New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS) Scientists have linked symptoms of depression during pregnancy to a specific brain activity, and hope to develop test for “baby blues” risk.
Around 80 per cent of women suffer from “baby blues” after the birth of their child.
Normally, this is a brief period of feeling down which disappears in a few days. But around one woman in seven develops postpartum depression, a more serious depression which can affect how mothers bond with their baby and can have long-term consequences.
These women seem unable to regulate the negative emotions which can follow giving birth.
A group of European researchers have found that in healthy pregnant women, activity in a specific area deep in the brain is linked to regulation of negative emotions and the tendency towards symptoms of depression.
The researchers hope that testing for this activity, along with how emotions are regulated, will indicate which women are at risk for postpartum depression.
“This is among the first trials to compare brain activity in pregnant and non-pregnant women. The ability to regulate emotions is essential for mental health, and this interplay was our starting point,” said Franziska Weinmar, University of Tubingen, Germany.
For the study, the researchers took 15 healthy pregnant women with very high oestrogen levels (due to the pregnancy).
Each woman was put in an MRI scanner and shown upsetting/disturbing pictures. The team found that in the MRI scans, pregnant women who showed more activity in the amygdala while regulating their emotions were less successful in controlling emotions.
In addition, pregnant women with this greater activity in the amygdala reported more symptoms of depression.
“If larger studies confirm higher activity in the amygdala in women at risk of postpartum depression, we could assess and specifically target these women during this vulnerable phase,” said Weinmar.
Dr Susana Carmona from Gregorio Maranon Hospital, Madrid, said we still have a long way to go in characterising what happens in the brain during pregnancy, identifying biomarkers that can indicate the risk of developing perinatal mental disorders, and designing strategies to prevent mother and infant suffering during the delicate and critical peripartum period”.
–IANS
na/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
