Researchers at Tottori University in Japan have established a link between maternal psychological distress during pregnancy and an increased risk of epilepsy in children.
Epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder affecting 65 million people worldwide, is often accompanied by social stigma and discrimination, adding stress for those living with an unpredictable, chronic condition.
Early onset epilepsy, occurring before age three, is associated with high rates of drug resistance and developmental delays. While previous studies have identified potential risk factors such as placental abruption, eclampsia, prenatal infections, low birth weight, and the use of artificial milk, the influence of maternal psychological stress has been less examined.
A recent study, titled “The impact of maternal prenatal psychological distress on the development of epilepsy in offspring: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study,” was published. The researchers utilized data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, a large-scale birth cohort involving nearly 100,000 participants, to assess the connection between maternal stress levels and epilepsy diagnoses in children aged 1 to 3 years.
As reported by medicalxpress, the analysis included self-reported data on 97,484 children, examining maternal psychological distress using the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), which was administered twice during pregnancy—once at approximately 15.1 weeks and again at 27.4 weeks. Mothers were categorized into six groups based on their K6 scores, indicating low (4 or below) or moderate (5 or 6) distress at each time point.
Results showed that 89 children (0.1%) were diagnosed with epilepsy at age 1, 129 children (0.2%) at age 2, and 149 children (0.2%) at age 3. A maternal K6 score of 5 or higher at both time points was linked to a 70% higher incidence of epilepsy among children aged 1 to 3 years. This association remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as low birth weight and chromosomal abnormalities.
However, while the 70% increase is notable, epilepsy remains an uncommon condition even with high maternal stress. Additionally, other factors in the study showed stronger associations. For instance, low birth weight was linked to a 180% increased risk by age 1. The introduction of artificial milk within the first month of life correlated with a 203% higher risk by age 2. Chromosomal abnormalities posed an even greater risk, increasing the likelihood of an epilepsy diagnosis by 2100% at age 1, 1567% at age 2, and 1000% at age 3.
The researchers concluded that creating environments to help pregnant women manage stress could be beneficial, although they noted that further studies are needed to fully understand the causal mechanisms behind these findings. The results underscore the importance of holistic prenatal care and continued investigation into various risk factors for early childhood epilepsy.