Maternal Posttraumatic Stress Blunts Neural Response to Infant Distress

Posttraumatic stress disorder affects approximately 4.7% of mothers following childbirth, while broader posttraumatic stress symptoms impact more than 12% of the postpartum population [1]. These symptoms are frequently comorbid with depression and anxiety, significantly increasing the risk of impaired maternal-infant bonding and adverse neonatal outcomes [2, 3]. Although the global prevalence of perinatal mental health disorders remains high, the specific neural mechanisms that disrupt maternal responsiveness to infant cues are not yet fully understood [4, 5]. Identifying how trauma-related brain activity interferes with caregiving is essential for developing effective secondary prevention strategies [6]. Recent functional neuroimaging data now map exactly how maternal trauma blunts the brain's response to infant distress, offering clinicians a biological framework for understanding impaired bonding.