Maternal caregiving moderates the impact of antenatal maternal cortisol on infant stress regulation

Nazzari, Sarah, Fearon, Pasco, Rice, Frances ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-1729, Molteni, Massimo and Frigerio, Alessandra 2022. Maternal caregiving moderates the impact of antenatal maternal cortisol on infant stress regulation. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 63 (8) , pp. 871-880. 10.1111/jcpp.13532

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Abstract

Background Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects the development of the infant stress response systems. Animal studies indicate that maternal sensitive caregiving can reverse some of these effects. However, the generalizability of these findings to humans is unknown. This study investigated the role of maternal caregiving in the association between multiple markers of maternal antenatal stress and infant stress regulation. Methods The sample consisted of 94 mother-infant (N = 47 males, mean postnatal weeks = 12; SD = 1.84) dyads. Maternal levels of Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), diurnal cortisol and alpha amylase, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age = 34.76; SD = 1.12), whereas postnatal symptomatology, caregiving, and infant cortisol response to the inoculation were evaluated at 3 months. Results Hierarchical linear models (HLMs) showed a significant interaction between maternal antenatal cortisol, caregiving, and time on infant cortisol reactivity, while controlling for gender, maternal age, and postnatal depression. Specifically, higher levels of maternal antenatal cortisol were associated with greater cortisol response only among infants of less emotionally available mothers. All other markers of antenatal stress were not significantly associated with infant cortisol reactivity either independently or in interaction with maternal caregiving. Conclusions Albeit preliminary, results provide the first evidence in humans that maternal sensitive caregiving may eliminate the association between antenatal maternal cortisol and infant cortisol regulation.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0021-9630
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 September 2021
Date of Acceptance:	8 September 2021
Last Modified:	07 Nov 2023 05:18
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/144084

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