Prolonged HPA axis dysregulation in postpartum depression associated with adverse early life experiences: A cross-species translational study.
Nat Ment Health
; 2(5): 593-604, 2024 May.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38736646
ABSTRACT
Childhood and adolescent stress increase the risk of postpartum depression (PPD), often providing an increased probability of treatment refractoriness. Nevertheless, the mechanisms linking childhood/adolescent stress to PPD remain unclear. Our study investigated the longitudinal effects of adolescent stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and postpartum behaviors in mice and humans. Adolescent social isolation prolonged glucocorticoid elevation, leading to long-lasting postpartum behavioral changes in female mice. These changes were unresponsive to current PPD treatments but improved with post-delivery glucocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment. Childhood/adolescent stress significantly impacted HPA axis dysregulation and PPD in human females. Repurposing glucocorticoid receptor antagonists for some cases of treatment-resistant PPD may be considered.
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01-internacional
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MEDLINE
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En
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Nat Ment Health
Year:
2024
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Article
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