Synopsis
According to the fetal-programming model, exposure to stressful or hostile
conditions in utero is associated with compromised development and a lifelong
risk of adverse health outcomes. In this talk, I will give an overview on our
longitudinal cohort study, Growth Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes
(GUSTO). I will then show the first evidence revealing antenatal depression
influences on brain anatomy and function and genetic modulation on such
influences. Our findings suggest that an increased risk for anxiety and depression may be
transmitted from mother to child during fetal life and that the effect is
dependent upon infant genotypes.
Acknowledgements
This
research is supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under its
Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme and administered
by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council (NMRC),
Singapore- NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008; NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014. Additional funding is
provided by NMRC
(NMRC/CBRG/0039/2013), and Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund Tier 2
(MOE2012-T2-2-130).References
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