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Archives of Women's Mental Health
Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health 1/2017

01-02-2017 | Original Article

Cytokine profile and maternal depression and anxiety symptoms in mid-pregnancy—the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Authors: Linnea Karlsson, Niko Nousiainen, Noora M. Scheinin, Mikael Maksimow, Marko Salmi, Soili M. Lehto, Mimmi Tolvanen, Heikki Lukkarinen, Hasse Karlsson

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Maternal prenatal psychological symptoms are associated with child health outcomes, e.g., atopic diseases. Altered prenatal functioning of the immune system is a potential mechanism linking maternal symptoms with child health. Research on prenatal distress and cytokines is warranted. The study population comprised consecutive N = 139 women from a general population-based FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Standardized questionnaires for depressive, overall anxiety, and pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms were used. Serum concentrations of selected cytokines were analyzed using Multiplex bead arrays from samples drawn at the gestational week 24. The concentrations of T helper (Th)2-related interleukins (IL)-9 and IL-13 and Th1-related IL-12 correlated positively with prenatal depressive and overall anxiety symptom scores (p values, range 0.011–0.029). Higher interferon (IFN)-γ/IL-4 ratio (p = 0.039) and Th2-related IL-5 (p = 0.007) concentration correlated positively with depressive symptoms. Pregnancy-related anxiety score correlated positively with IL-12 (p = 0.041), IL-13 (p = 0.025), and anti-inflammatory IL-10 (p = 0.048) concentrations. IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were unrelated to prenatal symptoms. As a novel finding, we observed positive correlations between concentrations of potentially proallergenic cytokines and maternal prenatal psychological symptoms. Different symptom measures may yield distinct cytokine responses. This provides hypotheses for studies on mechanisms bridging prenatal stress and child health.
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Metadata
Title
Cytokine profile and maternal depression and anxiety symptoms in mid-pregnancy—the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study
Authors
Linnea Karlsson
Niko Nousiainen
Noora M. Scheinin
Mikael Maksimow
Marko Salmi
Soili M. Lehto
Mimmi Tolvanen
Heikki Lukkarinen
Hasse Karlsson
Publication date
01-02-2017
Publisher
Springer Vienna
Published in
Archives of Women's Mental Health / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0672-y

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