Intergenerational transmission of cognitive control capacity among children at risk for depression

Abstract

A maternal history of major depressive disorder (MDD) is a well-known risk factor for depression in offspring. However, the mechanism through which familial risk is transmitted remains unclear. Cognitive control alterations are common in MDD, and thus, the current study investigated whether altered control capacity is transmitted intergenerationally, and whether it then contributes to the developmental pathways through which depression is passed from mothers to children. We recruited children (N = 65) ages 4-10-years-old, of which 47.7 % (n = 31) reported a maternal history of MDD, and their biological mother (N = 65). Children performed a child-friendly Go/NoGo task while electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded, and mothers performed a Flanker task. Children exhibited heightened sensitivity to error versus correct responses, which was characterized by an error-related negativity (ERN), error positivity (Pe) as well as prominent delta and frontal midline theta (FMT) oscillations. Interestingly, worse maternal performance on the Flanker task associated with an increased Go/NoGo error rate and a smaller ERN and Pe in children. However, there was no association between maternal or child control indices with child depression symptoms. Our results suggest a familial influence of cognitive control capacity in mother-child dyads, but it remains unclear whether this confers risk for depressive symptoms in children. Further research is necessary to determine whether alterations in cognitive control over time may influence symptom development in at-risk children.

Keywords: ERN; Error monitoring; Frontal midline theta; Maternal depression.

Figure 1.

Event-Related Potentials Elicited by Correct and Incorrect Responses, their Difference Waves, and Associated Scalp Voltage Maps. Difference wave (black line) is calculated by subtracting the ERP on the incorrect response trials (red line) from the ERP on the correct response trials (blue line) separately for (A) ERN (ΔERN) and (B) Pe (ΔPe). ΔERN is measured at channel FCz, and Pe is assessed at channels POz and Oz. Scalp voltage map of the difference wave in (C) ΔERN and (D) ΔPe. The window of measurement is highlighted in grey. Response onset occurs at 0 ms (dotted vertical line).

Figure 2.

Time-Frequency Plots for Frontal Midline Theta (FMT) (4–8 Hz) and Delta (1–3 Hz) Power Elicited by Correct and Incorrect Responses, their Differences, and Associated Scalp Maps in Difference scores. The power on the (A) correct response trials was subtracted from the power on the (B) incorrect response trials to create (C) Difference scores (Difference) for FMT (ΔFMT) and delta (ΔDelta). Power is measured at channel FCz for FMT, and at channel FCz and Cz for delta. Heatmaps are shown from the channel FCz for the purpose of visualization. The window of measurement is highlighted for ΔFMT (white square) and ΔDelta (black square). (D) Topographical maps for ΔFMT and ΔDelta. Response onset occurs at 0 ms (dotted vertical line).

Figure 3.

Scatterplots Depicting the Relationship between Children’s Behavioral Performance and electrophysiological markers during the Go/NoGo Task. Error rate (x-axis) is associated with the: (A) error-related negativity (ΔERN), (B) error positivity (ΔPe), (C), frontal midline theta (ΔFMT) power, and (D) delta (ΔDelta) power. Error rate depicts a residual score based on the multiple regression analysis that controlled for children’s age.

Figure 4.

Scatterplots Depicting the Relationship between Maternal Control Capacity and Children’s Control Capacity. Maternal Flanker performance (x-axis) significantly associated with children’s electrophysiological markers in difference wave (A) error-related negativity (ΔERN) and (B) error positivity (ΔPe) but not with difference scores (C) frontal midline theta (ΔFMT) power, or (D) delta (ΔDelta) power. Maternal Flanker performance shows a residual score based on the multiple regression analysis that controlled for children’s age.

Figure 5.

Maternal control capacity (Maternal Control: Flanker performance) significantly associated with child control capacity (Child’s Control: ΔERN and ΔPe, but not ΔFMT) (Path a), but not with child depression symptoms (Path b). Direct (Path c) and Indirect (Path c’) pathways were non-significant.