Newborn Brain Function Is Affected by Fetal Exposure to Maternal Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Abstract

Recent experimental animal studies have shown that fetal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) affects brain development. Modern recording methods and advanced computational analyses of scalp electroencephalography (EEG) have opened a possibility to study if comparable changes are also observed in the human neonatal brain. We recruited mothers using SRI during pregnancy (n = 22) and controls (n = 62). Mood and anxiety of mothers, newborn neurology, and newborn cortical function (EEG) were assessed. The EEG parameters were compared between newborns exposed to drugs versus controls, followed by comparisons of newborn EEG features with maternal psychiatric assessments. Neurological assessment showed subtle abnormalities in the SRI-exposed newborns. The computational EEG analyses disclosed a reduced interhemispheric connectivity, lower cross-frequency integration, as well as reduced frontal activity at low-frequency oscillations. These effects were not related to maternal depression or anxiety. Our results suggest that antenatal serotonergic treatment might change newborn brain function in a manner compatible with the recent experimental studies. The present EEG findings suggest links at the level of neuronal activity between human studies and animal experiments. These links will also enable bidirectional translation in future studies on the neuronal mechanisms and long-term neurodevelopmental effects of early SRI exposure.

The emergence of functional architecture during early brain development

“…periods of relative rest in brain activity) during quiet sleep and lower crossfrequency integration during active sleep, the latter indicating reduced coordination of oscillations from spatially linked neural networks (e.g. the subplate and cortex) (Videman et al, 2016).…”

Early patterns of activity in the developing cortex: Focus on the sensorimotor system

“…Abnormalities in EEG parameters were also observed in neonates whose mothers received serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy [142]. The case of serotonin reuptake inhibitors is particularly interesting as it illustrates that the effects of drugs in the fetal brain may mechanistically differ from their effects in adult brain.…”

Measuring Cot-Side the Effects of Parenteral Nutrition on Preterm Cortical Function

“…The rationale starts from the well-established, intimate structurefunction link where rapid structural maturation of brain circuitry is guided and driven by endogenous neuronal activity (Vanhatalo and Kaila, 2006;Hanganu-Opatz, 2010;Luhmann et al, 2016;Keunen et al, 2017;Khazipov and Milh, 2018). There is also an increasing awareness of the sensitivity of early neuronal network activity to a variety of stress factors ranging from metabolic imbalance, such as nutritional stress, medical adversities and medical treatments (Keunen et al, 2015;Leviton et al, 2015;Videman et al, 2016Videman et al, , 2017.…”