Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

1-1-2024

Journal

Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry

DOI

10.47626/1516-4446-2023-3387

PMID

38436652

PMCID

PMC11474433

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

8-19-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a thorough examination of the current understanding of the effect of maternal depression exposure on the executive functions (EFs) of offspring.

METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement, a comprehensive search for peer-reviewed cohort studies was performed on the MEDLINE (via PubMed), ScienceDirect, LILACS, PsycINFO, and SciELO databases. Study quality was assessed using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. The evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework.

RESULTS: Thirty-three cohort studies from different countries, enrolling a total of 38,981 participants, were analyzed. Twenty-four studies confirmed the hypothesis of a harmful effect of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring EF. However, high heterogeneity among studies was found, and meta-analysis was not feasible. Fetal programming, genetics, and parental practices have been identified as potential mechanisms that can affect the EFs of children born to mothers who have experienced depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a negative association between maternal depressive symptoms and offspring EF. Further studies on the effects of chronicity/severity of maternal symptoms and changes in EFs in different sensitive periods are needed.

Keywords

Humans, Female, Executive Function, Depression, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Child, Mothers, Child of Impaired Parents, Maternal health, executive control, cohort studies

Published Open-Access

yes

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