Placenta plays a hidden role in maternal anxiety, depression: Study

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In groundbreaking research, a team of Australian researchers has identified the placenta's unexpected influence on maternal mental health. The finding may potentially revolutionise the understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety and depression and help develop a treatment for the conditions.

Scientists at the Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland identified 13 distinct glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in the placenta, with one particular variant showing a surprising response to maternal stress.

"We have discovered that the placenta has 13 different isoforms of the glucocorticoid receptor, with one isoform expressed in the presence of maternal stress, anxiety, and depression that activates an inflammatory response in the placenta in the presence of high cortisol concentrations," said Professor Vicki Clifton in a Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine on Tuesday.

The research challenges conventional understanding of stress responses during pregnancy. While most glucocorticoid receptors typically suppress inflammation, this newly identified variant appears to enhance it. This potentially explains the complex relationship between stress and inflammation in pregnant women.

Professor Clifton's research has unveiled crucial differences between male and female foetuses, mediated through sex-specific placental functions.

"Presently, we do not consider the sex of the foetus in obstetrics," she said. "I would like to see sex-specific medicine for pregnancy complications, for the care of preterm neonates, and for the care of newborns."

The research suggests that maternal physiology can vary depending on the sex of the foetus. This opens up new possibilities for personalised interventions in pregnancy care. The insight could also be applied to how clinicians view pregnancy complications and neonatal care.

The team now aims to find how placental inflammation might influence maternal brain function, potentially exacerbating anxiety and depression symptoms during pregnancy. The findings may revolutionise our approach to perinatal mental health care and lead to targeted interventions based on placental function.

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