Lean Rachel E, Kenley Jeanette K, Latham Aidan R, Smyser Tara A, Neil Jeffrey J, Nielsen Ashley N, Sylvester Chad M, Miller J Philip, Shimony Joshua J, Luby Joan L, Barch Deanna M, Warner Barbara B, Smyser Christopher D, Rogers Cynthia E
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 May 5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2025.04.016.
Early life adversity alters the structure and function of higher-order brain networks that subserve executive function (EF). The extent that prenatal exposure to adversity and neonatal white matter (WM) microstructure and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) underlie problems in emerging EF remains unclear.
This prospective study includes 164 infants (45% female, 85% term-born) who were recruited prenatally and underwent neonatal diffusion and rs-fc magnetic resonance imaging scans. Social disadvantage and maternal psychosocial stress were assessed in the prenatal period. At age 2 years, children completed the Minnesota Executive Function Scale. Multivariable regression, moderation, and mediation analyses examined associations between prenatal adversity, neonatal WM microstructure and rs-fc, and emerging EF outcome.
Prenatal social disadvantage (PSD), but not maternal psychosocial stress, was associated with poorer emerging EF. After multiple comparison correction, higher mean diffusivity (MD) and lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the corpus callosum, as well as higher MD in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and corticospinal tract and lower FA in the uncinate, related to poorer emerging EF. In moderation analysis, associations between neonatal WM microstructure and emerging EF did not vary as a function of PSD. In mediation analyses, neonatal WM microstructure did not attenuate the association between PSD and emerging EF. The rs-fc findings did not pass multiple comparison correction.
PSD was related to poorer emerging EF outcomes. Neonatal WM microstructure was also related to emerging EF, with similar associations for children with lower or higher PSD. Prenatal social welfare programs may support neonatal brain development and early neurodevelopmental outcomes.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT: We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way.
早年生活逆境会改变服务于执行功能（EF）的高阶脑网络的结构和功能。产前暴露于逆境以及新生儿白质（WM）微观结构和静息态功能连接（rs-fc）在多大程度上是新兴EF出现问题的基础尚不清楚。
这项前瞻性研究纳入了164名婴儿（45%为女性，85%为足月儿），他们在产前被招募，并接受了新生儿扩散和rs-fc磁共振成像扫描。在孕期评估了社会劣势和母亲的心理社会压力。在2岁时，儿童完成了明尼苏达执行功能量表。多变量回归、调节和中介分析检验了产前逆境、新生儿WM微观结构和rs-fc与新兴EF结果之间的关联。
产前社会劣势（PSD）而非母亲的心理社会压力与较差的新兴EF相关。经过多重比较校正后，胼胝体中较高的平均扩散率（MD）和较低的各向异性分数（FA），以及额枕下束和皮质脊髓束中较高的MD和钩束中较低的FA，与较差的新兴EF相关。在调节分析中，新生儿WM微观结构与新兴EF之间的关联并不随PSD而变化。在中介分析中，新生儿WM微观结构并未减弱PSD与新兴EF之间的关联。rs-fc的研究结果未通过多重比较校正。
PSD与较差的新兴EF结果相关。新生儿WM微观结构也与新兴EF相关，对于PSD较低或较高的儿童，其关联相似。产前社会福利项目可能支持新生儿脑发育和早期神经发育结果。
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