1
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Weiss SJ, Xu L. Postpartum symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress: differential relationships to women's cortisol profiles. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024; 27:435-445. [PMID: 38214755 PMCID: PMC11116185 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01421-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Women are at high risk of stress, anxiety, and depression during the postpartum but the ways in which these different types of psychological distress are related to cortisol regulation is not clear. We examined the distinct association of each type of distress with women's average cortisol level, cortisol awakening response (CAR), cortisol decline across the day (diurnal slope), and overall amount of cortisol secretion across the day (AUCG). METHODS At 6 months postpartum, a diverse group of 58 women completed measures of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and life stressors. Each woman provided 4 salivary samples for cortisol assay from waking to bedtime on each of 2 consecutive days. Linear regressions were used to examine associations of stress, anxiety and depression to each of the 4 cortisol measures, controlling for number of stressful life events. RESULTS Depressive symptoms were associated with less of a rise in the CAR (β = -.46, p = 0.01), steeper diurnal slope (β = .51, p = 0.006), and higher average cortisol level (β = .42, p = .01). Women who met the clinical cutoff for an anxiety disorder had lower overall cortisol output (β = -.29, p = 0.03). Stress was not related to any cortisol metric. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that stress is less associated with cortisol alterations in the postpartum than are more severe types of psychological distress. Anxiety and depression may have distinct and opposite profiles of cortisol dysregulation. Results indicate that mental health assessment is critical even in the later postpartum so that interventions can be initiated to reduce emotional suffering and the risk of impaired cortisol regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra J Weiss
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Ling Xu
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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2
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Dimcea DAM, Petca RC, Dumitrașcu MC, Șandru F, Mehedințu C, Petca A. Postpartum Depression: Etiology, Treatment, and Consequences for Maternal Care. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:865. [PMID: 38732283 PMCID: PMC11083152 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14090865] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a disabling condition that has recently shown an increase in prevalence, becoming an essential public health problem. This study is a qualitative review summarizing the most frequent risk factors associated with PPD, evaluating molecular aspects of PPD and current approaches to detect and prevent PPD. The most prevalent risk factors were detected in the areas of economic and social factors, obstetrical history, lifestyle, and history of mental illness. Research on the genetic basis for PPD has taken place in recent years to identify the genes responsible for establishing targeted therapeutic methods and understanding its pathogenesis. The most frequently studied candidate gene was the serotonin transporter gene (SERT) associated with PPD. Among biological studies, antidepressants and psychological interventions provided the most evidence of successful intervention. The obstetrician can serve an essential role in screening for and treating PPD. Postpartum women with risk factors should be screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), but, at the moment, there are no prevention programs in Europe. In conclusion, data from this review increase concerns among this vulnerable population and can be used to design a screening tool for high-risk pregnant women and create a prevention program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiana Anne-Marie Dimcea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (D.A.-M.D.); (M.C.D.); (C.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Răzvan-Cosmin Petca
- Department of Urology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Urology, “Prof. Dr. Th. Burghele” Clinical Hospital, 050659 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihai Cristian Dumitrașcu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (D.A.-M.D.); (M.C.D.); (C.M.); (A.P.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Emergency Hospital, 050098 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Florica Șandru
- Department of Dermatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania;
- Department of Dermatology, Elias University Emergency Hospital, 011461 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Claudia Mehedințu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (D.A.-M.D.); (M.C.D.); (C.M.); (A.P.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Filantropia Clinical Hospital, 011171 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Aida Petca
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (D.A.-M.D.); (M.C.D.); (C.M.); (A.P.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Elias University Emergency Hospital, 011461 Bucharest, Romania
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3
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Levendosky AA, Martinez-Torteya C, Ballinger AL, Cochran KA, Bogat GA, Nuttall AK, Muzik M, Lonstein JS. The effects of IPV and mental health symptoms on HPA axis functioning during early pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024; 27:285-292. [PMID: 37991597 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-023-01399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Maternal HPA axis dysregulation during early pregnancy can negatively affect maternal functioning. However, findings are mixed regarding how intimate partner violence (IPV), a common traumatic stressor, impacts HPA axis regulation during pregnancy. Interactions between IPV and mental health symptoms as they influence cortisol production are rarely examined, especially among pregnant women. Therefore, this study examined the impact of IPV, mental health symptoms, and their interactions on the maternal HPA axis during early pregnancy; 255 pregnant women, oversampled for experiences of IPV, completed a laboratory stressor and measures of depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) at 15-18 weeks of pregnancy. Participants provided saliva samples following the Trier Social Stress Test that were assayed for cortisol; the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) was computed as a measure of cortisol reactivity. The interactive effects of IPV, depressive symptoms, and PTSS on AUCg were significant, but the main effects were not. At low levels of depressive symptoms, the association between IPV and AUCg was negative; at moderate levels of depressive symptoms, it was not significant, and at high levels, it was positive. At low and moderate levels of PTSS, the effects of IPV on cortisol AUCg were not significant, but at high levels, the association was positive. IPV during early pregnancy was associated with both hyperactive and blunted stress reactivity, depending on the type and severity of mental health symptoms. These patterns of dysregulation of the HPA axis may have differential effects both for women's functioning throughout pregnancy as well as for the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alytia A Levendosky
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | | | | | - Kara A Cochran
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - G Anne Bogat
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Amy K Nuttall
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Maria Muzik
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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Modde Epstein C, Rice MJ, French JA, Kupzyk KA, Houfek JF. Social Support Buffers the Effects of Prenatal Depressed Mood: A Mixed-Methods Study. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc 2024; 30:95-107. [PMID: 35081823 DOI: 10.1177/10783903211073793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Women use various coping strategies to deal with stress and depression. These strategies are shaped by social contexts over the life course and may attenuate and/or exacerbate the physiologic effects of depression. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine whether coping strategies (active, disengaged, or social support coping) moderate depression-related diurnal cortisol dysregulation and to explore how social context influences women's use of coping. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study of pregnant women (N = 65) during mid-pregnancy. Cortisol was measured in saliva collected during the waking hours of the day. Participants completed the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Brief COPE. A subset of the sample participated in semistructured qualitative interviews (n = 20). RESULTS: Social support coping, but not active or disengaged coping, moderated end-of-day cortisol levels. Among depressed women, higher use of social support was associated with lower and more dynamic (i.e., less flat) diurnal cortisol rhythms. The qualitative findings revealed how complex social dynamics related to financial insecurity, lack of mutuality, and social identity affected women's use of and access to social support. CONCLUSION: These findings support theories of the stress-buffering effects of social support. Future research is needed to examine how social determinants affect access to social support, and how early life social experiences condition women's adaptive formation of social support coping strategies over the life course. Clinically, these findings underscore the value of relationship-centered nursing care for depressed women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Modde Epstein
- Crystal Modde Epstein, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Michael J Rice
- Michael J. Rice, PhD, APRN-NP, FAAN, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey A French
- Jeffrey A. French, PhD, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Kevin A Kupzyk
- Kevin A. Kupzyk, PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Julia F Houfek
- Julia F. Houfek, PhD, APRN-CNS, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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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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6
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Jaramillo I, Karl M, Bergunde L, Mack JT, Weise V, Weidner K, Gao W, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Garthus-Niegel S. Maternal postpartum depressive symptoms: The predictive role of objective and subjective birth experience and hair glucocorticoids. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:974-983. [PMID: 37459971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.034] [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] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Having a negative childbirth experience is a known risk-factor for developing postpartum depression (PPD). Alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis have been discussed as a potential underlying mechanism. However, research on the association between negative birth experiences and long-term integrated glucocorticoids (GCs) is lacking. This study aimed to examine whether objective and subjective birth experience predicted long-term GCs and PPD symptoms. METHODS Measures of objective and subjective birth experience, PPD symptoms, and hair strands for the assessment of hair cortisol concentrations (HairF), hair cortisone concentrations (HairE), and HairF/HairE ratio, were provided eight weeks after childbirth by 235 mothers participating in the study DREAMHAIR. RESULTS A negative objective birth experience predicted a higher HairF/HairE ratio but was not associated with HairF or HairE. The subjective birth experience did not explain additional variance in hair GCs but was a significant predictor for PPD symptoms. A higher HairF/HairE ratio predicted PPD symptoms when controlling for prepartum depressive symptoms and number of lifetime traumatic events. LIMITATIONS Analyses were based on a relatively homogeneous sample and women reported in general positive birth experiences and low levels of depressive symptoms. Therefore, results should be applied to the broader population with caution. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that negative objective birth experience is associated with an altered HairF/HairE ratio, which in turn, seems to be a promising biomarker to identify women at risk for developing PPD. A negative subjective birth experience may be less critical for alterations of the HPA-axis but remains an essential risk factor for PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Jaramillo
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Marlene Karl
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Luisa Bergunde
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Wei Gao
- Institute of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellerscher Weg, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway.
