@article{KittelSchneiderDavidovaKaloketal.2022,
  author    = {Kittel-Schneider, Sarah and Davidova, Petra and Kalok, Miriam and Essel, Corina and Ahmed, Fadia Ben and Kingeter, Yasmina and Matentzoglu, Maria and Leutritz, Anna and Kersken, Katharina and Koreny, Carolin and Weber, Heike and Kollert, Leoniee and McNeill, Rihannon V. and Reif, Andreas and Bahlmann, Franz and Trautmann-Villalba, Patricia},
  title     = {A pilot study of multilevel analysis of BDNF in paternal and maternal perinatal depression},
  series = {Archives of Women's Mental Health},
  volume    = {25},
  journal   = {Archives of Women's Mental Health},
  number    = {1},
  issn      = {1435-1102},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00737-021-01197-2},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-268849},
  pages     = {237-249},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Depression in the perinatal period is common in mothers worldwide. Emerging research indicates that fathers are also at risk of developing perinatal depression. However, knowledge regarding biological risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms of perinatal depression is still scarce, particularly in fathers. It has been suggested that the neurotrophin BDNF may play a role in maternal perinatal depression; however, there is currently no data regarding paternal perinatal depression. For this pilot study, 81 expecting parents were recruited and assessed at several time points. We screened for depression using EPDS and MADRS, investigated several psychosocial variables, and took blood samples for BDNF val66met genotyping, epigenetic, and protein analysis. Between pregnancy and 12 months postpartum (pp), we found that 3.7 to 15.7\% of fathers screened positive for depression, and 9.6 to 24\% of mothers, with at least a twofold increased prevalence in both parents using MADRS compared with EPDS. We also identified several psychosocial factors associated with perinatal depression in both parents. The data revealed a trend that lower BDNF levels correlated with maternal depressive symptoms at 3 months pp. In the fathers, no significant correlations between BDNF and perinatal depression were found. Pregnant women demonstrated lower BDNF methylation and BDNF protein expression compared with men; however, these were found to increase postpartum. Lastly, we identified correlations between depressive symptoms and psychosocial/neurobiological factors. The data suggest that BDNF may play a role in maternal perinatal depression, but not paternal.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GehrmannFiedlerLeutritzetal.2021,
  author    = {Gehrmann, Andrea and Fiedler, Katrin and Leutritz, Anna Linda and Koreny, Carolin and Kittel-Schneider, Sarah},
  title     = {Lithium medication in pregnancy and breastfeeding — a case series},
  series = {Medicina},
  volume    = {57},
  journal   = {Medicina},
  number    = {6},
  issn      = {1648-9144},
  doi       = {10.3390/medicina57060634},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-285640},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Lithium salts are the first-line prophylaxis treatment for bipolar disorder in most guidelines. The majority of bipolar women are treated with mood stabilizers at the time they wish to get pregnant. One reason for this is the rising average age at first childbirth, at least in the high-income countries, which increases in general the likelihood of a medication with psychotropic drugs. Previously, lithium exposition during pregnancy was thought to strongly increase the risk of severe cardiac malformation. However, recent studies only point to a low teratogenic risk, so nowadays an increasing number of women are getting pregnant with ongoing lithium treatment. Regarding lithium medication during breastfeeding, there is evidence that lithium transfers to the breastmilk and can also be detected in the infants' serum. The influence on the infant is still a largely understudied topic. Regular monitoring of the infants' renal clearance, thyroid function, and lithium levels is warranted when breastfeeding under lithium exposure. In this case series, we present three case reports of bipolar mothers who were treated with lithium during pregnancy and breastfeeding to add to the scarce literature on this important topic. In short, we strengthen the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring due to fluctuating plasma levels during pregnancy and after birth, and we can report the birth and development of three healthy infants despite lithium medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding.},
  language  = {en}
}