Unveiling Maternal-fetal BRAin-body Interactions in Pregnant WOmen Affected by Depression (BRAWO)
The goal of this study is to learn how depression during pregnancy is linked to changes in the brain and body of the mother and to the development of the baby, in pregnant women with major depressive disorder (MDD) and pregnant women without depression.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- How common is major depressive disorder during pregnancy in a European multi-site cohort?
- Do pregnant women with MDD show differences in hippocampal volume compared with pregnant women without depression?
- Do maternal blood, placenta, cord blood, brain imaging and heart activity measures, and the brain and development of the babies, differ between the two groups?
Pregnant women will be screened within the 20th week of pregnancy and assigned to the MDD group or to the control group based on a structured clinical interview. They will not receive any study drug: women with depression will receive the usual care recommended by clinical guidelines.
Participants will:
- Have clinical, psychiatric and psychological assessments (interviews and questionnaires) at screening, at 22, 26 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, at birth, and at 1 and 6 months after birth
- Have a brain MRI with simultaneous EEG-ECG or photoplethysmography (PPG) at about 22 weeks of pregnancy
- Have a fetal MRI by 22 weeks and fetal ultrasound scans at 22, 26 and 32 weeks
- Give blood samples at 22, 26 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, and a cord blood sample at birth (placenta samples in a subgroup at the Milan center only)
Their newborns will have a neurological and visual examination, a brain MRI and an EEG-ECG or PPG recording after birth, and a developmental assessment (Bayley Scales) at 6 months.
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Descripción detallada
BRAWO is a non-pharmacological, international, multicenter, non-profit study conducted in Italy (Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, coordinating center), Spain (Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, IBiS) and Germany (Philipps University Marburg). It implements Work Package 3 of the BRAWO research project, funded under the ERA-NET NEURON Joint Transnational Call 2024 "Bidirectional brain-body interactions".
The study is classified as interventional because it includes procedures that are not part of standard clinical care (maternal, fetal and neonatal MRI, EEG-ECG/PPG recordings, biological sampling). These procedures are non-invasive or minimally invasive. No investigational medicinal product is tested; women with MDD receive standard care, which may include SSRI antidepressants.
Groups:
- Group 1: pregnant women with MDD diagnosed with the SCID-5-CV at screening
- Group 2: pregnant women without current or past psychiatric disorders
- Newborns of enrolled women, enrolled at birth after consent from both parents
Visits: V0 screening (within 20 gestational weeks, GW), V1 (by 22 GW), V2 (26 GW), V3 (32 GW), V4 (birth), V5 (1 month postpartum), V6 (6 months postpartum).
Maternal clinical assessments include clinician-rated scales (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning) and self-rated questionnaires (EPDS, STAI Y1-2, SCL-90-R, CES-D); bonding, couple and family scales (MPAS, PBQ, ECR-R, RQI, DAS, FES, PSI-SF) are administered at 1 and 6 months postpartum.
Biological samples: maternal plasma at V1, V2 and V3, umbilical venous cord blood at birth, and placental tissue (elective cesarean deliveries, about 10 participants per group, Milan only). Proteomic analyses (LC-MS/MS) are centralized in Milan; placental samples also undergo RNA sequencing and histological analyses. With specific consent, residual samples are stored in the Policlinico biobank.
Neuroimaging and electrophysiology: maternal multimodal MRI (structural, diffusion, task and resting-state functional MRI) with simultaneous EEG-ECG (Milan) or ECG/PPG (Seville, Marburg); fetal MRI; neonatal MRI and EEG-ECG/PPG at 40+0 to 43+6 weeks of gestational age. Data are harmonized across sites (e.g., ComBat).
Sample size: a screening target of 600 pregnant women was calculated to estimate MDD prevalence (expected 15%, precision ±3.42%, 95% confidence level, 30% dropout). At least 60 women per group completing follow-up to 6 months postpartum provide >90% power to detect hippocampal volume differences (two-sample t-test, alpha 0.05). In total, 600 pregnant women and 120 newborns are expected to be enrolled. An interim analysis of dropout rate and data quality is planned at about half of enrollment.
Pre-collected data from a previous study at the coordinating center (MINI protocol) and publicly available data from the developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) will be used to train multivariate, machine learning and dynamical systems models, which will be tested on BRAWO data to predict maternal and infant outcomes at 6 months.
Data are collected in REDCap and imaging data in XNAT.
Tipo de estudio
Inscripción (Estimado)
Fase
- No aplica
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Estudio Contacto
- Nombre: Paolo Brambilla, MD, PhD
- Número de teléfono: +39 02 5503 6313
- Correo electrónico: psichiatria@policlinico.mi.it
Ubicaciones de estudio
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Hesse
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Marburg, Hesse, Alemania, 35039
- Aún no reclutando
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg
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Seville, España, 41013
- Aún no reclutando
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS)
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Lombardy
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Milan, Lombardy, Italia, 20122
- Reclutamiento
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
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Criterios de participación
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
Géneros elegibles para el estudio
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
Pregnant women with major depressive disorder (Group 1):
- Signed informed consent and ability to understand and provide it
- Age between 18 and 45 years
- IQ > 70 (4 subtests of WAIS-IV: Vocabulary, Similarities, Block Design, Matrix Reasoning)
- Diagnosis of major depressive disorder according to the SCID-5-CV at screening (within 20 gestational weeks)
Pregnant women without depression (Group 2):
- Signed informed consent and ability to understand and provide it
- Age between 18 and 45 years
- IQ > 70 (4 subtests of WAIS-IV: Vocabulary, Similarities, Block Design, Matrix Reasoning)
- No current or past psychiatric disorders (SCID-5-CV)
- No family history of psychiatric disorders (SCID-5-CV and FIGS)
Placental tissue sampling (Milan only, Groups 1 and 2):
- Elective cesarean delivery
- Absence of labor
Newborns:
- Informed consent signed by both parents
- Full-term birth (gestational age at birth of 37 weeks or more)
Exclusion Criteria:
Pregnant women (Groups 1 and 2):
- History of head trauma with loss of consciousness
- Neurological or degenerative disorders
- Comorbid psychiatric disorders
- Twin pregnancy
- Pregnancy resulting from assisted reproductive technology with egg donation
- History of perinatal alcohol or drug abuse
- Infectious or autoimmune diseases
- Use of systemic corticosteroids
- Congenital, genetic or neurological disorders affecting the mother or the fetus
- Body mass index (BMI) > 30
- Severe prior obstetric conditions
- Absolute or relative contraindications to MRI
Newborns:
- Congenital, genetic or neurological disorder of the newborn
Plan de estudios
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Ciencia básica
- Asignación: No aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación paralela
- Enmascaramiento: Ninguno (etiqueta abierta)
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
|---|---|
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Otro: Pregnant Women With Major Depressive Disorder (Group 1)
Pregnant women aged 18-45 years diagnosed with major depressive disorder (SCID-5-CV) at screening (within 20 gestational weeks), followed until 6 months postpartum, and their newborns. Participants receive standard clinical care for depression, which may include SSRI antidepressants; no study drug is administered. |
Study-specific, non-invasive acquisitions: maternal brain MRI (structural, diffusion, task and resting-state fMRI) with simultaneous EEG-ECG (Milan) or ECG/PPG (Seville, Marburg) by 22 gestational weeks; fetal MRI by 22 gestational weeks; fetal ultrasound at 22, 26 and 32 gestational weeks; neonatal brain MRI and polygraphic EEG-ECG (Milan, Marburg) or MRI with PPG (Seville, Marburg) at 40+0 to 43+6 weeks of gestational age, during spontaneous sleep without sedation. Maternal peripheral blood sampling at 22, 26 and 32 gestational weeks (plasma aliquots stored at -80 °C); umbilical venous cord blood sampling at birth; placental tissue sampling in a subgroup of about 10 participants per group with elective cesarean delivery (Milan only). Proteomic analysis by LC-MS/MS; placental RNA sequencing and histology. Residual samples stored in the Policlinico biobank with specific consent. Maternal clinician-rated scales (HDRS, HARS, GAF) and self-rated questionnaires (EPDS, STAI Y1-2, SCL-90-R, CES-D) from screening to 6 months postpartum; bonding, couple and family scales (MPAS, PBQ, ECR-R, RQI, DAS, FES, PSI-SF) at 1 and 6 months postpartum; neonatal Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination and visual function assessment after birth; Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition at 6 months. |
|
Otro: Pregnant Women Without Depression (Group 2)
Pregnant women aged 18-45 years without current or past psychiatric disorders and without family history of psychiatric disorders (SCID-5-CV and FIGS), followed until 6 months postpartum, and their newborns. |
Study-specific, non-invasive acquisitions: maternal brain MRI (structural, diffusion, task and resting-state fMRI) with simultaneous EEG-ECG (Milan) or ECG/PPG (Seville, Marburg) by 22 gestational weeks; fetal MRI by 22 gestational weeks; fetal ultrasound at 22, 26 and 32 gestational weeks; neonatal brain MRI and polygraphic EEG-ECG (Milan, Marburg) or MRI with PPG (Seville, Marburg) at 40+0 to 43+6 weeks of gestational age, during spontaneous sleep without sedation. Maternal peripheral blood sampling at 22, 26 and 32 gestational weeks (plasma aliquots stored at -80 °C); umbilical venous cord blood sampling at birth; placental tissue sampling in a subgroup of about 10 participants per group with elective cesarean delivery (Milan only). Proteomic analysis by LC-MS/MS; placental RNA sequencing and histology. Residual samples stored in the Policlinico biobank with specific consent. Maternal clinician-rated scales (HDRS, HARS, GAF) and self-rated questionnaires (EPDS, STAI Y1-2, SCL-90-R, CES-D) from screening to 6 months postpartum; bonding, couple and family scales (MPAS, PBQ, ECR-R, RQI, DAS, FES, PSI-SF) at 1 and 6 months postpartum; neonatal Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination and visual function assessment after birth; Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition at 6 months. |
¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder Among Screened Pregnant Women
Periodo de tiempo: At screening (within 20 gestational weeks)
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Percentage of pregnant women screened within 20 gestational weeks who meet DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Clinical Version (SCID-5-CV). The prevalence will be reported with its 95% confidence interval. |
At screening (within 20 gestational weeks)
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Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Left Hippocampal Volume
Periodo de tiempo: At Visit 1 (by 22 gestational weeks)
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Left hippocampal volume, expressed in milliliters (mL), estimated from 3D T1-weighted brain MRI processed with CAT12, compared between pregnant women with major depressive disorder and pregnant women without depression. |
At Visit 1 (by 22 gestational weeks)
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Right Hippocampal Volume
Periodo de tiempo: At Visit 1 (by 22 gestational weeks)
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Right hippocampal volume, expressed in milliliters (mL), estimated from 3D T1-weighted brain MRI processed with CAT12, compared between pregnant women with major depressive disorder and pregnant women without depression. |
At Visit 1 (by 22 gestational weeks)
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Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) Total Score at 6 Months Postpartum
Periodo de tiempo: 6 months postpartum
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Maternal depressive symptom severity assessed with the clinician-administered Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Higher scores indicate more severe depression. |
6 months postpartum
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Number of Depressive Relapses After Birth
Periodo de tiempo: From birth to 6 months postpartum
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Number of depressive relapses per participant in the 6 months after birth, confirmed with the SCID-5-CV by a psychiatrist or psychologist. |
From birth to 6 months postpartum
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Bayley-III Cognitive Composite Score
Periodo de tiempo: 6 months of age
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Infant cognitive development assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III), cognitive scale. Composite scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15; higher scores indicate better development. |
6 months of age
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Bayley-III Language Composite Score
Periodo de tiempo: 6 months of age
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Infant language development (receptive and expressive) assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III), language scale. Composite scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15; higher scores indicate better development. |
6 months of age
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Bayley-III Motor Composite Score
Periodo de tiempo: 6 months of age
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Infant motor development (fine and gross) assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III), motor scale. Composite scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15; higher scores indicate better development. |
6 months of age
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Otras medidas de resultado
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Number of Participants With Preterm Birth
Periodo de tiempo: At birth
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Number of participants delivering at 28 weeks or more but before 37 completed weeks of gestation. |
At birth
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Number of Newborns With Low Birth Weight
Periodo de tiempo: At birth
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Number of newborns with birth weight below 2500 grams. |
At birth
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Number of Newborns Small for Gestational Age
Periodo de tiempo: At birth
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Number of newborns classified as small for gestational age (SGA) based on birth weight for gestational age. |
At birth
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Number of Newborns With Apgar Score Below 7
Periodo de tiempo: 1 and 5 minutes after birth
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Number of newborns with an Apgar score below 7 at 1 and at 5 minutes after delivery. The Apgar score ranges from 0 to 10, with lower scores indicating poorer condition at birth. |
1 and 5 minutes after birth
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Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (HNNE) Total Score
Periodo de tiempo: Within the first days after birth
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Neonatal neurological maturity assessed with the Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (posture, tone, reflexes, movements, abnormal signs and behavior). Higher scores indicate more optimal neurological status. |
Within the first days after birth
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Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Total Score
Periodo de tiempo: 1 month and 6 months postpartum
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Maternal self-reported depressive symptoms assessed with the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Total score ranges from 0 to 30; higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. |
1 month and 6 months postpartum
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Colaboradores e Investigadores
Investigadores
- Investigador principal: Paolo Brambilla, MD, PhD, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
Fechas de registro del estudio
Fechas importantes del estudio
Inicio del estudio (Actual)
Finalización primaria (Estimado)
Finalización del estudio (Estimado)
Fechas de registro del estudio
Enviado por primera vez
Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
Publicado por primera vez (Actual)
Actualizaciones de registros de estudio
Última actualización publicada (Actual)
Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
Última verificación
Más información
Términos relacionados con este estudio
Palabras clave
Términos MeSH relevantes adicionales
Otros números de identificación del estudio
- BRAWO
- JTC2024 - Brain-Body_BRAWO_1 (Otro número de subvención/financiamiento: ERA-NET NEURON (Italian Ministry of Health))
- 6730 (Otro identificador: Comitato Etico Territoriale Lombardia 3)
Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)
¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?
Descripción del plan IPD
Individual participant data sharing will be decided by the BRAWO consortium according to the Consortium Agreement and applicable data protection regulations (GDPR).
Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio
Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
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