Animal research sheds light on harmful mood disorders in new mothers
Monday, December 8, 2014 - 18:00
in Psychology & Sociology
In the days shortly after giving birth, most mothers experience a period of increased calmness and decreased stress responses, but around 20% of mothers experience anxiety. Some women may become depressed, and around one in a thousand can develop psychosis. The latest evidence indicates that these distressing responses to motherhood are still poorly understood, but that animal research could provide valuable clues to their causes.