Intergenerational Neuroimaging of Human Brain Circuitry

Abstract

Neuroscientists are increasingly using advanced neuroimaging methods to elucidate the intergenerational transmission of human brain circuitry. This new line of work promises to shed light on the ontogeny of complex behavioral traits, including psychiatric disorders, and possible mechanisms of transmission. Here we highlight recent intergenerational neuroimaging studies and provide recommendations for future work.

Keywords: cross-fostering; imaging genetics; intergenerational transmission; mega-analysis; neuroimaging.

FIGURE 1. Schematic of intergenerational imaging designs and methods (all images are only illustrative)

(A) As in Fox et al. [10], heritability of behavioral and brain phenotypes can be used to compute genetic correlations in neuroimaging data to identify regions where there is shared genetic influence is common to both phenotypes. (B) As in Yamagata et al. [12], neural concordance among all parent-offspring dyads as measured by correlations can be compared and sex-specific tests can be performed. (C) Future directions: natural cross-fostering using IVF permits assessment of genetic, prenatal, and postnatal influences between parent and offspring by comparing parents who have offspring through homologous surrogacy (mother is egg donor and birth mother), donor egg pregnancy (mother is not egg donor but is birth mother), or heterologous surrogacy (mother is egg donor but not birth mother).