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Pawluski JL. The parental brain, perinatal mental illness, and treatment: A review of key structural and functional changes. Semin Perinatol 2024:151951. [PMID: 39030131 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2024.151951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
The transition to parenthood is perhaps the only time in adult life when the brain changes to such a significant degree in such a short period, particularly in birthing parents. It is also a time when there is an increased risk of developing a mental illness, which may be due, in part, to the increased neuroplasticity. Thus, we must develop interventions and treatments that support parents and promote parental brain health. This review will highlight key findings from current research on how human brain structure and function are modified with 1) the transition to parenthood, 2) parenting stress and perinatal mental illness, and 3) treatments aimed at promoting perinatal mental health. The focus will be on birthing parents and mothers, but brain changes in non-birthing parents will also be discussed. Improvements in our understanding of the parental brain, in health and with illness, will promote the well-being of generations to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Pawluski
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France.
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2
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Hantsoo L, Jagodnik KM, Novick AM, Baweja R, di Scalea TL, Ozerdem A, McGlade EC, Simeonova DI, Dekel S, Kornfield SL, Nazareth M, Weiss SJ. The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in depression across the female reproductive lifecycle: current knowledge and future directions. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1295261. [PMID: 38149098 PMCID: PMC10750128 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1295261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this narrative review is to consolidate knowledge on the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in depression pathophysiology at different reproductive stages across the female lifespan. Despite growing evidence about the impact of gonadal hormones on mood disorders, no previous review has examined the interaction between such hormonal changes and the HPA axis within the context of depressive disorders in women. We will focus on HPA axis function in depressive disorders at different reproductive stages including the menstrual cycle (e.g., premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD]), perinatally (e.g., postpartum depression), and in perimenopausal depression. Each of these reproductive stages is characterized by vast physiological changes and presents major neuroendocrine reorganization. The HPA axis is one of the main targets of such functional alterations, and with its key role in stress response, it is an etiological factor in vulnerable windows for depression across the female lifespan. We begin with an overview of the HPA axis and a brief summary of techniques for measuring HPA axis parameters. We then describe the hormonal milieu of each of these key reproductive stages, and integrate information about HPA axis function in depression across these reproductive stages, describing similarities and differences. The role of a history of stress and trauma exposure as a contributor to female depression in the context of HPA axis involvement across the reproductive stages is also presented. This review advances the pursuit of understanding common biological mechanisms across depressive disorders among women. Our overarching goal is to identify unmet needs in characterizing stress-related markers of depression in women in the context of hormonal changes across the lifespan, and to support future research in women's mental health as it pertains to pathophysiology, early diagnosis, and treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liisa Hantsoo
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Jagodnik
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andrew M. Novick
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Ritika Baweja
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State Health, Hershey, PA, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Penn State Health, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Teresa Lanza di Scalea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
- Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Aysegul Ozerdem
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Erin C. McGlade
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake, UT, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Salt Lake, UT, United States
| | - Diana I. Simeonova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Brain Health Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Goizueta Business School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sharon Dekel
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sara L. Kornfield
- Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, Psychiatry Department, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michelle Nazareth
- Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sandra J. Weiss
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Carlini SV, Osborne LM, Deligiannidis KM. Current pharmacotherapy approaches and novel GABAergic antidepressant development in postpartum depression. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 25:92-100. [PMID: 37796239 PMCID: PMC10557560 DOI: 10.1080/19585969.2023.2262464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Postpartum depression has deleterious effects on childbearing persons globally. Existing treatments have been largely extrapolated from those for other forms of depression and have included pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and neuromodulation. Hormonal treatments with oestrogen and progestogens, thought to be a rational approach to treatment in response to an emerging literature on the pathophysiology of postpartum depression, have only limited evidence for efficacy to date. Novel antidepressant development with allopregnanolone analogues, in contrast, has proven a promising avenue for the development of rationally designed and efficacious treatments. This state-of-the-art review presents the evidence for the current standard-of-care pharmacotherapy, hormonal treatment, and emerging allopregnanolone analogues for the treatment of postpartum depression along with a discussion of the current understanding of its neuroactive steroid-driven pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara V Carlini
