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Neural Plasticity 2015Pregnancy needs complex pathways that together play a role in proper growth and protection of the fetus preventing its premature loss. Changes during pregnancy and... (Review)
Review
Pregnancy needs complex pathways that together play a role in proper growth and protection of the fetus preventing its premature loss. Changes during pregnancy and postpartum period include the manifold machinery of neuroactive steroids that plays a crucial role in neuronal excitability by local modulation of specific inhibitory receptors: the GABAA receptors. Marked fluctuations in both blood and brain concentration of neuroactive steroids strongly contribute to GABAA receptor function and plasticity. In this review, we listed several interesting results regarding the regulation and plasticity of GABAA receptor function during pregnancy and postpartum period in rats. The increase in brain levels of neuroactive steroids during pregnancy and their sudden decrease immediately before delivery are causally related to changes in the expression/function of specific GABAA receptor subunits in the hippocampus. These data suggest that alterations in GABAA receptor expression and function may be related to neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with crucial periods in women. These findings could help to provide potential new treatments for these women's disabling syndromes.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Neuronal Plasticity; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Receptors, GABA-A
PubMed: 26413323
DOI: 10.1155/2015/170435 -
Behavioral Neuroscience Feb 2012This longitudinal study investigated the possible influence of estradiol (E₂), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), and prolactin (PRL) levels on...
This longitudinal study investigated the possible influence of estradiol (E₂), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), and prolactin (PRL) levels on cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. The performance of 55 pregnant women on a battery of neuropsychological tests, tested once during the third trimester of pregnancy and once during the early postpartum period, was compared with that of 21 nonpregnant controls matched for age and education. Women in the pregnancy group had significantly lower scores than the controls during both the pre- and postpartum visits on tasks of verbal recall and processing speed. CORT levels were significantly associated, in an inverted-U function, with verbal recall scores at both the pregnancy and at postpartum periods and with spatial abilities at postpartum only. During pregnancy, PRL levels were associated in both a linear and an inverted-U function with scores on tests of paragraph recall and in a linear function with scores on tests of executive function. At postpartum, E₂ and CORT were negatively associated in a linear fashion with attention scores. These findings provide new evidence that fluctuating hormone levels during late pregnancy and early postpartum may modulate selected cognitive abilities.
Topics: Adult; Affect; Cognition; Estradiol; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Longitudinal Studies; Neuropsychological Tests; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Progesterone; Prolactin; Sleep; Testosterone
PubMed: 21928875
DOI: 10.1037/a0025540 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Pre-clinical evidence suggests that prolactin has important metabolic functions in pregnancy and postpartum, in addition to lactogenic actions. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
CONTEXT
Pre-clinical evidence suggests that prolactin has important metabolic functions in pregnancy and postpartum, in addition to lactogenic actions.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between prolactin and maternal metabolic outcomes in human pregnancy and postpartum, particularly in relation to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE OVID, CINAHL plus, Embase.
STUDY SELECTION
Eligible studies included women who were pregnant or up to 12 months postpartum, reporting at least one maternal serum prolactin level in relation to key metabolic outcomes including GDM, glycaemic parameters, obesity, and gestational weight gain.
DATA EXTRACTION
Two independent reviewers extracted data.
DATA SYNTHESIS
Twenty-six articles were included. Meta-analysis showed no relationship between maternal prolactin levels and GDM status, with a weighted mean difference of -2.14 ng/mL (95% CI -12.54 to 8.27 ng/mL, p=0.7) between GDM and controls in early pregnancy (n=3 studies) and -3.89 ng/mL (95% CI, -15.20 to 7.41 ng/mL, p=0.5) in late pregnancy (n=11 studies). In narrative synthesis of other outcomes (due to study heterogeneity and/or lack of data), prolactin levels were not associated with maternal glycaemic or weight-related parameters during pregnancy, but in the postpartum period (particularly with lactation) a high-prolactin environment was associated with low circulating insulin and beta-cell function, and increased insulin sensitivity.
CONCLUSIONS
Current evidence from human studies does not clearly support a relationship between prolactin and metabolic parameters during pregnancy, including with GDM status. Elevated prolactin was associated with lower insulin and beta-cell function and higher insulin sensitivity in the post-partum period, but the direction of causality remains unclear.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier [CRD42021262771].
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Diabetes, Gestational; Prolactin; Insulin Resistance; Postpartum Period; Insulin
PubMed: 36619539
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1069625 -
Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology &... Mar 2020The onset of motherhood is accompanied by alterations in emotional and affective behaviors. Many new mothers experience transient and mild depressive symptoms that...
The onset of motherhood is accompanied by alterations in emotional and affective behaviors. Many new mothers experience transient and mild depressive symptoms that typically resolve spontaneously (i.e. postpartum blues) but increase the risk for postpartum depression (PPD). There is little data regarding the neural adaptations occurring in response to parturition and shortly after birth that may be associated with these affective changes. Although the dopamine (DA) system is involved in affect, maternal motivation and PPD, little is known about postpartum DA function. We compared affective behavior in virgin and postpartum adult female rats at early and late time points. In vivo extracellular recordings of VTA DA neurons were performed to evaluate 3 parameters: number of active DA neurons (i.e. population activity), firing rate, and firing pattern. Compared with virgins, postpartum rats exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze at 1-day postpartum; reduced social motivation at 1- and 3-days postpartum, reduced anxiety-like behavior in the novelty suppressed feeding test throughout the first week postpartum and increased forced swim test immobility at 1-day postpartum. 1- and 3-day postpartum females exhibited attenuated VTA population activity without changes in firing rate or pattern. None of these effects were observed in late postpartum females when compared with virgins. These data suggest that parturition induces time-dependent changes in a subset of affect-related behaviors and DA function during the postpartum period in rodents, with early postpartum females exhibiting depression-related phenotypes (i.e. low social motivation, higher immobility, blunted DA activity).
Topics: Action Potentials; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Dopaminergic Neurons; Female; Immobility Response, Tonic; Maze Learning; Postpartum Period; Rats; Social Behavior; Time Factors; Ventral Tegmental Area
PubMed: 31655159
DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109768 -
Physiology & Behavior Oct 2018Most maternal caregiving behaviors change across lactation to match the developmental needs of the continuously aging offspring. However, it is mostly unknown whether...
Most maternal caregiving behaviors change across lactation to match the developmental needs of the continuously aging offspring. However, it is mostly unknown whether the dams' postpartum stage or litter age is the primary driving force of these changes. In this study, postnatal day 1 and 8 litters were cross-fostered or in-fostered to postpartum day 1 or 8 dams. Five days later, undisturbed observations of maternal caregiving behaviors were performed on the subsequent two days. We found a main effect of dams' postpartum stage on the frequency that mothers spent with the pups and displayed erect postures over them (hovering over and kyphosis), although it was mostly driven by an interaction between postpartum stage and litter age: early-postpartum dams were in contact with younger litters and in erect postures more often with younger litters compared to later-postpartum dams with younger litters. Additionally, there was an interaction between postpartum stage and litter age on the litter weights because older litters living with later-postpartum dams were heavier than older litters living with early-postpartum dams. There was also an interaction between postpartum stage and litter age on the dams' bodyweight, with early-postpartum dams living with younger litters weighing the least and later-postpartum dams living with younger litters weighing the most. Because activity of the neuropeptide, orexin, within the medial preoptic area (mPOA) has been implicated in maternal nursing and other caregiving behaviors, we measured mPOA levels of orexin-A but it was not affected by postpartum stage or litter age (nor was there an interaction). However, high orexin-A was negatively associated with the frequency of contact with pups and the display of erect postures. These results indicate that changes in caregiving across lactation are driven by endogenous factors in the dams, age-related cues they receive from offspring, and interactions between these factors.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Female; Maternal Behavior; Orexins; Postpartum Period; Preoptic Area
PubMed: 29928888
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.06.025 -
Appetite Aug 2023The early postpartum period is a sensitive time for understanding women's high-risk eating (i.e., eating behavior associated with negative health outcomes) given...
