Associations Between Prenatal Maternal Stress and Infant Resting Brain Activity: A Preregistered Investigation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Maternal-Infant Health

Background:

• Growing evidence links maternal stress to infant brain activity.
• The specific impact of prenatal maternal stress on infant neurodevelopment remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between prenatal maternal stress (both physiological and perceived) and infant brain activity at one month of age.
• To differentiate the effects of perceived versus physiological maternal stress on infant neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

• A preregistered study involving 160 diverse mother-infant dyads.
• Maternal stress levels (perceived and physiological) were assessed during pregnancy.
• Infant electroencephalography (EEG) power was measured at one month postpartum.

Main Results:

• Maternal physiological stress showed no significant association with infant EEG power.
• Higher maternal perceived stress was correlated with decreased absolute theta power in infants (p=0.042).
• Increased maternal perceived stress was also associated with reduced absolute (p=0.038) and relative (p=0.039) alpha power in infants.

Conclusions:

• Maternal perceived stress during pregnancy is significantly associated with specific patterns of infant brain activity shortly after birth.
• These findings underscore the importance of addressing maternal psychological well-being during pregnancy for infant neurodevelopment.