WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.252 align:middle line:90% 00:00:00.252 --> 00:00:01.710 align:middle line:84% MARIA MCDONALD: So I really started 00:00:01.710 --> 00:00:05.250 align:middle line:84% with the broad question, very broad question, of, 00:00:05.250 --> 00:00:08.310 align:middle line:84% what does it mean for mental health, particularly 00:00:08.310 --> 00:00:10.680 align:middle line:84% depression, to be transgenerational? 00:00:10.680 --> 00:00:12.930 align:middle line:84% We know there are a lot of environmental risk 00:00:12.930 --> 00:00:15.550 align:middle line:84% factors there that plays an important role. 00:00:15.550 --> 00:00:19.410 align:middle line:84% But I really was interested in this genetic component. 00:00:19.410 --> 00:00:20.850 align:middle line:84% As a family nurse practitioner, I 00:00:20.850 --> 00:00:23.830 align:middle line:84% do work with people who do have anxiety, depression. 00:00:23.830 --> 00:00:27.150 align:middle line:84% I can hear from women their experiences. 00:00:27.150 --> 00:00:30.480 align:middle line:84% And that also sparks the additional question of, 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.600 align:middle line:84% if this is transgenerational, really understanding what 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:36.000 align:middle line:84% it means if a woman has depression 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.750 align:middle line:84% during pregnancy, across pregnancy, what could that 00:00:39.750 --> 00:00:43.410 align:middle line:84% mean for mom's mental health in the postpartum period as well 00:00:43.410 --> 00:00:45.300 align:middle line:90% as the child's mental health? 00:00:45.300 --> 00:00:47.430 align:middle line:84% A mother having depression during pregnancy-- 00:00:47.430 --> 00:00:50.880 align:middle line:84% we think about her ability to bond with her-- 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:55.200 align:middle line:84% with being pregnant and then with her child as a newborn. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.810 align:middle line:84% We know that's a really crucial developmental period 00:00:57.810 --> 00:00:59.880 align:middle line:90% for children as they're growing. 00:00:59.880 --> 00:01:03.450 align:middle line:84% And having that bonding is very important for both mom 00:01:03.450 --> 00:01:04.950 align:middle line:90% and for baby. 00:01:04.950 --> 00:01:08.760 align:middle line:84% So oxytocin is the love hormone or social interaction 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:10.440 align:middle line:90% hormone across pregnancy. 00:01:10.440 --> 00:01:12.450 align:middle line:90% It has important implications. 00:01:12.450 --> 00:01:14.790 align:middle line:84% It has important functions for delivery. 00:01:14.790 --> 00:01:17.910 align:middle line:84% But it's also doing these things in the brain, as well, 00:01:17.910 --> 00:01:20.130 align:middle line:84% and be important in regulating emotion 00:01:20.130 --> 00:01:21.870 align:middle line:90% in that social interaction. 00:01:21.870 --> 00:01:24.880 align:middle line:84% Each of us have our own endogenous oxytocin, 00:01:24.880 --> 00:01:27.930 align:middle line:84% which means that our bodies are already producing it. 00:01:27.930 --> 00:01:31.020 align:middle line:84% The way to understand how oxytocin is being used 00:01:31.020 --> 00:01:32.810 align:middle line:90% is to assess its receptor. 00:01:32.810 --> 00:01:35.790 align:middle line:84% So if there are changes in the gene receptor, 00:01:35.790 --> 00:01:40.590 align:middle line:84% that may have implications for how oxytocin is being used 00:01:40.590 --> 00:01:43.980 align:middle line:84% and could have important implications 00:01:43.980 --> 00:01:45.700 align:middle line:90% for that social interaction. 00:01:45.700 --> 00:01:49.260 align:middle line:84% When we're already producing it, how does adding in oxytocin 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:52.290 align:middle line:84% in the form of synthetic oxytocin in humans-- 00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:53.610 align:middle line:90% we use Pitocin-- 00:01:53.610 --> 00:01:54.570 align:middle line:90% what does that mean? 00:01:54.570 --> 00:01:57.450 align:middle line:84% And how does it change the brain and the blood? 