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Carter S, Lin JC, Chow T, Martinez MP, Qiu C, Feldman RK, McConnell R, Xiang AH. Preeclampsia Onset, Days to Delivery, and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring: Clinical Birth Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e47396. [PMID: 38630528 PMCID: PMC11063875 DOI: 10.2196/47396] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal preeclampsia is associated with a risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in offspring. However, it is unknown whether the increased ASD risk associated with preeclampsia is due to preeclampsia onset or clinical management of preeclampsia after onset, as clinical expectant management of preeclampsia allows pregnant women with this complication to remain pregnant for potentially weeks depending on the onset and severity. Identifying the risk associated with preeclampsia onset and exposure provides evidence to support the care of high-risk pregnancies and reduce adverse effects on offspring. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to fill the knowledge gap by assessing the ASD risk in children associated with the gestational age of preeclampsia onset and the number of days from preeclampsia onset to delivery. METHODS This retrospective population-based clinical cohort study included 364,588 mother-child pairs of singleton births between 2001 and 2014 in a large integrated health care system in Southern California. Maternal social demographic and pregnancy health data, as well as ASD diagnosis in children by the age of 5 years, were extracted from electronic medical records. Cox regression models were used to assess hazard ratios (HRs) of ASD risk in children associated with gestational age of the first occurrence of preeclampsia and the number of days from first occurrence to delivery. RESULTS Preeclampsia occurred in 16,205 (4.4%) out of 364,588 pregnancies; among the 16,205 pregnancies, 2727 (16.8%) first occurred at <34 weeks gestation, 4466 (27.6%) first occurred between 34 and 37 weeks, and 9012 (55.6%) first occurred at ≥37 weeks. Median days from preeclampsia onset to delivery were 4 (IQR 2,16) days, 1 (IQR 1,3) day, and 1 (IQR 0,1) day for those first occurring at <34, 34-37, and ≥37 weeks, respectively. Early preeclampsia onset was associated with greater ASD risk (P=.003); HRs were 1.62 (95% CI 1.33-1.98), 1.43 (95% CI 1.20-1.69), and 1.23 (95% CI 1.08-1.41), respectively, for onset at <34, 34-37, and ≥37 weeks, relative to the unexposed group. Within the preeclampsia group, the number of days from preeclampsia onset to delivery was not associated with ASD risk in children; the HR was 0.995 (95% CI 0.986-1.004) after adjusting for gestational age of preeclampsia onset. CONCLUSIONS Preeclampsia during pregnancy was associated with ASD risk in children, and the risk was greater with earlier onset. However, the number of days from first preeclampsia onset to delivery was not associated with ASD risk in children. Our study suggests that ASD risk in children associated with preeclampsia is not increased by expectant management of preeclampsia in standard clinical practice. Our results emphasize the need to identify effective approaches to preventing the onset of preeclampsia, especially during early pregnancy. Further research is needed to confirm if this finding applies across different populations and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Carter
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Jane C Lin
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Ting Chow
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Mayra P Martinez
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Chunyuan Qiu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Baldwin Park Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Baldwin Park, CA, United States
| | - R Klara Feldman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baldwin Park Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Baldwin Park, CA, United States
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anny H Xiang
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
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González-Rojas A, Valencia-Narbona M. Neurodevelopmental Disruptions in Children of Preeclamptic Mothers: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Consequences. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3632. [PMID: 38612445 PMCID: PMC11012011 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem disorder characterized by elevated blood pressure in the mother, typically occurring after 20 weeks of gestation and posing risks to both maternal and fetal health. PE causes placental changes that can affect the fetus, particularly neurodevelopment. Its key pathophysiological mechanisms encompass hypoxia, vascular and angiogenic dysregulation, inflammation, neuronal and glial alterations, and disruptions in neuronal signaling. Animal models indicate that PE is correlated with neurodevelopmental alterations and cognitive dysfunctions in offspring and in humans, an association between PE and conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and sexual dimorphism has been observed. Considering the relevance for mothers and children, we conducted a narrative literature review to describe the relationships between the pathophysiological mechanisms behind neurodevelopmental alterations in the offspring of PE mothers, along with their potential consequences. Furthermore, we emphasize aspects pertinent to the prevention/treatment of PE in pregnant mothers and alterations observed in their offspring. The present narrative review offers a current, complete, and exhaustive analysis of (i) the pathophysiological mechanisms that can affect neurodevelopment in the children of PE mothers, (ii) the relationship between PE and neurological alterations in offspring, and (iii) the prevention/treatment of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea González-Rojas
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias Aplicadas, Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Valparaíso 2340025, Chile;
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Khashan AS, O’Keeffe GW. The Impact of Maternal Inflammatory Conditions During Pregnancy on the Risk of Autism: Methodological Challenges. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100287. [PMID: 38501118 PMCID: PMC10945434 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.100287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ali S. Khashan
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard W. O’Keeffe
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Buckley D, Khashan AS, McCarthy FP, O'Connor K, Maher GM. The Association between Threatened Miscarriage and Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Offspring by Age 14 Years. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06251-3. [PMID: 38281274 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06251-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between threatened miscarriage, and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring by age 14 years. METHODS We used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of children born in the UK. Data on threatened miscarriage and potential confounders were maternal-reported and collected at 9 months postpartum. Data on ASD and ADHD were based on maternal-reported doctor diagnoses and collected when children were aged 5, 7, 11 and 14 years. A diagnosis of ASD or ADHD was assumed if parents reported ASD or ADHD at age 5, 7, 11 or 14 years. Crude and adjusted logistic regression examined threatened miscarriage and ASD and ADHD relationship, adjusting for several sociodemographic, maternal and lifestyle factors. RESULTS A total of 18,294 singleton babies were included at baseline, and 1,104 (6.0%) women experienced a threatened miscarriage during their pregnancy. Adjusted results suggested an association between threatened miscarriage and ASD (OR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.15, 2.08), and ADHD (OR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.09, 2.10) by age 14 years. E-values for threatened miscarriage and ASD were 2.47, while the lower limits of the 95% CI were 1.57. E-values for threatened miscarriage and ADHD were 2.39, while the corresponding lower limits of the 95% CI were 1.40. CONCLUSION Threatened miscarriage was associated with an increased likelihood of ASD and ADHD by the age of 14 years, however, residual confounding cannot be ruled out. Placental pathology may be a potential mechanism for the observed associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daire Buckley
