Electroencephalography Markers of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in a Diverse Longitudinal Cohort: A Preliminary Study

Perinatal mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are highly prevalent and can have severe consequences on maternal morbidity and mortality, and on infant neurodevelopment. Yet, the biological mechanisms of these disorders are underexplored, especially in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations. Here, we aim to investigate functional brain alterations across the perinatal period using portable electroencephalography (pEEG) in a diverse cohort of pregnant individuals reporting symptoms of depression or anxiety. Participants (61 subjects, 45% Non-Hispanic Black and 32% Hispanic) were followed longitudinally from early pregnancy through postpartum. Brain electrical activity was quantified with pEEG (61 subjects, 209 pEEG recordings) and mental health was assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 at multiple time points throughout the perinatal period. Using linear models and linear mixed models, our preliminary findings suggest significant changes in brain wave activity, such as alpha and delta waves, are associated with depression and anxiety severity during the perinatal period. The study addresses critical gaps in understanding perinatal mental health in racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse populations, with the goal of developing sensitive clinically feasible diagnostic tools to mitigate health disparities.