Symptoms of prenatal depression are associated with raised salivary alpha-amylase levels

Braithwaite, Elizabeth; Ramchandani, Paul; Lane, Tracy; Murphy, Susannah E.

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.06.013

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…In a similar study, 184 women were randomly assigned to an exercise group or a control group, with the exercise group attending three one-hour sessions per week throughout. By the end of the study, the exercise group had significantly lower CES-D scores and a lower percentage of the exercise group was depressed (12 versus 25%) [68–70]. …”

Section: Complementary Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal Depression Risk Factors, Developmental Effects and Interventions: A Review

Field¹

2017

J Preg Child Health

116

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This narrative review based on a literature search in PubMed and PsycInfo on the two terms prenatal and antenatal depression includes empirical studies, reviews and meta-analyses that have been published during the last 5 years on risk factors, developmental effects and interventions for prenatal depression. Risk factor studies that met criteria feature demographic measures (lower socioeconomic status, less education, non-marital status, non-employment, less social support and health locus of control, unintended pregnancy, partner violence and history of child abuse) and physiological variables (cortisol, amylase, and pro-inflammatory cytokines and intrauterine artery resistance). The negative effects include postpartum depression, paternal depression, and prematurity and low birth weight. Negative effects on infants include greater right frontal EEG, amygdala connectivity, cortical thinning and more difficult temperament. In childhood, externalizing and internalizing problems have been reported. The data on prenatal antidepressants (specifically SSRIs) reveal negative effects including internalizing problems as well as a greater risk for autism spectrum disorder. Prenatal interventions that have been effective include interpersonal psychotherapy, peer support, massage therapy, yoga, tai chi, and aerobic exercise. Potential underlying mechanisms are discussed as well as methodological limitations including homogeneity of samples and lack of randomization to intervention groups. Despite these limitations, the literature highlights the need for prenatal depression screening and intervention.

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Section: Complementary Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal Depression Risk Factors, Developmental Effects and Interventions: A Review

Field¹

2017

J Preg Child Health

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Increased sAA concentrations are evident during periods of psychological distress ( Bosch et al, 1996 , Chatterton et al, 1997 , Skosnik et al, 2000 ), and sAA levels are inflated in people with depression ( Ishitobi et al, 2010 , Tanaka et al, 2012 , Veen et al, 2013 ). In pregnant populations, heightened sAA has been associated with anxiety ( Giesbrecht et al, 2013 ) and depression ( Braithwaite et al, 2015b ). It is currently unknown, however, whether prenatal sAA is an important biomarker for offspring development, and whether any effects may be gender-specific.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A second aim is to investigate whether sex-dependent associations of the same kind may be specific to glucocorticoid mechanisms, by also testing for a SNS effect (sAA by gender interaction). Data used in this analysis has been previously published ( Braithwaite et al, 2016 , Braithwaite et al, 2015b ), however in this manuscript we present a reanalysis of the data to specifically address the question of fetal sex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between biological markers of prenatal stress and infant negative emotionality are specific to sex

Braithwaite

Murphy

Ramchandani

et al. 2017

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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HighlightsEffects of prenatal stress on fetal development may be mediated via glucocorticoids.We report that associations of prenatal cortisol with infant behavior are sex-specific.High maternal prenatal cortisol predicts increased negative emotionality in females.Alternatively, high cortisol predicts reduced negative emotionality in males.The same sex-interaction is evident for maternal salivary alpha-amylase.

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“…Although Braithwaite et al (2015) have reported an association between depressive symptoms in later pregnancy and elevated awakening sAA activity levels in comparison with non-depressed controls, Cubala & Landowski (2014) found that low levels of sAA activity were observed in drugnaïve adult patients suffering a first MDE. Our results show that low morning levels of sAA could have a role as a possible risk factor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In line with this search for new, more precise biological markers of depression, the usefulness of sAA as a low-cost, biological marker of psychopathology has become a relevant new line of research, especially over the two last decades. Unfortunately, the results published on the utility of the association of sAA activity/output with depressive symptoms and/or symptoms of anxiety specifically are still scarce and inconclusive in adult and child populations (Bagley, Weaver, & Buchanan, 2011;Braithwaite, Ramchamandani, Lane, & Murphy, 2015;Ishitobi et al, 2010;Tanaka et al, 2012;Veen et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low levels of morning salivary α-amylase activity predict higher number of depressive symptoms in a community sample of children

et al. 2018

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Título: Bajos niveles de actividad alfa-amilasa salivar predicen un número más elevado de síntomas depresivos en una muestra infantil comunitaria. Resumen: Los modelos sobre la etiología de los trastornos depresivos sugieren que el inicio de un episodio depresivo es el resultado de un complejo fenómeno que se basa en la interacción entre la carga genética, factores ambientales críticos tales como eventos vitales estresantes y traumáticos, y el efecto de los cambios neuroendocrinos asociados con la respuesta de estrés. Numerosos estudios han resaltado la utilidad de los niveles matutinos de cortisol (C) como un potencial predictor de episodios depresivos. El objetivo del estudio fue comparar la efectividad del C, de la actividad/secreción de la alfa-amilasa salivar (AAs) y de su ratio para predecir la sintomatología depresiva en una muestra comunitaria de 99 niños con edades entre los 8-11 años. Dos muestras de saliva fueron obtenidas en la mañana en dos días escolares. Los profesores describieron el comportamiento de sus estudiantes usando la escala Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Nuestros resultados indican que, con independencia del género, el mejor predictor de las puntuaciones de depresión/aislamiento y del total de alteraciones internalizadas del TRF fue mostrar bajos niveles de actividad de AAs en la mañana. Por lo tanto, esta medida salivar podría ser usada como un marcador biológico del riesgo para el desarrollo de un primer episodio de depresivo infantil. Palabras clave: Alfa-amilasa; Cortisol; Síntomas Depresivos; Estudio Observacional Descriptivo.Abstract: Models of the etiology of depressive disorders suggest that the onset of a depressive episode is the result of a complex phenomenon based on the interaction between genetic background, critical environmental factors such as life stressors and traumatic events, and the effects of neuroendocrine changes associated with the stress response. Numerous studies have highlighted the usefulness of morning cortisol (C) as a potential predictor of depressive episodes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of C, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity/output, and the sAA/C ratio in predicting depressive symptoms in a community sample of 99 children aged 8-11 years old. Two saliva samples were obtained in the morning on two different school days. Teachers described their pupils' behavior by using the internalizing problems scales of the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) questionnaire. Our results indicate that, regardless of gender, the best predictor of depressive/withdrawal scores and overall internalizing scores on the TRF was lower mean morning levels of sAA activity. Hence, sAA could be proposed as a biological marker for the risk of developing a first episode of depressive illness in child samples.

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Symptoms of prenatal depression are associated with raised salivary alpha-amylase levels

Cited by 20 publications

References 72 publications

Prenatal Depression Risk Factors, Developmental Effects and Interventions: A Review

Prenatal Depression Risk Factors, Developmental Effects and Interventions: A Review

Associations between biological markers of prenatal stress and infant negative emotionality are specific to sex

Low levels of morning salivary α-amylase activity predict higher number of depressive symptoms in a community sample of children

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