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Gunnar MR, Bowen M. What was learned from studying the effects of early institutional deprivation. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 210:173272. [PMID: 34509501 PMCID: PMC8501402 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The effect of experiences in infancy on human development is a central question in developmental science. Children raised in orphanage-like institutions for their first year or so of life and then adopted into well-resourced and supportive families provide a lens on the long-term effects of early deprivation and the capacity of children to recover from this type of early adversity. While it is challenging to identify cause-and-effect relations in the study of previously institutionalized individuals, finding results that are consistent with animal experimental studies and the one randomized study of removal from institutional care support the conclusion that many of the outcomes for these children were induced by early institutional deprivation. This review examines the behavioral and neural evidence for altered executive function, declarative memory, affective disorders, reward processing, reactivity to threat, risk-taking and sensation-seeking. We then provide a brief overview of the neurobiological mechanisms that may transduce early institutional experiences into effects on brain and behavior. In addition, we discuss implications for policy and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Gunnar
- University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development, 51 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Maya Bowen
- University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development, 51 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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52
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Ho TC, King LS. Mechanisms of neuroplasticity linking early adversity to depression: developmental considerations. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:517. [PMID: 34628465 PMCID: PMC8501358 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01639-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Early exposure to psychosocial adversity is among the most potent predictors of depression. Because depression commonly emerges prior to adulthood, we must consider the fundamental principles of developmental neuroscience when examining how experiences of childhood adversity, including abuse and neglect, can lead to depression. Considering that both the environment and the brain are highly dynamic across the period spanning gestation through adolescence, the purpose of this review is to discuss and integrate stress-based models of depression that center developmental processes. We offer a general framework for understanding how psychosocial adversity in early life disrupts or calibrates the biobehavioral systems implicated in depression. Specifically, we propose that the sources and nature of the environmental input shaping the brain, and the mechanisms of neuroplasticity involved, change across development. We contend that the effects of adversity largely depend on the developmental stage of the organism. First, we summarize leading neurobiological models that focus on the effects of adversity on risk for mental disorders, including depression. In particular, we highlight models of allostatic load, acceleration maturation, dimensions of adversity, and sensitive or critical periods. Second, we expound on and review evidence for the formulation that distinct mechanisms of neuroplasticity are implicated depending on the timing of adverse experiences, and that inherent within certain windows of development are constraints on the sources and nature of these experiences. Finally, we consider other important facets of adverse experiences (e.g., environmental unpredictability, perceptions of one's experiences) before discussing promising research directions for the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany C Ho
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Lucy S King
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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53
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Ilyka D, Johnson MH, Lloyd-Fox S. Infant social interactions and brain development: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:448-469. [PMID: 34506843 PMCID: PMC8522805 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Associations between caregiver-infant behaviours during social interactions and brain development outcomes were investigated. Caregivers' and infants' behaviours in interactions related to children’s structural, functional and connectivity measures. Concurrent associations between behavioural and brain measures were apparent as early as three months postnatally. Long-term associations between behaviours in early interactions and brain development outcomes were observed decades later. Individual differences in early interactions and associated brain development is an important avenue for further research.
From birth, interactions with others are an integral part of a person’s daily life. In infancy, social exchanges are thought to be critical for optimal brain development. This systematic review explores this association by drawing together infant studies that relate adult-infant behaviours – coded from their social interactions - to children’s brain measures collected during a neuroimaging session in infancy, childhood, adolescence or adulthood. In total, we identified 55 studies that explored associations between infants’ social interactions and neural measures. These studies show that several aspects of caregiver-infant behaviours are associated with, or predict, a variety of neural responses in infants, children and adolescents. The presence of both concurrent and long-term associations - some of which are first observed just a few months postnatally and extend into adulthood - open an important research avenue and motivate further longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianna Ilyka
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Lloyd-Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Bhanot S, Bray S, McGirr A, Lee K, Kopala-Sibley DC. A Narrative Review of Methodological Considerations in Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Offspring Brain Development and the Influence of Parenting. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:694845. [PMID: 34489661 PMCID: PMC8417117 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.694845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parenting has been robustly associated with offspring psychosocial development, and these effects are likely reflected in brain development. This hypothesis is being tested with increasingly rigorous methods and the use of magnetic resonance imaging, a powerful tool for characterizing human brain structure and function. The objective of this narrative review was to examine methodological issues in this field that impact the conclusions that can be drawn and to identify future directions in this field. Studies included were those that examined associations between parenting and offspring brain structure or function. Results show four thematic features in this literature that impact the hypotheses that can be tested, and the conclusions drawn. The first theme is a limited body of studies including repeated sampling of offspring brain structure and function, and therefore an over-reliance on cross-sectional or retrospective associations. The second involves a focus on extremes in early life caregiving, limiting generalizability. The third involves the nature of parenting assessment, predominantly parent- or child-report instead of observational measures which may be more ecologically valid measures of parenting. A closely related fourth consideration is the examination of detrimental versus positive parenting behaviors. While studies with one or more of these thematic limitations provide valuable information, future study design should consider addressing these limitations to determine how parenting shapes offspring brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Bhanot
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Signe Bray
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alexander McGirr
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kate Lee
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel C Kopala-Sibley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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55
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Glennen S. Oral and Written Language Abilities of School-Age Internationally Adopted Children from Eastern Europe. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 93:106127. [PMID: 34139554 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Children adopted from Eastern Europe were assessed at ages 6 to 7 years and results were compared to the same children when they were 8 years. Patterns of relative strengths and weaknesses in language, verbal memory and literacy were analyzed. Variables that predicted reading and writing were determined. METHOD Children adopted from Eastern Europe between 1;0 and 4;11 years of age were assessed at ages 6 to 7 years and age 8 years on a variety of tests that measured language, verbal memory and literacy. Results were compared across ages, and language, verbal memory and literacy domains. RESULTS Group means for all measures fell within the average range at both ages. The children's scores were not significantly different from test norms except for measures of rapid naming and number repetition. However, a larger than expected percentage of children scored -1SD below the mean on decontextualized measures of verbal working memory and reading fluency. At age 8 years 24% of children received speech language therapy services and 26% had repeated a grade level. Vocabulary, expressive syntax, verbal short-term memory and writing were areas of relative strength. Higher level vocabulary knowledge was strongly correlated with all literacy measures. CONCLUSION As a group, Eastern European adoptees scored average on measures of language and literacy at 6 or 7 years and again at age 8 years. However, 26% of the children had repeated a grade and 24% were still receiving speech and language services. Vocabulary was an area of strength reflecting the children's enriched adopted home environments. In-depth knowledge of vocabulary was the best predictor of reading and writing. Some aspects of working memory were a strength but others were not. Rapid naming was also a weakness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Glennen
- Department of Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University.
