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Intergenerational transmission of depression risk and the developing brain
Anna Weinberg1, Aislinn Sandre2
1Department of Psychology, McGill University.
The American Psychologist
|December 23, 2024
Summary
Parental depression increases offspring depression risk through various pathways. This review highlights how familial and environmental factors impact offspring brain development, offering targets for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Parental depression is a significant risk factor for depression in offspring.
- Intergenerational transmission of depression involves complex familial and environmental mechanisms.
- Neurobiological measures offer proximal indicators of depression risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on familial/environmental influences on offspring brain function.
- To focus on neural measures of cognitive control, motivation, and affective processing.
- To propose a model for the role of neural alterations in depression transmission.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of existing research.
- Examination of studies linking genetic, prenatal, and postnatal factors to offspring neural measures.
- Synthesis of findings from infancy to young adulthood.
Main Results:
- Genes, gestational stress, parenting, and stress exposure are associated with altered neural measures in offspring.
- These neural alterations affect cognitive control, motivation, and affective processing.
- A conceptual model is presented linking these neural changes to offspring depression.
Conclusions:
- Altered neural indices of cognitive control, motivation, and affective processing are key pathways in the intergenerational transmission of depression.
- Understanding these neurobiological mechanisms can inform targeted preventive interventions.
- Future research should address limitations and further elucidate these pathways.
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