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The Interplay Between Prenatal Adversity, Offspring Dopaminergic Genes, and Early Parenting on Toddler Attentional

Eszter Szekely1,2, Alexia Jolicoeur-Martineau2,3,4, Leslie Atkinson5

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
|August 20, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Gene variations and prenatal adversity impact toddler attention, with early maternal care playing a separate moderating role. These gene-environment interactions influence early attentional competence development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Genetics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Attentional competence development is influenced by complex gene-environment interactions.
  • Limited research exists on gene-by-prenatal environment-by-early postnatal environment interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate gene-by-prenatal environment interactions on toddler attentional competence.
  • To examine if early positive maternal behavior buffers these effects.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment cohort.
  • Assessed prenatal adversity, dopamine-related genes (DAT1, DRD4, DRD2, COMT, BDNF), and maternal parenting behavior.
  • Employed the Latent Environmental and Genetic Interaction (LEGIT) approach for three-way interaction analysis.

Main Results:

  • A three-way interaction was not confirmed.
  • Significant two-way interactions were found between prenatal adversity and dopamine-related genes.
  • Interactions between prenatal adversity and maternal parenting, and genes and parenting, also influenced attentional competence.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple dopamine-related genes interact with prenatal adversity and early maternal environment to affect toddler attention.
  • These gene-environment interactions are evident in early childhood.
  • Specific maternal parenting behaviors show potential as intervention targets.

Keywords:
attentionchilddopaminegenesmaternal sensitivity to infant cuesparenting (MeSH)prenatal adversity

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