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Autism spectrum disorder prevalence more than quadrupled in the United States between 2000 and 2020. Ice storm-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) predicts autistic-like trait severity in children exposed early in gestation. The objective was to determine the extent to which PNMS influences the severity and trajectory of autistic-like traits in prenatally flood-exposed children at ages 4-7 years and to test moderation by sex and gestational timing. Soon after the June 2008 floods in Iowa, USA, 268 women pregnant during the disaster were assessed for objective hardship, subjective distress, and cognitive appraisal of the experience. When their children were 4, 5½, and 7 years old, mothers completed the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) to assess their children's autistic-like traits; 137 mothers completed the SCQ for at least one age. The final longitudinal multilevel model showed that the greater the maternal subjective distress, the more severe the child's autistic-like traits, controlling for objective hardship. The effect of PNMS on rate of change was not significant, and there were no significant main effects or interactions involving sex or timing. Prenatal maternal subjective distress, but not objective hardship or cognitive appraisal, predicted more severe autistic-like traits at age 4, and this effect remained stable through age 7.

Background: Universal screening for depression and anxiety in pregnancy has been recommended by several leading medical organizations, but the implementation of such screening protocols may overburden health care systems lacking relevant resources. Text message screening may provide a low-cost, accessible alternative to in-person screening assessments. However, it is critical to understand who is likely to participate in text message-based screening protocols before such approaches can be implemented at the population level., Objective: This study aimed to examine sources of selection bias in a texting-based screening protocol that assessed symptoms of depression and anxiety across pregnancy and into the postpartum period., Methods: Participants from the Montreal Antenatal Well-Being Study (n=1130) provided detailed sociodemographic information and completed questionnaires assessing symptoms of depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]) and anxiety (State component of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI-S]) at baseline between 8 and 20 weeks of gestation (mean 14.5, SD 3.8 weeks of gestation). Brief screening questionnaires, more suitable for delivery via text message, assessing depression (Whooley Questions) and anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-Item questionnaire) were also collected at baseline and then via text message at 14-day intervals. Two-tailed t tests and Fisher tests were used to identify maternal characteristics that differed between participants who responded to the text message screening questions and those who did not. Hurdle regression models were used to test if individuals with a greater burden of depression and anxiety at baseline responded to fewer text messages across the study period., Results: Participants who responded to the text messages (n=933) were more likely than nonrespondents (n=114) to self-identify as White (587/907, 64.7% vs 39/96, 40.6%; P<.001), report higher educational attainment (postgraduate: 268/909, 29.5% vs 15/94, 16%; P=.005), and report higher income levels (CAD $150,000 [a currency exchange rate of CAD $1=US $0.76 is applicable] or more: 176/832, 21.2% vs 10/84, 11.9%; P<.001). There were no significant differences in symptoms of depression and anxiety between the 2 groups at baseline or postpartum. However, baseline depression (EPDS) or anxiety (STAI-S) symptoms did predict the total number of text message time points answered by participants, corresponding to a decrease of 1% (e β =0.99; P<.001) and 0.3% (e β =0.997; P<.001) in the number of text message time points answered per point increase in EPDS or STAI-S score, respectively., Conclusions: Findings from this study highlight the feasibility of text message-based screening protocols with high participation rates. However, our findings also highlight how screening and service delivery via digital technology could exacerbate disparities in mental health between certain patient groups., (©Julia Barnwell, Cindy Hénault Robert, Tuong-Vi Nguyen, Kelsey P Davis, Chloé Gratton, Guillaume Elgbeili, Hung Pham, Michael J Meaney, Tina C Montreuil, Kieran J O'Donnell. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 03.10.2024.)

Objective: The present study aimed to understand, relative to standard care, whether continuity of care models (private midwifery, continuity of care with a private doctor, continuity of care with a public midwife), and women's experience of maternity care provision, during the perinatal period buffered the association between prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) and infant birth outcomes (gestational age [GA], birth weight [BW] and birth weight for gestational age [BW for GA])., Methods: 2207 women who were pregnant in Australia while COVID-19 restrictions were in place reported on their COVID-19 related objective hardship and subjective distress during pregnancy and provided information on their model of maternity care. Infant birth outcomes (BW, GA) were reported on at 2-months postpartum., Results: Multiple linear regressions showed no relationship between PNMS and infant BW, GA or BW for GA, and neither experienced continuity of care, nor model of maternity care moderated this relationship. However, compared with all other models of care, women enrolled in private midwifery care reported the highest levels of experienced continuity of care and birthed infants at higher GA. BW and BW for GA were higher in private midwifery care, relative to standard care., Conclusion: Enrollment in continuous models of perinatal care may be a better predictor of infant birth outcomes than degree of PNMS exposure. These results highlight the possibility that increased, continuous support to women during pregnancy may play an important role in ensuring positive infant birth outcomes during future pandemics., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Prenatal maternal stress and mental health problems are known to increase risk for developmental psychopathology in offspring, yet pathways leading to risk or resiliency are poorly understood. In a quasi-experimental design, we prospectively examined associations between disaster-related prenatal stress, maternal mental health symptoms, and infant temperament outcomes. Mothers who were pregnant during Hurricane Harvey ( N = 527) reported on objective hardships (e.g., loss of belongings or income, evacuation, home flooding) related to the storm and subsequent mental health symptoms (anxiety/depression, posttraumatic stress) across time. At a postpartum assessment, mothers reported on their infant's temperament (negative affect, positive affect, orienting/regulatory capacity). Greater objective hardship indirectly predicted higher levels of infant orienting/regulatory capacity through its association with increased maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms. Greater objective hardship also indirectly predicted higher levels of infant negative affect through its association with increased maternal anxiety/depression symptoms across time. Our findings suggest a psychological mechanism linking prenatal stress with specific temperamental characteristics via maternal mental health symptoms. Findings point to the importance of high-quality assessment and mental health services for vulnerable women and young children.

Introduction: This study examined (1) whether measures of paternal anxious and depressive symptoms collected prenatally and during a follow-up assessment when the child was in middle childhood, predict child neuroendocrine outcomes, and (2) whether neuroendocrine outcomes are intermediate factors between paternal mental health and child cognitive/behavioral outcomes. Middle childhood coincides with increased autonomy as the child transitions into grade school, and with adrenarche, as the maturing adrenal gland increases secretion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated metabolite (DHEA-S), hormones that are implicated in corticolimbic development which regulate emotions and cognition., Methods: Participants were recruited from a subsample of a large prospective birth cohort study (3D study). We conducted a follow-up study when children were 6-8 years old ( N  = 61 families, 36 boys, 25 girls). Parental symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression were assessed via validated self-report questionnaires: prenatally using an in-house anxiety questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D), and at the follow up, using the Beck Anxiety and Beck Depression Inventories. Children provided salivary hormone samples, and their pituitary gland volume was measured from structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. Child behaviors were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and cognitive outcomes using the WISC-V. Multiple regression analyses were used to test whether paternal mental health symptoms assessed prenatally and during childhood are associated with child neuroendocrine outcomes, adjusting for maternal mental health and child sex. Indirect-effect models assessed whether neuroendocrine factors are important intermediates that link paternal mental health and cognitive/behavioral outcomes., Results: (1) Fathers' prenatal anxiety symptoms predicted lower DHEA levels in the children, but not pituitary volume. (2) Higher prenatal paternal anxiety symptoms predicted higher child internalizing symptoms via an indirect pathway of lower child DHEA. No associations were detected between paternal anxiety symptoms measured in childhood, and neuroendocrine outcomes. No child sex differences were detected on any measure., Conclusion: These results highlight the often-overlooked role of paternal factors during pregnancy on child development, suggesting that paternal prenatal anxiety symptoms are associated with child neuroendocrine function and in turn internalizing symptoms that manifest at least up to middle childhood., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Jones, De Braga, Caccese, Lew, Elgbeili, Castellanos-Ryan, Parent, Muckle, Herba, Fraser, Ducharme, Barnwell, Trasler, Séguin, Nguyen and Montreuil.)

