Helena Rutherford, PhD
Associate Professor in the Child Study CenterCards
About
Research
Overview
Individual differences in the neural correlates of infant cue perception
Maternal distress tolerance and stress reactivity
Publications
2024
Birthing a new maternal cognition literature: 10 recommendations for future research
Orchard E, Rutherford H. Birthing a new maternal cognition literature: 10 recommendations for future research. Archives Of Women's Mental Health 2024, 1-4. PMID: 39264403, DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01514-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnxiety and neural correlates of attention and self-regulation in pregnancy: a resting-state EEG study
Levy J, Yatziv T, Bunderson M, Bartz C, Vancor E, Rutherford H. Anxiety and neural correlates of attention and self-regulation in pregnancy: a resting-state EEG study. Archives Of Women's Mental Health 2024, 1-11. PMID: 39214911, DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01505-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPregnancy-related anxietySelf-regulationBeta oscillationsNeural markersNeural markers of attentionNeural correlates of attentionSelf-regulation difficultiesMarkers of attentionDelta-beta couplingMental health difficultiesCorrelates of attentionResting-state EEG studiesGeneral populationPrefrontal regionsAttentional processesNeural correlatesAttentional controlGeneralized anxietyMind-wanderingCognitive functionHealth difficultiesNeural patternsAnxietyEEG sessionEEG studiesW147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances
McCurdy L, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. W147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110848. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110848.Peer-Reviewed Original Research27. Investigating Neural Markers of Maternal Psychological Risk
Wall K, Penner F, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. 27. Investigating Neural Markers of Maternal Psychological Risk. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s109-s110. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.262.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMade to move: A review of measurement strategies to characterize heterogeneity in normal fetal movement
Ayala K, Huynh C, Voegtline K, Rutherford H. Made to move: A review of measurement strategies to characterize heterogeneity in normal fetal movement. Infant Behavior And Development 2024, 75: 101949. PMID: 38663329, DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.101949.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFetal movementsAssessment of fetal movementsIndicator of fetal well-beingNormal fetal movementFetal well-beingPredicting adverse outcomesAbnormal fetal movementsMovement assessmentMagnetic resonance imagingGestational ageFetal behaviorAdverse outcomesDoppler ultrasoundResonance imagingClinical implicationsMaternal perceptionGestationReview of studiesUltrasoundMaternal attachmentComprehensive review of studiesFetusesParental Tobacco Smoking and Caregiving in the Perinatal and Early Infancy Periods
Martin R, Sandoval I, Penner F, Mayes L, Potenza M, Krishnan-Sarin S, Rutherford H. Parental Tobacco Smoking and Caregiving in the Perinatal and Early Infancy Periods. Journal Of Child And Family Studies 2024, 33: 2583-2595. DOI: 10.1007/s10826-024-02800-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchParental tobacco smokingTobacco smokePostpartum caregivingRisk of child neglectPostpartum periodImpact of tobacco smokingTobacco-cessation programsIllicit substance useChild neglectTobacco useSmoking tobaccoCaregiversPeriod of child developmentChild developmentSubstance usePostpartumSmokingEarly infancy periodPredominant focusTobaccoReview current literatureFathersPotential impactMothersCurrent literatureLetter to the Editor: Does fetal movement shape the maternal brain?
Ayala K, Voegtline K, Rutherford H. Letter to the Editor: Does fetal movement shape the maternal brain? Developmental Psychobiology 2024, 66: e22467. PMID: 38339781, DOI: 10.1002/dev.22467.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNeural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances
McCurdy L, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Zhai Z, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Neural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2024, 171: 126-133. PMID: 38277872, PMCID: PMC10922955, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsResponses to infant stimuliInfant stimuliMaternal behaviorAffective processesBrain regionsPsychological processesEmotional responsesFunctional magnetic resonance imagingPotential neural targetsInfant emotional expressionsMaternal emotional responsivenessSubstance-use statusAssociated with difficultiesSocial-emotional developmentInfant social-emotional developmentMaternal substance useInfant facesCognitive processesImprove child outcomesEmotional expressionEmotional intensityNeural targetsSubstance useGroups of mothersChild outcomes
2023
Maternal psychological risk and the neural correlates of infant face processing: A latent profile analysis
Wall K, Penner F, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Maternal psychological risk and the neural correlates of infant face processing: A latent profile analysis. Developmental Psychobiology 2023, 66: e22445. PMID: 38131237, PMCID: PMC10783861, DOI: 10.1002/dev.22445.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNeurobiology of Parenting and Implications for Emotion Regulation
Rutherford H. Neurobiology of Parenting and Implications for Emotion Regulation. 2023, 229-243. DOI: 10.1017/9781009304368.017.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Baby School Recruitment and Education Initiative
HIC ID2000022110RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2027Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
News
- March 24, 2025
Spicer Honored With 2025 Yale Department of Psychiatry Mental Health Advocacy Award
- December 12, 2024
Yale developmental science summer internship opens to undergrad applicants December 15
- December 11, 2024
October 2024 YCSC Faculty Development Fund awardees announced
- June 25, 2024
Forty trainees recognized at annual Yale Child Study Center graduation event
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