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56
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Cohodes EM, Kribakaran S, Odriozola P, Bakirci S, McCauley S, Hodges HR, Sisk LM, Zacharek SJ, Gee DG. Migration-related trauma and mental health among migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States: Effects on developmental neurobiology and implications for policy. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22158. [PMID: 34292596 PMCID: PMC8410670 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Children make up over half of the world's migrants and refugees and face a multitude of traumatic experiences prior to, during, and following migration. Here, we focus on migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States and review trauma related to migration, as well as its implications for the mental health of migrant and refugee children. We then draw upon the early adversity literature to highlight potential behavioral and neurobiological sequalae of migration-related trauma exposure, focusing on attachment, emotion regulation, and fear learning and extinction as transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying the development of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology following early-life adversity. This review underscores the need for interdisciplinary efforts to both mitigate the effects of trauma faced by migrant and refugee youth emigrating from Mexico and Central America and, of primary importance, to prevent child exposure to trauma in the context of migration. Thus, we conclude by outlining policy recommendations aimed at improving the mental health of migrant and refugee youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sahana Kribakaran
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah Bakirci
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah McCauley
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - H R Hodges
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sadie J Zacharek
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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57
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Gehred MZ, Knodt AR, Ambler A, Bourassa KJ, Danese A, Elliott ML, Hogan S, Ireland D, Poulton R, Ramrakha S, Reuben A, Sison ML, Moffitt TE, Hariri AR, Caspi A. Long-term Neural Embedding of Childhood Adversity in a Population-Representative Birth Cohort Followed for 5 Decades. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:182-193. [PMID: 33952400 PMCID: PMC8274314 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood adversity has been previously associated with alterations in brain structure, but heterogeneous designs, methods, and measures have contributed to mixed results and have impeded progress in mapping the biological embedding of childhood adversity. We sought to identify long-term differences in structural brain integrity associated with childhood adversity. METHODS Multiple regression was used to test associations between prospectively ascertained adversity during childhood and adversity retrospectively reported in adulthood with structural magnetic resonance imaging measures of midlife global and regional cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical gray matter volume in 861 (425 female) members of the Dunedin Study, a longitudinal investigation of a population-representative birth cohort. RESULTS Both prospectively ascertained childhood adversity and retrospectively reported adversity were associated with alterations in midlife structural brain integrity, but associations with prospectively ascertained childhood adversity were consistently stronger and more widely distributed than associations with retrospectively reported childhood adversity. Sensitivity analyses revealed that these associations were not driven by any particular adversity or category of adversity (i.e., threat or deprivation) or by childhood socioeconomic disadvantage. Network enrichment analyses revealed that these associations were not localized but were broadly distributed along a hierarchical cortical gradient of information processing. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to childhood adversity broadly is associated with widespread differences in midlife gray matter across cortical and subcortical structures, suggesting that biological embedding of childhood adversity in the brain is long lasting, but not localized. Research using retrospectively reported adversity likely underestimates the magnitude of these associations. These findings may inform future research investigating mechanisms through which adversity becomes embedded in the brain and influences mental health and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Z. Gehred
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Annchen R. Knodt
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Antony Ambler
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand,Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Center, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kyle J. Bourassa
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Center, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,National and Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety and Depression, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maxwell L. Elliott
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Sean Hogan
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David Ireland
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richie Poulton
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sandhya Ramrakha
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Aaron Reuben
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Maria L. Sison
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Terrie E. Moffitt
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina,Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Center, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,PROMENTA Center, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Address correspondence to Ahmad R. Hariri, Ph.D.
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina,Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Center, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom,PROMENTA Center, University of Oslo, Norway
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58
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Fatori D, Fonseca Zuccolo P, Shephard E, Brentani H, Matijasevich A, Archanjo Ferraro A, Aparecida Fracolli L, Chiesa AM, Leckman J, Constantino Miguel E, V Polanczyk G. A randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a Nurse Home Visiting Program for Pregnant Adolescents. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14432. [PMID: 34257407 PMCID: PMC8277870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93938-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
To test the efficacy of a nurse home visiting program (HVP) on child development, maternal and environmental outcomes in the first years of life. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of Primeiros Laços, a nurse HVP for adolescent mothers living in a poor urban area of São Paulo, Brazil. Eighty adolescent mothers were included and randomized to receive either Primeiros Laços (intervention group, n = 40) or healthcare as usual (control group, n = 40). Primeiros Laços is a home visiting intervention delivered by trained nurses that starts during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy and continues to the child's age of 24 months. Participants were assessed by blind interviewers at 8-16 weeks of pregnancy (baseline), 30 weeks of pregnancy, and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of child's age. We assessed oscillatory power in the mid-range alpha frequency via electroencephalography when the children were aged 6 months. Child development was measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Third Edition (BSID-III). Weight and length were measured by trained professionals and anthropometric indexes were calculated. The home environment and maternal interaction with the child was measured by the Home Observation and Measurement of the Environment. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine intervention effects on the trajectories of outcomes. Standardized effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated using marginal means from endpoint assessments of all outcomes. The trial was registered at clinicaltrial.gov: NCT02807818. Our analyses showed significant positive effects of the intervention on child expressive language development (coefficient = 0.89, 95% CI [0.18, 1.61], p = 0.014), maternal emotional/verbal responsivity (coefficient = 0.97, 95% CI [0.37, 1.58], p = 0.002), and opportunities for variety in daily stimulation (coefficient = 0.37, 95% CI [0.09, 0.66], p = 0.009). Standardized effect sizes of the intervention were small to moderate. Primeiros Laços is a promising intervention to promote child development and to improve the home environment of low-income adolescent mothers. However, considering the limitations of our study, future studies should be conducted to assess Primeiros Laços potential to benefit this population.Clinical Trial Registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrial.gov (Registration date: 21/06/2016 and Registration number: NCT02807818).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fatori
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil.
| | - Pedro Fonseca Zuccolo
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Shephard
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil
| | - Alicia Matijasevich
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Archanjo Ferraro
- Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lislaine Aparecida Fracolli
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anna Maria Chiesa
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - James Leckman
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Euripedes Constantino Miguel
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V Polanczyk
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, R Dr Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05403-903, Brazil.
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Hanson JL, Nacewicz BM. Amygdala Allostasis and Early Life Adversity: Considering Excitotoxicity and Inescapability in the Sequelae of Stress. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:624705. [PMID: 34140882 PMCID: PMC8203824 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.624705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA), such as child maltreatment or child poverty, engenders problems with emotional and behavioral regulation. In the quest to understand the neurobiological sequelae and mechanisms of risk, the amygdala has been of major focus. While the basic functions of this region make it a strong candidate for understanding the multiple mental health issues common after ELA, extant literature is marked by profound inconsistencies, with reports of larger, smaller, and no differences in regional volumes of this area. We believe integrative models of stress neurodevelopment, grounded in "allostatic load," will help resolve inconsistencies in the impact of ELA on the amygdala. In this review, we attempt to connect past research studies to new findings with animal models of cellular and neurotransmitter mediators of stress buffering to extreme fear generalization onto testable research and clinical concepts. Drawing on the greater impact of inescapability over unpredictability in animal models, we propose a mechanism by which ELA aggravates an exhaustive cycle of amygdala expansion and subsequent toxic-metabolic damage. We connect this neurobiological sequela to psychosocial mal/adaptation after ELA, bridging to behavioral studies of attachment, emotion processing, and social functioning. Lastly, we conclude this review by proposing a multitude of future directions in preclinical work and studies of humans that suffered ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Brendon M. Nacewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Farah MJ, Sternberg S, Nichols TA, Duda JT, Lohrenz T, Luo Y, Sonnier L, Ramey SL, Montague R, Ramey CT. Randomized Manipulation of Early Cognitive Experience Impacts Adult Brain Structure. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1197-1209. [PMID: 34428792 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Does early exposure to cognitive and linguistic stimulation impact brain structure? Or do genetic predispositions account for the co-occurrence of certain neuroanatomical phenotypes and a tendency to engage children in cognitively stimulating activities? Low socioeconomic status infants were randomized to either 5 years of cognitively and linguistically stimulating center-based care or a comparison condition. The intervention resulted in large and statistically significant changes in brain structure measured in midlife, particularly for male individuals. These findings are the first to extend the large literature on cognitive enrichment effects on animal brains to humans, and to demonstrate the effects of uniquely human features such as linguistic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yi Luo
