TY - JOUR
T1 - Maternal prenatal social disadvantage and neonatal functional connectivity
T2 - Associations with psychopathology symptoms at age 12 months.
AU - Herzberg, Max P.
AU - Nielsen, Ashley N.
AU - Brady, Rebecca
AU - Kaplan, Sydney
AU - Alexopoulos, Dimitrios
AU - Meyer, Dominique
AU - Arora, Jyoti
AU - Miller, J. Philip
AU - Smyser, Tara A.
AU - Barch, Deanna M.
AU - Rogers, Cynthia E.
AU - Warner, Barbara B.
AU - Smyser, Christopher D.
AU - Luby, Joan L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Psychological Association
PY - 2024/2/22
Y1 - 2024/2/22
N2 - Recent research has reported effects of socioeconomic status on neurobehavioral development as early as infancy, including positive associations between income and brain structure, functional connectivity, and behavior later in childhood (Ramphal, Whalen, et al., 2020; Triplett et al., 2022). This study extends this literature by investigating the relation of maternal prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) to neonatal amygdala and hippocampus functional connectivity and whether socioeconomic-related alterations in functional connectivity subsequently predict behavior at age 12 months in a large, socioeconomically diverse sample (N = 261 mother–infant dyads). PSD was assessed across gestation; neonatal magnetic resonance imaging was completed within the first weeks of life; and infant internalizing and externalizing symptoms were evaluated using the Infant–Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment at age 12 months. The results showed that PSD was significantly related to neonatal right amygdala and left hippocampus functional connectivity with prefrontal and motor-related regions. Social disadvantage-related right amygdala and left hippocampus functional connectivity with these regions was subsequently related to infant externalizing and internalizing symptoms at age 12 months. Building off an emerging literature exploring prenatal impacts on neonatal functional connectivity, this study further emphasizes the important role of the maternal environment during gestation on infant brain function and its relationship with externalizing and internalizing behavior in the first years of life. The results suggest that the prenatal socioeconomic environment may be a promising target for interventions aimed at improving infant neurobehavioral outcomes. This study suggests that mothers’ prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) impacts the brain function of their infants in the weeks shortly after birth. Additionally, the study reports a link between infant brain function shortly after birth and infant behavior 1 year later. The study results suggest that mother’s PSD may be a promising target for interventions that improve infant health.
AB - Recent research has reported effects of socioeconomic status on neurobehavioral development as early as infancy, including positive associations between income and brain structure, functional connectivity, and behavior later in childhood (Ramphal, Whalen, et al., 2020; Triplett et al., 2022). This study extends this literature by investigating the relation of maternal prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) to neonatal amygdala and hippocampus functional connectivity and whether socioeconomic-related alterations in functional connectivity subsequently predict behavior at age 12 months in a large, socioeconomically diverse sample (N = 261 mother–infant dyads). PSD was assessed across gestation; neonatal magnetic resonance imaging was completed within the first weeks of life; and infant internalizing and externalizing symptoms were evaluated using the Infant–Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment at age 12 months. The results showed that PSD was significantly related to neonatal right amygdala and left hippocampus functional connectivity with prefrontal and motor-related regions. Social disadvantage-related right amygdala and left hippocampus functional connectivity with these regions was subsequently related to infant externalizing and internalizing symptoms at age 12 months. Building off an emerging literature exploring prenatal impacts on neonatal functional connectivity, this study further emphasizes the important role of the maternal environment during gestation on infant brain function and its relationship with externalizing and internalizing behavior in the first years of life. The results suggest that the prenatal socioeconomic environment may be a promising target for interventions aimed at improving infant neurobehavioral outcomes. This study suggests that mothers’ prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) impacts the brain function of their infants in the weeks shortly after birth. Additionally, the study reports a link between infant brain function shortly after birth and infant behavior 1 year later. The study results suggest that mother’s PSD may be a promising target for interventions that improve infant health.
KW - externalizing
KW - functional connectivity
KW - neonatal imaging
KW - socioeconomic status
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85189159703&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/dev0001708
DO - 10.1037/dev0001708
M3 - Article
C2 - 38386382
AN - SCOPUS:85189159703
SN - 0012-1649
VL - 60
SP - 1562
EP - 1579
JO - Developmental Psychology
JF - Developmental Psychology
IS - 9
ER -