Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity

Suena H. Massey; Stephanie A. Schuette; Hossein Pournajafi-Nazarloo; Katherine L. Wisner; C. Sue Carter

doi:10.1007/s00737-016-0616-6

Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity

Suena H. Massey^*, Stephanie A. Schuette, Hossein Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Katherine L. Wisner, C. Sue Carter

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	799-808
Number of pages	10
Journal	Archives of Women's Mental Health
Volume	19
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0616-6
State	Published - Oct 1 2016

Funding

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.

Keywords

Biomarker
Hormone
Mood
Oxytocin
Oxytocin receptor gene
Postpartum depression

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatry and Mental health
Obstetrics and Gynecology

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10.1007/s00737-016-0616-6

Cite this

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title = "Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Biomarker, Hormone, Mood, Oxytocin, Oxytocin receptor gene, Postpartum depression",

author = "Massey, {Suena H.} and Schuette, {Stephanie A.} and Hossein Pournajafi-Nazarloo and Wisner, {Katherine L.} and Carter, {C. Sue}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was funded by the Evergreen Invitational Women{\textquoteright}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: {\textcopyright} 2016, Springer-Verlag Wien.",

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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.

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KW - Oxytocin receptor gene

KW - Postpartum depression

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ER -

Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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