Evidence of Anxiety, Depression and Learning Impairments following Prenatal Hypertension

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as Preeclampsia (PreE) and HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme, low platelet) syndrome, affects approximately 5-10% of pregnancies and increases the risk of women developing disorders, such as anxiety or depression, in the postpartum period. Using precli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioral sciences 2022-02, Vol.12 (2), p.53
Main Authors: Wallace, Kedra, Bowles, Teylor, Griffin, Ashley, Robinson, Reanna, Solis, Lucia, Railey, Teryn, Shaffery, James P, Araji, Sarah, Spencer, Shauna-Kay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal cognition
anti-angiogenic
Anxiety
Behavior
Drinking water
Emotional disorders
HELLP syndrome
Hypertension
Inflammation
Memory
Mental depression
Mood disorders
placental ischemia
post-partum
Postpartum period
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy
Sucrose
Swimming
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Summary:Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as Preeclampsia (PreE) and HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme, low platelet) syndrome, affects approximately 5-10% of pregnancies and increases the risk of women developing disorders, such as anxiety or depression, in the postpartum period. Using preclinical rodent models, we set out to determine whether rats with a history of PreE or HELLP had evidence of anxiety, depression or cognitive impairment and whether immune suppression during pregnancy prevented these changes in mood and/or cognition. Timed-pregnant rats were infused with sFlt-1 and/or sEng to induce PreE or HELLP beginning on gestational day 12. After delivery, a battery of validated behavioral assays was used to assess post-partum depression, anxiety and learning. There was no negative effect on maternal pup interaction due to PreE or HELLP; however, hypertensive dams spent more time immobile in the forced swim test ( < 0.0001). Hypertensive dams also spent less time in the open area of the open field ( = 0.001). There were no significant changes in recognition memory ( = 0.08); however, spatial learning was impaired in hypertensive dams ( = 0.003). Immobility time in the forced swim test was positively correlated with increased circulating S100B ( = 0.04), while increased time spent in the outer zones of the open field was negatively correlated with BDNF levels ( < 0.0001). The results from this study suggest that hypertensive pregnancy disorders are associated with depression, anxiety and learning impairments in the post-partum period.
ISSN:2076-328X
2076-328X
DOI:10.3390/bs12020053