Presenter(s): Nora Kearns—Biology
Faculty Mentor(s): Elinor Sullivan
Session 2: Cells R Us
A growing body of research suggests that prenatal nutrition and adiposity influence postnatal mental health outcomes for both mother and child . Inflammation, heavily influenced by maternal adiposity, has been identified as a potential biomarker for maternal depression and child behavioral dysfunction . The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that maternal gestational inflammatory state predicts postnatal maternal and infant behavior, an effect moderated by pro- inflammatory cytokines and both pro and anti-inflammatory fatty acids . Maternal BMI was obtained from medical records, and maternal inflammatory state was assessed using plasma fatty acid and cytokine levels from 2nd and 3rd trimester blood draws . Maternal and infant behavior at 6 months postpartum was observed in a ten-minute videotaped free play interaction, which was evaluated using a well-validated coding scheme . Maternal BMI was positively correlated with a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and negatively correlated with anti-inflammatory omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids . Although no significant correlations were found between pro-inflammatory cytokines and negative maternal behaviors, Interleuken-10, an inflammation-regulating cytokine, was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity and positively associated with infant negative mood . Significant positive correlations were found between n-3 fatty acids and positive maternal behaviors such as sensitivity, positive regard for child, and animation . The beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids did not translate to modifications in child behavior during free-play, although one inflammatory n-6 fatty acid was negatively correlated with child activity, as was the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-a, which was elevated in mothers with higher BMIs and mothers with ADHD . These results suggest that n-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy may attenuate the potential effects of inflammation and contribute to more optimal maternal mental health .