Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood of opium‐addicted mothers

Abstract

Background It is reported that opium consumption during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and neurodevelopmental defects in infants. BDNF and NGF alterations during pregnancy cause neurobehavioral deficits in the offspring. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of opium addiction of pregnant women on BDNF and NGF levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood as well as pregnancy outcome. Materials and methods The present research was a cross‐sectional study. Thirty‐five addicted pregnant women and 35 healthy pregnant women were included in the study. Blood samples were taken immediately after delivery from the maternal vein and umbilical cord. Then, BDNF and NGF concentrations in serum were measured by ELISA kits. The outcomes of pregnancy were determined by a checklist. Descriptive, t test, Mann–Whitney, and Chi‐squared test were used to analyze the data. SPSS version 21 software was used for the analyses. A p‐value <.05 was considered significant. Results BDNF levels were significantly lower in maternal and umbilical cord blood in the opium‐addicted group (917.2 31 ± 316.5 and 784.6 ± 242.9 pg/ml, respectively) compared to the control group (1351 ± 375 and 1063 ± 341 pg/ml, respectively) (p < .0001 and p < .0002, respectively). Similarly, NGF level was significantly lower in maternal and umbilical cord blood in the opium‐addicted group (302.7 ± 35.50 and 226.6 ± 45.43 pg/ml, respectively) compared to the control group (345.7 ± 43.16 and 251.2 ± 37.72 pg/ml, respectively) (p < .0001 and p = .0165, respectively). Adverse pregnancy outcomes such as NICU admissions, congenital anomalies, neonatal deaths, meconium contaminated amniotic fluid, respiratory problems, neonatal resuscitation, and low Apgar score were significantly higher in the opium‐addicted group than in the control group. Conclusion The results of this study revealed that opium consumption during pregnancy reduces BDNF and NGF levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood, which may cause neurodevelopmental disorders in later periods of infants' life.

Opium Effect in Pregnancy on the Dynamics of Maternal Behavior: Testing a Neurochemical Model

“…One of the oldest psychostimulants in the world is opium, which contains >40 alkaloids (including morphine, thebaine, codeine) and >70 other components, such as sugars and organic acids [1,2]. Opioid drug use is illegal in Iran, but has a long history, and still is very much prevalent among males and females [3,4], especially in southern Iran [5]. Currently, opium dependency among the Iranian women has become a public health problem [4,6,7] as it is illegally used for leisure or to treat pain, diarrhea, and insomnia [1,2].In a study that examined the pattern of drug abuse in rural communities in Iran, it was reported that 8.3% of rural Iranian women consumed opium daily [8].…”

“…Opioid drug use is illegal in Iran, but has a long history, and still is very much prevalent among males and females [3,4], especially in southern Iran [5]. Currently, opium dependency among the Iranian women has become a public health problem [4,6,7] as it is illegally used for leisure or to treat pain, diarrhea, and insomnia [1,2].In a study that examined the pattern of drug abuse in rural communities in Iran, it was reported that 8.3% of rural Iranian women consumed opium daily [8]. The abuse of opiate substances results in consistent changes in nerve physiology and its connectivity leading to psychopathology [4,9,10].…”

“…Opium use is likely to affect all areas of the brain [4], and serotonin systems, which project to all areas of the brain, are good targets for research on the effects of this substance. Since we could not examine all the areas of brain affected by opium, we chose the measurement of serotonin in the hippocampus since this brain structure plays a role in the homeostatic behavior (i.e., supporting well-learned behavioral actions by memory schemata).…”

“…In a study that examined the pattern of drug abuse in rural communities in Iran, it was reported that 8.3% of rural Iranian women consumed opium daily [8]. The abuse of opiate substances results in consistent changes in nerve physiology and its connectivity leading to psychopathology [4, 9, 10].…”

“…One of the most sensitive forms of drug abuse is during pregnancy, which may cause compromised cognitive and social functions, increased pain sensitivity and anxiety in mothers, altered pain and drugs sensitivity in children [4, 11], and changes in maternal behavior. Maternal behavior is complex and multifaceted, so measuring it even in healthy individuals is a challenge.…”