Does the placenta predict depression during pregnancy? Investigating hormonal links in high-risk pregnancies

Authors

• Sonia Cerrillo, St. Mary's University
• Hanne Hoffmann PhD, Michigan State University

Files

Digital Publisher

Digital Commons at St. Mary's University

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Keywords

Perinatal depression, Serotonin, Tryptophan (TRP), Placental DNA

Description

• Perinatal depression is a common disorder that affects maternal and infant well-being.

• Serotonin is an important mood-regulating neurotransmitter, and reduced serotonin signaling has been linked to depressive symptoms.

• Tryptophan (TRP) is the precursor for serotonin, where most TRP is metabolized through the kynurenine pathway.

• TPH supports serotonin synthesis, while IDO and TDO drive kynurenine production.

• During pregnancy, inflammation and stress may shift TRP away from serotonin, creating a placental “tryptophan steal.”

• We examined whether placental DNA methylation of these genes differs in high-risk pregnancies.

• We hypothesized that placental DNA methylation of genes in the serotonin and kynurenine pathways would differ between high-risk and low-risk pregnancies.

Format

PDF

Size

1 poster

City

San Antonio, Texas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.