Project 467256

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects up to 10% of children, characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity symptoms. Perinatal maternal distress (i.e., perinatal anxiety or depression) affects 10 to 25% of pregnant women and is associated with risk for poor child executive function (EF) and attention. The fetal programming hypothesis posits that in utero experiences get ;under the skin to affect the expression of genetic information and fine-tune the offsprings phenotype for anticipated postnatal environment. The pathways through which maternal distress programs fetal phenotype and increases the risk for poor EF, attention, and ADHD are unknown. One possibility is through changes to offspring DNA methylation (DNAm). Evidence indicates that perinatal maternal anxiety predicts infant epigenetic biological age acceleration through DNAm, but whether these differences are associated with child attention or EF is unknown. The proposed project aims to examine associations between maternal distress, infant epigenetic age through DNAm, and child attention and EF. Existing data will be used. Pregnant women (N = 117) reported maternal distress. Blood samples were collected from infants at 3-months of age and assayed for DNAm. Children were followed to 5- and 8-years and reports of child attention and EF were obtained. Mediation regression analysis will be used to test all hypotheses using mixed linear models. Maternal distress threatens long-term EF and attention, which can lead to ADHD diagnosis. Identifying relationships between maternal distress and offspring DNAm patterns that predict long-term stable EF and attention deficits has implications for prevention and intervention.