Modeling Biological Pathways by Which the Prenatal Environment Influences Offspring Neurodevelopment Using a Multivariate Approach

• In Event: The Prenatal Environment and Early Experiences: Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Stress in Infants and Young Children

Abstract

Maternal psychological stress, socioeconomic status, life history, and health are associated with differential offspring brain and neurodevelopmental outcomes. These aspects of the prenatal environment are hypothesized to influence the developing fetal brain via stress-sensitive aspects of maternal-placental-fetal biology (MPF), which we have previously shown to be associated with altered offspring brain connectivity in the neonatal period. However, previous research has centered around univariate analyses that do not consider the wide array of preconceptional and prenatal factors with potential to influence MPF biology and the developing fetal brain. We seek to add to this research by identifying potential biological pathways for environmental effects on offspring brain outcomes using canonical correlation analysis (CCA) with a high-dimensionality dataset. Data were from a longitudinal study of maternal-fetal/infant-dyads (N=138). Biological samples were collected at 2 timepoints during pregnancy to derive the average across pregnancy of 34 stress-sensitive biological markers. Features of maternal life history, demographics, and lifestyle were surveyed throughout pregnancy. Resting state functional connectivity MRI in neonates was examined. CCA results show a canonical pair demonstrating covariance between several aspects of maternal health, cognitive functioning and stress exposure during pregnancy (body mass index, perceptual reasoning, and negative events in early pregnancy), and MPF biology (cortisol, C-reactive protein, and macrophage inflammatory protein). Multivariate analyses examining newborn infant brain networks in relation to MPF biology are in progress. However, in light of recent evidence about lack of reproducibility in neuroimaging studies with smaller sample sizes, we are also pursuing replication analyses in external independent datasets and inclusion of other neurodevelopmental outcomes such as emerging child executive functioning skills. This work advances understanding of prenatal influences and candidate biological pathways through which the prenatal environment can influence offspring neurodevelopment.

Authors

• Madeleine Allen, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
  Presenting Author

• Eric Feczko, University of Minnesota
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jerod M. Rasmussen, University of California, Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sonja Entringer, Charité University of Medicine Berlin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Pathik D. Wadhwa, University of California, Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claudia Buss, Charité University of Medicine Berlin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Damien A. Fair, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alice M. Graham, Oregon Health and Science University
  Non-Presenting Author