151
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Herpers PCM, Neumann JEC, Staal WG. Treatment Refractory Internalizing Behaviour Across Disorders: An Aetiological Model for Severe Emotion Dysregulation in Adolescence. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:515-532. [PMID: 32748274 PMCID: PMC8113221 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01036-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Auto-aggressive behaviour, especially treatment refractory suicidality in adolescents with psychiatric disorders, may be challenging to clinicians. In search of therapeutic possibilities, we have integrated current opinions regarding causality and interdependency of suicidality and auto-aggressive behaviour across disorders within the HiTOP framework. We propose a developmental model regarding these unsettling behaviours in youths that may help to guide future directions for research and interventions. We argue that the interdependent development of biologic factors, attachment, moral reasoning and emotion regulation in an overprotective environment may lead to social anxiety and later during development to emotion dysregulation and severe internalizing behaviour disorders. To optimize treatment efficacy for both internalizing and externalizing behaviour, we emphasize the importance transdiagnostic interventions, such as addressing non-compliance, restoration of trust between parents and their child, and limitation of avoidance behaviour. These may be seen as higher order interventions within the HiTOP framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre C M Herpers
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Centre, Reinier Postlaan 12, Nijmegen, 6525 GC, The Netherlands.
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands.
| | - Josephine E C Neumann
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Centre, Reinier Postlaan 12, Nijmegen, 6525 GC, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter G Staal
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Centre, Reinier Postlaan 12, Nijmegen, 6525 GC, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 10, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Postzone C2-5, P.O. Box 9600, Leiden, 2300 RC, The Netherlands
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152
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Maternal and paternal unsupportive parenting and children's externalizing symptoms: The mediational role of children's attention biases to negative emotion. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:1412-1428. [PMID: 34011425 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
This study examined children's duration of attention to negative emotions (i.e., anger, sadness, fear) as a mediator of associations among maternal and paternal unsupportive parenting and children's externalizing symptoms in a sample of 240 mothers, fathers, and their preschool children (Mage = 4.64 years). The multimethod, multi-informant design consisted of three annual measurement occasions. Analysis of maternal and paternal unsupportive parenting as predictors in latent difference changes in children's affect-biased attention and behavior problems indicated that children's attention to negative emotions mediated the specific association between maternal unsupportive parenting and children's subsequent increases in externalizing symptoms. Maternal unsupportive parenting at Wave 1 predicted decreases in children's attention to negative facial expressions of adults from Wave 1 to 2. Reductions in children's attention to negative emotion, in turn, predicted increases in their externalizing symptoms from Wave 1 to 3. Additional tests of children's fearful distress and hostile responses to parental conflict as explanatory mechanisms revealed that increases in children's fearful distress reactivity from Wave 1 to 2 accounted for the association between maternal unsupportive parenting and concomitant decreases in their attention to negative emotions. Results are discussed in the context of information processing models of family adversity and developmental psychopathology.
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153
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Hahnefeld A, Sukale T, Weigand E, Münch K, Aberl S, Eckler LV, Schmidt D, Friedmann A, Plener PL, Fegert JM, Mall V. Survival states as indicators of learning performance and biological stress in refugee children: a cross-sectional study with a comparison group. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:228. [PMID: 33941110 PMCID: PMC8091678 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03233-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our goal was to accurately detect young children at risk for long-term psychiatric disturbances after potentially traumatic experiences in the course of relocation. In addition to detailed assessment of parent-rated parent and child symptomatology, we focused on disruptive behaviors in the education environment summarized as survival states, as these frequently lead to clinical referral. METHODS We screened 52 refugee children aged 3-7 (M = 5.14 years, SD = 1.17) for symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screening (CATS) in parent rating. The parents' mental health was assessed using the Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15). Furthermore, the child's educators were asked to evaluate the pathological survival states of the child and