The role of interoceptive processing in prenatal depression and anxiety

Pregnancy is a complex biological phenomenon that can modify several interoception domains (ability to perceive and subjectively experience inner bodily states). These changes in interoceptive processing may also play a role in the emergence of prenatal psychopathology, namely anxiety and depression. To examine the association between interoceptive processing and psychopathology (depression and anxiety) in first-time pregnant women (3rd trimester). 17 first-time expectant mothers (mean age = 32.71 years) completed data collection at 28-32 gestational age. Interoception was evaluated using self-report measures (Interoceptive Accuracy and Attention Scales), a performance-based interoceptive accuracy task (Heartbeat Tapping Task; participants are required to tap a key whenever they feel a heartbeat), and neural markers of infant-specific interoceptive processing (heartbeat-evoked potentials - HEP - during the Infant Face Repetition-Suppression Task). A cluster mass permutation test was employed to identify the electrodes and time-windows where HEP amplitude was effectively modulated (right frontal-central; 308 - 600 ms). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, while the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) measured current anxiety levels. Significant positive correlations were found between interoceptive attention and anxiety (r =.645; p = .017), as well as between interoceptive attention and depression (r = .749; p = .003). Interoceptive accuracy was neither correlated with anxiety nor depression. A large (albeit non-significant) negative correlation (r = -.301, p = .368) was found between depressive scores and HEP emotional modulation in the infant condition, suggesting that infant-specific emotional modulation of HEP may be reduced in prenatal depression. These preliminary findings suggest that interoceptive processing is associated with prenatal psychopathology across several levels. Self-perceived beliefs about interoceptive attention were positively associated with both anxiety and depression. Furthermore, infant-specific neural markers of interoceptive processing may also play an important role in prenatal depressive symptomatology.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/30764

Citation

Praça, M. S., Braga, P. V., Marshall, A., Lamela, D., Jongenelen, I., Rocha, N. B., Costa, R., Schütz-Bosbach, S., Pinto, T. M., Feldman, R., & Campos, C. (2025). The role of interoceptive processing in prenatal depression and anxiety. International Journal of Psychophysiology-Proceedings of the 22nd World Congress of Psychophysiology (IOP 2025) of the International Organization of Psychophysiology (IOP), 213(Supplement), 45–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2025.112740