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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61
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Hong SJ, Sisk LM, Caballero C, Mekhanik A, Roy AK, Milham MP, Gee DG. Decomposing complex links between the childhood environment and brain structure in school-aged youth. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100919. [PMID: 33556882 PMCID: PMC7868609 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood experiences play a profound role in conferring risk and resilience for brain and behavioral development. However, how different facets of the environment shape neurodevelopment remains largely unknown. Here we sought to decompose heterogeneous relationships between environmental factors and brain structure in 989 school-aged children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. We applied a cross-modal integration and clustering approach called 'Similarity Network Fusion', which combined two brain morphometrics (i.e., cortical thickness and myelin-surrogate markers), and key environmental factors (i.e., trauma exposure, neighborhood safety, school environment, and family environment) to identify homogeneous subtypes. Depending on the subtyping resolution, results identified two or five subgroups, each characterized by distinct brain structure-environment profiles. Notably, more supportive caregiving and school environments were associated with greater myelination, whereas less supportive caregiving, higher family conflict and psychopathology, and higher perceived neighborhood safety were observed with greater cortical thickness. These subtypes were highly reproducible and predicted externalizing symptoms and overall mental health problems. Our findings support the theory that distinct environmental exposures are differentially associated with alterations in structural neurodevelopment. Delineating more precise associations between risk factors, protective factors, and brain development may inform approaches to enhance risk identification and optimize interventions targeting specific experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Jun Hong
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA; Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Anthony Mekhanik
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy K Roy
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Cunha PJ, Duran FLS, de Oliveira PA, Chaim-Avancini TM, Milioni ALV, Ometto M, Squarzoni P, Santos PP, Caetano SC, Busatto GF, Scivoletto S. Callosal abnormalities, altered cortisol levels, and neurocognitive deficits associated with early maltreatment among adolescents: A voxel-based diffusion-tensor imaging study. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02009. [PMID: 33452751 PMCID: PMC7994704 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuroimaging studies have shown callosal abnormalities among maltreated subjects, but little is known about the functional and neurobiological correlates of these supposed developmental alterations. The aim of this study was to investigate childhood maltreatment (CM), neurocognitive functioning, cortisol levels, and corpus callosum (CC) integrity among adolescents. METHODS One hundred and seven subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with voxel-based diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and the Crossed Finger Localization Test (CFLT). Psychopathology was investigated with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-PL); CM was detailed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and salivary cortisol levels were measured by immunoassay. RESULTS Higher levels of CM were associated with current lower CFLT scores, mainly in the CROSSED condition, involving interhemispheric communication of sensorimotor information (p < .05) and with reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the splenium of the CC (p < .01). Deficits in the CFLT were also associated with higher cortisol levels (p < .05). CONCLUSION The association among CM, neuropsychological abnormalities, callosal microstructure alterations, and cortisol levels suggests an altered pattern of brain interhemispheric connectivity among maltreated adolescents. Further studies are needed to investigate the extent to which these sensorimotor deficits and abnormal cortisol levels may be possible mediators of negative neurodevelopmental trajectories and adult psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Jannuzzi Cunha
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio L S Duran
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paula Approbato de Oliveira
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tiffany M Chaim-Avancini
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Luiza V Milioni
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariella Ometto
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paula Squarzoni
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro P Santos
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sheila C Caetano
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Geraldo F Busatto
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroimaging (LIM-21), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sandra Scivoletto
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Kochukhova O, Dyagileva Y, Mikhailova A, Orekhova L, Makhin S, Pavlenko V. Better Language - Faster Helper: The Relation Between Spontaneous Instrumental Helping Action and Language Ability in Family-Reared and Institutionalized Toddlers. PSYCHOLOGY IN RUSSIA: STATE OF ART 2021; 14:78-93. [PMID: 36733814 PMCID: PMC9888043 DOI: 10.11621/pir.2021.0406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Prosocial behavior is the key component of social and interpersonal relations. One of the elements of prosociality is helping behavior, which emerges already in early childhood. Researchers have identified several domains of helping behavior: instrumental helping, comforting another person, and sharing resources with others. The development of helping behavior can depend on a number of factors: children's age, the social situation of development, communication skills, and the ability to understand the feelings and needs of another person. Objective In Study 1, the main goal was to determine the effects of age and cognitive, language, and motor development on instrumental helping skills in early childhood. The goal of Study 2 was to estimate the effects of rearing in an adverse social environment by comparing the capacity for instrumental helping in family-raised and institutionalized children. Design The authors examined toddlers' (N = 198) ability to initiate spontaneous helping and the factors that may influence it. Cognitive, language, and fine motor skills were measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Child Development, 3rd edition. Children's instrumental helping behavior was assessed according to the procedure presented by Warneken and Tomasello, with a few modifications. Results Study 1 demonstrated that children's ability to initiate helping was dependent on their age: the non-helpers were significantly younger than the helpers. Children's language skills also played a significant role in their helping behavior. The children with higher language skills helped the adult more often and more quickly. Study 2 demonstrated that institutional placement per se was not related to toddlers' ability to initiate helping. Language ability was associated with helping behavior both in institution- and family-reared toddlers. Conclusion Instrumental helping in early childhood is related to children's age, language skills, and rearing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kochukhova
- Department of Psychology, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Yulia Dyagileva
- V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russian Federation
| | - Anna Mikhailova
- V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russian Federation
| | - Lilia Orekhova
- V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russian Federation,* Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Sergei Makhin
- V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir Pavlenko
- V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russian Federation
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64
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VanTieghem M, Korom M, Flannery J, Choy T, Caldera C, Humphreys KL, Gabard-Durnam L, Goff B, Gee DG, Telzer EH, Shapiro M, Louie JY, Fareri DS, Bolger N, Tottenham N. Longitudinal changes in amygdala, hippocampus and cortisol development following early caregiving adversity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100916. [PMID: 33517107 PMCID: PMC7848778 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although decades of research have shown associations between early caregiving adversity, stress physiology and limbic brain volume (e.g., amygdala, hippocampus), the developmental trajectories of these phenotypes are not well characterized. In the current study, we used an accelerated longitudinal design to assess the development of stress physiology, amygdala, and hippocampal volume following early institutional care. Previously Institutionalized (PI; N = 93) and comparison (COMP; N = 161) youth (ages 4–20 years old) completed 1–3 waves of data collection, each spaced approximately 2 years apart, for diurnal cortisol (N = 239) and structural MRI (N = 156). We observed a developmental shift in morning cortisol in the PI group, with blunted levels in childhood and heightened levels in late adolescence. PI history was associated with reduced hippocampal volume and reduced growth rate of the amygdala, resulting in smaller volumes by adolescence. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes were also prospectively associated with future morning cortisol in both groups. These results indicate that adversity-related physiological and neural phenotypes are not stationary during development but instead exhibit dynamic and interdependent changes from early childhood to early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Jessica Flannery
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tricia Choy
- Graduate School of Education, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Christina Caldera
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Bonnie Goff
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Y Louie
- Child Mind Institute, San Francisco Bay Area, San Mateo, CA, USA
| | - Dominic S Fareri
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | - Niall Bolger
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Abstract
The majority of children living in foster care in the United States have a history of maltreatment and/or disrupted caregiving. Maltreatment in early childhood adversely affects development at many levels, including neurobiology and behavior. One neurobiological measure associated with maltreatment is alpha electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry. Prior research has found greater right frontal asymmetry among children with a history of maltreatment. However, little research has been extended developmentally downward to examine alpha asymmetry and its behavioral correlates among toddlers in foster care; this was the purpose of the present study. Differences in EEG asymmetry were examined between a sample of foster toddlers (mean age = 3.21 years, n = 38) and a community comparison, low-income sample without a history of foster care (mean age = 3.04 years, n = 16). The toddlers in the foster care group exhibited greater right alpha asymmetry, primarily driven by differences in parietal asymmetry. Neither frontal nor parietal asymmetry were clearly related to internalizing or externalizing behaviors, measured concurrently or at previous time points. These findings reveal differences in alpha EEG asymmetry among toddlers in foster care, and highlight the need to better understand associations between neurobiological and behavioral functioning following early adversity.
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66
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Volkow ND, Blanco C. The changing opioid crisis: development, challenges and opportunities. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:218-233. [PMID: 32020048 PMCID: PMC7398847 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0661-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The current opioid epidemic is one of the most severe public health crisis in US history. Responding to it has been difficult due to its rapidly changing nature and the severity of its associated outcomes. This review examines the origin and evolution of the crisis, the pharmacological properties of opioids, the neurobiology of opioid use and opioid use disorder (OUD), medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and existing and promising approaches to prevention. The results of the review indicate that the opioid epidemic is a complex, evolving phenomenon that involves neurobiological vulnerabilities and social determinants of health. Successfully addressing the epidemic will require advances in basic science, development of more acceptable and effective treatments, and implementation of public health approaches, including prevention. The advances achieved in addressing the current crisis should also serve to advance the science and treatment of other substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Blanco
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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67
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Katan EA. [Neurobiological effects of childhood abuse and neglect as a predisposing factor to substance use disorder]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020; 120:141-147. [PMID: 33340309 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro2020120111141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The article presents data from research literature on the neurobiological consequences of abuse and neglect in childhood. It is shown that early life stress affects the trajectory of brain development, changes the patterns of cognitive behavioral control and reception of rewards, potentially increasing the risk of substance misuse. The combination of this factor with an immature prefrontal cortex can dramatically increase the liability to the development of substance dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Katan
- Orenburg State Medical University, Orenburg, Russia
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68
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Hyde LW, Gard AM, Tomlinson RC, Burt SA, Mitchell C, Monk CS. An ecological approach to understanding the developing brain: Examples linking poverty, parenting, neighborhoods, and the brain. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2020; 75:1245-1259. [PMID: 33382290 PMCID: PMC8167378 DOI: 10.1037/amp0000741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We describe an ecological approach to understanding the developing brain, with a focus on the effects of poverty-related adversity on brain function. We articulate how combining multilevel ecological models from developmental science and developmental psychopathology with human neuroscience can inform our approach to understanding the developmental neuroscience of risk and resilience. To illustrate this approach, we focus on associations between poverty and brain function, the roles parents and neighborhoods play in this context, and the potential impact of developmental timing. We also describe the major challenges and needed advances in these areas of research to better understand how and why poverty-related adversity may impact the developing brain, including the need for: a population neuroscience approach with greater attention to sampling and representation, genetically informed and causal designs, advances in assessing context and brain function, caution in interpretation of effects, and a focus on resilience. Work in this area has major implications for policy and prevention, which are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke W Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
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Nelson CA, Scott RD, Bhutta ZA, Harris NB, Danese A, Samara M. Adversity in childhood is linked to mental and physical health throughout life. BMJ 2020; 371:m3048. [PMID: 33115717 PMCID: PMC7592151 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m3048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of “toxic stress” and huge downstream consequences in disease, suffering, and financial costs make prevention and early intervention crucial, say Charles A Nelson and colleagues
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard David Scott
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, South Central Asia, East Africa and UK
| | | | - Andrea Danese
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London and the National and Specialist CAMHS Clinic for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Muthanna Samara
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University London, London, UK
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70
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Farber MJ, Gee DG, Hariri AR. Normative range parenting and the developing brain: A scoping review and recommendations for future research. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:2341-2358. [PMID: 33051903 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Studies of early adversity such as trauma, abuse, and neglect highlight the critical importance of quality caregiving in brain development and mental health. However, the impact of normative range variability in caregiving on such biobehavioral processes remains poorly understood. Thus, we lack an essential foundation for understanding broader, population-representative developmental mechanisms of risk and resilience. Here, we conduct a scoping review of the extant literature centered on the question, "Is variability in normative range parenting associated with variability in brain structure and function?" After removing duplicates and screening by title, abstract, and full-text, 23 records were included in a qualitative review. The most striking outcome of this review was not only how few studies have explored associations between brain development and normative range parenting, but also how little methodological consistency exists across published studies. In light of these limitations, we propose recommendations for future research on normative range parenting and brain development. In doing so, we hope to facilitate evidence-based research that will help inform policies and practices that yield optimal developmental trajectories and mental health as well as extend the literature on the neurodevelopmental impact of early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline J Farber
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NA, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Clinical Affective Neuroscience & Development Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NA, USA
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71
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Gilmore JH, Langworthy B, Girault JB, Fine J, Jha SC, Kim SH, Cornea E, Styner M. Individual Variation of Human Cortical Structure Is Established in the First Year of Life. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 5:971-980. [PMID: 32741702 PMCID: PMC7860052 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual differences in cortical gray matter (GM) structure are associated with cognitive function and psychiatric disorders with developmental origins. Identifying when individual differences in cortical structure are established in childhood is critical for understanding the timing of abnormal cortical development associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS We studied the development of cortical GM and white matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area using structural magnetic resonance imaging in two unique cohorts of singleton (121 male and 131 female) and twin (99 male and 83 female) children imaged longitudinally from birth to 6 years. RESULTS Cortical GM volume increases rapidly in the first year of life, with more gradual growth thereafter. Between ages 1 and 6 years, total surface area expands 29%, while average cortical thickness decreases about 3.5%. In both cohorts, a large portion of individual variation in cortical GM volume (81%-87%) and total surface area (73%-83%) at age 6 years is present by age 1 year. Regional heterogeneity of cortical thickness observed at age 6 is largely in place at age 1. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that individual differences in cortical GM structure are largely established by the end of the first year of life, following a period of rapid postnatal GM growth. This suggests that alterations in GM structure associated with psychiatric disorders with developmental origins may largely arise in the first year of life and that interventions to normalize or mitigate abnormal GM development may need to be targeted to very early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Benjamin Langworthy
- Department of Biostatistics, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jessica B Girault
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jason Fine
- Department of Biostatistics, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Shaili C Jha
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sun Hyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emil Cornea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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72
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Hinkeldey N, Okamoto C, Khan J. Spinal Manipulation and Select Manual Therapies: Current Perspectives. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2020; 31:593-608. [PMID: 32981581 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Touch is fundamental to the doctor-patient relationship. Touch can produce neuromodulatory effects that mitigate pain and put patients at ease. Touch begins with a confident handshake and continues throughout the physical examination. Touching patients where they hurt is a clear indication that a provider understands their complaint. Touch often continues as a function of treatment. This article updates evidence surrounding human touch and addresses mechanisms of action for manual therapy, the impact of manual therapy on pain management, health care conditions for which manual therapy may be beneficial, treatment plans with dose-response evidence, and the impact of manual therapy on the health care system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Hinkeldey
- VA Central Iowa Health Care System, 3600 30th Street, Des Moines, IA 50310, USA; Palmer College of Chiropractic, 1000 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803, USA.
| | - Casey Okamoto
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, 500 Boynton Health Service Bridge, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jamal Khan
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, 500 Boynton Health Service Bridge, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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73
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Reh RK, Dias BG, Nelson CA, Kaufer D, Werker JF, Kolb B, Levine JD, Hensch TK. Critical period regulation across multiple timescales. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:23242-23251. [PMID: 32503914 PMCID: PMC7519216 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820836117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain plasticity is dynamically regulated across the life span, peaking during windows of early life. Typically assessed in the physiological range of milliseconds (real time), these trajectories are also influenced on the longer timescales of developmental time (nurture) and evolutionary time (nature), which shape neural architectures that support plasticity. Properly sequenced critical periods of circuit refinement build up complex cognitive functions, such as language, from more primary modalities. Here, we consider recent progress in the biological basis of critical periods as a unifying rubric for understanding plasticity across multiple timescales. Notably, the maturation of parvalbumin-positive (PV) inhibitory neurons is pivotal. These fast-spiking cells generate gamma oscillations associated with critical period plasticity, are sensitive to circadian gene manipulation, emerge at different rates across brain regions, acquire perineuronal nets with age, and may be influenced by epigenetic factors over generations. These features provide further novel insight into the impact of early adversity and neurodevelopmental risk factors for mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K Reh
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Brian G Dias
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Daniela Kaufer
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Janet F Werker
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Bryan Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Joel D Levine
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Takao K Hensch
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115;
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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74
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DeRosse P, Barber AD. Overlapping Neurobiological Substrates for Early-Life Stress and Resilience to Psychosis. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:144-153. [PMID: 33097471 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Early-life stress, such as childhood maltreatment, is a well-known etiological factor in psychopathology, including psychosis. Exposure to early-life stress disrupts the neurodevelopment of widespread brain systems, including key components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex, as well as key components of the brain's reward system, such as the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex. These disruptions have a considerable impact on the function of emotion and reward circuitry, which play a central role in the emergence and severity of psychosis. While this overlap may provide insight into the pathophysiology of psychosis, it also provides unique opportunities to elucidate neurobiological substrates that may promote resilience to psychosis. In this review, we discuss the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response, discuss the disruption in the neurodevelopment of emotion and reward processing associated with early stress exposures, and examine how this circuitry may contribute to resilience to psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela DeRosse
- Department of Psychiatry, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Division of Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, New York.
