Infant Cues Research Articles

Infant neural sensitivity to affective touch is associated with maternal postpartum depression.

Classic attachment theory emphasizes the sensitivity of the parent to perceive and appropriately respond to the infant's cues. However, parent-child attachment is a dyadic interaction that is also dependent upon the sensitivity of the child to the early caregiving environment. Individual differences in infant sensitivity to parental cues is likely shaped by both the early caregiving environment as well as the infant's neurobiology, such as perceptual sensitivity to social stimuli. Here, we investigated associations between maternal postpartum depression and infant neurological sensitivity to affective touch using brain signal entropy - a metric of the brain's moment-to-moment variability related to signal processing. We recruited two independent samples of infants aged 0-5 months. In Sample 1 (n=79), we found increased levels of maternal postpartum depression were associated with diminished perceptual sensitivity - i.e. lower entropy - to affective tactile stimulation specifically within the primary somatosensory cortex. In Sample 2 (n=36), we replicated this finding and showed that this effect was not related to characteristics of the touch administered during the experiment. These results suggest that decreased affective touch early in life - a common consequence of postpartum depression - likely impacts the infant's perceptual sensitivity to affective touch and ultimately the formation of experience-dependent neural networks that support the successful formation of attachment relationships.

Prenatal affective cognitive training to reduce the risk of postpartum depression (PACT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPostpartum depression (PPD) affects 30–50% of women with a history of previous depression or bipolar disorder and 8% of women with no history of depression. Negative cognitive biases in the perception of infant cues and difficulties with emotion regulation are replicated risk factors. Current interventions focus on detecting and treating rather than preventing PPD. The aim of this randomized controlled intervention trial is therefore to investigate the potential prophylactic effects of prenatal affective cognitive training for pregnant women at heightened risk of PPD.MethodsThe study will enrol a total of 292 pregnant women: 146 at high risk and 146 at low risk of PPD. Participants undergo comprehensive assessments of affective cognitive processing, clinical depressive symptoms, and complete questionnaires at baseline. Based on the responses, pregnant women will be categorized as either at high or low risk of PPD. High-risk participants will be randomized to either prenatal affective cognitive training (PACT) or care as usual (CAU) immediately after the baseline testing. The PACT intervention is based on emerging evidence for efficacy of affective cognitive training approaches in depression, including cognitive bias modification, attention bias modification, mindfulness-inspired emotion regulation exercises, and working memory training. Participants randomised to PACT will complete five individual computerised and virtual reality-based training sessions over 5 weeks. The primary outcome is the difference between intervention arms in the incidence of PPD, assessed with an interview 6 months after birth. We will also assess the severity of depressive symptoms, rated weekly online during the first 6 weeks postpartum.DiscussionThe results will have implications for future early prophylactic interventions for pregnant women at heightened risk of PPD. If the PACT intervention reduces the incidence of PPD, it can become a feasible, non-invasive prophylactic strategy during pregnancy, with positive mental health implications for these women and their children.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06046456 registered 21-09-2023, updated 08-07-2024.

How Does Postpartum Depression Affect Responses to Infant Cues? (Preregistered Project Proposal) [Conference Presentation Abstract

How Does Postpartum Depression Affect Responses to Infant Cues? (Preregistered Project Proposal) [Conference Presentation Abstract

Social Support and Spousal Relationship Quality Improves Responsiveness among Anxious Mothers.

Maternal responsiveness, a mother's ability to consistently identify infant cues and then act on them, is critical for healthy child development. A woman's social support and spousal relationship may affect responsiveness to an infant, especially among mothers with anxiety. We assessed how social support and spousal relationship quality is associated with responsiveness among anxious mothers, and if postpartum depression (PPD) moderated these associations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 2019 to 2022 in a public hospital in Pakistan from 701 women at six-weeks postpartum. Eligible women had at least mild anxiety in early- to mid- pregnancy. Linear regression analyses assessed if spousal relationship quality and social support from family and friends were associated with maternal responsiveness, measured using the Maternal Infant Responsiveness Instrument. Interaction terms were used to examine if PPD moderated these associations. Spousal relationship quality (B = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.48, 3.50) and social support (B = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.31, 1.83) were positively related to maternal responsiveness to the infant. Emotional support from a spouse was positively associated with responsiveness (B = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.12, 2.03 depressed; B = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.34, 4.58 non-depressed), and conflict with the spouse was negatively associated with responsiveness (B=-1.02, 95% CI: -1.94, -0.09 depressed; B=-2.87, 95% CI: -4.36, -1.37 non-depressed). However, social support was related to responsiveness only in non-depressed women (B = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.14, 4.07). While spousal relationships and social support enhance maternal responsiveness, for depressed women, spousal relationships were particularly critical. In considering maternal-infant interventions to improve child development outcomes, our study indicates the importance of supportive relationships that foster effective responsiveness.

