Peripartal cognitive impairment: Secondary to depression?

Harris, Natalia D.; Deary, Ian J.; Harris, M; Lees, M. M.; Wilson, Janet A.

doi:10.1111/j.2044-8287.1996.tb00497.x

Cited by 26 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 8 publications

(10 reference statements)

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“…In the present study, no significant differences were observed between the pregnant women and the nonpregnant women on tasks of visuospatial abilities, although women tended to have lower scores on the Mental Rotations (a spatial task) compared with controls. While there is some inconsistency, most studies found no differences in performance between pregnant women and nonpregnant controls on spatial tasks (Brussé, Duvekot, Jongerling, Steegers, & De Koning, 2008;Eidelman et al, 1993;Glynn, 2010;Sharp et al, 1993).In contrast to previous studies, women in the pregnancy group performed more poorly on a processing speed task compared with the controls (de Groot, et al, 2003;de Groot, et al, 2006;Harris et al, 1996;Vanston & Watson, 2005). A factor that may account for the inconsistency is the use of different time intervals for completion of processing speed tasks.…”

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confidence: 41%

“…For example, impairments on word list learning tasks have been observed during different trimesters and at postpartum (de Groot, Vuurman, Hormstra, & Jolles, 2006; Mickes, Wixted, Sha piro, & Scarff, 2009;Parsons et al, 2004). Furthermore, perfor mance on paragraph recall (Keenan, Yaldoo, Stress, Fuerst, & Ginsburg, 1998), planning (Jarrahi-Zadeh, Kane, Van De Castle, Lachenbruch, & Ewing, 1969), and cognitive speed tasks (Chris tensen, Leach, & Mackinnon, 2010) was worse only in the third trimester.Others have failed to find any differences in scores on objective measures of cognitive functions during pregnancy and postpartum (Casey, 2000;Christensen, Poyser, Pollitt, & Cubis, 1999;Crawley, Dennison, & Carter, 2003;Harris, Deary, Harris Marlene, Lees, & Wilson, 1996;McDowall, 2000), even though participants often reported subjective cognitive difficulties (Christensen et al, 1999;Crawley et al, 2003;McDowall, 2000). It has been suggested that testing in a laboratory setting may underestimate the degree of impairment experienced in day-to-day life (Cuttler, Graf, Pawluski, & Galea, 2011;Rendell & Henry, 2008;).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hormones and cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and postpartum: A longitudinal study.

Henry¹,

Sherwin²

2012

Behavioral Neuroscience

140

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This longitudinal study investigated the possible influence of estradiol (E 2 ), progesterone (P), testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), and prolactin (PRL) levels on cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. The performance of 55 pregnant women on a battery of neuropsychological tests, tested once during the third trimester of pregnancy and once during the early postpartum period, was compared with that of 21 nonpregnant controls matched for age and education. Women in the pregnancy group had significantly lower scores than the controls during both the pre-and postpartum visits on tasks of verbal recall and processing speed. CORT levels were significantly associated, in an inverted-U function, with verbal recall scores at both the pregnancy and at postpartum periods and with spatial abilities at postpartum only. During pregnancy, PRL levels were associated in both a linear and an inverted-U function with scores on tests of paragraph recall and in a linear function with scores on tests of executive function. At postpartum, E 2 and CORT were negatively associated in a linear fashion with attention scores. These findings provide new evidence that fluctuating hormone levels during late pregnancy and early postpartum may modulate selected cognitive abilities. Keywords pregnancy; postpartum; cognition; steroid hormones; prolactin During pregnancy and the postpartum periods, a considerable number of women experience some degree of cognitive change that has come to be colloquially called "pregnancy brain." The symptoms most frequently reported by women during these repro ductive periods are forgetfulness and memory disturbances , poor concentration, increased absentmindedness, and difficulty reading (Parsons & Redman, 1991;Poser, Kassirer, & Peyser, 1986).The pregnancy and postpartum periods are characterized by the most drastic hormonal fluctuations women experience during their reproductive lives. During pregnancy, levels of some steroid hormones such as estradiol (E 2 ) and progesterone (P) increase by up to 30-and 70-fold, respectively, in comparison to nonpregnant levels (Tulchinsky, Hobel, Yeager, & Marshall, 1972 CIHR Author Manuscript CIHR Author Manuscript CIHR Author Manuscript80% of placental steroids in the maternal circulation (Bonnar, Franklin, Nott, & McNeilly, 1975;West & McNeilly, 1979). Key steroid hormones affected in this manner are E 2 , P, and cortisol (CORT; Bonnar et al., 1975;Willcox, Yovich, McColm, & Phillips, 1985). Other hormones which fluctuate during these periods are testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL;Bonnar et al., 1975;Pearlman, Crépy, & Murphy, 1967).Under nonstressful conditions, CORT levels follow a circadian rhythm characterized by highest levels in the morning after awakening followed by a steady decline throughout the day; lowest levels around midnight and a rise again in the early morning hours (Edwards, Evans, Hucklebridge, & Clow, 2001;Weitzman et al., 1971). A distinct feature of the CORT circadian cycle is a marked increase in secret...

