Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms are associated with neonatal left amygdala microstructure in a sex-dependent
Niloofar Hashempour1, Jetro J Tuulari1,2,3,4, Harri Merisaari1,5
1FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Insights
Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms (PMDS) impact infant brain development. Boys exposed to PMDS in early pregnancy showed altered amygdala microstructure, suggesting sex-specific neurodevelopmental effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms (PMDS) are linked to offspring neurodevelopmental changes.
- Previous research established a connection between PMDS and infant brain development.
- The specific impact of PMDS across different prenatal stages on amygdala microstructure is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between PMDS at different gestational ages and infant amygdala microstructural properties.
- To explore sex-dependent differences in the relationship between PMDS and amygdala development.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to assess amygdala microstructure.
- Mean diffusivity (MD) in the amygdala was measured in infants (11-54 days old).
- PMDS were assessed at gestational weeks 14, 24, and 34.
Main Results:
- No significant main effect of PMDS on overall amygdala MD metrics was found.
- A significant interaction between PMDS and infant sex was observed in the left amygdala MD.
- Male infants exposed to higher PMDS at gestational week 14 exhibited significantly higher left amygdala MD compared to females.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms are associated with altered amygdala microstructure in male infants.
- These findings highlight sex-specific effects of PMDS on early brain development.
- The observed microstructural changes may have implications for future neuropsychiatric outcomes.
Abstract:
Exposures to prenatal maternal depressive symptoms (PMDS) may lead to neurodevelopmental changes in the offspring in a sex-dependent way. Although a connection between PMDS and infant brain development has been established by earlier studies, the relationship between PMDS exposures measured at various prenatal stages and microstructural alterations in fundamental subcortical structures such as the amygdala remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the associations between PMDS measured during gestational weeks 14, 24 and 34 and infant amygdala microstructural properties using diffusion tensor imaging. We explored amygdala mean diffusivity (MD) alterations in response to PMDS in infants aged 11 to 54 days from birth. PMDS had no significant main effect on the amygdala MD metrics. However, there was a significant interaction effect for PMDS and infant sex in the left amygdala MD. Compared with girls, boys exposed to greater PMDS during gestational week 14 showed significantly higher left amygdala MD. These results indicate that PMDS are linked to infants' amygdala microstructure in boys. These associations may be relevant to later neuropsychiatric outcomes in the offspring. Further research is required to better understand the mechanisms underlying these associations and to develop effective interventions to counteract any potential adverse consequences.
