title: Spatial working memory and attention skills are predicted by maternal stress during pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental evidence in rodents shows that maternal stress during pregnancy (MSDP) negatively impacts spatial learning and memory in the offspring. We aim to investigate the association between MSDP (i.e., life events) and spatial working memory, as well as attention skills (attention shifting and attention focusing), in humans. The moderating roles of child sex, maternal anxiety during pregnancy and postnatal care are also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 236 mother-child dyads that were followed from the second trimester of pregnancy until 4 years postpartum. Measurements included questionnaires and independent observations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MSDP was negatively associated with attention shifting at 18 months when concurrent maternal anxiety was low. MSDP was associated with poorer spatial working memory at 4 years of age, but only for boys who experienced poorer postnatal care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with results observed in rodents, MSDP was found to be associated with spatial working memory and attention skills. These results point to postnatal care and maternal anxiety during pregnancy as potential targets for interventions that aim to buffer children from the detrimental effects of MSDP.
authors.affiliation: Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: andre.plamondon@fse.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plamondon
authors.affiliation: Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Atkinson Center for Society and Child Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Emis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.affiliation: Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Alison S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications*; D001288:Attention; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Attention skills; Maternal stress during pregnancy; Postnatal care; Spatial working memory