Studies show that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is related to risk for child autism, and to atypical amygdala functional connectivity in the autistic child. Yet, it remains unclear whether amygdala functional connectivity mediates the association between PNMS and autistic traits, particularly in young adult offspring. We recruited women who were pregnant during, or within 3 months of, the 1998 Quebec ice storm crisis, and assessed three aspects of PNMS: objective hardship (events experienced during the ice storm), subjective distress (post-traumatic stress symptoms experienced as a result of the ice storm) and cognitive appraisal. At age 19, 32 young adults (21 females) self-reported their autistic-like traits (i.e., aloof personality, pragmatic language impairment and rigid personality), and underwent structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI scans. Seed-to-voxel analyses were conducted to map the amygdala functional connectivity network. Mediation analyses were implemented with bootstrapping of 20,000 resamplings. We found that greater maternal objective hardship was associated with weaker functional connectivity between the left amygdala and the right postcentral gyrus, which was then associated with more pragmatic language impairment. Greater maternal subjective distress was associated with weaker functional connectivity between the right amygdala and the left precentral gyrus, which was then associated with more aloof personality. Our results demonstrate that the long-lasting effect of PNMS on offspring autistic-like traits may be mediated by decreased amygdala-sensorimotor circuits. The differences between amygdala-sensory and amygdala-motor pathways mediating different aspects of PNMS on different autism phenotypes need to be studied further.

Studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) affects brain structure and function in childhood. However, less research has examined whether PNMS effects on brain structure and function extend to young adulthood. We recruited women who were pregnant during or within 3 months following the 1998 Quebec ice storm, assessed their PNMS, and prospectively followed-up their children. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI were obtained from 19-year-old young adults with (n = 39) and without (n = 65) prenatal exposure to the ice storm. We examined between-group differences in gray matter volume (GMV), surface area (SA), and cortical thickness (CT). We used the brain regions showing between-group GMV differences as seeds to compare between-group functional connectivity. Within the Ice Storm group, we examined (1) associations between PNMS and the atypical GMV, SA, CT, and functional connectivity, and (2) moderation by timing of exposure. Primarily, we found that, compared to Controls, the Ice Storm youth had larger GMV and higher functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus, the left occipital pole, and the right hippocampus; they also had larger CT, but not SA, of the left occipital pole. Within the Ice Storm group, maternal subjective distress during preconception and mid-to-late pregnancy was associated with atypical left occipital pole CT. These results suggest the long-lasting impact of disaster-related PNMS on child brain structure and functional connectivity. Our study also indicates timing-specific effects of the subjective aspect of PNMS on occipital thickness., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Neuroscience Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Paternal mental health has been associated with adverse consequences on offspring psychosocial development, and family environmental factors may partly explain those associations. To clarify this, we need comprehensive prospective studies, particularly in middle-childhood when the child enters school and is expected to make use of behavioral and cognitive skills as part of their interactions and learning., Method: Using data from a sub-sample of the prospective 3D birth cohort study comprised of mother-father-child triads, and a follow-up of the parents and the children at 6-8 years of age ( n = 61; 36 boys, 25 girls), we examined whether paternal anxious and depressive symptoms measured during the pregnancy period (i.e., prenatally) or concurrently when the child was assessed at 6-8 years old were associated with children's cognition/behavior., Results: In contrast to our hypotheses, we found that greater prenatal paternal depressive symptoms predicted fewer child behavioral difficulties; and that greater concurrent childhood paternal depression or anxiety symptoms were associated with higher child full-scale IQ, controlling for the equivalent maternal mental health assessment and parental education. Father parenting perception did not mediate these associations, nor were they moderated by maternal mental health at the concurrent assessment, or paternal ratings of marital relationship quality., Discussion: These findings suggest that higher symptoms of paternal mental health symptoms are associated with fewer child behavioral difficulties and higher cognitive performance in middle childhood. Potential clinical implications and future research directions are discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that this work was funded by Merck, Sharp & Dohme corp. (T-VN), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (T-VN, MY5-155371), Montreal General Hospital Foundation, McGill University Health Center Foundation (T-VN), and Fonds de Recherche Québec Santé (T-VN, 36776). The 3D and 3D-Transition Studies were both supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CRI 88413 and PJT-148551, respectively). The authors also declare that they received salary support through the Graduate Excellence Fellowship in Mental Health Research, awarded by the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University (CC), and a Ferring Postdoctoral Fellowship in Reproductive Health awarded by McGill Faculty of Medicine (SLJ). JRS was supported by the Fonds Monique Gaumond pour la Recherche en Maladies Affectives. The funders were not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Jones, Caccese, Davis, Lew, Elgbeili, Herba, Barnwell, Robert, Gavanski, Horsley, Fraser, Da Costa, Séguin, Nguyen and Montreuil.)

