Uncertainty in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease research: commentary on Nomura et al. (2023)

Abstract

Nomura et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023) 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.