Examining the relationship between prenatal depression, amygdala-prefrontal structural connectivity and behaviour in preschool children

Prenatal depression is a common, underrecognized, and undertreated condition with negative consequences on child behaviour and brain development. Neurological dysfunction of the amygdala, cingulate cortex and hippocampus are associated with the development of depression and stress disorders in youth and adults. Although prenatal depression is associated with both child behaviour and neurological dysfunction, the relationship between these variables remains unclear. In this study, fifty-four mothers completed the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) during the second and third trimester of pregnancy and 3 months postpartum. Their children’s behaviour was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), and the children had diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at age 4.1 +/− 0.8 years. Associations between prenatal depressive symptoms, child behaviour, and child brain structure were investigated. Third trimester EDS scores were associated with altered white matter in the amygdala-frontal tract and the cingulum, controlling for postpartum depression. Externalizing behaviour was sexually differentiated in the amygdala-frontal pathway. Altered structural connectivity between the amygdala and frontal cortex mediated the relationship between third trimester maternal depressive symptoms and child externalizing behaviour in males, but not females. These findings suggest that altered brain structure is a possible mechanism via which prenatal depressive symptoms can impact child behaviour, highlighting the importance of both recognition and intervention in prenatal depression.