20.5 Preliminary Evidence for Associations of the Infant Gut Colonization With Parent-Infant Relationship, Maternal Depression, Stress, and Parenting Styles

Abstract

The objectives of this presentation are to: 1) examine associations among infant gut colonization based on microbiome measurements in the infant population and maternal depressive symptoms and distress; 2) examine associations among infant microbiome and parent-infant interactions during a vaccination procedure; and 3) examine how infant cries correlate with their microbiome at 4 months of age. For this pilot study, we recruited a prospective cohort of infants (n = 31) and parents (n = 31). We examined the association between the infant gut microbiome at 4 months during well-child visits (WCVs), maternal depression (by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), parent and child characteristics and life stress (by Parenting Stress Index [PSI-IV]), and parent-infant interactions (by Measure of Adult and Infant Soothing and Distress [MAISD]). For each of the variables, we looked at 3 types of associations to identify the component of the microbiome revealed by whole-genome shotgun sequencing: β-diversity (via Bray-Curtis [BC] and Jaccard distances), α-diversity (via Shannon and Inverse-Simpson indexes), and differential abundance (via linear models for differential abundance [LinDA]). Infant cries in response to vaccination were assessed for spectral characteristics, with higher frequencies being associated with greater stress response (mid frequency: 1000-5000 Hz, high frequency: 5000 Hz+). Taxonomic classification identified 19 phyla, 417 genera, and 1246 species. The PHQ-9 scores obtained at 2 months were associated with 4 bacterial species (Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Actinomyces johnsonii, [Clostridium] dakarense, and Bilophila wadsworthia; false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.1) and β-diversity (p = 0.006-BC; p = 0.005-Jaccard). Infant cries with greater high-frequency band power (p < 0.03) and a greater high-to-mid frequency ratio metrics (p < 0.05) associated with higher infant stress were related to lower α-diversity. There were no correlations between PHQ-9 at 4 months, PSI-IV, and microbiome diversity. Data from our study point to a connection between higher perception of stress in infants reflected in their cries and lower microbiome diversity (higher diversity more desirable). We found that parental depressive symptoms influenced their infants’ microbiome. More studies are needed to explore ways in which the quality of the infant-caregiver relationship influences intestinal microbiota.