Maternal Childhood Maltreatment is Associated with Lower Infant Grey Matter Volume and Amygdala Volume During the First Two Years of Life

Abstract Objective Child maltreatment affects approximately 25% of the world's population. Importantly, the children of mothers who have been maltreated are at increased risk of behavioral problems. Thus, one important priority is to identify child neurobiological processes associated with maternal childhood maltreatment (MCM) that might contribute to such intergenerational transmission. The present study assessed the impact of MCM on infant grey and white matter volumes and infant amygdala and hippocampal volumes during the first two years of life. Methods Fifty-seven mothers with 4-month-old infants were assessed for MCM, using both the brief Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screening questionnaire and the more detailed Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure scale (MACE). 58% had experienced childhood maltreatment. Between 4 and 24 months (M age=12.28 months, SD = 5.99), under natural sleep, infants completed an MRI using a 3.0 T Siemens scanner. Total brain volume (TBV), grey matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), amygdala and hippocampal volumes were extracted via automated segmentation. Results MCM on the ACE and MACE were associated with lower infant TBV and GMV, with no moderation by infant age. However, infant age moderated the association between MCM and right amygdala volume, such that MCM was associated with lower volume at older ages. Conclusion MCM is associated with alterations in infant brain volumes, calling for further identification of the prenatal and postnatal mechanisms contributing to such intergenerational transmission. Further, the brief ACE questionnaire predicted these alterations, suggesting the potential utility of early screening for infant risk.