Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Microglial Interactions with Stress-Response Circuitry Using the Limited Bedding and Nesting Model
04:20

Author Spotlight: Exploring Microglial Interactions with Stress-Response Circuitry Using the Limited Bedding and Nesting Model

Published on: July 12, 2024

2.4K

Maternal Childhood Neglect is Linked to Greater Infant Cortisol Levels and Larger Infant Limbic Volumes

Jennifer E Khoury1, Miriam Chasson2, Banu Ahtam3

  • 1Department of Psychology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

Child Maltreatment
|September 15, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Maternal childhood neglect, not abuse, is linked to infant stress responses and brain development. Infant cortisol levels may mediate the effects of neglect on amygdala and hippocampal volumes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Maternal childhood maltreatment is linked to infant brain volume alterations.
  • Infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function has not been studied as a mechanism.
  • Childhood abuse and neglect may have distinct developmental impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function as a mediator between maternal childhood maltreatment and infant brain development.
  • To examine the differential effects of maternal childhood abuse versus neglect on infant HPA axis activity and brain volumes.

Main Methods:

  • N = 57 mother-infant dyads were stratified by maternal childhood maltreatment.
  • Infant cortisol output (AUCg) and change (AUCi) were measured using the Still-Face Paradigm at 4 months.
  • Infant brain volumes (whole brain, amygdala, hippocampus) were assessed using T1-weighted MRI scans around 12 months of age.

Main Results:

  • Maternal childhood neglect, but not abuse, was directly associated with higher infant cortisol total output (AUCg) and change (AUCi).
  • Infant cortisol output (AUCg) mediated the association between maternal childhood neglect and larger amygdala and hippocampal volumes.
  • Results suggest a specific link between maternal neglect, infant HPA axis function, and subsequent brain development.

Conclusions:

  • Infant cortisol responses are particularly sensitive to maternal childhood neglect.
  • The HPA axis may serve as a key mechanism linking maternal neglect to altered infant brain development, specifically amygdala and hippocampal volumes.
  • Future research should consider the distinct impacts of abuse versus neglect in maternal maltreatment studies.

Keywords:
abuseamygdalacortisolinfancyintergenerational transmissionneglect

More Related Videos

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

3.5K
Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period06:40

Analysis of Electrocardiograms and Behavior in Mice from Pregnancy to Lactation Period

Published on: April 5, 2024

840

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
433
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder01:30

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
787
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
225
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.2K
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia01:29

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
481
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
502