Neuroinflammation in the fetus exposed to maternal obsessive-compulsive disorder during pregnancy: a comparative study on cord blood tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between maternal psychiatric disorders and fetal neurodevelopment is unclear. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is relatively frequent during pregnancy. The study aimed to investigate whether maternal OCD during pregnancy affects fetal circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels, an important pro-inflammatory cytokine, by comparing cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants of women with and without OCD.


METHODS
The study sample included 7 women with OCD and 30 healthy women. OCD 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 TNF-α level was obtained from the umbilical cord during delivery.


RESULTS
Cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants exposed to maternal OCD were significantly higher compared to non-exposed infants. Maternal anxiety symptom level was found to positively correlate with cord blood TNF-α levels in newborn infants of women with OCD.


CONCLUSIONS
The study results imply that maternal OCD during pregnancy may lead to neuroinflammation in the developing fetal brain through higher levels of circulating TNF-α.
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: farukuguz@gmail.com.
Faruk
F
Uguz
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: eondersonmez@gmail.com.
Erdem
E
Onder Sonmez
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: drpekalkan@hotmail.com.
Mine
M
Sahingoz
Department of Neonatology, Konya Research and Training Hospital, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: zggokmen@yahoo.com.
Zeynel
Z
Gokmen
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Konya Research and Training Hospital, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: mustafabasaran@ymail.com.
Mustafa
M
Basaran
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: kazimgezginc@hotmail.com.
Kazim
K
Gezginc
Department of Neonatology, Konya Research and Training Hospital, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: dr_gulsumyilmaz@hotmail.com.
Gulsum
G
Sonmez
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: nazmiyekaya@gmail.com.
Nazmiye
N
Kaya
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: emrena14@gmail.com.
Emre
E
Yilmaz
Department of Biochemistry, Konya Research and Training Hospital, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: serdem1505@yahoo.com.
Sami Sait
SS
Erdem
Department of Biochemistry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: halukdulger@yahoo.com.
Hasan Haluk
HH
Dulger
Department of Biochemistry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: drhcicekler@hotmail.com.
Humeyra
H
Cicekler
Department of Biochemistry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: erkan1452@mynet.com.
Erkan
E
Tasyurek
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000276:immunology*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000276:immunology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha