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Cited by 20Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumFetal and Pediatric Neurological DisordersChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms are associated with smaller amygdalar volumes of four-year-old children

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H, Acosta, JJ, Tuulari, NM, Scheinin, N, Hashempour, O, Rajasilta, TI, Lavonius, J, Pelto, V, Saunavaara +4 more·2020·Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
DOI 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111153
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Abstract

Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms are related to an increased offspring susceptibility to psychiatric disorders over the life course. Alterations in fetal brain development might partly mediate this association. The relation of prenatal depressive symptoms with child's amygdalar volumes is still underexplored, and this study aimed to address this gap. We explored the association of prenatal maternal depressive symptoms with amygdalar volumes in 28 4-year-old children (14 female). Amygdalar volumes were assessed using the volBrain pipeline and manual segmentation. Prenatal depressive symptoms were self-reported by mothers at gestational weeks 14, 24 and 34 (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). Sex differences were probed, and possible pre- and postnatal confounders, such as maternal general anxiety, were controlled for. We observed that elevated depressive symptoms of the early second trimester, after controlling for prenatal maternal general anxiety, were significantly related to smaller right amygdalar volumes in the whole sample. Higher depressive symptoms of the third trimester were associated with significantly smaller right amygdalar volumes in boys compared to girls. Altogether, our data suggest that offspring limbic brain development might be affected by maternal depressive symptoms in early pregnancy, and might also be more vulnerable to depressive symptoms in late pregnancy in boys compared to girls.

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  • Prenatal maternal psychological problems and depressive symptoms are negatively associated with amygdala volumes in newborns and young children, especially in males.

    “On the contrary, prenatal maternal psychological problems and depressive symptoms are negatively associated with amygdala volumes in newborns and young children, especially in males [89, 90].”

    From Brain structural and functional outcomes in the offspring of women experiencing psychological distress during pregnancy (2024) · cites this paper as [90]

    The Abstract reports smaller right amygdalar volumes in four-year-olds associated with prenatal depressive symptoms, with a stronger third-trimester association in boys than girls. But the Introduction says no association between prenatal depressive symptoms and amygdalar volume had been found in neonates. This paper therefore does not support extending the negative association to newborns or to prenatal psychological problems generally. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  1. Fox, J., Weisberg, S., 2011. An {R} Companion to Applied Regression, Second Edition. Sage, Thousand Oaks CA.

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Authors
H, A., JJ, T., NM, S., N, H., O, R., TI, L., J, P., V, S., R, P., T, L., L, K., & H, K.
Venue
Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-10
Volume
304
Pages
111153
ISSN
0925-4927 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111153
OpenAlex
W3046012445
Cited by
20
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1
FWCI
2.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UTUPub (University of Turku) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö
  • Yrjö Jahnssonin Säätiö
  • Alfred Kordelinin Säätiö
  • Varsinais-Suomen Sairaanhoitopiiri
  • Academy of Finland
  • Jane ja Aatos Erkon Säätiö
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Fetal and Pediatric Neurological Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
antenatal depression, amygdala volume, fetal brain development, sex differences, early pregnancy, trimester-specific effects, maternal anxiety
MeSH terms
Amygdala, Anxiety, Brain, Child, Preschool, Depression, Female, Humans, Mothers, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Depression, Postpartum

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