Early life maltreatment (ELM) has an impact on brain functions involved in parenting and is associated with impaired maternal sensitivity. Here, we investigated the influence of ELM on intrinsic neural function and its associations with maternal sensitivity in mothers without a current episode of a mental disorder. Twenty-seven mothers with ELM and 29 mothers without ELM were examined using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, followed by Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuations, regional homogeneity and seed-based functional connectivity analyses. Videotaped interactions between mothers and their school-aged children were conducted to assess maternal sensitivity based on the Emotional Availability Scales. Regional and functional connectivity measures were used to investigate associations between intrinsic activity and emotional availability. Mothers with ELM showed reduced maternal sensitivity and lower intrinsic neural activity in the right superior frontal gyrus, the left precuneus, the left middle occipital gyrus, and the parietal cortex (left angular and right supramarginal gyrus) compared to mothers without ELM (p < .001, whole-brain). Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuations in the superior frontal gyrus was positively associated with maternal sensitivity across all participants (p = .002). The data suggest a behavioral and neural signature of ELM even in currently mentally healthy mothers. In particular, effects of ELM were found in distinct brain regions involved in social cognition and executive control. These ELM-related alterations may be associated with maternal behavior.

早年虐待 (ELM) 会影响养育子女的大脑功能，并与母体敏感性受损有关。在这里，我们调查了 ELM 对内在神经功能的影响及其与当前没有精神障碍发作的母亲的母性敏感性的关联。使用静息状态功能磁共振成像检查了 27 名患有 ELM 的母亲和 29 名没有 ELM 的母亲，然后进行了低频波动幅度、区域同质性和基于种子的功能连接分析。对母亲与其学龄儿童之间的互动进行了录像，以根据情绪可用性量表评估母亲的敏感性。区域和功能连通性测量被用来调查内在活动和情绪可用性之间的关联。与没有 ELM 的母亲相比，有 ELM 的母亲在右侧额上回、左侧楔前叶、左侧枕中回和顶叶皮层（左侧角回和右侧缘上回）表现出降低的母体敏感性和较低的内在神经活动（p < . 001，全脑）。额上回的低频波动幅度与所有参与者的母体敏感性呈正相关（p = .002）。数据表明，即使在目前心理健康的母亲中，ELM 的行为和神经特征也是如此。特别是，在涉及社会认知和执行控制的不同大脑区域中发现了 ELM 的影响。