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Differences in brain functional connectivity at resting state in neonates born to healthy obese or normal-weight
Insights
Maternal obesity during pregnancy may alter offspring brain development. Newborns of normal-weight mothers showed stronger connections in the prefrontal lobe network, particularly the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Public Health
Background:
- Maternal obesity is linked to adverse child neurodevelopment.
- In utero exposure to maternal obesity may impact fetal brain development.
- Prefrontal lobe network connectivity is crucial for cognitive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in prefrontal lobe network functional connectivity in newborns exposed to maternal obesity in utero.
- To compare brain functional connectivity between infants born to normal-weight and obese mothers.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used on 34 healthy newborns.
- Independent component analysis and dual regression identified and compared prefrontal network connectivity.
- Infants were grouped based on maternal pre-pregnancy weight (normal-weight vs. obese).
Main Results:
- Infants of normal-weight mothers exhibited significantly higher recruitment of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to the prefrontal network.
- This difference persisted after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.
- dACC functional connectivity strength showed a negative correlation with maternal fat mass percentage.
Conclusions:
- In utero exposure to maternal obesity may be associated with altered functional brain connectivity in newborns.
- These findings suggest potential neurodevelopmental impacts of maternal obesity.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of these early brain changes.
Abstract:
Recent studies have shown associations between maternal obesity at pre- or early pregnancy and long-term neurodevelopment in children, suggesting in utero effects of maternal obesity on offspring brain development. In this study, we examined whether brain functional connectivity to the prefrontal lobe network is different in newborns from normal-weight or obese mothers. Thirty-four full-term healthy infants from uncomplicated pregnancies were included, with 18 born to normal-weight and 16 born to obese mothers. Two weeks after delivery, the infants underwent an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination during natural sleep, which included structural imaging and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) scans. Independent component analysis was used to identify the prefrontal lobe network, and dual regression was used to compare functional connectivity between groups. Infants born to normal-weight mothers had higher recruiting (P<0.05, corrected) of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex regions to the prefrontal network after adjusting for maternal intelligence quotient, gestational weight gain and infant postmenstrual age, gender, birth weight/length, head circumference and neonatal diet. The functional connectivity strength in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex negatively correlated (P<0.05) with maternal fat mass percentage measured at early pregnancy. This preliminary study indicates that exposure to maternal obesity in utero may be associated with changes in resting-state functional connectivity in the newborn offspring's brain.
