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Isenhour J, Speck B, Conradt E, Crowell SE, Raby KL. Examining the implications of contextual stress and maternal sensitivity for infants' cortisol responses to the still face paradigm. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107059. [PMID: 38692096 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Infants' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to acute stressors are theorized to be shaped by parents' sensitive responsiveness to infants' cues. The strength and direction of the association between maternal sensitivity and infants' HPA responses may depend on the context in which maternal sensitivity is observed and on broader environmental sources of stress and support. In this preregistered study, we used data from 105 mothers and their 7-month-old infants to examine whether two empirically identified forms of contextual stress-poor maternal psychosocial wellbeing and family socioeconomic hardship-moderate the association between maternal sensitivity and infants' cortisol responses to the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP). Results indicated that maternal sensitivity during the free play and family socioeconomic hardship interacted to predict infants' cortisol responses to the SFP. Specifically, maternal sensitivity during this non-distressing interaction was negatively associated with cortisol responses only among infants whose mothers were experiencing relatively high socioeconomic hardship. Exploratory analyses revealed that poor maternal psychosocial wellbeing was positively associated with overall infant cortisol production during the SFP. Altogether, these findings suggest that experiences within early parent-infant attachment relationships and sources of contextual stress work together to shape infant HPA axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bailey Speck
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA
| | - Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, USA
| | | | - K Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA.
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2
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Cortisol reactivity and negative affect among preterm infants at 12 months during a mother-infant interaction task. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 70:101784. [PMID: 36401957 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate correlates of preterm (PT) infant's cortisol reactivity and the association to infant negative affect, during a mother-infant interaction procedure. Participants included 48 infants born prematurely (gestational age < 37 weeks) and their mothers, assessed when infants were 12 months old corrected for prematurity. The examined variables comprised both neonatal and environmental dimensions including maternal interactive behavior. Infant negative affect and maternal interactive behavior were assessed with a standardized mother-infant interaction task. A baseline infant saliva sample was collected before the interaction began, and a second sample after the interaction episodes ended. Results revealed that decrease of infant's cortisol concentration was significantly associated with the exposure to more sensitive, and less intrusive maternal behaviors. However, once controlled for neonatal risk, family SES and maternal psychological distress, the associations were rendered non-significant. Although the association between cortisol reactivity and negative affect trended toward significance, maternal intrusiveness was the only significant predictor of observed infant negative affect. Findings suggest the importance of primary relational experiences on PT infants' early regulatory competencies.
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Ginnell L, O'Carroll S, Ledsham V, Jiménez Sánchez L, Stoye DQ, Sullivan G, Hall J, Homer NZM, Boardman JP, Fletcher-Watson S, Reynolds RM. Emotion regulation and cortisol response to the still-face procedure in preterm and full-term infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 141:105760. [PMID: 35447496 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105760] [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: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In infancy, stress responses and emotion regulation are often coupled. Both are impacted by prematurity, though their relationship to one another in the case of infants born preterm is not fully understood. We investigated emotion regulation behaviours, cortisol reactivity and recovery and coupling between emotion regulation and cortisol reactivity to and recovery from a stressor in preterm infants. 53 preterm and 67 full-term infants with mean (range) gestational age at birth 29+3 (24+0-31+6) and 39+3 (36+2-42+0) weeks respectively were exposed to a socio-emotional stressor, the still-face (SF) paradigm, at 9 months of age (corrected for prematurity). The duration of negative affect and self-comforting behaviours exhibited in response to the SF, coded from a 10-minute video-taped interaction, were compared between groups. Saliva was collected from a subset (20 preterm, 24 term infants) at three timepoints: pre-SF and 20- and 30-minutes post SF. Cortisol concentrations at each timepoint were compared between groups. Associations between behavioural measures and cortisol concentrations were explored. There was no significant difference in duration of self-comforting behaviour between preterm and term infants. Preterm infants spent a significantly smaller proportion of time in a negative affective state compared to term infants (0.18 vs 0.25 s, p = 0.03). Salivary cortisol concentration was significantly higher in the preterm compared to the term group 30 min post SF (2.85 vs 1.77 nmol/L, p = 0.009), though findings were no longer significant after adjusting for time of day of sampling and socioeconomic deprivation. After controlling for time of day, greater negative affect was correlated with higher cortisol concentration 30 min post SF in the full-term (r = 0.58, p = 0.004) but not the preterm group (r = -0.01, p > 0.05). Our findings suggest altered response to an acute stressor in preterm infants, manifesting as a muted emotional response, and a lack of coupling between endocrine and behavioural stress response. Replication studies in larger samples would help to further understand biological stress repose in preterm infants and its relationship to behaviour, time of day and deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Ginnell
- The University of Edinburgh, Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre. Kennedy Tower, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK.
