TY - JOUR
T1 - Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity
AU - Massey, Suena H.
AU - Schuette, Stephanie A.
AU - Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Hossein
AU - Wisner, Katherine L.
AU - Carter, C. Sue
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by the Evergreen Invitational Women’s Health Grant from the Northwestern Memorial Foundation to Dr. Massey (9/12/13 agreement date), and grant K23 DA037913 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to Dr. Massey. The Evergreen Invitational, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, and NIDA had no role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016, Springer-Verlag Wien.
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - We examined plasma oxytocin concentration and postpartum depression (PPD) symptom severity in women who were not depressed during pregnancy and whether this differed by major depressive disorder (MDD) history. We assessed psychiatric history and plasma oxytocin in 66 healthy pregnant women in the third trimester (M = 35 ± 3 weeks) and depressive symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum (M = 5.9 ± 0.8 weeks). Linear regression analysis was used to examine oxytocin and PPD symptom severity and moderation of oxytocin and PPD by past MDD. Women with (n = 13) and without (n = 53) past MDD differed in third trimester depressive symptom severity, but not oxytocin level, demographic factors, or birth outcomes. Controlling for third trimester depressive symptoms, oxytocin level was unrelated to PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = −.019 (.084); β = −.025; t = −.227; p =.821]. However, oxytocin level interacted with past MDD to predict PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = 7.489 (2.429); β =.328; t = 3.084; p =.003]. Higher oxytocin predicted greater PPD symptom severity in women with past MDD (p =.019), but not in women without (p =.216). Replication in a larger sample and methodologic challenges are discussed.
AB - We examined plasma oxytocin concentration and postpartum depression (PPD) symptom severity in women who were not depressed during pregnancy and whether this differed by major depressive disorder (MDD) history. We assessed psychiatric history and plasma oxytocin in 66 healthy pregnant women in the third trimester (M = 35 ± 3 weeks) and depressive symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum (M = 5.9 ± 0.8 weeks). Linear regression analysis was used to examine oxytocin and PPD symptom severity and moderation of oxytocin and PPD by past MDD. Women with (n = 13) and without (n = 53) past MDD differed in third trimester depressive symptom severity, but not oxytocin level, demographic factors, or birth outcomes. Controlling for third trimester depressive symptoms, oxytocin level was unrelated to PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = −.019 (.084); β = −.025; t = −.227; p =.821]. However, oxytocin level interacted with past MDD to predict PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = 7.489 (2.429); β =.328; t = 3.084; p =.003]. Higher oxytocin predicted greater PPD symptom severity in women with past MDD (p =.019), but not in women without (p =.216). Replication in a larger sample and methodologic challenges are discussed.
KW - Biomarker
KW - Hormone
KW - Mood
KW - Oxytocin
KW - Oxytocin receptor gene
KW - Postpartum depression
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U2 - 10.1007/s00737-016-0616-6
DO - 10.1007/s00737-016-0616-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 26957508
AN - SCOPUS:84960078166
SN - 1434-1816
VL - 19
SP - 799
EP - 808
JO - Archives of Women's Mental Health
JF - Archives of Women's Mental Health
IS - 5
ER -
