{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T16:11:41Z","timestamp":1784045501921,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"S. Karger AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,22]],"date-time":"2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758499200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,22]],"date-time":"2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758499200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dev Neurosci"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) plays an important role in early development, and fetal 5-HT has been reported to arise from placental and maternal sources. Previous human studies have established an association between maternal 5-HT levels and neurodevelopmental outcomes in populations with autism. In this study, we analyze umbilical cord blood and placental 5-HT levels at birth to further investigate the relationship of gestational 5-HT levels with birth outcomes and offspring cognitive development. Methods: Participants were enrolled in the Safe Passage Study conducted by the Prenatal Alcohol and SIDS and Stillbirth (PASS) Network. Infant cord blood and placental samples were collected postdelivery, and 5-HT levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorometric analysis. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) assessed child development at 12 months. Associations between 5-HT levels and birth outcomes or developmental outcomes were assessed using linear regression models. Results: No significant association was found between cord blood (n = 418) and placental (n = 89) 5-HT levels. Preterm birth was associated with lower cord blood 5-HT levels, and increasing gestational age among full-term infants was associated with higher cord blood 5-HT levels. Cord blood 5-HT was significantly associated with the Mullen Scales of Early Learning Composite Score, and follow-up analyses revealed a significant association between cord blood 5-HT and fine motor skills. No association was found between placental 5-HT and the Mullen composite score. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the relationship between placental 5-HT levels and cord blood 5-HT levels at birth. The lack of association suggests that cord blood 5-HT levels are likely to be a better index of fetal 5-HT exposure. Associations between cord blood 5-HT and child cognitive development are consistent with previous studies showing an association between maternal 5-HT levels and neurodevelopmental trajectories. Further research is needed to better characterize these relationships and to elucidate the distinct contributions of maternal, placental, and fetal 5-HT sources across developmental time points.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1159\/000547803","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,22]],"date-time":"2025-09-22T16:01:02Z","timestamp":1758556862000},"page":"325-336","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Association of Umbilical Cord Blood Serotonin Levels with Neurodevelopmental Outcomes"],"prefix":"10.1159","volume":"48","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2998-9209","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kally C.","family":"O&apos;Reilly Sparks","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lauren C.","family":"Shuffrey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rebecca 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