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Ali S Khashan
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Fergus P McCarthy
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Karen O'Connor
- Early Intervention in Psychosis Team, RISE, South Lee Mental Health Services, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gillian M Maher
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Ma Q, Cui Y, Han X, Xiong Y, Xu J, Zhao H, Li X, Cheng W, Zhou Q. Association of maternal hypertension during pregnancy with brain structure and behavioral problems in early adolescence. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023:10.1007/s00787-023-02305-6. [PMID: 37803213 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02305-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests an association between maternal hypertension during pregnancy and mental health in the offspring. However, less is known about the role of hypertensive pregnancy in behavioral symptoms and brain structures of the offspring as well as in their developmental changes. Here, we utilized neuroimaging and behavioral data from 11,878 participants aged 9-10 years and their 2-year follow-up from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to investigate the long-term effects of maternal hypertension during pregnancy on early adolescent behavior and brain anatomy. Specifically, adolescents born of mothers with maternal hypertension are at risk of long-lasting behavioral problems, as manifested by higher externalizing and internalizing behavior scores at both 9-10 years and 11-12 years. These participants additionally presented with a higher cortical thickness, particularly in the fronto-parieto-temporal areas at 9-10 years. Four regions, including the left parahippocampus, left lateral orbitofrontal lobe, right superior temporal lobe and right temporal pole, remained thicker 2 years later. These findings were partially validated in rats modeled with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) preeclampsia. Therefore, clinicians and women who experience hypertension during pregnancy should be warned of this risk, and healthcare providers should recommend appropriate clinical interventions for pregnancy-induced hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ma
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yutong Cui
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xiaoyang Han
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jinghui Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Huanqiang Zhao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xiaotian Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- Department of Obstetrics, Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Wei Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
- Fudan ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China.
- Shanghai Medical College and Zhongshan Hospital Immunotherapy Technology Transfer Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiongjie Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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Zhen Lim TX, Pickering TA, Lee RH, Hauptman I, Wilson ML. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and occurrence of ADHD, ASD, and epilepsy in the child: A meta-analysis. Pregnancy Hypertens 2023; 33:22-29. [PMID: 37356382 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
AIM To synthesize epidemiologic literature pertaining to the association between preeclampsia (PE), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and epilepsy. METHOD A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was performed supplemented by hand-searching of reference lists of eligible studies. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts following a prepared protocol. Data extraction and quality appraisal using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale were performed by an independent reviewer. PRISMA guidelines were followed throughout. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Adjusted pooled Odds Ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were reported. RESULTS Fifteen out of 121 identified studies were eligible for inclusion. Six reported adjusted estimates for ADHD, resulting in a pooled odds ratio of 1.29 (95% CI: 1.20, 1.38). Eight reported adjusted estimates for ASD, resulting in a pooled odds ratio of 1.27 (95% CI:1.22, 1.32). Three reported adjusted estimates for epilepsy, resulting in a pooled odds ratio of 1.35 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.63). INTERPRETATION Intrauterine exposure to PE increased the risk of ADHD, ASD, and epilepsy, though it is unclear whether the true association is with pre-term birth. To our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis to quantify the association between PE and epilepsy. The results of this meta-analysis can inform screening strategies among children born to preeclamptic mothers for early identification and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Xiu Zhen Lim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Trevor A Pickering
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Richard H Lee
- Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Isabella Hauptman
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Melissa L Wilson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
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Bilder DA, Worsham W, Sullivan S, Esplin MS, Burghardt P, Fraser A, Bakian AV. Sex-specific and sex-independent steroid-related biomarkers in early second trimester maternal serum associated with autism. Mol Autism 2023; 14:30. [PMID: 37573326 PMCID: PMC10422808 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-023-00562-5] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to maternal metabolic conditions associated with inflammation and steroid dysregulation has previously been linked to increased autism risk. Steroid-related maternal serum biomarkers have also provided insight into the in utero steroid environment for offspring who develop autism. OBJECTIVE This study examines the link between autism among offspring and early second trimester maternal steroid-related serum biomarkers from pregnancies enriched for prenatal metabolic syndrome (PNMS) exposure. STUDY DESIGN Early second trimester maternal steroid-related serum biomarkers (i.e., estradiol, free testosterone, total testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin) were compared between pregnancies corresponding to offspring with (N = 68) and without (N = 68) autism. Multiple logistic regression analyses were stratified by sex and gestational duration. One-way ANCOVA with post hoc tests was performed for groups defined by autism status and PNMS exposure. RESULTS Increased estradiol was significantly associated with autism only in males (AOR = 1.13 per 100 pg/ml, 95% CI 1.01-1.27, p = 0.036) and only term pregnancies (AOR = 1.17 per 100 pg/ml, 95% CI 1.04-1.32, p = 0.010). Autism status was significantly associated with decreased sex hormone binding globulin (AOR = 0.65 per 50 nmol/L, 95% CI 0.55-0.78, p < 0.001) overall and when stratified by sex and term pregnancy status. The inverse association between sex hormone binding globulin and autism was independent of PNMS exposure. LIMITATIONS The relative racial and ethnic homogeneity of Utah's population limits the generalizability of study results. Although significant differences by autism status were identified in concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin overall and of estradiol in participant subgroups, differences by PNMS exposure failed to reach statistical significance, which may reflect insufficient statistical power. CONCLUSION Both elevated maternal serum estradiol in males only and low maternal serum sex hormone binding globulin in both sexes are associated with increased autism risk. Further investigation is merited to identify how steroid, metabolic, and inflammatory processes can interact to influence neurodevelopment in early second trimester.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Bilder