Objective: Assess the association between prenatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and preterm birth (PTB; delivery < 37 weeks gestation) and low birth weight (LBW; < 2500 g)., Methods: Pregnant individuals, > 18 years, were recruited in Canada and provided data through a web-based questionnaire. We analyzed data on persons recruited between 06/2020 and 08/2021 who completed questionnaires while pregnant and 2 months post-partum. Data on maternal sociodemographics, comorbidities, medication use, mental health (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, General Anxiety Disorder-7, stress), pandemic hardship (CONCEPTION-Assessment of Stress from COVID-19), and on gestational age at delivery and birth weight were self-reported. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated to quantify the association between PTB/LBW and maternal mental health., Results: A total of 1265 and 1233 participants were included in the analyses of PTB and LBW, respectively. No associations were observed between PTB and prenatal mental health (depression [aOR 1.01, 95%CI 0.91-1.11], anxiety [aOR 1.04, 95%CI 0.93-1.17], stress [aOR 0.88, 95%CI 0.71-1.10], or hardship [aOR 1.00, 95%CI 0.96-1.04]) after adjusting for potential confounders. The risk of PTB was increased with non-white ethnicity/race (aOR 3.85, 95%CI 1.35-11.00), consistent with the literature. Similar findings were observed for LBW (depression [aOR 1.03, 95%CI 0.96-1.13], anxiety [aOR 1.05, 95%CI 0.95-1.17], COVID stress [aOR 0.92, 95%CI 0.77-1.09], or overall hardship [aOR 0.97, 95%CI 0.94-1.01])., Conclusion: No association was found between prenatal mental health nor hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of PTB or LBW. However, it is imperative to continue the follow-up of mothers and their offspring to detect long-term health problems early., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Emerging non-Western studies indicate new patterns in the functionality of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) warranting further investigation in different cultures. The current study aims to investigate the function (etiology and underlying mechanism) of NSSI among a sample of university students in Tehran, Iran, using the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS). The ISAS was administered to 63 students who self-injured (52.4% female; M = 22.15). An exploratory factor analysis using the Bayesian estimation method was conducted. A three-factor model of NSSI functions emerged including an intrapersonal factor representing within-self functions (e.g., self-punishment); a social identification factor consisting of functions establishing a sense of self/identity (e.g., peer bonding); and a communication factor representing an influencing/communicating functionality (e.g., marking distress). Intrapersonal and social identification factors were associated with greater severity of NSSI method and increased anxiety. Findings support the use of the ISAS among an Iranian sample and revealed additional patterns beyond the commonly referenced two-factor model (intrapersonal and interpersonal functions) in a culturally novel sample. The results are situated within the sample's sociocultural context. age = 22.15). An exploratory factor analysis using the Bayesian estimation method was conducted. A three-factor model of NSSI functions emerged including an intrapersonal factor representing within-self functions (e.g., self-punishment); a social identification factor consisting of functions establishing a sense of self/identity (e.g., peer bonding); and a communication factor representing an influencing/communicating functionality (e.g., marking distress). Intrapersonal and social identification factors were associated with greater severity of NSSI method and increased anxiety. Findings support the use of the ISAS among an Iranian sample and revealed additional patterns beyond the commonly referenced two-factor model (intrapersonal and interpersonal functions) in a culturally novel sample. The results are situated within the sample's sociocultural context.

Studies show associations between prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) and child autism, with little attention paid to PNMS and autism in young adulthood. The broad autism phenotype (BAP), encompassing sub-clinical levels of autism, includes aloof personality, pragmatic language impairment and rigid personality. It remains unclear whether different aspects of PNMS explain variance in different BAP domains in young adult offspring. We recruited women who were pregnant during, or within 3 months of, the 1998 Quebec ice storm crisis, and assessed three aspects of their stress (i.e., objective hardship, subjective distress and cognitive appraisal). At age 19, the young adult offspring ( n = 33, 22F / 11M) completed a BAP self-report. Linear and logistic regressions were implemented to examine associations between PNMS and BAP traits. Up to 21.4% of the variance in BAP total score and in BAP three domains tended to be explained by at least one aspect of maternal stress, For example, 16.8% of the variance in aloof personality tended to be explained by maternal objective hardship; 15.1% of the variance in pragmatic language impairment tended to be explained by maternal subjective distress; 20.0% of the variance in rigid personality tended to be explained by maternal objective hardship and 14.3% by maternal cognitive appraisal. Given the small sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution. In conclusion, this small prospective study suggests that different aspects of maternal stress could have differential effects on different components of BAP traits in young adults.

Background: Various forms of prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) have been reported to increase risk for preterm birth and low birthweight. However, the associations between specific components of stress - namely objective hardship and subjective distress - and birth outcomes are not well understood., Aims: Here, we aimed to determine the relationship between birthweight and gestational age at birth and specific prenatal factors (infant gender and COVID-19 pandemic-related objective hardship, subjective distress, change in diet), and to determine whether effects of hardship are moderated by maternal subjective distress, change in diet, or infant gender., Materials and Methods: As part of the Birth in the Time of COVID (BITTOC study), women (N = 2285) who delivered in Australia during the pandemic were recruited online between August 2020 and February 2021. We assessed objective hardship and subjective distress related to the COVID pandemic and restrictions, and birth outcomes through questionnaires that were completed at recruitment and two months post-partum. Analyses included hierarchical multiple regressions., Results: No associations between maternal objective hardship or subjective distress and gestational age at birth or birthweight were identified. Lower birthweight was significantly associated with female gender (adjusted β = 0.083, P < 0.001) and with self-reported improvement in maternal diet (adjusted β = 0.059, P = 0.015)., Conclusions: In a socioeconomically advantaged sample, neither objective hardship nor subjective distress related to COVID-19 were associated with birth outcomes. Further research is warranted to understand how other individual factors influence susceptibility to PNMS and how these findings are applicable to women with lower socioeconomic status., (© 2023 The Authors. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

Background: Stroke results in loss of upper motor neuron control over voluntary movements and emergence of abnormal synergies. Presently, it is unclear to what extent poststroke recovery reflects true recovery (restitution), compensation, or some combination of these processes. Here, we investigated this question using behavioral and kinematic analyses of skilled reaching in rats subjected to severe stroke that affected both the forelimb motor cortex and dorsolateral striatum., Methods: After stroke, male rats either spontaneously recovered or received enriched rehabilitation. We assessed forelimb motor recovery using behavioral and kinematic outcome measures. To provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the effects of rehabilitation on behavior, we used intracortical microstimulation and FosB (protein fosB) immunostaining techniques., Results: Enriched rehabilitation significantly improved food pellet retrieval in the staircase-reaching task. Rehabilitation resulted in several poststroke flexion synergies returning to prestroke patterns, and across subjects, these changes correlated with the intensity of rehabilitation. Enriched rehabilitation increased the proportion of distal movement representation in the perilesional cortex and increased use-dependent activation in the ipsilesional red nucleus., Conclusions: These results provide evidence that enriched rehabilitation enhances recovery, at least in part, by restitution of forelimb function following severe stroke. Furthermore, the restitution of function is associated with changes in multiple motor-related structures at different levels of the central nervous system. A better understanding of the processes that underlie improved motor performance, along with the identification of midbrain circuits activated by rehabilitation, represent new insights and potential targets for optimizing poststroke recovery., Competing Interests: Disclosures None.