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7
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Mlili NE, Ahabrach H, Cauli O. Hair Cortisol Concentration as a Biomarker of Symptoms of Depression in the Perinatal Period. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2023; 22:71-83. [PMID: 35297354 DOI: 10.2174/1871527321666220316122605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a sensitive period when women experience major hormonal and psychological changes. A high prevalence of the symptoms of depression and manifested major depression rates have been reported during this period, leading to negative outcomes both for mothers and the offspring. Despite its prevalence, the aetiology of depression is not yet fully understood. Nonetheless, alterations in cortisol levels have been proposed as a reliable biomarker to identify pregnant women at risk of perinatal depression. Hair cortisol has recently been extensively used in bio-psychological studies as a suitable non-invasive biomarker for several neuropsychiatric disorders. Various studies have published evidence regarding the relationship between cortisol fluctuations during the perinatal period, measured both in hair and in other substrates, and the onset of perinatal symptoms of depression. This current review provides an overview of cortisol level changes measured in women's hair during pregnancy or the postpartum period and its association with perinatal symptoms of depression. Further studies, including repetitive measurement of both hair cortisol and depression throughout the prenatal period, must be performed to clarify the relationship between cortisol levels and perinatal symptoms of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisrin El Mlili
- Institut Supérieur des Professions Infirmières et Techniques de Santé (ISPITS), Tetouan, Morocco
- Department of Physiology and Physiopathology, Faculty of Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essâadi, Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Hanan Ahabrach
- Institut Supérieur des Professions Infirmières et Techniques de Santé (ISPITS), Tetouan, Morocco
- Department of Physiology and Physiopathology, Faculty of Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essâadi, Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Omar Cauli
- Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, Valencia 46010, Spain
- Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Group (FROG), University of Valencia, Valencia 46010, Spain
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Wiley KS, Camilo C, Gouveia G, Euclydes V, Panter-Brick C, Matijasevich A, Ferraro AA, Fracolli LA, Chiesa AM, Miguel EC, Polanczyk GV, Brentani H. Maternal distress, DNA methylation, and fetal programing of stress physiology in Brazilian mother-infant pairs. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22352. [PMID: 36567654 PMCID: PMC9792831 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22352] [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] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal psychosocial stress is associated with adverse hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) function among infants. Although the biological mechanisms influencing this process remain unknown, altered DNA methylation is considered to be one potential mechanism. We investigated associations between maternal prenatal psychological distress, infant salivary DNA methylation, and stress physiology at 12 months. Mother's distress was measured via depression and anxiety in early and late pregnancy in a cohort of 80 pregnant adolescents. Maternal hair cortisol was collected during pregnancy. Saliva samples were collected from infants at 12 months to quantify DNA methylation of three stress-related genes (FKBP5, NR3C1, OXTR) (n = 62) and diurnal cortisol (n = 29). Multivariable linear regression was used to test for associations between prenatal psychological distress, and infant DNA methylation and cortisol. Hair cortisol concentrations in late pregnancy were negatively associated with two sites of FKBP5 (site 1: B = -22.33, p = .003; site 2: B = -15.60, p = .012). Infants of mothers with elevated anxiety symptoms in late pregnancy had lower levels of OXTR2 CpG2 methylation (B = -2.17, p = .03) and higher evening salivary cortisol (B = 0.41, p = .03). Furthermore, OXTR2 methylation was inversely associated with evening cortisol (B = -0.14, p-value ≤ .001). Our results are, to our knowledge, the first evidence that the methylation of the oxytocin receptor may contribute to the regulation of HPAA during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle S. Wiley
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Caroline Camilo
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisele Gouveia
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Verônica Euclydes
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alicia Matijasevich
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Archanjo Ferraro
- Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lislaine Aparecida Fracolli
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna Maria Chiesa
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Euripedes Constantino Miguel
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V. Polanczyk
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Rathi A, Khapre S, Chavada J, Gupta S, Singla T. Postpartum Depression and Its Biological Biomarkers. Cureus 2022; 14:e31124. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.31124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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10
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Murphy HR, Gu Y, Wu Q, Brunner J, Panisch LS, Best M, Arnold MS, Duberstein ZT, Putzig J, Carnahan J, Groth SW, Barrett ES, Qiu X, O'Connor TG. Prenatal diurnal cortisol: Normative patterns and associations with affective symptoms and stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 143:105856. [PMID: 35797838 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in pregnancy has attracted considerable research attention, in part, because it may be a mechanism by which diverse prenatal exposures alter perinatal and child health outcomes. Symptoms of affective disturbance and stress are among the most-studied prenatal factors associated with HPA axis alterations, but there remains uncertainty about the nature of the association because of the limitations to, and variability in, data collection and analytic approaches. The current study capitalized on a prospective, longitudinal pregnancy cohort that examined salivary diurnal cortisol, collected at 5 time points across the day, at each trimester in a diverse sample of women. Detailed data on affective symptoms and major life events were collected at each trimester, as were data on health behaviors, medication, and socio-demographics. Results indicated modest stability of individual differences in diurnal cortisol across pregnancy, which was evident for diurnal slope (ICC = .20) and measures of total output (area under the curve, ICC = .25); substantial gestation-related increases in total cortisol output across pregnancy was also observed (p < .001). Adjusting for health behaviors, medication, and socio-demographic covariates, elevated levels of depressive symptoms and major life events were significantly (p < .05) associated with a higher morning awakening value and flatter diurnal slope, which was evident across all trimesters. In addition to the normative gestation-related changes in cortisol production, our results demonstrate selective but robust associations between psychological symptoms, stressors, and the HPA axis across gestation, and suggest both methodological and mechanistic strategies for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Murphy
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Yu Gu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Qiuyi Wu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jessica Brunner
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Lisa S Panisch
- Wayne State University School of Social Work, 5447 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Meghan Best
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Molly S Arnold
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Zoe T Duberstein
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Jenelle Putzig
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jennifer Carnahan
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Susan W Groth
- School of Nursing, University of Rochester, 255 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Xing Qiu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA; Neuroscience, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 603, KMRB G.9602, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychiatry, University of Rochester, 300 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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11
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Why Sleep is Key: Poor Sleep Quality is a Mechanism for the Bidirectional Relationship between Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Across 18 Years. J Anxiety Disord 2022; 90:102601. [PMID: 35850001 PMCID: PMC9945467 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) reliably precede and predict one another. However, there is insufficient data on mediators through which the longitudinal GAD-MDD association unfold. Based on insomnia theories, such as the hyperarousal model of sleep, we tested the degree to which poor global sleep quality functioned as a mediator of the prospective bidirectional anxiety-depression relationship. METHOD Participants were 3,294 community-dwelling adults who partook in three measurement waves nine years apart. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form assessed GAD and MDD in-person at baseline (Time 1 [T1]), Time 2 (T2; nine years after T1), and 18 years later (T3). T2 global sleep quality was measured using the multiple-domain Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index self-report at T2. We used longitudinal structural equation modeling mediation analyses. RESULTS Analyses showed that higher T1 MDD and GAD severity individually predicted lower T2 global sleep quality (Cohen's d = -0.561 to -0.480) and less T2 global sleep quality, thereby forecasted both higher T3 MDD and GAD (d = -0.275 to -0.190). Poorer T2 global sleep quality significantly mediated the T1 GAD-T3 MDD relation, explaining 41% of the association. Worse global sleep quality at T2 also significantly mediated the T1 MDD-T3 GAD association, mediating 11% of the T1 MDD-T3 GAD pathway. The results remained similar after controlling for multiple sociodemographic and clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS Findings offer evidence for transdiagnostic theories of sleep and insomnia. Theoretical and clinical implications, such as prioritizing sleep improvement in cognitive-behavioral therapies, are also discussed.
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12
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Riis JL, Cook SH, Letourneau N, Campbell T, Granger DA, Giesbrecht GF. Characterizing and Evaluating Diurnal Salivary Uric Acid Across Pregnancy Among Healthy Women. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:813564. [PMID: 35370953 PMCID: PMC8971544 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.813564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Uric acid levels during pregnancy have been examined as a potential indicator of risk for gestational diabetes mellites, hypertension, and related adverse birth outcomes. However, evidence supporting the utility of serum uric acid levels in predicting poor maternal and fetal health has been mixed. The lack of consistent findings may be due to limitations inherent in serum-based biomeasure evaluations, such as minimal repeated assessments and variability in the timing of these assessments. To address these gaps, we examined repeated measurements of diurnal salivary uric acid (sUA) levels in a sample of 44 healthy women across early-mid and late pregnancy. We assessed potential covariates and confounds of sUA levels and diurnal trajectories, as well as associations between maternal weight gain and blood pressure during pregnancy and sUA concentrations. Using multilevel linear models, we found sUA increased across pregnancy and displayed a robust diurnal pattern with the highest concentrations at waking, a steep decline in the early morning, and decreasing levels across the day. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, age, prior-night sleep duration, and fetal sex were associated with sUA levels and/or diurnal slopes. Maternal blood pressure and gestational weight gain also showed significant associations with sUA levels across pregnancy. Our results expand upon those found with serum UA measurements. Further, they demonstrate the feasibility of using at-home, minimally-invasive saliva sampling procedures to track UA levels across pregnancy with potential applications for the long-term monitoring of maternal cardiometabolic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L. Riis
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jenna L. Riis,
| | - Stephanie H. Cook
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Biostatistics, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tavis Campbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gerald F. Giesbrecht
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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13
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Oftedal A, Bekkhus M, Haugen G, Braithwaite E, Bollerslev J, Godang K, Thorsby PM, Kaasen A. Changes in maternal cortisol, cortisol binding globulin and cortisone levels following diagnosis of fetal anomaly. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 135:105574. [PMID: 34741978 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105574] [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] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of fetal anomaly can be a major stressor to the expectant mother. Current understanding of the relationship between psychological stress and cortisol in pregnancy is limited. This study examined: (1) differences in the ratio of serum cortisol to cortisol binding globulin (SC/CBG) and cortisone levels among women with and without a diagnosis of fetal anomaly, (2) the association between self-reported stress and cortisol from mid to late pregnancy, and (3) the agreement between two different techniques for analyzing cortisol: liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Thirty-six pregnant women with a diagnosis of fetal anomaly (study group) and 101 women with healthy pregnancies (comparison group) provided blood samples and completed self-report questionnaires at gestational weeks 18-24 (T1) and 30 (T2). In the comparison group, mean SC/CBG increased from 0.341 nmol/L at T1 to 0.415 at T2 (p < .001), whereas in the study group there was no change (0.342 nmol/L at T1, 0.343 at T2). There was no difference in cortisone levels between the groups at either timepoints. There was a negative association between both depression and traumatic stress at T1, and SC/CBG at T2 (p < .05). There was no association between general distress and SC/CBG. The two methods for analyzing cortisol gave similar results, but with LC-MS/MS showing a lower detection limit than RIA. Increased cortisol with advancing gestational age is expected, thus these findings indicate that under certain conditions of severe stress there may be a suppression of maternal cortisol increase from mid to late gestation. The discrepancy does not seem to be due to differences in the metabolization of cortisol, as indicated by the similar levels of cortisone. Further research is needed in order to understand the potential underlying mechanisms limiting the expression of cortisol in response to certain types of stress in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Oftedal
- Oslo Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Norway.
