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Determinants of neonatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor and association with child development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2017

Akhgar Ghassabian ,
Rajeshwari Sundaram ,
Nikhita Chahal ,
Alexander C. McLain ,
Erin Bell ,
David A. Lawrence  and
Edwina H. Yeung
Akhgar Ghassabian
Affiliation:
National Institutes of Health
Rajeshwari Sundaram
Affiliation:
National Institutes of Health
Nikhita Chahal
Affiliation:
National Institutes of Health
Alexander C. McLain
Affiliation:
University of South Carolina
Erin Bell
Affiliation:
Albany School of Public Health
David A. Lawrence
Affiliation:
Albany School of Public Health Wadsworth Center
Edwina H. Yeung*
Affiliation:
National Institutes of Health
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Edwina Yeung, Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, 7B03, Bethesda, MD 20892; E-mail: yeungedw@mail.nih.gov.
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Abstract

Using a population-based birth cohort in upstate New York (2008–2010), we examined the determinants of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) measured in newborn dried blood spots (n = 2,637). We also examined the association between neonatal BDNF and children's development. The cohort was initially designed to examine the influence of infertility treatment on child development but found no impact. Mothers rated children's development in five domains repeatedly through age 3 years. Socioeconomic and maternal lifestyle determinants of BDNF were examined using multivariable linear regression models. Generalized linear mixed models estimated odds ratios for neonatal BDNF in relation to failing a developmental domain. Smoking and drinking in pregnancy, nulliparity, non-White ethnicity/race, and prepregnancy obesity were associated with lower neonatal BDNF. Neonatal BDNF was not associated with failure for developmental domains; however, there was an interaction between BDNF and preterm birth. In preterm infants, a higher BDNF was associated with lower odds of failing any developmental domains, after adjusting for confounders and infertility treatment. This result was particularly significant for failure in communication. Our findings suggest that BDNF levels in neonates may be impacted by maternal lifestyle characteristics. More specifically, lower neonatal BDNF might be an early marker of aberrant neurodevelopment in preterm infants.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 29 , Issue 4 , October 2017 , pp. 1499 - 1511
Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017

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Footnotes

This research was funded by the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Contracts HHSN275201200005C and HHSN267200700019C). The authors thank all the Upstate KIDS families and staff for their important contributions.

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