Serum NGF, BDNF and IL-6 levels in postpartum mothers as predictors of infant development: the influence of affective disorders

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 4; p. e94581
• Main Authors: Pinheiro, Karen Amaral Tavares, Pinheiro, Ricardo Tavares, Coelho, Fábio Monteiro da Cunha, da Silva, Ricardo Azevedo, Quevedo, Luciana Ávila, Schwanz, Cristina Carvalhal, Wiener, Carolina David, Manfro, Gisele Gus, Giovenardi, Márcia, Lucion, Aldo Bolten, de Souza, Diogo Onofre, Portela, Luis Valmor, Oses, Jean Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01-04-2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Affective disorders; Analysis; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders - blood; Anxiety Disorders - physiopathology; Biochemical analysis; Biological properties; Biological samples; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomarkers; Bipolar disorder; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood; Correlation analysis; Corticosteroids; Cortisol; Development; Disorders; Factorial analysis; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Interleukin 6; Interleukin-6 - blood; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - blood; Mental Disorders - physiopathology; Mood Disorders - blood; Mood Disorders - physiopathology; Mothers - psychology; Motor Skills; Nerve growth factor; Nerve Growth Factor - blood; Neurodevelopment; Offspring; Postpartum; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnant women; Principal Component Analysis; Puerperal Disorders - blood; Puerperal Disorders - physiopathology; Regression analysis; Research and Analysis Methods; Rodents; Womens health; Brazil; Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094581

Early adverse experiences are associated with increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders, although little is known about the neurobiological mediators involved. The mechanisms by which early environmental influences may mediate vulnerability in the development of offspring await further investigation. The present study correlated the NGF, BDNF, IL-6 and cortisol levels of mothers with postpartum affective disorders (PPAD) with infant development.
A longitudinal study was performed with 152 pregnant women and their infants. Between 60 and 120 days after delivery, women were interviewed and provided biological samples for biochemical analysis, and the infants were examined for neurobiological-motor development.
Overall, the mothers' history of affective disorders, PPAD and anxiety disorder were associated with infant motor development. Using an adjusted linear regression analysis, PPAD (p = 0.049), maternal anxiety disorder (p = 0.043), NGF level (p = 0.034) and infant cortisol level (p = 0.013) were associated with infant motor development. Using a factorial analysis of primary components, two components were retained. The psychological factor was characterized by a positive loading of a history of affective disorder, PPAD and anxiety disorder. For the biological factor, infant cortisol adhered negatively with infant motor development, but NGF was positively associated. The psychological factor had a negative association, but the biological factor had a positive association with infant motor development.
There are few studies that have focused on the relationship of biomarkers and infant neurodevelopment. Our study points that psychological and biological factors are associated with infant motor development, however the causal relationship between these factors is still to be defined.