| | - Mona Bekkhus
- Promenta Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Guttorm Haugen
- Department of Fetal Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway; University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Norway
| | | | - Jens Bollerslev
- University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Norway; Section of Specialized Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin Godang
- Section of Specialized Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per M Thorsby
- Hormone Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Biochemical Endocrinology And Metabolism Research Group, Oslo University Hospital, Aker, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Kaasen
- Oslo Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Norway
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14
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Li J, Yin J, Waqas A, Huang Z, Zhang H, Chen M, Guo Y, Rahman A, Yang L, Li X. Quality of Life in Mothers With Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:734836. [PMID: 35242060 PMCID: PMC8886107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.734836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of perinatal depression is high and its adverse effects on mothers and infants are extensive. Several studies have explored the relationship between perinatal depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but little is known about the nature and magnitude of this effect. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the HRQoL of mothers with perinatal depression and compare the HRQoL of depressed mothers with that of non-depressed mothers. METHODS A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the VIP Database, and the Wan Fang Database were searched. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to July 2020. A series of meta-analyses were run for each outcome pertaining to HRQoL sub-measures. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on country income category and time period. RESULTS Of 7,945 studies identified, 12 articles were included in the meta-analysis, providing HRQoL data for 4,392 mothers. Compared with non-depressed mothers, mothers with perinatal depression reported significantly poor scores across all the quality-of-life domains. Mixed-effects analysis showed that there was no difference in the HRQoL scores of mothers with antepartum and postpartum depression. Mothers with perinatal depression in higher-income countries reported higher disability on role-physical (p = 0.02) and social functioning domains (p = 0.001) than those from lower-income countries. LIMITATIONS Due to insufficient data, no regression analysis was performed. The inability to accurately determine the difference in HRQoL between antepartum and postpartum depression was because of the restriction of the included studies. Moreover, most of the included studies were conducted in middle-income countries and may have an impact on the applicability of the results. Subgroup analyses are observational and not based on random comparisons. The results of subgroup analyses should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION HRQoL is compromised in mothers with perinatal depression. Continuous efforts are required to improve the HRQoL of perinatal depressed mothers.Systematic Review Registration: CRD42020199488.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Li
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Juan Yin
- School of Nursing, Dalian University, Dalian, China
| | - Ahmed Waqas
- Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Zeyu Huang
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongji Zhang
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Manqing Chen
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yufei Guo
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Atif Rahman
- Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Yang
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaomei Li
- School of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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15
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Mangialavori S, Cacioppo M, Terrone G, O'Hara MW. A dyadic approach to stress and prenatal depression in first-time parents: The mediating role of marital satisfaction. Stress Health 2021; 37:755-765. [PMID: 33620738 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In the field of perinatal clinical psychology, most studies focus on mothers' psychological states during pregnancy, neglecting the role of their partners. This study used an Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model to evaluate the mediating role of dyadic satisfaction on the relationship between perceived stress and prenatal depressive symptomatology in both members of male-female-mixed-gender couples who were expecting their first child. One hundred thirty-eight couples in their third trimester of pregnancy were asked to complete questionnaires about perceived stress, dyadic adjustment, and depression. The model revealed that there was an intrapersonal indirect effect of fathers' perceived stress on prenatal paternal depression through their marital satisfaction. Moreover, an interpersonal indirect effect was found with mothers' perceived stress being associated with prenatal paternal depression through fathers' dyadic satisfaction. Maternal indirect effects were all non-significant, suggesting that their dyadic satisfaction and that of their partner did not mediate the relation between their perceived stress and that of their partner and their prenatal depression. Findings support the importance of assessing the dyadic satisfaction of couples during pregnancy, especially in expectant fathers, and targeting it in the psychological support offered to couples as a way of improving their prenatal distress, and consequently, their mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Cacioppo
- Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia Terrone
- Department of History, Cultural Heritage, Education and Society, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael W O'Hara
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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16
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Teoh AN, Kaur S, Mohd Shukri NH, Shafie SR, Ahmad Bustami N, Takahashi M, Lim PJ, Shibata S. Psychological state during pregnancy is associated with sleep quality: preliminary findings from MY-CARE cohort study. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:959-970. [PMID: 33779445 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1902338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Psychological distress during pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Past studies have demonstrated the association between circadian disturbances with psychological health. However, the roles of chronotype and social jetlag on psychological state during pregnancy are yet to be identified. We aimed to examine the psychological state in pregnant women and its relations to chronotype, social jetlag (SJL), sleep quality and cortisol rhythm. The current study included a subsample of participants from an ongoing cohort study. A total of 179 primigravidas (mean age 28.4 ± 4.0 years) were recruited. Chronotype and sleep quality during the second trimester were assessed using the Morning-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. SJL was calculated based on the difference between mid-sleep on workdays and free days. Psychological state of participants was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Subsamples (n = 70) provided salivary samples at 5 time points over a 24 h period during the second trimester for cortisol assay. A higher proportion of pregnant women experienced moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (n = 77, 43.0%), followed by depressive (n = 17, 9.5%) and stress (n = 14, 7.8%) symptoms. No association was observed between chronotype and psychological distress during pregnancy. There was no significant difference in cortisol rhythms in relation to psychological distress. SJL and sleep quality were significantly associated with stress symptoms among pregnant women in the second trimester. Poor sleep quality, particularly daytime dysfunction (β = 0.37, p = .006) and sleep disturbances (β = 0.23, p = .047), were significantly associated with psychological distress (depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms) during the second trimester. The findings suggest that sleep is a potential modifiable lifestyle factor that can be targeted to improve psychological health among pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Ni Teoh
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Satvinder Kaur
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Husna Mohd Shukri
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Siti Raihanah Shafie
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
| | - Normina Ahmad Bustami
- School of Healthy Aging, Medical Aesthetics and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Masaki Takahashi
- Institute for Liberal Arts, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Pei Jean Lim
- Waseda Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore, Waseda University, Helios, Singapore
| | - Shigenobu Shibata
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Biosciences, School of Advanced Engineering and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Yamada K, Kimura T, Cui M, Kubota Y, Tanaka E, Wakaizumi K, Ikehara S, Kimura T, Iso H. Antenatal pain, intimate partner violence, and maternal bonding disorder: data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Pain 2021; 162:749-759. [PMID: 32960535 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT This prospective study examined (1) whether antenatal pain is associated with postnatal maternal bonding disorder (MBD) through postnatal depression and (2) whether intimate partner violence (IPV) has a moderating effect on the association between antenatal pain and postnatal MBD. We analyzed 77,326 pregnancies of women who completed self-report questionnaires including the SF-8 bodily pain item, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale, and an assessment of IPV. We conducted a mediation analysis to assess whether postnatal depression mediated the association between antenatal pain and MBD 1 year after delivery. A moderated mediation model was used to examine the conditional effect of IPV during pregnancy on the association between antenatal pain and postnatal MBD, operating through postnatal depression. All analyses were adjusted for demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, perinatal and infant factors, medical history, and psychological status. Of the 77,326 pregnancies, 5420 (7.0%) were characterized by persistent moderate-to-severe pain. The total effect of antenatal pain on MBD was significant (standardized path coefficient = 0.06, 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.06) and postnatal depression dominantly mediated the association between antenatal pain and postnatal MBD (70.8% mediation). Contrary to our hypothesis, IPV during pregnancy did not moderate the association between antenatal pain and postnatal MBD. However, IPV during pregnancy did have independent negative effects on both postnatal depression and MBD. Our findings suggest that antenatal pain and postnatal depression should be assessed and treated with consideration of the presence of IPV during pregnancy to better monitor and prevent the development of MBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Yamada
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Kimura
- Department of Public Health, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Meishan Cui
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kubota
- Osaka Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eizaburo Tanaka
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kenta Wakaizumi
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Physical Management and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoyo Ikehara
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tadashi Kimura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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18
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Conde A, Costa R, Figueiredo B. Anxiety and depressive symptoms effects on cortisol trajectories from pregnancy to postpartum: Differences and similarities between women and men. Horm Behav 2021; 128:104917. [PMID: 33387466 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety and depressive symptoms may influence cortisol trajectories in women and men during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Using a multilevel approach, anxiety and depressive symptoms effects on 24-hour urinary free cortisol trajectories from the 2nd trimester to 3-months postpartum were examined in a sample of 66 women and 65 men with no known psychosocial or medical risk (N = 131; 33 (50%) of them were couples that participated in the same assessment waves). Results showed that both anxiety and depressive symptoms influence women's and men's cortisol trajectories from mid-pregnancy to 3-months postpartum. Women with high depressive symptoms and men with high anxiety or high depressive symptoms exhibited less accentuated variations in the 24-hour urinary free cortisol trajectories compared with women with low depressive symptoms and men with low anxiety or depressive symptoms, respectively. These effects were significant for women's cortisol trajectories from the 2nd to the 3rd pregnancy trimester and for men's cortisol trajectories throughout the entire period. The effect of anxiety and depressive symptoms on HPA axis functioning and cortisol production during pregnancy and postpartum, seems to be sex-specific. Reproductive-related alterations (associated with gestation, parturition and lactation) in women's HPA axis functioning may explain these sex-specific effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Conde
- INPP - Portucalense Institute for Human Development, Portucalense University, Porto, Portugal; Psychology Research Center, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
| | - Raquel Costa
- Universidade Europeia, Lisboa, Portugal; EPIUnit, ISPUP - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Figueiredo
- Psychology Research Center, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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19
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Yu Y, Liang HF, Chen J, Li ZB, Han YS, Chen JX, Li JC. Postpartum Depression: Current Status and Possible Identification Using Biomarkers. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:620371. [PMID: 34211407 PMCID: PMC8240635 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.620371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious health issue that can affect about 15% of the female population within after giving birth. It often conveys significant negative consequences to the offsprings. The symptoms and risk factors are somewhat similar to those found in non-postpartum depression. The main difference resides in the fact that PPD is triggered by postpartum specific factors, including especially biological changes in the hormone levels. Patients are usually diagnosed using a questionnaire onsite or in a clinic. Treatment of PPD often involves psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. In recent years, there have been more researches on the identification of biological markers for PPD. In this review, we will focus on the current research status of PPD, with an emphasis on the recent progress made on the identification of PPD biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yu
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Center for Analyses and Measurements, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Feng Liang
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Li
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Shuai Han
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Xi Chen
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Cheng Li
- Central Laboratory, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, China.,Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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20
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Abstract
At least one in seven pregnant or recently postpartum women will experience a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, or substance use disorder. These mental illnesses have detrimental effects on the health of the mother, child, and family, but little is known about the hypothalamic and other neural correlates of maternal mental health concerns. The transition to parenthood alone is a time of remarkable neural plasticity, so it is perhaps not surprising that current research is showing that maternal mental illness has unique neural profiles. Furthermore, the neural systems affected by peripartum mental illness overlap and interact with the systems involved in maternal caregiving behaviors, and mother-infant interactions are, therefore, highly susceptible to disruption. This review discusses what we know about the unique neural changes occurring during peripartum mental illness and the role of the hypothalamus in these illnesses. With an improved understanding of the neural correlates of maternal mental health and disease, we will be better equipped to predict risk, develop effective treatments, and ultimately prevent suffering for millions of parents during this critical time in life.