Maternal capital predicts investment in infant growth and development through lactation.

Maternal capital (MC) is a broad term from evolutionary biology, referring to any aspects of maternal phenotype that represent resources available for investment in offspring. We investigated MC in breastfeeding mothers of late preterm and early term infants, examining its relationship with infant and breastfeeding outcomes. We also determined whether MC modified the effect of the relaxation intervention on these outcomes. The data was collected as part of a randomized controlled trial investigating breastfeeding relaxation in 72 mothers of late preterm and early term infants. Indicators of MC (socioeconomic, social, somatic, reproductive, psychological, and cognitive) were collected at baseline at 2-3 weeks post-delivery. Principal Component Analysis was conducted for the MC measures and two components were identified: 1."Subjective" maternal capital which included stress and depression scores, and 2."Objective" maternal capital which included height, infant birth weight, and verbal memory. Univariate linear regression was conducted to assess the relationship between objective and subjective MC (predictors) and infant growth, infant behavior, maternal behavior, and infant feeding variables (outcomes) at 6-8 weeks. The interaction of MC and intervention assignment with outcomes was assessed. Higher objective MC was significantly associated with higher infant weight (0.43; 95%CI 0.21,0.66) and length z-scores (0.47; 95%CI 0.19,0.76), shorter duration of crying (-17.5; 95%CI -33.2,-1.9), and lower food (-0.28; 95%CI -0.48,-0.08) and satiety responsiveness (-0.17; 95%CI -0.31,-0.02) at 6-8 weeks. It was also associated with greater maternal responsiveness to infant cues (-0.05, 95%CI -0.09,-0.02 for non-responsiveness). Greater subjective maternal capital was significantly associated with higher breastfeeding frequency (2.3; 95%CI 0.8,3.8) and infant appetite (0.30; 95%CI 0.07,0.54). There was a significant interaction between the intervention assignment and objective MC for infant length, with trends for infant weight and crying, which indicated that the intervention had greater effects among mothers with lower capital. Higher MC was associated with better infant growth and shorter crying duration. This was possibly mediated through more frequent breastfeeding and prompt responsiveness to infant cues, reflecting greater maternal investment. The findings also suggest that a relaxation intervention was most effective among those with low MC, suggesting some reduction in social inequalities in health.

Borderline personality disorder in mothers, maternal sensitivity, and infant social withdrawal: a study on clinical dyads referred to perinatal mental health units

ABSTRACT Behavioural, cognitive and emotional dysregulation related to parent borderline personality disorder (BPD) may have a major impact on parent–infant interactions. We investigated the ways in which infant social withdrawal and mother sensitivity may be associated to a BPD diagnosis in mothers. Two groups of clinic-referred mother–infant dyads were set up: one in which consulting mothers were diagnosed with BPD. Infant social withdrawal and maternal sensitivity were assessed during free-play interactions videotaped within a clinical setting. Mothers with BPD showed lower maternal sensitivity, while their infants displayed higher levels of social withdrawal behaviour when compared to dyads with no maternal psychiatric diagnosis. Infants of mothers with BPD appear at particular risk of adverse developmental outcomes from their very first months of life. Early interventions should concentrate on improving maternal interpretation and response to infant cues, such as identifying nonverbal behaviours and regulating the infant’s emotional states, and on promoting mentalization.

Cannabis use during pregnancy and hemodynamic responses to infant cues in pregnancy: an exploratory study.

Cannabis is one of the most commonly used substances during pregnancy and has the potential to negatively impact parent-infant relationships. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) response to infant cues during pregnancy has been associated with subsequent positive parenting behaviors. However, PFC activation is altered in individuals who use cannabis. As the potency of cannabis has changed over the years, little is known about the specific role of cannabis use on gestational parent brain responses to infant cues. Using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the second trimester of pregnancy, we measured hemodynamic responses to an infant cry task and an infant faces task among individuals who were using cannabis (N = 14) and compared them with those who were not using cannabis (N = 45). For the infant cry task, pregnant individuals listened to cry sounds and matched white noise. For the infant faces task, they viewed happy, sad, and neutral faces. There was no significant difference between the two groups after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Without adjusting for multiple comparisons, we found preliminary evidence for the differences in the dorsomedial PFC associated with heightened response to infant cry among individuals who use cannabis. The groups were also different in the dorsolateral PFC associated with decreased response to infant sad faces among individuals who use cannabis. Our preliminary data suggests that cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with brain activation in the regions involved in the emotional regulation and information processes. However, the results did not survive after adjustment for multiple comparisons, thus future research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm potential differences in brain function among cannabis-using pregnant individuals.

Enhanced maternal behaviors in a mouse model of congenital blindness.

In mammals, mothering is one of the most important prosocial female behavior to promote survival, proper sensorimotor, and emotional development of the offspring. Different intrinsic and extrinsic factors can initiate and maintain these behaviors, such as hormonal, cerebral, and sensory changes. Infant cues also stimulate multisensory systems and orchestrate complex maternal responsiveness. To understand the maternal behavior driven by complex sensory interactions, it is necessary to comprehend the individual sensory systems by taking out other senses. An excellent model for investigating sensory regulation of maternal behavior is a murine model of congenital blindness, the ZRDBA mice, where both an anophthalmic and sighted mice are generated from the same litter. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether visual inputs are essential to driving maternal behaviors in mice. Maternal behaviors were assessed using three behavioral tests, including the pup retrieval test, the home cage maternal behavior test, and the maternal aggression test. Our results show that blind mothers (1) took less time to retrieve their offspring inside the nest, (2) spent more time nursing and licking their offspring in the second- and third-week postpartum, and (3) exhibited faster aggressive behaviors when exposed to an intruder male, compared to the sighted counterparts. This study provides evidence that congenitally blind mothers show more motivation to retrieve the pups, care, and protection towards their pups than sighted ones, likely due to a phenomenon of sensory compensation.

Establishing a Comprehensive & Coherent Definition of Parent Responsiveness for Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team Communication in Early Intervention

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 This systematic review of multidisciplinary literature yielded a comprehensive definition of parent responsiveness to infant cues that OT practitioners can use when communicating with interdisciplinary early intervention teams. Primary Author and Speaker: Emily Campi Additional Authors and Speakers: Elizabeth Nye Contributing Authors: Grace Baranek

Preterm infant cues during breastfeeding and its measurement: A scoping review.

Preterm infants display certain behaviors to communicate their needs, known as preterm infant cues. However, the existing research on preterm infant cues primarily draws from studies conducted on bottle-fed infants rather than breastfed infants. This study aimed to investigate the concept of preterm infant cues during breastfeeding and its appropriate instruments. A scoping review. The articles published up to January 2022 were searched from multiple sources from EBSCOhost Web, namely CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, ERIC, and E-Journals. The articles retrieved for this review were screened using PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes) format. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) checklist was used in selecting the articles, and Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal was utilized by two independent authors to assess the articles' quality. A descriptive method was used to analyze the data. The initial review stage found 183 potential articles, but only four satisfied the criteria. The notion of preterm infant cues during breastfeeding is centered on the actions of preterm infants while positioned on their mother's chest. These feeding cues are identifiable before, during, and after breastfeeding and include cues for hunger, self-regulation, stress, satiation, approach, avoidance, and sucking quality. To effectively recognize these cues, tools such as the Preterm Infants Cues Coding System (PFCCS), Infant Driven Scale (IDS), Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP), and Preterm Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) can be utilized. The study findings highlight the importance of recognizing preterm infant cues during breastfeeding to facilitate proper feeding and developmental care. Observational studies have proven to be an effective means of observing these cues during breastfeeding. By leveraging the cues identified in this review alongside tools such as PFCCS, IDS, NIDCAP, and PIBBS, nurses can accurately interpret preterm infants' breastfeeding cues in neonatal care settings of all levels. This, in turn, can aid in developing care plans that promote better feeding ability outcomes.

