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Orchard ER, Chopra S, Ooi LQR, Chen P, An L, Jamadar SD, Yeo BTT, Rutherford HJV, Holmes AJ. Protective role of parenthood on age-related brain function in mid- to late-life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592382. [PMID: 38746272 PMCID: PMC11092769 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The experience of parenthood can profoundly alter one's body, mind, and environment, yet we know little about the long-term associations between parenthood and brain function and aging in adulthood. Here, we investigate the link between number of children parented (parity) and age on brain function in 19,964 females and 17,607 males from the UK Biobank. In both females and males, increased parity was positively associated with functional connectivity, particularly within the somato/motor network. Critically, the spatial topography of parity-linked effects was inversely correlated with the impact of age on functional connectivity across the brain for both females and males, suggesting that a higher number of children is associated with patterns of brain function in the opposite direction to age-related alterations. These results indicate that the changes accompanying parenthood may confer benefits to brain health across the lifespan, highlighting the importance of future work to understand the associated mechanisms.
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2
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Jacques DT, Sturge-Apple ML, Davies PT, Cicchetti D. Maternal alcohol dependence symptoms, maternal insensitivity to children's distress, and young children's blunted emotional reactivity. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-23. [PMID: 38426705 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Maternal insensitivity to children's emotional distress (e.g., expressions of sadness or fearfulness) is one mechanism through which maternal alcohol dependence may increase children's risk for psychopathology. Although emotion dysregulation is consistently associated with psychopathology, it remains unclear how or why alcohol dependence's effects on caregiving responses to children's distress may impact children's emotion regulation over time, particularly in ways that may engender risks for psychopathology. This study examined longitudinal associations between lifetime maternal alcohol dependence symptoms, mothers' insensitivity to children's emotional distress cues, and children's emotional reactivity among 201 mother-child dyads (Mchild age = 2.14 years; 56% Black; 11% Latino). Structural equation modeling analyses revealed a significant mediational pathway such that maternal alcohol dependence predicted increases in mothers' insensitivity to children's emotional distress across a one-year period (β = .16, p = .013), which subsequently predicted decreases in children's emotional reactivity one year later (β = -.29, p = .009). Results suggest that mothers with alcohol dependence symptoms may struggle to sensitively respond to children's emotional distress, which may prompt children to suppress or hide their emotions as an adaptive, protective strategy. The potential developmental benefits and consequences of early, protective expressive suppression strategies are discussed via developmental psychopathology frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa L Sturge-Apple
- Department of Psychology and Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Patrick T Davies
- Department of Psychology and Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Dante Cicchetti
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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3
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McCurdy LY, Yip SW, Worhunsky PD, Zhai ZW, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Neural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 171:126-133. [PMID: 38277872 PMCID: PMC10922955 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Mothers who use substances during pregnancy and postpartum may have altered maternal behavior towards their infants, which can have negative consequences on infant social-emotional development. Since maternal substance use has been associated with difficulties in recognizing and responding to infant emotional expressions, investigating mothers' subjective responses to emotional infant stimuli may provide insight into the neural and psychological processes underlying these differences in maternal behavior. In this study, 39 mothers who used substances during the perinatal period and 42 mothers who did not underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing infant faces and hearing infant cries. Afterwards, they rated the emotional intensity they thought each infant felt ('think'-rating), and how intensely they felt in response to each infant stimulus ('feel'-rating). Mothers who used substances had lower 'feel'-ratings of infant stimuli compared to mothers who did not. Brain regions implicated in affective processing (e.g., insula, inferior frontal gyrus) were less active in response to infant stimuli, and activity in these brain regions statistically predicted maternal substance-use status. Interestingly, 'think'-ratings and activation in brain regions related to cognitive processing (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex) were comparable between the two groups of mothers. Taken together, these results suggest specific neural and psychological processes related to emotional responsivity to infant stimuli may reflect differences in maternal affective processing and may contribute to differences in maternal behavior in mothers who use substances compared to mothers who do not. The findings suggest potential neural targets for increasing maternal emotional responsivity and improving child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yan McCurdy
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Division of Prevention and Community Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Sarah W Yip
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Patrick D Worhunsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Zu Wei Zhai
- Department of Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Sohye Kim
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA; Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, 06109, USA; The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
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4
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Catalano LT, Wynn JK, Eisenberger NI, Horan WP, Lee J, McCleery A, Miklowitz DJ, Reavis EA, Reddy LF, Green MF. An ERP Study of Face Processing in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Socially Isolated Individuals from the Community. Clin EEG Neurosci 2024:15500594231222979. [PMID: 38298008 DOI: 10.1177/15500594231222979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
People with schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) have impairments in processing social information, including faces. The neural correlates of face processing are widely studied with the N170 ERP component. However, it is unclear whether N170 deficits reflect neural abnormalities associated with these clinical conditions or differences in social environments. The goal of this study was to determine whether N170 deficits would still be present in SCZ and BD when compared with socially isolated community members. Participants included 66 people with SCZ, 37 with BD, and 125 community members (76 "Community-Isolated"; 49 "Community-Connected"). Electroencephalography was recorded during a face processing task in which participants identified the gender of a face, the emotion of a face (angry, happy, neutral), or the number of stories in a building. We examined group differences in the N170 face effect (greater amplitudes for faces vs buildings) and the N170 emotion effect (greater amplitudes for emotional vs neutral expressions). Groups significantly differed in levels of social isolation (Community-Isolated > SCZ > BD = Community-Connected). SCZ participants had significantly reduced N170 amplitudes to faces compared with both community groups, which did not differ from each other. The BD group was intermediate and did not differ from any group. There were no significant group differences in the processing of specific emotional facial expressions. The N170 is abnormal in SCZ even when compared to socially isolated community members. Hence, the N170 seems to reflect a social processing impairment in SCZ that is separate from level of social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Catalano
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan K Wynn
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Naomi I Eisenberger
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - William P Horan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- VeraSci, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Junghee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Amanda McCleery
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - David J Miklowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eric A Reavis
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - L Felice Reddy
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael F Green
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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5
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Porreca A, De Carli P, Filippi B, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, van IJzendoorn MH, Simonelli A. Maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology predict quality of parent-child relationship in the context of substance use disorder: A 15-month longitudinal study. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38282537 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the role of maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology in parent-child relationship quality during residential treatment for mothers with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), in order to identify factors that may enhance or limit intervention effects.We assessed cognitive functioning (Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2 [ENB-2]) and psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised [SCL-90-R]) in 60 mothers diagnosed with SUD (Mage = 30.13 yrs; SD = 6.79) at treatment admission. Parent-child relationship quality was measured during free-play interactions using the Emotional Availability Scales every three months from admission (Child Mage = 17.17m; SD = 23.60) to the 15th month of the residential treatment.A main effect of maternal psychopathology and an interaction effect of time and cognitive functioning were found. More maternal psychopathology predicted lower mother-child relationship quality. Mothers with higher cognitive functioning presented a better treatment trajectory, with an increase in mother-child relationship quality, whereas mothers with lower cognitive functioning showed a decrease in relationship quality after initial improvement.These findings suggest that maternal psychopathology and cognitive functioning may influence the treatment of parent-child relationships in the context of SUD, although causality is not yet established. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Porreca
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, PD, Italy
| | - Pietro De Carli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, PD, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, MI, Italy
| | - Bianca Filippi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, PD, Italy
| | | | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, London, UK
| | - Alessandra Simonelli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia, PD, Italy
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6
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Wall KM, Penner F, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Maternal psychological risk and the neural correlates of infant face processing: A latent profile analysis. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22445. [PMID: 38131237 PMCID: PMC10783861 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Maternal psychological factors, including anxiety, depression, and substance use, may negatively affect parenting. Previous works with mothers have often assessed each of these factors in isolation despite their frequent co-occurrence. Psychological factors have also been associated with neural processing of facial stimuli, specifically the amplitude (i.e., size) and latency (i.e., timing) of the face-specific N170 event-related potential. In the current study, 106 mothers completed measures assessing maternal psychological factors-anxiety, depression, and substance use. A latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of psychological factors and assess profile associations with the N170 elicited by infant faces and with parental reflective functioning (PRF) as a measure related to caregiving. Two profiles (termed high and low psychological risk) were identified, with the higher risk profile associated with delayed N170 latency responses to infant faces. An exploratory analysis evidenced an indirect effect between the higher psychological risk profile and lower PRF through delayed N170 latency responses to infant faces. Taken together, maternal psychological risk across multiple indicators may together shape neural processing of infant faces, which may have downstream consequences for caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Wall
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Francesca Penner
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jaclyn Dell
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida St Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | - Amanda Lowell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA
- The Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Helena J V Rutherford
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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7
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Lowell AF, DeCoste C, Dalton R, Dias H, Borelli JL, Martino S, McMahon TJ, Suchman NE. Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a community-based randomized efficacy trial testing a mentalization-based parenting intervention for mothers with addictions. Infant Ment Health J 2023; 44:142-165. [PMID: 36862381 PMCID: PMC10050102 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Mothering from the Inside Out (MIO) is a mentalization-based parenting intervention developed to address challenges common among mothers experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs) and previously deemed effective when delivered by research clinicians. This randomized clinical trial was designed to test the efficacy of MIO when delivered by community-based addiction counselors in Connecticut, USA. Ninety-four mothers [M(SD)age = 31.01(4.01) years; 75.53% White] caring for a child 11-60 months of age were randomly assigned to participate in 12 sessions of either MIO or psychoeducation. Caregiving, psychiatric, and substance use outcomes were assessed repeatedly from baseline through 12-week follow-up. Mothers who participated in MIO showed decreased certainty about their child's mental states, and decreased depression; their children demonstrated increased clarity of cues. Participation in MIO was not associated with the same degree of improvement that was observed in prior trials where MIO was delivered by research clinicians. However, when delivered by community-based clinicians, MIO may be protective against a deterioration in caregiving over time often seen in mothers with addictions. The drop in efficacy of MIO in this trial raises questions about intervention-intervenor fit. Research should examine factors influencing MIO effectiveness to close the science-to-service gap common in the dissemination of empirically validated interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F. Lowell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Cindy DeCoste
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rachel Dalton
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The APT Foundation, Inc., New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hailey Dias
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The APT Foundation, Inc., New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jessica L. Borelli
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Steve Martino
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Thomas J. McMahon
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nancy E. Suchman
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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8
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Penner F, Wall KM, Guan KW, Huang HJ, Richardson L, Dunbar AS, Groh AM, Rutherford HJV. Racial disparities in EEG research and their implications for our understanding of the maternal brain. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:1-16. [PMID: 36414837 PMCID: PMC9684773 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01040-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Racial disparities in maternal health are alarming and persistent. Use of electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) to understand the maternal brain can improve our knowledge of maternal health by providing insight into mechanisms underlying maternal well-being, including implications for child development. However, systematic racial bias exists in EEG methodology-particularly for Black individuals-and in psychological and health research broadly. This paper discusses these biases in the context of EEG/ERP research on the maternal brain. First, we assess the racial/ethnic diversity of existing ERP studies of maternal neural responding to infant/child emotional expressions, using papers from a