BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that infant temperament varies with maternal psychosocial factors,... more BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that infant temperament varies with maternal psychosocial factors, in utero illness, and environmental stressors. We predicted that the pandemic would shape infant temperament through maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and/or maternal postnatal stress. To test this, we examined associations among infant temperament, maternal prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection, maternal postnatal stress, and postnatal COVID-related life disruptions. METHODS: We tested 63 mother-infant dyads with prenatal maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections and a comparable group of 110 dyads without infections. To assess postnatal maternal stress, mothers completed the Perceived Stress Scale 4 months postpartum and an evaluation of COVID-related stress and life disruptions 6 months postpartum. Mothers reported on infant temperament when infants were 6-months-old using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) Very Short Form. RESULTS: Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was not associated with infant temperament or maternal postnatal stress. Mothers with higher self-reported postnatal stress rated their infants lower on the Positive Affectivity/Surgency and Orienting/Regulation IBQ-R subscales. Mothers who reported greater COVID-related life disruptions rated their infants higher on the Negative Emotionality IBQ-R subscale. CONCLUSIONS: Despite no effect of prenatal maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, stress and life disruptions incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with infant temperament at 6-months.
Our primary objective was to document COVID-19 induced changes to perinatal care across the USA a... more Our primary objective was to document COVID-19 induced changes to perinatal care across the USA and examine the implication of these changes for maternal mental health. We performed an observational cross-sectional study with convenience sampling using direct patient reports from 1918 postpartum and 3868 pregnant individuals collected between April 2020 and December 2020 from 10 states across the USA. We leverage a subgroup of these participants who gave birth prior to March 2020 to estimate the pre-pandemic prevalence of specific birthing practices as a comparison. Our primary analyses describe the prevalence and timing of perinatal care changes, compare perinatal care changes depending on when and where individuals gave birth, and assess the linkage between perinatal care alterations and maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms. Seventy-eight percent of pregnant participants and 63% of postpartum participants reported at least one change to their perinatal care between March and August 2020. However, the prevalence and nature of specific perinatal care changes occurred unevenly over time and across geographic locations. The separation of infants and mothers immediately after birth and the cancelation of prenatal visits were associated with worsened depression and anxiety symptoms in mothers after controlling for sociodemographic factors, mental health history, number of pregnancy complications, and general stress about the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analyses reveal widespread changes to perinatal care across the US that fluctuated depending on where and when individuals gave birth. Disruptions to perinatal care may also exacerbate mental health concerns, so focused treatments that can mitigate the negative psychiatric sequelae of interrupted care are warranted.
The impact of COVID-19-related stress on perinatal women is of heightened public health concern g... more The impact of COVID-19-related stress on perinatal women is of heightened public health concern given the established intergenerational impact of maternal stress-exposure on infants and fetuses. There is urgent need to characterize the coping styles associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes in perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic to help mitigate the potential for lasting sequelae on both mothers and infants. This study uses a data-driven approach to identify the patterns of behavioral coping strategies that associate with maternal psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large multicenter sample of pregnant women (N = 2876) and postpartum women (N = 1536). Data was collected from 9 states across the United States from March to October 2020. Women reported behaviors they were engaging in to manage pandemic-related stress, symptoms of depression, anxiety and global psychological distress, as well as changes in energy levels, sleep quality and stress levels....
Error monitoring allows individuals to monitor and adapt their behavior by detecting errors. Erro... more Error monitoring allows individuals to monitor and adapt their behavior by detecting errors. Error monitoring is thought to develop throughout childhood and adolescence. However, most of this evidence comes from studies in late childhood and adolescence utilizing ERPs. The current study utilizes time-frequency (TF) and connectivity analyses to provide a comprehensive examination of age-related changes in error monitoring processes across early childhood (N=326; 50.9% females; 4-9 years). ERP analyses indicated the presence of the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) across age. Results showed no error-specific age-related changes in the ERN and the Pe. However, TF analyses suggested error-related frontocentral responses in delta and theta signal strength (power), delta consistency (inter-trial phase synchrony), and delta synchrony (inter-channel phase synchrony) between frontrocentral and frontolateral clusters–all of which increased with age. Additionally, the c...
IMPORTANCE Research to date has not determined a safe level of alcohol or tobacco use during preg... more IMPORTANCE Research to date has not determined a safe level of alcohol or tobacco use during pregnancy. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a noninvasive measure of cortical function that has previously been used to examine effects of in utero exposures and associations with neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of prenatal exposure to alcohol (PAE) and tobacco smoking (PTE) with brain activity in newborns.
Using an eyelid conditioning paradigm modeled after that developed by Little, Lipsitt, and Rovee-... more Using an eyelid conditioning paradigm modeled after that developed by Little, Lipsitt, and Rovee-Collier (1984), Fifer et al. (2010) demonstrated that newborn infants learn during sleep. This study examined the role of sleep state in neonatal learning. We recorded electroencephalogram (EEG), respiratory, and cardiovascular activity from sleeping full term newborn infants during delay eyelid conditioning. In the experimental group (n = 21), a tone was paired with an air puff to the eye. Consistent with Fifer et al. (2010), newborn infants
Developmental cognitive neuroscience, Jun 14, 2016
Past research has demonstrated links between cortical activity, measured via EEG power, and cogni... more Past research has demonstrated links between cortical activity, measured via EEG power, and cognitive processes during infancy. In a separate line of research, family socioeconomic status (SES) has been strongly associated with children's early cognitive development, with socioeconomic disparities emerging during the second year of life for both language and declarative memory skills. The present study examined associations among resting EEG power at birth, SES, and language and memory skills at 15-months in a sample of full-term infants. Results indicate no associations between SES and EEG power at birth. However, EEG power at birth was related to both language and memory outcomes at 15-months. Specifically, frontal power (24-48Hz) was positively correlated with later Visual Paired Comparison (VPC) memory scores. Power (24-35Hz) in the parietal region was positively correlated with later PLS-Auditory Comprehension language scores. These findings suggest that SES disparities in ...
A battery of frequency-dependent measures was made for high-density electroencephalographic recor... more A battery of frequency-dependent measures was made for high-density electroencephalographic recording measured in response to a flash stimulus in 12 normal term infants within 2 d of birth. Significant changes recorded in posterior electrodes in the same time window as the visual evoked potential (VEP) included increased local synchrony at ϳ40 Hz, increased power at ϳ16 Hz, the emergence of nonlinear coupling of lower (ϳ2 Hz) and higher frequency oscillations, and phase locking over a wide range of frequencies. This research provides evidence of neural synchrony and nonlinear coupling in response to a simple visual stimulus. These mechanisms are functional in early development. It is proposed that the frequency domain metrics of this study may augment current diagnostic measures of cortical function at birth.
Objective: To examine the effects of volume conduction of current on measurements of spatial corr... more Objective: To examine the effects of volume conduction of current on measurements of spatial correlation in the high-density electroencephalogram (EEG) at extremes of human development: infancy and adulthood. Methods: To calculate theoretical spatial correlation of EEG from volume conduction of uncorrelated cortical sources and compare theory with observations of intra/interhemispheric coherence. Results: Result verified prediction of reduced spatial correlation in infants due to volume conduction. Theoretical magnitude of spatial correlation from volume conduction demonstrated as lower bound on observed magnitude of coherence (MC). MC of adults is greater than MC of infants. Adult intrahemispheric MC is greater than interhemispheric MC. Scalp muscle electromyogram (EMG) produces artifactually low values of MC. Conclusions: Volume conduction of current from uncorrelated cortical sources produces an erroneous component of spatial correlation that is smaller in infants than adults. The increased MC in adults is indicative of increased adult neuronal myelination. EMG artifact causes erroneous observations of coherence. Significance: Measured EEG spatial correlation contains contributions from both neural activity and volume conduction of current. This is an important issue when measurements are used to deduce physiological correlates of neuropsychological phenomena. Measurements of the neural component of spatial correlation are more accurate early in life because of reduced volume conduction.
Objective-The hypothesis is tested that electrocortical functional connectivity (quantified by co... more Objective-The hypothesis is tested that electrocortical functional connectivity (quantified by coherence) of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, measured at term post menstrual age, has regional differences from that of full term infants. Methods-128 lead EEG data were collected during sleep from 8 ELBW infants with normal head ultrasound exams and 8 typically developing full term infants. Regional spectral power and coherence were calculated. Results-No significant regional differences in EEG power were found between infant groups. However, compared to term infants, ELBW infants had significantly reduced interhemispheric coherence (in frontal polar and parietal regions) and intrahemispheric coherence (between frontal polar and parieto-occipital regions) in the 1-12 Hz band but increased interhemispheric coherence between occipital regions in the 24-50 Hz band. Conclusions-ELBW infants at term post menstrual age manifest regional differences in EEG functional connectivity as compared to term infants. Significance-Distinctive spatial patterns of electrocortical synchrony are found in ELBW infants. These regional patterns may presage regional alterations in the structure of the cortex.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010
Newborn infants must rapidly adjust their physiology and behavior to the specific demands of the ... more Newborn infants must rapidly adjust their physiology and behavior to the specific demands of the novel postnatal environment. This adaptation depends, at least in part, on the infant's ability to learn from experiences. We report here that infants exhibit learning even while asleep. Bioelectrical activity from face and scalp electrodes was recorded from neonates during an eye movement conditioning procedure in which a tone was followed by a puff of air to the eye. Sleeping newborns rapidly learned the predictive relationship between the tone and the puff. Additionally, in the latter part of training, these infants exhibited a frontally maximum positive EEG slow wave possibly reflecting memory updating. As newborns spend most of their time sleeping, the ability to learn about external stimuli in the postnatal environment during nonawake states may be crucial for rapid adaptation and infant survival. Furthermore, because eyelid conditioning reflects functional cerebellar circuitry...
