A FUNCTIONAL MRI STUDY OF MOTHER-INFANT ATTACHMENT

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. HYPOTHESIS To identify functional neuroanatomical ocrrelates of parent-infant attachemnt, measuring maternal/paternal functional MRI responses to infant facial cues. HI: Compared with insecure mother-infant dyads, secure-autonomous mothers will demonstrate significantly more fMRI activation of the right orbitofrontal cortex when exposed to their own infant vs. unknown infant facial imates. Other areas of significant difference will include the nucleus accumbens (reward area), amygdala and hippocampus (stress responses) and bed nucleus of the striae terminales (oxytocin pathways). To idently differences in secure vs. insecure mothers' infant-related stress responses, measuring sequential serum oxytocin, cortisol and catecholamines levels. H2: Following the still-face stressor of the Mirror Interaction Situation, ocytocin levels will rise from baseline in secure-autonomous mothers, but remain unchanged or decrease in insecurely attached mothers. H2: Insecure-classified mothers will demonstrate an elevated basal cortisol, and show an exaggerated catecholamine response to the infant-related stressor, compared to secure mothers. To determine differences between attachment groups in other-infant responses using the Mirror Interaction Situation. H3: Insecure-classified mothers will demonstrate fewer contingent facial responses to their infant during the Mirror Interaction Situaiton and CARE-Index. H3: Insecurely attached infants (particularly disorganized infants) will demonstrate a preference for perfectly contingent self-stimulation (i.e. their own image) over their mother's image in the Mirrow Interaction Situation. To determine the degree of correlation between maternal and infant attachment classifications. There will be a significant correlation between secure autonomous maternal attachment classification, using the Adult Attachment Interview, and secure infant classification six months later, using the Strange Situation procedure.