Maternal Mental Health Moderates the Relationship Between Oxytocin and Interactive Behavior

Samuel, Simcha; Hayton, Barbara; Gold, Ian; Feeley, Nancy; Carter, C. Sue; Zelkowitz, Phyllis

doi:10.1002/imhj.21521

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 81 publications

(126 reference statements)

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“…Blockage of OTRs within the medial PFC of rats prevents the normal attenuation of maternal anxiety and increases maternal aggressive behavior (Sabihi et al 2014). In human studies, higher ante-or postpartum endogenous OT levels have been found associated with positive maternal caregiving behavior, mother-infant bonding, and maternal attachment behavior, particularly in women with more psychosocial stress and anxiety (Strathearn et al 2012;Zelkowitz et al 2014;Samuel et al 2015). However, the normal association between higher peripartum endogenous OT secretion and positive parenting was found disrupted in mothers with adverse childhood experiences (Julian et al 2018).…”

Section: The Oxytocinergic System In the Peripartum Periodmentioning

confidence: 99%

The oxytocinergic system in PTSD following traumatic childbirth: endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in the peripartum period

Witteveen¹,

Stramrood

Henrichs³

et al. 2019

Arch Womens Ment Health

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Birth experiences can be traumatic and may give rise to PTSD following childbirth (PTSD-FC). Peripartum neurobiological alterations in the oxytocinergic system are highly relevant for postpartum maternal behavioral and affective adaptions like bonding and lactation but are also implicated in the response to traumatic events. Animal models demonstrated that peripartum stress impairs beneficial maternal postpartum behavior. Early postpartum activation of the oxytocinergic system may, however, reverse these effects and thereby prevent adverse long-term consequences for both mother and infant. In this narrative review, we discuss the impact of trauma and PTSD-FC on normal endogenous oxytocinergic system fluctuations in the peripartum period. We also specifically focus on the potential of exogenous oxytocin (OT) to prevent and treat PTSD-FC. No trials of exogenous OT after traumatic childbirth and PTSD-FC were available. Evidence from non-obstetric PTSD samples and from postpartum healthy or depressed samples implies restorative functional neuroanatomic and psychological effects of exogenous OT such as improved PTSD symptoms and better mother-to-infant bonding, decreased limbic activation, and restored responsiveness in dopaminergic reward regions. Adverse effects of intranasal OT on mood and the increased fear processing and reduced top-down control over amygdala activation in women with acute trauma exposure or postpartum depression, however, warrant cautionary use of intranasal OT. Observational and experimental studies into the role of the endogenous and exogenous oxytocinergic system in PTSD-FC are needed and should explore individual and situational circumstances, including level of acute distress, intrapartum exogenous OT exposure, or history of childhood trauma.

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Section: The Oxytocinergic System In the Peripartum Periodmentioning

confidence: 99%

The oxytocinergic system in PTSD following traumatic childbirth: endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in the peripartum period

Witteveen¹,

Stramrood

Henrichs³

et al. 2019

Arch Womens Ment Health

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“…Such supportive behavior is reduced in mothers with depressive symptoms (33). Anxious mothers behave less appropriately (39) and are more open to misinterpretations of children’s cries, which may then lead to inappropriate reactions (40). Also, repeating sorrowful thoughts can lead to lower structuring during mother–child interactions (26, 41–43).…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mothers With Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders: Proposal for an Adapted Method to Assess Maternal Sensitivity in Interaction With the Child

