Neural correlates of peripartum depression: a systematic review, meta-analysis and comparison to major depressive disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Peripartum depression (PPD) is a form of major depressive disorder (MDD) that begins during the peripartum period and poses a significant mental health challenge affecting 10 to 29% of women.

Objective

This systematic review and multimodal activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis explored the distinct structural, functional, and metabolic features of the PPD brain as compared to female non-peripartum MDD.

Methods

For this purpose, we conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO databases to identify peer-reviewed original studies investigating the neural correlates associated with PPD or fMDD.

Results

Forty-five studies in PPD and 55 in fMDD were included in the qualitative synthesis. From these, 25 PPD and 3

SUBMITTER: Sobral M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12602369 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature