Prenatal distress, infant cerebellar asymmetry, and early developmental outcomes

Prenatal psychological distress is associated with altered brain development and adverse outcomes in offspring. The cerebellum is particularly vulnerable, and structural alterations associated with developmental deficits in children. This study examined the relationships between prenatal anxiety and depression, cerebellar asymmetry, and infant developmental outcomes. A prospective cohort study was conducted with 90 pregnant participants and their infants from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Maternal prenatal depression and anxiety were assessed using the Edinburgh Perinatal/Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Anxiety-Adult Short Form (PROMIS Anxiety). Infant cerebellar volumes were obtained via magnetic resonance imaging at three months, and hemispheric asymmetry was calculated. Developmental domains (gross motor, fine motor, personal-social, problem solving, communication) were assessed with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) at 12 months. Prenatal depression predicted leftward cerebellar asymmetry in infants ( B = −111.44, 95% CI = −191.28 – −31.59, p = 0.006), while prenatal anxiety predicted rightward cerebellar asymmetry ( B = 76.98, 95% CI = 4.92 – 149.04, p = 0.036). These effects persisted when modeling prenatal anxiety and depression separately. Rightward asymmetry at three months was a predictor of better communication abilities at 12 months ( B = 0.003, 95% CI = 0.001– 0.005, p =0.003), but did not predict other developmental outcomes. Findings indicate that prenatal anxiety and depression are differentially associated with cerebellar development in infancy and that cerebellar asymmetry predicts communication at 12 months. These results underscore the importance of considering specific forms of psychological distress during pregnancy and their potential impact on brain development and offspring behaviour.