Preliminary Reports on the Experiences of Mothers in the Early Introduction of Complementary Feeding to Their Infants: a Phenomenological Study

Objective − The objective of the study was to explore the experiences of mothers with the early complementary feeding to infants in the IV Koto Sub-district, Agam District, West Sumatera Province of Indonesia.Materials and Methods − Qualitative methods, with a phenomenological approach were used in this study. This study was carried out from September to November 2022 in District IV Koto, Agam Regency. Ten mothers of infant aged 6-23 months who introduced complementary foods to their infants before six months of age were included in this study using a purposive sampling technique. Mothers who were not able to communicate well were excluded from this study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to collect the data. Data analysis used conventional content analysis.Results − The experience of mothers in early complementary feeding of their infants were explored using five themes. These findings were that mothers perceived the benefits of early complementary feeding, infant cues, the need to work outside the home, insufficient breastmilk supply, receiving advice regarding early complementary feeding from grandmothers, and cultural beliefs.Conclusion − Mothers perceived the benefit of early complementary feeding for their infants and themselves. Therefore, health professionals should provide assistance and counseling to mothers breastfeeding their babies so they can continue with exclusive breastfeeding and introduce complementary foods at the right time.

174 Development of an Individualized Responsive Feeding Coaching Intervention

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Responsive infant feeding (RIF) promotes healthy dietary patterns and infant weight gain. Research is needed to assist caregivers recognize infant hunger/satiety cues and overcome barriers to using RIF. The Learning Early Infant Feeding Cues (LEIFc) intervention was designed to fill this gap by using a validated coaching approach to promote RIF. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Guided by the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model, this proof-of-concept study tests the feasibility and fidelity of the LEIFc intervention in mother-infant dyads (N=25). Study visits from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 4 months postpartum (PP) are conducted in family homes. Use of RIF via subjective (survey) and objective (video) measures is collected at 1 and 4 months PP. Prenatally written and video material on infant feeding and infant hunger/satiety cues is provided. At 2 and 3 months PP, coaching during a feeding session is provided by a trained interventionist using the SS-OO-PP-RR (super, Setting the Stage, Observation & Opportunities, Problem Solving & Planning, Reflection & Review) approach. Qualitative data on LEIFc are provided by the interventionist and participants. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: To date 25 dyads have been enrolled and 4 have completed all study visits. Preliminary analyses showed that subjective measure of awareness of infant cues increased post intervention (pre, M=4.38 vs post, M=4.63). LEIFc has been well accepted by participants including use of the SS-OO-PP-RR approach. Data suggests refinement to LEIFc is needed to include breastfeeding and mental health support as well as a longer duration of intervention through at least 6 months PP. An experienced interventionist is key to success of the research. All lost to follow-up (n=7) have occurred before the first PP visit suggesting that at study visit closer to birth is needed. Enrollment will continue through December 2022 and data collection through April 2023. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: After refinement, the LEIFc intervention will be tested in a pilot RCT. The long-term goal is to implement LEIFc in the curricula of federally funded maternal-child home visiting programs who serve vulnerable populations; those that often have infant feeding practices that do not align with recommendations and are less likely to use RIF.

Development of an Individualized Responsive Feeding Intervention-Learning Early Infant Feeding Cues: Protocol for a Nonrandomized Study.

