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Deer LK, Hennessey EMP, Doom JR, Gallop RJ, Hoffman MC, Demers CH, Hankin BL, Davis EP. Higher prenatal anxiety predicts lower neonatal hair cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 165:107044. [PMID: 38657342 PMCID: PMC11139573 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107044] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal glucocorticoids are one of the most widely proposed prenatal programming mechanisms, yet few studies exist that measure fetal cortisol via neonatal hair. Neonatal hair provides a window into the fetal experience and represents cortisol accumulation in the third trimester of pregnancy. In the current study, we test the links between two types of anxiety over the course of gestation (pregnancy-related anxiety and general anxiety) with neonatal hair cortisol. METHOD Pregnant individuals (N = 107) and their neonates (59.8% female) participated in the current study. Prenatal pregnancy-related anxiety and general anxiety were measured using the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Scale (PRAS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), in each trimester of pregnancy. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model the intercept and slope of each type of anxiety over gestation. Neonatal hair samples were collected shortly after birth (Median days = 1.17, IQR = 0.75-2.00). RESULTS Both higher pregnancy-related anxiety and general anxiety at the beginning of pregnancy and a flatter decline of pregnancy-related anxiety over gestation were associated with lower neonatal hair cortisol. After inclusion of gestational age at birth and parity as covariates, pregnancy-related anxiety (intercept: β = -0.614, p =.012; slope: β = -0.681, p =.006), but not general anxiety (intercept: β = -0.389, p =.114; slope: β = -0.302, p =.217) remained a significant predictor. Further, when both general and pregnancy-related anxiety were entered into the same model, only pregnancy-related anxiety (intercept and slope) were significant predictors of neonatal hair cortisol, indicating an association with pregnancy-related anxiety above and beyond general anxiety. CONCLUSION Cortisol plays a central role in maturation of fetal organ systems, and at the end of gestation, higher cortisol has beneficial effects such as promoting fetal lung maturation. Further, lower maternal cortisol is linked to less optimal cognitive development and altered brain development. As maternal higher anxiety in early pregnancy and a flatter decrease over time are both associated with lower neonatal hair cortisol, maternal pregnancy-related anxiety could be a target of future intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jenalee R Doom
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Robert J Gallop
- Department of Mathematics, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA
| | - M Camille Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Catherine H Demers
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin L Hankin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Downes N, Kallas KA, Moirangthem S, Maguet C, Marr K, Tafflet M, Kirschbaum C, Heude B, Koehl M, Waerden JVD. Longitudinal effects of maternal depressive and anxious symptomatology on child hair cortisol and cortisone from pregnancy to 5-years: The EDEN mother-child cohort. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 162:106957. [PMID: 38232529 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.106957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to maternal depressive and anxious symptomatology in utero and after birth can affect child outcomes. One proposed mechanism is through changes in child stress hormone levels, however current studies present inconsistent findings, and further research is needed to better understand the impact of maternal mental health on child stress response. This study aims to add to the limited literature by analysing longitudinal data ranging from 24 weeks amenorrhea to 5 years postpartum among 281 mother-child pairs from the French EDEN mother-child birth cohort. Hair cortisol and cortisone data were collected from children at four time points: birth, 1, 3, and 5 years. Mothers reported depressive symptomatology via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (at 24-weeks amenorrhea, 3-, and 5-year follow-up), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (at 4, 8 and 12 months postpartum). Prenatal anxiety symptomatology was measured via the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at 24 weeks amenorrhea. Group-based trajectory modelling indicated a 1-cluster classification of longitudinal child hair cortisol, cortisone and cortisol-to-cortisone ratio, as analyses did not reveal a classification by subgroups representing different child profiles. After inverse probability weighting, small effects showed prenatal depressive symptomatology was significantly associated to higher levels of child hair cortisone at one year. Prenatal anxiety symptomatology was significantly linked to higher levels of child cortisol measured at birth and cortisone at birth and at 1 year. Postpartum depressive symptomatology at 8 months was related to higher levels of cortisone among 3-year-olds. These effects were not moderated by child sex or maternal socio-economic status. Further research is needed to understand why there are associations at some time points and not others to determine any potential buffering factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Downes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France.
