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Effect of parental depressive symptoms on offspring's brain structure and function: A systematic review of

Giulia Cattarinussi1, Mohammad Hadi Aarabi1, Hossein Sanjari Moghaddam2

  • 1Department of Neuroscience (DNS), Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|September 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Perinatal depression (PND) impacts children's brain development, showing gray matter, microstructural, and functional changes. These alterations may increase the risk of future behavioral issues in offspring.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Mental Health

Background:

  • Perinatal Depression (PND) is a significant mental health condition during pregnancy and postpartum.
  • While PND is linked to offspring behavioral problems, its precise effects on brain development remain unclear.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and summarize existing literature on the impact of perinatal depressive symptoms on offspring brain development.
  • To consolidate findings from structural, functional, and diffusion tensor imaging studies.
  • To identify specific brain regions and networks affected by maternal PND.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed and Embase.
  • Included studies utilizing structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and functional MRI (fMRI).
  • Selected 26 relevant studies (10 structural MRI, 5 DTI, 6 fMRI, 5 combined).

Main Results:

  • Observed gray matter alterations in the amygdala and fronto-temporal lobes.
  • Identified microstructural changes in the amygdala, frontal lobe, cingulum, longitudinal fasciculus, and fornix.
  • Detected functional alterations within limbic and mesocortical networks.

Conclusions:

  • Perinatal depression appears to significantly influence the developing brain's structure and function in offspring.
  • These neurodevelopmental changes may underlie the increased risk for behavioral disturbances later in life.
  • Limitations include small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity across studies, necessitating further research.

Keywords:
DTIMaternal depressionOffspringPostpartum depressionStructural MRIfMRI

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