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Updated: Mar 13, 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 cortical response to baby pain and postpartum depressive symptoms
Stefano Bembich1, Cristina Vecchiet1, Gabriele Cont1
1Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
Decreased maternal empathic abilities toward infants have been reported with postpartum depression (PPD). The aims of this study were: (1) To identify mothers' cortical regions activated by the observation of their own newborn's pain; (2) To study the relation between such cortical activation and PPD symptoms. By optical topography, a functional neuroimaging system, we assessed mothers' cortical activation when watching their own newborns during a heel-prick. PPD symptoms and newborn's pain expression were also assessed. Watching their newborn in pain activated mothers' left somatosensory cortex (P=0.003) and right superior temporal cortex (P=0.002). PPD score showed a negative correlation with left somatosensory cortex activation (rs=-0.41; P=0.026), that decreased as PPD symptoms increased. To conclude, an activation of cortical areas, previously associated with empathy for pain, can be demonstrated in the mother shortly after birth. Such response appeared to be dampened by PPD symptoms.
Decreased maternal empathic abilities toward infants have been reported with postpartum depression (PPD). The aims of this study were: (1) To identify mothers' cortical regions activated by the observation of their own newborn's pain; (2) To study the relation between such cortical activation and PPD symptoms. By optical topography, a functional neuroimaging system, we assessed mothers' cortical activation when watching their own newborns during a heel-prick. PPD symptoms and newborn's pain expression were also assessed. Watching their newborn in pain activated mothers' left somatosensory cortex (P=0.003) and right superior temporal cortex (P=0.002). PPD score showed a negative correlation with left somatosensory cortex activation (rs=-0.41; P=0.026), that decreased as PPD symptoms increased. To conclude, an activation of cortical areas, previously associated with empathy for pain, can be demonstrated in the mother shortly after birth. Such response appeared to be dampened by PPD symptoms.