| | - Kadri-Ann Kallas
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France
| | - Simi Moirangthem
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France
| | - Charlotte Maguet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France
| | - Ketevan Marr
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France
| | - Muriel Tafflet
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 75004 Paris, France
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Biopsychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Heude
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), 75004 Paris, France
| | - Muriel Koehl
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Neurogenesis and Pathophysiology group, 3300 Bordeaux, France
| | - Judith van der Waerden
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), 75012 Paris, France
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3
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Musillo C, Creutzberg KC, Collacchi B, Ajmone-Cat MA, De Simone R, Lepre M, Amrein I, Riva MA, Berry A, Cirulli F. Bdnf-Nrf-2 crosstalk and emotional behavior are disrupted in a sex-dependent fashion in adolescent mice exposed to maternal stress or maternal obesity. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:399. [PMID: 38105264 PMCID: PMC10725882 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02701-1] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity has been recognized as a stressor affecting the developing fetal brain, leading to long-term negative outcomes comparable to those resulting from maternal psychological stress, although the mechanisms have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that adverse prenatal conditions as diverse as maternal stress and maternal obesity might affect emotional regulation and stress response in the offspring through common pathways, with a main focus on oxidative stress and neuroplasticity. We contrasted and compared adolescent male and female offspring in two mouse models of maternal psychophysical stress (restraint during pregnancy - PNS) and maternal obesity (high-fat diet before and during gestation - mHFD) by combining behavioral assays, evaluation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis of selected markers of neuronal function and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, a key region involved in stress appraisal. Prenatal administration of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) was used as a strategy to protect fetal neurodevelopment from the negative effects of PNS and mHFD. Our findings show that these two stressors produce overlapping effects, reducing brain anti-oxidant defenses (Nrf-2) and leading to sex-dependent impairments of hippocampal Bdnf expression and alterations of the emotional behavior and HPA axis functionality. Prenatal NAC administration, by restoring the redox balance, was able to exert long-term protective effects on brain development, suggesting that the modulation of redox pathways might be an effective strategy to target common shared mechanisms between different adverse prenatal conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Musillo
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
- Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Kerstin C Creutzberg
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Collacchi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta De Simone
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Lepre
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Berry
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Volqvartz T, Andersen HHB, Pedersen LH, Larsen A. Obesity in pregnancy-Long-term effects on offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associations with placental cortisol metabolism: A systematic review. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:4393-4422. [PMID: 37974556 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Obesity, affecting one in three pregnant women worldwide, is not only a major obstetric risk factor. The resulting low-grade inflammation may have a long-term impact on the offspring's HPA axis through dysregulation of maternal, placental and fetal corticosteroid metabolism, and children born of obese mothers have increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The long-term effects of maternal obesity on offspring neurodevelopment are, however, undetermined and could depend on the specific effects on placental and fetal cortisol metabolism. This systematic review evaluates how maternal obesity affects placental cortisol metabolism and the offspring's HPA axis. Pubmed, Embase and Scopus were searched for original studies on maternal BMI, obesity, and cortisol metabolism and transfer. Fifteen studies were included after the screening of 4556 identified records. Studies were small with heterogeneous exposures and outcomes. Two studies found that maternal obesity reduced placental HSD11β2 activity. In one study, umbilical cord blood cortisol levels were affected by maternal BMI. In three studies, an altered cortisol response was consistently seen among offspring in childhood (n = 2) or adulthood (n = 1). Maternal BMI was not associated with placental HSD11β1 or HSD11β2 mRNA expression, or placental HSD11β2 methylation. In conclusion, high maternal BMI is associated with reduced placental HSD11β2 activity and a dampened cortisol level among offspring, but the data is sparse. Further investigations are needed to clarify whether the HPA axis is affected by prenatal factors including maternal obesity and investigate if adverse effects can be ameliorated by optimising the intrauterine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabia Volqvartz
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Lars Henning Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Agnete Larsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Botschek T, Hußlein V, Peters EMJ, Brosig B. Hair cortisol as outcome parameter for psychological and neuropsychiatric interventions-a literature review. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1227153. [PMID: 37881597 PMCID: PMC10595010 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1227153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Studies measuring hair cortisol concentration (HCC) have been increasingly conducted to document stress-related, endocrine changes aggregated over time. Previous studies have shown that HCC reflects abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA axis) in the context of somatic diseases, such as Cushing's syndrome. HCC variations also reveal a corresponding alteration in HPA-axis-function in mental disorders, highlighting its potential role as a biomarker for interventions targeting mental health problems. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the role of HCC in various psychological and neuropsychiatric interventions and to explore the extent to which HCC can serve as a predictive or outcome parameter in such interventions by conducting a PRISMA-compliant review of the literature. Methods From May to July 2022, the databases Web of Science, Google Scholar, PsychINFO, and ResearchGate were systematically searched using different combinations of relevant keywords. Studies of different types that examined HCC in the context of a wide range of psychological and neuropsychiatric interventions were included. Studies in languages other than English or German and animal studies were excluded. The MMAT tool was used, to assesses the Risk of bias. Results The initial search identified 334 studies. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 publications with a total number of 1,916 participants were identified. An association between HCC and PTSD, depressive disorders, and ongoing social and family stress can be documented. The effect of relaxation techniques, mental training, CBT, or PTSD therapy on HCC has been studied with equivocal results. Some studies found decreased HCC after treatment, while others did not show a clear effect. Baseline HCC appears to be of particular importance. In some studies, higher baseline HCC was associated with increased treatment response, providing a predictive value for HCC. Discussion HCC is increasingly being used as a biomarker for the mapping of psychological and neuropsychiatric interventions. However, due to the wide range of study populations and interventions, results are still heterogeneous. Nevertheless, HCC seems to be an encouraging biological parameter to describe the trajectory of different interventions aimed at improving mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Botschek
