Decreased maternal empathic abilities toward infants have been reported with postpartum depression (PPD). The aims of this study were: (1) To identify mothers' cortical regions activated by the observation of their own newborn's pain; (2) To study the relation between such cortical activation and PPD symptoms. By optical topography, a functional neuroimaging system, we assessed mothers' cortical activation when watching their own newborns during a heel-prick. PPD symptoms and newborn's pain expression were also assessed. Watching their newborn in pain activated mothers' left somatosensory cortex (P=0.003) and right superior temporal cortex (P=0.002). PPD score showed a negative correlation with left somatosensory cortex activation (rs=-0.41; P=0.026), that decreased as PPD symptoms increased. To conclude, an activation of cortical areas, previously associated with empathy for pain, can be demonstrated in the mother shortly after birth. Such response appeared to be dampened by PPD symptoms.

中文翻译：

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产妇对婴儿疼痛和产后抑郁症状的皮质反应

据报道，产后抑郁症 (PPD) 会导致母亲对婴儿的移情能力下降。本研究的目的是：（1）通过观察自己的新生儿疼痛来识别母亲的皮质区域；(2) 研究这种皮质激活与PPD症状之间的关系。通过光学地形图（一种功能性神经成像系统），我们评估了母亲在足跟采血期间观察自己的新生儿时的皮质激活。还评估了 PPD 症状和新生儿的疼痛表现。在疼痛中观察新生儿会激活母亲的左侧躯体感觉皮层 (P=0.003) 和右侧颞上皮层 (P=0.002)。PPD 评分与左侧躯体感觉皮层激活呈负相关（rs=-0.41；P=0.026），随着​​ PPD 症状的增加而降低。总结一下，皮层区域的激活，以前与对疼痛的同情有关，可以在母亲出生后不久表现出来。这种反应似乎受到 PPD 症状的抑制。