72.1%) reported any NVP. Among those with NVP, moderate or severe symptoms were more common than mild symptoms. Any versus no NVP was not associated with any of the outcomes of interest. NVP in months 4-6 (aOR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.47) and 7-9 (aOR 1.57, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.01) of pregnancy were associated with an increase in the risk of preterm birth. NVP lasting one trimester in duration was associated with decrease in risk of SGA (aOR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.95), and NVP present in every trimester of pregnancy had a 50% increase in risk of preterm birth (aOR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.05). For NVP in months 7-9 and preterm birth, ORs were elevated for moderate (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.63), and severe (aOR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.19) symptoms. NVP was not significantly associated with low birth weight. Our analyses of medications were limited by small numbers, but none suggested increased risk of adverse outcomes associated with use of the medication. CONCLUSION Mild NVP and NVP limited to early pregnancy appear to have no effect or a small protective effect on birth outcomes. Long-lasting NVP, severe NVP, and NVP later in pregnancy may increase risk of preterm birth and SGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina L Schrager
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samantha E Parker
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martha M Werler
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Evangelista JE, Clarke DJB, Xie Z, Marino GB, Utti V, Jenkins SL, Ahooyi TM, Bologa CG, Yang JJ, Binder JL, Kumar P, Lambert CG, Grethe JS, Wenger E, Taylor D, Oprea TI, de Bono B, Ma'ayan A. Toxicology knowledge graph for structural birth defects. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:98. [PMID: 37460679 PMCID: PMC10352311 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00329-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birth defects are functional and structural abnormalities that impact about 1 in 33 births in the United States. They have been attributed to genetic and other factors such as drugs, cosmetics, food, and environmental pollutants during pregnancy, but for most birth defects there are no known causes. METHODS To further characterize associations between small molecule compounds and their potential to induce specific birth abnormalities, we gathered knowledge from multiple sources to construct a reproductive toxicity Knowledge Graph (ReproTox-KG) with a focus on associations between birth defects, drugs, and genes. Specifically, we gathered data from drug/birth-defect associations from co-mentions in published abstracts, gene/birth-defect associations from genetic studies, drug- and preclinical-compound-induced gene expression changes in cell lines, known drug targets, genetic burden scores for human genes, and placental crossing scores for small molecules. RESULTS Using ReproTox-KG and semi-supervised learning (SSL), we scored >30,000 preclinical small molecules for their potential to cross the placenta and induce birth defects, and identified >500 birth-defect/gene/drug cliques that can be used to explain molecular mechanisms for drug-induced birth defects. The ReproTox-KG can be accessed via a web-based user interface available at https://maayanlab.cloud/reprotox-kg . This site enables users to explore the associations between birth defects, approved and preclinical drugs, and all human genes. CONCLUSIONS ReproTox-KG provides a resource for exploring knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of birth defects with the potential of predicting the likelihood of genes and preclinical small molecules to induce birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Erol Evangelista
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Daniel J B Clarke
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Zhuorui Xie
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Giacomo B Marino
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Vivian Utti
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sherry L Jenkins
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Taha Mohseni Ahooyi
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Cristian G Bologa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jeremy J Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jessica L Binder
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Christophe G Lambert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Grethe
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Eric Wenger
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Deanne Taylor
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Tudor I Oprea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Bernard de Bono
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Avi Ma'ayan
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Nguyen RH, Knapp EA, Li X, Camargo CA, Conradt E, Cowell W, Derefinko KJ, Elliott AJ, Friedman AM, Khurana Hershey GK, Hofheimer JA, Lester BM, McEvoy CT, Neiderhiser JM, Oken E, Ondersma SJ, Sathyanarayana S, Stabler ME, Stroustrup A, Tung I, McGrath M. Characteristics of Individuals in the United States Who Used Opioids During Pregnancy. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2023; 32:161-170. [PMID: 36350685 PMCID: PMC9940795 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2022.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Opioid use has disproportionally impacted pregnant people and their fetuses. Previous studies describing opioid use among pregnant people are limited by geographic location, type of medical coverage, and small sample size. We described characteristics of a large, diverse group of pregnant people who were enrolled in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, and determined which characteristics were associated with opioid use during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional data obtained from 21,905 pregnancies of individuals across the United States enrolled in the ECHO between 1990 and 2021 were analyzed. Medical records, laboratory testing, and self-report were used to determine opioid-exposed pregnancies. Multiple imputation methods using fully conditional specification with a discriminant function accounted for missing characteristics data. Results: Opioid use was present in 2.8% (n = 591) of pregnancies. The majority of people who used opioids in pregnancy were non-Hispanic White (67%) and had at least some college education (69%). Those who used opioids reported high rates of alcohol use (32%) and tobacco use (39%) during the pregnancy; although data were incomplete, only 5% reported heroin use and 86% of opioid use originated from a prescription. After adjustment, non-Hispanic White race, pregnancy during the years 2010-2012, higher parity, tobacco use, and use of illegal drugs during pregnancy were each significantly associated with opioid use during pregnancy. In addition, maternal depression was associated with increased odds of opioid use during pregnancy by more than two-fold (adjusted odds ratio 2.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.95-3.01). Conclusions: In this large study of pregnancies from across the United States, we found several factors that were associated with opioid use among pregnant people. Further studies examining screening for depression and polysubstance use may be useful for targeted interventions to prevent detrimental opioid use during pregnancy, while further elucidation of the reasons for use of prescription opioids during pregnancy should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby H.N. Nguyen
