EEG trajectories across the first two years of life are associated with maternal depression, anxiety, and perceived stress.

Maternal psychological distress (e.g., symptoms of anxiety and depression; perceived stress levels) may influence early neurodevelopmental trajectories of offspring, yet research in community samples with high stress exposures is relatively limited. The current study sought to examine longitudinal trajectories of high-frequency EEG oscillations (β & γ bands) in infants at 2, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months and associations with maternal psychological distress. Using a longitudinal prospective cohort design, 211 families were followed during the first two years of life. Multilevel Mixed Effects models were used for analyses. Significant interactions were found between time and each measure of maternal psychological distress. Higher levels of maternal depression symptoms (F = 18.460, p < 0.001; F = 14.239, p < 0.001), trait anxiety symptoms (F = 52.529, p < 0.001; F = 35.994, p < 0.001) and perceived stress levels (F = 31.776, p < 0.001; F = 23.301, p < 0.001) were associated with lower power in both beta and gamma frequency oscillations. Given the established link between high-frequency oscillations and higher-order cognitive processes, these findings underscore a potential neural pathway through which early stress exposure may influence subsequent developmental trajectories.