Newborn amygdalar volumes are associated with maternal prenatal psychological distress in a sex-dependent way

• Published in: NeuroImage clinical 2020-01, Vol.28, p.102380-102380, Article 102380
• Main Authors: Lehtola, Satu J., Tuulari, Jetro J., Scheinin, Noora M., Karlsson, Linnea, Parkkola, Riitta, Merisaari, Harri, Lewis, John D., Fonov, Vladimir S., Louis Collins, D., Evans, Alan, Saunavaara, Jani, Hashempour, Niloofar, Lähdesmäki, Tuire, Acosta, Henriette, Karlsson, Hasse
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amygdala; Hippocampus; Newborn brain; Prenatal anxiety; Prenatal depression; Regular; Sexual dimorphism
• ISSN: 2213-1582; 2213-1582
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102380

•Assessed relation of maternal prenatal distress to amygdalae and hippocampi volumes.•Newborn amygdalar volumes negatively related to maternal prenatal distress in males.•No association between maternal prenatal distress and newborn hippocampal volumes.•Prenatal maternal distress seems to affect newborn brain in a sex-dependent way. Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy (PPD)11prenatal psychosocial distress has been associated with changes in offspring amygdalar and hippocampal volumes. Studies on child amygdalae suggest that sex moderates the vulnerability of fetal brains to prenatal stress. However, this has not yet been observed in these structures in newborns. Newborn studies are crucial, as they minimize the confounding influence of postnatal life. We investigated the effects of maternal prenatal psychological symptoms on newborn amygdalar and hippocampal volumes and their interactions with newborn sex in 123 newborns aged 2–5 weeks (69 males, 54 females). Based on earlier studies, we anticipated small, but statistically significant effects of PPD on the volumes of these structures. Maternal psychological distress was measured at gestational weeks (GW)22gestational weeks 14, 24 and 34 using Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90, anxiety scale)33Symptom Checklist-90 and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)44Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaires. Newborn sex was found to moderate the relationship between maternal distress symptoms at GW 24 and the volumes of left and right amygdala. This relationship was negative and significant only in males. No significant main effect or sex-based moderation was found for hippocampal volumes. This newborn study provides evidence for a sex-dependent influence of maternal psychiatric symptoms on amygdalar structural development. This association may be relevant to later psychopathology.