Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42206398›Full record

ArticlePsychological medicine2026

Positive and negative maternal mental health demonstrate distinct pathways to childhood depression.

Pei Huang, Aisleen Mariz Arellano Manahan, Marissa Y H Lee, Shi Yu Chan, Zhen Ming Ngoh, Michelle Z L Kee, Desiree Y Phua, Anu S Sathyapalan, Yap-Seng Chong, Peter D Gluckman and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychological medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Pei Huanghttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-9991-5697
Aisleen Mariz Arellano Manahanhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0005-4302-4189
Marissa Y H Leehttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Shi Yu Chanhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-6261-0440
Zhen Ming Ngohhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-3601-5701
Michelle Z L Keehttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Desiree Y Phuahttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-6055-656X
Anu S Sathyapalanhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Yap-Seng Chonghttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Peter D Gluckmanhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-5711-1655
Helen ChenDepartment of Psychological Medicine, https://ror.org/0228w5t68KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-2923-943X
Marielle V Fortierhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Lourdes M Danielhttps://ror.org/01tgyzw49Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Juan H ZhouCentre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, https://ror.org/01tgyzw49National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Evelyn C Lawhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-4683-7220
Michael J Meaneyhttps://ror.org/01tgyzw49Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Ai Peng Tanhttps://ror.org/036wvzt09Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-7660-6322

Funding

Agency for Science, Technology and Research C222812035Agency for Science, Technology and Research H22P0M0001Hope for Depression Research FoundationJacobs FoundationJPB Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMaternal mental health strongly influences child development and depression risk. This study investigated how positive and negative dimensions of prenatal maternal mental health differentially shape childhood depressive symptoms through cognitive mediators.

methodsParticipants were drawn from the

resultsDistinct mediation pathways emerged. Positive maternal mental health was associated with enhanced early language ability, which in turn was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in later childhood (

conclusionsPositive and negative maternal mental health are linked to childhood depressive symptoms through distinct neurocognitive pathways. By identifying language and executive function as specific developmental mediators, our findings point to targeted and developmentally sensitive intervention opportunities to disrupt intergenerational pathways of depression.

Indexed as

Child DevelopmentDepressionExecutive FunctionMental HealthMothersAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMalePregnancyPrenatal Exposure Delayed EffectsSingaporechildhood depressionexecutive functionlanguagematernal depressionpositive maternal mental health

Identifiers

PMID42206398
PMCPMC13234518

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.