Background
Experimental animal studies suggest that early glucocorticoid exposure may have lasting
effects on the neurodevelopment of the offspring; animal studies also suggest that
this effect may be eliminated by positive postnatal rearing. The relevance of these
findings to humans is not known.
Methods
We prospectively followed 125 mothers and their normally developing children from
pregnancy through 17 months postnatal. Amniotic fluid was obtained at, on average,
17.2 weeks gestation; infants were assessed at an average age of 17 months with the
Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and ratings of infant–mother attachment classification
were made from the standard Ainsworth Strange Situation assessment.
Results
Prenatal cortisol exposure, indexed by amniotic fluid levels, negatively predicted
cognitive ability in the infant, independent of prenatal, obstetric, and socioeconomic
factors. This association was moderated by child–mother attachment: in children with
an insecure attachment, the correlation was [r(54) = −.47, p < .001]; in contrast, the association was nonexistent in children who had a secure
attachment [r(70) = −.05, ns].
Conclusions
These findings mimic experimental animal findings and provide the first direct human
evidence that increased cortisol in utero is associated with impaired cognitive development,
and that its impact is dependent on the quality of the mother–infant relationship.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 02, 2010
Accepted:
January 8,
2010
Received in revised form:
November 9,
2009
Received:
May 26,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