- University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute, 383 Colorow Drive, Room 360, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
| | - Whitney Worsham
- University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - M Sean Esplin
- University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Alison Fraser
- University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Amanda V Bakian
- University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute, 383 Colorow Drive, Room 360, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
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Liu X, Liu H, Gu N, Pei J, Lin X, Zhao W. Preeclampsia promotes autism in offspring via maternal inflammation and fetal NFκB signaling. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202301957. [PMID: 37290815 PMCID: PMC10250690 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202301957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the impact of PE on progeny ASD are not fully understood, which hinders the development of effective therapeutic approaches. This study shows the offspring born to a PE mouse model treated by Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) exhibit ASD-like phenotypes, including neurodevelopment deficiency and behavioral abnormalities. Transcriptomic analysis of the embryonic cortex and adult offspring hippocampus suggested the expression of ASD-related genes was dramatically changed. Furthermore, the level of inflammatory cytokines TNFα in maternal serum and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling in the fetal cortex were elevated. Importantly, TNFα neutralization during pregnancy enabled to ameliorate ASD-like phenotypes and restore the NFκB activation level in the offspring exposed to PE. Furthermore, TNFα/NFκB signaling axis, but not L-NAME, caused deficits in neuroprogenitor cell proliferation and synaptic development. These experiments demonstrate that offspring exposed to PE phenocopies ASD signatures reported in humans and indicate therapeutic targeting of TNFα decreases the likelihood of bearing children with ASD phenotypes from PE mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyuan Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Haiyan Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nihao Gu
- International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Embryo-Feta Original Adult Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangnan Pei
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianhua Lin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenlong Zhao
- Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Embryo-Feta Original Adult Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Tsompanidis A, Blanken L, Broere-Brown ZA, van Rijn BB, Baron-Cohen S, Tiemeier H. Sex differences in placenta-derived markers and later autistic traits in children. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:256. [PMID: 37443170 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02552-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is more prevalent in males and males on average score higher on measures of autistic traits. Placental function is affected significantly by the sex of the fetus. It is unclear if sex differences in placental function are associated with sex differences in the occurrence of autistic traits postnatally. To assess this, concentrations of angiogenesis-related markers, placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) were assessed in maternal plasma of expectant women in the late 1st (mean= 13.5 [SD = 2.0] weeks gestation) and 2nd trimesters (mean=20.6 [SD = 1.2] weeks gestation), as part of the Generation R Study, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Subsequent assessment of autistic traits in the offspring at age 6 was performed with the 18-item version of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Associations of placental protein concentrations with autistic traits were tested in sex-stratified and cohort-wide regression models. Cases with pregnancy complications or a later autism diagnosis (n = 64) were also assessed for differences in placenta-derived markers. sFlt-1 levels were significantly lower in males in both trimesters but showed no association with autistic traits. PlGF was significantly lower in male pregnancies in the 1st trimester, and significantly higher in the 2nd trimester, compared to female pregnancies. Higher PlGF levels in the 2nd trimester and the rate of PlGF increase were both associated with the occurrence of higher autistic traits (PlGF-2nd: n = 3469,b = 0.24 [SE = 0.11], p = 0.03) in both unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models that controlled for age, sex, placental weight and maternal characteristics. Mediation analyses showed that higher autistic traits in males compared to females were partly explained by higher PlGF or a faster rate of PlGF increase in the second trimester (PlGF-2nd: n = 3469, ACME: b = 0.005, [SE = 0.002], p = 0.004). In conclusion, higher PlGF levels in the 2nd trimester and a higher rate of PlGF increase are associated with both being male, and with a higher number of autistic traits in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - L Blanken
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Z A Broere-Brown
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B B van Rijn
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - H Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA
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Wang LW, Lin HC, Tsai ML, Chang YT, Chang YC. Preterm birth and small for gestational age potentiate the association between maternal hypertensive pregnancy and childhood autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9606. [PMID: 37311942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36787-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Children of mothers with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have high rates of preterm-birth (gestational age < 37 weeks) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA), both of which are risk factors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study tested the multiple-hit hypothesis that preterm-birth and SGA in the neonatal period might potentiate the antenatal impact of HDP to increase childhood ASD hazards, and HDP might not be a major contributor. The propensity-score-matched cohort enrolled 18,131 mother-child pairs with HDP and 90,655 normotensive controls between 2004 and 2011. Children with siblings born to the same mothers were excluded for analysis to reduce the potential familial-genetic influence. HDP were classified into chronic-hypertension, gestational-hypertension, preeclampsia, and preeclampsia-with-chronic-hypertension. Using the normotensive group as the reference, the associations between HDP subgroups and the cumulative ASD risks were assessed with hazard ratios, and the effects of preterm-birth and SGA on the associations were examined. The HDP group had a higher cumulative rate of ASD (1.5%) than the normotensive group (1.2%). Preterm-birth and SGA exerted moderating effects to aggravate ASD hazards in children exposed to chronic-hypertension or gestational-hypertension. None of HDP types significantly contributed to ASD after adjustments. In conclusion, antenatal HDP exposure might predispose to ASD outcome through susceptibility to the impact of preterm-birth and SGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Wan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Chi Mei Medical Center, #901, Chung Hwa Rd., Yung Kang District, Tainan, 710402, Taiwan.
