Examining the relationship between perinatal depression and neurodevelopment in infants and children through structural and functional neuroimaging research

Abstract

Depression is the most common perinatal psychiatric disorder, but little is known about how it may impact offspring neurodevelopment, as well as the mechanisms by which it may confer transgenerational psychiatric risk. This review presents imaging studies conducted to evaluate the relationship between perinatal depression (PND) and infant and child neurodevelopment. Altered structural and functional connectivity is implicated in children exposed to PND and anxiety. Overall, there are changes in connectivity between amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. Studies suggest decreased hippocampal growth in the first 6 months after birth, decreased cortical thickness in children, and increased amygdala volumes, that are more pronounced in female offspring. Future research is needed to understand the impact of PND on development so that early interventions which promote mother–infant bonding and cognitive development may improve developmental outcomes in children exposed to PND, reducing later risk of psychopathology.

Keywords:

• Perinatal
• postnatal
• depression
• magnetic resonance imaging
• neuroimaging
• anxiety
• infant
• child

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Janice Lester, MLS; Reference and Education Librarian; Health Science Library; Long Island Jewish Medical Center; Northwell Health.

Informed consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant [5K23MH097794]. Dr. Deligiannidis currently receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health and SAGE Therapeutics and receives royalties from an NIH Employee Invention. Dr. Deligiannidis has served as a consultant for Sage Therapeutics. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the NIH.