Background: While hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) coexist with maternal anxiety and depression, it is unclear how these conditions affect neonatal outcomes. We evaluated the prevalence as well as associations and potential mechanisms between HDP, maternal anxiety and depression, preterm birth (PTB), and small for gestational age (SGA)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-based study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) database from 2004 to 2014. Preterm birth (<37 weeks), SGA (<10th percentile for gestational age and sex), HDP, and mental disorders (anxiety and depression) were extracted using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). Mediation and moderation models were constructed separately to evaluate potential mechanisms between maternal anxiety and depression, HDP, and adverse neonatal outcomes. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine their associations., Results: Of 9,097,355 pregnant women, the prevalence of HDP was 6.9 %, anxiety 0.91 %, depression 0.36 %, preterm birth 7.2 %, and SGA 2.1 %. Anxiety increased the probability of having HDP (OR = 1.242, 95 % CI 1.235-1.250), and HDP mediated the association between anxiety and preterm birth (mediation effect = 0.048, p-value<0.001). Depression significantly moderated the effect of HDP on preterm birth (moderation effect = -0.126, p-value = 0.027). HDP also mediated the association between anxiety and SGA (mediation effect = 0.042, p-value<0.001), but depression did not moderate the association between HDP and SGA (p-value = 0.29)., Conclusion: Our study suggests that women with anxiety are more likely to have HDP, and HDP mediates the associations between anxiety and adverse neonatal outcomes. Depression moderates associations between HDP and preterm birth but not between HDP and SGA., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress alters volumes of the amygdala and hippocampus, and alters functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. However, it remains unclear whether prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) affects volumes and functional connectivity of these structures at their subdivision levels., Methods: T1-weighted MRI and resting-state functional MRI were obtained from 19-year-old young adult offspring with ( n = 39, 18 male) and without ( n = 65, 30 male) exposure to PNMS deriving from the 1998 ice storm. Volumes of amygdala nuclei, hippocampal subfields and prefrontal subregions were computed, and seed-to-seed functional connectivity analyses were conducted., Results: Compared to controls, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had larger volumes of bilateral whole amygdala, driven by the lateral, basal, central, medial, cortical, accessory basal nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition; larger volumes of bilateral whole hippocampus, driven by the CA1, HATA, molecular layer, fissure, tail, CA3, CA4, and DG; and larger volume of the prefrontal cortex, driven by the left superior frontal. Inversely, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had lower functional connectivity between the whole amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (driven by bilateral frontal poles, the left superior frontal and left caudal middle frontal); and lower functional connectivity between the hippocampal tail and the prefrontal cortex (driven by the left lateral orbitofrontal)., Conclusion: These results suggest the possibility that effects of disaster-related PNMS on structure and function of subdivisions of offspring amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex could persist into young adulthood., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Li, Qureshi, Laplante, Elgbeili, Jones, King and Rosa-Neto.)

Background: While there have been reports of increased perinatal anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic (Stepowicz et al., 2020), there has been a lack of research on the relative importance of objective hardship and subjective distress. In this study, we explored the extent to which resilience, tolerance of uncertainty, and cognitive appraisal of the pandemic's consequences moderate the effect of prenatal objective hardship and subjective distress due to the pandemic on 2-month postpartum anxiety., Methods: Data were collected as part of the Birth in the Time of COVID (BITTOC) study. We measured objective hardship and subjective distress, mental health, and potential psychological moderators in 419 pregnant women residing in Australia, and at two months postpartum. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used., Results: Objective hardship and subjective distress independently predicted postpartum anxiety. All three psychological factors moderated the effect of objective hardship on anxiety. For women with low/neutral resilience, or low/moderate tolerance of uncertainty, or a negative cognitive appraisal, greater objective hardship predicted higher postpartum anxiety. Conversely, for women with high resilience, or high tolerance of uncertainty, or neutral/positive cognitive appraisal, there was no association. Only a neutral/positive cognitive appraisal significantly buffered the effect of subjective distress on anxiety., Limitations: Participants self-selected themselves into the study. The generalizability of our results could be restricted to women of higher socio-economic status., Conclusions: These findings help us better understand options for intervention and assessment of vulnerable women during times of stress, along with the mechanisms by which COVID-related stress during pregnancy contributes to postpartum anxiety., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Exposure to adverse experiences during pregnancy, such as a natural disaster, can modify development of the child with potential long-term consequences. Elemental hair analysis may provide useful indicators of cellular homeostasis and child health. The present study investigated (1) if flood-induced prenatal maternal stress is associated with altered hair elemental profiles in 4-year-old children, and (2) if hair elemental profiles are associated with behavioural outcomes in children., Methods: Participants were 75 children (39 boys; 36 girls) whose mothers were exposed to varying levels of stress due to a natural disaster (2011 Queensland Flood, Australia) during pregnancy. At 4 years of age, language development, attention and internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed and scalp hair was collected. Hair was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for 28 chemical elements., Results: A significant curvilinear association was found between maternal objective hardship and copper levels in boys, as low and high maternal objective hardship levels were associated with the highest hair copper levels. Mediation analysis revealed that low levels of maternal objective hardship and high levels of copper were associated with lower vocabulary scores. Higher levels of maternal objective hardship were associated with higher magnesium levels, which in turn were associated with attention problems and aggression in boys. In girls, high and low maternal objective hardship levels were associated with high calcium/potassium ratios., Conclusion: Elemental hair analysis may provide a sensitive biomonitoring tool for early identification of health risks in vulnerable children., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Numerous studies have shown associations between maternal stress and poor birth outcomes, but evidence is unclear for causal inference. Natural disasters provide an opportunity to study effects of quasi-randomized hardship with an accurate measure of onset and duration. In a population-based quasi-experimental study, we examined the effect of maternal exposure to the January 1998 Québec ice storm on birth outcomes by comparing pregnant mothers who lived in an area hard hit by the ice storm with those in two unaffected regions. In a total of 147,349 singleton births between 1995 and 2001, we used a difference-in-differences method to estimate the effects of the ice storm on gestational age at delivery (GA), preterm birth (PTB), weight-for-gestational-age z -scores (BWZ), large for gestational age (LGA), and small for gestational age (SGA). After adjusting for maternal and sociodemographic characteristics, there were no differences between the exposed and the unexposed mothers for birth outcomes. The estimated differences (exposed vs. unexposed) were 0.01 SDs (95% CI: -0.02, 0.05) for BWZ; 0.10% point (95% CI: -0.95%, 1.16%) for SGA; 0.25% point (95% CI: -0.78%, 1.28%) for LGA; -0.01 week (95% CI: -0.07, 0.05) for GA; and 0.16% point (95% CI: -0.66%, 0.97%) for PTB. Neither trimester-specific nor dose-response associations were observed. Overall, exposure to the 1998 Québec ice storm as a proxy for acute maternal stress in pregnancy was not associated with poor birth outcomes. Our results suggest that acute maternal hardship may not have a substantial effect on adverse birth outcomes.

Ownership of cats in childhood has been inconsistently associated with psychosis in adulthood. Parasitic exposure, the putative mechanism of this association, may be more common with rodent-hunting cats, and its association with psychosis may depend on other environmental exposures. We examined the conditional associations between childhood cat ownership and the frequency of psychotic experiences in adulthood. Adults (n = 2206) were recruited in downtown Montreal to complete a survey about childhood cat ownership (non-hunting or rodent-hunting), winter birth, residential moves in childhood, head trauma history, and tobacco smoking. The frequency of psychotic experiences (PE) was measured with the 15-item positive subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences. Associations between exposures and PE were examined in linear regressions adjusted for age and sex. Interactions among variables were explored using a conditional inference tree. Rodent-hunting cat ownership was associated with higher PE scores in male participants (vs. non-hunting or no cat ownership: SMD = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.86), but not in female participants (SMD = 0.10; 95% CI: -0.18, 0.38). In the conditional inference tree, the highest mean PE score was in the class comprised of non-smokers with >1 residential move, head trauma history, and rodent-hunting cat ownership (n = 22; mean standard score = 0.96). The interaction between rodent-hunting cat ownership and head trauma history was supported by a post-hoc linear regression model. Our findings suggest childhood cat ownership has conditional associations with psychotic experiences in adulthood., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been widely studied in prenatal or postnatal depression, with much less research on anxiety and stress. This meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate CBT efficacy for perinatal depression, anxiety and stress in the short term (from baseline to immediately post-intervention) and in the long term (from baseline to the end of follow-up). Five databases were searched. We included 79 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs assessing the efficacy of CBT during pregnancy and the first year postpartum. Primary outcome was the mean score change in depression, anxiety and stress. CBT-only and CBT plus other interventions were effective for perinatal maternal depression in the short term (SMD -0.69, 95% CI: -0.83, -0.55) and long term (SMD -0.59, 95% CI -0.75, -0.42). CBT-only had both short- and long-term efficacy for perinatal anxiety (short term: SMD -0.63, 95% CI -0.85, -0.42; long term: SMD -0.71, 95% CI -1.02, -0.39) and short-term efficacy for perinatal stress (SMD -0.96, 95% CI -1.40, -0.52). Overall, CBT was effective for perinatal maternal depression, anxiety and stress. CBT-only exhibited short-term efficacy for perinatal depression, anxiety and stress, and long-term efficacy for perinatal depression and anxiety. Subgroup analyses suggested that CBT-only was effective across a wide variety of modalities., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be a turning point with negative impacts on mental health, treatment and prognosis. This meta-analysis sought to determine the nature and prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress-related symptoms in the wake of a breast cancer diagnosis., Methods: Ten databases were searched between March and August 2020. Thirty-nine quantitative studies were meta-analysed., Results: The prevalence of clinically significant symptoms was 39% for non-specific distress (n = 13), 34% for anxiety (n = 19), 31% for post-traumatic stress (n = 7) and 20% for depression (n = 25). No studies reporting breast cancer patients' well-being in our specific time frame were found., Conclusion: Mental health can be impacted in at least four domains following a diagnosis of breast cancer and such effects are commonplace. This study outlines a clear need for mitigating the impacts on mental health brought about by breast cancer diagnosis. CRD42020203990., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Epigenetic changes are associated with altered behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders and they modify the trajectory of aging. Maternal anxiety during pregnancy is a common environmental challenge for the fetus, causing changes in DNA methylation. Here, we determined the mediating role of DNA methylation and the moderating role of offspring sex on the association between maternal anxiety and children's behavioral measures. In 83 mother-child dyads, maternal anxiety was assessed in each trimester of pregnancy when the child was four years of age. Children's behavioral measures and children's buccal DNA methylation levels ( NR3C1 , IGF2/H19 ICR , and LINE1 ) were examined. Higher maternal anxiety during the third trimester was associated with more methylation levels of the NR3C1 . Moderating effects of sex on the association between maternal anxiety and methylation were found for IGF2/H19 and LINE1 CpGs. Mediation analysis showed that methylation of NR3C1 could buffer the effects of maternal anxiety on children's behavioral measures, but this effect did not remain significant after controlling for covariates. In conclusion, our data support an association between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and DNA methylation. The results also underscore the importance of sex differences and timing effects. However, DNA methylation as underlying mechanism of the effect of maternal anxiety during pregnancy on offspring's behavioral measures was not supported.

Gene-by-environment interactions influence brain development from conception to adulthood. In particular, the prenatal period is a window of vulnerability for the interplay between environmental and genetic factors to influence brain development. Rodent and human research demonstrates that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) alters hippocampal volumes. Although PNMS affects hippocampal size on average, similar degrees of PNMS lead to different effects in different individuals. This differential susceptibility to the effects of PNMS may be due to genetic variants. Hence, we investigated the role of genetic variants of two SNPs that are candidates to moderate the effects of PNMS on hippocampal volume: COMT (rs4680) and BDNF (rs6265). To investigate this, we assessed 53 children who were in utero during the January 1998 Quebec ice storm. In June 1998 their mothers responded to questionnaires about their objective, cognitive, and subjective levels of stress from the ice storm. When children were 11 1/2 years old, T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained using a 3T scanner and analyzed to determine hippocampal volumes. We collected and genotyped the children's saliva DNA. Moderation analyses were conducted to determine whether either or both of the SNPs moderate the effect of PNMS on hippocampal volumes. We found that objective hardship was associated with right hippocampal volume in girls, and that the BDNF and COMT genotypes were associated with left hippocampal volume in boys and girls. In addition, SNPs located on COMT moderated the effect of maternal objective distress in boys, and subjective distress in girls, on both right hippocampal volume. Thus, we conclude that an individual's genotype alters their susceptibility to the effects of PNMS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Cao-Lei, Yogendran, Dufoix, Elgbeili, Laplante and King.)

The evidence supporting the idea that natural disaster-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) influences the child's development has been accumulating for several years. We conducted a meta-analytical review to quantify this effect on different spheres of child development: birth outcomes, cognitive, motor, physical, socio-emotional, and behavioral development. We systematically searched the literature for articles on this topic (2756 articles retrieved and 37 articles included in the systematic review), extracted the relevant data to calculate the effect sizes, and then performed a meta-analysis for each category of outcomes (30 articles included across the meta-analyses) and meta-regressions to determine the effect of some factors of interest on the association between PNMS and child development: type of PNMS (objective, psychological, cognitive, diet), type of natural disaster (ice storm, flood/cyclone), type of report (maternal, third-party observer, medical), timing of exposure (preconception exposure included or not) and child age at assessment (under 10 or 10 years and older). We found that PNMS significantly influences all spheres of child development. Higher PNMS levels were associated with longer gestational age, larger newborns, and higher BMI and adiposity levels, as well as worse cognitive, motor, socio-emotional, and behavioral outcomes.

Objective: Following disasters, perinatal women are vulnerable to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms. Little is known about protective factors. We hypothesized that peritraumatic stress would predict PTSD-like symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women and would be moderated by social support and resilience., Method: Women ( n = 200) who experienced the 2016 Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo wildfire during or shortly before pregnancy completed the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI), Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised for current PTSD-like symptoms. They also completed scales of social support (Social Support Questionnaire-Short Form) and resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale)., Results: Greater peritraumatic distress ( r = 0.56) and dissociative experiences ( r = 0.56) correlated with more severe PTSD-like symptoms. Greater social support satisfaction was associated with less severe post-traumatic stress symptoms but only when peritraumatic distress was below average; at more severe levels of PDI, this psychosocial variable was not protective., Conclusions: Maternal PTSD-like symptoms after a wildfire depend on peritraumatic distress and dissociation. Higher social support satisfaction buffers the association with peritraumatic distress, although not when peritraumatic reactions are severe. Early psychosocial interventions may protect perinatal women from PTSD-like symptoms after a wildfire.

Background: Expressive writing requires journaling stressor-related thoughts and feelings over four daily sessions of 15 min. Thirty years of research have popularized expressive writing as a brief intervention for fostering trauma-related resilience; however, its ability to surpass placebo remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of expressive writing for improving post-traumatic stress symptoms in perinatal women who were living in the Houston area during major flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey., Methods: A total of 1090 women were randomly allocated (1:1:1) to expressive writing, neutral writing or no writing. Interventions were internet-based. Online questionnaires were completed before randomization and at 2 months post-intervention. The primary outcome was post-traumatic stress symptoms, measured with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised; secondary outcomes were affective symptoms, measured with the 40-item Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Scales. Feelings throughout the intervention were reported daily using tailored questionnaires., Results: In intention-to-treat analyses, no post-treatment between-group differences were found on the primary and secondary outcomes. Per-protocol analyses yielded similar results. A number of putative moderators were tested, but none interacted with expressive writing. Expressive writing produced greater feelings of anxiety and sadness during the intervention compared to neutral writing; further, overall experiences from the intervention mediated associations between expressive writing and greater post-traumatic stress at 2 months post-intervention., Conclusions: Among disaster-stricken perinatal women, expressive writing was ineffective in reducing levels of post-traumatic stress, and may have exacerbated these symptoms in some.

Background: Limited research has evaluated distinct aspects of disaster experience as predictors of affective symptoms. In this study, we examined the extent to which maternal depression and anxiety over time were predicted by (1) objective hardship from a flood during pregnancy, (2) peritraumatic distress and (3) cognitive appraisal of the flood's consequences., Methods: Data were drawn from the 2011 Queensland Flood Study, a prospective, longitudinal study of pregnancy (n = 183). Mothers' disaster experience was measured within 1 year after the flood. Their levels of depression, anxiety and stress were measured at 16 months, 30 months, 4 years and 6 years after childbirth. Linear mixed models were employed to evaluate symptom trajectories., Results: There were no time-dependent effects of disaster-related variables. Objective hardship did not predict outcomes. Peritraumatic distress significantly predicted depression and anxiety symptoms when cognitive appraisal was negative. Conversely, when cognitive appraisal was neutral or positive, the effect of peritraumatic distress was "buffered". For anxiety, but not depression, this interaction survived Bonferroni correction. Neutral/positive cognitive appraisal similarly moderated the effect of peritraumatic dissociation., Limitations: The generalizability of our findings is limited by overall low levels of depression and anxiety, along with a predominantly Caucasian, higher socioeconomic status sample. Potential confounders such as pre-disaster anxiety were not controlled for., Conclusion: In line with previous evidence, this study supports the predictive validity of peritraumatic distress for post-disaster depression and anxiety. Our findings suggest that cognitive appraisal could be a relevant target for interventions aimed at fostering maternal resilience., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The fetal programming hypothesis suggests that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) influences aspects of fetal development, such as the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, enhancing susceptibility to emotional problems. No study (to our knowledge) has investigated this pathway considering development of preschool anxiety symptoms. Using data from the Queensland Flood study (QF2011), our objective was to determine whether toddler HPA-axis functioning mediated the association between aspects of flood-related PNMS and child anxiety symptoms at 4-years, and whether relationships were moderated by the timing of the stressor in utero or by the child's sex., Methods: Women, pregnant during the 2011 Queensland floods (N = 230), were recruited soon afterwards and completed questionnaires regarding their objective hardship (e.g., loss of personal property), subjective distress (post-traumatic-like symptoms) and cognitive appraisal of the disaster. At 16 months, indexes of the child's diurnal cortisol rhythm (awakening response, total daily output, diurnal slope [N = 80]), and stress reactivity (N = 111), were obtained. At 4-years, N = 117 mothers reported on their own mood and their children's anxiety symptoms; of these, N = 80 also had valid child cortisol reactivity data, and N = 64 had diurnal cortisol rhythm data., Results: A greater cortisol awakening response at 16 months mediated the relationship between subjective PNMS and anxiety symptoms at 4-years. Greater toddler daily cortisol secretion predicted more anxiety symptoms, independent of PNMS. The laboratory stressor did not elicit a cortisol response. PNMS effects were not dependent upon child sex nor on gestational timing of flood exposure., Conclusions: Indexes of diurnal cortisol in toddlerhood may represent vulnerability for anxiety symptoms in preschoolers, both independent of, and following, exposure to disaster-related prenatal maternal subjective distress., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prenatal stress has been associated with adverse outcomes in offspring, including elevated risk of psychopathology. Fetal programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been posited as a biological mechanism underlying such consequences. The present study aimed to examine whether dysregulation of the offspring HPA axis mediates the relationship between prenatal stress exposure and adolescent psychopathology., Methods: Five months after the Quebec ice storm of 1998, women who had been pregnant at the time of the storm completed questionnaires about their objective hardship and subjective distress from the disaster. A total of 45 of their children, exposed to the ice storm in utero, participated at 13 years of age. Adolescents completed the Trier Social Stress Test while providing salivary samples to measure circulating cortisol levels. Maternal report of adolescent behaviors was assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist., Results: Results from the study found that greater objective hardship was associated with elevated offspring cortisol reactivity at 13 years of age. Furthermore, greater subjective distress was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. While lower cortisol reactivity predicted greater externalizing behaviors, it did not mediate the association between maternal objective hardship or subjective distress and offspring externalizing or internalizing behaviors., Conclusions: Findings suggest that objective hardship in pregnancy has long-term implications for offspring HPA axis functioning, which is also associated with externalizing behaviors. While dysregulation of the offspring HPA axis did not mediate the association between prenatal stress and offspring psychopathological symptoms, further research is warranted to investigate programming of alternative biological systems., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In rats, forelimb movements are evoked from two cortical regions, the caudal and rostral forelimb areas (CFA and RFA, respectively). These areas are densely interconnected and RFA induces complex and powerful modulations of CFA outputs. CFA and RFA also have interhemispheric connections, and these areas from both hemispheres send projections to common targets along the motor axis, providing multiple potential sites of interactions for movement production. Our objective was to characterize how CFA and RFA in one hemisphere can modulate motor outputs of the opposite hemisphere. To do so, we used paired-pulse protocols with intracortical microstimulation techniques (ICMS), while recording electromyographic (EMG) activity of forelimb muscles in sedated rats. A subthreshold conditioning stimulation was applied in either CFA or RFA in one hemisphere simultaneously or before a suprathreshold test stimulation in either CFA or RFA in the opposite hemisphere. Both CFA and RFA tended to facilitate motor outputs with short (0-2.5 ms) or long (20-35 ms) delays between the conditioning and test stimuli. In contrast, they tended to inhibit motor outputs with intermediate delays, in particular 10 ms. When comparing the two areas, we found that facilitatory effects from RFA were more frequent and powerful than the ones from CFA. In contrast, inhibitory effects from CFA on its homolog were more frequent and powerful than the ones from RFA. Our results demonstrate that interhemispheric modulations from CFA and RFA share some similarities but also have clear differences that could sustain specific functions these cortical areas carry for the generation of forelimb movements. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that caudal and rostral forelimb areas (CFA and RFA) have distinct effects on motor outputs from the opposite hemisphere, supporting that they are distinct nodes in the motor network of rats. However, the pattern of interhemispheric modulations from RFA has no clear equivalent among premotor areas in nonhuman primates, suggesting they contribute differently to the generation of ipsilateral hand movements. Understanding these interspecies differences is important given the common use of rodent models in motor control and recovery studies.

Premotor areas of primates are specialized cortical regions that can contribute to hand movements by modulating the outputs of the primary motor cortex (M1). The goal of the present work was to study how the supplementary motor area (SMA) located within the same hemisphere [i.e., ipsilateral SMA (iSMA)] or the opposite hemisphere [i.e., contralateral (cSMA)] modulate the outputs of M1. We used paired-pulse protocols with intracortical stimulations in sedated capuchin monkeys. A conditioning stimulus in iSMA or cSMA was delivered simultaneously or before a test stimulus in M1 with different interstimulus intervals (ISIs) while electromyographic activity was recorded in hand and forearm muscles. The pattern of modulation from iSMA and cSMA shared some clear similarities. In particular, both areas predominantly induced facilitatory effects on M1 outputs with shorter ISIs and inhibitory effects with longer ISIs. However, the incidence and strength of facilitatory effects were greater for iSMA than cSMA. We then compared the pattern of modulatory effects from SMA to the ones from the dorsal and ventral premotor cortexes (PMd and PMv) collected in the same series of experiments. Among premotor areas, the impact of SMA on M1 outputs was always weaker than the one of either PMd or PMv, and this was regardless of the hemisphere, or the ISI, tested. These results show that SMA exerts a unique set of modulations on M1 outputs, which could support its specific function for the production of hand movements. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We unequivocally isolated stimulation to either the ipsilateral or contralateral supplementary motor area (SMA) using invasive techniques and compared their modulatory effects on the outputs of primary motor cortex (M1). Modulations from both SMAs shared many similarities. However, facilitatory effects evoked from ipsilateral SMA were more common and more powerful. This pattern differs from the ones of other premotor areas, which suggests that each premotor area makes unique contributions to the production of motor outputs.

Background: Past research shows that psychosocial stress and distress predict sedentary behavior and physical activity, but few studies focus on pregnant women. Our objective was to analyze relationships between psychosocial stress and distress with sedentary behavior and physical activity among pregnant women in Canada., Methods: We analyzed objectively-measured sedentary behavior and physical activity at 16-18, 24-26, and 32-24 weeks pregnancy in a sociodemographically diverse cohort of 70 women in Montreal, Canada. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for 3 days that quantified sitting time and steps per day. We used univariate general linear models to analyze relationships between perceived stress with sedentary behavior and physical activity at each evaluation. To assess generalizability, we analyzed relationships between psychological distress with self-reported leisure-time sedentary behavior and daily energy expenditure in transportation and leisure physical activities among a sample representative of 166,095 women in the Canadian Community Health Survey., Results: In the Montreal cohort, we observed a positive association between perceived stress and sitting time, with small to moderate effect sizes (partial η 2 = 0.08-0.16). We observed negative relationships between perceived stress and steps per day at the first two evaluations only, with small to moderate effect sizes (partial η 2 = 0.08-0.11). Relationships for sedentary behavior were similar in the nationwide sample, but with smaller effect sizes (partial η 2 = 0.02). There were no relationships between distress and physical activity in the nationwide sample., Conclusion: Psychosocial stress represents one risk factor for sedentarity, with relationships evident throughout pregnancy and at the population level. Relationships with physical activity are less consistent, but stress might represent a risk factor for low physical activity in early to mid-pregnancy. Results might guide the development of more comprehensive interventions targeting stress, sedentarity, and physical activity. In particular, integrating psychosocial health into interventions to reduce sedentarity, and including concrete guidelines on sedentary behavior in psychosocial health interventions, might be prioritized.

The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of the serotonin transporter has been shown to play a role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Moreover, disaster-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) has also been shown to be associated with ASD. However, no study to date has examined whether these two factors, either individually or in combination, are predictive of ASD traits in the same sample. We hypothesized that children, particularly boys, with the LL genotype exposed to high levels of disaster-related PNMS would exhibit higher levels of ASD traits compared to boys with the LS or SS genotypes and girls regardless of genotype. Genotype and ASD levels obtained using the Australian normed Autism Spectrum Rating Scales - Short Form were available for 105 30-month-old children exposed to varying levels of PNMS following the 2011 Queensland Flood. For boys, higher ASD traits were associated with the 5-HTTLPR LL genotype in combination with either a negative maternal appraisal of the flood, or high levels of maternal composite subjective stress, PSTD-like or peritraumatic dissociation symptoms. For girls, maternal peritraumatic dissociation levels in combination with the 5-HTTLPR LS or SS genotype were associated with higher ASD traits. The present findings are the first to demonstrate that children's genotype moderates effects of disaster-related PNMS on ASD traits, with different pattern according to child sex.

Background: It is well recognized that childhood sleep, attention and mood problems increase risk for multiple adverse outcomes across the life-span; therefore, understanding factors, such as prenatal maternal stress, that underlie these types of childhood problems is critical for developing interventions that may optimize longer-term functioning. Our goal was to determine the association between disaster-related stress in pregnancy and young children's sleep, attention, and anxious/depressed symptoms., Methods: Soon after a major flood in Australia in 2011, we assessed various aspects of disaster-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) in women who had been pregnant at the time. Mothers rated several domains of their children's development with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at ages 2½ (n = 134) and 4 years (n = 118)., Results: The primary finding was that more severe objective flood-related hardship in pregnancy predicted higher sleep problem scores at 2½ years, and that a negative maternal cognitive appraisal of the flood predicted lower attention problem scores at 2½ years. A cross-lagged panel analysis examined the association between children's sleep, attention, and anxious/depressed symptoms within and across ages. Results showed that these problems were likely to co-occur at each age, and that they were stable from 2½ to 4 years. Additionally, anxious/depressed scores at age 2½ predicted sleep problem scores at 4 years, all else being equal., Limitations: Limitations of the study include a relatively small sample size and the children's outcome data relied on maternal report using the CBCL, rather than independent observation of the children's functioning, which may have introduced reporter bias., Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of early intervention for these childhood problems to optimize long-term mental health, particularly under conditions of prenatal stress., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Clinical research has shown that chronic antipsychotic drug (APD) treatment further decreases cortical gray matter and hippocampus volume, and increases striatal and ventricular volume in patients with schizophrenia. D2-like receptor blockade is necessary for clinical efficacy of the drugs, and may be responsible for inducing these volume changes. However, the role of other D2-like receptors, such as D3, remains unclear. Following our previous work, we undertook a longitudinal study to examine the effects of chronic (9-week) typical (haloperidol (HAL)) and atypical (clozapine (CLZ)) APDs on the neuroanatomy of wild-type (WT) and dopamine D3-knockout (D3KO) mice using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological assessments in a sub-region of the anterior cingulate cortex (the prelimbic [PL] area) and striatum. D3KO mice had larger striatal volume prior to APD administration, coupled with increased glial and neuronal cell density. Chronic HAL administration increased striatal volume in both WT and D3KO mice, and reduced PL area volume in D3KO mice both at trend level. CLZ increased volume of the PL area of WT mice at trend level, but decreased D3KO PL area glial cell density. Both typical and atypical APD administration induced neuroanatomical remodeling of regions rich in D3 receptor expression, and typically altered in schizophrenia. Our findings provide novel insights on the role of D3 receptors in structural changes observed following APD administration in clinical populations.