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.
| | - Hung-Chih Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Asia University Hospital, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Luen Tsai
- Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Tzu Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chia Chang
- Department of Long-Term Care, College of Health and Nursing, National Quemoy University, #1, University Rd., Jinning Township, Kinmen County, 892009, Kinmen, Taiwan.
- Department of Healthcare Administration, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Tsompanidis A, Warrier V, Baron-Cohen S. The genetics of autism and steroid-related traits in prenatal and postnatal life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1126036. [PMID: 37223033 PMCID: PMC10200920 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1126036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism likelihood is a largely heritable trait. Autism prevalence has a skewed sex ratio, with males being diagnosed more often than females. Steroid hormones play a mediating role in this, as indicated by studies of both prenatal biology and postnatal medical conditions in autistic men and women. It is currently unclear if the genetics of steroid regulation or production interact with the genetic liability for autism. Methods To address this, two studies were conducted using publicly available datasets, which focused respectively on rare genetic variants linked to autism and neurodevelopmental conditions (study 1) and common genetic variants (study 2) for autism. In Study 1 an enrichment analysis was conducted, between autism-related genes (SFARI database) and genes that are differentially expressed (FDR<0.1) between male and female placentas, in 1st trimester chorionic villi samples of viable pregnancies (n=39). In Study 2 summary statistics of genome wide association studies (GWAS) were used to investigate the genetic correlation between autism and bioactive testosterone, estradiol and postnatal PlGF levels, as well as steroid-related conditions such as polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS), age of menarche, and androgenic alopecia. Genetic correlation was calculated based on LD Score regression and results were corrected for multiple testing with FDR. Results In Study 1, there was significant enrichment of X-linked autism genes in male-biased placental genes, independently of gene length (n=5 genes, p<0.001). In Study 2, common genetic variance associated with autism did not correlate to the genetics for the postnatal levels of testosterone, estradiol or PlGF, but was associated with the genotypes associated with early age of menarche in females (b=-0.109, FDR-q=0.004) and protection from androgenic alopecia for males (b=-0.135, FDR-q=0.007). Conclusion The rare genetic variants associated with autism appear to interact with placental sex differences, while the common genetic variants associated with autism appear to be involved in the regulation of steroid-related traits. These lines of evidence indicate that the likelihood for autism is partly linked to factors mediating physiological sex differences throughout development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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12
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Prenatal Androgen Exposure and Traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Offspring: Odense Child Cohort. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:1053-1065. [PMID: 35124780 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05446-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Fetal androgen exposure may be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We studied 1777 mother-child pairs in the prospective Odense Child Cohort. Prenatal androgen exposure was assessed by maternal 3rd trimester testosterone concentrations, maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and 3 months offspring anogenital distance. ASD traits were assessed at age 3 years with the ASD-symptom scale of the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1½-5 years. Maternal testosterone was positively associated with traits of ASD in boys (p < 0.05). Maternal PCOS was associated with increased offspring ASD traits (p = 0.046), but became non-significant after excluding parental psychiatric diagnosis. Offspring anogenital distance was not linked to ASD traits. Higher prevalence of ASD in boys could be linked to higher susceptibility to fetal androgen exposure.
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13
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Li C, Zhang T, Li J. Identifying autism spectrum disorder in resting-state fNIRS signals based on multiscale entropy and a two-branch deep learning network. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 383:109732. [PMID: 36349567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109732] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The demand for early and precise identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presented a challenge to the prediction of ASD with a non-invasive neuroimaging method. NEW METHOD A deep learning model was proposed to identify children with ASD using the resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signals. In this model, the input was the pattern of brain complexity represented by multiscale entropy of fNIRS time-series signals, with the purpose to solve the problem of deep learning analysis when the raw signals were limited by length and the number of subjects. The model consisted of a two-branch deep learning network, where one branch was a convolution neural network and the other was a long short-term memory neural network based on an attention mechanism. RESULTS Our model could achieve an identification accuracy of 94%. Further analysis used the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to balance the accuracy and the number of optical channels, thus reducing the complexity of fNIRS experiment. COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUSLY USED METHOD(S): in identification accuracy, our model was about 14% higher than previously used deep learning models with the same input and 4% higher than the same model but directly using fNIRS signals as input. We could obtain a discriminative accuracy of 90% with nearly half of the measurement channels by the SHAP method. CONCLUSIONS Using the pattern of brain complexity as input was effective in the deep learning model when the fNIRS signals were insufficient. With the SHAP method, it was possible to reduce the number of optical channels, while maintaining high accuracy in ASD identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengxin Li
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, China
| | - Tingzhen Zhang
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, China
| | - Jun Li
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, China.