| | - Anita D Barber
- Department of Psychiatry, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Division of Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, New York
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Vink M, Gladwin TE, Geeraerts S, Pas P, Bos D, Hofstee M, Durston S, Vollebergh W. Towards an integrated account of the development of self-regulation from a neurocognitive perspective: A framework for current and future longitudinal multi-modal investigations. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100829. [PMID: 32738778 PMCID: PMC7394770 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and modulate emotions, behaviour, and cognition in order to adapt to changing circumstances. Developing adequate self-regulation is associated with better social coping and higher educational achievement later in life; poor self-regulation has been linked to a variety of detrimental developmental outcomes. Here, we focus on the development of neurocognitive processes essential for self-regulation. We outline a conceptual framework emphasizing that this is inherently an integrated, dynamic process involving interactions between brain maturation, child characteristics (genetic makeup, temperament, and pre- and perinatal factors) and environmental factors (family characteristics, parents and siblings, peers, and broader societal influences including media development). We introduce the Consortium of Individual Development (CID), which combines a series of integrated large-scale, multi-modal, longitudinal studies to take essential steps towards the ultimate goal of understanding and supporting this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Vink
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Thomas Edward Gladwin
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Institute for Lifecourse Development, University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - Sanne Geeraerts
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Pascal Pas
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dienke Bos
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marissa Hofstee
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sarah Durston
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wilma Vollebergh
- Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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76
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Leroy JL, Frongillo EA, Dewan P, Black MM, Waterland RA. Can Children Catch up from the Consequences of Undernourishment? Evidence from Child Linear Growth, Developmental Epigenetics, and Brain and Neurocognitive Development. Adv Nutr 2020; 11:1032-1041. [PMID: 32584399 PMCID: PMC7360439 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmaa020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recovery from nutritionally induced height deficits continues to garner attention. The current literature on catch-up growth, however, has 2 important limitations: wide-ranging definitions of catch-up growth are used, and it remains unclear whether children can recover from the broader consequences of undernutrition. We addressed these shortcomings by reviewing the literature on the criteria for catch-up in linear growth and on the potential to recover from undernutrition early in life in 3 domains: linear growth, developmental epigenetics, and child brain and neurocognitive development. Four criteria must be met to demonstrate catch-up growth in height: after a period in which a growth-inhibiting condition (criterion 1) causes a reduction in linear growth velocity (criterion 2), alleviation of the inhibiting condition (criterion 3) leads to higher-than-normal velocity (criterion 4). Accordingly, studies that are observational, do not use absolute height, or have no alleviation of an inhibiting condition cannot be used to establish catch-up growth. Adoption and foster care, which provide dramatic improvements in children's living conditions not typically attained in nutrition interventions, led to some (but incomplete) recovery in linear growth and brain and neurocognitive development. Maternal nutrition around the time of conception was shown to have long-term (potentially permanent) effects on DNA methylation in the offspring. Undernourishment early in life may thus have profound irreversible effects. Scientific, program, and policy efforts should focus on preventing maternal and child undernutrition rather than on correcting its consequences or attempting to prove they can be corrected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jef L Leroy
- Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Edward A Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Pragya Dewan
- Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Maureen M Black
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Robert A Waterland
- USDA/Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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77
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Vargas T, Damme KSF, Mittal VA. Neighborhood deprivation, prefrontal morphology and neurocognition in late childhood to early adolescence. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117086. [PMID: 32593800 PMCID: PMC7572635 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Neighborhood deprivation adversely effects neurodevelopment and cognitive function; however, mechanisms remain unexplored. Neighborhood deprivation could be particularly impactful in late childhood/early adolescence, in neural regions with protracted developmental trajectories, e.g., prefrontal cortex (PFC). Methods: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study recruited 10,205 youth. Geocoded residential history was used to extract individual neighborhood characteristics. A general cognitive ability index and MRI scans were completed. Associations with neurocognition were examined. The relation of PFC surface area and cortical thickness to neighborhood deprivation was tested. PFC subregions and asymmetry, with putative differential environmental susceptibility during key developmental periods, were explored. Analyses tested PFC area as a possible mediating mechanism. Results: Neighborhood deprivation predicted neurocognitive performance (β = −0.11), even after accounting for parental education and household income (β = −0.07). Higher neighborhood deprivation related to greater overall PFC surface area (η2p = 0.003), and differences in leftward asymmetry were observed for area (η2p = 0.001), and thickness (η2p = 0.003). Subregion analyses highlighted differences among critical areas that are actively developing in late childhood/early adolescence and are essential to modulating high order cognitive function. These included orbitofrontal, superior frontal, rostral middle frontal, and frontal pole regions (Cohen’s d = 0.03–0.09). PFC surface area partially mediated the relation between neighborhood deprivation and neurocognition. Discussion: Neighborhood deprivation related to cognitive function (a foundational skill tied to a range of lifetime outcomes) and PFC morphology, with evidence found for partial mediation of PFC on neurocognitive function. Results inform public health conceptualizations of development and environmental vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Vargas
- Northwestern University Department of Psychology, United States.
| | | | - Vijay A Mittal
- Northwestern University Department of Psychology, Northwestern University Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research, United States
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78
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Early childhood deprivation is associated with alterations in adult brain structure despite subsequent environmental enrichment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:641-649. [PMID: 31907309 PMCID: PMC6955353 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911264116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Millions of children worldwide live in nonfamilial institutions. We studied impact on adult brain structure of a particularly severe but time-limited form of institutional deprivation in early life experienced by children who were subsequently adopted into nurturing families. Institutional deprivation was associated with lower total brain volume in a dose-dependent way. Regionally specific effects were seen in medial prefrontal, inferior frontal, and inferior temporal areas. Deprivation-related alterations in total brain volume were associated with lower intelligence quotient and more attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms; alterations in temporal volume seemed compensatory, as they were associated with fewer attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. We provide evidence that early childhood deprivation is related to alterations in adult brain structure, despite environmental enrichment in intervening years. Early childhood deprivation is associated with higher rates of neurodevelopmental and mental disorders in adulthood. The impact of childhood deprivation on the adult brain and the extent to which structural changes underpin these effects are currently unknown. To investigate these questions, we utilized MRI data collected from young adults who were exposed to severe deprivation in early childhood in the Romanian orphanages of the Ceaușescu era and then, subsequently adopted by UK families; 67 Romanian adoptees (with between 3 and 41 mo of deprivation) were compared with 21 nondeprived UK adoptees. Romanian adoptees had substantially smaller total brain volumes (TBVs) than nondeprived adoptees (8.6% reduction), and TBV was strongly negatively associated with deprivation duration. This effect persisted after covarying for potential environmental and genetic confounds. In whole-brain analyses, deprived adoptees showed lower right inferior frontal surface area and volume but greater right inferior temporal lobe thickness, surface area, and volume than the nondeprived adoptees. Right medial prefrontal volume and surface area were positively associated with deprivation duration. No deprivation-related effects were observed in limbic regions. Global reductions in TBV statistically mediated the observed relationship between institutionalization and both lower intelligence quotient (IQ) and higher levels of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. The deprivation-related increase in right inferior temporal volume seemed to be compensatory, as it was associated with lower levels of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. We provide compelling evidence that time-limited severe deprivation in the first years of life is related to alterations in adult brain structure, despite extended enrichment in adoptive homes in the intervening years.
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79
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Zhukova MA, Ovchinnikova I, Logvinenko TI, Grigorenko EL. Language Development of Children Raised in Institutional Settings: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Findings. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2020; 2020:75-96. [DOI: 10.1002/cad.20333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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80
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Cohodes EM, Kitt ER, Baskin-Sommers A, Gee DG. Influences of early-life stress on frontolimbic circuitry: Harnessing a dimensional approach to elucidate the effects of heterogeneity in stress exposure. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:153-172. [PMID: 32227350 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Early-life stress confers profound and lasting risk for developing cognitive, social, emotional, and physical health problems. The effects of stress on the developing brain contribute to this risk, with frontolimbic circuitry particularly susceptible to early experiences, possibly due to its innervation with glucocorticoid receptors and the timing of frontolimbic circuit maturation. To date, the majority of studies on stress and frontolimbic circuitry have employed a categorical approach, comparing stress-exposed versus non-stress-exposed youth. However, there is vast heterogeneity in the nature of stress exposure and in outcomes. Recent forays into understanding the psychobiological effects of stress have employed a dimensional approach focused on experiential, environmental, and temporal factors that influence the association between stress and subsequent vulnerability. This review highlights empirical findings that inform a dimensional approach to understanding the effects of stress on frontolimbic circuitry. We identify the timing, type, severity, controllability, and predictability of stress, and the degree to which a caregiver is involved, as specific features of stress that may play a substantial role in differential outcomes. We propose a framework for the effects of these features of stress on frontolimbic development that may partially determine how heterogeneity in stress exposure influences this circuitry and, ultimately, mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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81