- Department of Psychiatry, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Downstate Health Sciences University, The State University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Lauren M Osborne
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristina M Deligiannidis
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
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Bergunde L, Karl M, Schälicke S, Weise V, Mack JT, von Soest T, Gao W, Weidner K, Garthus-Niegel S, Steudte-Schmiedgen S. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms - examining associations with hair endocannabinoid concentrations during pregnancy and lifetime trauma. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:335. [PMID: 37907467 PMCID: PMC10618290 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02610-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence has linked alterations of the endocannabinoid system with trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Childbirth-related PTSD symptoms (CB-PTSS) affect about every eighth woman and can negatively influence the entire family. While aetiological models of CB-PTSD include psychological risk factors such as maternal trauma history and negative subjective birth experience (SBE), they lack biological risk indicators. We investigated whether lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS were associated with long-term endocannabinoid concentrations during pregnancy. Further, we tested endocannabinoids as mediators between lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS and whether SBE moderated such mediational paths. Within the prospective cohort study DREAMHAIR, 263 expectant mothers completed trauma assessments and provided hair samples for quantification of long-term endocannabinoid levels (anandamide [AEA], 2-arachidonoylglycerol [1-AG/2-AG], and N-acyl-ethanolamides [NAE]) prior to their anticipated birth date. Two months postpartum, CB-PTSS and SBE were measured. Regression models controlling for relevant confounders showed no association between lifetime trauma and hair endocannabinoids during pregnancy, yet higher number of lifetime trauma events and lower hair AEA were significantly associated with CB-PTSS, with the latter finding not remaining significant when Bonferroni corrections due to multiple testing were applied. While hair AEA did not mediate the association between lifetime trauma and CB-PTSS, the effect of lower hair AEA on CB-PTSS was stronger upon negative SBE. Results suggest greater lifetime trauma and reduced maternal hair AEA during pregnancy may be associated with increased risk for CB-PTSS, particularly upon negative SBE. Findings confirm lifetime trauma as a CB-PTSS risk factor and add important preliminary insights on the role of endocannabinoid ligand alterations and SBE in CB-PTSS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Bergunde
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Marlene Karl
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sarah Schälicke
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tilmann von Soest
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wei Gao
- Institute of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Medicine, Medical School Hamburg MSH, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Kingstone T, Tabb KM, Wang YP. Editorial: Neurological and clinical aspects of perinatal mental health. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1188080. [PMID: 37113554 PMCID: PMC10126484 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1188080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Kingstone
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Tom Kingstone
| | - Karen M. Tabb
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Yuan-Pang Wang
- Institute and Department of Psychiatry (LIM-23), School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Silverwood VA, Bullock L, Turner K, Chew-Graham CA, Kingstone T. The approach to managing perinatal anxiety: A mini-review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1022459. [PMID: 36590629 PMCID: PMC9797985 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1022459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Perinatal Anxiety (PNA) is defined as anxiety occurring during pregnancy and up to 12 months post-partum and is estimated to affect up to 20% of women. Risk factors for PNA are multiple and can be classed as psychological, social and biological. PNA negatively impacts on the mother, child and family. PNA is not well-recognized and diagnosis of PNA can be challenging for clinicians. There is currently no validated case-finding or diagnostic test available for PNA. PNA has been less extensively researched than perinatal depression (PND). Clinical guidance currently recommends pharmacological and psychological therapies for the management of women with PNA, however the limited research available suggests that other intervention types may also be effective with some evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in primary care for PNA. This article provides a mini-review of PNA, summarizing current evidence around PNA including risk factors, the impact of PNA, the process of diagnosis of PNA and focussing predominantly on available management options for PNA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurna Bullock
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Katrina Turner
- Centre of Academic Primary Health Care, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Carolyn A. Chew-Graham
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
- Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Trust Headquarters, St George's Hospital, Stafford, United Kingdom
- Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West Midlands, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Kingstone
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
- Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Trust Headquarters, St George's Hospital, Stafford, United Kingdom
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Fuentes I, Morishita Y, Gonzalez-Salinas S, Champagne FA, Uchida S, Shumyatsky GP. Experience-Regulated Neuronal Signaling in Maternal Behavior. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:844295. [PMID: 35401110 PMCID: PMC8987921 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.844295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal behavior is shaped and challenged by the changing developmental needs of offspring and a broad range of environmental factors, with evidence indicating that the maternal brain exhibits a high degree of plasticity. This plasticity is displayed within cellular and molecular systems, including both intra- and intercellular signaling processes as well as transcriptional profiles. This experience-associated plasticity may have significant overlap with the mechanisms controlling memory processes, in particular those that are activity-dependent. While a significant body of work has identified various molecules and intracellular processes regulating maternal care, the role of activity- and experience-dependent processes remains unclear. We discuss recent progress in studying activity-dependent changes occurring at the synapse, in the nucleus, and during the transport between these two structures in relation to maternal behavior. Several pre- and postsynaptic molecules as well as transcription factors have been found to be critical in these processes. This role reflects the principal importance of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of memory formation to maternal and other behavioral adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Fuentes
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | | | | | - Frances A. Champagne
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Shusaku Uchida
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Gleb P. Shumyatsky
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- *Correspondence: Gleb P. Shumyatsky
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Hazelgrove K. The role of the immune system in postpartum psychosis. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 18:100359. [PMID: 34704078 PMCID: PMC8521124 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Postpartum psychosis is the most severe psychiatric disorder associated with childbirth. The risk is particularly high for women with a history of bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder, or those who have suffered a previous episode of postpartum psychosis. However, the aetiology of the illness remains unclear. Pregnancy and the early postpartum are times of significant immunological change. Furthermore, alterations to the immune system have been implicated in the onset and course of various psychopathologies, both related and unrelated to childbirth. Emerging evidence, from studies on immune related disorders, immune cells and inflammatory markers, suggests that the immune system might also be involved in the pathophysiology of postpartum psychosis. Furthermore, recent research has also begun to explore the potential mechanisms underlying immune dysfunction in postpartum psychosis (e.g., disturbances in the Treg-CCN3 protein-(re)myelination axis). Nevertheless, more research is required to understand whether immune dysfunction is a cause or consequence of postpartum psychosis and to clarify the exact mechanisms involved. The aim of this short review is to present the current findings on immune system dysregulation in postpartum psychosis, discuss possible mechanisms underlying the association, highlight potential challenges and confounders and provide suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Hazelgrove
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Perry A, Gordon-Smith K, Jones L, Jones I. Phenomenology, Epidemiology and Aetiology of Postpartum Psychosis: A Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11010047. [PMID: 33406713 PMCID: PMC7824357 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum psychoses are a severe form of postnatal mood disorders, affecting 1–2 in every 1000 deliveries. These episodes typically present as acute mania or depression with psychosis within the first few weeks of childbirth, which, as life-threatening psychiatric emergencies, can have a significant adverse impact on the mother, baby and wider family. The nosological status of postpartum psychosis remains contentious; however, evidence indicates most episodes to be manifestations of bipolar disorder and a vulnerability to a puerperal trigger. While childbirth appears to be a potent trigger of severe mood disorders, the precise mechanisms by which postpartum psychosis occurs are poorly understood. This review examines the current evidence with respect to potential aetiology and childbirth-related triggers of postpartum psychosis. Findings to date have implicated neurobiological factors, such as hormones, immunological dysregulation, circadian rhythm disruption and genetics, to be important in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Prediction models, informed by prospective cohort studies of high-risk women, are required to identify those at greatest risk of postpartum psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Perry
- Psychological Medicine, University of Worcester, Worcester WR2 6AJ, UK; (K.G.-S.); (L.J.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Katherine Gordon-Smith
- Psychological Medicine, University of Worcester, Worcester WR2 6AJ, UK; (K.G.-S.); (L.J.)
| | - Lisa Jones
- Psychological Medicine, University of Worcester, Worcester WR2 6AJ, UK; (K.G.-S.); (L.J.)
| | - Ian Jones
- National Centre for Mental Health, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK;
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