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14
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Carter SA, Lin JC, Chow T, Yu X, Rahman MM, Martinez MP, Feldman K, Eckel SP, Chen JC, Chen Z, Levitt P, Lurmann FW, McConnell R, Xiang AH. Maternal obesity, diabetes, preeclampsia, and asthma during pregnancy and likelihood of autism spectrum disorder with gastrointestinal disturbances in offspring. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 27:916-926. [PMID: 36062479 PMCID: PMC9984567 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221118430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autism spectrum disorder is heterogeneous and often accompanied by co-occurring conditions. Previous studies have shown that maternal health conditions during pregnancy including obesity, diabetes, preeclampsia, and asthma were associated with increased likelihood of autism. However, little has been done examining the likelihood associated with autism with co-occurring conditions. This study assessed these maternal health conditions in relationship to autism and gastrointestinal disturbances, a common co-occurring condition in children diagnosed with autism. Data included 308,536 mother-child pairs from one integrated health care system with comprehensive electronic medical records. Among the study cohort, 5,131 (1.7%) children had a diagnosis of autism by age 5. Gastrointestinal disturbances were present in 35.4% of children diagnosed with autism and 25.1% of children without autism diagnoses. Our results showed that each of the four maternal health conditions during pregnancy was associated with increased likelihood of gastrointestinal disturbances, autism without gastrointestinal disturbances, and autism with gastrointestinal disturbances. For all four maternal health conditions, the association was greatest for likelihood of autism with gastrointestinal disturbances. Given that children diagnosed with autism are more likely to have gastrointestinal disturbances and over 80% of gastrointestinal disturbances in this cohort were diagnosed prior to autism diagnosis, this study suggests that there may be common biological pathways between autism and gastrointestinal disturbances impacted by these maternal exposures. Future studies are warranted to assess associations between different exposures and autism with other co-occurring conditions to increase our understanding of autism heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jane C Lin
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, USA
| | - Ting Chow
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, USA
| | - Xin Yu
- University of Southern California, USA
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15
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Korzeniewski SJ, Sutton E, Escudero C, Roberts JM. The Global Pregnancy Collaboration (CoLab) symposium on short- and long-term outcomes in offspring whose mothers had preeclampsia: A scoping review of clinical evidence. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:984291. [PMID: 36111112 PMCID: PMC9470009 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.984291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a maternal syndrome characterized by the new onset of hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation associated with multisystemic complications leading to high maternal and fetal/neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, sequelae of preeclampsia may extend years after pregnancy in both mothers and their children. In addition to the long-term adverse cardiovascular effects of preeclampsia in the mother, observational studies have reported elevated risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, cerebral and cognitive complications in children born from women with preeclampsia. Less clear is whether the association between maternal preeclampsia and offspring sequelae are causal, or to what degree the associations might be driven by fetal factors including impaired growth and the health of its placenta. Our discussion of these complexities in the 2018 Global Pregnancy Collaboration annual meeting prompted us to write this review. We aimed to summarize the evidence of an association between maternal preeclampsia and neurobehavioral developmental disorders in offspring in hopes of generating greater research interest in this important topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Korzeniewski
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Steven J. Korzeniewski
| | - Elizabeth Sutton
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Carlos Escudero
- Group of Research and Innovation in Vascular Health, Chillán, Chile
- Vascular Physiology Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - James M. Roberts
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Epidemiology and Clinical and Translational Research, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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16
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Vakil P, Henry A, Craig ME, Gow ML. A review of infant growth and psychomotor developmental outcomes after intrauterine exposure to preeclampsia. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:513. [PMID: 36042465 PMCID: PMC9426217 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03542-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy with serious health implications for mother and their offspring. The uteroplacental vascular insufficiency caused by preeclampsia is associated with epigenetic and pathological changes in the mother and fetus. However, the impact of preeclampsia in infancy (birth to 2 years), a time of rapid development influenced by pre- and postnatal factors that can predict future health outcomes, remains inconclusive. This narrative review of 23 epidemiological and basic science studies assessed the measurement and impact of preeclampsia exposure on infant growth and psychomotor developmental outcomes from birth to 2 years. Studies assessing infant growth report that preeclampsia-exposed infants have lower weight, length and BMI at 2 years than their normotensive controls, or that they instead experience accelerated weight gain to catch up in growth by 2 years, which may have long-term implications for their cardiometabolic health. In contrast, clear discrepancies remain as to whether preeclampsia exposure impairs infant motor and cognitive development, or instead has no impact. It is additionally unknown whether any impacts of preeclampsia are independent of confounders including shared genetic factors that predispose to both preeclampsia and childhood morbidity, perinatal factors including small for gestational age or preterm birth and their sequelae, and postnatal environmental factors such childhood nutrition. Further research is required to account for these variables in larger cohorts born at term, to help elucidate the independent pathophysiological impact of this clinically heterogenous and dangerous disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Vakil
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amanda Henry
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Maria E Craig
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Sydney, Australia
| | - Megan L Gow
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, Australia. .,Department of Women's and Children's Health, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia. .,University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Sydney, Australia.
