Peripartum depression and anxiety as an integrative cross domain target for psychiatric preventative measures.
Exposure to high levels of early life stress has been identified as a potent risk factor for neurodevelopmental delays in infants, behavioral problems and autism in children, but also for several psychiatric illnesses in adulthood, such as depression, anxiety, autism, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Despite having robust adverse effects on both mother and infant, the pathophysiology of peripartum depression and anxiety are poorly understood. The objective of this review is to highlight the advantages of using an integrated approach addressing several behavioral domains in both animal and clinical studies of peripartum depression and anxiety. It is postulated that a greater focus on integrated cross domain studies will lead to advances in treatments and preventative measures for several disorders associated with peripartum depression and anxiety.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. Electronic address: jessica.babb@tufts.edu.
Jessica A
JA
Babb
Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Electronic address: kristina.deligiannidis@umassmemorial.org.
Kristina M
KM
Deligiannidis
School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. Electronic address: c.murgatroyd@mmu.ac.uk.
Christopher A
CA
Murgatroyd
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. Electronic address: bcnephew@aol.com.
Benjamin C
BC
Nephew
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D058725:Peripartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*
Anxiety; Autism; Depression; PTSD; Peripartum depression; Stress