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Updated: May 15, 2026
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Maternal social stress modulates the development of prepulse inhibition of startle in infants
Harriet J Huggenberger1, Susanne E Suter, Terry D Blumenthal
1Department of Psychology, University of Basel, NCCR sesam, Basel, Switzerland. hhuggenberger@uhbs.ch
Insights
Maternal stress impacts infant information processing. A study found that mothers reporting higher stress levels had infants with altered prepulse inhibition (PPI) development, a key indicator of cognitive maturation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Neuroscience
- Infant cognitive development
Background:
- Rearing stress negatively affects rodent offspring's information processing, but human data is limited.
- Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle assesses information processing integrity, suitable for infants.
- This study explores maternal stress effects on infant information processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of maternal self-reported stress on infant prepulse inhibition (PPI) development.
- To examine the relationship between maternal stress and the maturation of infant information processing.
- To assess if maternal stress impacts early cognitive development indicators in newborns and four-month-olds.
Main Methods:
- Studied 49 healthy infants twice: 4 days post-birth and at 4 months.
- Assessed PPI using acoustic startle stimuli preceded by a prepulse.
- Maternal stress measured via the Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress (TICS); cortisol samples collected from mothers and infants.
Main Results:
- Infants of mothers reporting higher stress due to social factors showed different PPI development.
- Maternal cortisol levels correlated with self-reported stress.
- Infant cortisol levels and PPI development were not directly related.
Conclusions:
- Maternal stress experience significantly impacts the maturation of information processing in human infants.
- Early life stress in mothers can alter infant cognitive development trajectories within the first four months.
- Findings highlight the crucial role of maternal well-being in infant neurodevelopment.
Background:
Stress during rearing has negative effects on the maturation of information processing in rodent offspring, but similar evidence in humans is absent. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is a measure reflecting the integrity of information processing. PPI does not depend on active cooperation, making it a suitable measure for studying newborns and infants. This study investigated whether postnatal development of infant PPI is influenced by self-reported stress in the mother.
Methods:
49 healthy term-born infants were studied twice, four days after birth and again at four months. PPI was assessed by presentation of acoustic startle stimuli (95dB) either alone or preceded (SOA 120ms) by a prepulse (75dB). Mother's social stress levels were assessed with the modified Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress (TICS). Cortisol saliva samples were collected from mothers and their children.
Results:
ANOVA revealed a different development of PPI in infants whose mothers reported enhanced stress levels due to social isolation and reduced social recognition. Cortisol levels were related to mothers' self-report stress, but not to PPI development in infants.
Conclusions:
Maternal stress experience has an impact on the maturation of human infants' information processing in the first four months after birth.
