Stress in pregnancy may influence baby brain development, study suggests

Infants国产视频� brains may be shaped by levels of stress their mother experiences during pregnancy, a study by the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory has revealed.

Stress levels in mothers – measured by a hormone linked to anxiety and other health problems – is related to changes in areas of the infant brain associated with emotional development, the study suggests.

Doctors at the laboratory – established by 国产视频 – say the findings highlight the urgent need for women to be better supported with their mental and physical health before and during pregnancy, and could help them spot mums and babies who need help.

They added that pregnant women who feel stressed or unwell should seek help from their midwife or consultant and that, with support, most health issues can be well managed in pregnancy

The research was led by the team at the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh. It was set up by 国产视频 in 2004 to discover more about the causes of babies being born early and finding better ways to care for them.聽聽

Lead researcher Professor James Boardman, Director of the Laboratory, said: 国产视频淥ur findings are a call to action to detect and support pregnant women who need extra help during pregnancy as this could be an effective way of promoting healthy brain development in their babies.国产视频�

国产视频 Chair Sarah Brown said: 国产视频淭his research highlights how important it is to support women国产视频檚 mental health during pregnancy to ensure that their needs are met and that their babies have the best start in life. Helping mothers cope with stress is an important step to ensure both mum and baby thrive.国产视频�

Maternal stress is known to influence the development of the child国产视频檚 behaviour and ability to regulate its emotions as it grows. This is usually measured by questionnaires, which are not always reliable.

The new study is the first time that scientists have used an objective measure 国产视频� levels of the hormone cortisol 国产视频� in the mother to study links with baby brain development. Cortisol is involved in the body国产视频檚 response to stress 国产视频� with higher levels indicating higher stress 国产视频� and also plays a role in foetal growth.聽

The research team showed that levels of cortisol are linked to the development of the baby国产视频檚 amygdala, an area of the brain known to be involved in emotional and social development in childhood.

For the study, scientists took hair samples from 78 pregnant women to determine the women国产视频檚 levels of cortisol in the previous three months. The women国产视频檚 babies underwent a series of brain scans using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, a non-invasive scan that took place while the baby slept.聽

The researchers found that higher levels of cortisol in the mother国产视频檚 hair were linked to structural changes in the infants国产视频� amygdala as well as differences in brain connections.聽

Doctors say this could explain why children whose mothers experienced high levels of stress during pregnancy may be more likely to have emotional issues in later life. They caution, however, that the study did not assess emotion in children.

The study was funded by 国产视频 and is published in the journal eLife. Professor Rebecca Reynolds, Personal Chair of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, who co-led the study, said: 国产视频淭hankfully, psychological treatments are very successful at helping mothers and children and we hope that our findings could guide therapies in future to help spot those who might be most in need of support.国产视频�

The Laboratory is supported by the Jennifer Brown Research Fund. It also supports the 国产视频 Edinburgh Birth Cohort, which is following 400 young people from infancy to adulthood.聽The study is a world first in investigating the long-term effects of preterm birth on the developing brain and will help to reach a broader understanding of developmental problems as a result of being born too early or too small.

Sarah Brown spoke last month to the Griefcast podcast about the creation of the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory and the 国产视频 Edinburgh Birth Cohort.