Background

Intergenerational transfer effects include traits transmission from parent to child. While behaviorally well documented, studies on intergenerational transfer effects for brain structure or functioning are scarce, especially those examining relations of behavioral and neurobiological endophenotypes. This study aims to investigate behavioral and neural intergenerational transfer effects associated with the corticolimbic circuitry, relevant for socioemotional functioning and mental well-being.

Methods

T1-neuroimaging and behavioral data was obtained from 72 participants (39 mother-child dyads/ 39 children; 7–13 years; 16 girls/ 33 mothers; 26–52 years). Gray matter volume (GMV) was extracted from corticolimbic regions (subcortical: amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens; neocortical: anterior cingulate, medial orbitofrontal areas). Mother-child similarity was quantified by correlation coefficients and comparisons to random adult-child pairs.

Results

We identified significant corticolimbic mother-child similarity (r = 0.663) stronger for subcortical over neocortical regions. Mother-child similarity in mental well-being was significant (r = 0.409) and the degree of dyadic similarity in mental well-being was predicted by similarity in neocortical, but not subcortical GMV.

Conclusion

Intergenerational neuroimaging reveals significant mother-child transfer for corticolimbic GMV, most strongly for subcortical regions. However, variations in neocortical similarity predicted similarity in mother-child well-being. Ultimately, such techniques may enhance our knowledge of behavioral and neural familial transfer effects relevant for health and disease.

中文翻译：

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从母亲到孩子：皮质边缘大脑结构和心理健康的相似性如何反映代际传递

背景

代际传递效应包括从父母到孩子的特征传递。虽然行为上有充分的记录，但关于大脑结构或功能的代际传递效应的研究却很少，特别是那些检查行为和神经生物学内表型关系的研究。本研究旨在调查与皮质边缘回路相关的行为和神经代际传递效应，与社会情绪功能和心理健康相关。

方法

T1 神经影像和行为数据来自 72 名参与者（39 名母子二人/39 名儿童；7-13 岁；16 名女孩/33 名母亲；26-52 岁）。从皮质边缘区域（皮质下：杏仁核、海马、伏隔核；新皮质：前扣带回、内侧眶额区域）提取灰质体积（GMV）。母子相似性通过相关系数和与随机成人-儿童对的比较来量化。

结果

我们发现皮质下区域的皮质边缘母子相似性（r  = 0.663）比新皮质区域更强。心理健康方面的母子相似性显着（r  = 0.409），心理健康的二元相似程度是通过新皮质而非皮质下 GMV 的相似性来预测的。

结论

代际神经影像学揭示了皮质边缘 GMV 的显着母婴传递，尤其是皮质下区域。然而，新皮质相似性的变化预示着母子幸福感的相似性。最终，此类技术可能会增强我们对与健康和疾病相关的行为和神经家族传递效应的了解。