Annie Lee1, Joann S Poh1, Daniel J Wen1, Bryan Guillaume1, Yap-Seng Chong2, Lynette P Shek3, Marielle V Fortier4, Anqi Qiu5. 1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore. 2. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, Singapore. 4. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. 5. Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore. Electronic address: bieqa@nus.edu.sg.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prenatal maternal depression may have long-term impacts on amygdala-cortical development. This study explored associations of prenatal maternal depressive symptoms on the amygdala-cortical structural covariance of the offspring from birth to early childhood, derived from a longitudinal birth cohort. METHODS: Structural magnetic resonance imaging was performed to obtain the amygdala volume and cortical thickness at each time point. Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 26 weeks of pregnancy. Regression analysis was used to examine the effects of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on a structural coupling between the amygdala volume and cortical thickness at birth (n = 167) and 4.5 years of age (n = 199). RESULTS: Girls whose mothers had high prenatal maternal depressive symptoms showed a positive coupling between the amygdala volume and insula thickness at birth (β = .617, p = .001) but showed a negative coupling between the amygdala volume and inferior frontal thickness at 4.5 years of age (β = -.369, p = .008). No findings were revealed in boys at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the amygdala-prefrontal circuitry is vulnerable to environmental factors related to depression. Such a vulnerability might be sex dependent.
BACKGROUND: Prenatal maternal depression may have long-term impacts on amygdala-cortical development. This study explored associations of prenatal maternal depressive symptoms on the amygdala-cortical structural covariance of the offspring from birth to early childhood, derived from a longitudinal birth cohort. METHODS: Structural magnetic resonance imaging was performed to obtain the amygdala volume and cortical thickness at each time point. Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 26 weeks of pregnancy. Regression analysis was used to examine the effects of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on a structural coupling between the amygdala volume and cortical thickness at birth (n = 167) and 4.5 years of age (n = 199). RESULTS:Girls whose mothers had high prenatal maternal depressive symptoms showed a positive coupling between the amygdala volume and insula thickness at birth (β = .617, p = .001) but showed a negative coupling between the amygdala volume and inferior frontal thickness at 4.5 years of age (β = -.369, p = .008). No findings were revealed in boys at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the amygdala-prefrontal circuitry is vulnerable to environmental factors related to depression. Such a vulnerability might be sex dependent.
Authors: Annie Lee; Joann S Poh; Daniel J Wen; Hui Min Tan; Yap-Seng Chong; Kok Hian Tan; Peter D Gluckman; Marielle V Fortier; Anne Rifkin-Graboi; Anqi Qiu Journal: Dev Cogn Neurosci Date: 2019-10-03 Impact factor: 6.464