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17
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Placental dysfunction: The core mechanism for poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of preeclampsia pregnancies. Placenta 2022; 126:224-232. [PMID: 35872512 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading condition threatening pregnant women and their offspring. The offspring of PE pregnancies have a high risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and neuropsychological diseases later in life. However, the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of poor neurodevelopment remain undetermined. Abnormal placental functions are at the core of most PE cases, and recent research evidence supports that the placenta plays an important role in fetal brain development. Here, we summarize the relationship between abnormal fetal brain development and placental dysfunction in PE conditions, which include the dysfunction of nutrient and gas-waste exchange, impaired angiogenesis stimulation, abnormal neurotransmitter regulation, disrupted special protectors, and immune disorders. All these factors could lead to poor neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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18
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Villamor E, Susser ES, Cnattingius S. Defective placentation syndromes and autism spectrum disorder in the offspring: population-based cohort and sibling-controlled studies. Eur J Epidemiol 2022; 37:827-836. [PMID: 35789304 PMCID: PMC9464710 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-022-00884-3] [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: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Defective placentation underlies diverse syndromic manifestations that could affect brain development including: (1) placental abruption, (2) term preeclampsia with a small-for-gestational age (SGA) infant, (3) preterm preeclampsia, and (4) spontaneous preterm birth. We investigated the relations between these defective placentation syndromes and the incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in offspring. We conducted a population-based cohort study of 1,645,455 non-malformed singleton infants born in Sweden 2000-2016 who were followed for up to 17 years using national registers. We compared ASD rates for children prenatally exposed and unexposed to defective placentation syndromes with use of adjusted hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) from Cox regression. We also conducted sibling-controlled analyses among 1,092,132 full siblings. The association of the syndromes with ASD independent of preterm birth was estimated in mediation analyses. There were 23,810 cases of ASD. In both general cohort and sibling analyses, adjusted HRs (95% CI) of ASD were increased in children of mothers with term preeclampsia combined with SGA [1.5 (1.3, 1.9) and 1.9 (1.1, 3.3), respectively], preterm preeclampsia < 34 weeks [1.8 (1.4, 2.2) and 4.2 (2.1, 8.5), respectively], and spontaneous very or extremely preterm birth (≤ 31 weeks) [2.6 (2.2, 3.0) and 2.4 (1.5, 3.8), respectively]. Placental abruption was associated with increased HR of ASD in general cohort analysis only. The association between preeclampsia and ASD was not fully explained by preterm birth. In conclusion, syndromes linked to defective placentation are associated with increased incidence of ASD in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Villamor
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Ezra S Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sven Cnattingius
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Firestein MR, Romeo RD, Winstead H, Goldman DA, Grobman WA, Haas D, Mercer B, Parker C, Parry S, Reddy U, Silver R, Simhan H, Wapner RJ, Champagne FA. Elevated prenatal maternal sex hormones, but not placental aromatase, are associated with child neurodevelopment. Horm Behav 2022; 140:105125. [PMID: 35131524 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Fetal exposure to testosterone may contribute to vulnerability for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is hypothesized that placental aromatase prevents fetal exposure to maternal testosterone, however, this pathway and the implications for child neurodevelopment have not been fully explored. We examined the relationships between prenatal maternal testosterone and estradiol at 19.2 ± 1.3 weeks, cord blood testosterone and estradiol at birth, placental aromatase mRNA expression, and neurodevelopment using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, 3rd Edition (BASC-3), and the Empathizing Quotient for Children (EQ-C) at 4.5-6.5 years of age in a sample of 270 Nulliparous-Mothers-to-be (nuMoM2b) study participants. Maternal testosterone levels were positively associated with SCQ scores, but the association was not significant after adjusting for maternal age at delivery, nor was there a significant interaction with sex. Maternal estradiol levels were negatively associated with BASC-3 Clinical Probability scores among males (n = 139). We report a significant interaction effect of cord blood testosterone and fetal sex on both total SCQ scores and t-scores on the Developmental Social Disorders subscale. Placental aromatase was not associated with any neurodevelopmental or hormone measure, but under conditions of low placental aromatase expression, high maternal testosterone was positively associated with SCQ scores in males (n = 46). No other associations between hormone levels and neurodevelopment were significant. Our findings provide a foundation for further investigation of the mechanisms through which maternal sex hormones and placental steroidogenesis may affect fetal hormone production and neurobehavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan R Firestein
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Russell D Romeo
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Danielle A Goldman
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - William A Grobman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David Haas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Brian Mercer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Samuel Parry
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Uma Reddy
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert Silver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hyagriv Simhan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ronald J Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Maternal Mid-Gestation Cytokine Dysregulation in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:3919-3932. [PMID: 34505185 PMCID: PMC9349096 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05271-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by deficits in social interactions and communication, with stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that maternal immune dysregulation may predispose offspring to ASD. Independent samples t-tests revealed downregulation of IL-17A concentrations in cases, when compared to controls, at both 15 weeks (p = 0.02), and 20 weeks (p = 0.02), which persisted at 20 weeks following adjustment for confounding variables. This adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal immune regulation may play a role in foetal neurodevelopment.
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21
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Chen KR, Yu T, Kang L, Lien YJ, Kuo PL. Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and maternal hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Dev Med Child Neurol 2021; 63:1107-1113. [PMID: 33884610 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIM To examine the association of maternal chronic hypertension and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH)/preeclampsia with childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in a large-scale population-based cohort. METHOD We conducted a linked Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database cohort study of children born between 2004 and 2008 (n=877 233). Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental delay, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy (CP), and epilepsy/infantile spasms were identified from birth to the end of 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted with adjustment for potential confounders to estimate the effect of maternal hypertensive disorder of pregnancy on childhood outcomes. RESULTS Compared with the offspring of unexposed mothers, offspring of mothers with chronic hypertension or PIH/preeclampsia exhibited increased risk of developing a wide spectrum of NDDs. Chronic hypertension was associated with increased risks of ADHD (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-1.31), developmental delay (1.29, 1.21-1.38), intellectual disability (1.67, 1.43-1.95), CP (1.45, 1.14-1.85), and epilepsy/infantile spasms (1.31, 1.10-1.56) in the offspring, whereas PIH/preeclampsia was associated with increased risks of ASD (1.27, 1.12-1.43), ADHD (1.23, 1.17-1.29), developmental delay (1.29, 1.24-1.35), intellectual disability (1.53, 1.37-1.71), CP (1.44, 1.22-1.70), and epilepsy/infantile spasms (1.36, 1.22-1.52) in the offspring after adjustment for potential confounders. The co-occurrence of maternal diabetes, preterm deliveries, or fetal growth restriction further increased the risk. INTERPRETATION Chronic hypertension or PIH/preeclampsia seems to be sufficient to increase the risk of childhood NDDs. What this paper adds Children exposed to maternal hypertensive disorders have a higher cumulative incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) than unexposed children. Chronic hypertension or pregnancy-induced hypertension/preeclampsia seems to be sufficient to increase the risk of childhood NDDs. Co-occurrence of maternal diabetes, preterm deliveries, or fetal growth restriction further increases the risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Ru Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Tsung Yu
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Lin Kang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Ju Lien
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pao-Lin Kuo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
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22
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Robinson R, Lähdepuro A, Tuovinen S, Girchenko P, Rantalainen V, Heinonen K, Lahti J, Räikkönen K, Lahti-Pulkkinen M. Maternal Hypertensive Pregnancy Disorders and Mental and Behavioral Disorders in the Offspring: a Review. Curr Hypertens Rep 2021; 23:30. [PMID: 33982182 PMCID: PMC8116290 DOI: 10.1007/s11906-021-01141-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review We review here recent original research and meta-analytic evidence on the associations of maternal hypertensive pregnancy disorders and mental and behavioral disorders in the offspring. Recent Findings Seven meta-analyses and 11 of 16 original research studies published since 2015 showed significant associations between maternal hypertensive pregnancy disorders and offspring mental and behavioral disorders. Evidence was most consistent in meta-analyses and high-quality cohort studies. The associations, independent of familial confounding, were observed on different mental and behavioral disorders in childhood and schizophrenia in adulthood. Preterm birth and small-for-gestational age birth emerged as possible moderators and mediators of the associations. Cross-sectional and case-control studies yielded inconsistent findings, but had lower methodological quality. Summary Accumulating evidence from methodologically sound studies shows that maternal hypertensive pregnancy disorders are associated with an increased risk of mental and behavioral disorders in the offspring in childhood. More studies on adult mental disorders are needed. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11906-021-01141-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Robinson
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Lähdepuro
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Soile Tuovinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Polina Girchenko
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ville Rantalainen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kati Heinonen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. .,National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. .,Queens Medical Research Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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23
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Growth from birth to 6 months of infants with and without intrauterine preeclampsia exposure. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 13:151-155. [PMID: 33977898 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174421000167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine preeclampsia exposure affects the lifelong cardiometabolic health of the child. Our study aimed to compare the growth (from birth to 6 months) of infants exposed to either a normotensive pregnancy or preeclampsia and explore the influence of being born small for gestational age (SGA). Participants were children of women participating in the Post-partum, Physiology, Psychology and Paediatric follow-up cohort study. Birth and 6-month weight and length z-scores were calculated for term and preterm (<37 weeks) babies, and change in weight z-score, rapid weight gain (≥0.67 increase in weight z-score) and conditional weight gain z-score were calculated. Compared with normotensive exposed infants (n = 298), preeclampsia exposed infants (n = 84) were more likely to be born SGA (7% versus 23%; P < 0.001), but weight gain from birth to 6 months, by any measure, did not differ between groups. Infants born SGA, irrespective of pregnancy exposure, were more likely to have rapid weight gain and had greater increases in weight z-score compared with those not born SGA. Preeclampsia exposed infants born SGA may benefit from interventions designed to prevent future cardiometabolic disease.
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Maternal hypertensive disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring: a population-based cohort in two Nordic countries. Eur J Epidemiol 2021; 36:519-530. [PMID: 33948753 PMCID: PMC8159819 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-021-00756-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Maternal hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) have been associated with neuropsychiatric problems in offspring. We aim to investigate the associations between specific types of maternal HDP and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders and further examine whether the timing of onset and severity of HDP would affect these associations. The study population consisted of 4,489,044 live-born singletons in Denmark during 1978–2012 and Sweden during 1987–2010. Maternal HDP was categorized into chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and pre-eclampsia; pre-eclampsia was further stratified according to timing (early-onset, late-onset), or severity (moderate, severe) of the disease. Neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID), were defined by ICD-coded register diagnosis. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) while adjusting for potential confounders, and sibling analyses assessed the influence of unmeasured shared familial factors. Maternal HDP was associated with increased risks of ADHD (HR, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–1.28), ASD (1.29 [1.24–1.34]), and ID (1.58 [1.50–1.66]) in offspring, respectively, which was mostly driven by pre-eclampsia. The strongest associations were observed for early-onset and severe pre-eclampsia, and the corresponding HRs for ADHD, ASD and ID were 1.93 [1.73–2.16], 1.86 [1.61–2.15], and 3.99 [3.42–4.65], respectively. The results were similar in the sibling analyses. The associations between maternal HDP and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders were consistent across the subgroups of sex, preterm status, parity, maternal age and psychiatric disorders. Maternal HDP, especially early-onset pre-eclampsia, are associated with increased risks of ADHD, ASD, and ID in particular, independent of shared familial factors.
