# Association of Placental Mitochondrial DNA Mutations on Infant Negative Affectivity: Modifying Effects of Maternal Lifetime Stress and Infant Sex

## TL;DR

This study explores how placental mitochondrial DNA mutations and maternal stress may influence infant behavior, particularly in girls.

## Contribution

The study identifies sex-specific effects of placental mtDNA mutations and maternal stress on infant negative affectivity.

## Key findings

- Higher mutational load in the MT_CYB region was positively associated with increased negative affectivity in infants.
- Girls with higher mutational loads in MT_DLOOP and MT_ND regions showed increased risk for negative affectivity under high maternal stress.
- Maternal stress had a stronger impact on gene activity in the placenta and brain development for female fetuses compared to male.

## Abstract

Neuropsychiatric and behavioral disorders impact over 15% of U.S. children, with sex differences in manifestation. Prenatal exposure to psychosocial stress predicts adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, particularly during gestation. Mechanisms remain poorly understood. Research links prenatal stress exposures with placental mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutational load, suggesting that disrupted mitochondrial placental function may play a role. We conceptualize that placental mitochondrial biomarkers reflect environmentally-induced oxidation that may contribute to mechanisms influencing neurodevelopment. Furthermore, as maternal stress can impact female and male children differently, this may in part explain sex differences in early childhood neurobehavioral outcomes. This study explores the association between placental mtDNA mutational load and negative affectivity in infants, and whether these associations are modified by maternal lifetime stress and fetal sex.

Placenta samples (N = 394) were collected at delivery and whole mtDNA sequencing was performed to identify gene-specific mutational loads. Mothers completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) when children were 6.69±:1.61 months of age and the Negative Affectivity factor was derived. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to model Negative Affectivity in relation to placental mtDNA mutational load, first adjusting for child sex and maternal age, self-reported race, and education. Lastly, we examined effect modification by maternal stress and fetal sex using cross-product terms and contrast statements.

Results showed that higher mutational load in the MT_CYB region was positively associated with increased negative affectivity. Notably, interactions between mtDNA regions (MT_DLOOP and MT_ND), child sex, and maternal stress revealed that girls with higher mutational loads in these regions were at greater risk for increased negative affectivity, particularly under high maternal stress.

These findings suggest that placental mtDNA mutational load could serve as a biomarker for neurodevelopmental risk, with sex-specific vulnerabilities influenced by maternal stress. This study underscores the importance of considering both environmental factors and sex differences in understanding early neurodevelopmental trajectories, and the potential of the placenta as a tool for early detection and intervention. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore their implications for long-term child development.

The placenta is the main organ that connects a mother and her fetus, allowing them to communicate during pregnancy. Stressful experiences a mother faces before pregnancy, such as trauma and other stressors, can change how genes in the placenta function, influencing this communication. Mitochondria, the energy-producing parts of cells, play a critical role in these processes. Changes in mitochondrial gene activity can impact how the fetus develops.

Our study focused on mitochondrial genes in the placenta that could affect the development of the fetal brain and therefore a child’s behavior. We also looked at whether these effects varied based on the child’s sex and the mother’s exposure to stress.

We identified key mitochondrial genes that appear to influence a child’s behavior at six months of age. Additionally, we found that maternal stress had a stronger impact on gene activity in the placenta and brain development when the fetus was female compared to male. We identified which genes acted differently based on the child’s sex.

This could allow us to better understand how maternal stress affects child development and identify specific biomarkers in the placenta that could predict a child’s risk for developmental or behavioral challenges later in life. In the future, this knowledge could help us create early interventions or treatments to support healthier outcomes for children.