Blunted neuroactive steroid and HPA axis responses to stress are associated with reduced sleep quality and negative affect in pregnancy: a pilot study

• Published in: Psychopharmacology Vol. 233; no. 7; pp. 1299 - 1310
• Main Authors: Crowley, Shannon K., O’Buckley, Todd K., Schiller, Crystal E., Stuebe, Alison, Morrow, A. Leslie, Girdler, Susan S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - metabolism; Adult; Affect - physiology; Anxiety; Behavior; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Complications and side effects; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - metabolism; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology; Neurosciences; Original Investigation; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pilot Projects; Pituitary-Adrenal System - metabolism; Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiopathology; Postpartum depression; Pregnancy; Pregnanolone - blood; Progesterone - blood; Psychiatry; Psychological aspects; Sleep; Sleep - physiology; Sleep disorders; Steroids (Drugs); Stress, Psychological - metabolism; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; Young Adult; Pregnancy; Allopregnanolone (ALLO); Sleep; Neurosteroids; Anxiety; Postpartum depression; Cortisol; Stress

Rationale Anxiety during pregnancy has been linked to adverse maternal health outcomes, including postpartum depression (PPD). However, there has been limited study of biological mechanisms underlying behavioral predictors of PPD during pregnancy. Objectives Considering the shared etiology of chroni...