Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and Dartmouth College have discovered a connection between toddler hair cortisol levels — a long-term stress biomarker — and maternal prenatal depression.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Biology, suggest that a child’s long-term stress physiology — or how the body responds to stress — may be influenced by conditions experienced in utero, according to study co-author Theresa Gildner, PhD, an assistant professor of biological anthropology in Arts & Sciences at WashU.
(Photo: The Source)
The findings also highlight the potential for hair cortisol — a minimally invasive and easy-to-collect measure — to assess infant and toddler cortisol activity.
“Hair cortisol tests are less invasive than blood tests, the standard cortisol measurement technique, and more useful than saliva tests, which only reflect short-term changes in cortisol. With 1 centimeter of hair corresponding to roughly one month of cortisol incorporation, hair cortisol tests can quantify cumulative cortisol exposure over extended periods of time,” Gildner said.
According to Gildner, the study was primarily conducted for research purposes, but it also has potential clinical applications.
“By understanding the long-term effects of maternal stress on her offspring and when these effects are especially pronounced during pregnancy, we can better determine when interventions to support parents and reduce stress are most needed, as well as the potential long-term benefits of investing in these kinds of interventions to support both maternal and infant well-being,” Gildner explained.