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Desmond C, Watt K, Saha A, Huang J, Lu C. Prevalence and number of children living in institutional care: global, regional, and country estimates. THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2020; 4:370-377. [PMID: 32151317 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(20)30022-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children living in institutionalised settings are at risk of negative health and developmental outcomes, as well as physical and emotional abuse, yet information on their numbers is scarce. Therefore, the aim of our study was to estimate global-level, regional-level, and country-level numbers and percentages of children living in institutional care. METHODS In this estimation study, we did a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications and a comprehensive review of surveys and unpublished literature to construct a dataset on children living in institutional care from 136 countries between 2001 and 2018. We applied a wide range of methods to estimate the number and percentages of children living in institutional care in 191 countries in 2015, the year the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted. We generated 98 sets of estimates for each dataset, with possible combinations of imputation methods for countries with different available data points. Of these 98 sets, we report here five types of global-level estimates: estimates with the highest values, those with the lowest values, those with median values, those with uncertainty levels, and those derived from methods with the smallest root-mean-square errors (RMSE). FINDINGS Global estimates of children living in institutions in 2015 was highly sensitive to the methods and data used, ranging from 3·18 million to 9·42 million children, with a median estimate of 5·37 million. When selecting the method with the lowest RMSE, the global estimate was 4·21 million, whereas with negative binomial regression with bootstrapping, the global estimate was 7·52 (95% CI 7·48-7·56) million. We also observed large variations in country-level estimates. Compared with other regions, estimates in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America had larger variations in values when switching between estimation methods. High-income countries had the highest average prevalence of institutionalisation, whereas low-income countries had the lowest average prevalence. Estimates from the full data with the smallest RMSE method showed that south Asia had the largest estimated number of children living in institutions (1·13 million), followed by Europe and central Asia (1·01 million), east Asia and Pacific (0·78 million), sub-Saharan Africa (0·65 million), Middle East and North Africa (0·30 million), Latin America and the Caribbean (0·23 million), and North America (0·09 million). North America consistently had the lowest estimates among all regions. INTERPRETATION Worldwide, institutional care places millions of children at elevated risk of negative health and developmental outcomes, highlighting the need for deinstitutionalisation. However, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the number of children living in institutions. To improve estimates of the size of this population, we need to standardise the definition of institutional care and improve data collection, particularly in countries with large child populations. FUNDING Lumos Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Desmond
- Centre for Liberation Studies, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Centre for Rural Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Kathryn Watt
- Centre for Liberation Studies, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Anamika Saha
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jialin Huang
- National School of Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunling Lu
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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82
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Orefice LL. Peripheral Somatosensory Neuron Dysfunction: Emerging Roles in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuroscience 2020; 445:120-129. [PMID: 32035119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in somatosensory (touch and pain) behaviors are highly prevalent among people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal touch and pain-related behaviors in ASDs and how altered somatosensory reactivity might contribute to ASD pathogenesis has not been well studied. Here, we provide a brief review of somatosensory alterations observed in people with ASDs and recent evidence from animal models that implicates peripheral neurons as a locus of dysfunction for somatosensory abnormalities in ASDs. Lastly, we describe current efforts to understand how altered peripheral sensory neuron dysfunction may impact brain development and complex behaviors in ASD models, and whether targeting peripheral somatosensory neurons to improve their function might also improve related ASD phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Orefice
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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83
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Herzog JI, Thome J, Demirakca T, Koppe G, Ende G, Lis S, Rausch S, Priebe K, Müller-Engelmann M, Steil R, Bohus M, Schmahl C. Influence of Severity of Type and Timing of Retrospectively Reported Childhood Maltreatment on Female Amygdala and Hippocampal Volume. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1903. [PMID: 32024861 PMCID: PMC7002661 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57490-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Deleterious effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on human brain volume are widely reported. First evidence points to differential effects of ACE on brain volume in terms of timing of ACE. Upcoming studies additionally point towards the impact of different types (i.e., neglect and abuse) of ACE in terms of timing. The current study aimed to investigate the correlation between retrospectively reported severity of type (i.e., the extent to which subjects were exposed to abuse and/or neglect, respectively) and timing of ACE on female brain volume in a sample of prolonged traumatized subjects. A female sample with ACE (N = 68) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and a structured interview exploring the severity of ACE from age 3 up to 17 using the “Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure” (MACE). Random forest regression with conditional interference trees was applied to assess the impact of ACE severity as well as the severity of ACE type, (i.e. to what extent individuals were exposed to neglect and/or abuse) at certain ages on pre-defined regions of interest such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate (ACC) volume. Analyses revealed differential type and timing-specific effects of ACE on stress sensitive brain structures: Amygdala and hippocampal volume were affected by ACE severity during a period covering preadolescence and early adolescence. Crucially, this effect was driven by the severity of neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia I Herzog
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Janine Thome
- Institute for Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Theoretical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, 339 Windermere Rd., London, N6A 5A5, ON, Canada
| | - Traute Demirakca
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Georgia Koppe
- Department of Theoretical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Ende
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefanie Lis
- Institute for Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sophie Rausch
- Institute for Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kathlen Priebe
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10999, Berlin, Germany
| | - Meike Müller-Engelmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Regina Steil
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Intervention, Institute of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Bohus
- Institute for Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, 339 Windermere Rd., London, N6A 5A5, ON, Canada
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84
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Dunn EC, Nishimi K, Neumann A, Renaud A, Cecil CAM, Susser ES, Tiemeier H. Time-Dependent Effects of Exposure to Physical and Sexual Violence on Psychopathology Symptoms in Late Childhood: In Search of Sensitive Periods in Development. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:283-295.e4. [PMID: 31078631 PMCID: PMC7448802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exposure to interpersonal violence is a known risk factor for psychopathology. However, it is unclear whether there are sensitive periods when exposure is most deleterious. We aimed to determine whether there were time periods when physical or sexual violence exposure was associated with greater child psychopathology. METHOD This study (N = 4,580) was embedded in Generation R, a population-based prospective birth cohort. Timing of violence exposure, reported through maternal reports (child age, 10 years) was categorized by age at first exposure, defined as: very early (0-3 years), early (4-5 years), middle (6-7 years), and late (8+ years) childhood. Using Poisson regression, we assessed the association between timing of first exposure and levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, using the Child Behavior Checklist at age 10 years. RESULTS Violence exposure at any age was associated with higher internalizing (physical violence: risk ratio [RR] = 1.46, p < 0.0001; sexual violence: RR = 1.30, p < .0001) and externalizing symptoms (physical violence: RR = 1.52, p < 0.0001; sexual violence: RR = 1.31, p = 0.0005). However, the effects of violence were time dependent: compared to children exposed at older ages, children first exposed during very early childhood had greater externalizing symptoms. Sensitivity analyses suggested that these time-based differences emerged slowly across ages 1.5, 3, 6, and 10 years, showing a latency between onset of violence exposure and emergence of symptoms, and were unlikely to be explained by co-occurring adversities. CONCLUSION Interpersonal violence is harmful to childhood mental health regardless of when it occurs. However, very early childhood may be a particularly sensitive period when exposure results in worse psychopathology outcomes. Results should be replicated in fully prospective designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Dunn
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
| | - Kristen Nishimi
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | | | - Alice Renaud
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; King's College London, UK
| | - Ezra S Susser
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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85
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Araujo AWD, Almeida RV, Crocetta TB, Monteiro CBDM, Fernani DCGL, Dantas MTAP. ANALYSIS OF FINE MOTOR CONTROL IN INSTITUTIONALIZED SHELTERED CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS THROUGH PERFORMANCE IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE. REVISTA PAULISTA DE PEDIATRIA 2020; 38:e2018377. [PMID: 32401943 PMCID: PMC7212556 DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the psychomotor development and the fine motor control of
institutionalized and non-institutionalized sheltered children and
adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study in which 54 subjects participated and were divided
into two groups: 27 institutionalized sheltered children and adolescents
(SG) and 27 non-institutionalized sheltered children and adolescents (CG).
The psychomotor battery and the Learning and Motor Control software were
used to evaluate development and motor control. The analysis of variance was
performed for both groups with repetitive measurements for the last
factor. Results: The SG presented a total development score inferior to the CG, with
differences in tonicity (p=0.041) and body awareness (p=0.039). The longest
distance was performed on Task 1 (M=983.9 pixels; diagonal line; distance of
930.053 pixels), with no difference between the groups (p=0.64).
Furthermore, the SG presented a greater average time in Task 1 (M=16.12
seconds) when compared with Tasks 2 (M=11.6 seconds; horizontal line;
distance of 750 pixels) and 3 (M=10.6; vertical line; distance of 550
pixels), but only marginally different between Tasks 2 and 3 (p=0.055).
Regarding the number of correct answers, the CG scored more (M=6.1) when
compared with SG (M=4.6), with p<0.05. Conclusions: The institutionalized individuals showed a psychomotor development inferior
to the CG. Furthermore, they presented impairment in fine motor control,
covering a larger distance on the task that required the diagonal movement,
longer execution time, less correct answers, and more errors.
