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Adipokines measured during pregnancy and at birth are associated with infant negative affect
Elinor L Sullivan1, Kelly R Molloy2, Geoffrey A Dunn2
1Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, United States; Center for Mental Health Innovation, Oregon Health & Science University, United States; Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primary Research Center, United States.
Insights
Pregnancy adiposity may increase offspring mental health risks. Lower adiponectin and higher leptin levels during pregnancy are linked to infant negative affect, potentially explaining this risk and suggesting new early detection markers.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Developmental psychology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Maternal adiposity during pregnancy is linked to offspring mental health disorder risk.
- Biological mechanisms, particularly adipocyte-secreted factors like leptin and adiponectin, are under investigation.
- Adipokines may mediate the association between maternal adiposity and offspring psychopathology risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if pregnancy concentrations of leptin and adiponectin predict infant negative affect at 6 months.
- To determine if these adipokines mediate the relationship between maternal adiposity and infant negative affect.
- To explore the role of second-trimester inflammation in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 305 pregnant individuals and their offspring.
- Maternal adiposity assessed via air displacement plethysmography in the second trimester.
- Leptin and adiponectin measured in second-trimester and umbilical cord plasma; infant negative affect assessed at 6 months.
Main Results:
- Lower second-trimester adiponectin predicted higher infant negative affect, mediating the adiposity-infant affect link, independent of inflammation.
- Higher umbilical cord leptin also predicted higher infant negative affect, mediating the adiposity-infant affect association.
- These findings highlight adipokines as potential mediators in the developmental origins of mental health risk.
Conclusions:
- This study is the first to associate pregnancy adiponectin and cord leptin with infant psychopathology risk markers.
- Adiponectin and leptin were identified as mediators linking maternal adiposity to offspring behavioral outcomes.
- These adipokines represent novel risk markers and potential mechanistic pathways for offspring mental health.
Background:
Increased adiposity during pregnancy may be related to offspring risk for mental health disorders, although the biological mechanisms are poorly understood. One promising hypothesis is that factors secreted from adipocytes such as leptin and adiponectin may explain this association. The current study examined whether pregnancy or umbilical cord blood concentrations of leptin and/or adiponectin a) predict elevated infant negative affect at 6 months (an early life marker of risk for psychopathology); and b) help explain the association between pregnancy adiposity and increased infant negative affect.
Methods:
Data came from a prospective cohort (N = 305) of pregnant individuals and their offspring. Second trimester adiposity was assessed using air displacement plethysmography. Concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were measured in second trimester plasma and umbilical cord plasma. Infant negative affect was assessed by standardized observation at 6 months. Second trimester inflammation was assessed using a comprehensive panel of cytokines.
Results:
Lower second trimester adiponectin was associated with elevated infant negative affect, and mediated the effect of pregnancy adiposity on infant negative affect. This association was independent of the effect of second trimester inflammation. Umbilical cord leptin also predicted higher infant negative affect and mediated the association between pregnancy adiposity and infant negative affect.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to link pregnancy adiponectin or cord blood leptin to infant markers of risk for psychopathology, and the first to demonstrate that these adipokines mediate the association between pregnancy adiposity and offspring behavioral outcomes, suggesting novel markers of risk and potential mechanisms of effect.