SIDS Sudden infant and early childhood death: The past, the present and the future
The University of Adelaide Press publishes peer reviewed scholarly books. It aims to maximise acc... more The University of Adelaide Press publishes peer reviewed scholarly books. It aims to maximise access to the best research by publishing works through the internet as free downloads and for sale as high quality printed volumes.
Behavioral coping phenotypes and psychosocial outcomes in a national U.S. sample of pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic
Maternal stress exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic may have transgenerational effects, adverse... more Maternal stress exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic may have transgenerational effects, adversely affecting both the pregnant woman and her offspring. Therefore, there is an urgent need to characterize the coping styles and psychosocial distress of pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic to help mitigate lasting sequalae on both mothers and infants. Here we use latent profile analysis to examine patterns of behavioral coping strategies associated with risk and resiliency to adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Leveraging a large U.S. sample of perinatal women (N = 2,876 pregnant women, N = 1,536 postpartum women), we identified four behavioral phenotypes of coping strategies: (1) passive-coping, characterized by primarily engaging in high levels of screen time, social media use, and eating comfort foods; (2) active-coping, characterized by primarily engaging in high levels of self-care, social support, and limiting media exposure; (3) low-coping, charact...
The K nearest neighbor algorithm for imputation of missing longitudinal prenatal alcohol data
Background — Missing data are a source of bias in many epidemiologic studies. This is problematic... more Background — Missing data are a source of bias in many epidemiologic studies. This is problematic in alcohol research where data missingness may not be random as they depend on patterns of drinking behavior. Methods — The Safe Passage Study was a prospective investigation of prenatal alcohol consumption and fetal/infant outcomes (n=11,083). Daily alcohol consumption for the last reported drinking day and 30 days prior was recorded using the Timeline Followback method. Of 3.2 million person-days, data were missing for 0.36 million. We imputed missing exposure data using a machine learning algorithm; “K Nearest Neighbor” (K-NN). K-NN imputes missing values for a participant using data of other participants closest to it. Since participants with no missing days may not be comparable to those with missing data, segments from those with complete and incomplete data were included as a reference. Imputed values were weighted for the distances from nearest neighbors and matched for day of w...
SIDS Sudden infant and early childhood death: The past, the present and the future, 2018
The University of Adelaide Press publishes peer reviewed scholarly books. It aims to maximise acc... more The University of Adelaide Press publishes peer reviewed scholarly books. It aims to maximise access to the best research by publishing works through the internet as free downloads and for sale as high quality printed volumes.
Dyslipidemia contribute to the development of a proinflammatory state that could worsen asthma. W... more Dyslipidemia contribute to the development of a proinflammatory state that could worsen asthma. We would like to investigate whether this systemic inflammation could affect pulmonary function in asthmatic children with dyslipidemia. METHODS: Asthmatic children aged 6-18 years old were enrolled. Spirometry, forced oscillation technique (FOT), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and alveolar nitric oxide (NO) were performed. Blood lipid profiles were measured in fasting blood samples. RESULTS: Of 100 asthmatic children with mean age of 12.2 years, dyslipidemia was demonstrated as follow; high total cholesterol in 23 children, high triglyceride in 14 children, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in 27 children and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in 11 children. There were no significant differences in the value of spirometry, FOT, FENO and NO between subjects with dyslipidemia and subjects with normal lipid profile. Interestingly, subgroup analysis has demonstrated that female asthmatic children with high LDL-C had a significant higher value of ALX (area of reactance) than those who had normal LDL-C [Median (IQR): 5.1(3.97-10.65) VS 2.76 (1.43-6.24); p 5 0.034]. Likewise, X5 (reactance at 5 Hz) value in female asthmatic children with high LDL-C was significantly higher than that of the asthmatic children with normal LDL-C [ Median (IQR)-1.04 (-1.57 to-0.77) VS-0.69 (-1.19 to-0.43); p value 5 0.034]. CONCLUSIONS: Female asthmatic children with high LDL-C had a greater value of ALX and X5. The pro-inflammatory effect of lipid in asthma may have sex prevalence and resulting in changes in the peripheral airways.
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Papers by William Fifer