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emily A. Knapp
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiuhong Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Carlos A. Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Whitney Cowell
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karen J. Derefinko
- Department of Preventative Medicine and Pharmacology, Addictive Science, and Toxicology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Amy J. Elliott
- Department of Pediatrics, Avera Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Alexander M. Friedman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gurjit K. Khurana Hershey
- Division of Asthma Research, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Julie A. Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Barry M. Lester
- Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Cindy T. McEvoy
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jenae M. Neiderhiser
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven J. Ondersma
- Division of Public Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan, USA
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Meagan E. Stabler
- Department of Epidemiology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Annemarie Stroustrup
- Department of Pediatrics and Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Irene Tung
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Monica McGrath
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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5
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Schrager NL, Parker SE, Werler MM. The association of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, its treatments, and select birth defects: Findings from the National Birth Defect Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:275-289. [PMID: 36168701 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2096] [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: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) occurs in approximately 70% of pregnant people. Treatments include pharmacologic and herbal/natural products. Research on the associations between NVP and its treatments and birth defects is limited. METHODS We used data from the case-control National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2011) to examine whether first-trimester NVP or its specific treatments were associated with 37 major birth defects. Odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adjusted for sociodemographic and reproductive factors. RESULTS Mothers of 66.6% of 28,628 cases and 69.9% of 11,083 controls reported first-trimester NVP. Compared to no NVP, mothers with NVP had ≥10% reduction in risk of cardiac and noncardiac defects overall, and of 18 specific defects. Over-the-counter antiemetic use, compared to untreated NVP, was associated with ≥10% increase in risk for nine defect groups (heterotaxy, hypoplastic left heart syndrome [HLHS], aortic stenosis, cataracts, anophthalmos/microphthalmos, biliary atresia, transverse limb deficiency, omphalocele, and gastroschisis), whereas use of prescription antiemetics increased risk ≥10% for seven defect groups (tetralogy of Fallot, HLHS, spina bifida, anopthlamos/microphthalmos, cleft palate, craniosynostosis, and diaphragmatic hernia). We observed increased risks for promethazine and tetralogy of Fallot (aOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05-2.10), promethazine and craniosynostosis (1.44, 1.08-1.92), ondansetron and cleft palate (1.66, 1.18-2.31), pyridoxine and heterotaxy (3.91, 1.49-10.27), and pyridoxine and cataracts (2.57, 1.12-5.88). CONCLUSIONS NVP does not increase risks of birth defects. Our findings that some treatments for NVP increase risk of specific birth defects should be investigated further before clinical recommendations are made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina L Schrager
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samantha E Parker
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martha M Werler
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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6
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Ou Y, Papadopoulos EA, Fisher SC, Browne ML, Lin Z, Soim A, Lu Y, Sheridan S, Reefhuis J, Langlois PH, Romitti PA, Bell EM, Feldkamp ML, Malik S, Lin S. Interaction of maternal medication use with ambient heat exposure on congenital heart defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114217. [PMID: 36041539 PMCID: PMC10947356 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114217] [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] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal exposure to weather-related extreme heat events (EHEs) has been associated with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. Certain medications may affect an individual's physiologic responses to EHEs. We evaluated whether thermoregulation-related medications modified associations between maternal EHE exposure and CHDs. METHODS We linked geocoded residence data from the U.S. National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a population-based case-control study, to summertime EHE exposures. An EHE was defined using the 90th percentile of daily maximum temperature (EHE90) for each of six climate regions during postconceptional weeks 3-8. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between EHE90 and the risk of CHDs were estimated by strata of maternal thermoregulation-related medication use and climate region. Interaction effects were evaluated on multiplicative and additive scales. RESULTS Over 45% of participants reported thermoregulation-related medication use during the critical period of cardiogenesis. Overall, these medications did not significantly modify the association between EHEs and CHDs. Still, medications that alter central thermoregulation increased aORs (95% CI) of EHE90 from 0.73 (0.41, 1.30) among non-users to 5.09 (1.20, 21.67) among users in the Southwest region, U.S. This effect modification was statistically significant on the multiplicative (P = 0.03) and additive scales, with an interaction contrast ratio (95% CI) of 1.64 (0.26, 3.02). CONCLUSION No significant interaction was found for the maternal use of thermoregulation-related medications with EHEs on CHDs in general, while medications altering central thermoregulation significantly modified the association between EHEs and CHDs in Southwest U.S. This finding deserves further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiu Ou
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Sarah C Fisher
- Birth Defects Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Marilyn L Browne
- Birth Defects Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Ziqiang Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Basic Medicine and Public Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Aida Soim
- Birth Defects Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Yi Lu
- Health Effects Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott Sheridan
- Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Jennita Reefhuis
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Peter H Langlois
- Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Science, UT Health School of Public Health, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Paul A Romitti
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Erin M Bell
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | | | - Sadia Malik
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Shao Lin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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7
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Tokariev A, Oberlander VC, Videman M, Vanhatalo S. Cortical Cross-Frequency Coupling Is Affected by in utero Exposure to Antidepressant Medication. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:803708. [PMID: 35310093 PMCID: PMC8927083 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.803708] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to five percent of human infants are exposed to maternal antidepressant medication by serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI) during pregnancy, yet the SRI effects on infants’ early neurodevelopment are not fully understood. Here, we studied how maternal SRI medication affects cortical frequency-specific and cross-frequency interactions estimated, respectively, by phase-phase correlations (PPC) and phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) in electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. We examined the cortical activity in infants after fetal exposure to SRIs relative to a control group of infants without medical history of any kind. Our findings show that the sleep-related dynamics of PPC networks are selectively affected by in utero SRI exposure, however, those alterations do not correlate to later neurocognitive development as tested by neuropsychological evaluation at two years of age. In turn, phase-amplitude coupling was found to be suppressed in SRI infants across multiple distributed cortical regions and these effects were linked to their neurocognitive outcomes. Our results are compatible with the overall notion that in utero drug exposures may cause subtle, yet measurable changes in the brain structure and function. Our present findings are based on the measures of local and inter-areal neuronal interactions in the cortex which can be readily used across species, as well as between different scales of inspection: from the whole animals to in vitro preparations. Therefore, this work opens a framework to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental SRI effects at all translational levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Tokariev
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, BABA Center, New Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Anton Tokariev,
| | - Victoria C. Oberlander
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, BABA Center, New Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Mari Videman
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, BABA Center, New Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, New Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, BABA Center, New Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Sampsa Vanhatalo,
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8
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Singer LT, Chambers C, Coles C, Kable J. Fifty Years of Research on Prenatal Substances: Lessons Learned for the Opioid Epidemic. ADVERSITY AND RESILIENCE SCIENCE 2020; 1:223-234. [PMID: 34316723 PMCID: PMC8312986 DOI: 10.1007/s42844-020-00021-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Current efforts to design research on developmental effects of prenatal opioid exposure can benefit from knowledge gained from 50 years of studies of fetal alcohol and prenatal drug exposures such as cocaine. Scientific advances in neurobiology, developmental psychopathology, infant assessments, genetics, and imaging support the principles of developmental neurotoxicology that guide research in prenatal exposures. Important to research design is accurate assessment of amount, frequency, and timing of exposure which benefits from accurate self-report and biomarkers of exposure. Identifying and control of pre- and postnatal factors that impact development are difficult and dependent on appropriate research design and selection of comparison groups and measurement of confounding, mediating, and moderating variables. Polysubstance exposure has increased due to the number of prescribed and nonprescribed substances used by pregnant women and varying combinations of drugs may have differential effects on the outcome. Multiple experimental and clinical assessments of infant behavior have been developed but predicting outcome before 18-24 months of age remains difficult. With some exceptions, prenatal substance exposure effect sizes have been small, and cognitive and behavioral effects tend to be specific rather than global. Studies require large sample sizes, adequate retention, and support for social services in at-risk samples. The ethical and legal contexts and stigma associated with drug/alcohol use disorder should be considered in order to prevent harm to families in research programs. Recognition of the pervasive use of addictive substances in this nation should lead to broad scientific efforts to understand how substances affect child outcomes and to initiate prevention and intervention where needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T. Singer
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, WG49, Cleveland, OH 44106-7001, USA
| | - Christina Chambers
- Health Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Claire Coles
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julie Kable
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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9
