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

Abstract 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. Meth...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychosomatic research 2013-10, Vol.75 (4), p.346-350
Main Authors: Uguz, Faruk, Sonmez, Erdem Onder, Sahingoz, Mine, Gokmen, Zeynel, Basaran, Mustafa, Gezginc, Kazim, Sonmez, Gulsum, Kaya, Nazmiye, Erdem, Sami Sait, Cicekler, Humeyra, Tasyurek, Erkan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders - blood
Brain - growth & development
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood
Female
Fetal Blood - metabolism
Fetal Development
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications - blood
Pregnant Women
Psychiatry
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract 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.
ISSN:0022-3999
1879-1360
DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2013.04.010