Maternal health expert professor Vicki Clifton reveals placenta's hidden role in mental health

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (October 29, 2024) - In a revealing Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine on October 29, 2024, Professor Vicki Clifton shares transformative discoveries about the placenta's unexpected influence on maternal mental health, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety and depression.

Professor Clifton's team at the Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland has identified 13 distinct glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in the placenta, with one particular variant showing a surprising response to maternal stress. "We have discovered that the placenta has 13 different isoforms of the glucocorticoid receptor, with one isoform expressed in the presence of maternal stress, anxiety, and depression that activates an inflammatory response in the placenta in the presence of high cortisol concentrations," Professor Clifton explains.

This groundbreaking finding challenges conventional understanding of stress responses during pregnancy. While most glucocorticoid receptors typically suppress inflammation, this newly identified variant appears to enhance it, potentially explaining the complex relationship between stress and inflammation in pregnant women.

Sex-Specific Medicine: A New Frontier

Professor Clifton's research has unveiled crucial differences between male and female fetuses, mediated through sex-specific placental functions. "Presently, we do not consider the sex of the fetus in Obstetrics," she notes. "I would like to see sex-specific medicine for pregnancy complications, for the care of preterm neonates, and for the care of newborns."

Her work suggests that maternal physiology varies depending on fetal sex, opening new possibilities for personalized interventions in pregnancy care. This insight could transform how clinicians approach pregnancy complications and neonatal care.

From Personal Experience to Scientific Innovation

The interview reveals how personal tragedy shaped Professor Clifton's research focus. Following the loss of her son in mid-gestation, she was driven to understand "What went wrong?" This experience led her to study placental function and its regulation by stress hormones, eventually establishing Australia's largest birth cohort study at Mater Research Institute.

Current Research and Future Implications

Professor Clifton's team is investigating how placental inflammation might influence maternal brain function, potentially exacerbating anxiety and depression symptoms during pregnancy. This research could revolutionize our approach to perinatal mental health care and lead to targeted interventions based on placental function.

Professor Vicki Clifton’s Genomic Press interview is part of a larger series that highlights the people behind today’s most influential scientific ideas. Each interview in the series offers a blend of cutting-edge research and personal reflections, providing readers with a comprehensive view of the scientists shaping the future. By combining a focus on professional achievements with personal insights, this interview style invites a richer narrative that both engages and educates readers. This format provides an ideal starting point for profiles that delve into the scientist’s impact on the field, while also touching on broader human themes. More information on the research leaders and research rising stars featured by Genomic Press can be found in our website: https://genomicpress.com.

The full Genomic Press Interview, titled “Vicki L. Clifton: Stress, sex, and the placenta: its role in fetal and child development” is available on 29 October 2024 in Brain Medicine, offering readers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the thoughts and experiences of a highly influential mind in medical research. The article is freely available online at https://url.genomicpress.com/mr3ey5p7

About Brain Medicine: Brain Medicine (ISSN: 2997-2639) is a peer-reviewed journal published by Genomic Press, New York. Brain Medicine is a new home for the cross-disciplinary pathway from innovation in fundamental neuroscience to translational initiatives in brain medicine. The journal’s scope includes the underlying science, causes, outcomes, treatments, and societal impact of brain disorders, across all clinical disciplines and their interface.