TY - JOUR
T1 - The missing link
T2 - Mothers' neural response to infant cry related to infant attachment behaviors
AU - Laurent, Heidemarie K.
AU - Ablow, Jennifer C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation ( 0643393 ); a National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral fellowship ( F32MH083462-02 ) to HL; and a pilot grant from the University of Oregon Brain Biology Machine Initiative . The authors also wish to thank the families who participated in this study and the research assistants who helped with data collection.
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - This study addresses a gap in the attachment literature by investigating maternal neural response to cry related to infant attachment classifications and behaviors. Twenty-two primiparous mothers and their 18-month old infants completed the Strange Situation (SS) procedure to elicit attachment behaviors. During a separate functional MRI session, mothers were exposed to their own infant's cry sound, as well as an unfamiliar infant's cry and control sound. Maternal neural response to own infant cry related to both overall attachment security and specific infant behaviors. Mothers of less secure infants maintained greater activation to their cry in left parahippocampal and amygdala regions and the right posterior insula consistent with a negative schematic response bias. Mothers of infants exhibiting more avoidant or contact maintaining behaviors during the SS showed diminished response across left prefrontal, parietal, and cerebellar areas involved in attentional processing and cognitive control. Mothers of infants exhibiting more disorganized behavior showed reduced response in bilateral temporal and subcallosal areas relevant to social cognition and emotion regulation. No differences by attachment classification were found. Implications for attachment transmission models are discussed.
AB - This study addresses a gap in the attachment literature by investigating maternal neural response to cry related to infant attachment classifications and behaviors. Twenty-two primiparous mothers and their 18-month old infants completed the Strange Situation (SS) procedure to elicit attachment behaviors. During a separate functional MRI session, mothers were exposed to their own infant's cry sound, as well as an unfamiliar infant's cry and control sound. Maternal neural response to own infant cry related to both overall attachment security and specific infant behaviors. Mothers of less secure infants maintained greater activation to their cry in left parahippocampal and amygdala regions and the right posterior insula consistent with a negative schematic response bias. Mothers of infants exhibiting more avoidant or contact maintaining behaviors during the SS showed diminished response across left prefrontal, parietal, and cerebellar areas involved in attentional processing and cognitive control. Mothers of infants exhibiting more disorganized behavior showed reduced response in bilateral temporal and subcallosal areas relevant to social cognition and emotion regulation. No differences by attachment classification were found. Implications for attachment transmission models are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2012.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2012.07.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 22982277
AN - SCOPUS:84866057262
SN - 0163-6383
VL - 35
SP - 761
EP - 772
JO - Infant Behavior and Development
JF - Infant Behavior and Development
IS - 4
ER -