For decades, maternal obesity has been linked to an increased risk for a wide variety of psychiatric disorders in children.
But this research has relied on measures like body mass index, which may not accurately reflect an individual's prenatal nutritional and metabolic health, says John Krzeczkowski, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at Brock University.
"Focusing on measures like body mass index alone may put unnecessary blame on pregnant people and actually hasn't enabled us to explain how and why prenatal nutrition and metabolic problems may increase risk for many different psychiatric problems in children," he says.
Thanks to a $726,000 Project Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Krzeczkowski and his team aim to answer these questions.
"With this critical financial support from CIHR, the team is poised to revolutionize the way we understand risk factors for mental disorders in developing children," says Brock Acting Vice-President, Research Michelle McGinn. "This groundbreaking research is an essential step toward early interventions to help children and families."
First, the study will use multiple research methods that account for the intense complexity of prenatal nutrition and metabolic health. Krzeczkowski says this will position the team to identify the factors that play the strongest role in child brain development.
Second, to understand how these factors may impact the developing brain, the research team will test their new theoretical model, which states that prenatal nutrition and metabolic health increase child neurobehavioural flexibility.
Neurobehavioural flexibility the capacity to change behaviour when faced with various demands in one's environment enables people to solve problems, deal with uncertainty and incorporate new information into plans and ideas.
Its opposite, inflexibility, is the type of rigid thinking and behaviour found in conditions such as depression, autism, anxiety, ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The team's model outlines the impacts on three brain systems observed through animal studies that alter the balance between flexible and inflexible behaviour.
The first is the brain's energy-balance system, which regulates the intake of calories, the amount burned off by physical activity and the amount of energy stored.
Prenatal metabolic and dietary health may produce a better balance between appetite-stimulating and appetite-decreasing nervous system cells or neurons in offspring.
"Because of these changes, offspring are likely better able to alter their eating behaviours when their energy intake needs are actually met, and their behaviour is less constrained by food cues," says Krzeczkowski.
The second is the body's reward system.
Changes to receptors molecules that detect and transmit signals to bring about certain actions in parts of the brain regulating pleasurable feelings are in better balance, thereby decreasing a constant desire for highly palatable foods and other rewards.
The brain may be less "locked in" on consuming rewards, and therefore is better able to alter attention toward longer-term goals, says Krzeczkowski.
Thirdly, prenatal nutrition and metabolic health may optimize multiple connections within the offspring's prefrontal cortex, increasing their ability to monitor and alter food intake and reward-seeking behaviours, he says.
The team will study the development of these three brain systems at various points in a group of children starting at age nine months and ending at 36 months of age to see if and how the children's neurobehavioural flexibility is affected as a mental health risk factor.
"This research will enable us to work with pregnant people to develop the most effective prenatal interventions that support pregnancy health and optimize child neurodevelopment," says Krzeczkowski.
Krzeczkowski's Brock University team members include Associate Professor of Health Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Child Health Equity and Inclusion Karen Patte, Associate Professor of Child and Youth Studies and Canada Research Chair in Adjustment and Well-Being in Children and Youth Danielle Sirianni Molnar, Professor of Health Sciences Terrance Wade and Professor of Kinesiology and Health Sciences Wendy Ward.
The federal government funding for the team's project was announced Jan. 30 by CIHR President Paul Hébert.
"Supporting research that improves children's mental health is one of the most crucial investments we can make as a government and a country, as the children of today will shape the society of tomorrow," says Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre.
Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, says "healthy eating patterns are crucial for physical and mental vitality."
"Dr. Krzeczkowski's unique theoretical model will give us profound insights into how we can support the health of families worldwide."
--
