Heat matters; mechanisms impacting maternal and offspring mental health

Every human begins life in the womb. Concerningly, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat exposure due to unique biological and psychological factors. These effects of heat exposure during pregnancy can extend across a woman’s lifespan and inter-generationally, influencing cognitive and affective functioning of mother and child. Despite this, the mechanisms linking heat exposure during pregnancy to mental health outcomes remain poorly understood. This research addresses this gap by investigating how extreme heat exposure affects stress, inflammatory signalling, and placental function—key vulnerabilities for poor mental health. Using mice, we will perform longitudinal physiological and behavioural studies, integrating computational modelling of cognitive tasks to uncover mechanisms behind anxiety and depression. Complementing these experiments, we will analyse data from a Wellcome-funded perinatal mental health study in Sydney—a region with significant temperature variability—integrating local weather and personal exposure data to examine the effects of heat on mothers and their children during pregnancy and postpartum. Harmonizing outcome measures across species will ensure translational impact. Finally, in collaboration with women with lived experience of perinatal mental health problems, we will co-design strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of extreme heat exposure during pregnancy, safeguarding maternal and child mental health in a changing climate.