Responsive infant feeding occurs when a parent recognizes the infant's cues of hunger or satiety and responds promptly to these cues. It is known to promote healthy dietary patterns and infant weight gain and is recommended as part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, the use of responsive infant feeding can be challenging for many parents. Research is needed to assist caregivers recognize infant hunger or satiety cues and overcoming barriers to using responsive infant feeding. The Learning Early Infant Feeding Cues (LEIFc) intervention was designed to fill this gap by using a validated coaching approach, SS-OO-PP-RR ("super," Setting the Stage, Observation and Opportunities, Problem Solving and Planning, Reflection and Review), to promote responsive infant feeding. Guided by the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials model, this study aims to test the feasibility and fidelity of the LEIFc intervention in a group of mother-infant dyads. This pre-post quasi-experimental study with no control group will recruit mothers (N=30) in their third trimester (28 weeks and beyond) of pregnancy from community settings. Study visit 1 will occur prenatally in which written and video material on infant feeding and infant hunger and satiety cues is provided. Demographic information and plans for infant feeding are also collected prenatally via self-report surveys. The use of responsive infant feeding via subjective (survey) and objective (video) measures is recorded before (study visit 2, 1 month post partum) and after (study visit 5, 4 months post partum) intervention. Coaching on responsive infant feeding during a feeding session is provided by a trained interventionist using the SS-OO-PP-RR approach at study visits 3 (2 months post partum) and 4 (3 months post partum). Infant feeding practices are recorded via survey, and infant weight and length are measured at each postpartum study visit. Qualitative data on the LEIFc intervention are provided by the interventionist and mother. Infant feeding videos will be coded and tabulated for instances of infant cues and maternal responses. Subjective measures of responsive infant feeding will also be tabulated. The use of responsive infant feeding pre-post intervention will be analyzed using matched t tests. Qualitative data will be examined to guide intervention refinement. This study initially began in spring 2020 but was halted because of the COVID-10 pandemic. With new funding, recruitment, enrollment, and data collection began in April 2022 and will continue until April 2023. After refinement, the LEIFc intervention will be tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial. The long-term goal is to implement LEIFc in the curricula of federally funded maternal-child home visiting programs that serve vulnerable populations-those that often have infant feeding practices that do not align with recommendations and are less likely to use responsive infant feeding. DERR1-10.2196/44329.

Hearing Vocalizations during First Social Experience with Pups Increase Bdnf Transcription in Mouse Auditory Cortex.

While infant cues are often assumed to innately motivate maternal response, recent research highlights how the neural coding of infant cues is altered through maternal care. Infant vocalizations are important social signals for caregivers, and evidence from mice suggests that experience caring for mouse pups induces inhibitory plasticity in the auditory cortex (AC), though the molecular mediators for such AC plasticity during the initial pup experience are not well delineated. Here, we used the maternal mouse communication model to explore whether transcription in AC of a specific, inhibition-linked, memory-associated gene, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) changes due to the very first pup caring experience hearing vocalizations, while controlling for the systemic influence of the hormone estrogen. Ovariectomized and estradiol or blank-implanted virgin female mice hearing pup calls with pups present had significantly higher AC exon IV Bdnf mRNA compared to females without pups present, suggesting that the social context of vocalizations induces immediate molecular changes at the site of auditory cortical processing. E2 influenced the rate of maternal behavior but did not significantly affect Bdnf mRNA transcription in the AC. To our knowledge, this is the first time Bdnf has been associated with processing social vocalizations in the AC, and our results suggest that it is a potential molecular component responsible for enhancing future recognition of infant cues by contributing to AC plasticity.

Attentional Prioritization of Infant Faces in Parents: The Influence of Parents’ Experiences of Care

Infant faces are prioritized by the attentional system in parents, resulting in a greater cognitive engagement in terms of response time. However, many biological, contextual and environmental factors relating to this cognitive mechanism have been left unexplored. To fill this gap, this study aims to (i) confirm that infant faces engage more attention compared to adult faces; (ii) investigate whether the attention to infant faces is affected early care experiences of parents; (iii) explore the effect of parents' sex by taking the amount of involvement with early childcare into consideration. 51 mothers and 46 fathers completed a modified Go/no-Go task, a brief sociodemographic questionnaire, the short version of the Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection scale, and an ad-hoc question relating to the amount of parental involvement with early childcare. Parents' response times were slowed in the presence of infant versus adult faces. Parents whose mother was perceived as more sensitively accepting were more engaged by infant cues. By considering the amount of early parental involvement, the sex of parents did not significantly interact with the type of face. These findings provide new insights on the attention process in response to infant cues in parents and suggest that the investigation of experience-based factors may shed further light on this topic.

Gender differences in brain response to infant emotional faces

Infant emotional stimuli can preferentially engage adults’ attention and provide valuable information essential for successful interaction between adults and infants. Exploring the neural processes of recognizing infant stimuli promotes better understandings of the mother-infant attachment mechanisms. Here, combining task-functional magnetic resonance imaging (Task-fMRI) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), we investigated the effects of infants’ faces on the brain activity of adults. Two groups including 26 women and 25 men were recruited to participate in the current study. During the task-fMRI, subjects were exposed to images of infant emotional faces (including happy, neutral, and sad) randomly. We found that the brains of women and men reacted differently to infants’ faces, and these differential areas are in facial processing, attention, and empathetic networks. The rs-fMRI further showed that the connectivity of the default-mode network-related regions increased in women than in men. Additionally, brain activations in regions related to emotional networks were associated with the empathetic abilities of women. These differences in women might facilitate them to more effective and quick adjustments in behaviors and emotions during the nurturing infant period. The findings provide special implications and insights for understanding the neural processing of reacting to infant cues in adults.

Mapping the effects of pregnancy on resting state brain activity, white matter microstructure, neural metabolite concentrations and grey matter architecture

While animal studies have demonstrated a unique reproduction-related neuroplasticity, little is known on the effects of pregnancy on the human brain. Here we investigated whether pregnancy is associated with changes to resting state brain activity, white matter microstructure, neural metabolite concentrations and grey matter architecture using a comprehensive pre-conception cohort study. We show that pregnancy leads to selective and robust changes in neural architecture and neural network organization, which are most pronounced in the Default Mode Network. These neural changes correlated with pregnancy hormones, primarily third-trimester estradiol, while no associations were found with other factors such as osmotic effects, stress and sleep. Furthermore, the changes related to measures of maternal-fetal bonding, nesting behavior and the physiological responsiveness to infant cues, and predicted measures of mother-infant bonding and bonding impairments. These findings suggest there are selective pregnancy-related modifications in brain structure and function that may facilitate peripartum maternal processes of key relevance to the mother-infant dyad.

Sleep-deprived new mothers gave their infants a higher priority than themselves.

To understand why some parents are less sensitive to infant cues than others, we need to understand how healthy parents respond, and how this is influenced by factors such as sleep deprivation. Here, we examined whether sleep deprivation alters the self-infant-prioritisation effect in a population of first-time mothers within their first year of motherhood. The study took place at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark from August 2018 until February 2020. First-time mothers were recruited through Midwife clinics, national and social media. All women completed a perceptual matching task including an infant category. The mothers were divided into two groups depending on their sleep status: below or above 7 h of average night-time sleep, measured with actigraphy. Forty-eight first-time mothers at the age of 29.13 ± 3.87 years were included. In the sleep-deprived group, the infant category was statistically significantly higher in accuracy (p=0.005) and faster in reaction time (p < 0.001) than all other categories. In contrast, in the non-sleep-deprived group, there was no statistically significant difference between self and infant, neither in accuracy, nor reaction time. Sleep-deprived new mothers strongly prioritised infants over self, while non-sleep-deprived new mothers showed no prioritisation of the self over the infant.

Maternal History of Childhood Maltreatment and Brain Responses to Infant Cues Across the Postpartum Period.

Adults with histories of childhood maltreatment (CM) are more likely to display problematic parenting behaviors. The goal of this study was to examine changes in maternal brain activation to negative infant cues over the early postpartum period among new mothers with and without histories of CM, as this is a period of immense neuroplasticity in the maternal brain. CM was measured using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) conducted at approximately 5 and 13 weeks postpartum measured brain responses to own and unfamiliar infant cues in primiparous women. Women with histories of CM displayed increasing activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, and greater increases in anterior cingulate cortex activation was associated with maternal reports of less regulatory capacity in their infants. Preliminary results suggest that new mothers with CM histories display greater brain responses to negative infant cues compared to new mothers without CM histories. Women with CM histories may benefit from additional supports during the transition to parenthood.

Trait coping styles and the maternal neural and behavioral sensitivity to an infant

During the postpartum period, new mothers experience drastic changes in their body, brain, and life circumstances. Stress from the emotional and physical demands of caring for an infant is associated with negative mood and parenting outcomes. The use of active coping strategies can increase mothers’ resilience during the postpartum period. However, little is known about the association between coping styles and maternal brain responses to infant cues. In the current study, we examined the associations among trait coping style, maternal brain responses, and behavioral sensitivity in a socioeconomically diverse sample of first-time mothers (N = 59). The use of more active trait coping strategies compared to passive coping strategies was associated with increased brain responses to infant cry sounds in brain regions that are critically involved in motivation and emotion regulation—substantia nigra, anterior cingulate gyrus, and inferior frontal gyrus. Increased brain activations in the midbrain and anterior cingulate gyrus were further associated with higher levels of maternal sensitivity observed during interactions with the infant. Thus, the findings provide support for mothers’ use of more active coping styles to promote neural and behavioral resilience for a positive transition to parenthood.