recent meta-analysis, finding that the majority of mothers represented in this research are of White/European ancestry and that the racially and ethnically diverse samples that are present are limited in terms of geography. Therefore, our current knowledge base in this area may be biased and not generalizable across racially diverse mothers. We outline factors underlying this problem, beginning with the racial bias in EEG equipment that systematically excludes individuals of African descent, and also considering factors specific to research with mothers. Finally, we highlight recent innovations to EEG hardware to better accommodate diverse hairstyles and textures, and other important steps to increase racial and ethnic representativeness in EEG/ERP research with mothers. We urge EEG/ERP researchers who study the maternal brain-including our own research group-to take action to increase racial diversity so that this research area can confidently inform understanding of maternal health and contribute to minimizing maternal health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn M Wall
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kathleen W Guan
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Helen J Huang
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Lietsel Richardson
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Angel S Dunbar
- Department of African American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ashley M Groh
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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Lowell AF, Dell J, Potenza MN, Strathearn L, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Adult attachment is related to maternal neural response to infant cues: an ERP study. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:71-88. [PMID: 33522435 PMCID: PMC10861024 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.1880057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Maternal attachment security is an important predictor of caregiving . However, little is known regarding the neurobiological mechanisms by which attachment influences processing of infant cues, a critical component of caregiving. We examined whether attachment security, measured by the Adult Attachment Interview, might relate to neural responses to infant cues using event-related potentials. Secure (n=35) and insecure (n=24) mothers viewed photographs of infant faces and heard recordings of infant vocalizations while electroencephalography was recorded. We examined initial processing of infant faces (N170) and cries (N100), and attentional allocation to infant faces and cries (P300). Secure mothers were significantly faster than insecure mothers to orient to infant cries (N100), structurally encode their own infant's face (N170), and attend to infant faces (P300). These differences may elucidate mechanisms underlying how attachment may shape neural processing of infant cues and highlight the use ofsocial neuroscientific approaches in examining clinically relevant aspects of attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F Lowell
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jaclyn Dell
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida St Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
- The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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10
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Porreca A, Simonelli A, De Carli P, Barone L, Filippi B, Rigo P, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. A randomized wait-list controlled trial to investigate the role of cognitive mechanisms in parenting interventions on mothers with substance use disorder. Trials 2022; 23:588. [PMID: 35870942 PMCID: PMC9308363 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06420-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a risk condition for quality of parenting and child development. The current literature highlights the need to identify interventions that effectively enhance the quality of parenting and to better understand which mechanisms are involved in the process of change. The present study protocol describes a randomized wait-list controlled trial that aims to examine (1) the efficacy of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in improving the quality of parenting (i.e., sensitive parenting and sensitive discipline) in mothers with SUD, (2) whether the intervention affects parental cognitive mechanisms (i.e., attentional disengagement to infant negative emotions, inhibitory control confronted with children’s affective expression, and parental reflective functioning), and (3) whether changes in these processes act as mechanisms of change, mediating the effect of the VIPP-SD program on quality of parenting. Moreover, the study aims (4) to explore whether the VIPP-SD has an effect on parenting stress and (5) to compare mothers with SUD to low-risk mothers on the outcome measures. Methods The study will involve 40 mothers with SUD and 20 low-risk mothers of children aged between 14 months and 6 years old. Mothers in the SUD group will be randomly divided into two groups, one receiving the intervention (SUD experimental group) and one undergoing treatment as usual (SUD control group). All the mothers will be assessed pre-test and post-test. Quality of parenting will be assessed through observed parenting behaviors, whereas parental cognitive mechanisms will be assessed through neuropsychological tasks and self-report measures. Discussion The results of the study will reveal whether an intervention that has been proven effective in other at-risk samples is also effective in improving parenting behaviors in the context of SUD. The results will also provide insight into potential cognitive mechanisms involved in the process of change. Trial registration ISRCTN registry ISRCTN63070968. Registered on 25 June 2021. Retrospectively registered Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-022-06420-8.
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11
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Wall KM, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Current Substance Use and Maternal Neural Responses to Infant Faces and Cries. Int J Ment Health Addict 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11469-022-00947-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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12
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Lowell AF, Morie K, Potenza MN, Crowley MJ, Mayes LC. An intergenerational lifespan perspective on the neuroscience of prenatal substance exposure. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 219:173445. [PMID: 35970340 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal substance exposure has the potential to impact a variety of domains, with neurobiological effects that last throughout the lifespan. Different substances may impact the brain in both specific and diffuse ways; however, the aberrant neural outcomes following exposure tend to coalesce in three areas: (1) sensorimotor development; (2) arousal, motivation, and reward; and (3) executive functioning, impulse control, and emotion regulation. This manuscript represents a summary and update of a previous review (Morie et al., 2019). We organize this piece by domain and summarize data from published neuroimaging studies that examine the neural correlates of prenatal exposure across developmental stages. While the published neuroimaging literature in the area of prenatal exposure has a range of sampling concerns that may limit generalizability as well as longitudinal prediction, the findings to date do point to domains of interest warranting further study. With this caveat, we synthesize the extant findings to describe ways in which prenatal substance exposure is associated with developmental psychopathology and implicated in potentially aberrant behavioral patterns beginning in infancy and persisting through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and even parenthood. We also examine how substance abuse may impact parenting behaviors that in turn influences infant and child behavior in ways that may be additive or obscure the direct teratological effects of prenatal exposure. Given this observation, we offer an additional intergenerational lens through which prenatal substance exposure should be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F Lowell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Kristen Morie
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA; Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA
| | - Michael J Crowley
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Ngoh G, Wu J, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Exploring resting frontal EEG and reflective functioning in maternal substance use. Infant Ment Health J 2022; 43:519-532. [PMID: 35699268 PMCID: PMC9827537 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Maternal substance use is associated with altered neural activity and poor offspring outcomes, which may be facilitated by suboptimal caregiving in the form of impaired parental reflective functioning (PRF). To investigate these associations, the resting-state frontal electroencephalography (EEG) power of 48 substance-using mothers and 37 non-substance-using mothers were examined, specifying seven frequency bands: delta, theta, alpha, alpha1, alpha2, beta, and gamma. Substance-using mothers exhibited enhanced beta and gamma spectral power compared to non-substance-using mothers, potentially reflecting higher arousal states in substance-using mothers. There were no between-group differences in any component of PRF (i.e., levels of pre-mentalizing, certainty, and interest and curiosity). Whole-sample analyses revealed significant positive correlations between pre-mentalizing and delta spectral power. Taken together, these findings suggest potential neural correlates of maternal substance use and PRF, providing an important next step into examining associations between maternal substance use and poor child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendolyn Ngoh
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jia Wu
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Massey SH, Estabrook R, Lapping-Carr L, Newmark RL, Decety J, Wisner KL, Wakschlag LS. Are empathic processes mechanisms of pregnancy's protective effect on smoking? Identification of a novel target for preventive intervention. Soc Sci Med 2022; 305:115071. [PMID: 35660692 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spontaneous cessation and reduction in smoking by pregnant women suggest that concern about others, or empathy, could be a malleable target for intervention. We examined various empathy-related processes in relations to reported and biochemically assessed smoking during pregnancy. METHODS Participants were 154 pregnant women (M = 12.4 weeks gestation, SD = 4.6) who were smoking cigarettes immediately prior to pregnancy recognition (85 had quit and 69 were still smoking at enrollment). Empathy-related processes were measured with performance-based paradigms (affect sharing, empathic concern, and theory of mind) and a speech sample (expressed emotion). Smoking was assessed with timeline follow back interviews and urine cotinine assays. Using zero-inflated Poisson regression models, we tested direct and interactive effects of empathy-related processes with respect to biologically verified smoking cessation (zero portion); and mean cigarettes/day smoked after pregnancy recognition among persistent smokers (count portion). RESULTS Affect sharing was inversely related to post-recognition cigarettes/day (B(SE) = -0.17(0.07), 95%C.I. -0.30,-0.04, p = .011) and moderated the relationship between pre-recognition smoking and post-recognition smoking consistent with a buffering effect (B(SE) = -.17(0.05); 95%C.I. - 0.28,-0.06; p = .002). Other empathy related processes showed neither direct nor interactive effects on smoking outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Further research is recommended to clarify the role of empathy in pregnancy smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suena H Massey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N Saint Clair Street, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Ryne Estabrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison Street, 1018D, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Leiszle Lapping-Carr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rebecca L Newmark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, 513 Parnassus Ave, Suite S-224, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5848 South University Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Katherine L Wisner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Lauren S Wakschlag
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N Saint Clair Street, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 N. Michigan, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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15
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Sanders AN, Vance DE, Dudding KM, Shorten A, Rice M. Maternal-infant bonding for the opioid exposed dyad: A rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis. Nurs Forum 2021; 57:165-170. [PMID: 34676568 DOI: 10.1111/nuf.12663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM This concept analysis aimed to offer insight into how opioid exposure affects the quality and construction of the maternal-infant bond. BACKGROUND Maternal-infant bonding can be influenced by maternal opioid use disorder and the neonatal intensive care unit environment. Many interventions for mothers with opioid use disorder focus on enhancing parental skills, but often the emotional and relational features of the maternal-infant bond have been overlooked. DATA SOURCE Literature from Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, PubMed, and PsycINFO published from January 2011 to June 2021 using "attachment theory," "mother-infant attachment," "maternal-infant bonding," "neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome," and "neonatal abstinence syndrome" as key terms. REVIEW METHODS Rodgers' method of concept analysis was used to determine the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of maternal-infant bonding. RESULTS The key attributes of bonding for the opioid-exposed mother-infant dyad are engaged mothering, recognition of risk, affection, and respectful maternity care. The antecedents are closeness, selflessness, and purposeful touch. The consequences are sobriety, custody, love, and security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson N Sanders
- School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - David E Vance
- School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Katherine M Dudding
- School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Allison Shorten
- School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Marti Rice
- School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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16
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Hajal NJ, Loo SK. Emerging biomarkers for child & family intervention studies: A review of EEG studies of parenting. Biol Psychol 2021; 166:108200. [PMID: 34653549 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Most interventions for childhood mental health problems require significant parental involvement, and treatment programs are increasingly incorporating components aimed at enhancing parents' own self-regulation in the context of potentially stressful parent-child interactions. This paper discusses the promise of EEG in examining the rapidly unfolding perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and regulatory processes that occur in parenting, in hopes of ultimately informing child and family interventions. First, we review two separate bodies of work that have used EEG with parents: one examining event-related potential (ERP) measures, and the other examining frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). We discuss benefits of each within the study of parenting, and also suggest other EEG metrics (such as event-related time-frequency analyses) that can be leveraged to fill current gaps in our knowledge. Finally, we discuss the potential for these findings to inform clinical work with children and families, such as identifying biomarkers that could aid in assessment, treatment recommendations, and monitoring response to interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastassia J Hajal
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Division of Population Behavioral Health, 760 Westwood Plaza, A8-153, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Sandra K Loo
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Maternal prenatal substance use presents a multilevel risk to child development and parenting. Although parenting interventions are increasingly integrated into substance use treatment, prenatal parenting processes have not received equal attention within these interventions. This article aims to synthesize the evidence on the specific prenatal risk factors affecting the development of early parenting of substance-using mothers, as well as interventions focusing on those factors.
Recent Findings
Both neurobiological and psychosocial risk factors affect the prenatal development of parenting in the context of maternal substance use. Maternal–fetal attachment, mentalization, self-regulation, and psychosocial risks are important in treatment and highly intertwined with abstinence. Although parenting interventions seem to be highly beneficial, most studies have not differentiated between pre- and postnatal interventions or described pregnancy-specific intervention elements.
Summary
Due to the salience of pregnancy in treating substance-using parents, interventions should begin prenatally and include pregnancy-specific parenting focus. Further research on prenatal interventions is warranted.
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18
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Rutherford HJ, Kim S, Yip SW, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Strathearn L. Parenting and addictions: Current insights from human neuroscience. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2021; 8:380-388. [PMID: 36185758 PMCID: PMC9523670 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00384-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Purpose A growing body of human research has documented associations between the maternal brain and maternal substance use and addictions. This neuroscience-informed approach affords the opportunity to unpack potential neurobiological mechanisms that may underscore challenges in maternal caregiving behavior among mothers with addictions and provide new directions for parenting interventions. Findings Consistent with theoretical models of parenting and addictions, five studies evidence both hypo- and hyper-reactivity to infant affective cues across neuroimaging methods and tasks that incorporate both infant face and cry stimuli. Three structural and resting-state brain studies as a function of maternal substance use are also reported. Conclusions While human neuroimaging research converges in showing that maternal substance use is associated with differential reactivity to infant affective cues, further multi-level/multi-modal, longitudinal, and dimensional research is critically needed to advance this area of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Jv Rutherford
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Sohye Kim
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
- Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Sarah W Yip
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT 06109, United States
- The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
- Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
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Lowell AF, Peacock-Chambers E, Zayde A, DeCoste CL, McMahon TJ, Suchman NE. Mothering from the Inside Out: Addressing the Intersection of Addiction, Adversity, and Attachment with Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2021; 8:605-615. [PMID: 34306964 PMCID: PMC8280593 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00389-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Mothers with substance use disorders are often referred for parenting support, though commonly available programs may miss the mark for families impacted by addiction. This may be related to a lack of attention to children's emotional needs, mothers' histories of adversity, and the neurobiological differences seen in mothers with addictions. We review the implications of addiction, adversity, and attachment for parenting interventions. We then describe Mothering from the Inside Out (MIO), an evidence-based parenting intervention designed specifically for mothers with addictions. Recent Findings Evidence from clinical trials suggests that MIO improves outcomes for two generations: both mothers with addictions and their children. Recent trials demonstrate that MIO may be delivered effectively by community-based clinicians and may be beneficial for parents with other chronic stressors. Summary Addressing addiction, adversity, and attachment simultaneously may have a positive synergistic effect. Future research should study the implementation of MIO in real-world settings and examine the impact of MIO on maternal neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F. Lowell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
| | - Elizabeth Peacock-Chambers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, MA USA
- Institute for Healthcare Delivery and Population Science, Springfield, MA USA
| | - Amanda Zayde
- Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY USA
| | - Cindy L. DeCoste
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Thomas J. McMahon
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Nancy E. Suchman
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
- Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
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Jacques DT, Sturge-Apple ML, Davies PT, Cicchetti D. Parsing alcohol-dependent mothers' insensitivity to child distress: Longitudinal links with children's affective and anxiety problems. Dev Psychol 2021; 57:900-912. [PMID: 34424008 PMCID: PMC8386000 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prior work suggests that substance-dependent mothers insensitively respond to their child's emotional needs, which can increase children's risk for psychopathology. However, the mechanisms and processes underlying these associations remain unclarified. Mothers' insensitivity to children's distress is an especially unique predictor of child maladjustment, yet no study has examined whether or how different types of insensitivity to child distress uniquely affect the development of internalizing problems in children of alcohol-dependent mothers. To bridge these gaps, this study examined longitudinal mediational pathways between maternal alcohol dependence symptoms, 2 types of maternal insensitivity to child distress (disengagement and intrusiveness), and 2 types of child internalizing symptoms (affective and anxiety problems) in a majority Black and Latinx sample of young children (Mage = 2.14 years) and their mothers. Results revealed that maternal disengagement mediated associations between maternal alcohol dependence symptoms and child internalizing problems such that alcohol dependence predicted increased disengagement to children's distress, which subsequently predicted increases in children's affective problems. Maternal alcohol dependence symptoms were not associated with intrusiveness to child distress; however, increased intrusiveness predicted later increases in child anxiety problems. Findings support a differentiated approach to studying maternal insensitivity to child distress, specifically indicating that mothers with alcohol dependence symptoms may be more or less likely to display certain types of insensitivity to child distress which may differentially influence children's risk for internalizing problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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21