| | - Sinéad O'Carroll
- The University of Edinburgh, Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre. Kennedy Tower, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK.
| | - Victoria Ledsham
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Lorena Jiménez Sánchez
- Translational Neuroscience PhD programme, Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre. Kennedy Tower, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK.
| | - David Q Stoye
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Gemma Sullivan
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Jill Hall
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Natalie Z M Homer
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK; The University of Edinburgh, BHF/Centre for Cardiovascular Science. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - James P Boardman
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Sue Fletcher-Watson
- The University of Edinburgh, Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre. Kennedy Tower, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK.
| | - Rebecca M Reynolds
- The University of Edinburgh, BHF/Centre for Cardiovascular Science. The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
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Erickson SJ, Vaccaro S, Kubinec N, Moss N, Avila-Rieger R, Lowe JR, Tofighi D. Preliminary longitudinal evidence for stability of maternal behavior and infant stress regulation among infants born preterm at 4 and 9 months during the Still Face paradigm. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 68:101745. [PMID: 35760033 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Stress regulation begins to develop in the first year of life through interactions with caregivers, particularly in the presence of stressors. High quality caregiving, characterized by maternal sensitivity and responsiveness to the infant's emotional cues, is particularly important in the development of infant stress regulation. The purpose of this study was to assess the longitudinal stability of, and associations between, maternal interactive behavior and infant stress regulation (indexed by positive infant affect and cortisol reactivity) in response to the Still Face paradigm (SF) in a cohort of infants born preterm (< 32 weeks gestation, N = 22) at four months and nine months (adjusted age). The percent of time mothers spent using specific interaction styles (contingent maternal interaction (CMI), attention seeking, and watching) during Play/baseline, Reunion#1, and Reunion#2 SF episodes was calculated To assess infant stress regulation, two indices were obtained at both 4 and 9 months during the SF paradigm: the percent of positive affect displayed over each SF episode (0-100%) and a neuroendocrine stress response score based on salivary cortisol reactivity. We found three non-significant but medium-large effect size differences between 4 and 9 month variables, with more positive findings at 9 months. Regarding stability within the 4 month and 9 month episodes, maternal behavior and positive infant affect were non-significantly but moderately stable, with maternal watching behavior being particularly stable. Positive infant affect stability between Reunion#1 and Reunion#2 at 4 months was significantly greater than positive infant affect stability across these two episodes at 9 months. Regarding stability across 4 and 9 month (same) episodes, CMI and positive infant affect showed modest but non-significant stability across (same) 4 and 9 month episodes. Finally, with positive infant affect at Reunion#2 as the "outcome" of the Still Face, CMI at both 4 month Play and Reunion#1 episodes were significantly correlated with this "outcome." Further, positive infant affect at Reunion#2 was more strongly correlated with CMI at both Play and Reunion#1 for 4 month old compared with 9 month old infants. Thus, sensitive care appears particularly important for younger infants born preterm, and mothers' behavior early in a repeated stress exposure paradigm may be particularly important in maintaining positive infant affect and in the development of infants' stress regulation more generally. Identifying the longer-term effects of early stress on infant stress regulation, and its relationship with maternal interaction, has important implications for understanding trajectories of regulatory patterns and deficits. A greater understanding of these relationships is particularly important given that greater emotion and neuroendocrine stress regulation in infancy have been directly associated with numerous positive outcomes throughout childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Erickson
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall 1 University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Suzanne Vaccaro
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall 1 University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jean R Lowe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Davood Tofighi
