Adult attachment is related to maternal neural response to infant cues: an ERP study

ABSTRACT

Maternal attachment security is an important predictor of caregiving . However, little is known regarding the neurobiological mechanisms by which attachment influences processing of infant cues, a critical component of caregiving. We examined whether attachment security, measured by the Adult Attachment Interview, might relate to neural responses to infant cues using event-related potentials. Secure (n=35) and insecure (n=24) mothers viewed photographs of infant faces and heard recordings of infant vocalizations while electroencephalography was recorded. We examined initial processing of infant faces (N170) and cries (N100), and attentional allocation to infant faces and cries (P300). Secure mothers were significantly faster than insecure mothers to orient to infant cries (N100), structurally encode their own infant’s face (N170), and attend to infant faces (P300). These differences may elucidate mechanisms underlying how attachment may shape neural processing of infant cues and highlight the use ofsocial neuroscientific approaches in examining clinically relevant aspects of attachment.

KEYWORDS:

• Infant cues
• mothers
• adult attachment
• ERP
• social neuroscience

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest with respect to the content of this manuscript. Dr. Potenza has: consulted for and advised Rivermend Health, Opiant/Lightlake Therapeutics and Jazz Pharmaceuticals; received research support from the Mohegan Sun Casino and the National Center for Responsible Gaming; and consulted for legal and gambling entities on issues related to impulse-control disorders and addictions. The other authors report no disclosures.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health [R01 DA026437-08 and T32 DA019426]. Dr. Potenza’s involvement was supported through the National Center for Responsible Gaming Center of Excellence grant. The views presented in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies.