The Default Mode Network Mediates the Impact of Infant Regulatory Problems on Adult Avoidant Personality Traits

Background

Infant regulatory problems (RPs), i.e. problems with crying, feeding, and/or sleeping, are associated with behavioral and emotional problems in childhood. It is unclear, however, whether these behavioral and emotional problems persist into adulthood. The default mode (DMN) and salience networks (SN) support both interoceptive regulation and social/emotional abilities. We thus hypothesized that adults with infant RPs have more behavioral and emotional problems, mediated by DMN/SN alterations.

Methods

Within the scope of the Bavarian Longitudinal Study, adults (mean age 28 years; 50% females) with (N = 79) and without (N = 254) a history of multiple and/or persistent infant RPs were assessed by the Young Adult Self Report (YASR) to measure behavioral and emotional problems, and – in a sub-sample (N = 49 and N = 71) – by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to measure DMN/SN integrity via intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC).

Results

Compared to adults without infant RPs, adults with infant RPs had more total problems (p=0.002), internalizing problems (p = 0.005), and more avoidant personality traits (p < 0.001). They showed decreased iFC of the DMN and SN. DMN iFC-decreases were strongest in adults with multiple and persistent RPs and linked with avoidant personality traits (r = - 0.42, p = 0.006). Remarkably, DMN iFC-decrements fully mediated the association between infant RPs and adult avoidant personality traits.

Conclusions

Adults with infant RPs have more avoidant personality traits that are mediated by the DMN. Persistent/multiple infant RPs and the DMN may be targets to attenuate behavioral and emotional problems.