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Pace ND, Siega-Riz AM, Olshan AF, Chescheir NC, Cole SR, Desrosiers TA, Tinker SC, Hoyt AT, Canfield MA, Carmichael SL, Meyer RE. Survival of infants with spina bifida and the role of maternal prepregnancy body mass index. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:1205-1216. [PMID: 31322328 PMCID: PMC7285624 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate first-year survival of infants born with spina bifida, and examine the association of maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) with infant mortality. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of 1,533 liveborn infants with nonsyndromic spina bifida with estimated dates of delivery from 1998 to 2011 whose mothers were eligible for the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS). NBDPS data were linked to death records to conduct survival analyses. Kaplan-Meier survival functions estimated mortality risk over the first year of life. Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for maternal prepregnancy BMI categorized as underweight (<18.5), normal (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), and obese (≥30). RESULTS Infant mortality risk among infants with spina bifida was (4.4% [3.52, 5.60%]). Infants with multiple co-occurring defects, very preterm delivery, multiple gestation, high-level spina bifida lesions, or non-Hispanic Black mothers had an elevated risk of infant mortality. Maternal prepregnancy underweight and obesity were associated with higher infant mortality (15.7% [7.20, 32.30%] and 5.82% [3.60, 9.35%], respectively). Adjusted HR estimates showed underweight and obese mothers had greater hazard of infant mortality compared to normal weight mothers (HR: 4.5 [1.08, 16.72] and 2.6 [1.36, 8.02], respectively). CONCLUSION The overall risk of infant mortality for infants born with spina bifida was lower than most previously reported estimates. Infants born with spina bifida to mothers who were underweight or obese prepregnancy were at higher risk of infant mortality. This study provides additional evidence of the importance of healthy maternal weight prior to pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson D. Pace
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Anna Maria Siega-Riz
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Andrew F. Olshan
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Nancy C. Chescheir
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Stephen R. Cole
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Tania A. Desrosiers
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sarah C. Tinker
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Adrienne T. Hoyt
- Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, Texas
| | - Mark A. Canfield
- Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, Texas
| | - Suzan L. Carmichael
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Robert E. Meyer
- Birth Defects Monitoring Program, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina
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10
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Wang Q, Liu C. Protective effects of quercetin against brain injury in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide-induced fetal brain injury. Int J Dev Neurosci 2018; 71:175-180. [PMID: 30282008 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin produced during infection, leads to disruption in fetal brain development and causes newborn brain injury. Quercetin (QR) is a multipotent flavonoid that functions as an antioxidant and protects against inflammation and neurodegeneration. In this study, we explored the potential functions of QR in alleviating maternal LPS exposure induced fetal brain damage. Pregnant rats at late gestational stages were treated with saline, LPS, QR, LPS and QR. Brain injury biomarker TGF-1β was assessed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain tissue of newborn rats. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis markers and oxidative stress indicators were evaluated. We found that LPS treatment induced an increased production of TGF-1β which was suppressed by QR administration. LPS enhanced pro-apoptotic Bax and inhibited anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. QR reduced that ratio of Bax and Bcl-2 that was high in LPS treated brain tissue. Additionally, QR suppressed oxidative stress induced by LPS. Finally, QR reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that were produced as a result of LPS exposure. In summary, our study indicates that QR potently alleviates maternal LPS exposure induced fetal brain injury in rats, making it a potential therapeutic for suppressing infant brain damage as a result of maternal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Daqing Oilfields General Hospital, No. 9 Zhongkang Road, Daqing, 163000, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Daqing Oilfields General Hospital, No. 9 Zhongkang Road, Daqing, 163000, Heilongjiang, China
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11
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Kana MA, Correia S, Barros H. Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Comparison of Risk Factors and Prevalence in Native and Migrant Mothers of Portuguese Generation XXI Birth Cohort. J Immigr Minor Health 2018; 21:307-314. [PMID: 29779076 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0761-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies report conflicting findings regarding association between maternal immigration status and pregnancy outcomes. In this study we compared risk factors and prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in native Portuguese and migrants. Cross-sectional analysis was conducted using information collected at delivery from the participants of Generation XXI birth cohort. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association between migrant status and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Prevalence of risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes varied between native Portuguese and migrants: teenage mothers (5.6 and 2.0%), primiparae (57.1 and 63.9%), smoking during pregnancy (23.0 and 19.1%), twins (3.2 and 8.0%), and caesarean section (35.2 and 45.7%). Among singleton births, prevalence of low birthweight, preterm birth and small for gestational age were 7.3 and 3.9%, 7.5 and 6.2%, and 15.1 and 7.6%, respectively for native Portuguese and migrants. The native Portuguese had an adjusted significantly higher risk of low birthweight (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.30, 5.48) and small for gestational age (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.26, 3.21), but a similar risk for preterm birth (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.81, 2, 34). Migrant mothers presented a lower risk of low birthweight and small for gestation and data suggest a healthy immigrant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa Abubakar Kana
- EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), Rua das Taipas, 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.