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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, Rennes, France.
| | - James E Swain
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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21
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Peterson GF, Espel EV, Davis EP, Sandman CA, Glynn LM. Characterizing prenatal maternal distress with unique prenatal cortisol trajectories. Health Psychol 2020; 39:1013-1019. [PMID: 32686953 PMCID: PMC10650951 DOI: 10.1037/hea0001018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It is widely assumed that glucocorticoids represent a primary mechanism through which exposure to adversity and maternal psychological distress shape prenatal developmental trajectories of both mother and fetus. However, despite repeated investigations and the fact that prenatal cortisol has been reliably linked to developmental outcomes, the empirical evidence supporting an association between prenatal cortisol and maternal distress is scarce. In this study, a novel approach to assessing links between maternal prenatal psychological distress and gestational cortisol profiles, general growth mixture modeling (GGMM), was applied. METHOD Measures of pregnancy anxiety, perceived stress, and state anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as plasma samples (for determination of cortisol) were collected from 250 women 4 times during pregnancy. RESULTS Using GGMM, 3 cortisol trajectory groups were identified, including a typical group (n = 199) that exhibited the expected steady increase in cortisol throughout gestation, a steep group (n = 31) displaying an accelerated increase in cortisol over the course of pregnancy relative to the typical group, and a flat group (n = 20) with relatively higher cortisol levels early in pregnancy that plateaued in midgestation. Women reporting the highest distress scores exhibited trajectories expected to be associated with the least optimal developmental outcomes (flatter trajectories characterized by relatively higher levels early in gestation and lower levels late in gestation). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that psychological distress during pregnancy is associated with unique prenatal cortisol profiles and support further examination of this link, to enable continued evaluation of a plausible biological pathway by which maternal psychological distress programs fetal development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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22
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Suarez A, Lahti J, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Girchenko P, Czamara D, Arloth J, Malmberg ALK, Hämäläinen E, Kajantie E, Laivuori H, Villa PM, Reynolds RM, Provençal N, Binder EB, Räikkönen K. A polyepigenetic glucocorticoid exposure score at birth and childhood mental and behavioral disorders. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100275. [PMID: 33344728 PMCID: PMC7739178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy may enhance fetal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) and harm neurodevelopment. We tested whether a novel cross-tissue polyepigenetic biomarker indicative of in utero exposure to GC is associated with mental and behavioral disorders and their severity in children, possibly mediating the associations between maternal prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms and these child outcomes. METHODS Children (n = 814) from the Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (PREDO) study were followed-up from birth to age 7.1-10.7 years. A weighted polyepigenetic GC exposure score was calculated based on the methylation profile of 24 CpGs from umbilical cord blood. Child diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorder (n = 99) and its severity, defined as the number of days the child had received treatment (all 99 had received outpatient treatment and 8 had been additionally in inpatient treatment) for mental or behavioral disorder as the primary diagnosis, came from the Care Register for Health Care. Mothers (n = 408) reported on child total behavior problems at child's age of 2.3-5.8 years and their own depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy (n = 583). RESULTS The fetal polyepigenetic GC exposure score at birth was not associated with child hazard of mental and behavioral disorder (HR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.54; 1.24, p = 0.35) or total behavior problems (unstandardized beta = -0.10, 95% CI -0.31; 0.10, p = 0.33). However, for one standard deviation decrease in the polyepigenetic score, the child had spent 2.94 (95%CI 1.59; 5.45, p < 0.001) more days in inpatient or outpatient treatment with any mental and behavioral disorder as the primary diagnosis. Criteria for mediation tests were not met. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that fetal polyepigenetic GC exposure score at birth was not associated with any mental or behavioral disorder diagnosis or mother-rated total behavior problems, but it may contribute to identifying children at birth who are at risk for more severe mental or behavioral disorders.
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Key Words
- 11β-HSD2, 11-beta-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2
- ADHD, Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- BMI, Body-mass index
- CES‐D, Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale
- Childhood mental health
- Cord blood methylation
- DNAm, DNA methylation
- GC, Glucocorticoid
- GR, Glucocorticoid receptor
- GRE, Glucocorticoid response element
- Glucocorticoids
- HILMO, Care register for health care
- HPA-axis, Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
- PREDO, Prediction and prevention of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction
- Polyepigenetic biomarker
- Prenatal psychopathology
- Prospective study
- STAI, Spielberger state anxiety inventory
- ZINB, Zero-inflated negative binomial regression
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Suarez
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Polina Girchenko
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Janine Arloth
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany
| | - Anni LK. Malmberg
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Esa Hämäläinen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eero Kajantie
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University for Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannele Laivuori
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pia M. Villa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hyvinkää Hospital, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, Finland
| | - Rebecca M. Reynolds
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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23
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Reddaway J, Brydges NM. Enduring neuroimmunological consequences of developmental experiences: From vulnerability to resilience. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 109:103567. [PMID: 33068720 PMCID: PMC7556274 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system is crucial for normal neuronal development and function (neuroimmune system). Both immune and neuronal systems undergo significant postnatal development and are sensitive to developmental programming by environmental experiences. Negative experiences from infection to psychological stress at a range of different time points (in utero to adolescence) can permanently alter the function of the neuroimmune system: given its prominent role in normal brain development and function this dysregulation may increase vulnerability to psychiatric illness. In contrast, positive experiences such as exercise and environmental enrichment are protective and can promote resilience, even restoring the detrimental effects of negative experiences on the neuroimmune system. This suggests the neuroimmune system is a viable therapeutic target for treatment and prevention of psychiatric illnesses, especially those related to stress. In this review we will summarise the main cells, molecules and functions of the immune system in general and with specific reference to central nervous system development and function. We will then discuss the effects of negative and positive environmental experiences, especially during development, in programming the long-term functioning of the neuroimmune system. Finally, we will review the sparse but growing literature on sex differences in neuroimmune development and response to environmental experiences. The immune system is essential for development and function of the central nervous system (neuroimmune system) Environmental experiences can permanently alter neuroimmune function and associated brain development Altered neuroimmune function following negative developmental experiences may play a role in psychiatric illnesses Positive experiences can promote resilience and rescue the effects of negative experiences on the neuroimmune system The neuroimmune system is therefore a viable therapeutic target for preventing and treating psychiatric illnesses
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Reddaway
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Nichola M Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK.
