A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Association of cumulative prenatal adversity with infant subcortical structure volumes and child problem behavior and its moderation by a coexpression polygenic risk score of the serotonin system
Authors: Acosta Henriette, Kantojärvi Katri, Tuulari Jetro J, Lewis John D, Hashempour Niloofar, Scheinin Noora M, Lehtola Satu J, Nolvi Saara, Fonov Vladimir S, Collins D Louis, Evans Alan C, Parkkola Riitta, Lähdesmäki Tuire, Saunavaara Jani, Merisaari Harri, Karlsson Linnea, Paunio Tiina, Karlsson Hasse
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
Publication year: 2023
Journal: Development and Psychopathology
Journal name in source: DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Journal acronym: DEV PSYCHOPATHOL
Article number: PII S0954579423000275
Number of pages: 16
ISSN: 0954-5794
eISSN: 1469-2198
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579423000275
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579423000275
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/179459272
Prenatal adversity has been linked to later psychopathology. Yet, research on cumulative prenatal adversity, as well as its interaction with offspring genotype, on brain and behavioral development is scarce. With this study, we aimed to address this gap. In Finnish mother-infant dyads, we investigated the association of a cumulative prenatal adversity sum score (PRE-AS) with (a) child emotional and behavioral problems assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 4 and 5 years (N = 1568, 45.3% female), (b) infant amygdalar and hippocampal volumes (subsample N = 122), and (c) its moderation by a hippocampal-specific coexpression polygenic risk score based on the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene. We found that higher PRE-AS was linked to greater child emotional and behavioral problems at both time points, with partly stronger associations in boys than in girls. Higher PRE-AS was associated with larger bilateral infant amygdalar volumes in girls compared to boys, while no associations were found for hippocampal volumes. Further, hyperactivity/inattention in 4-year-old girls was related to both genotype and PRE-AS, the latter partially mediated by right amygdalar volumes as preliminary evidence suggests. Our study is the first to demonstrate a dose-dependent sexually dimorphic relationship between cumulative prenatal adversity and infant amygdalar volumes.
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