Neurobiology and Impact of Perinatal Depression By Professor Anne Buist
Key Points
- Early intervention remains central to perinatal depression, particularly for women with a previous history of depression who may require additional support.
- Research into the neurobiology of perinatal depression increasingly points to interconnected biological pathways involving cortisol, immune markers, the placenta and the microbiota.
- Maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy have been associated with altered stress responses in offspring, with longitudinal studies suggesting increased vulnerability to later mental health difficulties.
- A maternal history of childhood trauma is associated with increased risk of postnatal depression and may interact with biological pathways, including altered immune markers during pregnancy.
- Emerging research is examining how placental function, inflammatory processes and other biological mechanisms may contribute to intergenerational transmission, although Professor Buist emphasises that further research is needed.
In this video, Professor Anne Buist explores the neurobiology of perinatal depression, reflecting on how understanding has evolved from earlier hormonal theories towards research examining stress, immune and placental pathways. She discusses longitudinal findings linking maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy with altered stress responses in children and their later vulnerability to mental health difficulties.
Professor Buist also examines maternal stress in pregnancy, including the potential influence of childhood trauma, cortisol regulation, inflammatory markers and placental function. Drawing on emerging research, she considers how these interconnected biological and psychosocial processes may contribute to intergenerational effects, while emphasising that much remains to be understood about the mechanisms involved.
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Prof Anne Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. Anne has more than 30 years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry and works with the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide, and murder. Her work has had direct implications for clinical care as well as assisting in advising government and health services to ensure good outcomes.
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