RESUMEN
Background: A large body of research supports the deleterious effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on disease susceptibility and health for both the exposed individual and the next generation. It is likely that there is an intergenerational transmission of risk from mother to child; however, the mechanisms through which such risk is conferred remain unknown. The current study evaluated the association between maternal ACEs, neonatal brain development of the amygdala and hippocampus, and later infant negative emotionality at six months of age. Methods: The sample included 85 mother-infant dyads (44 female infants) from a longitudinal study. Maternal ACEs were assessed with the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q) and neonatal hippocampal and amygdala volume was assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Infant negative emotionality was assessed at 6 months using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). Results: Multivariate analyses demonstrated that maternal ACEs were associated with bilateral amygdala volume (F(2,78) = 3.697,p = .029). Specifically, higher maternal ACEs were associated with smaller left (ß = -0.220, t(79) = -2.661, p = .009, R2 = 0.494, and right (ß = -0.167, t(79) = -2.043, p = .044, R2 = 0.501) amygdala volume. No significant association between maternal ACEs and bilateral hippocampal volume (F(2,78) = 0.215,p = .0807) was found. Follow-up regression analyses demonstrated that both high maternal ACEs and smaller left amygdala volume were associated with higher infant negative emotionality at six months of age (ß = .232, p = .040, R2 = 0.094, and ß = -0.337, p = .022, R2 = 0.16, respectively) although statistically significant mediation of this effect was not observed (Indirect effect = 0.0187, 95% CI [-0.0016-0.0557]). Conclusions: Maternal ACEs are associated with both newborn amygdala volume and subsequent infant negative emotionality. These findings linking maternal adverse childhood experiences and infant brain development and temperament provide evidence to support the intergenerational transmission of adversity from mother to child.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The rapid maturation of the fetal brain renders the fetus susceptible to prenatal environmental signals. Prenatal maternal sleep quality is known to have important health implications for newborns including risk for preterm birth, however, the effect on the fetal brain is poorly understood. METHOD: Participants included 94 pregnant participants and their newborns (53% female). Pregnant participants (Mage = 30; SDage= 5.29) reported on sleep quality three times throughout pregnancy. Newborn hippocampal and amygdala volumes were assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Multilevel modeling was used to test the associations between trajectories of prenatal maternal sleep quality and newborn hippocampal and amygdala volume. RESULTS: The overall trajectory of prenatal maternal sleep quality was associated with hippocampal volume (left: b = 0.00003, p = 0.013; right: b = 0.00003, p = .008). Follow up analyses assessing timing of exposure indicate that poor sleep quality early in pregnancy was associated with larger hippocampal volume bilaterally (e.g., late gestation left: b = 0.002, p = 0.24; right: b = 0.004, p = .11). Prenatal sleep quality was not associated with amygdala volume. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the implications of poor prenatal maternal sleep quality and its role in contributing to newborn hippocampal development.