Introduction: The amygdala is a brain structure involved in emotional regulation. Studies have shown that larger amygdala volumes are associated with behavioral disorders. Prenatal maternal depression is associated with structural changes in the amygdala, which in turn, is predictive of an increase in behavioral problems. Girls may be particularly vulnerable. However, it is not known whether disaster-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS), or which aspect of the maternal stress experience (i.e., objective hardship, subjective distress, and cognitive appraisal), influences amygdala volumes. Nor is it known whether amygdala volumes mediate the effect of PNMS on behavioral problems in girls and boys. Aims: To assess whether aspects of PNMS are associated with amygdala volume, to determine whether timing of exposure moderates the effect, and to test whether amygdala volume mediates the association between PNMS and internalizing and externalizing problems in 11½ year old children exposed in utero , to varying levels of disaster-related PNMS. Methods: Bilateral amygdala volumes (AGV) and total brain volume (TBV) were acquired using magnetic resonance imaging, from 35 boys and 33 girls whose mothers were pregnant during the January 1998 Quebec Ice Storm. The mothers' disaster-related stress was assessed in June 1998. Child internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed at 11½ years using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Hierarchical regression analyses and mediation analyses were conducted on boys and girls separately, controlling for perinatal and postnatal factors. Results: In boys, subjective distress was associated with larger right AGV/TBV when mothers where exposed during late pregnancy, which in turn explained higher levels of externalizing behavior. However, when adjusting for postnatal factors, the effect was no longer significant. In girls, later gestational exposure to the ice storm was associated with larger AGV/TBV, but here, higher levels of objective PNMS were associated with more externalizing problems, which was, in part, mediated by larger AGV/TBV. No effects were detected on internalizing behaviors. Conclusion: These results suggest that the effects of PNMS on amygdala development and externalizing symptoms, as assessed in boys and girls in early adolescence, can be influenced by the timing of the stress in pregnancy, and the particular aspect of the mother's stress experience.

Objective: Psychosocial health predicts physical health outcomes in both clinical samples and the general population. One mechanism is through relationships with health behaviors. Results might differ based on sociodemographic characteristics such as education, income, ethnicity, and immigrant status. Our objective was to analyze sociodemographic differences in relationships between psychosocial health measures and health behaviors in the general population of Canadian adults., Methods: We analyzed relationships between non-specific psychological distress, assessed using the Kessler-10 scale, and five key health behaviors: fruit and vegetable intake, screen sedentary behavior, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and cigarette use. Data were collected by Statistics Canada for the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2011-2014. Our sample included 54,789 participants representative of 14,555,346 Canadian adults. We used univariate general linear models on the weighted sample to analyze relationships between distress (predictor) and each health behavior, controlling for age. We entered sex and one of four sociodemographic variable of interest (education, income, ethnicity, immigrant status) into each model to analyze gender and sociodemographic differences in relationships., Results: Greater distress predicted less fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity, and greater screen sedentary behavior and cigarette use, in the full sample, with small effect sizes (partial η 2 up to 0.013). Differences by gender and sociodemographic characteristics were evident for all health behaviors., Conclusions: Psychosocial health might contribute to persistent socioeconomic disparities in health in part through relationships with health behaviors, although relationships in the general population are modest. Health behavior interventions incorporating psychosocial health might need to be tailored based on socioeconomic characteristics, and future research on intersections between multiple sociodemographic risk factors remains necessary.

Objective: Exposure to stress during pregnancy may program susceptibility to the development of obesity in offspring. Our goal was to determine whether prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) due to a natural disaster was associated with child obesity, and to compare the DNA methylation profiles in obese versus non-obese children at age 13½ years. Women and their children were involved in the longitudinal natural disaster study-Project Ice Strom, which served as a human model to study PNMS. Blood was collected from 31 children (including five obese children). Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip Array was performed for genome-wide DNA methylation analyses., Results: Results demonstrated a well-defined obesity-associated genome-wide DNA methylation pattern. There were 277 CpGs, corresponding to 143 genes, were differentially-methylated. IPA analyses revealed 51 canonical pathways, and enrichment of pathways was involved in immune function. Although no significant association was found between PNMS and child obesity, the preliminary data in the study revealed obesity-associated methylation patterns on a genome-wide level in children.

When balance is compromised, postural strategies are induced to quickly recover from the perturbation. However, neuronal mechanisms underlying these strategies are not fully understood. Here, we assessed the amplitude of the soleus (SOL) H-reflex during forward and backward tilts of the support surface during standing (n = 15 healthy participants). Electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve was applied randomly before platform tilt (control) and 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 or 200 ms after tilt onset. During backward tilt, a significant decrease in H-reflex amplitude was observed at 75, 100 and 200 ms. The onset of the decreased H-reflex amplitude significantly preceded the onset of the SOL EMG decrease (latency: 144 ± 16 ms). During forward tilt, the amplitude of the H-reflex increased at 100 and 200 ms after tilt onset. The onset of H-reflex increase did not occur significantly earlier than the onset of the SOL EMG increase (127 ± 5 ms). An important inter-subject variability was observed for the onset of H-reflex modulation with respect to EMG response for each direction of tilt, but this variability could not be explained by the subject's height. Taken together, the results establish the time course of change in SOL H-reflex excitability and its relation to the increase and decrease in SOL EMG activity during forward and backward tilts. The data presented here also suggest that balance mechanisms may differ between forward and backward tilts.

This prospective, longitudinal cohort study examined the effects of flood-related stress in pregnancy on the trajectory of children's motor development; and the moderating effects of gestational timing of the flood or sex of the child. Women who were pregnant during a severe flood reported on their objective flood-related experiences, emotional reactions, and cognitive appraisal of the disaster. At 2-, 6-, 16-months, 2½- and 4-years postpartum, mothers' assessed their children's fine and gross motor development using the Ages and Stages-3 Questionnaire. High objective flood-exposure, or a negative appraisal, especially in later pregnancy, predicted poorer gross motor skills which rapidly improved across early childhood. Children's fine motor skill was influenced by the sex of the child with improvements in girls' fine motor skills over time, but not boys'. This demonstrates that stress in pregnancy has enduring influences on gross, but not fine, motor skills. Results are discussed in relation to fetal programming and stress appraisal theory., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) has been associated with postnatal behavioral alterations that may be partly explained by interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes. Yet it remains unclear whether PNMS leads to enduring HPA-HPG alterations in the offspring, and whether HPA-HPG interactions can impact behavior during development, in particular levels of aggression in childhood. Here we investigated the relationship between a marker for HPG axis function (baseline testosterone) and a marker for HPA axis response (cortisol area under the curve) in 11½-year-olds whose mothers were exposed to the 1998 Quebec ice storm during pregnancy (n = 59 children; 31 boys, 28 girls). We examined (a) whether the degree of objective or subjective PNMS regulates the testosterone-cortisol relationship at age 11½, and (b) whether this testosterone-cortisol relationship is associated with differences in aggressive behavior. We found that, at lower levels of subjective PNMS, baseline testosterone and cortisol reactivity were positively correlated; in contrast, there was no relationship between these hormones at higher levels of subjective PNMS. Cortisol response moderated the relationship between testosterone and aggression. These results support the notion PNMS may explain variance in fetal HPA-HPG interactions, and that these interactions may be associated with aggressive behavior in late childhood.