Antidepressant use during pregnancy and serotonin transporter genotype (SLC6A4) Affect newborn serum reelin levels

This study was undertaken to determine whether altered early serotonin signaling either via gestational serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) exposure or genetic variations in the serotonin transporter promoter region (SLC6A4) alters levels of reelin, an important glycoprotein in neurodevelopment, in mothers and their neonates. Serum reelin protein expression was quantified by immunoblot from maternal and neonatal blood collected at delivery from women taking either an SRI during gestation or controls. SRI‐exposed mothers had higher levels of one reelin fragment, while SRI‐exposed neonates had lower total reelin levels, particularly in females and reelin levels differed with SLC6A4 genotype. Lower neonatal reelin levels predicted less time spent sleeping and more irritability during neonatal behavioral assessment on Day 6 of life. Our results suggest that prenatal SRI exposure and the SLC6A4 genotype influences reelin protein expression in both the mother and newborn and that this may be reflected in neonatal behavior. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 518–529, 2013     

Salivary alpha‐amylase during pregnancy: Diurnal course and associations with obstetric history,maternal demographics,and mood

Diurnal patterns of salivary alpha amylase (sAA) in pregnant women have not previously been described. The current study employed ecological momentary assessment to examine the association between the diurnal sAA, obstetric history, maternal demographics, and mood during pregnancy. Saliva was self‐collected by 83 pregnant women (89% White, age 25.3–43.0 years; mean gestational age 21.9 weeks, range 6–37 weeks; gravida 1–6) at home over three days. Results indicated that current pregnancy (gestational age and fetal sex) and maternal demographics were not related to diurnal sAA. In contrast, a history of previous miscarriage (Parameter = ?.17; SE = .05; p < .05) was associated with an atypical diurnal pattern. Even after accounting for obstetric history, trait anxiety (Parameter = .16; SE = .04; p < .001) was associated with increased sAA over the day while chronic levels of fatigue (Parameter = ?.06; SE = .03; p < .05) were associated with decreased sAA. In a separate model, we also tested the time varying covariation of sAA and mood. The effects of momentary mood were in contrast to those for trait mood. Both momentary depression (Parameter = .22; SE = .09; p < .01) and vigour/positive mood (Parameter = .12; SE = .04; p < .001) were associated with momentary increases in sAA while momentary anxiety and fatigue were not related to sAA. The findings suggest that basal sAA during pregnancy is sensitive to emotional arousal. Evaluating diurnal patterns of sAA holds promise for advancing understanding of how emotional arousal during pregnancy may affect fetal development. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 156–167, 2013     

Attachment security and recent stressful life events predict oxytocin levels: a pilot study of pregnant women with high levels of cumulative psychosocial adversity

Purpose: Recent reports indicate that prenatal levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) are inversely related to depressive symptomatology and positively associated with more optimal interactive behaviors in mothers with high levels of cumulative psychosocial adversity (CPA). In the present pilot study, we aimed to identify factors associated with high versus low levels of OT in pregnant women with high levels of CPA. We hypothesized that insecurely attached women, and those who recently experienced stressful life events (SLE), would have lower levels of prenatal OT. Methods: Thirty pregnant women with mood and anxiety disorders and high levels of CPA were recruited from the perinatal mental health service of a general hospital. Participants completed self-report measures of psychosocial stress and adult attachment style, and blood was then drawn to assess OT. Results and conclusions: Lower OT levels were found among those who were insecurely attached, and among those who experienced SLE within the last year. In a multiple linear regression, both attachment security and SLE significantly contributed to a model of prenatal OT levels. These individual difference factors explained 38% of the variance in prenatal OT, which may in turn predict poorer maternal mental health and caregiving outcomes during the postpartum period.     

Sleep in adolescent depression: physiological perspectives

Depression and disturbed sleep are intimately and bidirectionally related. During adolescence, the incidence of both insomnia and major depression increases simultaneously, in a gender‐specific manner. The majority of depressed adolescents suffer from different types of subjective sleep complaints. Despite these complaints, the results from polysomnographic studies in depressed adolescents remain inconsistent. In general, similar features to those seen among adults with depressive disorder (e.g. abnormalities in rapid eye movement sleep and difficulties in sleep onset) have been reported, but expressed to a lesser degree. The inconsistency in findings may be linked with maturational factors, factors related to the stage of illness and greater heterogeneity in the clinical spectrum of depression among adolescents. The exact neurobiological mechanisms by which sleep alterations and depression are linked during adolescence are not fully understood. Aberrations in brain maturation, expressed at different levels of organization, for example gene expression, neurotransmitter and hormone metabolism, and activity of neuronal networks have been suggested. The circadian systems may change in adolescent depression beyond that observed during healthy adolescent development (i.e. beyond the typical circadian shift towards eveningness). A number of therapeutic approaches to alleviate sleep disruption associated with depression have been proposed, but research on the efficacy of these interventions in adolescents is lacking. Knowledge of the neurobiological links between sleep and depression during adolescence could lead to new insights into effective prevention and treatment of depression.