- Family Psychosomatics, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Vincent Hußlein
- Family Psychosomatics, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Eva M. J. Peters
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, Germany
- Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Burkhard Brosig
- Family Psychosomatics, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Gießen, Germany
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Koskivuori J, Voutilainen R, Storvik M, Häkkinen MR, Uusitalo L, Keski-Nisula L, Backman K, Auriola S, Lehtonen M. Comparative steroid profiling of newborn hair and umbilical cord serum highlights the role of fetal adrenals, placenta, and pregnancy outcomes in fetal steroid metabolism. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 232:106357. [PMID: 37390977 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous steroid hormone studies concerning pregnancy and newborns have mainly focused on glucocorticoids; wider steroid profiles have been less commonly investigated. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of 17 steroids from newborn hair and umbilical cord serum at the time of delivery. The study participants (n = 42, 50% girls) were a part of the Kuopio Birth Cohort and represent usual Finnish pregnancies. The hair and cord serum samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. We detected high individual variations in steroid hormone concentrations in both sample matrices. The concentrations of cortisol (F), corticosterone (B), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 11β-hydroxyandostenedione (11bOHA4), 5α-androstanedione (DHA4), and 17α-hydroxypregnenolone (17OHP5) correlated positively between cord serum and newborn hair samples. In addition, F and 11bOHA4 concentrations correlated positively with each other in both newborn hair and cord serum samples. The cortisone-to-cortisol ratio (E/F) was significantly higher in cord serum than in newborn hair samples reflecting high placental 11βHSD2 enzyme activity. Only minor sex differences in steroid concentrations were observed; higher testosterone (T) and 11-deoxycortisol (S) with lower 11bOHA4 in male cord serum, and higher DHEA, androstenedione (A4) and 11bOHA4 in female newborn hair samples. Parity and delivery mode were the most significant pregnancy- and birth-related parameters associating with F and some other adrenocortical steroid concentrations. This study provides novel information about intrauterine steroid metabolism in late pregnancy and typical concentration ranges for several newborn hair steroids, including also 11-oxygenated androgens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Koskivuori
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1B, 70210 Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Raimo Voutilainen
- Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 100, 70029 Kuopio, Finland; Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Markus Storvik
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1B, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Merja R Häkkinen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1B, 70210 Kuopio, Finland; Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Lauri Uusitalo
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Leea Keski-Nisula
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Katri Backman
- Department of Pediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 100, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Seppo Auriola
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1B, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Marko Lehtonen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1B, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
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Khoury JE, Atkinson L, Jack S, Bennett T, Raha S, Duku E, Gonzalez A. Protocol for the COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study: a longitudinal study of parent distress, biological stress and child biopsychosocial development during the pandemic and beyond. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071926. [PMID: 37580092 PMCID: PMC10432660 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071926] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has had a unique impact on the mental health and well-being of pregnant individuals and parents of young children. However, the impact of COVID-19-related stress during pregnancy on early child biopsychosocial development, remains unclear. The COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study will: (1) investigate the impact of different forms of prenatal stress experienced during the pandemic (including objective hardship, perceived psychological distress and biological stress) on child stress biology, (2) examine the association between child stress biology and child developmental outcomes, (3) determine whether child stress biology acts as a mechanism linking prenatal stress to adverse child developmental outcomes and (4) assess whether gestational age at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic or child sex, moderate these associations. METHODS AND ANALYSES The COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study is a prospective longitudinal study, consisting of six time points, spanning from pregnancy to 3 years postpartum. The study began in June 2020, consisting of 304 pregnant people from Ontario, Canada. This multimethod study is composed of questionnaires, biological samples, behavioural observations and developmental assessments ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (#11034) and the Mount Saint Vincent University Research Ethics Board (#2020-187, #2021-075, #2022-008). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed presentations and publications, community presentations, and electronic forums (social media, newsletters and website postings).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Khoury
- Department of Psychology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Susan Jack
- School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Teresa Bennett
- Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandeep Raha
- Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eric Duku
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Karl M, Huth V, Schälicke S, Müller-Stark C, Weise V, Mack JT, Kirschbaum C, Weidner K, Garthus-Niegel S, Steudte-Schmiedgen S. The association between maternal symptoms of depression and hair glucocorticoids in infants across the perinatal period. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 147:105952. [PMID: 36370678 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal symptoms of depression constitute an early adversity for infants that is considered to exert its effects via the maternal-placental-fetal neuroendocrine axis. Previous research implicates associations between maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and infants' glucocorticoid (GC) levels shortly after birth. To date, associations have not been investigated in the early postnatal period. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of maternal perinatal symptoms of depression on infants' neonatal and postnatal hair GCs providing a retrospective reflection of integrated cortisol secretion in the intrauterine and early postnatal period, respectively. METHODS As part of a prospective cohort study, hair samples of infants were taken up to two weeks after delivery (N = 152) and again eight weeks after delivery (N = 165). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine hair cortisol and cortisone in scalp-near 2-cm hair segments. Maternal symptoms of depression were assessed during pregnancy and eight weeks postnatally based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. RESULTS Higher maternal prenatal symptoms of depression showed a significant association with higher infants' neonatal hair cortisol, when controlling for confounding variables (i.e., gestational age, mode of delivery, parity, storage time, pregnancy complications). A non-significant trend for this effect was found for the hair cortisol-to-cortisone ratio while no effect occurred for hair cortisone. No association of maternal postnatal symptoms of depression with infants' postnatal hair GCs was observed. Further exploratory analyses revealed no relationship between a change of maternal prenatal to postnatal symptoms of depression with the change from infants' neonatal to postnatal hair GC levels or postnatal hair GCs. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that maternal prenatal symptoms of depression are associated with dysregulated infants' hair cortisol levels mainly incorporated in the intrauterine period which, in turn, might contribute to increased susceptibility for later diseases. However, no relationship was observed in infants' hair samples additionally reflecting hair GCs of the early postnatal period. Future studies should consider research on associations between maternal symptoms of depression and infants' hair GCs also later in life and take into account additional risk factors with potential impacts on GC secretion during early infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Karl
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Vanessa Huth
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sarah Schälicke
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Corinna Müller-Stark
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute for Systems Medicine (ISM), Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Childhood and Families, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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Asali A, Farladansky-Gershnabel S, Hasky N, Elbaz M, Fishman A, Ravid D, Wiser A, Biron-Shental T, Berkovitz A, Miller N. Physiological and psychological stress responses to labor and delivery during COVID-19 pandemic: a cohort study. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2022; 43:441-446. [PMID: 35312463 DOI: 10.1080/0167482x.2022.2030308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate objective (saliva cortisol) and subjective (questionnaire) stress levels during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic compared to before the pandemic and their effects on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. METHODS This cohort study included 36 women with low-risk, singleton, term deliveries at a tertiary academic center during the COVID-19 pandemic and 49 who delivered before. Physiological stress was evaluated with salivary cortisol measurements, and emotional stress with stress scale questionnaires (0-10) during active and full dilation stages of labor, and 2-min postpartum. Cord blood cortisol and pH were obtained. Delivery mode, complications, and neonatal outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS Psychological stress was higher for the COVID-19 group compared to controls during full dilation (6.2 ± 3.4 vs. 4.2 ± 3, p = .009). The COVID-19 group had significantly lower cord cortisol levels (7.3 vs. 13.6 mcg/dl, p = .001). No differences were found regarding salivary cortisol level assessments at active, full dilation and 2-min post-delivery (p = .584, p = .254, p = .829, respectively). No differences were found regarding pH < 7.1 (p = .487), 1- and 5-min Apgar scores < 7 (p = .179) and neonatal weight (p = .958). CONCLUSIONS Women who delivered during COVID-19 pandemic had higher stress levels at full dilation and lower cord cortisol levels, as may be expected after exposure to a chronic stressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aula Asali
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sivan Farladansky-Gershnabel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noa Hasky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Elbaz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ami Fishman
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dorit Ravid
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amir Wiser
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Biron-Shental
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Arie Berkovitz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Netanella Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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10
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Klimes-Dougan B, Papke V, Carosella KA, Wiglesworth A, Mirza SA, Espensen-Sturges TD, Meester C. Basal and reactive cortisol: A systematic literature review of offspring of parents with depressive and bipolar disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104528. [PMID: 35031342 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
One of the most consistent biological findings in the study of affective disorders is that those with depression commonly show abnormal cortisol response, which suggests dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Children of parents with mood disorders offer the opportunity to explore the biological pathways that may confer risk for psychopathology. This review explores basal and reactive cortisol in the offspring of parents who are currently depressed or have had a history of a depressive or bipolar disorder. Using PRISMA guidelines, search terms yielded 2002 manuscripts. After screening, 87 of these manuscripts were included. Results from the literature suggest that while the degree and direction of dysregulation varies, offspring of a parent with depression tend to show elevations in both basal (particularly morning and evening) and reactive (tentatively for social stressors) cortisol levels. There were few studies focused on offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. This review also discusses implications and recommendations for future research regarding the HPA axis in the intergenerational transmission of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Klimes-Dougan
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Victoria Papke
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Katherine A Carosella
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Andrea Wiglesworth
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Salahudeen A Mirza
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Tori D Espensen-Sturges
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Christina Meester
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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11
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Probo M, Peric T, Fusi J, Prandi A, Faustini M, Veronesi MC. Hair cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations in healthy beef calves from birth to 6 months of age. Theriogenology 2021; 175:89-94. [PMID: 34517287 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.08.