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall 1 University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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Rattaz V, Puglisi N, Tissot H, Favez N. Associations between parent–infant interactions, cortisol and vagal regulation in infants, and socioemotional outcomes: A systematic review. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Erickson SJ, Kubinec N, Vaccaro S, Moss N, Avila-Rieger R, Rowland A, Lowe JR. The role of maternal interactive behavior and gestational age in predicting infant affect during the Still-Face Paradigm. Early Hum Dev 2021; 163:105485. [PMID: 34649191 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion regulation develops through bidirectional affective communication. AIM To investigate the role of maternal interactive behavior in predicting infant affect among preterm versus full-term infants. STUDY DESIGN The association between maternal interactive behavior (contingent, attention seeking, watching) and infant affect during a modified Still Face (SF) paradigm in a sample of 22 preterm and 28 full term infants (3 ½ - 4 ½ months old) was investigated. METHODS Maternal behavior and infant affect were coded in one second intervals. RESULTS Maternal contingent interaction was positively correlated with positive infant affect (p < 0.001 for Play; p < 0.001 for Reunion#1; p < 0.01 for Reunion#2, respectively), with a stronger association during the second reunion for preterm infants (p < 0.001). In the preterm sample but not in the full-term sample, attention seeking maternal interaction at Play (baseline), Reunion#1, and Reunion#2 were all positively correlated with negative infant affect at Still Face#2. Maternal watching was negatively associated with positive infant affect for the full sample for both Reunion episodes (p < 0.05). Full term infants' negative affect increased from baseline to the first SF episode and then plateaued, whereas preterm infants demonstrated greater negative affect and less recovery throughout. Mothers of full-term infants showed increased contingent responding after the first SF stressor, while mothers of preterm infants did not (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants may be more susceptible to both positive and negative maternal behaviors and mothers of full-term infants may be more responsive to infants' increased distress. Relationship-focused interventions addressing maternal behaviors may enhance positive emotionality and improve self-regulation in medically at-risk infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
| | - Nicole Kubinec
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Suzanne Vaccaro
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Natalia Moss
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Rebecca Avila-Rieger
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Andrew Rowland
- UNM College of Population Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Jean R Lowe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
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Khoury JE, Beeney J, Shiff I, Bosquet Enlow M, Lyons-Ruth K. Maternal experiences of childhood maltreatment moderate patterns of mother-infant cortisol regulation under stress. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1309-1321. [PMID: 33615457 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The relation between maternal and infant cortisol responses has been a subject of intense research over the past decade. Relatedly, it has been hypothesized that maternal history of childhood maltreatment (MCM) impacts stress regulation across generations. The current study employed four statistical approaches to determine how MCM influences the cortisol responses of 150 mothers and their 4-month-old infants during the Still-Face Paradigm. Results indicated that MCM moderated cortisol patterns in several ways. First, lower MCM mothers and infants had strong positive associations between cortisol levels measured at the same time point, whereas higher MCM mothers and infants did not show an association. Second, infants of higher MCM mothers had cortisol levels that were moderately high and remained elevated over the procedure, whereas infants of lower MCM mothers had decreasing cortisol levels over time. Third, higher MCM mothers and infants showed increasingly divergent cortisol levels over time, compared to lower MCM dyads. Finally, patterns of cross-lagged influence of infant cortisol on subsequent maternal cortisol were moderated by MCM, such that lower MCM mothers were influenced by their infants' cortisol levels at earlier time points than higher MCM mothers. These findings highlight MCM as one contributor to processes of stress regulation in the mother-infant dyad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Khoury
- Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Beeney
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Karlen Lyons-Ruth
- Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Sauciuc GA, Zlakowska J, Persson T, Lenninger S, Alenkaer Madsen E. Imitation recognition and its prosocial effects in 6-month old infants. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232717. [PMID: 32433668 PMCID: PMC7239450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The experience of being imitated is theorised to be a driving force of infant social cognition, yet evidence on the emergence of imitation recognition and the effects of imitation in early infancy is disproportionately scarce. To address this lack of empirical evidence, in a within-subjects study we compared the responses of 6-month old infants when exposed to ipsilateral imitation as opposed to non-imitative contingent responding. To examine mediating mechanisms of imitation recognition, infants were also exposed to contralateral imitation and bodily imitation with suppressed emotional mimicry. We found that testing behaviours-the hallmark of high-level imitation recognition-occurred at significantly higher rates in each of the imitation conditions compared to the contingent responding condition. Moreover, when being imitated, infants showed higher levels of attention, smiling and approach behaviours compared to the contingent responding condition. The suppression of emotional mimicry moderated these results, leading to a decrease in all social responsiveness measures. The results show that imitation engenders prosocial effects in 6-month old infants and that infants at this age reliably show evidence of implicit and high-level imitation recognition. In turn, the latter can be indicative of infants' sensitivity to others' intentions directed toward them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jagoda Zlakowska
- Faculty of Humanities, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
| | - Tomas Persson
- Department of Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Lenninger
- Department of Educational Sciences, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
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Puhakka IJA, Peltola MJ. Salivary cortisol reactivity to psychological stressors in infancy: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 115:104603. [PMID: 32171123 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Measurement of salivary cortisol is a practical and non-invasive tool for studying stress reactivity to various types of stressors even in young infants. Whereas studies using physical stressors during the first months of life have found robust cortisol responses to painful stimuli, research with older infants using psychological stressors (e.g., parental separation) has produced mixed findings, limiting our understanding of potential developmental changes in cortisol reactivity across infancy. In the present study, we used meta-analysis to systematically investigate whether psychological stressor paradigms are associated with measurable cortisol responses in infants under 18 months of age and whether the magnitude of the responses is moderated by the type of psychological stressor (i.e., separation, frustration, novelty, or disruption of parental interaction), infant age, and other potential moderators. Across 47 studies (N = 4095, age range: 3-18 months), we found that commonly used psychological stressor paradigms are associated with a small (Hedges' g = .11) increase in salivary cortisol levels in typically developing infants. Stressor type moderated the effect sizes, and when effect sizes in each category were analyzed separately, only the separation studies were associated with a consistent increase in cortisol following the stressor. Age did not moderate the effect sizes either in the full set of studies or within the separate stressor types. These meta-analytic results indicate that the normative cortisol response to psychological stressors across infancy is small and emphasize the need for standardized stressor paradigms to assess cortisol responses systematically across infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilmari J A Puhakka
- Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, Finland; Human Information Processing Laboratory, Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014, Finland
| | - Mikko J Peltola
- Human Information Processing Laboratory, Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014, Finland.
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Erickson SJ, Kubinec N, Vaccaro S, Moss N, Rieger R, Rowland A, Lowe JR. The association between maternal interaction and infant cortisol stress reactivity among preterm and full term infants at 4 months adjusted age. Infant Behav Dev 2019; 57:101342. [PMID: 31421390 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the association between maternal interactive behavior and infant cortisol stress reactivity in response to the Still Face paradigm (SF) in a cohort of four-month old infants (adjusted age) born preterm (<32 weeks gestation, N = 22) compared with infants born full term (>37 weeks gestation, N = 28). Infant cortisol reactivity was calculated as area under the curve (AUC) from baseline to the third cortisol sample (30 min post-SF) using the trapezoidal rule, while the percent of time mothers spent using a contingent interaction style was measured (0-100%) during episodes 1 (Play; baseline), 3 (Reunion#1), and 5 (Reunion#2) while mother-infant dyads participated in the SF paradigm. We hypothesized that because infants born preterm are at increased risk for dysregulation, they would show, compared to full-term infants, a blunted stress response, involving under-responsiveness. We found blunted cortisol stress reactivity among the preterm infants. We also found that mothers of preterm infants demonstrated less contingent maternal interaction during Renion#1 of the SF; and that contingent maternal interaction at Reunion#2 of the SF was protective against cortisol stress reactivity in response to the SF. However, we did not find that the influence of maternal interaction on cortisol reactivity was moderated by gestational age group (full term vs preterm): the association between contingent maternal interaction and stress reactivity was similar for both gestational groups across episodes. In order to improve self-regulation and longer term social and cognitive developmental outcomes in medically at-risk infants, future research is warranted to determine how these findings relate to infants' stress reactions in naturalistic settings, and the directionality and temporal relationship between cortisol stress responses and maternal interactive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Erickson
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States.