we made a general assessment of the children's symptoms with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) rated by parents and educators. Children in the refugee sample completed a working memory learning task (Subtest Atlantis from the Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children, KABC-II) and delivered saliva samples for testing of the cortisol level. RESULTS The parental rating of their child's PTSD symptoms was significantly related to their own mental well-being (r = .50, p < .001). Children with survival states in educator ratings exhibited weaker learning performance (F = 3.49, p < .05) and higher evening cortisol levels (U = 113, z = - 1.7, p < .05, one-tailed). CONCLUSIONS Survival states are promising indicators for children's learning performance and distress level complementary to parent rating of child PTSD, which is highly intercorrelated with the parents' own symptom load. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial registration number: DRKS00021150 on DRKS Date of registration: 04.08.2020 retrospectively registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Hahnefeld
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377, Munich, Germany. .,kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstr. 65, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - Thorsten Sukale
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Elena Weigand
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Münch
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377 Munich, Germany ,kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstr. 65, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Sigrid Aberl
- Munich Municipal Hospital Group, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychosomatic Medicine, Kölner Platz 1, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Lea V. Eckler
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Davin Schmidt
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Friedmann
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Paul L. Plener
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany ,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währingergürtel 18-20, 1090 Wien, Austria
| | - Jörg M. Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Mall
- Chair of Social Pediatrics, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstrasse 65, 81377 Munich, Germany ,kbo Kinderzentrum, Heiglhofstr. 65, 81377 Munich, Germany
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154
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Shams S, Khan A, Gerlai R. Early social deprivation does not affect cortisol response to acute and chronic stress in zebrafish. Stress 2021; 24:273-281. [PMID: 32781882 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1807511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social isolation is a well-established technique for inducing early adversity but, in rodent models, the need of parental care makes it difficult to distinguish the effects of social deprivation from the consequences of nutritional deficiencies. Zebrafish do not require parental care, allowing separation of social deprivation from nutritional deprivation, and have emerged as a promising model to study ontogeny of normal and pathological behaviors relevant for human neuropsychological disorders. Previous reports of life-long isolation in zebrafish showed some consistency with mammalian literature, depicting later social deficits and locomotor hyperactivity. However, unlike reports of higher anxiety and stress behavior in isolated rodents and primates, behavioral responses were tapered in isolated fish. To examine whether life-long developmental isolation has a dampening effect on zebrafish endocrine stress response, we applied stressors to zebrafish siblings that were either isolated or socialized, and compared their whole-body cortisol levels with non-stressed control siblings kept in low-housing densities. Utilizing previously validated paradigms (exposure to novel tank and unpredictable chronic stress), we exposed separate groups (n = 9-14, mixed-sex) of social and isolated zebrafish to acute and chronic stressors and measured their cortisol levels. A univariate ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's HSD tests confirmed that compared to socially raised control fish, developmental isolation did not increase baseline cortisol levels in zebrafish. Additionally, compared to the non-stressed condition, application of both acute and chronic stressors significantly increased cortisol levels in isolated fish and, to a similar degree, to socially raised fish. Our findings suggest that zebrafish isolation studies may help separate effects of social deprivation from nonsocial aspects of early adversity. These studies further substantiate the use of developmental isolation in zebrafish, particularly with acute and chronic stress paradigms, for modeling neuropsychological disorders.LAY SUMMARYA difficult childhood can make humans react more frequently or severely to later stress and modeling this effect in animals can help explain how and why early stress affects subsequent mental and physical health. Early social isolation does not affect later response to stressful situations in adult zebrafish, providing us with a model of psychiatric disorders that allows separation of effects of poor physical environments (lacking food, shelter, etc.) from poor social environments (lack of appropriate socialization).
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Affiliation(s)
- Soaleha Shams
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Aysha Khan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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155
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Whiting SB, Wass SV, Green S, Thomas MSC. Stress and Learning in Pupils: Neuroscience Evidence and its Relevance for Teachers. MIND, BRAIN AND EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION SOCIETY 2021; 15:177-188. [PMID: 34239601 PMCID: PMC8248342 DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of how stress affects primary school children's attention and learning has developed rapidly. We know that children experience differing levels of stressors (factors that cause stress) in their environments, and that this can influence how they respond to new stressors when they occur in educational contexts. Here, we review evidence showing that stress can increase children's attention and learning capacities in some circumstances but hinder them in others. We show how children differ in their attention and learning styles, dependent on stress levels: for example, more highly stressed children may be more distracted by superficial features and may find it harder to engage in planning and voluntary control. We review intervention research on stress management techniques in children, concentrating on psychological techniques (such as mindfulness and stress reappraisal), physiological techniques (such as breathing exercises) and environmental factors (such as reducing noise). At the current time, raising teachers' awareness of pupils' differing stress responses will be an important step in accommodating the differing needs of children in their classrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue B Whiting
- Department of Psychological Sciences Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Sam V Wass
- School of Psychology University of East London, London, UK
| | - Simon Green
- Department of Psychological Sciences Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael S C Thomas
- Department of Psychological Sciences Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
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156
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Merz MP, Turner JD. Is early life adversity a trigger towards inflammageing? Exp Gerontol 2021; 150:111377. [PMID: 33905877 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There are many 'faces' of early life adversity (ELA), such as childhood trauma, institutionalisation, abuse or exposure to environmental toxins. These have been implicated in the onset and severity of a wide range of chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. The later-life disease risk has a well-established immunological component. This raises the question as to whether accelerated immune-ageing mechanistically links early-life adversity to the lifelong health trajectory resulting in either 'poor' or 'healthy' ageing. Here we examine observational and mechanistic studies of ELA and inflammageing, highlighting common and distinct features in these two life stages. Many biological processes appear in common including reduction in telomere length, increased immunosenescence, metabolic distortions and chronic (viral) infections. We propose that ELA shapes the developing immune, endocrine and nervous system in a non-reversible way, creating a distinct phenotype with accelerated immunosenescence and systemic inflammation. We conclude that ELA might act as an accelerator for inflammageing and age-related diseases. Furthermore, we now have the tools and cohorts to be able to dissect the interaction between ELA and later life phenotype. This should, in the near future, allow us to identify the ecological and mechanistic processes that are involved in 'healthy' or accelerated immune-ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam P Merz
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 avenue de Université, L-4365 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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157
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Early life stress and neural development: Implications for understanding the developmental effects of COVID-19. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 22:643-654. [PMID: 33891280 PMCID: PMC8063781 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00901-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic and/or extreme stress in childhood, often referred to as early life stress, is associated with a wide range of long-term effects on development. Given this, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to concern about how stress due to the pandemic will affect children's development and mental health. Although early life stress has been linked to altered functioning of a number of neural and biological systems, there is a wide range of variability in children's outcomes. The mechanisms that influence these individual differences are still not well understood. In the past, studies of stress in childhood focused on the type of events that children encountered in their lives. We conducted a review of the literature to formulate a new perspective on the effects of early life stress on development. This new, topological model, may increase understanding of the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development. This model is oriented on children's perceptions of their environment and their social relationships, rather than specific events. These factors influence central and peripheral nervous system development, changing how children interpret, adapt, and respond to potentially stressful events, with implications for children's mental and physical health outcomes.
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158
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Vasileva M, Graf RK, Reinelt T, Petermann U, Petermann F. Research review: A meta-analysis of the international prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders in children between 1 and 7 years. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:372-381. [PMID: 32433792 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children younger than 7 years can develop mental disorders that might manifest differently than in older children or adolescents. However, little is known about the prevalence of mental disorders at this early age. METHODS We systematically searched the literature in the databases Web of Science, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, MEDLINE, and Embase to identify epidemiological studies of community samples published between 2006 and 2020. A series of meta-analyses was conducted to estimate the pooled worldwide prevalence of mental disorders in general, specific mental disorders, and comorbidity in young children. RESULTS A total of ten epidemiological studies reporting data on N = 18,282 children (12-83 months old) from eight countries met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of mental disorders in general was 20.1%, 95% CI [15.7, 25.4]. Most common disorders were oppositional defiant disorder (4.9%, 95% CI [2.5, 9.5]) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (4.3%, 95% CI [2.5, 7.2]). The prevalence of any anxiety disorders was 8.5%, 95% CI [5.2, 13.5], and of any depressive disorders was 1.1%, 95% CI [0.8, 1.6]. Comorbidity was estimated at 6.4%, 95% CI [1.3, 54.0]. CONCLUSIONS The literature search reveals that the epidemiology of mental disorders in children younger than 7 years is still a neglected area of research. The findings also indicate that there are a significant number of young children suffering from mental disorders who need appropriate age-adapted treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Vasileva
- Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,Child and Community Wellbeing Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Ramona K Graf
- Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tilman Reinelt
- Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Petermann
- Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Franz Petermann
- Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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159
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Ouellet-Morin I, Cantave C, Lupien S, Geoffroy MC, Brendgen M, Vitaro F, Tremblay R, Boivin M, Côté S. Cumulative exposure to socioeconomic and psychosocial adversity and hair cortisol concentration: A longitudinal study from 5 months to 17 years of age. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 126:105153. [PMID: 33524888 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to early adversity has been associated with long-lasting risks for poor health and functioning. Prior research suggests that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and its main end-product glucocorticoid hormone cortisol, may be at play. This study tested whether an index of cumulative socioeconomic and psychosocial adversity assessed prospectively, from infancy to adolescence, was associated with hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and if this association differed by sex. METHODS The sample comprised 556 adolescents (42.0% males) who provided hair for cortisol measurement at 17 years of age. Adversity indicators (young and single motherhood, low socioeconomic status (SES), maternal alcohol use, hostile-reactive parenting, and depressive symptoms, as well as peer victimization and neighborhood dangerousness) were repeatedly reported by mothers or youths between the ages of 5 months and 15 years. RESULTS Chronic adversity was non-linearly associated with HCC; youth exposed to lower and higher levels of adversity had moderate-to-higher HCC compared to lower HCC noted in participants with moderate levels of adversity, for both males and females. None of the indicators taken separately, except the perception of neighborhood dangerousness, were significantly associated with HCC. CONCLUSION Our findings support the hypothesis that HPA axis activity varies according to cumulative adversity, albeit non-linearly, which may bear consequences for later health and functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada.
| | | | - Sonia Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Geoffroy
- Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Richard Tremblay
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada; Department of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michel Boivin
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Sylvana Côté
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada; INSERM U1219, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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160
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Kessel EM, Frost A, Goldstein BL, Black SR, Dougherty LR, Carlson GA, Klein DN. Developmental pathways from preschool irritability to multifinality in early adolescence: the role of diurnal cortisol. Psychol Med 2021; 51:761-769. [PMID: 31858921 PMCID: PMC8906367 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719003684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early irritability predicts a broad spectrum of psychopathology spanning both internalizing and externalizing disorders, rather than any particular disorder or group of disorders (i.e. multifinality). Very few studies, however, have examined the developmental mechanisms by which it leads to such phenotypically diverse outcomes. We examined whether variation in the diurnal pattern of cortisol moderates developmental pathways between preschool irritability and the subsequent emergence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms 9 years later. METHOD When children were 3 years old, mothers were interviewed about children's irritability and completed questionnaires about their children's psychopathology. Six years later, children collected saliva samples at wake-up and bedtime on three consecutive days. Diurnal cortisol patterns were modeled as latent difference scores between evening and morning samples. When children were approximately 12 years old, mothers again completed questionnaires about their children's psychopathology. RESULTS Among children with higher levels of irritability at age 3, a steeper diurnal cortisol slope at age 9 predicted greater internalizing symptoms and irritability at age 12, whereas a blunted slope at age 9 predicted greater externalizing symptoms at age 12, adjusting for baseline and concurrent symptoms. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that variation in stress system functioning can predict and differentiate developmental trajectories of early irritability that are relatively more internalizing v. those in which externalizing symptoms dominate in pre-adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Kessel
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute
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161
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Kuzminskaite E, Penninx BWJH, van Harmelen AL, Elzinga BM, Hovens JGFM, Vinkers CH. Childhood Trauma in Adult Depressive and Anxiety Disorders: An Integrated Review on Psychological and Biological Mechanisms in the NESDA Cohort. J Affect Disord 2021; 283:179-191. [PMID: 33561798 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood trauma (CT) has adverse consequences on mental health across the lifespan. The understanding of how CT increases vulnerability for psychiatric disorders is growing. However, lack of an integrative approach to psychological and biological mechanisms of CT hampers further advancement. This review integrates CT findings across explanatory levels from a longitudinal adult cohort - the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). METHODS We reviewed all studies (k = 37) from the NESDA cohort (n = 2981) published from 2009 to 2020 containing CT findings related to psychopathology and potential psychological and biological mechanisms of CT. RESULTS CT was associated with a higher risk of anxiety and depressive disorders with the strongest associations in the comorbid group. CT predicted the onset of these disorders, recurrence, and poorer outcomes (more comorbidity and chronicity). CT was associated with maladaptive personality characteristics and cognitions (e.g., higher neuroticism and negative self-associations), mild stress systems dysregulations (heightened levels of cortisol and inflammation), advanced biological aging (increased epigenetic aging and telomere attrition), poorer lifestyle (higher smoking rate and body mass index), somatic health decline (e.g., increased metabolic syndrome dysregulations), and brain alterations (e.g., reduced mPFC volume and increased amygdala reactivity). LIMITATIONS Literature review of one cohort using mixed analytical approaches. CONCLUSION CT impacts the functioning of the brain, mind, and body, which together may contribute to a higher vulnerability for affective disorders. It is essential to employ an integrative approach combining different sources of data to understand the mechanisms of CT better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Kuzminskaite
- Department of Psychiatry (GGZ inGeest), Amsterdam UMC (location VUmc), Vrije University, Amsterdam Public Health and Amsterdam Neuroscience Research Institutes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry (GGZ inGeest), Amsterdam UMC (location VUmc), Vrije University, Amsterdam Public Health and Amsterdam Neuroscience Research Institutes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Anne-Laura van Harmelen
