Grant: Operating Grant

People whose mothers experienced mental illness have higher chances to experience behavioural problems during childhood and to develop mental illness themselves as adults. But, we don't fully understand the reasons why some children of mothers with mental illness experience psychiatric problems themselves, and others don't. In this study, we will investigate whether genetic differences in the mother, and her nutritional status during pregnancy can influence the DNA and mental health of their children when they are 5 years old. It seems that there may be important differences between boys and girls in terms of how maternal variables influence mental health, so we will look at boys and girls separately. This study is important because if the idea we are testing is correct, in the future, we may be able to protect the mental health of vulnerable children by providing nutritional supplements to women during pregnancy.