The mother-infant relationship has been characterized as one of the most important relationships affecting the health and development of the human species. When that relationship involves child abuse or neglect, it is associated with cognitive and academic delays, psychiatric illness, social impairment and delinquency. However, little is known about the neuroendocrine processes underlying this attachment relationship. The long-term objectives of this career development award are: 1. To explore the neurobiological basis of mother-infant attachment, including neuroanatomical and neuroendocrine correlates; 2. To explore whether a disruption in these processes may be associated with child neglect and failure-to-thrive; and 3. To better understand how insecure or disorganized attachment may contribute to impaired cognitive and emotional development in children.
The aims of the research proposal are: 1. To identify functional neuroanatomical correlates of mother-infant attachment, measuring maternal functional MRI responses to infant facial cues; 2. To identify differences in mothers' infant-related stress responses, measuring sequential levels of blood oxytocin, cortisol and catecholamines; 3. To determine defferences in mother-infant contingency responses, using the Mirror Interaction Situation; and 4. To determine the degree of correlation between maternal and infant attachment classifications, using the Adult Attachment Interview on study entry, and the Strange Situation procedure 8 months later. Sixty right-handed first-time mothers will be enrolled in the study, along with their full-term infants, aged 8 months (+/- 1 month). The mother's attachment classification will be determined using the Adult Attachment Interview. Serum oxytocin, cortisol and catecholamine levels will be obtained sequentially from the mothers during a standardized period of mother-infant interaction, the Mirror Interaction Situation. During this time, infant facial expressions and patterns of mother-infant interaction will be videotaped and subsequently analysed. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional MRI (BOLD-fMRI) will then be used to measure maternal brain responses to infant facial cues, comparing her own infant with unknown infant facial images. Infant attachment will be assessed 8 months later using the Strange Situation procedure.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23HD043097-04
Application #
7156933
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHD1-DSR-H (02))
Program Officer
Freund, Lisa S
Project Start
2004-01-01
Project End
2008-12-31
Budget Start
2007-01-01
Budget End
2007-12-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$135,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Kim, Sohye; Iyengar, Udita; Mayes, Linda C et al. (2017) Mothers with substance addictions show reduced reward responses when viewing their own infant's face. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5421-5439
Kim, Sohye; Fonagy, Peter; Allen, Jon et al. (2014) Mothers who are securely attached in pregnancy show more attuned infant mirroring 7 months postpartum. Infant Behav Dev 37:491-504
Kim, Sohye; Fonagy, Peter; Allen, Jon et al. (2014) Mothers' unresolved trauma blunts amygdala response to infant distress. Soc Neurosci 9:352-63
Kim, Sohye; Fonagy, Peter; Koos, Orsolya et al. (2014) Maternal oxytocin response predicts mother-to-infant gaze. Brain Res 1580:133-42
Strathearn, Lane; Kim, Sohye (2013) Mothers' amygdala response to positive or negative infant affect is modulated by personal relevance. Front Neurosci 7:176
Strathearn, Lane; Iyengar, Udita; Fonagy, Peter et al. (2012) Maternal oxytocin response during mother-infant interaction: associations with adult temperament. Horm Behav 61:429-35
Shah, Prachi E; Fonagy, Peter; Strathearn, Lane (2010) Is attachment transmitted across generations? The plot thickens. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 15:329-45
Strathearn, Lane; Mayes, Linda C (2010) Cocaine addiction in mothers: potential effects on maternal care and infant development. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1187:172-83
Strathearn, Lane; Fonagy, Peter; Amico, Janet et al. (2009) Adult attachment predicts maternal brain and oxytocin response to infant cues. Neuropsychopharmacology 34:2655-66
Strathearn, Lane; Mamun, Abdullah A; Najman, Jake M et al. (2009) Does breastfeeding protect against substantiated child abuse and neglect? A 15-year cohort study. Pediatrics 123:483-93

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