The Biological Mechanism of Maternal Depression’s Negative Influences on Offspring Development: A Review

Maternal depression is a prevalent disorder among mothers: nearly 20% of women have experienced different levels of depressive symptoms during motherhood. The symptoms usually disappear by three years after their children were born, but some women experience them chronically. Maternal depression has been researched in terms of its negative influence on offspring since the 1960s. Children of chronically depressed mothers show delays in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. Moreover, they may even face mental health challenges themselves. How does maternal depression influence offspring? Previous studies have focused on the behaviors of mothers and found that mothers with depression interact with their children in a less engaging way. Recently, more researchers started to pay attention to the biological mechanism of this maternal depression’s negative influence. Cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is regarded as a potential pathway of the transgenerational transmission of depression. Mothers with prenatal depression have elevated cortisol level during pregnancy, which is passed down to their children. After they are born, children of depressed mothers react to stress with more dramatic changes in cortisol level and compromised stress-coping abilities. Moreover, prenatal maternal depression also seems to shape the functional connectivity of amygdala, a brain area related to stress and emotions. For life situations like schooling, competing with peers or making significant decisions, children with decreased or abnormal stress-coping abilities will be in disadvantageous positions. Attenuated stress coping abilities brought by hormonal and neural changes may be a biological mechanism for children’s lower performance in cognitive and behavioral tasks.

Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma across Three Generations of Alevi Kurds

Background: Thus far, most researchers on genocide and transgenerational transmissions have focused on the National Socialist Holocaust as the most abhorrent example of this severe human rights violation. Few data have been published on other ethnic or religious groups affected by genocidal actions in this context. Methodology: Using a mixed-method approach integrating qualitative interviews with standardized instruments (SCID and PDS), this study examines how individual and collective trauma have been handed down across three generations in an Alevi Kurd community whose members (have) suffered genocidal perpetrations over a longer time period (a “genocidal environment”). Qualitative, open-ended interviews with members of three generations answering questions yielded information on (a) how their lives are shaped by the genocidal experiences from the previous generation and related victim experiences, (b) how the genocidal events were communicated in family narratives, and (c) coping strategies used. The first generation is the generation which directly suffered the genocidal actions. The second generation consists of children of those parents who survived the genocidal actions. Together with their family (children, partner, relatives), this generation suffered forced displacement. Members of the third generation were born in the diaspora where they also grew up. Results: Participants reported traumatic memories, presented in examples in this publication. The most severe traumatic memories included the Dersim massacre in 1937–1938 in Turkey, with 70,000–80,000 victims killed, and the enforced resettlement in western Turkey. A content analysis revealed that the transgenerational transmission of trauma continued across three generations. SCID and PDS data indicated high rates of distress in all generations. Conclusions: Genocidal environments such as that of the Kurdish Alevis lead to transgenerational transmission mediated by complex factors.

Epigenetics in the Transgenerational Transmission of Chronic Diseases in the Context of Poverty with a Perinatal Approach

Introduction: Epigenetics is relevant in obstetrics for its action during pregnancy, in embryo-fetal life and even for the events that exist at birth. Objective: To investigate and analyze information about the role that epigeomics plays in the transgenerational transmission of chronic diseases in the context of poverty with a perinatal approach. Methods: Through a non-systematic bibliographic review through the search engines: LILACS, CINAHL, COCHRANE, EBSCO, MEDLINE, SCIELO, SCOPUS and PUBMED. Results: 32 bibliographic publications were found, of which 30 articles containing information related to the topic were included. Discussion: The genome has been compared to the hardware of a computer, while the epigenetic information is compared to the software that controls the operation of the hardware. Furthermore, the factors affecting epigenetic information can be analog as parameters to operate the software. Conclusion: The epigenomics studies the process by which the expression of certain genes occurs, in order to reduce the probability of the appearance of chronic diseases, having a potential effect during pregnancy and neonatal period. Keywords: epigenomics, transcription, genetic, poverty, chronic disease. RESUMEN Introducción: La epigenética tiene relevancia en la obstetricia por su acción durante el embarazo, en la vida embrio-fetal e inclusive, por los sucesos que existen al nacimiento. Objetivo: Investigar y analizar de información acerca del rol que juega la epigenómica en la transmisión transgeneracional de las enfermedades crónicas en el contexto de la pobreza con enfoque perinatal. Métodos: Por medio de una revisión bibliográfica no sistemática a través de los buscadores: LILACS, CINAHL, COCHRANE, EBSCO, MEDLINE, SCIELO, SCOPUS y PUBMED. Resultados: Se encontraron 32 publicaciones bibliográficas, de las cuales se incluyeron 30 artículos que contenían la información relacionada al tema. Discusión: El genoma se lo ha comparado con el hardware de una computadora, mientras que la información epigenética se lo compara con el software que controla el funcionamiento del hardware. Además, los factores que afectan la información epigenética pueden ser analógicos como parámetros para operar el software. Conclusiones: La epigenómica estudia proceso por el cual se da la expresión de determinados genes, con la finalidad de disminuir la probabilidad de la aparición de enfermedades crónicas, teniendo un efecto potencial durante el embarazo y periodo neonatal. Palabras clave: epigenómica, transcripción genética, pobreza, enfermedad crónica.

