State attachment moderates the maternal-related neural responses to infant faces

Publication date: Available online 20 November 2019Source: International Journal of PsychophysiologyAuthor(s): Yuanxiao Ma, Na Hu, Guangzeng Liu, Xu ChenAbstractAdult attachment is particularly known for the modulating role of caregiving motivation and behavior. Although most studies consider attachment style relatively stable, it may also be affected by various situational factors, and these temporary fluctuations are related to meaningful behaviors. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study aims to examine whether neural responses to infant faces are moderated by participants' state attachment. The results indicated that state attachment security was positively associated with increased inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and insula activation to infant crying. State attachment anxiety was positively associated with increased insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activation to infant crying as well as enhanced cuneus activation to infant joy. In contrast, state attachment avoidance was negatively associated with amygdala activity in response to both infant joy and crying as well as insula and ACC activation in response to infant joy. Moderation analysis found that the relationship between the prediction effect of state attachment avoidance on ACC activity was gradually weakened with the attenuation of participants' trait attachment avoidance. These results demonstrate that neural responses to infant faces are moderated by individual differences in ...

Source: International Journal of Psychophysiology - November 20, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research