Hub distribution of the brain functional networks of newborns prenatally exposed to maternal depression and SSRI antidepressants

• Published in: Depression and anxiety Vol. 36; no. 8; pp. 753 - 765
• Main Authors: Rotem‐Kohavi, Naama, Williams, Lynne J., Muller, Angela M., Abdi, Hervé, Virji‐Babul, Naznin, Bjornson, Bruce H., Brain, Ursula, Werker, Janet F., Grunau, Ruth E., Miller, Steven P., Oberlander, Tim F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Hindawi Limited 01-08-2019
• Subjects: Adult; Amygdala; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Babies; Brain - drug effects; Brain - physiopathology; Brain architecture; Brain mapping; Brain Mapping - methods; Child Development - drug effects; depression; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - physiopathology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Female; fMRI; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Functional morphology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Mental depression; Mothers - psychology; Neonates; Neural Pathways - diagnostic imaging; Neural Pathways - drug effects; Neuroimaging; Newborn babies; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - drug therapy; Pregnancy Complications - physiopathology; Pregnancy Complications - psychology; Prenatal depression; Prenatal experience; Prenatal exposure; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - physiopathology; Serotonin uptake inhibitors; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; SSRIs; Temperament - drug effects; fMRI; prenatal exposure; depression; SSRIs; infant
• ISSN: 1091-4269; 1520-6394
• DOI: 10.1002/da.22906

Background
Prenatal maternal depression (PMD) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants are associated with increased developmental risk in infants. Reports suggest that PMD is associated with hyperconnectivity of the insula and the amygdala, while SSRI exposure is associated with hyperconnectivity of the auditory network in the infant brain. However, associations between functional brain organization and PMD and/or SSRI exposure are not well understood.
Methods
We examined the relation between PMD or SSRI exposure and neonatal brain functional organization. Infants of control (n = 17), depressed SSRI‐treated (n = 20) and depressed‐only (HAM‐D ≥ 8) (n = 16) women, underwent resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging at postnatal Day 6. At 6 months, temperament was assessed using Infant Behavioral Questionnaire (IBQ). We applied GTA and partial least square regression (PLSR) to the resting‐state time series to assess group differences in modularity, and connector and provincial hubs.
Results
Modularity was similar across all groups. The depressed‐only group showed higher connector hub values in the left anterior cingulate, insula, and caudate as well as higher provincial hub values in the amygdala compared to the control group. The SSRI group showed higher provincial hub values in Heschl's gyrus relative to the depressed‐only group. PLSR showed that newborns’ hub values predicted 10% of the variability in infant temperament at 6 months, suggesting different developmental patterns between groups.
Conclusions
Prenatal exposures to maternal depression and SSRIs have differential impacts on neonatal functional brain organization. Hub values at 6 days predict variance in temperament between infant groups at 6 months of age.