Early Biological and Psychosocial Factors Underlying the Longitudinal Risk for Child Mental Health – EBiPsy

Adverse environmental conditions in the prenatal period, notably maternal depression, maternal obesity and socio-economic disadvantage, are acknowledged risk factors for later child mental health problems. Biological factors including immune, neurotrophic and metabolic factors have also been related with child mental health problems, but mostly in animal research or in human cross-sectional studies. The underlying biological pathways relaying the longitudinal effects of early life adversity to child mental health remain mostly unknown. The overarching aim of the project is to identify the biological pathways (immune, neurotrophic, metabolic factors in the cord serum) mediating the effects of adverse prenatal environment on child mental health. The project relies on the two French birth cohort studies EDEN and ELFE, which include comprehensive environmental, biological and behavioral data on children and their parents, from pregnancy to 8 years.