Maternal depression: a child's first adverse life event.
Can the effects of maternal depression upon offspring development be extrapolated to the prebirth environment, making it the earliest of adverse life events? Increasing clinical and laboratory data indicate that maternal stress and depression during critical developmental windows carry a diverse array of harmful sequelae for the offspring. The effects witnessed in animal research include neurobiological and behavioral alterations that persist into adulthood. Paralleling the preclinical literature are human studies indicating similar acute effects. The clinical implications for the psychiatric treatment of depressed women who have children will be discussed.
Newport
D Jeffrey
DJ
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. dnewpor@emory.edu
Wilcox
Molly M
MM
Stowe
Zachary N
ZN
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology; D002666:Psychology, Child; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology