Dr. Catherine Lebel's work on maternal depression and children's brain structure was recently featured in different media outlets.
Studyfinds depression during pregnancy can alter a child’s brain
By Heather Yourex-West Health Reporter Global News
University of Calgary research is highlighting the importance of screening woman for depression during pregnancy after finding that left untreated, depression during and after pregnancy can alter a child’s brain.
“What we saw suggests that the kids’ brains are developing prematurely, so they’re sort of ageing too quickly,” said Dr. Catherine Lebel, a researcher with the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. “That can be a negative thing because they lose plasticity, flexibility, adaptability of their brain.”
Read more: Global News
‘A serious problem’: Calgary researchers study how depression during pregnancy affects children’s brains
By Jennifer Lee CBC News
Dr. Catherine Lebel, an assistant professor in the University of Calgary’s department of radiology, used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the brain structure of children to determine the health effects of prenatal depression. Researchers at the University of Calgary have linked mothers’ prenatal depression with changes in their children’s brain structure, which could lead to mental health problems and behaviour issues later in life. The findings have prompted one researcher to encourage screening for expectant women.
Read more: CBC
Depression during pregnancy can physically change child’s brain: Calgary researchers | Metro Calgary
By: Elizabeth Cameron For Metro Published
It’s the first study to look at a preschool age range and maternal mental health in the early postpartum period as it relates to brain development.
Read more: Metro News