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24
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Nazzari S, Fearon P, Rice F, Ciceri F, Molteni M, Frigerio A. The biological underpinnings of perinatal depressive symptoms: A multi-systems approach. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:1004-1012. [PMID: 32663926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Well-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and alterations in the stress and inflammatory response systems; however, the picture is far less coherent during the perinatal period. This study combines the assessment of multiple stress and inflammatory biomarkers in late pregnancy and after delivery in order to investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations with perinatal depressive symptoms. METHODS One-hundred-ten healthy women were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and 89 were re-evaluated after delivery (mean hours after delivery=52.36; SD=19.70) for depressive and anxiety symptoms through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and diurnal salivary cortisol levels were measured on both occasions, while diurnal salivary alpha amylase (sAA) levels were assessed in late pregnancy. RESULTS Using Hierarchical Linear Models, higher depressive symptoms were found to be associated with higher IL-6 levels, lower morning cortisol levels and a flatter cortisol diurnal slope during pregnancy, while adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were found after delivery or with change in biomarker levels from pre- to post-partum. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of a positive association between inflammation and stress markers in women with higher antenatal depressive symptoms was found. LIMITATIONS The sample was relatively small and highly selected, thus limiting generalizability of the findings. CONCLUSIONS Results emphasize the need for an integrated multi-systems approach to the understanding of the biological underpinnings of perinatal depression and suggest that the stress-immune interactions represent a promising avenue for future endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Nazzari
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
| | - P Fearon
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - F Rice
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
| | - F Ciceri
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - M Molteni
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - A Frigerio
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Child Psychopathology Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
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25
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Jairaj C, O'Leary N, Doolin K, Farrell C, McCarthy A, McAuliffe FM, O'Grady-Walshe A, Sheehan J, O'Keane V. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the perinatal period: Its relationship with major depressive disorder and early life adversity. World J Biol Psychiatry 2020; 21:552-563. [PMID: 32216569 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2020.1740318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Effects of major depressive disorder and early life adversity (ELA) on the maternal HPA axis in the perinatal period were examined.Methods: Four groups of women (n = 127) were recruited, with the perinatal groups being compared during pregnancy (Preg) and at two months postpartum (PP) - [1] Depressed during pregnancy (Depressed-Preg/PP), [2] Prior history of depression but euthymic during pregnancy (History-Preg/PP), [3] Healthy pregnant women (Control-Preg/PP), and [4] Healthy non-pregnant women (Non-pregnant Control). Serial saliva samples were collected over the course of a day and waking and evening cortisol, total cortisol output and the cortisol awakening response were examined.Results: There were no HPA axis differences among the three groups during pregnancy. A history of ELA, regardless of comorbid depression, was associated with higher evening cortisol levels during pregnancy (p = 0.015). Women in the Depressed-PP group had had higher evening cortisol levels compared to the History-PP group (p < 0.017).Conclusions: Evening cortisol measures are a potential marker for both ELA and depression, with higher levels during pregnancy being associated with ELA and higher levels postpartum being associated with antenatal depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitra Jairaj
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niamh O'Leary
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kelly Doolin
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Chloe Farrell
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anthony McCarthy
- Perinatal Mental Health Service, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fionnuala M McAuliffe
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ann O'Grady-Walshe
- Perinatal Mental Health Service, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John Sheehan
- Perinatal Mental Health Service, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Veronica O'Keane
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Tirumalaraju V, Suchting R, Evans J, Goetzl L, Refuerzo J, Neumann A, Anand D, Ravikumar R, Green CE, Cowen PJ, Selvaraj S. Risk of Depression in the Adolescent and Adult Offspring of Mothers With Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e208783. [PMID: 32602910 PMCID: PMC7327545 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Maternal depression during pregnancy is associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties of offspring during childhood that can increase the risk of depression in adolescence and adulthood. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between perinatal maternal depression and an increased long-term risk of depression in their adolescent and adult offspring. DATA SOURCES A systematic search of the electronic databases of PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted from May 2019 to June 2019. STUDY SELECTION A total of 6309 articles were identified, of which 88 articles were extracted for full-text review by 2 reviewers. Only articles reporting data from prospective longitudinal studies that assessed maternal depression during antenatal and/or postnatal periods and resulting offspring 12 years or older with measures of established psychometric properties were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of all other study designs, mothers with other medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and offspring younger than 12 years. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers, and discrepancies were mediated by an expert third reviewer. Meta-analysis was performed using Bayesian statistical inference and reported using Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guideline. The association of depression timing with the sex of offspring was explored using metaregression. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Offspring depression was evaluated using standardized depression scales or clinical interviews. RESULTS Six studies with a total of 15 584 mother-child dyads were included in the meta-analysis, which found the offspring of mothers who experienced perinatal depression to have increased odds of depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% credible interval [CrI], 1.60-2.65; posterior probability [PP] [OR >1], 98.6%). Although metaregression found no evidence for an overall association between perinatal depression timing and offspring depression (antenatal vs postnatal, PP [OR >1] = 53.8%), subgroup analyses showed slightly higher pooled odds for the antenatal studies (OR, 1.78; 95% CrI, 0.93-3.33; PP [OR >1] = 96.2%) than for the postnatal studies (OR, 1.66; 95% CrI, 0.65-3.84; PP [OR >1] = 88.0%). Female adolescent offspring recorded higher rates of depression in metaregression analyses, such that a 1% increase in the percentage of female (relative to male) offspring was associated with a 6% increase in the odds of offspring depression (OR, 1.06; 95% CrI, 0.99-1.14; τ2 = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, maternal perinatal depression, especially antenatal depression, was associated with the risk of depression in adolescence and adulthood. More research into the mechanisms of depression risk transmission and assessments of postinterventional risk reduction could aid in the development of future strategies to tackle depressive disorders in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Tirumalaraju
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Robert Suchting
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Jonathan Evans
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Goetzl
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Jerrie Refuerzo
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Deepa Anand
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Rekha Ravikumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mercy Health St Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio
| | - Charles E. Green
- Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Philip J. Cowen
- Medical Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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27
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Epstein CM, Houfek JF, Rice MJ, Weiss SJ, French JA, Kupzyk KA, Hammer SJ, Pullen CH. Early life adversity and depressive symptoms predict cortisol in pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health 2020; 23:379-389. [PMID: 31289940 PMCID: PMC7913604 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-019-00983-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that exposure to early life adversity (ELA) programs the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to influence responses to later adversity and predisposes women to depression. However, few studies have examined whether ELA moderates the HPA cortisol response to adulthood adversity and depressive symptoms in pregnant women. The aims of this study were to determine (a) whether ELA, adulthood adversity, and depressive symptoms differentially predict patterns of cortisol and (b) whether ELA moderates the relationship of adulthood adversity or depressive symptoms to cortisol. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of pregnant women (N = 58, mean = 26.5 weeks gestation). Participants completed the Stress and Adversity Inventory and Edinburgh Depression Scale and collected salivary cortisol five times per day for 3 days to assess cortisol awakening response (CAR), diurnal cortisol slope, and cortisol area under the curve (AUC). ELA predicted a larger CAR, while depressive symptoms predicted a blunted CAR and higher cortisol AUC. Adulthood adversity predicted a blunted CAR and steeper diurnal slope, but only in women with high ELA. ELA also moderated the effect of depressive symptoms on diurnal slope. Early adversity and depressive symptoms appear to have significant effects on the HPA axis during pregnancy, with early adversity also moderating effects of depressive symptoms and adulthood adversity on cortisol regulation. Early adversity may be an important factor in identifying unique HPA phenotypes and risk for HPA axis dysregulation in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Modde Epstein
- UCSF School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA. .,UNMC College of Nursing, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5330, USA.
| | - Julia F Houfek
- UNMC College of Nursing, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5330, USA
| | - Michael J Rice
- College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13120 East 19th Ave, Ed 2 North Bldg, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Sandra J Weiss
- UCSF School of Nursing, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Jeffrey A French
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge St Allwine Hall 419, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA
| | - Kevin A Kupzyk
- UNMC College of Nursing, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5330, USA
| | - Sharon J Hammer
- UNMC College of Medicine, S 42nd St & Emile St, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Carol H Pullen
- UNMC College of Nursing, 985330 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5330, USA
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28
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Nazzari S, Fearon P, Rice F, Ciceri F, Molteni M, Frigerio A. Neuroendocrine and immune markers of maternal stress during pregnancy and infant cognitive development. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:1100-1110. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit Bosisio Parini Lecco Italy
- Research Department of Clinical Educational and Health Psychology University College London London UK
| | - Pasco Fearon
- Research Department of Clinical Educational and Health Psychology University College London London UK
| | - Frances Rice
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK
| | - Francesca Ciceri
- Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit Bosisio Parini Lecco Italy
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit Bosisio Parini Lecco Italy
| | - Alessandra Frigerio
- Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit Bosisio Parini Lecco Italy
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29
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Brydges NM, Reddaway J. Neuroimmunological effects of early life experiences. Brain Neurosci Adv 2020; 4:2398212820953706. [PMID: 33015371 PMCID: PMC7513403 DOI: 10.1177/2398212820953706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to adverse experiences during development increases the risk of psychiatric illness later in life. Growing evidence suggests a role for the neuroimmune system in this relationship. There is now substantial evidence that the immune system is critical for normal brain development and behaviour, and responds to environmental perturbations experienced early in life. Severe or chronic stress results in dysregulated neuroimmune function, concomitant with abnormal brain morphology and function. Positive experiences including environmental enrichment and exercise exert the opposite effect, promoting normal brain and immune function even in the face of early life stress. The neuroimmune system may therefore provide a viable target for prevention and treatment of psychiatric illness. This review will briefly summarise the neuroimmune system in brain development and function, and review the effects of stress and positive environmental experiences during development on neuroimmune function. There are also significant sex differences in how the neuroimmune system responds to environmental experiences early in life, which we will briefly review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichola M. Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research
Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jack Reddaway
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research
Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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30
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Garay SM, Savory KA, Sumption LA, Penketh RJ, Jones IR, Janssen AB, John RM. Seasonal variation in salivary cortisol but not symptoms of depression and trait anxiety in pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 108:14-19. [PMID: 31181440 PMCID: PMC6854466 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Seasonal changes in mood and behaviour are commonly reported in the general population but considerably less is known regarding seasonality and pregnancy. This study investigated the relationship between seasons and depression and anxiety symptoms, salivary cortisol concentrations, custom birthweight centiles (CBWC) and placenta weight for pregnant women living in South Wales. METHODS This study utilised data from the longitudinal Grown in Wales (GiW) cohort. Women were recruited at the presurgical elective caesarean section (ELCS) appointment, when they provided saliva samples and completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Data on birthweight and placental weight was extracted from medical notes. Seasonal data was available for 316 participants. RESULTS No association was identified between seasons and EPDS (p = .178), STAI scores (p = .544), CBWC (p = .683) or placental weight (p = .857). Significance was identified between seasons and salivary cortisol concentration (p<.001), with highest levels in autumn and winter. Adjusted linear regression identified spring (B=-.05, p=.007, 95% CI -.09, -.01) and summer (B=-.06, p = .001, 95% CI -09, -.02) compared to autumn, and spring (B=-.05, p=.009, 95% CI -.09, -.01) and summer (B=-.06, p=.002, 95% CI -.10, -.02) compared to winter to be associated with decreased cortisol concentrations. CONCLUSION This study found no association between season and maternally-reported mental health symptoms, birthweight by CBWC or placental weight but did between season and term salivary cortisol. This finding will have implications for studies that do not account for seasonality when using salivary cortisol as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Garay
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Katrina A. Savory
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Lorna A. Sumption
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J.A. Penketh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, Wales, CF144XW, United Kingdom
| | - Ian R. Jones
- National Centre for Mental Health, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF14 4XN, United Kingdom
| | - Anna B. Janssen
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind M. John
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, United Kingdom,Corresponding author.
