Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Infant Subcortical Brain Volume

• In Event: Novel Methodological Approaches for Advancing Study of the Intergenerational Transmission of Depression

Abstract

Background: A large body of research supports the deleterious effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on disease susceptibility and health for both the exposed individual and the next generation. It is likely that there is an intergenerational transmission of risk from mother to child; however, the mechanisms through which such risk is conferred remain unknown. The current study evaluated the association between maternal ACEs, neonatal brain development of the amygdala and hippocampus, and later infant negative emotionality at six months of age.

Methods: The sample included 85 mother-infant dyads (44 female infants) from a longitudinal study. Maternal ACEs were assessed with the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q) and neonatal hippocampal and amygdala volume was assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Infant negative emotionality was assessed at 6 months using the Infant Behavioral Questionnaire (IBQ).

Results: Multivariate analyses demonstrated that maternal ACEs were associated with bilateral amygdala volume (F(2,78) = 3.697, p= .029). Specifically, higher maternal ACEs were associated with smaller left (β =-.220, t(79) = -2.661, p =.009, R2= .494, and right (β = -.167, t(79) = -2.043, p =.044, R2= .501,) amygdala volume. No significant association between maternal ACEs and bilateral hippocampal volume (F(2,78) =.215, p =.807) was found. Follow-up regression analyses demonstrated that both high maternal ACEs and smaller left amygdala volume were associated with higher infant negative emotionality at six months of age (β = .232, p = .040, R2= .094, and β = -.337, p = .022, R2= .16, respectively) although statistically significant mediation of this effect was not observed (Indirect effect = .0187, 95% CI [-.0016-.0557]).

Conclusions: Maternal ACEs are associated with both newborn amygdala volume and subsequent infant negative emotionality. These findings linking maternal adverse childhood experiences and infant brain development and temperament provide evidence to support the intergenerational transmission of adversity from mother to child.

Authors

• Catherine Demers, University of Denver
  Presenting Author

• Benjamin Hankin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Ella-Marie P. Hennessey, University of Denver

• Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Maria M Bagonis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Sun Hyung Kim, University of North Carolina

• John H. Gilmore, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Camille Hoffman, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

• Martin Styner, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Elysia Poggi Davis, University of Denver