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are recognized as the main fetal steroids, and they are likely to influence fetal development and have long-term effects on newborn hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function. DHEA is often measured as its sulfates and expressed as DHEA-S. Hair analysis represents a promising methodological approach for the non-invasive measurement of steroids, allowing for a retrospective analysis of the total exposure to steroids over time, and avoiding the influence of acute events or circadian fluctuations. Hair cortisol and DHEA concentrations have been investigated in cows, but no studies have been performed on calves. The object of this study was to evaluate hair cortisol (HC) and hair DHEA-S (HDHEA-S) concentrations in beef calves from birth to six months of age. Hair samples of 12 beef calves (seven males, five females) were firstly collected at birth (T1) and then every three weeks up to six months of age (T2-T10), collecting only the re-grown hair. HC and HDHEA-S were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Calves sex, weight and APGAR score were registered immediately after birth. Statistical analysis revealed that both HC and HDHEA-S were influenced by sampling time (P < 0.001). HC concentrations were higher at T1 compared to all subsequent samplings (T2-T10, P < 0.01); HC concentrations were higher at T2 compared to T4-T10 (P < 0.01), while no further changes were detected from T3 onward. Higher HDHEA-S concentrations were registered at T1, T2 and T3 compared to all the other samplings (P < 0.01). No correlation was found between hair concentrations of both steroids and calf sex or birthweight. APGAR score was negatively correlated only with HC at birth (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that C and DHEA-S are quantifiable in the hair of calves and are influenced by their age. The higher HC detected at birth (T1) probably reflects the high serum C concentrations present late in pregnancy and increased by the fetal HPA axis, by which parturition is initiated in cows. The highest HDHEA-S at birth (T1) in calves indicates that the largest amounts of DHEA and its sulfates are produced during fetal development. Moreover, the findings of higher HC at three weeks after birth and of higher HDHEA-S until six weeks after birth, suggest that C and DHEA secretion continues also beyond birth, and that these steroids could be involved in the events occurring during the challenging first weeks of age in the calf.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Probo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - T Peric
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - J Fusi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - A Prandi
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Via Sondrio, 2/a, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - M Faustini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - M C Veronesi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
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12
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Stoye DQ, Sullivan G, Galdi P, Kirschbaum C, Lamb GJ, Black GS, Evans MJ, Boardman JP, Reynolds RM. Perinatal determinants of neonatal hair glucocorticoid concentrations. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 128:105223. [PMID: 33878601 PMCID: PMC8155393 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adult hair glucocorticoid concentrations reflect months of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. However, little is known about the determinants of neonatal hair glucocorticoids. We tested associations between perinatal exposures and neonatal hair glucocorticoids. Cortisol and cortisone were measured by LC-MS/MS in paired maternal and infant hair samples collected within 10 days of birth (n = 49 term, n = 47 preterm), with neonatal samples collected at 6-weeks in n = 54 preterm infants. We demonstrate cortisol accumulation in hair increases with fetal maturity, with hair cortisol being higher in term than preterm born infants after delivery (median 401 vs 106 pg/mg; p < 0.001). In term born infants, neonatal hair cortisol is positively associated with maternal hair cortisol concentration (β = 0.240, p = 0.045) and negatively associated with birthweight z-score (β = -0.340, p = 0.006). Additionally, being born without maternal labour is associated with lower hair cortisol concentrations (β = -0.489, p < 0.001) and a lower ratio of cortisol to cortisone (β = -0.484, p = 0.001). In preterm infants, histological chorioamnionitis is associated with a higher cortisol to cortisone ratio in hair (β = 0.459, p = 0.001). In samples collected 6 weeks after preterm birth, hair cortisol concentration is associated with cortisol hair concentrations measured after birth (β = 0.523, p < 0.001), chorioamnionitis (β = 0.250, p = 0.049) and postnatal exposures including intravenous hydrocortisone therapy (β = 0.343, p < 0.007) and neonatal sepsis (β = 0.290, p = 0.017). In summary, neonatal hair cortisol is associated with birth gestation, maternal hair cortisol concentration and fetal growth. Additionally, exposures at delivery are important determinants of hair cortisol, and should be considered in the design of future research investigating how neonatal hair cortisol relates to prenatal exposures or fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q Stoye
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gemma Sullivan
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Paola Galdi
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Gillian J Lamb
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gill S Black
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Margaret J Evans
- Department of Pathology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - James P Boardman
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rebecca M Reynolds
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, UK.
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13
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Romijn M, van Tilburg LJL, Hollanders JJ, van der Voorn B, de Goede P, Dolman KM, Heijboer AC, Broekman BFP, Rotteveel J, Finken MJJ. The Association between Maternal Stress and Glucocorticoid Rhythmicity in Human Milk. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13051608. [PMID: 34064929 PMCID: PMC8151700 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chronic stress is often accompanied by alterations in the diurnal rhythm of hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal activity. However, there are limited data on the diurnal rhythmicity of breast milk glucocorticoids (GCs) among women with psychological distress. We compared mothers who sought consultation at an expertise center for pregnant women with an increased risk of psychological distress with control mothers for GC diurnal rhythmicity in milk and saliva obtained at the same time. Methods: We included 19 mothers who sought consultation at the psychiatry–obstetric–pediatric (POP) outpatient clinic and 44 control mothers. One month postpartum, mothers collected on average eight paired milk and saliva samples during a 24 h period. GC levels were measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. GC rhythmicity parameters were determined with specialized software. Results: For both milk and saliva, no group differences regarding GC rhythms were found. Milk cortisol area under the curve with respect to the ground was lower in the POP group than in the control group (p = 0.02). GC levels in human milk and saliva were highly correlated within each group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although there were no differences between groups in GC rhythmicity, the total amount of milk cortisol was lower in the POP group. Long-term follow-up is needed to address the impact of vertical transmission of breast milk GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Romijn
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.J.L.v.T.); (J.J.H.); (J.R.); (M.J.J.F.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-(0)20-444-3137
| | - Luca J. L. van Tilburg
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.J.L.v.T.); (J.J.H.); (J.R.); (M.J.J.F.)
| | - Jonneke J. Hollanders
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.J.L.v.T.); (J.J.H.); (J.R.); (M.J.J.F.)
| | - Bibian van der Voorn
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Paul de Goede
- Laboratory of Endocrinology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Koert M. Dolman
- Department of Pediatrics, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG), 1006 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Annemieke C. Heijboer
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Endocrine Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Birit F. P. Broekman
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Joost Rotteveel
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.J.L.v.T.); (J.J.H.); (J.R.); (M.J.J.F.)