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Sawyer KM, Zunszain PA, Dazzan P, Pariante CM. Intergenerational transmission of depression: clinical observations and molecular mechanisms. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1157-1177. [PMID: 30283036 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0265-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Maternal mental illness can have a devastating effect during the perinatal period, and has a profound impact on the care that the baby receives and on the relationships that the baby forms. This review summarises clinical evidence showing the effects of perinatal depression on offspring physical and behavioural development, and on the transmission of psychopathology between generations. We then evaluate a number of factors which influence this relationship, such as genetic factors, the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy, the timing within the perinatal period, the sex of the foetus, and exposure to maltreatment in childhood. Finally, we examine recent findings regarding the molecular mechanisms underpinning these clinical observations, and identify relevant epigenetic and biomarker changes in the glucocorticoid, oxytocin, oestrogen and immune systems, as key biological mediators of these clinical findings. By understanding these molecular mechanisms in more detail, we will be able to improve outcomes for both mothers and their offspring for generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristi M Sawyer
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Patricia A Zunszain
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paola Dazzan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Li J, Tang S, Liu M, Liu W, Cheng C, Li Y, Sun M, Qin C. The relationship between salivary cortisol and perinatal depression in women undergoing termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: A prospective cohort study. Midwifery 2019; 75:103-109. [PMID: 31071585 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis plays a crucial role in the neurobiological pathways for depression. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between salivary cortisol and depression in women before and after termination of pregnancy due to fetal anomaly. STUDY DESIGN A prospective cohort study was conducted. One-way ANOVA and linear correlation were conducted to analyse the relationship between salivary cortisol and depression before and after termination of pregnancy. RESULTS No significant difference in morning and evening cortisol levels between women underwent TOP for fetal anomaly without depression and those with depression, but the women underwent TOP for fetal anomaly had significantly higher levels of morning and evening cortisol than women with healthy pregnancy. Cortisol awakening response was lower in women underwent termination of pregnancy, than in women with normal pregnancy; lower in women underwent termination of pregnancy with depression than in those women without depression. Cortisol awakening response also had a negative correlation with depression, and the correlation coefficients for cortisol awakening response and depression after TOP (R = 0.461) were higher than the correlation coefficients for cortisol awakening response and depression before TOP(R = 0.238). CONCLUSIONS Our results were not only useful to support the hypothesis that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning would turn hypoactive, with depression progressing to increase in severity, but also helpful with insights into the predictive effects of cortisol awakening response in depression after TOP. We suggest that further research should be conducted on the relationship between salivary cortisol and depression before and after TOP for fetal anomaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiu Li
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Siyuan Tang
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Minhui Liu
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chunxia Cheng
- Obstetrics Department of the Third Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ying Li
- Pediatric Department of the Third Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Mei Sun
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chunxiang Qin
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Obstetrics Department of the Third Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Frieder A, Fersh M, Hainline R, Deligiannidis KM. Pharmacotherapy of Postpartum Depression: Current Approaches and Novel Drug Development. CNS Drugs 2019; 33:265-282. [PMID: 30790145 PMCID: PMC6424603 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-019-00605-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbirth. Untreated postpartum depression can have substantial adverse effects on the well-being of the mother and child, negatively impacting child cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development with lasting consequences. There are a number of therapeutic interventions for postpartum depression including pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and hormonal therapy among others, most of which have been adapted from the treatment of major depressive disorder outside of the peripartum period. Current evidence of antidepressant treatment for postpartum depression is limited by the small number of randomized clinical trials, underpowered samples, and the lack of long-term follow-up. The peripartum period is characterized by rapid and significant physiological change in plasma levels of endocrine hormones, peptides, and neuroactive steroids. Evidence supporting the role of neuroactive steroids and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the pathophysiology of postpartum depression led to the investigation of synthetic neuroactive steroids and their analogs as potential treatment for postpartum depression. Brexanolone, a soluble proprietary intravenous preparation of synthetic allopregnanolone, has been developed. A recent series of open-label and placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials of brexanolone in postpartum depression demonstrated a rapid reduction in depressive symptoms, and has led to the submission for regulatory approval to the US Food and Drug Administration (decision due in March 2019). SAGE-217, an allopregnanolone analog, with oral bioavailability, was recently tested in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study in severe postpartum depression, with reportedly positive results. Finally, a 3β-methylated synthetic analog of allopregnanolone, ganaxolone, is being tested in both intravenous and oral forms, in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II studies in severe postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariela Frieder
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA
| | - Madeleine Fersh
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA
| | - Rachel Hainline
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Kristina M Deligiannidis
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA.
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Kofman YB, Eng ZE, Busse D, Godkin S, Campos B, Sandman CA, Wing D, Yim IS. Cortisol reactivity and depressive symptoms in pregnancy: The moderating role of perceived social support and neuroticism. Biol Psychol 2019; 147:107656. [PMID: 30703466 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal depression negatively impacts mother-infant health and well-being. Previous work has linked cortisol reactivity to perinatal depressive symptoms, but moderating effects including social support and neuroticism, have not been studied. Forty-nine pregnant women (9-30 weeks' gestational age; GA) provided saliva samples in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and to awakening (cortisol awakening response, CAR), and completed questionnaires on perceived social support, personality, and depressive symptoms. Two hierarchical logistic regressions, one including the TSST response and one including the CAR as predictor variables, suggest that cortisol reactivity, social support from the baby's father, and neuroticism contribute to depressive symptoms, controlling for GA (both p < .01). Significant statistical interactions among predictors of pregnancy depressive symptoms were, however, only found in the model using the CAR. Findings highlight the importance of considering biopsychosocial interactions in studies predicting perinatal depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin B Kofman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4562 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
| | - Zoe E Eng
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4562 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
| | - David Busse
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4562 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
| | - Sophia Godkin
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4562 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
| | - Belinda Campos
- Department of Chicano and Latino Studies, University of California, Irvine, 3151 Social Science Plaza, Irvine, CA 92697-5100, USA
| | - Curt A Sandman
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Early Human and Lifespan Development Program, 1 University Drive, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Deborah Wing
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 333 City Blvd. West, Suite 1400, Orange CA 92868, USA
| | - Ilona S Yim
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4562 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA.
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Graham AM, Rasmussen JM, Entringer S, Ben Ward E, Rudolph MD, Gilmore JH, Styner M, Wadhwa PD, Fair DA, Buss C. Maternal Cortisol Concentrations During Pregnancy and Sex-Specific Associations With Neonatal Amygdala Connectivity and Emerging Internalizing Behaviors. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:172-181. [PMID: 30122286 PMCID: PMC6632079 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal cortisol during pregnancy has the potential to influence rapidly developing fetal brain systems that are commonly altered in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Research examining maternal cortisol concentrations across pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment proximal to birth is needed to advance understanding in this area and lead to insight into the etiology of these disorders. METHODS Participants were 70 adult women recruited during early pregnancy and their infants born after 34 weeks gestation. Maternal cortisol concentrations were assessed serially over 4 days in early, mid, and late gestation. Resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging of the neonatal amygdala was examined. Mothers reported on children's internalizing behavior problems at 24 months of age. RESULTS Maternal cortisol concentrations during pregnancy were significantly associated with neonatal amygdala connectivity in a sex-specific manner. Elevated maternal cortisol was associated with stronger amygdala connectivity to brain regions involved in sensory processing and integration, as well as the default mode network in girls, and with weaker connectivity to these brain regions in boys. Elevated maternal cortisol was associated with higher internalizing symptoms in girls only, and this association was mediated by stronger neonatal amygdala connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Normative variation in maternal cortisol during pregnancy is associated with the coordinated functioning of the amygdala soon after birth in a sex-specific manner. The identified pathway from maternal cortisol to higher internalizing symptoms in girls via alterations in neonatal amygdala connectivity may be relevant for the etiology of sex differences in internalizing psychiatric disorders, which are more prevalent in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Graham
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Jerod M Rasmussen
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Ben Ward
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Marc D Rudolph
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.
| | - Damien A Fair
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
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Bleker LS, de Rooij SR, Roseboom TJ. Malnutrition and depression in pregnancy and associations with child behaviour and cognitive function: a review of recent evidence on unique and joint effects 1. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2019; 97:158-173. [PMID: 30624959 DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2018-0381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating studies suggest that prenatal experiences can shape a child's neurodevelopment. Malnutrition and depression occur in pregnancy relatively often and may affect child neurodevelopment independently as well as synergistically. We aimed to provide an overview of recent studies that have examined malnutrition and (or) depression in pregnancy and associations with child behavioural problems and cognitive function. We conducted a literature search in PubMed, using the following main search terms: "depression", "nutrition", "BMI", "pregnancy", "offspring", "cognition", and "behaviour". We included studies in human populations published from 2013 onwards. The literature search yielded 1531 articles, of which 55 were included in the current review. We presented the evidence on the associations between prenatal markers of nutritional status and (or) depression and child behaviour and (or) cognitive function. We additionally discussed interventions and mechanisms. Both malnutrition and depression in pregnancy are associated with increased externalizing behavioural problems and attentional deficits, and to some extent with poorer cognitive function in the child, but the evidence is not conclusive. Studies on synergistic effects of both factors on child behaviour and cognitive function are still scarce, and more research is needed. Potential shared mechanisms include the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the immune system, epigenetics, and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Bleker
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,b Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Susanne R de Rooij
- b Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tessa J Roseboom
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,b Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Osborne S, Biaggi A, Chua TE, Du Preez A, Hazelgrove K, Nikkheslat N, Previti G, Zunszain PA, Conroy S, Pariante CM. Antenatal depression programs cortisol stress reactivity in offspring through increased maternal inflammation and cortisol in pregnancy: The Psychiatry Research and Motherhood - Depression (PRAM-D) Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 98:211-221. [PMID: 30033161 PMCID: PMC6215770 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antenatal depression is associated with a broad range of suboptimal outcomes in offspring, although the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. Animal studies propose inflammation and glucocorticoids as mediators of the developmental programming effect of prenatal stress on offspring stress responses, but studies in humans are not yet at this stage. Indeed, to date no single study has examined the effects of a rigorously defined, clinically significant Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in pregnancy on maternal antenatal inflammatory biomarkers and hypothalamic-pituitary (HPA) axis, as well as on offspring HPA axis, behavior and developmental outcomes in the first postnatal year. METHODS A prospective longitudinal design was used in 106 women (49 cases vs. 57 healthy controls) to study the effect of MDD in pregnancy and associated antenatal biology (inflammatory and cortisol biomarkers), on offspring stress response (cortisol response to immunization, at 8 weeks and 12 months), early neurobehavior (Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, NBAS, at day 6), and cognitive, language and motor development (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at 12 months). RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, women with MDD in pregnancy had raised interleukin (IL) IL-6 (effect size (δ) = 0.53, p = 0.031), IL-10 (δ = 0.53, p = 0.043), tumor necrosis factor alpha (δ = 0.90, p = 0.003) and vascular endothelial growth factor (δ = 0.56, p = 0.008), together with raised diurnal cortisol secretion (δ = 0.89, p = 0.006), raised evening cortisol (δ = 0.64, p = 0.004), and blunted cortisol awakening response (δ = 0.70, p = 0.020), and an 8-day shorter length of gestation (δ = 0.70, p = 0.005). Furthermore, they had neonates with suboptimal neurobehavioral function in four out of five NBAS clusters measured (range of δ = 0.45-1.22 and p = 0.049-<0.001) and increased cortisol response to stress at one year of age (δ = 0.87, p < 0.001). Lastly, maternal inflammatory biomarkers and cortisol levels were correlated with infant stress response, suggesting a mechanistic link. CONCLUSION This study confirms and extends the notion that depression in pregnancy is associated with altered offspring behavior and biological stress response, and demonstrates that changes in maternal antenatal stress-related biology are associated with these infant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Osborne
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK.
