Maternal depression, antidepressant use and placental oxytocin receptor DNA methylation: Findings from the MPEWS study

M Galbally; J Ryan; M van IJzendoorn; SJ Watson; O Spigset; M Lappas; R Saffery; R de Kloet; AJ Lewis

Journal article

Maternal depression, antidepressant use and placental oxytocin receptor DNA methylation: Findings from the MPEWS study

M Galbally, J Ryan, M van IJzendoorn, SJ Watson, O Spigset, M Lappas, R Saffery, R de Kloet, AJ Lewis

Psychoneuroendocrinology | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.004

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate placental DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) in women with depression in pregnancy. We also explored the role of antidepressant medication in pregnancy on placental OXTR methylation. Data were obtained from 239 women in the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS), a selected pregnancy cohort. Current depressive disorders were diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID-IV). Depressive symptoms were measured during the third trimester in pregnancy using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Plasma levels of antidepressant drugs were measured..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Megan Galbally Author

Martha Lappas Author

Richard Saffery Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

This study is supported through the 2012 National Priority Funding Round of beyondblue in a three-year research grant (ID 519240) and a 2015 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grant for 5 years (APP1106823). Financial support has also been obtained from the Academic Research Development Grants from Mercy Health and from the Centre for Mental Health and Well-Being, Dealdn University. ML is the recipient of a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1047025). RS is funded by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (APP1045161).