| | - Martijn J. J. Finken
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.J.L.v.T.); (J.J.H.); (J.R.); (M.J.J.F.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Associations between social adversity and young children's hair cortisol: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 127:105176. [PMID: 33662801 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Psychosocial and socioeconomic adversity in early childhood (termed 'social adversity') can have lifelong detrimental effects on health and development. Physiological stress is one proposed mechanism by which social adversity 'gets under the skin'. There is substantial research interest in whether hair cortisol, a biomarker proposed to measure the cumulative physiological stress response over time, can illustrate this mechanism. As a result, a growing number of studies have tested for associations between indicators of social adversity and child hair cortisol. The aim of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive, systematic review of the evidence for associations between indicators of social adversity and hair cortisol, specifically in young children (birth to 8 years) published any time up to 31 December 2019. The literature search identified 44 published studies that met inclusion criteria. The studies examined associations between one or more indicators of social adversity and child hair cortisol across 35 independent cohorts comprising 8370 children. Indicators of adversity examined in the identified literature included socioeconomic factors (e.g. low parental education, low income and unemployment), psychosocial factors (e.g. parent stress, poor mental health and family violence), and children's direct exposure to maltreatment, abuse and stressful events. Across all indicators of adversity, a total of 142 associations with hair cortisol were examined. Evidence of associations was limited and inconsistent; 34/142 (24%) showed evidence of a positive association between adversity and higher hair cortisol, 8/142 (6%) showed a negative association, and more than two thirds (100/142, 70%) of all examined associations were null. The collective evidence appears insufficient to conclude that there is a relationship between social adversity and hair cortisol, as a measure of physiological stress response, in young children.
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15
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da Silveira AC, Leite ÁJM, Cabral PC, de Oliveira AC, de Oliveira KA, de Lira PIC. Toxic stress, health and nutrition among Brazilian children in shelters. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:112. [PMID: 33676454 PMCID: PMC7936454 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02577-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Living in a shelter is an adverse experience that generates toxic stress. This situation can cause the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and exert a negative impact on health.The aim of the present study was to determine the association between toxic stress and social, clinical and nutritional characteristics in children at welfare institutions in a city of northeastern of Brazil. Methods An analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with male and female children up to 60 months of age who live in shelters. Hair cortisol was used for the assessment of stress (immunoassay). The anthropometric data collected were height for age, body mass index for age, arm circumference for age, and head circumference for age (expressed in z-scores). We also evaluated food intake using markers proposed by the Brazilian Dietary and Nutritional Vigilance Surveillance System as well as the occurrence of dental caries and anemia. Results Sixty-three children one to 60 months of age participated in the present study. Asthma was the most frequent disease (11.1%). The prevalence of short stature, anemia and dental caries in the sample was 22.2, 22.2 and 9.4%, respectively. Cortisol levels ranged from 0.93 pg/mg to 391.29 pg/mg (median: 6.17 pg/mg). Higher cortisol levels were found in children with illnesses (p = 0.012) and those who had been hospitalized after being admitted to the institutions (p = 0.001). Conclusions The majority of children had unhealthy eating behavior. The cortisol concentrations found in the present study were suggestive of dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Hypercortisolism was associated with illness and hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Poliana Coelho Cabral
- Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ariclécio Cunha de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology and Metabolism of the Institute of Biological Sciences of the State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
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16
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Stickel S, Eickhoff SB, Habel U, Stickeler E, Goecke TW, Lang J, Chechko N. Endocrine stress response in pregnancy and 12 weeks postpartum - Exploring risk factors for postpartum depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 125:105122. [PMID: 33421704 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy and the postpartum period are characterized by physiological alterations in cortisol and cortisone levels. In the present study, we sought to explore the risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD) and self-remitting postpartum adjustment disorder (AD) and whether cortisol/cortisone metabolism might have any bearing on them. Hair samples from 196 participants (mean age = 31.44, SD = 4.71) were collected at two time points (1-6 days after childbirth and 12 weeks postpartum) to determine the cumulative hair cortisol (HCC) and hair cortisone (HCNC) exposure in the third trimester and during the 12 weeks postpartum. Compared to the non-depressed group (ND, n = 141), more women in the AD (n = 28) and PPD (n = 27) groups had a personal or family history of depression and more stressful life events. Compared to ND and PPD, more women in the AD group had birth-related complications with their children being more often transferred to a pediatric ward. The factors associated with PPD were found to include being unmarried and having a lower household income, less support at home, more subjectively perceived stress after childbirth and lower maternal sensitivity. The natural decrease in HCC concentration from the third trimester to 12 weeks postpartum was significant only in the ND and AD groups, but not in PPD. In summary, prolonged subjectively perceived postpartum stress associated with living situations may contribute to the development of PPD while birth- and child-related complications are likely to trigger brief episodes of AD. Only in ND and AD, the pregnancy-related physiological changes in glucocorticoid levels return to the pre-pregnancy baseline after 12 weeks. Our observations point to the difference between the ND and PPD groups in glucocorticoid metabolism-related postpartum adjustment, which may be a factor in the development of PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Stickel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
| | - S B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - U Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - E Stickeler
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - T W Goecke
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; RoMed Hospital Rosenheim, Department of Obstetrics, Pettenkoferstraße 10, 83022 Rosenheim, Germany
| | - J Lang
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - N Chechko
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Strasse, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
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17