| | - Sofia Correia
- EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), Rua das Taipas, 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
| | - Henrique Barros
- EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), Rua das Taipas, 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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12
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Videman M, Tokariev A, Saikkonen H, Stjerna S, Heiskala H, Mantere O, Vanhatalo S. Newborn Brain Function Is Affected by Fetal Exposure to Maternal Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3208-3216. [PMID: 27269962 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent experimental animal studies have shown that fetal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) affects brain development. Modern recording methods and advanced computational analyses of scalp electroencephalography (EEG) have opened a possibility to study if comparable changes are also observed in the human neonatal brain. We recruited mothers using SRI during pregnancy (n = 22) and controls (n = 62). Mood and anxiety of mothers, newborn neurology, and newborn cortical function (EEG) were assessed. The EEG parameters were compared between newborns exposed to drugs versus controls, followed by comparisons of newborn EEG features with maternal psychiatric assessments. Neurological assessment showed subtle abnormalities in the SRI-exposed newborns. The computational EEG analyses disclosed a reduced interhemispheric connectivity, lower cross-frequency integration, as well as reduced frontal activity at low-frequency oscillations. These effects were not related to maternal depression or anxiety. Our results suggest that antenatal serotonergic treatment might change newborn brain function in a manner compatible with the recent experimental studies. The present EEG findings suggest links at the level of neuronal activity between human studies and animal experiments. These links will also enable bidirectional translation in future studies on the neuronal mechanisms and long-term neurodevelopmental effects of early SRI exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Videman
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Children and Adolescents.,BABA Center, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anton Tokariev
- Department of Children's Clinical Neurophysiology, HUS Medical Imaging Center and Children's Hospital.,Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Heini Saikkonen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Mental Health Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Susanna Stjerna
- Department of Children's Clinical Neurophysiology, HUS Medical Imaging Center and Children's Hospital
| | - Hannu Heiskala
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Children and Adolescents
| | - Outi Mantere
- Mental Health Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.,Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- Department of Children's Clinical Neurophysiology, HUS Medical Imaging Center and Children's Hospital
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13
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Bronson SL, Bale TL. The Placenta as a Mediator of Stress Effects on Neurodevelopmental Reprogramming. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:207-18. [PMID: 26250599 PMCID: PMC4677129 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Adversity experienced during gestation is a predictor of lifetime neuropsychiatric disease susceptibility. Specifically, maternal stress during pregnancy predisposes offspring to sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorders. Animal models have demonstrated disease-relevant endophenotypes in prenatally stressed offspring and have provided unique insight into potential programmatic mechanisms. The placenta has a critical role in the deleterious and sex-specific effects of maternal stress and other fetal exposures on the developing brain. Stress-induced perturbations of the maternal milieu are conveyed to the embryo via the placenta, the maternal-fetal intermediary responsible for maintaining intrauterine homeostasis. Disruption of vital placental functions can have a significant impact on fetal development, including the brain, outcomes that are largely sex-specific. Here we review the novel involvement of the placenta in the transmission of the maternal adverse environment and effects on the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie L Bronson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tracy L Bale
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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