Effect of Maternal Depression on Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Fetal Cord Blood.

OBJECTIVE: : We aimed to assess the association between cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration and maternal depression during pregnancy. METHODS: : A total of 48 pregnant women, admitted for elective caesarean section to Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Konya Research and Training Hospital and Konya Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty, were included in this study. The study group included 23 women diagnosed as having depression during pregnancy and the control group included 25 pregnant women who did not experience depression during pregnancy. RESULTS: : The groups had similar sociodemographic characteristics. Cord blood BDNF concentration was significantly lower in babies born to mothers with major depression as compared with those in the control group. We didn’t find any correlation between the umbilical cord blood BDNF levels and BDI scores. CONCLUSION: : The results suggest that the existence of major depression in pregnant women may negatively affect fetal circulating BDNF levels.

Birth weight and preterm birth in babies of pregnant women with major depression in relation to treatment with antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE: It is unclear whether antidepressant treatment has a preventive effect on negative neonatal outcomes due to major depression in pregnant women. The objective of the present study was to compare women with major depression treated with antidepressants, untreated women with major depression, and healthy women during pregnancy with respect to birth weight and preterm birth. METHODS: The study sample included a total of 23 women taking antidepressant medication, 36 women who were not taking antidepressant medication for major depression during pregnancy, and 30 healthy women. Major depression was diagnosed via the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. RESULTS: The study groups were similar with respect to sociodemographic characteristics. Compared with infants of healthy control subjects, infants of untreated major depressed women had significantly lower birth weight and shorter gestational age at delivery. There is no significant difference between infants of major depressed women treated with antidepressants and infants of healthy subjects for these variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that antidepressants may have beneficial effects on the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth in the infants of depressed women.

Maternal generalized anxiety disorder during pregnancy and fetal brain development: a comparative study on cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to investigate whether maternal GAD during pregnancy affects fetal circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays important roles in neuronal development, by comparing cord blood BDNF levels in newborn infants of women with and without GAD. METHODS: Study sample included 19 women with GAD and 25 women without any psychiatric disorder. GAD and other psychiatric diagnoses were screened by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The blood sample for the determination of BDNF level was obtained from the umbilical cord during delivery. RESULTS: Cord blood BDNF levels in newborn infants of healthy women were approximately two-fold compared to newborn infants of women with GAD, and the difference was statistically significant. The duration of GAD during pregnancy was the only variable correlating with cord blood BDNF levels. CONCLUSIONS: The study results imply that prolonged maternal GAD during pregnancy may negatively influence neurodevelopment of the fetus through lower levels of circulating BDNF.

The effects of maternal major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder on birth weight and gestational age: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study comparatively examined the impact of maternal major depression, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder on gestational age and birth weight. METHODS: A total of 90 women (24 subjects with major depression, 19 subjects with panic disorder, 22 subjects with generalized anxiety disorder, and 25 healthy subjects) in the perinatal period who were admitted to three hospitals were included in the study. Psychiatric diagnoses were determined by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The birth weight and gestational age of the subjects in each groups were compared with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: There were significant differences among the study groups for birth weight and gestational age (P<0.001 for both variables). These parameters were significantly lower in the subjects with major depression (P=0.021 and P=0.015, respectively) and panic disorder (P<0.001 for both variables) compared to healthy controls. Compared with major depression, panic disorder was associated more negatively with birth weight (P=0.036). CONCLUSION: Major depression, and especially panic disorder, may negatively affect the gestational length and birth weight.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome following combination of sertraline and paroxetine: a case report.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rarely observed life-threatening medical condition due mostly to antipsychotic use. Additionally, a few case reports have suggested an association between NMS and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) alone or in combination with antipsychotics. This case report presents a female patient developing NMS following the use of a combination of sertraline and paroxetine.