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86
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Herzberg MP, Gunnar MR. Early life stress and brain function: Activity and connectivity associated with processing emotion and reward. Neuroimage 2019; 209:116493. [PMID: 31884055 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating the developmental sequelae of early life stress has provided researchers the opportunity to examine adaptive responses to extreme environments. A large body of work has established mechanisms by which the stressful experiences of childhood poverty, maltreatment, and institutional care can impact the brain and the distributed stress systems of the body. These mechanisms are reviewed briefly to lay the foundation upon which the current neuroimaging literature has been built. More recently, developmental cognitive neuroscientists have identified a number of the effects of early adversity, including differential behavior and brain function. Among the most consistent of these findings are differences in the processing of emotion and reward-related information. The neural correlates of emotion processing, particularly frontolimbic functional connectivity, have been well studied in early life stress samples with results indicating accelerated maturation following early adversity. Reward processing has received less attention, but here the evidence suggests a deficit in reward sensitivity. It is as yet unknown whether the accelerated maturation of emotion-regulation circuits comes at the cost of delayed development in other systems, most notably the reward system. This review addresses the early life stress neuroimaging literature that has investigated emotion and reward processing, identifying important next steps in the study of brain function following adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max P Herzberg
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
| | - Megan R Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA
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87
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Gunnar MR, Reid BM. Early Deprivation Revisited: Contemporary Studies of the Impact on Young Children of Institutional Care. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-085013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence that early deprivation in the form of early institutional care affects children both immediately and long after they are removed from the institution. This article reviews the modern literature on the impact of institutional care from animal models to longitudinal studies in humans. Importantly, we examine the current understanding of neuroendocrine regulation in the context of early deprivation. We discuss the opportunities and limitations of studying the effects of deprivation in previously institutionalized children, review behavioral findings and related neurobiological studies, and address the physical health ramifications of institutional care. Finally, we touch on future directions for both science and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA;,
| | - Brie M. Reid
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA;,
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Stress sensitization among severely neglected children and protection by social enrichment. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5771. [PMID: 31852902 PMCID: PMC6920417 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13622-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood adversity may sensitize certain individuals to later stress which triggers or amplifies psychopathology. The current study uses data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial to examine whether severe early neglect among children reared in institutions increases vulnerability to the effects of later stressful life events on externalizing problems in adolescence, and whether social enrichment in the form of high-quality foster care buffers this risk. Children abandoned to Romanian institutions were randomly assigned to a foster care intervention or care-as-usual during early childhood. A sample of never-institutionalized children served as a comparison group. Here we report that, among those with prolonged institutional rearing, more stressful life events in preadolescence predicted higher externalizing problems in adolescence. This effect was not observed for never-institutionalized children or those in foster care, thus providing experimental evidence that positive caregiving experiences protect against the stress-sensitizing effects of childhood neglect on externalizing problems in adolescence. Early adversity may sensitize people to the effects of later stress, amplifying psychopathology risk. Here, the authors show this stress sensitization effect for adolescents who experienced prolonged institutional deprivation in childhood, but not those assigned to foster care intervention.
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89
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McLaughlin KA, Weissman D, Bitrán D. Childhood Adversity and Neural Development: A Systematic Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 1:277-312. [PMID: 32455344 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-084950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An extensive literature on childhood adversity and neurodevelopment has emerged over the past decade. We evaluate two conceptual models of adversity and neurodevelopment-the dimensional model of adversity and stress acceleration model-in a systematic review of 109 studies using MRI-based measures of neural structure and function in children and adolescents. Consistent with the dimensional model, children exposed to threat had reduced amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and hippocampal volume and heightened amygdala activation to threat in a majority of studies; these patterns were not observed consistently in children exposed to deprivation. In contrast, reduced volume and altered function in frontoparietal regions were observed consistently in children exposed to deprivation but not children exposed to threat. Evidence for accelerated development in amygdala-mPFC circuits was limited but emerged in other metrics of neurodevelopment. Progress in charting neurodevelopmental consequences of adversity requires larger samples, longitudinal designs, and more precise assessments of adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - David Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Debbie Bitrán
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
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90
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Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 152:41-69. [PMID: 32451000 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress exposure has been established as a key vulnerability factor for developing psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia. A structural, or systems level perspective, has often been lacking in conceptualizations of chronic stress for psychotic disorders. The current review thus identified three subtypes of structural exposures. Stimulation exposures included urban environments, population density and crime exposure, with intermediary mechanisms of lack of safety and high attentional demands. Underlying neural mechanisms included threat neural circuits. Discrepancy exposures included environmental ethnic density, income inequality, and social fragmentation, with intermediary mechanisms of lack of belonging and social exclusion, and neural mechanisms including the oxytocin system. Deprivation exposures included environments lacking socioeconomic, educational, or material resources, with intermediary mechanisms of lack of needed environmental enrichment, and underlying neural mechanisms of over-pruning and protracted PFC development. Delineating stressor etiology at the systems level is a necessary step in reducing barriers to effective interventions and health policy.
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91
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Jones-Mason K, Behrens KY, Gribneau Bahm NI. The psychobiological consequences of child separation at the border: lessons from research on attachment and emotion regulation. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 23:1-36. [PMID: 31769354 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1692879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In the spring of 2018, the Attorney General of the United States issued a memorandum declaring a "zero tolerance policy" under which all adults entering the United States illegally would be criminally prosecuted, and, if traveling with minor children, forcibly separated from their children. Although the government was ordered to reunite the children with their parents it is still unclear how many children have been or remain separated. Given the high risk of permanent harm to a vulnerable population, and the fact that this risk may continue into the near future, we present a review of what nearly eight decades of scholarly research has taught us about the damaging impact of deprivation and separation from parents. The article briefly reviews the origins of attachment theory as well as empirical studies that examine the psychobiological impact on children who experienced parental deprivation or separation. The paper concludes with recommendations, for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Health and Community, University of California , San Francisco, USA
| | - Kazuko Y Behrens
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Polytechnic Institute , Utica, NY, USA
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92
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Harnett NG, Wheelock MD, Wood KH, Goodman AM, Mrug S, Elliott MN, Schuster MA, Tortolero S, Knight DC. Negative life experiences contribute to racial differences in the neural response to threat. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116086. [PMID: 31401241 PMCID: PMC6819267 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Threat-related emotional function is supported by a neural circuit that includes the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and amygdala. The function of this neural circuit is altered by negative life experiences, which can potentially affect threat-related emotional processes. Notably, Black-American individuals disproportionately endure negative life experiences compared to White-American individuals. However, the relationships among negative life experiences, race, and the neural substrates that support threat-related emotional function remains unclear. Therefore, the current study investigated whether the brain function that supports threat-related emotional processes varies with racial differences in negative life experiences. In the present study, adolescent violence exposure, family income, and neighborhood disadvantage were measured prospectively (i.e., at 11-19 years of age) for Black-American and White-American volunteers. Participants then, as young adults (i.e., 18-23 years of age), completed a Pavlovian fear conditioning task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Cued and non-cued threats were presented during the conditioning task and behavioral (threat expectancy) and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance response; SCR) were recorded simultaneously with fMRI. Racial differences were observed in neural (fMRI activity), behavioral (threat expectancy), and psychophysiological (SCR) responses to threat. These threat-elicited responses also varied with negative life experiences (violence exposure, family income, and neighborhood disadvantage). Notably, racial differences in brain activity to threat were smaller after accounting for negative life experiences. The present findings suggest that racial differences in the neural and behavioral response to threat are due, in part, to exposure to negative life experiences and may provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying racial disparities in mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel G Harnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Muriah D Wheelock
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kimberly H Wood
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Adam M Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sylvie Mrug
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Mark A Schuster
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Susan Tortolero
- Health Science Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David C Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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93
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LeWinn KZ, Shih EW. Social Experience and the Developing Brain: Opportunities for Social Epidemiologists in the Era of Population-Based Neuroimaging. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40471-019-00222-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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94
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White TJH. Brain Development and Stochastic Processes During Prenatal and Early Life: You Can't Lose It if You've Never Had It; But It's Better to Have It and Lose It, Than Never to Have Had It at All. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 58:1042-1050. [PMID: 31327672 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Brain development, although largely driven by genetic processes, also is influenced by environmental factors. However, there has been little discussion in the psychiatric literature on the role of stochastic, or chance, events that take place during neurodevelopment. Studies suggest that the brain capitalizes on and regulates the extent of stochastic processes during development. Furthermore, because neurodevelopment is influenced by environmental factors, there is emerging evidence that fostering those positive environmental factors during prenatal and early life could optimize neurodevelopment and provide greater resilience, including those potentially resulting from stochastic processes. Evidence for the role of environmental factors in optimizing early brain development is supported by work in large population-based studies of child development, randomized control trials in high-risk populations, and early-life adoption studies. The public health message is that creating an environment that fosters optimal brain development during prenatal and early life could prevent psychopathology and provide the developing brain the best chance against negative stochastic processes and potential stressors that are inevitable later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonya J H White
- Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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95
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Retrospectively reported childhood physical abuse, systemic inflammation, and resting corticolimbic connectivity in midlife adults. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 82:203-213. [PMID: 31445966 PMCID: PMC6956859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood abuse confers risk for psychopathology and pathophysiology in midlife through intermediate pathways that remain unclear. Systemic inflammation was tested in the present study as one pathway that may link physical abuse in childhood to the adult functioning of corticolimbic brain circuits broadly implicated in risk for poor mental and physical health. Midlife adults (N = 303; 30-51 years of age; 149 women) without psychiatric, immune, or cardiovascular diagnoses provided retrospective reports of childhood physical abuse. Functional connectivity between corticolimbic brain areas (amygdala, hippocampus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex [vmPFC], anterior cingulate cortex [ACC]) was measured at rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Circulating levels of interleukin(IL)-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine previously linked to childhood abuse and corticolimbic functionality, were measured via blood draw. Consistent with prior studies, retrospectively reported childhood physical abuse was associated positively with circulating IL-6, and negatively with connectivity between the amygdala and vmPFC. IL-6 was also associated negatively with several corticolimbic functional connections, including amygdala-vmPFC connectivity. Moreover, path analyses revealed an indirect effect of IL-6 that partially explained the association between childhood physical abuse and adult amygdala-vmPFC connectivity. Consistent with recent neurobiological models of early life influences on disease risk across the lifespan, associations between childhood physical abuse and adulthood corticolimbic circuit functionality may be partially explained by inflammatory processes.
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96
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Acosta H, Tuulari JJ, Scheinin NM, Hashempour N, Rajasilta O, Lavonius TI, Pelto J, Saunavaara V, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H. Maternal Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Is Associated With Sexually Dimorphic Alterations in Amygdala Volume in 4-Year-Old Children. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:175. [PMID: 31447658 PMCID: PMC6691065 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stress is associated with child behavioral outcomes increasing susceptibility for psychiatric disorders in later life. Altered fetal brain development might partly mediate this association, as some studies suggest. With this study, we investigated the relation between prenatal stress, child's brain structure and behavioral problems. The association between self-reported maternal pregnancy-related anxiety (PRAQ-R2 questionnaire, second and third trimester) and brain gray matter volume was probed in 27 4-year-old children (13 female). Voxel based morphometry was applied with an age-matched template in SPM for the whole-brain analyses, and amygdala volume was assessed with manual segmentation. Possible pre- and postnatal confounders, such as maternal depression and anxiety among others, were controlled for. Child behavioral problems were assessed with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire by maternal report. We found a significant interaction effect of pregnancy-related anxiety and child's sex on child's amygdala volume, i.e., higher pregnancy-related anxiety in the second trimester was related to significantly greater left relative amygdala volume in girls compared to boys. Further exploratory analyses yielded that both maternal pregnancy-related anxiety and child's amygdala volume are related to child emotional and behavioral difficulties: While higher pregnancy-related anxiety was associated with more emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems and overall child difficulties, greater left amygdala volume was related to less of these child difficulties and might partly mediate sex-specific associations between pregnancy-related anxiety and child behavioral difficulties. Our data suggest that maternal prenatal distress leads to sexually dimorphic structural changes in the offspring's limbic system and that these changes are also linked to behavioral difficulties. Our results provide further support for the notion that prenatal stress impacts child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Acosta
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J. Tuulari
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Noora M. Scheinin
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Niloofar Hashempour
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Olli Rajasilta
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuomas I. Lavonius
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Pelto
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Virva Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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97
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Debnath R, Tang A, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Fox NA. The long-term effects of institutional rearing, foster care intervention and disruptions in care on brain electrical activity in adolescence. Dev Sci 2019; 23:e12872. [PMID: 31148302 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to early psychosocial deprivation as a result of institutional care disrupts typical brain development. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) is the first longitudinal study to investigate the neurodevelopment of institutionalized infants randomized to a foster care (FCG) intervention versus care as usual (CAUG). Here, we present findings from a follow-up assessment of brain electrical activity as indexed by resting EEG at age 16 years. In addition, we examined the effects of disruption of foster care placement (e.g. the number of moves among foster care placements) on brain electrical activity. Resting-state EEG was collected from 48 CAUG, 46 FCG and 48 never institutionalized (NIG) control participants. Absolute (µV2 ) and relative (proportion) power were computed from eyes closed, resting EEG data for theta, alpha and beta frequency bands. The CAUG displayed higher relative theta and lower relative alpha power compared to the FCG at 16 years of age. The FCG showed brain activity comparable to the NIG. The results further showed that disruptions following the original foster care placement had an adverse effect on brain electrical activity. Within the foster care group, there were no effects of age of placement on EEG power. Placement of children who have experienced early institutional rearing into stable foster care settings ensure long-term improvement in brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjan Debnath
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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98
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Volpe JJ. Dysmaturation of Premature Brain: Importance, Cellular Mechanisms, and Potential Interventions. Pediatr Neurol 2019; 95:42-66. [PMID: 30975474 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2019.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prematurity, especially preterm birth (less than 32 weeks' gestation), is common and associated with high rates of both survival and neurodevelopmental disability, especially apparent in cognitive spheres. The neuropathological substrate of this disability is now recognized to be related to a variety of dysmaturational disturbances of the brain. These disturbances follow initial brain injury, particularly cerebral white matter injury, and involve many of the extraordinary array of developmental events active in cerebral white and gray matter structures during the premature period. This review delineates these developmental events and the dysmaturational disturbances that occur in premature infants. The cellular mechanisms involved in the genesis of the dysmaturation are emphasized, with particular focus on the preoligodendrocyte. A central role for the diffusely distributed activated microglia and reactive astrocytes in the dysmaturation is now apparent. As these dysmaturational cellular mechanisms appear to occur over a relatively long time window, interventions to prevent or ameliorate the dysmaturation, that is, neurorestorative interventions, seem possible. Such interventions include pharmacologic agents, especially erythropoietin, and particular attention has also been paid to such nutritional factors as quality and source of milk, breastfeeding, polyunsaturated fatty acids, iron, and zinc. Recent studies also suggest a potent role for interventions directed at various experiential factors in the neonatal period and infancy, i.e., provision of optimal auditory and visual exposures, minimization of pain and stress, and a variety of other means of environmental behavioral enrichment, in enhancing brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Volpe
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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99
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How Early Experience Shapes Human Development: The Case of Psychosocial Deprivation. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:1676285. [PMID: 30774652 PMCID: PMC6350537 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1676285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Experience plays an essential role in building brain architecture after birth. The question we address in this paper is what happens to brain and behavior when a young child is deprived of key experiences during critical periods of brain development. We focus in particular on the consequences of institutional rearing, with implication for the tens of millions of children around the world who from an early age experience profound psychosocial deprivation. Evidence is clear that deprivation can lead to a host of both short- and long-term consequences, including perturbations in brain structure and function, changes at cellular and molecular levels, and a plethora of psychological and behavioral impairments.
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100
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Parsing neurodevelopmental features of irritability and anxiety: Replication and validation of a latent variable approach. Dev Psychopathol 2019; 31:917-929. [PMID: 31064595 DOI: 10.1017/s095457941900035x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Irritability and anxiety are two common clinical phenotypes that involve high-arousal negative affect states (anger and fear), and that frequently co-occur. Elucidating how these two forms of emotion dysregulation relate to perturbed neurodevelopment may benefit from alternate phenotyping strategies. One such strategy applies a bifactor latent variable approach that can parse shared versus unique mechanisms of these two phenotypes. Here, we aim to replicate and extend this approach and examine associations with neural structure in a large transdiagnostic sample of youth (N = 331; M = 13.57, SD = 2.69 years old; 45.92% male). FreeSurfer was used to extract cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volume. The current findings replicated the bifactor model and demonstrate measurement invariance as a function of youth age and sex. There were no associations of youth's factor scores with cortical thickness, surface area, or subcortical volume. However, we found strong convergent and divergent validity between parent-reported irritability and anxiety factors with clinician-rated symptoms and impairment. A general negative affectivity factor was robustly associated with overall functional impairment across symptom domains. Together, these results support the utility of the bifactor model as an alternative phenotyping strategy for irritability and anxiety, which may aid in the development of targeted treatments.
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