Postpartum Depression = Colic -- and RAD?

Turkish researchers found a correlation between postpartum depression in new mothers and colicky babies.

According to Reuters Health, 78 mothers were evaluated for depression, anxiety and attachment distorder, while the infants were checked for colic. Tweny nine mothers showed an insecure attachment style.

Seventeen infants had colic, while 10 women had a high risk of postpartum depression.

An insecure attachment style was significantly more common among women with infants with colic compared with those with infants without colic, according to the study results, published in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood.

Meanwhile, women with colicky babies were more likely to be at high risk for postpartum depression.

This study illustrates one way mechanism by which unhealthy attachment styles are passed from generation to generation. A woman who hasn't developed the ability to form secure, loving bonds with others is anxious about her new baby. She probably isn't as good at the soulful gazing that's the basis for connection with the baby, and therefore they don't enjoy the pulses of oxytocin that regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, calming them, lowering blood pressure and healing inflammation.

This makes the baby colicky, which makes it harder for it to nurse. This leads to more anxiety in the mother and a further disruption of the oxytocin transfer.

Mother and baby are likely recreating the pattern between the mother and her own mother. It would be interesting if the Marmara University Medical School researchers asked whether the high-risk mothers had themselves had colic. I'd bet they did.

Comments

[Neurofreak (Daniel)]

I think I may recall significantly less post partum effects with supplementation of omega 3... So if women that are extremely low in omega 3 suffer from post partum more, it would make sense that the diets of their babies would be low and could cause similar issues.

Thanks for shooting me a comment over at my blog... I'd be curious to read more about your thoughts on oxytocin (and since I found your blog, I probably will)... Do you believe that these effects, if dosed for a long enough period of time, could leave a more permanent mark on the way a person (or mouse) handles the stress system? A good example would be how in neurofeedback people maintain the effects of stress reduction literally years afterwards. I'm curious if oxytocin in some way retrains the mind and/or stress system in a positive way, or if the oxytocin's changes in chemistry may just circulate for that long of a period of time....

Stuff to ponder. I'm half-tempted to score me some oxytocin and take a stab at it myself.

[Susan Kuchinskas]

I agree that any kind of dietary imbalance or environmental stress will operate on both mother and baby. In this case, the study looked specifically at suboptimal patterns of attachment: how the mother relates to the baby.

And what's key is that the right kind of brain training of the baby might not take place.

The oxytocin response to physical and social intimacy isn't inherent -- it's learned after birth. The primary caregiver actually trains the baby's brain to soothe itself by, among other things, releasing oxytocin.

I;m pretty sure (but I'm not a scientist) that dosing with oxytovin will never change the way the body handles stress -- just as injecting insulin will never lead to the body's normal production of it.

However, this should interest you. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence -- and many psychiatrists believe -- that neurofeedback can retrain the brain and improve the oxytocin response.

I was really excited to find your blog, because I think neurofeedback (and the other modalities you mention (http://www.neurointerests.com/?p=9) are the real key to change for adults.

[Neurofreak (Daniel)]

Kuchinskas... Glad to hear you enjoyed reading over it. I'm honestly thinking I'll probably be putting a forum up within the next week for the discussion of those kinds of technologies that exist out there. The truth is, I believe the technology is out there to drastically change the world (starting with the prison system, for example), but have just been outright ignored by most of our society. I also think the fact that neurofeedback, etc. is so cost-effective when compared to say the cost of a lifetime of drugs.

You're talking $600-1,500 could get you a machine that, if you knew what you were doing, could be the equivalent to $20,000 in training *easily*.

As far as oxytocin and the insulin comment, I believe that's a little bit of comparing apples with oranges. The truth is, they've actually shown that in some circumstances even anti-depressants can train the brain in a way to maintain some of the effects even after cessation of the drug. While this effect is perhaps relatively small, it does exist.

Susan, sorry for hijacking your entry! You can bet I'll be keeping an eye on your blog from now on.
-- Daniel

[Neurofreak (Daniel)]

Susan, I'm curious... Did you read my two latest entries, particularily the one in response to your comment ( http://www.neurointerests.com/?p=13 )... to be honest, I was really looking forward to hearing your feedback.

Hope all is well.
-- Daniel

[Susan Kuchinskas]

oh,I've been bad about blog reading the last few days, but it was in the back of my mind about those post you'd promised.

Thanks for offering your personal experience and journey.