Maternal immune activity during pregnancy has been associated with risk for psychiatric disorders in offspring, but less is known about its implications for children's emotional and behavioral development. This study examined whether concentrations of five cytokines assayed from prenatal serum were associated with socioeconomic status (SES) and racial disparities in their offspring's self-regulation abilities. Participants included 1,628 women in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP). Seven behavioral items conceptually related to self-regulation were rated by CPP psychologists when children were 4 years old. Concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-10 were assessed. Covariates included child sex and mother's age, psychiatric disorders, and medical conditions during pregnancy. There were significant SES differences in child self-regulation, with higher SES children scoring higher on self-regulation (β = .18, 95% CI [.11, .25]), but no racial differences. The concentration of IL-8 in maternal serum was associated with higher child self-regulation, β = .09, 95% CI [.02, .16]. In mediation analyses, variation in maternal IL-8 contributed to the association between family SES and child self-regulation (β = .02, 95% CI [.003, .030]), explaining about one-tenth of the SES disparities. This study suggests pregnancy as an early sensitive period and maternal immune activity as an important context for child development.

中文翻译：

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孕期母亲的免疫活动和儿童自我调节的社会经济差异

母亲怀孕期间的免疫活动与后代患精神疾病的风险有关，但对其对儿童情绪和行为发展的影响知之甚少。这项研究检查了从产前血清中测定的五种细胞因子的浓度是否与其后代的自我调节能力的社会经济地位 (SES) 和种族差异有关。参与者包括围产期协作项目 (CPP) 中的 1,628 名妇女。在儿童 4 岁时，CPP 心理学家对 7 个概念上与自我调节相关的行为项目进行了评分。评估了白介素 (IL)-1β、IL-6、IL-8、肿瘤坏死因子 (TNF)-α 和 IL-10 的浓度。协变量包括孩子的性别和母亲的年龄、精神疾病和怀孕期间的医疗状况。在儿童自我调节方面存在显着的 SES 差异，SES 越高的儿童在自我调节方面的得分越高（β = .18，95% CI [.11, .25]），但没有种族差异。母体血清中 IL-8 的浓度与较高的儿童自我调节相关，β = .09, 95% CI [.02, .16]。在中介分析中，母亲 IL-8 的变化有助于家庭 SES 与儿童自我调节之间的关联（β = .02，95% CI [.003, .030]），解释了大约十分之一的 SES 差异。这项研究表明，怀孕是一个早期的敏感期，而母亲的免疫活动是儿童发育的重要背景。母体血清中 IL-8 的浓度与较高的儿童自我调节相关，β = .09, 95% CI [.02, .16]。在中介分析中，母亲 IL-8 的变化有助于家庭 SES 与儿童自我调节之间的关联（β = .02，95% CI [.003, .030]），解释了大约十分之一的 SES 差异。这项研究表明，怀孕是一个早期的敏感期，而母亲的免疫活动是儿童发育的重要背景。母体血清中 IL-8 的浓度与较高的儿童自我调节相关，β = .09, 95% CI [.02, .16]。在中介分析中，母亲 IL-8 的变化有助于家庭 SES 与儿童自我调节之间的关联（β = .02，95% CI [.003, .030]），解释了大约十分之一的 SES 差异。这项研究表明，怀孕是一个早期的敏感期，而母亲的免疫活动是儿童发育的重要背景。