| | - A Biaggi
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Psychosis Studies, London, SE5 9AF, UK
| | - T E Chua
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK; Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899, Singapore
| | - A Du Preez
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
| | - K Hazelgrove
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Psychosis Studies, London, SE5 9AF, UK
| | - N Nikkheslat
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
| | - G Previti
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK; Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Via Risorgimento 57 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - P A Zunszain
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
| | - S Conroy
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
| | - C M Pariante
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Perinatal Psychiatry & Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
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Dickens MJ, Pawluski JL. The HPA Axis During the Perinatal Period: Implications for Perinatal Depression. Endocrinology 2018; 159:3737-3746. [PMID: 30256957 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The transition to motherhood is characterized by some of the most pronounced endocrine changes a woman will experience in her lifetime. Unfortunately, matrescence is also a time in a woman's life when she is most susceptible to mental illness such as perinatal depression. A growing body of research has aimed to determine how key endocrine systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are involved in the dysregulation of perinatal mental health. However, very little research has consistently linked perinatal changes in the HPA axis with maternal mental illness. Therefore, the aims of this mini review are to: (i) clearly summarize the normative changes in the HPA axis that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period; (ii) summarize what we know about the HPA axis in perinatal depression, and (iii) propose key areas for future research. Understanding physiological biomarkers that can predict which women are at risk for perinatal mood disorders will lead to better tools for treating, and ultimately preventing, these debilitating disorders, improving the health of mother, child, and family.
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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, Rennes, France
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Prenatal stress and models explaining risk for psychopathology revisited: Generic vulnerability and divergent pathways. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1041-1062. [PMID: 30068410 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The present review revisits three hypothesized models that potentially could explain how prenatal maternal stress influences fetal development, birth outcomes, and subsequent developmental psychopathology. These models were mostly based on animal models, and new evidence for these models from human studies is evaluated. Furthermore, divergent trajectories from prenatal exposure to adversities to offspring affected outcomes are reviewed, including the comparison of studies on prenatal maternal stress with research on maternal substance use and maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. Finally, new directions in research on the mechanism underlying prenatal stress effects on human offspring is summarized. While it is concluded that there is abundant evidence for the negative associations between prenatal maternal stress and offspring behavioral, brain, and psychopathological outcomes in humans, there is no consistent evidence for specific mechanisms or specific outcomes in relation to stress exposure in utero. Rather, principles of multifinality and equifinality best describe the consequences for the offspring, suggesting a generic vulnerability and different pathways from prenatal adversities to developmental psychopathology, which complicates the search for underlying mechanisms. New and promising directions for research are provided to get a better understanding of how prenatal stress gets under the skin to affect fetal development.
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40
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Prenatal stress and the development of psychopathology: Lifestyle behaviors as a fundamental part of the puzzle. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1129-1144. [PMID: 30068418 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Maternal psychological stress, depression, and anxiety during pregnancy (prenatal stress; PNS) are thought to impact fetal development with long-term effects on offspring outcome. These effects would include physical and mental health, including psychopathology. Maternal sleep, diet, and exercise during pregnancy are lifestyle behaviors that are understudied and often solely included in PNS studies as confounders. However, there are indications that these lifestyle behaviors may actually constitute essential mediators between PNS and fetal programming processes. The goal of this theoretical review was to investigate this idea by looking at the evidence for associations between PNS and sleep, diet, and exercise, and by piecing together the information on potential underlying mechanisms and causal pathways through which these factors may affect the offspring. The analysis of the literature led to the conclusion that sleep, diet, and exercise during pregnancy, may have fundamental roles as mediators between PNS and maternal pregnancy physiology. By integrating these lifestyle behaviors into models of prenatal programming of development, a qualitatively higher and more comprehensive understanding of the prenatal origins of psychopathology can be obtained. The review finalizes by discussing some of the present challenges facing the field of PNS and offspring programming, and offering solutions for future research.
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van den Heuvel MI, van Assen MALM, Glover V, Claes S, Van den Bergh BRH. Associations between maternal psychological distress and salivary cortisol during pregnancy: A mixed-models approach. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 96:52-60. [PMID: 29902667 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy is related to adverse child behavioral and emotional outcomes later in life, such as ADHD and anxiety/depression. The underlying mechanisms for this, however, are still largely unknown. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, with its most important effector hormone cortisol, has been proposed as a mechanism, but results have been inconsistent. The current study investigated the association between maternal psychological distress (i.e. anxiety and depressive symptoms) and maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy using a mixed models approach. METHOD During three pregnancy trimesters, mothers (N = 170) collected four salivary samples for two consecutive days. Mothers reported symptoms of anxiety and depression three times during pregnancy (at 13.3 ± 1.1, 20.2 ± 1.5, and 33.8 ± 1.5 weeks of pregnancy, respectively) using the anxiety subscale of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Specific fears and worries during pregnancy were measured with the short version of the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ-R). RESULTS We found a significant effect of SCL-90 anxiety subscale on cortisol levels at awakening (p = .008), indicating that mothers with higher anxiety showed lower cortisol at awakening. Maternal psychological variables explained 10.5% of the variance at the person level in awakening cortisol level, but none in the overall diurnal cortisol model. CONCLUSION More research is necessary to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the association between maternal psychological distress and cortisol and the search for mechanisms other than the HPA-axis should be continued and extended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcel A L M van Assen
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, The Netherlands; Department of Sociology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Stephan Claes
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bea R H Van den Bergh
- Health Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium; Department of Welfare, Public Health and Family, Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium.
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Gilles M, Otto H, Wolf IAC, Scharnholz B, Peus V, Schredl M, Sütterlin MW, Witt SH, Rietschel M, Laucht M, Deuschle M. Maternal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system activity and stress during pregnancy: Effects on gestational age and infant's anthropometric measures at birth. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 94:152-161. [PMID: 29783163 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal stress might be a risk for the developing fetus and may have long-lasting effects on child and adult vulnerability to somatic and psychiatric disease. Over-exposure of the unborn to excess glucocorticoids and subsequent alteration of fetal development is hypothesized to be one of the key mechanisms linking prenatal stress with negative child outcome. METHODS In this prospective longitudinal study, mothers-to-be (n = 405) in late pregnancy (36.8 ± 1.9 weeks of gestational age) and their singleton neonates were studied. We investigated the impact of different prenatal stress indices derived from six stress variables (perceived stress, specific prenatal worries, negative life events, symptoms of depression, trait anxiety, neuroticism) and diurnal maternal saliva cortisol secretion on gestational age and anthropometric measures at birth. RESULTS Maternal prenatal distress during late gestation was associated with significant reduction in birth weight (-217 g; p = .005), birth length (-1.2 cm; p = .005) and head circumference (-0.8 cm; p = .001). Prenatal stress was modestly but significantly associated with altered diurnal cortisol pattern (flattened cortisol decline and higher evening cortisol), which in turn was significantly related to reduced length of gestation. No evidence for a profound interaction between maternal cortisol level in late pregnancy and infant's anthropometric measures at birth (i.e., birth weight, length, head circumference) was found. CONCLUSION Prenatal stress is associated with flattened circadian saliva cortisol profiles and reduced infant's anthropometric measures at birth. HPA system activity during pregnancy may be related to low gestational age. The effect of prenatal stress might be partly mediated by maternal-placental-fetal neuroendocrine mechanisms especially the dysregulation of diurnal cortisol profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gilles
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Henrike Otto
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabell A C Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Scharnholz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Verena Peus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schredl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc W Sütterlin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manfred Laucht
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Michael Deuschle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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Orta OR, Tworoger SS, Terry KL, Coull BA, Gelaye B, Kirschbaum C, Sanchez SE, Williams MA. An evaluation of distal hair cortisol concentrations collected at delivery. Stress 2018; 21:355-365. [PMID: 29614892 PMCID: PMC6132258 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1458088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Distal hair segments collected at delivery may allow for the assessment of maternal cortisol secretion in early pregnancy, an important time window for fetal development. Therefore, an investigation of the validity of distal hair cortisol concentrations is warranted. We examined the concordance between proximal and distal hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), both representing the first trimester of pregnancy. The study population was comprised of a random sample of 97 women participating in the Pregnancy Outcomes Maternal and Infant Study, a prospective cohort study of pregnant women attending prenatal clinics in Lima, Peru. Each participant provided two hair samples: once at enrollment [mean gestational age (GA) = 13.1 weeks] and again at full-term delivery (mean GA = 39.0 weeks). Hair segments reflecting the first trimester were: 3 cm hair segments closest to the scalp on the first hair sample (proximal) and 6-9 cm from the scalp on the second hair sample (distal). HCC was determined using Luminescence Immunoassay. A subset (N = 28) had both hair segments additionally analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). HCC values were log-transformed (logHCC), and proximal-distal differences tested using paired sample t-tests. Concordance was evaluated within and across assay types. LogHCC, measured using immunoassay, in distal hair segments was lower compared to proximal hair segments (1.35 versus 1.64 respectively; p = .02). No difference was observed using LC-MS/MS (1.99 versus 1.83, respectively; p=.33). Proximal-distal concordance was low within assay (immunoassay: Pearson = 0.27 and κ = 0.10; LC-MS/MS: Pearson = 0.37 and κ = 0.07). High correlation was observed across assays for both distal (Pearson = 0.78, p < .001; κ = 0.64) and proximal segments (Pearson = 0.96, p < .001; κ = 0.75). In conclusion, distal first-trimester hair segments collected at delivery have lower absolute HCC compared to HCC in proximal first trimester hair segments collected in early pregnancy, and are poorly concordant with HCC in proximal segments. Findings may inform the design of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R. Orta
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
- Corresponding author postal address: , 677 Huntington Ave, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Room Kresge 500, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Shelley S. Tworoger
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kathryn L. Terry
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bizu Gelaye
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Sixto E. Sanchez
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), Lima, Peru
- Asociacion Civil Proyectos en Salud (PROESA), Lima, Peru
