Cited by 250Child Abuse and TraumaBirth, Development, and HealthMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

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Intergenerational Transmission of Maternal Childhood Maltreatment Exposure: Implications for Fetal Brain Development

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Buss, Claudia, Entringer, Sonja, Moog, Nora K., Toepfer, Philipp, Fair, Damien A., Simhan, Hyagriv N., Heim, Christine M., Wadhwa, Pathik D.·2017·Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

DOI 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.03.001PMC PMC5402756

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Abstract

Objective Growing evidence suggests the deleterious consequences of exposure to childhood maltreatment (CM) not only might endure over the exposed individual's lifespan but also might be transmitted across generations. The time windows, mechanisms, and targets of such intergenerational transmission are poorly understood. The prevailing paradigm posits that mother-to-child transmission of the effects of maternal CM likely occurs after her child's birth. The authors seek to extend this paradigm and advance a transdisciplinary framework that integrates the concepts of biological embedding of life experiences and fetal origins of health and disease risk.Method The authors posit that the period of embryonic and fetal life represents a particularly sensitive time for intergenerational transmission; that the developing brain represents a target of particular interest; and that stress-sensitive maternal-placental-fetal biological (endocrine, immune) pathways represent leading candidate mechanisms of interest.Results The plausibility of this model is supported by theoretical considerations and empirical findings in humans and animals. The authors synthesize several research areas and identify important knowledge gaps that might warrant further study.Conclusion The scientific and public health relevance of this effort relates to achieving a better understanding of the "when," "what," and "how" of intergenerational transmission of CM, with implications for early identification of risk, prevention, and intervention.

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Authors: Buss, C., Entringer, S., Moog, N. K., Toepfer, P., Fair, D. A., Simhan, H. N., Heim, C. M., & Wadhwa, P. D.
Affiliations: University of California, Irvine (US)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
Oregon Health & Science University (US)
University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author: Buss, Claudia
ORCID: Buss, Claudia
Entringer, Sonja
Moog, Nora K.
Fair, Damien A.
Simhan, Hyagriv N.
Wadhwa, Pathik D.
Venue: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2017-05
Volume: 56
Issue: 5
Pages: 373-382
ISSN: 0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.03.001
PMC: PMC5402756
OpenAlex: W2593056494
Cited by: 250
References: 118
Citations by year: 2026: 10 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 5
FWCI: 3.14
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH091351, R01MH105538)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD060628)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Keywords: child abuse, intergenerational transmission, maternal childhood maltreatment, fetal brain development, biological embedding, placenta, maternal stress, maternal immune activation, endocrine pathways, prenatal stress exposure, developmental origins of health and disease
MeSH terms: Brain, Child, Child Abuse, Child Development, Female, Humans, Mothers, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Fetal Development

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Intergenerational Transmission of Maternal Childhood Maltreatment Exposure: Implications for Fetal Brain Development

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