Our research focuses on the effects of the mother’s mood in pregnancy on the development of her baby, and the mechanisms by which this occurs. Work with animals, by other groups, has established that if the mother is stressed during her pregnancy this can have a long term influence on the development of the brain of her offspring, affecting both emotional behaviour and mental function.

Research has shown this to be mediated by changes in hormone levels – in particular, the stress hormone cortisol. Now, we have compelling evidence that much of this applies in humans too.

Mother to Child : The Legacy of Cortisol

If a mother is very stressed or anxious while pregnant, her child faces an increased risk of a range of problems - such as attention deficit/ hyperactivity, anxiety and slow mental development. In fact, there are strong links between the mother’s own cortisol levels and those in the amniotic fluid. What’s more, if the mother is particularly anxious while pregnant, but not at other times, her child is more likely to have raised cortisol levels too.

However, not all children are affected by their mother’s stress levels during pregnancy, as there may be an interaction with the child’s own particular genetic vulnerabilities. In our new research, we are going to scrutinize the relevant genetic make up of both mother and child. We will also investigate ways of reducing maternal stress levels in pregnancy and analyze alterations in mothers’ hormonal profiles.

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