Happy faces are habituated more slowly by infants of depressed mothers.

Three-month-old infants of depressed (n=16) and non-depressed mothers (n=16) were habituated to video clips of a female model reciting phrases while posing happy or sad facial/vocal expressions and dishabituated to the alternate expressions. Overall, infants of depressed mothers took longer to habituate the video clips compared to infants of non-depressed mothers, and those assigned to habituate the sad video clips displayed a novelty response or dishabituated to the happy expressions. These findings suggest that 3-month-old infants of depressed mothers discriminate sad from happy expressions, however, they do not appear to perceive sad expressions as novel.

Natural killer cells and lymphocytes increase in women with breast cancer following massage therapy.

Women diagnosed with breast cancer received massage therapy or practiced progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) for 30-min sessions 3 times a week for 5 weeks or received standard treatment. The massage therapy and relaxation groups reported less depressed mood, anxiety, and pain immediately after their first and last sessions. By the end of the study, however, only the massage therapy group reported being less depressed and less angry and having more vigor. Dopamine levels, Natural Killer cells, and lymphocytes also increased from the first to the last day of the study for the massage therapy group. These findings highlight the benefit of these complementary therapies, most particularly massage therapy, for women with breast cancer.

Prenatal maternal cortisol, fetal activity and growth.

Pregnant women (N = 131) were recruited at a prenatal ultrasound clinic between 20 and 28 weeks (M = 24 weeks) gestation. The women were given the CES-D for depression and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and were asked to provide a urine sample to be assayed for cortisol, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Ultrasound sessions were conducted and coded for fetal activity and estimated fetal weight. Regression analyses were then conducted with fetal activity and fetal weight as outcome variables. Gestational age entered both analyses as the first variable followed by: (1) prenatal cortisol as a significant predictor of fetal activity; and (2) prenatal cortisol as a significant predictor of estimated fetal weight.

Lavender fragrance cleansing gel effects on relaxation.

Alertness, mood, and math computations were assessed in 11 healthy adults who sniffed a cosmetic cleansing gel with lavender floral blend aroma, developed to be relaxing using Mood Mapping. EEG patterns and heart rate were also recorded before, during, and after the aroma session. The lavender fragrance blend had a significant transient effect of improving mood, making people feel more relaxed, and performing the math computation faster. The self-report and physiological data are consistent with relaxation profiles during other sensory stimuli such as massage and music, as reported in the literature. The data suggest that a specific cosmetic fragrance can have a significant role in enhancing relaxation.

Prenatal maternal biochemistry predicts neonatal biochemistry.

Depressed (n = 45) and nondepressed (n = 47) mothers were recruited prenatally at an ultrasound clinic. Their urine samples were assayed for cortisol, catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine) and serotonin. Their urines were assayed again at the neonatal period, and their newborns' urines were also assayed at that time. The depressed versus the nondepressed mothers showed significantly higher cortisol and norepinephrine and significantly lower dopamine levels across the pre- and postnatal assessments. At the postnatal assessment all levels had decreased except the serotonin levels for both groups. Regression analyses on the mother's postnatal biochemistry with the prenatal biochemistry entered as predictor variables showed highly significant, specific relationships between each of the catecholamines, cortisol, and serotonin. The newborn's biochemistry (except for epinephrine) was higher than the maternal biochemistry. Regression analyses on the neonatal biochemistry with the mother's prenatal biochemistry entered as predictor variables also suggested highly significant, specific relationships. The continuity between the mother's and the newborn's neurotransmitter/ neurohormone profiles and data showing that elevated norepinephrine and cortisol predict to low birthweight and prematurity, respectively, highlight the importance of assessing these levels during pregnancy.