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Katz J, Reichenberg A, Kolevzon A. Prenatal and perinatal metabolic risk factors for autism: a review and integration of findings from population-based studies. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2021; 34:94-104. [PMID: 33278157 PMCID: PMC9341035 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Given the ongoing rise in prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the challenges in developing and administering interventions to significantly alleviate ASD symptoms, there is an urgent need to identify modifiable risk factors for ASD. The goal of this review is to systematically evaluate the current evidence for an association between conditions related to maternal metabolic syndrome and risk for ASD in offspring focusing on methodically rigorous studies. RECENT FINDINGS In recent years, multiple studies explored the association between various conditions related to maternal metabolic syndrome (obesity, hypertension, or diabetes prior to, or with onset during pregnancy) and ASD risk in the offspring. SUMMARY Examining large, sufficiently powered, population-based epidemiological studies that explored the association between maternal metabolic syndrome and ASD, we found consistent evidence for an association between maternal preeclampsia and risk for ASD. Other conditions that are part of maternal metabolic syndrome, including maternal obesity, gestational weight gain, diabetes and gestational diabetes, should be studied further with careful attention paid to potential synergistic effects between different metabolic conditions. These findings highlight the need for rigorous, large, population-based epidemiological studies of potentially modifiable ASD risk factors that could inform public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Katz
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
| | - Alexander Kolevzon
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, NY
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Barron A, McCarthy CM, O'Keeffe GW. Preeclampsia and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: Potential Pathogenic Roles for Inflammation and Oxidative Stress? Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2734-2756. [PMID: 33492643 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02290-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a common and serious hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that occurs in approximately 3-5% of first-time pregnancies and is a well-known leading cause of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. In recent years, there has been accumulating evidence that in utero exposure to PE acts as an environmental risk factor for various neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. At present, the mechanism(s) mediating this relationship are uncertain. In this review, we outline the most recent evidence implicating a causal role for PE exposure in the aetiology of various neurodevelopmental disorders and provide a novel interpretation of neuroanatomical alterations in PE-exposed offspring and how these relate to their sub-optimal neurodevelopmental trajectory. We then postulate that inflammation and oxidative stress, two prominent features of the pathophysiology of PE, are likely to play a major role in mediating this association. The increased inflammation in the maternal circulation, placenta and fetal circulation in PE expose the offspring to both prenatal maternal immune activation-a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, which has been well-characterised in animal models-and directly higher concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which adversely affect neuronal development. Similarly, the exaggerated oxidative stress in the mother, placenta and foetus induces the placenta to secrete factors deleterious to neurons, and exposes the fetal brain to directly elevated oxidative stress and thus adversely affects neurodevelopmental processes. Finally, we describe the interplay between inflammation and oxidative stress in PE, and how both systems interact to potentially alter neurodevelopmental trajectory in exposed offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Barron
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Cathal M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Gerard W O'Keeffe
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College, Cork, Ireland. .,Cork Neuroscience Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Maher GM, Dalman C, O'Keeffe GW, Kearney PM, McCarthy FP, Kenny LC, Khashan AS. Association between preeclampsia and autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an intergenerational analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2020; 142:348-350. [PMID: 32337718 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G M Maher
- INFANT Research Centre, Cork, Ireland.,School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - C Dalman
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Public Health Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - G W O'Keeffe
- INFANT Research Centre, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - P M Kearney
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - L C Kenny
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - A S Khashan
- INFANT Research Centre, Cork, Ireland.,School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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28
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Maher GM, O’Keeffe GW, O’Keeffe LM, Matvienko-Sikar K, Dalman C, Kearney PM, McCarthy FP, Khashan AS. The Association Between Preeclampsia and Childhood Development and Behavioural Outcomes. Matern Child Health J 2020; 24:727-738. [DOI: 10.1007/s10995-020-02921-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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29
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Rosenfeld CS. The placenta-brain-axis. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:271-283. [PMID: 32108381 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
All mammalian species depend on the placenta, a transient organ, for exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste between the mother and conceptus. Besides serving as a conduit for such exchanges, the placenta produces hormones and other factors that influence maternal physiology and fetal development. To meet all of these adaptations, the placenta has evolved to become the most structurally diverse organ within all mammalian taxa. However, commonalities exist as to how placental responses promote survival against in utero threats and can alter the trajectory of fetal development, in particular the brain. Increasing evidence suggests that reactions of the placenta to various in utero stressors may lead to long-standing health outcomes, otherwise considered developmental origin of health and disease effects. Besides transferring nutrients and gases, the placenta produces neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine/epinephrine, that may circulate and influence brain development. Neurobehavioral disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, likely trace their origins back to placental disturbances. This intimate relationship between the placenta and brain has led to coinage of the term, the placenta-brain-axis. This axis will be the focus herein, including how conceptus sex might influence it, and technologies employed to parse out the effects of placental-specific transcript expression changes on later neurobehavioral disorders. Ultimately, the placenta might provide a historical record of in utero threats the fetus confronted and a roadmap to understand how placenta responses to such encounters impacts the placental-brain-axis. Improved early diagnostic and preventative approaches may thereby be designed to mitigate such placental disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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Kollins SH. Editorial: From risk prediction to action: leveraging electronic health records to improve pediatric population mental health. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:113-115. [PMID: 31943192 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The identification of child, family, and other environmental factors that confer risk for poor developmental outcomes has long been a major theme in child and adolescent psychopathology research. Over the past 6 decades, the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry has seen an exponential increase in articles that have included the search term 'risk prediction', with 17 such works appearing in the 1960s and 930 occurring in the 2010s. Indeed, the current issue of JCPP continues this trend with a number of high-quality studies that in some capacity seek to predict poor child and adolescent outcomes on the basis of variables that can be measured earlier in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott H Kollins
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA
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