Dr. Zachary Stowe reprimanded by Emory

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Dr. Zachary Stowe, a well-known researcher in the field of anti-depressant usage during pregnancy and postpartum, has been disciplined by Emory University for failing to disclose a conflict of interest while conducting research using a NIH grant during 2007 and 2008. Dr. Charles Nemeroff, also of Emory, was also found to have existing conflicts while conducting research just a few months ago.

These disheartening discoveries are becoming too commonplace. What’s happened to honest, decent morals? What’s happened to working for the greater good instead of the not-so-almighty dollar?

I must say that my initial reaction was one of very deep disappointment as this is all unfolding in my own backyard. Emory is one of the most well known resources for Postpartum support here in Georgia. Without Emory, there’s not much left to the support and knowledge of Postpartum Mood Disorders and their treatment here. (Trust me, I’ve worked to find one!)

I sincerely hope both Dr. Nemeroff and Dr. Stowe have learned important lessons through all of this. I also hope other researchers will realize the importance of honesty when disclosing relationships during research.

The public deserves un-biased data when it comes to our health. Has that even become too much to ask for?

Postpartum Anxiety Delays Puberty in Offspring

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In another study with mice, researchers have discovered that a low level of Prolactin in early pregnancy translates to a delay in puberty. The results were revealed yesterday at The Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The most interesting aspect of this research was the discovery that regardless of environment (ie, raised by an anxious mouse or non-anxious mouse), the offspring of the “anxious” mice still experienced a delay of puberty when raised by a controlled non-anxious mother.

Here’s a snippet of the press release:

Women have an increased rate of anxiety during pregnancy and for 2 years after giving birth, said the study’s lead author, Caroline Larsen, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.

“Postpartum anxiety disorders are poorly understood and difficult to treat,” Larsen said. “There is growing evidence that untreated anxiety disorder during pregnancy may contribute to premature birth and also can have major and lasting adverse effects on the infant’s development and behavior.”

Prolactin is a hormone that may protect against anxiety. Recently Larsen and her co-workers found that mice with induced low levels of prolactin in early pregnancy displayed substantial anxiety after they gave birth. Because the researchers also noted that daughters of the anxious mothers had delayed onset of puberty, they conducted the current study to learn what causes this late physical transition to sexual maturation.

Daughters of female mice made anxious by low prolactin were raised either by their birth mother or by a mouse who was not anxious (control mother). Another group consisted of daughters of nonanxious mice, and these mice were raised by either a control mother or an anxious mother. There were at least six mice in each of the four groups. The researchers determined onset of puberty by examining when the vagina opened and noting the time of first estrus (equivalent to the first menstrual cycle in humans).

“Remarkably, puberty was still delayed even if the daughters of anxious mothers were raised by nonanxious mice,” Larsen said. “And delayed puberty also occurred in daughters born to nonanxious mothers who were raised by anxious mothers.”

This result demonstrates that hormonal changes in early pregnancy, as well as changes in maternal behavior caused by these hormone changes, can alter brain development in the offspring and delay puberty, she explained. Larsen believes that their work, with further study, may translate to people.

“Finding the hormonal mechanisms that trigger the timing of puberty in mice may help identify potential targets for the prevention and treatment of delayed or early puberty in humans,” she said.

Late puberty in humans is linked to shortened height and psychological problems that can persist into adulthood.

FDA forms “Transparency Task Force”

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In a press release today, the FDA announced the formation of a Transparency Task Force.

It’s about time the FDA opened the doors to it’s process. As consumers, we deserve to know all the risks involved with anything we ingest as food or use to treat our mental or physical illnesses. For far too long companies have been able to use the FDA’s slow process as a shield to hide behind, harming consumers in the process. This abuse has to stop if we are to have any hope of a fair economy. We need to be able to trust in those who provide our sustenance and medications.

The FDA invites public opinion and has scheduled an open meeting for June 24th. They also have a blog dedicated to this Task Force at their website that will run for the next six months.

“Our administration is committed to making government open and transparent,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The Transparency Task Force will give the American people a seat at the table and make the FDA more open and accountable.”

“President Obama has pledged to strengthen our democracy by creating an unprecedented level of openness and public participation in government, and the FDA looks forward to participating in this process,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “I have asked the Transparency Task Force to deliver recommendations to me for ways to make more information available and foster better understanding of decision-making.”

Taken directly from the FDA’s press release, the following are goals of the Task Force:

The Transparency Task Force will:

  • Seek public input on issues related to transparency;
  • Recommend ways that the agency can better explain its operations compatible with the appropriate protection of confidential information;
  • Identify information the FDA should provide about specific agency operations and activities, including enforcement actions and product approvals;
  • Identify problems and barriers, both internal and external, to providing useful and understandable information about FDA activities and decision-making to the public;
  • Identify appropriate tools and new technologies for informing the public;
  • Recommend changes to the FDA’s current operations, including internal policies and guidance, to improve the agency’s ability to provide information to the public in a timely and effective manner;
  • Recommend legislative or regulatory changes, if appropriate, to improve the FDA’s ability to provide information to the public; and
  • Submit a written report to the commissioner on the Transparency Task Force’s findings and recommendations.

Screening for PPD @ Well-Child Visits

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A recently published study in the Journal of Pediatrics examined if screening for Postpartum Depression during the first six months of life was enough.

The women participating were adolescents. Physicians were electronically cued to screen their patients during their infant’s two month well-child check-up. No patients refused the screening. Up to 99% of the cases were screened, 98% of the time the EPDS was administered and mothers with a score greater than 10 were ALWAYS referred for help.

At 3wks postpartum, scores proved to be unstable. At two, four, and six months, the scores slowly decreased. Overall, 20% of new mothers scored 10 or higher.

You can read the study by clicking here.