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Kim P. How stress can influence brain adaptations to motherhood. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100875. [PMID: 33038383 PMCID: PMC7539902 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Research shows that a woman's brain and body undergo drastic changes to support her transition to parenthood during the perinatal period. The presence of this plasticity suggests that mothers' brains may be changed by their experiences. Exposure to severe stress may disrupt adaptive changes in the maternal brain and further impact the neural circuits of stress regulation and maternal motivation. Emerging literature of human mothers provides evidence that stressful experience, whether from the past or present environment, is associated with altered responses to infant cues in brain circuits that support maternal motivation, emotion regulation, and empathy. Interventions that reduce stress levels in mothers may reverse the negative impact of stress exposure on the maternal brain. Finally, outstanding questions regarding the timing, chronicity, types, and severity of stress exposure, as well as study design to identify the causal impact of stress, and the role of race/ethnicity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States.
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22
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Abstract
At least one in seven pregnant or recently postpartum women will experience a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, or substance use disorder. These mental illnesses have detrimental effects on the health of the mother, child, and family, but little is known about the hypothalamic and other neural correlates of maternal mental health concerns. The transition to parenthood alone is a time of remarkable neural plasticity, so it is perhaps not surprising that current research is showing that maternal mental illness has unique neural profiles. Furthermore, the neural systems affected by peripartum mental illness overlap and interact with the systems involved in maternal caregiving behaviors, and mother-infant interactions are, therefore, highly susceptible to disruption. This review discusses what we know about the unique neural changes occurring during peripartum mental illness and the role of the hypothalamus in these illnesses. With an improved understanding of the neural correlates of maternal mental health and disease, we will be better equipped to predict risk, develop effective treatments, and ultimately prevent suffering for millions of parents during this critical time in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Pawluski
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - James E Swain
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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Porreca A, De Carli P, Filippi B, Parolin M, Simonelli A. Mothers' alexithymia in the context of parental Substance Use Disorder: Which implications for parenting behaviors? CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2020; 108:104690. [PMID: 32890853 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a severe risk for caregiving, affecting diverse domains of parenting behaviors, such as sensitivity, structuring, intrusiveness, and hostility. Various studies highlighted that difficulties in parenting behaviors in the context of SUD are exacerbated by the co-occurrence of psychopathological symptoms. A large body of research points out the presence of high rates of alexithymia in individuals with SUD, and some studies provide evidence of an association between this psychopathological aspect and parenting. Nevertheless, no prior research has explored how alexithymic traits could affect quality of parenting behaviors in mothers with SUD. OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of maternal alexithymia on parenting behaviors in mothers with SUD. METHODS Sixty women in residential treatment for SUD and their children participated in the study. The participants were assessed with respect to alexithymia, quality of parenting behaviors, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Forty-three percent of the mothers reported the presence of alexithymia. These mothers presented with significantly low scores on sensitivity (β = -.25, p < .05) and structuring (β = -.32, p < .05). After controlling for depressive symptomatology, the effect of alexithymia on parenting behaviors remained only for structuring (β=.35, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS In the context of SUD, maternal alexithymia significantly impacts the quality of parenting behaviors, specifically structuring, indicating that difficulties in becoming aware of one's own feelings jeopardize the ability to scaffold interactions and set age-appropriate limits in an emotionally attuned way. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Porreca
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Pietro De Carli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Bianca Filippi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Micol Parolin
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Simonelli
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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