2021
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95053-z
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Hidden pandemic: COVID-19-related stress, SLC6A4 methylation, and infants’ temperament at 3 months

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a collective trauma that may have enduring stress effects during sensitive periods, such as pregnancy. Prenatal stress may result in epigenetic signatures of stress-related genes (e.g., the serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4) that may in turn influence infants’ behavioral development. In April 2020, we launched a longitudinal cohort study to assess the behavioral and epigenetic vestiges of COVID-19-related prenatal stress exposure in mothers and infants. COVID-19-related prenat… Show more

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Cited by 47 publications
(49 citation statements)
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“…There is extensive proof that prenatal stress may pave the way to post-natal symptoms of depression and anxiety (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) that may later develop into full-blown affective disorders (16,17). Not surprisingly, studies conducted during the first months of the COVID-19 healthcare emergency are highlighting high levels of stress and reduced psychosocial well-being among pregnant women and mothers during the pandemic (18,19). A meta-analytic study reported that levels of depression were higher during the present pandemic when compared to previous reports during non-pandemic times (20).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…There is extensive proof that prenatal stress may pave the way to post-natal symptoms of depression and anxiety (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) that may later develop into full-blown affective disorders (16,17). Not surprisingly, studies conducted during the first months of the COVID-19 healthcare emergency are highlighting high levels of stress and reduced psychosocial well-being among pregnant women and mothers during the pandemic (18,19). A meta-analytic study reported that levels of depression were higher during the present pandemic when compared to previous reports during non-pandemic times (20).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Potential pandemic-associated deficits may also extend beyond children exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero : population-level reports have shown that the generation born during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic had lower educational attainment during childhood and lower socioeconomic status as adults [ 50 ]. Preliminary reports on early development in infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest the potential for similar generation-wide effects [ 51 , 52 ]. Recently, our group found no differences between in utero SARS-CoV-2 exposed versus unexposed infants in scores on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd Edition (ASQ-3) neurodevelopmental screening tool at 6 months of age, but significantly lower gross motor, fine motor, and personal–social scores in the overall pandemic-born cohort when compared with a prepandemic cohort born at the same medical center who completed the ASQ-3 at the same age [ 52 ].…”
Section: Need For Long-term Follow-up To Assess Effects Of Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection During Pregmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Recent data from Italy further supports the possibility that in utero exposure to COVID-19-related stress alters infant development. The team found an association between maternal COVID-19-related prenatal stress and infant serotonin-transporter gene methylation, which predicted infant temperament at 3 months of age [ 51 ].…”
Section: Need For Long-term Follow-up To Assess Effects Of Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection During Pregmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a major threat to global human health and a worldwide traumatic experience ( 1 , 2 ). During the 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, million infants were born to mothers and families who have experienced tremendous stress and change in their daily lives and environments due to the pandemic ( 3 – 5 )].…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…COVID-19 pandemic coincides with sensitive time windows of heightened plasticity, such as pregnancy and neonatal life ( 1 , 2 ). The significance of adversely affected perinatal maternal mental health as a potential risk factor for infant development has been emphasized ( 17 ).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%