Across continents and demographics, unpredictable maternal signals are associated with children's cognitive functionResearch in Context

Elysia Poggi Davis; Riikka Korja; Linnea Karlsson; Laura M. Glynn; Curt A. Sandman; Brian Vegetabile; Eeva-Leena Kataja; Saara Nolvi; Eija Sinervä; Juho Pelto; Hasse Karlsson; Hal S. Stern; Tallie Z. Baram

EBioMedicine (Aug 2019)

Across continents and demographics, unpredictable maternal signals are associated with children's cognitive functionResearch in Context

Elysia Poggi Davis,
Riikka Korja,
Linnea Karlsson,
Laura M. Glynn,
Curt A. Sandman,
Brian Vegetabile,
Eeva-Leena Kataja,
Saara Nolvi,
Eija Sinervä,
Juho Pelto,
Hasse Karlsson,
Hal S. Stern,
Tallie Z. Baram

Affiliations

Elysia Poggi Davis: Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, 2155 South Race Street, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208-3500, USA.
Riikka Korja: Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Linnea Karlsson: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Laura M. Glynn: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Psychology, Chapman University, 544 N. Cypress St., Orange, CA 92867, USA
Curt A. Sandman: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Brian Vegetabile: Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Bren Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Eeva-Leena Kataja: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Saara Nolvi: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Eija Sinervä: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Juho Pelto: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Hasse Karlsson: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Hal S. Stern: Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Bren Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Tallie Z. Baram: Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt, Hall Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Hewitt Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 46
pp. 256 – 263

Abstract

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Background: Early life experiences have persisting influence on brain function throughout life. Maternal signals constitute a primary source of early life experiences, and their quantity and quality during sensitive developmental periods exert enduring effects on cognitive function and emotional and social behaviors. Here we examined if, in addition to established qualitative dimensions of maternal behavior during her interactions with her infant and child, patterns of maternal signals may contribute to the maturation of children's executive functions. We focused primarily on effortful control, a potent predictor of mental health outcomes later in life. Methods: In two independent prospective cohorts in Turku, Finland (N = 135), and Irvine, CA, USA (N = 192) that differed significantly in race/ethnicity and sociodemographic parameters, we assessed whether infant exposure to unpredictable patterns of maternal-derived sensory signals portended poor effortful control. Outcomes: In both the Irvine and Turku cohorts, unpredictable sequences of maternal behavior during infancy were associated with worse effortful control at one year of age. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that this association persisted for as long as each cohort was assessed-until two years of age in the Turku cohort and to 9.5 years in the Irvine cohort. The relation of unpredictable maternal signals during infancy and the measures of executive function persisted after adjusting for covariates. Interpretations: The consistency of our findings across two cohorts from different demographic backgrounds substantiated the finding that patterns, and specifically unpredictable sequences, of maternal behaviors may influence the development of executive functions which may be associated with vulnerability to subsequent psychopathology. Fund: This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards P50MH096889, HD051852, NS041298, HD02413, HD050662, HD065823, and by the FinnBrain funders: Academy of Finland (129839, 134950, 253270, 286829, 287908, 308176, 308252), Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, and State Research Grants (P3498, P3654). Keywords: Predictability, Early adversity, Development, Cognition, Maternal care

Published in EBioMedicine

ISSN: 2352-3964 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General)
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/ebiomedicine/

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