Association between theta power in 6-month old infants at rest and maternal PTSD severity: A pilot study

Pilar M Sanjuan; Carly Poremba; Lucinda R Flynn; Renate Savich; Robert D Annett; Julia Stephen

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2016.07.048

Association between theta power in 6-month old infants at rest and maternal PTSD severity: A pilot study

Neurosci Lett. 2016 Sep 6:630:120-126. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.07.048. Epub 2016 Jul 26.

Authors

Pilar M Sanjuan¹, Carly Poremba², Lucinda R Flynn³, Renate Savich⁴, Robert D Annett⁵, Julia Stephen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale Boulevard, SE, MSC11-6280, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale Boulevard, SE, MSC11-6280, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ The Mind Research Network, Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, 1101 Yale Blvd, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39216, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39216, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ The Mind Research Network, Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, 1101 Yale Blvd, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

Compared to infants born to mothers without PTSD, infants born to mothers with active PTSD develop poorer behavioral reactivity and emotional regulation. However, the association between perinatal maternal PTSD and infant neural activation remains largely unknown. This pilot study (N=14) examined the association between perinatal PTSD severity and infant frontal neural activity, as measured by MEG theta power during rest. Results indicated that resting left anterior temporal/frontal theta power was correlated with perinatal PTSD severity (p=0.004). These findings suggest delayed cortical maturation in infants whose mothers had higher perinatal PTSD severity and generate questions regarding perinatal PTSD severity and infant neurophysiological consequences.

Keywords: Infant; Left anterior temporal; Magnetoencephalography; Perinatal; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Theta power.

MeSH terms

Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
Child of Impaired Parents*
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Infant, Premature
Magnetoencephalography
Mothers / psychology*
Neuropsychological Tests
Pilot Projects
Severity of Illness Index
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Theta Rhythm*

Abstract

MeSH terms

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