Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants
Stressful experiences are linked to neurodevelopment. There is growing interest in the role of stress in the connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a circuit that subserves automatic emotion regulation. However, the specific timing and mechanisms that underlie the ass...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929320301274 |
| _version_ | 1818587971895427072 |
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| author | Kathryn L. Humphreys M.C. Camacho Marissa C. Roth Elizabeth C. Estes |
| author_facet | Kathryn L. Humphreys M.C. Camacho Marissa C. Roth Elizabeth C. Estes |
| author_sort | Kathryn L. Humphreys |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stressful experiences are linked to neurodevelopment. There is growing interest in the role of stress in the connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a circuit that subserves automatic emotion regulation. However, the specific timing and mechanisms that underlie the association between stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity are unclear. Many factors, including variations in fetal exposure to maternal stress, appear to affect early developing brain circuitry. However, few studies have examined the associations of stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in early life, when the brain is most plastic and sensitive to environmental influence. In this longitudinal pilot study, we characterized the association between prenatal stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in young infants (approximately age 5 weeks). A final sample of 33 women who provided data on preconception and prenatal stress during their pregnancy returned with their offspring for a magnetic resonance imaging scan session, which enabled us to characterize amygdala–mPFC structural and functional connectivity as a function of prenatal stress. Increased prenatal stress was associated with decreased functional connectivity and increased structural connectivity between the amygdala and mPFC. These results provide insight into the influence of prenatal maternal stress on the early development of this critical regulatory circuitry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:17:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ac48785317344a3bb1c9372c0c48412 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1878-9293 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:17:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ac48785317344a3bb1c9372c0c484122022-12-21T22:36:51ZengElsevierDevelopmental Cognitive Neuroscience1878-92932020-12-0146100877Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infantsKathryn L. Humphreys0M.C. Camacho1Marissa C. Roth2Elizabeth C. Estes3Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Psychiatry, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USAVanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN, 37203, USAVanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN, 37203, USAStressful experiences are linked to neurodevelopment. There is growing interest in the role of stress in the connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a circuit that subserves automatic emotion regulation. However, the specific timing and mechanisms that underlie the association between stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity are unclear. Many factors, including variations in fetal exposure to maternal stress, appear to affect early developing brain circuitry. However, few studies have examined the associations of stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in early life, when the brain is most plastic and sensitive to environmental influence. In this longitudinal pilot study, we characterized the association between prenatal stress and amygdala–mPFC connectivity in young infants (approximately age 5 weeks). A final sample of 33 women who provided data on preconception and prenatal stress during their pregnancy returned with their offspring for a magnetic resonance imaging scan session, which enabled us to characterize amygdala–mPFC structural and functional connectivity as a function of prenatal stress. Increased prenatal stress was associated with decreased functional connectivity and increased structural connectivity between the amygdala and mPFC. These results provide insight into the influence of prenatal maternal stress on the early development of this critical regulatory circuitry.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929320301274Prenatal stressInfant neuroimagingAmygdalaMedial prefrontal cortexResting-stateDiffusion weighted imaging |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn L. Humphreys M.C. Camacho Marissa C. Roth Elizabeth C. Estes Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Prenatal stress Infant neuroimaging Amygdala Medial prefrontal cortex Resting-state Diffusion weighted imaging |
| title | Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| title_full | Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| title_fullStr | Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| title_short | Prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| title_sort | prenatal stress exposure and multimodal assessment of amygdala medial prefrontal cortex connectivity in infants |
| topic | Prenatal stress Infant neuroimaging Amygdala Medial prefrontal cortex Resting-state Diffusion weighted imaging |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929320301274 |
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