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Role of adolescent stress in postpartum mood and cognition

Award Number: R01MH116869
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/13/2019
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2026

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Role of adolescent stress in postpartum mood and cognition - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Mood disturbance and cognitive impairment during the postpartum period are common and serious problems in women's mental health. Early life stress, such as psychosocial stress during adolescence, increases the risk for postpartum emotional and cognitive problems in humans, including the development of postpartum mood disorders. Nonetheless, the biological mechanisms linking adolescent stress to postpartum emotional and cognitive abnormalities are not well understood. Our long-term goal is to examine how pre-partum life stress affects hormonal systems, neural function, and behaviors in the developmental trajectory from adolescence to the postpartum period and dissect the mechanisms from molecules to circuits and behavior. Human imaging studies have linked functional changes in the projections from the anterior insula (AI) to dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [dACC, homologous to the prelimbic cortex (PrL) in rodents] to postpartum behavioral changes. Elevated levels of glucocorticoids by disturbance of negative feedback of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during the postpartum period can alter neural function. To gain more biological insight into these points, we have built a novel platform to study the biological mechanisms underlying the effects of adolescent stress on postpartum emotional and cognitive behaviors in first-time mothers, based on the adolescent social isolation paradigm we have already published. Hence, our current objective is to test the hypothesis that adolescent stress, in conjunction with the stressful events of pregnancy/delivery, leads to deficits in postpartum behaviors related to mood and social cognition via glucocorticoid-mediated functional alterations of AI-PrL glutamatergic projections. To address this hypothesis, we will pursue the following specific aims: In Aim 1, we will examine the role of AI-PrL projections in adolescent stress-induced PrL dysfunction and behavioral deficits in adult postpartum mice using a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including in vivo calcium imaging in conjunction with projection-specific neuronal manipulation in freely moving mice. In Aim 2, we will determine the role of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in adolescent stress-induced PrL dysfunction and behavioral deficits in adult postpartum mice. In Aim 3, we will combine retrograde tracing and cell type-specific manipulation using the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-dependent Cre recombinase system to examine the causal role of GR-mediated AI-PrL glutamatergic projections in the PrL dysfunction and behavioral deficits in adult postpartum mice pre-exposed to adolescent isolation rearing. Our findings may provide biological insights into postpartum mood disturbance and cognitive impairment, which are highly prevalent and have deleterious effects not only on the mother, but also on the children and the rest of the family. These findings will have a broad impact on the well-being of women and children worldwide.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	11/25/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $375,995 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	1/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$375,995
														Subtotal = $375,995

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $757,532 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	1/14/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$347,653
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	002	4	8/29/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$371,250
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	4	5/16/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$38,629
														Subtotal = $757,532

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $395,366 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	1/29/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$395,366
														Subtotal = $395,366

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $505,738 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	1/29/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$431,488
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	8/20/2020	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$74,250
														Subtotal = $505,738

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $445,500 )
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	4/13/2019	NEW	$445,500
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	1	9/25/2019	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $445,500

Grand Total All Awards = $2,480,131

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Role of adolescent stress in postpartum mood and cognition

Award Number: R01MH116869

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/13/2019

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2026

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