Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline, Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness.

ABSTRACT: Black Americans have increased risk for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses with prenatal origins. Prenatal choline promotes infant brain development and behavioral outcomes, but choline has not been specifically assessed in Black Americans. Pregnant women (N = 183, N = 25 Black Americans) enrolled in a study of prenatal stressors and interactions with prenatal choline. Black American women had lower 16-week gestation plasma choline than Whites. Lower choline was not related to obesity, income, or metabolic genotypes. Pregnant women in rural Uganda have higher choline levels than Black American women. Black Americans' lower choline was associated with higher hair cortisol, indicative of higher stress. Lower maternal choline was associated with offsprings' lower gestational age at birt

SUBMITTER: Hunter SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8266582 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature