Pandemics such as the Covid-19 pandemic have shown to impact our physical and mental well-being, with particular challenges for children and families. We describe data from 43 adults (31♀, ages = 22–51; 21 mothers) and 26 children (10♀, ages = 7–17 years) including pre-pandemic brain function and seven assessment points during the first months of the pandemic. We investigated (1) changes in child and adult well-being, (2) mother–child associations of mental well-being, and (3) associations between pre-pandemic brain activation during mentalizing and later fears or burden. In adults the prevalence of clinically significant anxiety-levels was 34.88% and subthreshold depression 32.56%. Caregiver burden in parents was moderately elevated. Overall, scores of depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden decreased across the 11 weeks after Covid-19-onset. Children’s behavioral and emotional problems during Covid-19 did not significantly differ from pre-pandemic levels and decreased during restrictions. Mothers’ subjective burden of care was associated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems, while depression levels in mothers were related to children’s mood. Furthermore, meeting friends was a significant predictor of children’s mood during early restrictions. Pre-pandemic neural correlates of mentalizing in prefrontal regions preceded later development of fear of illnesses and viruses in all participants, while temporoparietal activation preceded higher subjective burden in mothers.

Background Substantial evidence acknowledges the complex gene-environment interplay impacting brain development and learning. Intergenerational neuroimaging allows the assessment of familial transfer effects on brain structure, function and behavior by investigating neural similarity in caregiver-child dyads. Methods Neural similarity in the human reading network was assessed through well-used measures of brain structure (i.e., surface area (SA), gyrification (lG), sulcal morphology, gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT)) in 69 mother-child dyads (children’s age~11 y). Regions of interest for the reading network included left-hemispheric inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobe and fusiform gyrus. Mother-child similarity was quantified by correlation coefficients and familial specificity was tested by comparison to random adult-child dyads. Sulcal morphology analyses focused on occipitotemporal sulcus interruptions and similarity was assessed by chi-square goodness of fit. Results Significant structural brain similarity was observed for mother-child dyads in the reading network for lG, SA and GMV ( r = 0.349/0.534/0.542, respectively), but not CT. Sulcal morphology associations were non-significant. Structural brain similarity in lG, SA and GMV were specific to mother-child pairs. Furthermore, structural brain similarity for SA and GMV was higher compared to CT. Conclusion Intergenerational neuroimaging techniques promise to enhance our knowledge of familial transfer effects on brain development and disorders.

Covid-19 and associated restrictions have been linked to negative mental health outcomes across the globe. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies, neurally supported by prefrontal and limbic regions, constitute means to mitigate negative affects resulting from adverse life experiences. Variations in cognitive emotion regulation strategy use, anxiety and depression were assessed in 43 adults (31♀/12♂, age=35.14±9.20y) during the first months following Covid-19 onset and at the end of 2020 (seven assessments). Direct and indirect effects of emotion regulatory brain structures assessed prior to the pandemic and emotion regulation strategy use during the pandemic were assessed in relation to mental well-being. Varying levels of anxiety and depression were observed. While adaptive emotion regulation strategies were most frequently employed, maladaptive strategies explained the highest variation in anxiety and depression scores. The effectiveness of specific emotion regulation strategies varied. Momentary emotion regulation strategy use mediated the association between cortical thickness in right lateral prefrontal cortex assessed prior to the pandemic and mental health during the pandemic. Early mental health measures impacted later mental well-being. Maladaptive strategies have a negative effect on mental health during prolonged stress as induced by pandemics, providing possible targets for intervention.

We describe data on an extensively characterized group of children and adults (N=69, 41♀, age range=7-51y, including 26 children and mothers) with a total of ~2’500 tests conducted prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our findings indicate significant effects of Covid-19-related restrictions on mental well-being and psychosocial functioning in children and adults, with changes associated with duration or easing of restrictions. Well-being in mother-child dyads was strongly correlated. For children, time spent outside and friends met were a significant predictor of mood. Additionally, neural correlates of mentalizing in prefrontal regions, assessed prior to Covid-19, preceded later development of fear of illnesses and viruses for all participants, while, among mothers, temporoparietal activation preceded higher perceived burden of care during restrictions.

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Background. Covid-19 and associated restrictions have been linked to negative mental health outcomes across the globe. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies constitute means to mitigating negative affect and are associated with prefrontal and limbic brain regions. Methods. Variations in cognitive emotion regulation strategy use, anxiety and depression in 43 adults (31♀, average age=35.14±9.20y) and emotional and behavioral problems in 26 children (10♀, average age=10.69±2.52y) were tested seven times following Covid-19 onset (March-December 2020). Relationships between pre-pandemic brain structure, use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies and mental well-being were tested using multiple regression and mediation models. Results. Covid-19 and associated restrictions were linked to heightened, but varying levels of anxiety and depression across 2020. While adaptive strategies were most employed, maladaptive strategies explained the highest variation in negative mental health outcomes (i.e., anxiety and depression). Adaptive strategies had a positive, maladaptive strategies a negative effect, however, this direction varied for some strategies when considering long-term effects. Emotion regulation strategy use mediated the association between pre-pandemic brain structure (i.e., cortical thickness) in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and well-being, with prefrontal-amygdala coupling as a possible driving factor. Additionally, early well-being measures were crucial for later well-being. Conclusion. Our findings support the use of early intervention strategies for mental health consequences due to the pandemic. Due to substantial personal and societal costs associated with mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, an early identification of risk factors for the development and treatment response are of utmost importance.

Covid-19 and associated restrictions greatly impact our physical and mental well-being, with particular challenges for children and families. We describe data from adults and children (N = 69, 41♀, age range = 7-51y, including 26 children and mothers), including pre-pandemic brain function and ~ 2’500 tests acquired during the early pandemic. We investigated (1) variability in child and adult well-being, (2) mother-child associations of mental well-being during the first months of the pandemic, and (3) the association between pre-pandemic neural brain correlates during mentalizing and later fears or subjective burden. Significant variation in mental health was observed in both, adults (e.g., anxiety, depression, or caregiver burden) and children (mood and emotional and behavioral problems). Mothers’ subjective burden of care was associated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems, while depression levels in mothers impacted children’s mood. Furthermore, friends met was a significant predictor of children’s mood during restrictions. Pre-pandemic neural correlates of mentalizing in prefrontal regions preceded later development of fear of illnesses and viruses in all participants, while temporoparietal activation preceded higher subjective burden in mothers. This study demonstrates a significant effect on, and variations in, mental well-being in adults and children during the early phase of Covid-19, emphasizes dyadic effects and possible neural precursors.

Background: Substantial evidence acknowledges the complex gene-environment interplay impacting brain development and learning. Intergenerational neuroimaging allows the assessment of familial transfer effects on brain structure, function and behavior by investigating neural similarity in caregiver-child dyads. Methods: Neural similarity in the human reading network was assessed through well-used measures of brain structure (i.e., surface area (SA), gyrification (lG), sulcal morphology, gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT)) in 69 mother-child dyads (children’s age~11y). Regions of interest for the reading network included left-hemispheric inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobe and fusiform gyrus. Mother-child similarity was quantified by correlation coefficients and familial specificity was tested by comparison to random adult-child dyads. Sulcal morphology analyses focused on occipitotemporal sulcus interruptions and similarity was assessed by chi-square goodness of fit. Results: Significant structural brain similarity was observed for mother-child dyads in the reading network for lG, SA and GMV (r=0.349/0.534/0.542, respectively), but not CT. Sulcal morphology associations were non-significant. Structural brain similarity in lG, SA and GMV were specific to parent- child pairs. Furthermore, structural brain similarity for SA and GMV was higher compared to CT. Conclusion: Intergenerational neuroimaging techniques promise to enhance our knowledge of familial transfer effects on brain development and disorders.