et al. 2019

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About 15% of mothers suffer from postpartum psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or psychosis. Numerous studies have shown maternal caregiving behavior to be negatively affected under these circumstances. The current study sets out to shed light on specific caregiving behaviors of affected mothers in the context of parental mental illness at an early stage. There are several methods to assess maternal caregiving behavior in terms of sensitivity. However, all of them have limitations regarding the peculiarities of mothers with postpartum disorders, that is, changes in affect regulation, and the early onset of the disorder postpartum. With the current study, we provide an adapted method to assess maternal sensitivity based on methods recently approved in attachment research. Two groups of mothers, who were either healthy or had different postpartum disorders, were recorded on video during interactions with their infants. Behaviors were rated regarding responsiveness, promptness, appropriateness, intrusiveness, and positive and negative affect. A first analysis revealed an increased number of deficits on all subscales in mothers with postpartum psychiatric disorders as compared to healthy mothers. Depressive mothers with a single diagnosis had lower scores in responsiveness, promptness, and appropriateness and higher scores on intrusiveness as compared to those in healthy mothers. Here, maternal behavior appears more parent-centered, whereas affect seemed to be relatively unharmed. Moreover, as compared to healthy mothers, mothers with comorbid depression and anxiety symptomatology achieved lower scores on responsiveness, appropriateness, and positive affect and higher scores on intrusiveness and negative affect. It is suggested, that increased deficits are related to the severity of illness in mothers with comorbidities. Results on promptness indicate that these mothers are still capable of maintaining higher vigilance to infant cues. Variance in maternal behavior was relatively high in clinical mothers, showing that some of them are well capable of behaving in a sensitive manner toward their child. One strength of our adapted method is that particular aspects of sensitive parent–child interactions are assessed separately. This may shed light on specific behavior patterns of different postpartum psychiatric disorders, which may in turn relate to specific child outcomes. The manual is open for usage, while reliability testing is required.

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“…Moreover, there are a handful of experimental studies using a neuro-ethological model [70], and some recent studies on the oxytocin gene (OXTR [71]) that point to the potentially powerful role that central and peripheral oxytocin could have on infant development. Two important issues that have been discussed across these studies are: (i) whether the most meaningful measure of oxytocin levels is peripheral, central or genetic and (ii) whether baseline or stimulus-linked measures of oxytocin are more reliable and valid approaches for studying individual differences [67].…”

Section: (B) Oxytocinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, our work and others' demonstrates the interactive effects of infant neurohormones. Furthermore, the persistence of this relationship for cortisol [45,53] ( principally for infants of depressed mothers) and the diverging effect for peripheral oxytocin on mothers [67,76] and infants [73] have been documented, though questions endure. So while environmental stressors like maternal depression and anxiety along with cortisol reactivity confer risk, oxytocin (released in response to skin-to-skin contact, maternal affectionate touch and breastfeeding) buffers that risk by impacting infant brain development and their own behavioural and neurobiological regulation.…”

Section: (B) Oxytocinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurohormones and temperament interact during infant development

Jones¹,

Sloan²

2018

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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The infant's psycho-physiological regulatory system begins to develop prenatally and continues to mature during the postnatal period. Temperament is a construct comprising tonic individual differences in dispositional physiological and behavioural reactions as well as an evolving ability to regulate to environmental conditions. Theoretical models and research have shown that neurohormonal and -physiological factors contribute to individual development and impact infant behaviours as well as the developing regulatory system. Moreover, prenatal maternal risks such as stress and depression are thought to programme fetal regulatory tendencies and that influences neural and behavioural functioning in infancy. The purpose of this review is to examine the theories and research that link infant temperament to neurohormonal and -physiological development in typically developing infants and in those exposed to environmental risk. Research has demonstrated associations between individual variation in physiological stress responses and regulation (measured with cortisol). Moreover, studies have noted an association with physiological regulation and socio-emotional interaction (as measured by the touch-oxytocin link) that may buffer emotional dysregulation. The interaction between individual differences in temperamental tendencies, neurohormonal and -physiological patterns will be discussed by presenting data from studies that have shown that infant neurohormonal and -physiological functioning sets an important trajectory for the development of the individual.This article is part of the theme issue 'Diverse perspectives on diversity: multi-disciplinary approaches to taxonomies of individual differences'.

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Maternal Mental Health Moderates the Relationship Between Oxytocin and Interactive Behavior

Cited by 12 publications

References 81 publications

The oxytocinergic system in PTSD following traumatic childbirth: endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in the peripartum period

The oxytocinergic system in PTSD following traumatic childbirth: endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in the peripartum period

Mothers With Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders: Proposal for an Adapted Method to Assess Maternal Sensitivity in Interaction With the Child

Neurohormones and temperament interact during infant development

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