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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Christopher Trentacosta
Abstract
Altered fetal brain development is a hypothesized mechanism in the association between maternal prenatal depression and offspring neurodevelopment. Accordingly, the present study examined several hypotheses related to associations between prenatal maternal depression symptoms and fetal brain development. Research participants included 123 pregnant women. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale questionnaire and underwent a fetal MRI scan. The current analysis did not find significant associations between maternal depression symptoms and intra/inter fetal functional connectivity in the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, and Central Executive Network, nor inter fetal functional connectivity between the amygdala, ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. A significant association between prenatal depression symptoms and decreased global efficiency in the right Rolandic Operculum brain region was detected. Voxel-wise analysis demonstrated several significant associations between prenatal depression symptoms and functional connectivity with the six primary brain regions of interest. These findings provide some evidence that the link between maternal prenatal depression and child outcomes could be partially accounted for by alterations in fetal brain functioning.
Recommended Citation
Kennelly, Ellyn, "Fetal Functional Connectivity: Examining The Role Of Maternal Depression Symptoms" (2024). Wayne State University Theses. 962.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/962