(P26-068-25) Epidemiological Model Investigating the Role of Anti-neuroinflammatory Food Intake on Perinatal Depression Symptomology

Objectives: The known association between neuroinflammation and perinatal depression suggests that investigations of proinflammatory cytokine modulators in the pathogenesis of perinatal depression is warranted. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the intake of foods with high bioavailability of critical nutrients associated with reduced proinflammatory cytokines and perinatal depression scores in a population of pregnant women participating in a longitudinal study. The study hypothesized that higher nutrient-dense food intake is associated with lower perinatal depression scores, controlling for psychosocial sources of elevated inflammation.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional within-group analysis of Black American pregnant participants enrolled in the Early Life Adversity, Biological Embedding (eLABE) and Risk for Developmental Precursors of Mental Disorders Study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, including 86 participants at 21 to 40 weeks gestation with complete Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Diet History Questionnaire II data. Linear regressions examined the relationship between select food intake and EPDS scores, adjusting for area deprivation index, household poverty, parity, stress, and body mass index.

Results: The analysis revealed that higher dark green leafy and red-orange vegetable intake was significantly associated with lower EPDS scores in adjusted and unadjusted models. Nut and seed intake was also significantly associated with lower EPDS scores, but this relationship was no longer significant when adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions: Select food intake was higher among participants with lower EPDS scores, indicating anti-inflammatory dietary patterns may differentiate among perinatal populations with varying symptom severity. Given the limited data available on the dietary mechanisms of neuroinflammation in the context of perinatal depression, this study provides insights into the potential role of nutrient intake and functional pigments.

Funding Sources: The study is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH113883) and Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (UL1 TR002345 and sub-award TL1 TR002344).