In a revealing Genome Press interview published in Brain Medicine on October 29, 2024, Professor Vicky Clifton discusses the groundbreaking evidence that the placenta has an unexpected impact on maternal mental health. Sharing our findings could revolutionize our understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety and depression.
Professor Clifton’s team at the Mater Institute at the University of Queensland has identified 13 different glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in the placenta, and one particular variant shows a surprising response to maternal stress. Ta.
We found that there are 13 different isoforms of glucocorticoid receptors in the placenta. One isoform is expressed in the presence of maternal stress, anxiety, and depression and activates the placental inflammatory response in the presence of high concentrations of cortisol. ”
Professor Vicky Clifton
This breakthrough challenges conventional understanding of stress responses during pregnancy. Most glucocorticoid receptors normally suppress inflammation, but this newly identified variant appears to promote inflammation, potentially explaining the complex relationship between stress and inflammation in pregnant women.
Gender-specific medicine: new frontiers
Professor Clifton’s research has revealed crucial differences between male and female fetuses through sex-specific placental functions. “Currently, the gender of the fetus is not considered in obstetrics,” she points out. “We look forward to gender-specific healthcare for pregnancy complications, premature infant care, and newborn care.”
Her research suggests that maternal physiology changes depending on fetal sex, opening new possibilities for personalized interventions in pregnancy care. This insight could change the way clinicians approach pregnancy complications and neonatal care.
From personal experience to scientific innovation
This interview reveals how personal tragedy shaped Professor Clifton’s research focus. After losing her son in the third trimester, she began to understand “what went wrong?” This experience led her to study the function of the placenta and its control by stress hormones, eventually establishing Australia’s largest birth cohort study at the Mater Institute.
Current research and future implications
Professor Clifton’s team is investigating how inflammation of the placenta affects maternal brain function and may worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy. This study could revolutionize our approach to perinatal mental health care and lead to targeted interventions based on placental function.
Professor Vicki Clifton’s Genome Press interview is part of a larger series highlighting the people behind some of today’s most influential scientific ideas. Each interview in the series combines cutting-edge research with personal reflections to provide readers with a comprehensive perspective on the scientists shaping the future. This interview style combines a focus on professional accomplishments with personal insights, resulting in a richer story that engages and educates readers. This format is an ideal starting point for profiles that explore a scientist’s impact on the field, while also touching on broader human themes. To learn more about the research leaders and research rising stars featured by Genomic Press, visit our website https://genomicpress.com.
The full Genome Press interview, titled “Vicki L. Clifton: Stress, Sex, and the Placenta: Their Role in Fetal and Child Development,” was published in the journal Neurology on October 29, 2024, and will give readers a thought. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore and experience. A very influential person in medical research. This article is available for free online at https://url.genomicpress.com/mr3ey5p7.
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Reference magazines:
Vicki L. Clifton: Stress, Sex, and the Placenta: Its Role in Fetal and Child Development. Brain Medicine (2024). doi.org/10.61373/bm024k.0097.
