Marisabel Davalos

EEG activation in 1-month-old infants of depressed mothers

Previous research has documented differences in the pattern of EEG activation between 3-month-old infants of depressed mothers and infants of nondepressed mothers. In the present study, EEG was recorded in even younger 1-month-old infants of depressed and nondepressed mothers. The infants of depressed mothers exhibited greater relative right frontal EEG asymmetry (due to reduced left frontal activation), and this pattern at 1 month was significantly related to 3-month EEG asymmetry. Right frontal EEG asymmetry was also related to more frequent negative facial expressions (sad and pre-cry faces) during the Brazelton exam. Finally, the infants of depressed mothers showed more indeterminate sleep, were less active, and cried less than infants of nondepressed mothers.

Newborns of mothers with depressive symptoms are physiologically less developed

Sixty-three infants of mothers with depressive symptoms were compared on physiology and behavior to infants of nonsymptomatic mothers. The newborns of depressive mothers had greater relative right frontal EEG asymmetry (due to reduced left hemisphere activation), lower vagal tone, and less optimal scores on the Brazelton, suggesting that maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy may be contributing to newborn neurobehavioral functioning.

EEG Stability in Infants/Children of Depressed Mothers

The stability of EEG was examined in infants of depressed (BDI > 16) and non-depressed mothers (BDI < 9) from 3 months to 3 years. Of the 32 infants seen at 3 months, 15 were seen again at 3 years of age. Seven of the eight children who had exhibited right frontal EEG asymmetry as infants still showed that EEG asymmetry pattern at the 3 year visit. Children with right frontal EEG asymmetry at 3 years were observed to be more inhibited during an exploratory play task, and children of depressed versus non-depressed mothers were less empathetic during simulated maternal distress.

Infants of intrusive and withdrawn mothers

Two styles of mother-infant interactions have been observed in depressed mothers, including an intrusive style (overstimulating behavior) and a withdrawn style (understimulating behavior). To examine how these styles affect infants, we assessed 87 infants and their mothers, who had been assigned to “intrusive” or “withdrawn” profiles, based on their face-to-face interactive behaviors with their 3-month-old infants. Behavioral assessments were made at 3, 6, and 12 months. The results indicated that infants of withdrawn mothers showed less optimal interactive behavior, greater relative right frontal EEG asymmetry (due to decreased left frontal EEG activation and increased right frontal EEG activation), and lower Bayley Mental Scale scores at 1 year. Infants of intrusive mothers had higher catecholamine and dopamine levels, and their EEG patterns showed greater relative left frontal EEG asymmetry (due to increased left frontal EEG activation and decreased right frontal EEG activation).

GREATER RIGHT FRONTAL EEG ASYMMETRY AND NONEMPHATHIC BEHAVIOR ARE OBSERVED IN CHILDREN PRENATALLY EXPOSED TO COCAINE

Responses to emotion-inducing stimuli were examined in 27, 3- to 6-year-old children, who were prenatally exposed to cocaine, and 27 unexposed controls. Children were monitored for EEG activity and their affect during an infant crying, simulated maternal distress, and a mildly frustrating task. Multivariate analyses indicated that the cocaine-exposed children had greater right frontal EEG asymmetry, showed fewer empathic reactions to a crying infant as well as to their own mothers, and they were less proficient in completing a cooperative task. These findings highlight the need for continued longitudinal research on the effects of early drug exposure for later socio-emotional development

Massage therapy attenuates right frontal EEG asymmetry in one-month-old infants of depressed mothers

Massage therapy attenuated right frontal EEG asymmetry in one-month-old infants of depressed mothers. Right frontal EEG asymmetry (a pattern associated with depression) decreased during and immediately following the massage session, indicating that massage therapy reduced EEG asymmetry and might possibly reduce symptoms of depression.

Bottlefeeding with a Breast‐like Nipple

Forty normal one‐month‐old infants were randomly assigned to a breast‐like nipple (Healthflow) bottlefeeding or a standard nipple (Evenflo) bottlefeeding group for one 20‐minute feeding by the infants’ mothers. The data suggested that the mothers’ bottlefeeding behaviors did not differ, but the infants who fed on the breast‐like nipples spent less time asleep, more time awake and active and less time fussing and crying. In addition, the vagal tone of that group decreased more during bottlefeeding and increased more after the feeding, suggesting that the breast‐like nipple bottlefeedings were more similar to breastfeedings (vagal tone being lower during breastfeeding and higher after breastfeeding versus bottlefeeding). Because many women who breastfeed return to work, bottlefeeding that more closely approximate breastfeedings may ease this transition and may provide more effective supplemental feedings for the breastfed infants.