Prenatal origins of temperament: fetal growth, brain structure, and inhibitory control in adolescence.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Individual differences in the temperamental dimension of effortful control are constitutionally based and have been associated with an adverse prenatal developmental environment, with structural brain alterations presenting a potential mechanism. We investigated this hypothesis for anatomically defined brain regions implicated in cognitive and inhibitory motor control.

Methods

Twenty-seven 15-16 year old participants with low, medium, or high fetal growth were selected from a longitudinal birth cohort to maximize variation and represent the full normal spectrum of fetal growth. Outcome measures were parent ratings of attention and inhibitory control, thickness and surface area of the orbitofrontal cortex (lateral (LOFC) and medial (MOFC)) and right inferior frontal

SUBMITTER: Schlotz W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4011887 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature