Uncertainty in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease research: commentary on Nomura et al. (2022)

Nomura et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2022) reported that children whose mothers were pregnant when Superstorm Sandy struck the Eastern Seaboard of the United States had elevated risk of psychopathology. Their study leverages data from a unique cohort of children established prior to Sandy that enabled researchers to investigate children's mental health depending on their prenatal exposure to the storm. Their findings add to mounting evidence that various types of prenatal stressors instigate stress responses that are transmitted to the developing fetus and impart enduring risk for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Automated summary

Nomura et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2022) found that children whose mothers were pregnant during Superstorm Sandy had a higher risk of psychopathology. Their research used data from a unique cohort of children established before Sandy to examine the mental health of children based on their prenatal exposure to the storm. These findings contribute to the growing evidence that prenatal stressors can lead to stress responses in the fetus and increase the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders.