Tag : Cognitive

Washington:  According to a new study at the Children's National Hospital, increased stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women altered key features of the fetal brain which subsequently cause a decline in cognitive development in offspring at 18 months of age. The findings of the research were published in the journal 'JAMA Network'. Researchers followed a cohort of 97 pregnant women and their babies. The changes also increased internalization and dysregulation behaviour. The findings further suggest that persistent psychological distress after the baby is born may influence the parent-child interaction and infant self-regulation. This is the first study to shed light on an important link between altered in-utero fetal brain development and the long-term cognitive development consequences for fetuses exposed to high levels of toxic stress during pregnancy. While in the womb, the researchers observed changes in the sulcal depth and left hippocampal volume, which could explain the neurodevelopment issues seen after birth. Once they grow into toddlers, these children may experience persistent social-emotional problems and have difficulty establishing positive relationships with others, including their mothers. To further confirm this, future studies with a larger sample size that reflect more regions and populations are needed. "By identifying the pregnant women with elevated levels of psychological distress, clinicians could recognize those babies who are at risk for later neurodevelopmental impairment and might benefit from early, targeted interventions," said Catherine Limperopoulos, PhD, chief and director of the Developing Brain Institute at Children's National and senior author of the study. Regardless of their socioeconomi ...