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Broeks CW, Choenni V, Kok R, van der Voorn B, de Kruijff I, van den Akker ELT, van Rossum EFC, Hoogendijk WJG, Hillegers MHJ, Kamperman AM, Lambregtse-Van den Berg MP. An exploratory study of perinatal hair cortisol concentrations in mother-infant dyads with severe psychiatric disorders versus healthy controls. BJPsych Open 2021; 7:e28. [PMID: 33407971 PMCID: PMC8058941 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2020.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal psychopathology during pregnancy is associated with negative outcomes in offspring. Increased placental transfer of maternal cortisol may contribute to mediate this association. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) appear to be a good biomarker of long-term prenatal stress exposure. Little is known about the associations between severe maternal psychopathology and perinatal infant HCCs. AIMS We assessed HCCs in the perinatal period in mother-infant dyads with and without severe psychiatric disorders. METHOD We examined group differences in HCCs of mother-infant dyads (n = 18) subjected to severe maternal psychiatric disorders versus healthy control dyads (n = 27). We assessed the correlation of HCCs between mother and infant within both groups, and the association between current maternal symptoms and HCCs in patient dyads. RESULTS Median (interquartile range) and distribution of HCC differed in patients compared with control mothers (U = 468.5, P = 0.03). HCCs in infants of patients did not differ from control infants (U = 250.0, P = 0.67). Subsequently, we found that HCCs within healthy control dyads were correlated (n = 27, r 0.55 (0.14), P = 0.003), but were not within patient dyads (n = 18, r 0.082 (0.13), P = 0.746). HCCs in infants of patients showed a positive correlation with maternal symptoms (n = 16, r = 0.63 (0.06), P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings suggest that infant HCC reflect perinatal stress exposure. In infants, these early differences could influence lifetime hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning, which might be associated with increased susceptibility to later disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlinde W Broeks
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; and Department of Psychiatry, Arkin Institute for Mental Health, the Netherlands
| | - Vandhana Choenni
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Rianne Kok
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bibian van der Voorn
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Obesity Center CGG, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, the Netherlands; and Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Ineke de Kruijff
- Department of Pediatrics, St Antonius Hospital Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | | | - Elisabeth F C van Rossum
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | | | - Manon H J Hillegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid M Kamperman
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; and Epidemiological and Social Psychiatric Research Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Mijke P Lambregtse-Van den Berg
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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18
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Marceau K, Wang W, Robertson O, Shirtcliff EA. A systematic review of hair cortisol during pregnancy: Reference ranges and methodological considerations. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 122:104904. [PMID: 33080521 PMCID: PMC8634732 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The present study systematically reviewed 56 articles that assessed hair cortisol concentrations during pregnancy collected from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science on 8/9/19 and updated on 6/29/20. Our goals were to establish reference ranges by trimester based on published studies. The majority of any given sample (e.g., 70 %, the range of -1SD to +1SD) is expected to fall between 0 and 34.15 pg/mg in trimester 1 and 2, and between 8.59 and 44 pg/mg in trimester 3, with very wide ranges (e.g., values of >250 pg/mg) and substantially higher values (e.g., averages of 200's-300's reaching as high as 768 pg/mg) coming out of one specific lab. Delineating a reference range for hair cortisol concentrations across pregnancy is challenging because of known factors like differences in values returned by different laboratories and assay types. We observed inconsistency in descriptions of the data and data preparation steps post-assay. Key findings include that only half of the studies examining all three trimesters showed a constant increase in mean levels (most retrospectively assessed via segmenting), with considerable variability in patterns of change. None of the studies reported individual patterns of change. Examining within-person changes are an important next step for the field. We conclude that researchers should more clearly report decisions around outliers, units, and specifics of data transformations in the future in order to improve our ability to compare findings across studies, to understand differences in HCC values reported, and potentially to understand differences in reported associations of HCC with other phenotypes in the literature.
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19
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Fuchs A, Dittrich K, Neukel C, Winter S, Zietlow AL, Kluczniok D, Herpertz SC, Hindi Attar C, Möhler E, Fydrich T, Bermpohl F, Kaess M, Resch F, Bödeker K. Hair cortisol moderates the association between obstetric complications and child wellbeing. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104845. [PMID: 32861165 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Obstetric complications (OC) may have implications for later health outcomes. However, there is a lack of research examining the association between OC and behavior problems or quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to close this gap and further investigate functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis as a potential physiological vulnerability moderating the association between OC and behavior problems and HRQoL. We investigated 232 mothers and their five to 12-year-old children. Presence of OC during the pre-, peri-, and postnatal phases was determined by interviewing mothers. Children's behavior problems (CBCL, TRF) and HRQoL (Kidscreen rated by mothers and children) were assessed. Children gave 3 cm strands of hair for analysis of hair cortisol (HC). Structural equation modeling analyses with a latent variable of child outcome ("distress"), OC as predictor and HC as a potential moderator were conducted. OC significantly predicted distress (β = .33, p < .01). The model showed a good fit to the data: χ2(14)=15.66, p < .33, CFI=.99, TLI=.99, RMSEA=.02, 90 %CI [.00, .06], SRMR=.04. In addition, HC moderated the association between OC and distress (β=-.32, p < .01). The moderation model also showed a good fit: χ2(14) =7.13, p = .93, CFI=1.00, TLI=1.06, RMSEA=.00, 90 %CI [.00, .02], SRMR=.03. Results indicated that the association between OC and distress was significant only when children had low HC-levels. This was also the case for both externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Our results underline the notion of OC as a risk factor for child behavior problems and wellbeing and point to an important role of the children's physiological set-up such as HPA-functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fuchs
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Katja Dittrich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Corinne Neukel
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sibylle Winter
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Zietlow
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dorothea Kluczniok
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catherine Hindi Attar
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Möhler
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Fydrich
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Bermpohl
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany; University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Franz Resch
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Bödeker
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Musana JW, Cohen CR, Kuppermann M, Gerona R, Wanyoro A, Aguilar D, Santos N, Temmerman M, Weiss SJ. Association of differential symptoms of stress to hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations among pregnant women in Kenya. Stress 2020; 23:556-566. [PMID: 31747807 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1696305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize the stress experienced by pregnant women in Kenya and assess the relationship between perceived stress and stress-related biomarkers of cortisol and cortisone.Background: Kenyan women are exposed to multiple stressors that may result in chronic stress. However, antenatal stress has not been examined and characterized in Kenya; nor has the relationship between pregnant women's self-reported stress and stress biomarkers been established.Methods: One hundred and fifty women were recruited between 22 and 28 weeks gestation. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Hair samples were obtained for analysis of cortisol and cortisone. Factor analysis was used to extract unique clusters of stress symptoms from items in the PSS. Regression models were computed to examine relationships of stress to cortisone and cortisol, controlling for obstetric risk.Results: Mean age of the women was 25 years (SD = 5, ±16-41). Their degree of perceived stress and cortisol/cortisone concentrations both indicated moderate levels of stress. There was no association between general perceived stress and either hair cortisol or cortisone. However, factor analysis of the PSS identified three clusters of stress symptoms and one cluster - a woman's negative frame of mind regarding life and inefficacy in handling its problems - was associated with higher levels of cortisone (β= -.231, p = 0.011).Conclusions: Specific stress symptoms may have unique relationships to specific biomarkers and be more useful in assessment than general perceived stress. Assays of both hair cortisol and cortisone might enable a more comprehensive assessment of glucocorticoid activity and better prediction of health risks from stress.Lay summaryUnderstanding stress among rural pregnant Kenyan women may help in addressing risks during pregnancy that lead to adverse birth outcomes. Findings suggest that a woman's tendency to think negatively about life and to doubt her ability to handle life's problems are symptoms of stress that may contribute to higher levels of stress hormones. Assessing women's specific symptoms of stress and different stress hormones during pregnancy may more effectively identify women who need intervention to reduce their health risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W Musana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Craig R Cohen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Miriam Kuppermann
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roy Gerona
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anthony Wanyoro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Aguilar
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicole Santos
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marleen Temmerman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sandra J Weiss
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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21
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Meyer JS, Novak MA. Assessment of prenatal stress-related cortisol exposure: focus on cortisol accumulation in hair and nails. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:409-436. [PMID: 32783213 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress adversely affects offspring development. Although cortisol is hypothesized to be a key mediator of stress-induced developmental deficits, determining the amount of fetal cortisol exposure produced by maternal stress has proved challenging. Current approaches, such as measuring cortisol concentrations in maternal plasma, saliva, or urine, amniotic fluid, fetal plasma, or cord blood, all have significant limitations for assessing cumulative fetal cortisol exposure over time. A recently emerging approach is to measure cortisol concentrations in maternal hair and/or newborn hair or nail samples. Maternal hair cortisol potentially shows long-term production across each trimester of pregnancy, whereas neonatal hair or nail cortisol is thought to reflect mainly third trimester hormone accumulation. This review first describes fetal adrenocortical development, placental cortisol metabolism, and the various sources of fetal cortisol exposure across pregnancy. We then summarize the results obtained from "classical" methods of assessing prenatal cortisol exposure prior to the advent of hair and nail cortisol measurement. Lastly, we discuss the initial development and validation of the hair cortisol methodology, its subsequent application to studies of chronic stress, and recent findings regarding maternal and neonatal hair or nail cortisol concentrations in relation to prenatal stress and other variables of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrold S Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Melinda A Novak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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22
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Al-Hussainy A, Mohammed R. Consequences of maternal psychological stress during pregnancy for the risk of asthma in the offspring. Scand J Immunol 2020; 93:e12919. [PMID: 32542784 DOI: 10.1111/sji.12919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is a common lung condition that makes breathing difficult through the inflammation and constriction of the lung airways. Epidemiological evidence supports the presence of a positive association between prenatal maternal psychological stress (PMPS) and asthma in the offspring, suggesting the disease may have developmental origins. T-helper 2 (Th2) cells are a major subtype of T-helper cells, producing Th2 cytokines, which may be the main drivers of asthma symptoms. A Th2 dominant blood cytokine profile may therefore indicate an increased risk of asthma, as studies have shown a link between PMPS and a T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokine profile in offspring. The mechanism by which PMPS may cause Th2 cytokine dominance in the offspring is unclear. Epigenetic modifications in utero can lead to long-lasting effects that persist postnatally and have therefore been implicated in this relationship. Increased maternal blood cortisol levels due to PMPS may increase transfer of cortisol to the foetus, where the temporarily increased levels may induce changes in the epigenome. Evidence from animal studies suggests that genes controlling cytokine production in T cells can be epigenetically modified in a way that increases Th2 cytokine production. Other evidence suggests that methylation of the NR3C1 gene decreases hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor expression, leading to decreased negative regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This can increase cortisol production which has been shown to increase Th2 cytokine production. Therefore, the link between PMPS and a Th2 offspring cytokine profile, mediated through epigenetic changes, may explain the positive relationship between PMPS and asthma in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raihan Mohammed
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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