00:01:57.450 --> 00:02:00.780 align:middle line:84% Increase of the methyl group that's added to the gene 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:04.920 align:middle line:84% will actually suppress the expression of the gene. 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:06.660 align:middle line:84% And that can have implications for, 00:02:06.660 --> 00:02:10.080 align:middle line:84% again, continuing on with symptoms that we would say 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:13.140 align:middle line:84% might be related to postpartum depression or depression, 00:02:13.140 --> 00:02:14.040 align:middle line:90% anxiety. 00:02:14.040 --> 00:02:19.180 align:middle line:84% My work in clinical practice is working with humans. 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:22.710 align:middle line:84% However, we can't do some of these invasive procedures 00:02:22.710 --> 00:02:25.620 align:middle line:84% and take brain samples and see what-- 00:02:25.620 --> 00:02:27.930 align:middle line:84% if there are correlations between the brain 00:02:27.930 --> 00:02:28.530 align:middle line:90% and the blood. 00:02:28.530 --> 00:02:31.560 align:middle line:84% So is how the genes are expressed in the brain 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:33.330 align:middle line:84% the same as what they are in the blood? 00:02:33.330 --> 00:02:35.790 align:middle line:84% And we want to do that because then we don't 00:02:35.790 --> 00:02:37.140 align:middle line:90% have to take brain samples. 00:02:37.140 --> 00:02:39.900 align:middle line:90% We can draw blood from people. 00:02:39.900 --> 00:02:42.270 align:middle line:84% And that can be used in a clinical practice setting. 00:02:42.270 --> 00:02:46.050 align:middle line:84% For this particular study, we will be using the [INAUDIBLE] 00:02:46.050 --> 00:02:49.290 align:middle line:84% and examining both brain and blood 00:02:49.290 --> 00:02:51.990 align:middle line:84% samples to see those relationships between the brain 00:02:51.990 --> 00:02:52.590 align:middle line:90% and the blood. 00:02:52.590 --> 00:02:55.440 align:middle line:84% If there are correlations, that can be a very good indication 00:02:55.440 --> 00:02:58.500 align:middle line:84% that we can use that as a proxy in humans as well. 00:02:58.500 --> 00:02:59.730 align:middle line:90% We can draw blood samples. 00:02:59.730 --> 00:03:02.370 align:middle line:84% And that can give us an idea of what the brain is doing, 00:03:02.370 --> 00:03:05.070 align:middle line:84% as well, the oxytocin in the brain is doing as well. 00:03:05.070 --> 00:03:09.810 align:middle line:84% There are studies that are showing long-term consequences 00:03:09.810 --> 00:03:13.200 align:middle line:84% of using exogenous oxytocin for outcomes 00:03:13.200 --> 00:03:14.790 align:middle line:90% of postpartum depression. 00:03:14.790 --> 00:03:17.040 align:middle line:84% Oftentimes, we will use medications 00:03:17.040 --> 00:03:19.260 align:middle line:84% in practice for an important reason. 00:03:19.260 --> 00:03:22.740 align:middle line:84% We definitely want to reduce and eliminate 00:03:22.740 --> 00:03:24.180 align:middle line:90% this postpartum hemorrhage. 00:03:24.180 --> 00:03:26.470 align:middle line:84% It can be a very serious complication. 00:03:26.470 --> 00:03:29.350 align:middle line:84% And so this has lifesaving effects. 00:03:29.350 --> 00:03:31.650 align:middle line:90% However, use of Pitocin-- 00:03:31.650 --> 00:03:33.450 align:middle line:84% yes, though it's important, there 00:03:33.450 --> 00:03:35.430 align:middle line:84% are also risk factors associated with it. 00:03:35.430 --> 00:03:39.040 align:middle line:84% So all medications have side effects and have consequences. 00:03:39.040 --> 00:03:42.330 align:middle line:84% And so if we are able to recognize that it's good 00:03:42.330 --> 00:03:43.620 align:middle line:90% to use, it's-- 00:03:43.620 --> 00:03:45.660 align:middle line:84% has been helpful-- but, at the same time, 00:03:45.660 --> 00:03:47.460 align:middle line:84% how do we individualize it so we can 00:03:47.460 --> 00:03:51.450 align:middle line:84% reduce those potential negative effects that we don't want down 00:03:51.450 --> 00:03:53.060 align:middle line:90% the line? 00:03:53.060 --> 00:03:59.000 align:middle line:90%