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confidence: 41%

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confidence: 99%

Hormones and cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and postpartum: A longitudinal study.

Henry¹,

Sherwin²

2012

Behavioral Neuroscience

140

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“…However, the results of studies that have used multi-item questionnaires to assess the frequency of various cognitive failures are contradictory. Gross and Pattison (1995), Keenan et al (1998) and Harris et al (1996), all of whom used different questionnaires, found no difference in the level of reported lapses of memory and concentration between pregnant women and controls, while Casey et al (1999) and Janes et al (1999), using a subset of the Inventory of Memory Experiences Questionnaire reported some differences. Janes et al suggest perceived memory changes may simply be based on a subjective, global impression.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐perception of cognitive changes during pregnancy and the early postpartum: salience and attentional effects

Crawley

2002

Applied Cognitive Psychology

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The reports from 198 pregnant women of changes experienced during pregnancy suggested that cognitive changes are not salient since only 2% of women spontaneously mentioned such changes. When asked specifically about cognitive changes, the majority reported no change although most who reported a change indicated it was for the worse. In this respect they differed from a group of 132 students who had recently left home. In a second study, 13 women were asked to rate a range of cognitive functions during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Their ratings for certain aspects of cognition were lower than those of a group of non-pregnant women. They also reported more cognitive failures and readily provided examples of perceived impairments in cognition. It would appear that cognitive deficits are of low salience to pregnant women but, if prompted, impairments in memory, concentration, clarity of thought and attention will be reported by women both during pregnancy and the first-year postpartum.

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“…Although multiple factors may play into these difficulties, the role of depressive symptoms has found wider support (Buckwalter et al, 2001;Harris et al, 1996;Parsons et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Harris, Deary, Harris, Lees, and Wilson (1996) conducted a study comparing 20 pregnant women to a matched sample of controls. They found differences in selected measures of attention and working memory, which correlated with severity of depression and became nonsignificant when the effect of depression was controlled.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuropsychological functioning in postpartum depressed versus nondepressed females and nonpostpartum controls

Messinis

Vlahou

Tsapanos

et al. 2010

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology

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We compared 21 postpartum depressed (PPD) women, 22 postpartum nondepressed (PPND) women, and 24 nondepressed, nonpostpartum women on a neuropsychological test battery. Postpartum women presented lower performance on initial learning (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, RAVLT) than did controls. Further, PPD women presented lower performance on Part B of the Trail Making Test than did PPND women and controls. No differences were observed in RAVLT recall or recognition trials, in Greek versions of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, or in the Ruff 2 and 7 Selective Attention Test. Findings support the hypothesis that postpartum cognitive difficulties could be partially due to postnatal mood problems.

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Peripartal cognitive impairment: Secondary to depression?

Cited by 26 publications

References 8 publications

Hormones and cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and postpartum: A longitudinal study.

Hormones and cognitive functioning during late pregnancy and postpartum: A longitudinal study.

Self‐perception of cognitive changes during pregnancy and the early postpartum: salience and attentional effects

Neuropsychological functioning in postpartum depressed versus nondepressed females and nonpostpartum controls

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