| | - Michelle A. Williams
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
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Szpunar MJ, Parry BL. A systematic review of cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and prolactin in peripartum women with major depression. Arch Womens Ment Health 2018; 21:149-161. [PMID: 29022126 PMCID: PMC5857206 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-017-0787-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy and postpartum are periods of high susceptibility to major depression (MD) and other mood disorders. The peripartum period is also a time of considerable changes in the levels of hormones, including cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, gonadotropins, and gonadal steroids. To investigate the relationship between mood and hormonal changes during and after pregnancy, we reviewed published reports of hormonal measures during this time frame, searched via PubMed and Web of Science. Studies were included if women in the antepartum or postpartum periods were clinically diagnosed with MD, and if there were repeated measures of cortisol, TSH, or prolactin. For these three hormones, the numbers of human studies that met these criteria were 15, 7, and 3, respectively. Convergent findings suggest that morning cortisol is reduced in pregnant and postpartum women with MD. Evidence did not support changes in TSH as a marker of MD during the peripartum period, and evidence for changes in prolactin in peripartum MD was equivocal. Aside from reduced morning cortisol in peripartum women with MD, definitive evidence for an association between specific hormonal fluctuations and mood disorders in the peripartum period remains elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes J Szpunar
- UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., #9116A, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Barbara L Parry
- UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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45
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Orta OR, Gelaye B, Bain PA, Williams MA. The association between maternal cortisol and depression during pregnancy, a systematic review. Arch Womens Ment Health 2018; 21:43-53. [PMID: 28942465 PMCID: PMC5764810 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-017-0777-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Timing of cortisol collection during pregnancy is an important factor within studies reporting on the association between maternal cortisol and depression during pregnancy. Our objective was to further examine the extent to which reported associations differed across studies according to time of maternal cortisol collection during pregnancy. On December 15, 2016, records were identified using PubMed/MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine), EMBASE (Elsevier; 1974-), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), and Web of Science Core Collection (Thomson Reuters). Unique abstracts were screened using the following inclusion criteria: (1) maternal cortisol assessed during pregnancy; (2) antepartum depression assessed during pregnancy using a screening instrument; (3) reports on the association between maternal cortisol and antepartum depression; (4) provides information on timing of cortisol assessment during pregnancy, including time of day and gestation; and (5) not a review article or a case study. One thousand three hundred seventy-five records were identified, resulting in 826 unique abstracts. Twenty-nine articles met all inclusion criteria. On balance, most studies reported no association between maternal cortisol and antepartum depression (N = 17), and saliva and blood were the most common reported matrices. Morning and second and third trimesters were the most common times of collection during pregnancy. Among studies reporting an association (N = 12), second-trimester and third-trimester cortisol assessments more consistently reported an association and elevated cortisol concentrations were observed in expected recovery periods. Our review adds to the existing literature on the topic, highlighting gaps and strategic next steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R. Orta
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts,Corresponding author:
| | - Bizu Gelaye
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Paul A. Bain
- Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michelle A. Williams
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
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46
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Thayer ZM. Dark shadow of the long white cloud: Neighborhood safety is associated with self-rated health and cortisol during pregnancy in Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. SSM Popul Health 2017; 3:75-80. [PMID: 29349206 PMCID: PMC5768991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand is a culturally and ethnically diverse city. Despite popular global conceptions regarding its utopian nature, the lived experience for many individuals in Auckland attests to the substantial social, economic, and health inequalities that exist there. In particular, rapidly rising home prices constrain housing decisions and force individuals to live in less desirable neighborhoods, with potential impacts on individual health. One of the pathways through which adverse neighborhood conditions could impact health is through alterations in the functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)-axis, which regulates the physiological stress response. This paper evaluates the relationship between perceived neighborhood safety, self-rated health, and cortisol, an end product of HPA-axis activation, among women in late pregnancy. Pregnant women living in neighborhoods where they were concerned about safety of their property had poorer self-rated health and elevated morning cortisol, even after adjusting for maternal age, material deprivation, and ethnicity. However, fear of personal safety was unrelated to self-rated health and cortisol. These results suggest that maternal health in pregnancy is sensitive to perceptions regarding neighborhood safety. Such findings are important since higher cortisol levels in pregnancy could not only influence maternal health, but also the health and development of women's children.
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Braithwaite EC, Murphy SE, Ramchandani PG, Hill J. Associations between biological markers of prenatal stress and infant negative emotionality are specific to sex. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 86:1-7. [PMID: 28888992 PMCID: PMC5667634 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fetal programming is the idea that environmental stimuli can alter the development of the fetus, which may have a long-term effect on the child. We have recently reported that maternal prenatal cortisol predicts infant negative emotionality in a sex-dependent manner: high prenatal cortisol was associated with increased negative emotionality in females, and decreased negative emotionality in males. This study aims to test for this sex-specific effect in a different cohort, and investigate whether sex differences in fetal programming may be specific to glucocorticoid mechanisms by also examining a maternal salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) by sex interaction. METHODS 88 pregnant women (mean gestational age=27.4 weeks, SD=7.4) collected saliva samples at home over two working days to be assayed for the hormone cortisol (range=0.13-88.22nmol/l) and the enzyme alpha-amylase (range=4.57-554.8units/ml). Samples were collected at waking, 30-min post-waking and 12h post-waking. Two months after birth participants reported infant negative emotionality using the distress to limits subscale of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. RESULTS The interaction between maternal prenatal cortisol and infant sex to predict distress to limits approached significance (p=0.067). In line with our previous finding there was a positive association between prenatal cortisol and negative emotionality in females, and a negative association in males. The interaction between sAA and sex to predict distress was significant (p=0.025), and the direction of effect was the same as for the cortisol data; high sAA associated with increased negative emotionality in females and reduced negative emotionality in males. CONCLUSIONS In line with our previous findings, this research adds to an emerging body of literature, which suggests that fetal programming mechanisms may be sex-dependent. This is the first study to demonstrate that maternal prenatal sAA may be an important biomarker for infant behavior, and the findings have implications for understanding sex differences in developmental psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Braithwaite
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, 9 South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
| | - Susannah E Murphy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
| | - Paul G Ramchandani
- The Centre for Psychiatry, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 ONN, UK.
| | - Jonathan Hill
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
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Simultaneous measurement of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase: Application and recommendations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:657-677. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Gestational and Postnatal Cortisol Profiles of Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and the Dissociative Subtype. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2017; 47:12-22. [PMID: 29175262 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have greater salivary cortisol levels across the diurnal curve and throughout gestation, birth, and the postpartum period than women who do not have PTSD. DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal, biobehavioral cohort study. SETTING Prenatal clinics at academic health centers in the Midwest region of the United States. PARTICIPANTS Women expecting their first infants who fit with one of four cohorts: a nonexposed control group, a trauma-exposed control group, a group with PTSD, and a group with the dissociative subtype of PTSD. METHODS In the first half of pregnancy, 395 women provided three salivary cortisol specimens on a single day for diurnal data. A subsample of 111 women provided three salivary cortisol specimens per day, 12 times, from early pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum for longitudinal data. Trauma history, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms were measured via standardized telephone diagnostic interviews with the use of validated epidemiologic measures. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine group differences. RESULTS Generalized estimating equations showed that women with the dissociative subtype of PTSD had the highest and flattest gestational cortisol level curves. The difference was greatest in early pregnancy, when participants in the dissociative subtype group had cortisol levels 8 times greater in the afternoon and 10 times greater at bedtime than those in the nonexposed control group. CONCLUSION Women with the dissociative subtype of PTSD, a complex form associated with a history of childhood maltreatment, may have toxic levels of cortisol that contribute to intergenerational patterns of adverse health outcomes.
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50
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Adam EK, Quinn ME, Tavernier R, McQuillan MT, Dahlke KA, Gilbert KE. Diurnal cortisol slopes and mental and physical health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 83:25-41. [PMID: 28578301 PMCID: PMC5568897 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 505] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Changes in levels of the stress-sensitive hormone cortisol from morning to evening are referred to as diurnal cortisol slopes. Flatter diurnal cortisol slopes have been proposed as a mediator between chronic psychosocial stress and poor mental and physical health outcomes in past theory and research. Surprisingly, neither a systematic nor a meta-analytic review of associations between diurnal cortisol slopes and health has been conducted to date, despite extensive literature on the topic. The current systematic review and meta-analysis examined associations between diurnal cortisol slopes and physical and mental health outcomes. Analyses were based on 179 associations from 80 studies for the time period up to January 31, 2015. Results indicated a significant association between flatter diurnal cortisol slopes and poorer health across all studies (average effect size, r=0.147). Further, flatter diurnal cortisol slopes were associated with poorer health in 10 out of 12 subtypes of emotional and physical health outcomes examined. Among these subtypes, the effect size was largest for immune/inflammation outcomes (r=0.288). Potential moderators of the associations between diurnal cortisol slopes and health outcomes were examined, including type of slope measure and study quality indices. The possible roles of flatter slopes as either a marker or a mechanism for disease etiology are discussed. We argue that flatter diurnal cortisol slopes may both reflect and contribute to stress-related dysregulation of central and peripheral circadian mechanisms, with corresponding downstream effects on multiple aspects of biology, behavior, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K. Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, 2120 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA,Corresponding author: , 847-467-2010
| | - Meghan E. Quinn
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60208, USA and Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Royette Tavernier
- Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, 207 High Street, Middletown, CT, 06459, USA.
| | - Mollie T. McQuillan
- School of Education and Social Policy and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, 2120 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Katie A. Dahlke
- American Institutes for Research, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Suite 200, Naperville, IL, USA, 60563
| | - Kirsten E. Gilbert
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Parkway, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, USA
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