A team of international researchers from eighteen institutions across the United States and Europe studied epigenetic changes in the placenta and their possible influence on the development of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. The work was published in Nature Communications, signaling broad interest in placenta-based pathways to mental health risk. The collaboration brought together experts in obstetrics, neurology and genetics, illustrating how cross-border science can address complex brain conditions.
In this study, the focal point was DNA methylation, a chemical modification that acts like a dimmer switch for genes without changing the genetic code. Placental methylation patterns can be shaped by maternal factors such as diet, stress and exposure to pollutants, and these patterns help regulate how genes linked to development function in the fetus.
Analysis showed that placental DNA methylation is most strongly associated with the risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Associations with ADHD and autism were present but weaker, suggesting a spectrum of prenatal influences rather than a single cause. The researchers stress that such links reflect correlations in early biology and do not prove that placental methylation alone causes these conditions.
This discovery opens potential paths for early detection and preventive action. If placental methylation patterns can be reliably measured at birth or inferred from maternal health data, they could serve as biomarkers to flag individuals at higher risk and guide early interventions. The findings highlight prenatal biology as an important contributor to later mental health and invite further study to translate epigenetic insights into practice.
The work also stresses the importance of timing in genetic risk. Some genes change their activity during early development, which can limit the effectiveness of interventions started later. Understanding when genetic factors exert influence helps shape future research directions and may point toward prenatal or perinatal strategies that modulate risk.
Previous research has shown that fatty foods during pregnancy can pose risks to fetal development. Those dietary factors contribute to the broader picture of prenatal influences on epigenetic marks and neurodevelopment, reinforcing the idea that the prenatal environment matters for mental health outcomes.