The early postpartum period is a sensitive time for understanding women's high-risk eating (i.e., eating behavior associated with negative health outcomes) given potential long-term eating behavior implications for infants. Food addiction and dietary restraint are two high-risk eating phenotypes associated with long-term negative health outcomes that have been theoretically linked. Yet, no research has considered how much these constructs overlap during the early postpartum period. The present study sought to characterize these two high-risk eating phenotypes in postpartum women to examine whether these are distinct constructs with specific etiologies and to inform future targets of intervention. Women (N = 277) in the early postpartum period reported on high-risk eating, childhood trauma exposure, depression symptoms, and pre-pregnancy weight. Women's height was measured and pre-pregnancy BMI was calculated. We conducted bivariate correlations and path analysis to characterize the relationship between food addiction and dietary restraint, controlling for pre-pregnancy BMI. Results showed that food addiction and dietary restraint were not significantly associated and that women's childhood trauma exposure and postpartum depression were associated with food addiction but not dietary restraint. Sequential mediation revealed that higher levels of childhood trauma exposure were associated with worse postpartum depression and, in turn, greater food addiction during the early postpartum period. Findings suggest that food addiction and dietary restraint have distinct psychosocial predictors and etiological pathways, which suggests important construct validity differences between the two high-risk eating phenotypes. Interventions seeking to address food addiction in postpartum women and mitigate the impact of this high-risk eating phenotype on the next generation may benefit from treating postpartum depression, especially in women with histories of childhood trauma exposure.
Topics: Pregnancy; Humans; Female; Depression, Postpartum; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Food Addiction; Postpartum Period; Diet; Feeding Behavior
PubMed: 37146651
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106589 -
Evolutionary Psychology : An... Oct 2012Where the non-human animal research investigating reproduction-induced cognitive reorganization has focused on neural plasticity and adaptive advantage in response to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Where the non-human animal research investigating reproduction-induced cognitive reorganization has focused on neural plasticity and adaptive advantage in response to the demands associated with pregnancy and parenting, human studies have primarily concentrated on pregnancy-induced memory decline. The current review updates Henry and Rendell's 2007 meta-analysis, and examines cognitive reorganization as the result of reproductive experience from an adaptationist perspective. Investigations of pregnancy-induced cognitive change in human females may benefit by focusing on areas, such as social cognition, where a cognitive advantage would serve a protective function, and by extending the study duration beyond pregnancy into the postpartum period.
Topics: Adult; Biological Evolution; Cognition; Female; Humans; Memory; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy
PubMed: 23052608
DOI: 10.1177/147470491201000402 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2019Relapse to smoking postpartum is a common and important public health problem. Difficulty in adjusting to a non-smoking identity is a key factor prompting relapse....
Relapse to smoking postpartum is a common and important public health problem. Difficulty in adjusting to a non-smoking identity is a key factor prompting relapse. However, postpartum relapse prevention interventions rarely focus upon offering support for identity change. We conducted an exploratory inductive analysis of a dataset from the Prevention of Return to Smoking Postpartum (PReS) study to understand identity constructs and experiences of pre- and postpartum women (smokers and ex-smokers), partners and health professionals. Data were obtained from 77 unique participants via focus groups, interviews, email or online questionnaires, and were analyzed by two researchers independently, using NVivo 12. Four main themes emerged reflecting identity transition from the pre- to the postpartum period: (i) Pregnancy and the categorization of smoking status; (ii) the disruption of motherhood and loss of self; (iii) adapting to a maternal non-smoking identity; and (iv) factors influencing sustained abstinence versus relapse to smoking. Postpartum relapse prevention interventions need to consider support for women, and the whole family unit, in adjusting to a new identity as a non-smoking mother. Smoking status should be revisited throughout pregnancy and into the postpartum period to aid the long-term integration of smoke-free behavior.
Topics: Female; Humans; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Recurrence; Secondary Prevention; Smoking Cessation; Smoking Prevention; Social Identification; Tobacco Smoking
PubMed: 31466394
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16173139 -
Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics &... Aug 2015
Topics: Breast Feeding; Female; Humans; Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; Postpartum Period
PubMed: 26384047
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2015.05.001 -
American Family Physician Oct 2010
Topics: Depression, Postpartum; Female; Humans; Postpartum Period; Psychotherapeutic Processes
PubMed: 20949887
DOI: No ID Found