Development and Psychopathology

Table of Contents - 1995 - Volume 7, Issue 02  

Articles

Vagal tone in infants of depressed mothers

Tiffany Fielda1 c1, Jeffrey Pickensa2, Nathan A. Foxa3, Thomas Nawrockia1 and Jeanette Gonzaleza1

a1 Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine

a2 James Madison University

a3 University of Maryland, Institute for Child Study

Abstract

Emotional reactivity and expressivity in infants have been previously correlated with vagal tone. This study investigated vagal tone of 3- and 6-month-old infants of depressed mothers. Vagal tone did not differ for infants of depressed versus nondepressed mothers at 3 months, but lower vagal tone was noted in infants of depressed versus nondepressed mothers at 6 months. The developmental increase in vagal tone that occurred between 3 and 6 months for infants of nondepressed mothers did not occur for infants of depressed mothers. Correlation analyses suggested that higher vagal tone at 6 months was related to more vocalizations and more optimal neurological scores.

Correspondence:

c1 Tiffany Field, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016820, Miami, FL 33101.