This revised Senior Scientist Award application seeks to conduct research on maternal depression effects. The proposed model and studies follow from recent pilot data suggesting that: 1) withdrawn and intrusive depressed mothers have differential effects on their infants' behavior and development; and 2) infants of withdrawn depressed mothers show dysregulation as early as the neonatal period (unresponsive behavior, low activity level, indeterminate sleep, low vagal tone, right frontal EEG activation, elevated norepinephrine and low dopamine levels). Based on these data, predictions are made about how these infants might differ from the fetal (last trimester) to the preschool stage on behavioral/physiological/neurotransmitter measures. The model suggests that a neurotransmitter imbalance in the withdrawn depressed mothers (elevated norepinephrine/depressed dopamine) during pregnancy may contribute to their newborns' dysregulation (with precursor signs of lower fetal activity and heart rate variability) and that the dysregulation pattern at the neonatal period is then compounded by inadequate stimulation and arousal modulation from the withdrawn depressed mothers. The model will be tested by recruiting depressed mothers at the prenatal stage, then identifying those depressed mothers who are withdrawn or intrusive at the 3-month postnatal stage, and following the dyads prospectively to the preschool stage. Mentoring/collaborative activities will include inviting colleagues researching: 1) fetal behavior; 2) brain activity monitoring; or 3) neurotransmitter activity to a working symposium, inviting them again for group consulting visits and visiting their laboratories to learn Doppler technology for recording fetal movement and heart rate, to improve facial expression coding, to update EEG recording and to learn newer monitoring technologies as well as the complex interactions between neurotransmitter systems. Hopefully the research will help identify the infants of depressed mothers who are most at risk, as well as suggest specific interventions for the different profile depressed mother-infant dyads.
| Field, Tiffany (2010) Postpartum depression effects on early interactions, parenting, and safety practices: a review. Infant Behav Dev 33:1-6 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria et al. (2010) Comorbid depression and anxiety effects on pregnancy and neonatal outcome. Infant Behav Dev 33:23-9 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria (2010) Prenatal depression effects and interventions: a review. Infant Behav Dev 33:409-18 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria (2010) Preterm infant massage therapy research: a review. Infant Behav Dev 33:115-24 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria et al. (2010) Depressed mothers and infants are more relaxed during breastfeeding versus bottlefeeding interactions: brief report. Infant Behav Dev 33:241-4 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria et al. (2009) Depressed pregnant black women have a greater incidence of prematurity and low birthweight outcomes. Infant Behav Dev 32:10-6 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria (2009) Depressed mothers' infants are less responsive to faces and voices. Infant Behav Dev 32:239-44 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria et al. (2009) Prenatal dysthymia versus major depression effects on early mother-infant interactions: a brief report. Infant Behav Dev 32:129-31 |
| Field, Tiffany; Deeds, Osvelia; Diego, Miguel et al. (2009) Benefits of combining massage therapy with group interpersonal psychotherapy in prenatally depressed women. J Bodyw Mov Ther 13:297-303 |
| Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria et al. (2008) Prenatal dopamine and neonatal behavior and biochemistry. Infant Behav Dev 31:590-3 |
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