Placenta's Unexpected Influence on Maternal Mental Health: Study Finds - Video

Professor Clifton's team at the Mater Research Institute-University has identified 13 distinct glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in the placenta, with one particular variant showing a surprising response to maternal stress. In a revealing Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine, Professor Vicki Clifton shares transformative discoveries about the placenta's unexpected influence on maternal mental health, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety and depression.

"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," Professor Clifton explains.

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

Professor Clifton's research has unveiled crucial differences between male and female fetuses, mediated through sex-specific placental functions. Her work suggests that maternal physiology varies depending on fetal sex, opening new possibilities for personalized interventions in pregnancy care.

Reference: https://url.genomicpress.com/mr3ey5p7