Implicites of the collective memory in the education of children and women. Breaking ancestral projects and breaking inviolable bonds: the red thread to be "the women that you are"

In this contribution, I explore the drama buried in the collective memory implicit in the education of girls and women. A thread which historically continues to remain in the models of education for girls can be found, with serious consequences in the transgenerational transmission of pedagogical models and educational practices. The first-hand experience of these models and practices aimed at self-sacrifice and the mortification of vitality as an educational instrument, has generated an accumulation of pain, suffering, frustration and anger which inevitably spread and invade the public space of shared society, significantly insinuating itself in social, family, educational, affective, sentimental and even working relations. In conclusion, I identify the need for formative paths aimed at awareness of the existence and tenacity of the unspoken pedagogical messages deeply rooted in historical memories.

Subfertility of Offspring and Transgenerational Transmission of Splenic Transcriptome Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Hens

Background: Transgenerational phenotypes are linked to genetic background, environmental factors, and diseases. Maternal stimulation is one of the suspected contributing factors to transgenerational phenotypes, and recent evidence from human studies suggests that maternal immune stimulation affects the phenotype and gene expression of the offspring, but few similar studies were reported in poultry. Here, we used laying hens as a model organism to investigate the effects of maternal stimulation on hens' immunity and reproductive performance, as well as the regulatory role of the splenic transcriptome in hens induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Methods: To investigate the effect of maternal stimulation on egg-laying rate of hens and their offspring, laying hens were first intravenously injected with LPS. RNA-seq from the spleens of F0, F1, and F2 generations of hens was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the LPS group and controls. We investigated the effect of LPS maternal stimulation on the transcriptome of laying hens and its multi-generational transmission effect by analyzing shared genes, enrichment pathways, and protein-protein interaction networks across generations. We concentrated on immune and reproduction-related pathways and genes that existed across generations. Subsequently, we performed a correlation analysis between the DEGs associated with the multi-generational transmission effect and egg-laying rate of hens.Results: We found that the LPS maternal stimulation could reduce the egg-laying rate of hens and their offspring, especially during the early and late laying stages. The transcriptome study of the spleen in F0, F1 and F2 generations showed that the maternal stimulation of the LPS affects the patterns of gene expression in laying hens, and this change has the effect of transgenerational transmission. Further analysis of DEGs and their enrichment pathways found that the LPS maternal stimulation mainly affects the reproduction and immunity of laying hens and their offspring. The DEGs such as AVD, HPS5 CATHL2, S100A12, EXFABP, RSFR, LY86, PKD4, XCL1, FOS, TREM2 and MST1 may play an essential role in the regulation of the immunity and egg-laying rate of the hens. Furthermore, the MMR1L3, C3, F13A1, LY86 and GDPD2 genes with transgenerational transmission effects are highly correlated with the egg-laying rate. The DEGs mentioned above have an important reference value for research on the multi-generational transmission of maternal immune stimulation.Conclusions: In the current study, we discovered that maternal stimulation could reduce the immunity of laying hens and their offspring, resulting in a decrease in egg-laying rate. These effects could be regulated by the transcriptome's transgenerational transmission. Overall, our study is an important reference for future research into the multi-generational transmission of maternal stimulation, and the selected marker genes are of great significance to the breeding of laying hens.

The interplay between maternal childhood maltreatment, parental coping strategies as well as endangered parenting behavior during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The SARS-CoV-2-pandemic is associated different challenges, especially for families. The disruption and challenges require parents to develop strategies to cope with the current situation. One factor that may influence how parents deal with pandemic-associated stressors are experiences of parental childhood maltreatment (CM), which represent a high risk of engaging in endangered parenting. A decisive candidate for the connection between parental CM and the transgenerational transmission could be the parental ability to employ coping strategies. Mothers of a well-documented birth cohort for investigating the pathways leading to resilience or vulnerability in the transgenerational transmission of CM were imbedded in an online “SARS-CoV-2 pandemic survey” assessing maternal ability for coping strategies and the dimension of endangered maternal parenting behavior. 91 mothers completed the online survey. To describe the maternal CM, data from a longitudinal survey were used. Our mediation analysis shows a significant positive relationship between the sum of maternal CM experiences, lack of coping strategies and endangered parenting behavior. This suggests a partial mediation of the association between CM and endangered parenting behavior as the direct effect remained significant when the maternal lack of coping strategies was included as the mediator. Parental CM is a risk factor for coping with stressful situation as well as for endangered parenting behavior. The ability to deal with stress seems to have a significant influence on the context of a possible transgenerational transmission of CM. The results underline the need to consider the unique needs of families with children and to support them as to how to overcome the current crisis.

Toni Morrison’s transgressive literary preaching and folk songs as postmemory

This paper intends to study the sermons or ‘‘literary preaching’’ and folk songs in Toni Morrison’s fiction in the light of Marianne Hirsch’s concept of postmemory. Drawing on Hirsch’s postmemory then, this paper articulates that the ‘‘literary preaching’’ and folk songs function within Morrison’s novelistic discourse as postmemory medium that presses against the erasure and the death of a culture and history. The folk songs and ‘‘literary preaching’’ are mediums of transgenerational transmission of trauma and history. Hirsch defines postmemory as the memories that the survivors of trauma bequeathed to their children and grandchildren. Hirsch presents photographs as the instrument through which postmemory is archived and conveyed. She talks about ‘‘photographic archive’’ since photographs can bring back their referents. In comparison, the sermons and folk songs are analyzed as ‘‘oral/aural archive’’, for they have the attribute of triggering memory and postmemory. Also, through her literary preaching, Morrison deconstructs and questions mainstream Christianity by blending it with unorthodox Christian practices. For example, Baby Suggs’ sermon in Beloved gives precedence to the flesh over the spirit, and this sermon is remembered throughout the text as a subdued metaphor.