?Hidden pandemic: COVID-19-related stress, SLC6A4 methylation, and infants’ temperament at 3 months

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic represents a collective trauma that may have enduring stress effects during sensitive periods, such as pregnancy. Prenatal result in epigenetic signatures of stress-related genes (e.g., the serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4 ) turn influence infants’ behavioral development. In April 2020, we launched longitudinal cohort study to assess and vestiges COVID-19-related prenatal exposure mothers infants. was retrospectively assessed at birth. methylation thirteen CpG sites buccal cells. Infants’ temperament 3-month-age. Complete data were available from 108 mother-infant dyads. Greater significantly associated with higher seven sites. these predicted 3 months.