Many mental disorders have roots early in development, and the course of a pregnancy can have major consequences for a child’s later life. Pregnancy and birth also play a critical role in mothers’ health.
“We know that complications during pregnancy and birth are associated with an increased risk of depression in mothers. They are also linked to differences in neurodevelopment and a higher risk of mental disorders in children,” says Laura Anne Wortinger, a researcher at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo and Diakonhjemmet Hospital.
“However, we still know relatively little about the biological mechanisms that explain these links. I believe the placenta may be an important part of the explanation,” she adds.
Her ERC-funded project, PlacGEN “Impact of Placental Function on Transgenerational Mental Health”, will examine the role of the placenta in mental health across generations, in both mothers and children. The project is a collaboration between the University of Oslo and Diakonhjemmet Hospital.
A unique window into the interplay between genes and environment
The placenta is the lifeline between mother and foetus. It delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby and also produces key signalling molecules such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline.
“These substances are crucial both for the mother’s mental health and for the development of the foetal brain,” Wortinger explains.
Despite this, the placenta has long received limited attention in psychiatric research, even though it sits at the intersection of the mother’s biology, the child’s genetics and the intrauterine environment.
“The genetics of the foetus reflect contributions from both mother and father. That means the placenta gives us a unique opportunity to understand how genetic and environmental factors interact from the very beginning of life,” she says.
Why are some more resilient than others?
A central question in the project is why some mothers and children are severely affected by complications in pregnancy, while others appear more resilient.
“By studying genetic and molecular mechanisms in the placenta, we hope to identify both risk factors and protective factors,” says Wortinger.
She aims to understand how these mechanisms relate to different developmental trajectories.
“This can give us better insight into the earliest biological processes that shape mental health across the lifespan, and across generations,” she adds.
Advanced methods to uncover new answers
In the ERC project PlacGEN, Wortinger will combine genetic analyses with studies of gene expression in the placenta and so-called cell-free RNA, tiny fragments of genetic material circulating in the mother’s blood during pregnancy. The team will also follow children’s brain development over time using MRI scans and assessments of cognitive development.
The goal is to examine how these biological factors are linked to pregnancy complications, depressive symptoms in mothers and the child’s development.
The project draws on large and unique datasets, including the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and the US-based Healthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD).
From new knowledge to prevention and early intervention
In addition to uncovering mechanisms that may explain how complications in pregnancy are connected to mothers’ mental health and children’s brain development, Wortinger hopes the project’s findings can be used to identify mothers and children at increased risk of mental disorders even before symptoms appear.
“Mental health is influenced by many different biological and environmental factors. No single marker will ever determine a person’s future mental health,” she emphasises.
“But if we understand the mechanisms behind both risk and resilience better, we can eventually use this knowledge to improve prevention and to intervene earlier.”
“A major recognition”
An ERC Starting Grant is regarded as one of Europe’s most prestigious research funding schemes.
“I am, of course, very happy and proud to have received this grant. It is an incredible honour, and still a little difficult to take in,” says Wortinger.
“For me, it is an important recognition of the core research idea, that the placenta is central to understanding mental health in both mothers and children. The funding from the ERC makes it possible to test this idea on a scale, and with a combination of methods, that would otherwise be very difficult,” she says.
She also highlights the opportunity to build a strong research environment around the topic.
“What I am most excited about is the chance to explore the big questions that have driven my research: How does life before birth affect mental health later on? What role does the placenta play in this process? And can this knowledge help us identify risk early enough to truly make a difference?”
An important recognition of innovative research ideas
The Faculty of Medicine highlights the significance of the grant and its potential to advance innovative research on maternal and child mental health
«This grant is an important recognition of innovative research ideas and provides both academic weight and prestige», says Dean Hanne Flinstad Harbo.
«Over time, Laura has linked pregnancy research, genetics and psychiatry in a way that offers new perspectives on maternal and child mental health. This grant gives her strong opportunities to further develop the field. We look forward to following the project».