| | - Nicole Kubinec
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Suzanne Vaccaro
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Natalia Moss
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Rebecca Rieger
- Department of Psychology, Logan Hall, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2220, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Andrew Rowland
- UNM College of Population Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Jean R Lowe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
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Provenzi L, Fumagalli M, Giorda R, Morandi F, Sirgiovanni I, Pozzoli U, Mosca F, Borgatti R, Montirosso R. Maternal Sensitivity Buffers the Association between SLC6A4 Methylation and Socio-Emotional Stress Response in 3-Month-Old Full Term, but not very Preterm Infants. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:171. [PMID: 28959218 PMCID: PMC5604082 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Very preterm (VPT) infants are hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and are exposed to life-saving procedures eliciting pain-related stress. Recent research documented that pain-related stress might result in birth-to-discharge increased methylation of serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) in VPT infants, leading to poorer stress regulation at 3 months of age in VPT infants compared to their full-term (FT) counterparts. Maternal sensitivity is thought to support infants' stress response, but its role in moderating the effects of altered SLC6A4 methylation is unknown. MAIN AIM To assess the role of maternal sensitivity in moderating the association between altered SLC6A4 methylation and stress response in 3-month-old VPT and FT infants. METHODS 53 infants (27 VPTs, 26 FTs) and their mothers were enrolled. SLC6A4 methylation was obtained from peripheral blood samples at NICU discharge for VPT infants and from cord blood at birth for FT infants. At 3 months (age corrected for prematurity), both groups participated to the face-to-face still-face (FFSF) paradigm to measure both infants' stress response (i.e., negative emotionality) and maternal sensitivity. RESULTS Maternal sensitivity did not significantly differ between VPT and FT infants' mothers. In VPT infants, higher SLC6A4 methylation at hospital discharge associates with higher negative emotionality during the FFSF. In FT infants, SLC6A4 methylation and maternal sensitivity significantly interacted to predict stress response: a positive significant association between SLC6A4 methylation and negative emotionality emerged only in FT infants of less-sensitive mothers. DISCUSSION Although no differences emerged in caregiving behavior in the two groups of mothers, maternal sensitivity was effective in moderating the effects of SLC6A4 methylation in FT infants, but not in VPT infants at 3 months. Speculatively, the buffering effect of maternal sensitivity observed in FT infants was disrupted by the altered early mother-infant contact due to NICU stay of the VPT group. These findings indirectly support that the effects of maternal sensitivity on infants' socio-emotional development might be time dependent, and that mother-infant interventions in the NICU need to be provided precociously within a narrow sensitive period after VPT birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Provenzi
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Monica Fumagalli
- NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Giorda
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | | | - Ida Sirgiovanni
- NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Uberto Pozzoli
- Bioinformatic Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Fabio Mosca
- NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Rosario Montirosso
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
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Beijers R, Riksen-Walraven M, Sebesta K, de Weerth C. Differential associations between behavioral and cortisol responses to a stressor in securely versus insecurely attached infants. Behav Brain Res 2017; 325:147-155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Provenzi L, Giusti L, Montirosso R. Do infants exhibit significant cortisol reactivity to the Face-to-Face Still-Face paradigm? A narrative review and meta-analysis. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Schuetze P, Eiden RD, Molnar DS, Colder CD. Empathic responsivity at 3 years of age in a sample of cocaine-exposed children. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2014; 42:1-8. [PMID: 24444666 PMCID: PMC3968185 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2014.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the association between prenatal exposure to cocaine and behavioral and physiological responsivity. Participants were 216 mother-infant dyads (116 cocaine exposed-CE, 100 nonexposed-NCE) recruited at birth. Measures of heart rate (HR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were obtained during baseline and during a task designed to elicit empathy (exposure to infant crying). When the effects of prenatal cocaine use were examined in the context of polydrug use, results of model testing indicated that lower gestational age, prenatal exposure to cocaine and postnatal exposure to alcohol were each associated with a reduced suppression of RSA during the empathy task. These findings provide additional support for an association between prenatal cocaine exposure and dysregulation during early childhood during affect-eliciting environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Schuetze
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York College at Buffalo, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222-1095, United States; Research Institute on Addictions, SUNY University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States; Department of Pediatrics, SUNY University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY, United States.
| | - Rina D Eiden
- Research Institute on Addictions, SUNY University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States; Department of Pediatrics, SUNY University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY, United States.
| | - Danielle S Molnar
- Research Institute on Addictions, SUNY University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States.
| | - Craig D Colder
- Department of Psychology, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States.
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