Maternal influence on early infant emotional regulation: A study of 3-month infant behavior, cortisol and frontal EEG

Prenatal maternal stress and mood, and early postnatal mother-infant interactions
set the stage for the child’s psychobiological, neurological and social development. While
a large body of research connecting maternal depression to infant EEG asymmetry exists,
the current study sought to add to the sparse literature on maternal anxiety and infant
EEG. Mother-infant dyads were assessed prenatally during the third trimester, soon after
birth, at 6 weeks and 3 months postnatal. Association between maternal depression and
later development of right mid-frontal alpha asymmetry was confirmed, while trends
suggested maternal anxiety may be associated with lateral frontal alpha asymmetry.
Greater maternal sensitivity and anxiety were each associated with lower post-stressor
cortisol in infants with right frontal asymmetry. Greater time spent in mutual gaze was
associated with positive infant affect. Finally, quality mother-infant dynamics encourage positive infant affect and healthy physiological stress regulation even when brain patterns
associated with dysregulation have been established.