A polyepigenetic glucocorticoid exposure score at birth and childhood mental and behavioral disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy may enhance fetal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) and harm neurodevelopment. We tested whether a novel cross-tissue polyepigenetic biomarker indicative of in utero exposure to GC is associated with mental and behavioral disorders and their severity in children, possibly mediating the associations between maternal prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms and these child outcomes.

Methods

Children (n = 814) from the Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (PREDO) study were followed-up from birth to age 7.1-10.7 years. A weighted polyepigenetic GC exposure score was calculated based on the methylation profile of 24 CpGs from umbilical cord blood. Child diagnosis of mental

SUBMITTER: Suarez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7739178 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature