Association of Elevated Maternal Psychological Distress, Altered Fetal Brain, and Offspring Cognitive and Social-Emotional Outcomes at 18 Months

• DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.9244
• Publication Date: 2022-04-29T23:52:54Z
• Authors: Yao Wu; Kristina M. Espinosa; Scott D. Barnett; Anushree Kapse; Jessica Lynn Quis...; Catherine Lopez; Nickie Andescavage; Subechhya Pradhan; Yuan-Chiao Lu; Kushal Kapse; Diedtra Henderson; Gilbert Vezina; David Wessel; Adré J. du Plessis; Catherine Limpero...
• Keywords: Toddler; Depression

<h3>Importance</h3> Prenatal maternal psychological distress is associated with disturbances in fetal brain development. However, the association between altered development, prenatal distress, and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes unknown. <h3>Objective</h3> To determine of development using 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumes, cortical folding, metabolites setting infant 18-month neurodevelopment. <h3>Design, Setting, Participants</h3> Healthy mother-infant dyads were prospectively recruited into a longitudinal observational cohort study from January 2016 to October 2020 at Children's National Hospital Washington, DC. Data analysis was performed July 2021. <h3>Exposures</h3> stress, anxiety, depression. <h3>Main Outcomes Measures</h3> depression measured validated self-report questionnaires. Fetal volumes folding 3-dimensional, reconstructed T2-weighted MRI scans. creatine choline quantified proton spectroscopy. Infant neurodevelopment 18 months Bayley Scales Toddler Development III Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment. The parenting stress parent-child dyad Parenting Stress Index-Short Form testing. <h3>Results</h3> consisted 97 (mean [SD] age, 34.79 [5.64] years) who underwent 184 visits (87 participants 2 studies each) measures 24 40 gestational weeks completed follow-up negatively cognitive performance (β = −0.51; 95% CI, −0.92 −0.09;<i>P</i> .01), this mediated by left hippocampal volume. In addition, positively all Finally, local gyrification index sulcal depth social-emotional (local index: β −54.62; −85.05 −24.19;<i>P</i> &lt; .001; depth: −14.22; −23.59 −4.85;<i>P</i> .002) competence scores −24.01; −40.34 −7.69;<i>P</i> .003; −7.53; −11.73 −3.32;<i>P</i> .001). <h3>Conclusions Relevance</h3> dyads, outcomes, volume outcome. These findings suggest that elevated has adverse sociocognitive identifying early biomarkers may assist targeted interventions.