- Department of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Bernet M Elzinga
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Christiaan H Vinkers
- Department of Psychiatry (GGZ inGeest), Amsterdam UMC (location VUmc), Vrije University, Amsterdam Public Health and Amsterdam Neuroscience Research Institutes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC (location VUmc), Vrije University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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162
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Kopycka-Kedzierawski DT, Scott-Anne K, Ragusa PG, Cvetanovska M, Flint K, Feng C, Watson GE, Wong CL, Billings RJ, Quivey RJ, O'Connor TG. Social, Psychological, and Behavioral Predictors of Salivary Bacteria, Yeast in Caries-Free Children. JDR Clin Trans Res 2021; 7:163-173. [PMID: 33719664 DOI: 10.1177/2380084421999365] [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: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early childhood caries (ECC) is a complex, multifactorial oral disease that is a major public health concern because it is prevalent, profoundly alters a child's quality of life, is difficult to treat effectively, and has a distressing tendency to recur following treatment. OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was to examine social, psychological, and behavioral predictors of salivary bacteria and yeast in young children at risk for ECC. METHODS A sample of 189 initially caries-free preschool children was assessed for child stress physiology from salivary cortisol, child and family stress exposure, diet, oral health behaviors, and sociodemographic risks. Multiple logistic regression analysis was implemented to examine the associations between these risk factors and cariogenic microorganisms: mutans streptococci (MS), lactobacilli (LB), and Candida species. RESULTS Higher baseline salivary cortisol (odds ratio [OR] = 6.26; 95% confidence level [CL], 1.69-23.16) and a blunted response to an acute laboratory stressor (OR = .56; 95% CL, .37-.83) were associated with an increased likelihood of elevated salivary MS (≥105 colony-forming units/mL) in caries-free children. Sociodemographic risk for cariogenic microorganisms was also found. Specifically, lower education attainment of the parent/primary caregiver was associated with children being more likely to carry salivary Candida species and elevated salivary MS; in addition, children from households with an unemployed parent/primary caregiver were more likely (OR = 3.13; 95% CL, 1.2-8.05) to carry salivary Candida species and more likely (OR = 3.03; 95% CL, 1.25-7.33) to carry elevated levels of MS and/or salivary Candida and/or LB. CONCLUSIONS The impact of sociodemographic risk and stress physiology on cariogenic disease processes are evident prior to ECC onset. The findings provide novel data on the early onset of cariogenic processes in children and the importance of considering sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors when judging ECC risk. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT The findings provide valuable and novel findings that, pre-ECC onset, the caries disease process is explicable from a detailed assessment of behavioral, sociodemographic, and psychosocial stress variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Kopycka-Kedzierawski
- Department of Dentistry and Center for Oral Biology, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - K Scott-Anne
- Center for Oral Biology, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - P G Ragusa
- Department of Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - M Cvetanovska
- Department of Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - K Flint
- Department of Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - C Feng
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology and Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - G E Watson
- Department of Dentistry and Center for Oral Biology, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology and Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - C L Wong
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Pediatrics, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - R J Billings
- Department of Dentistry and Center for Oral Biology, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - R J Quivey
- Center for Oral Biology, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - T G O'Connor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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163
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Engel ML, Coe CL, Reid BM, Donzella B, Gunnar MR. Selective inflammatory propensities in adopted adolescents institutionalized as infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 124:105065. [PMID: 33278786 PMCID: PMC7880887 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether early life adversity (ELA) limited to infancy was associated with an increase in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines and cellular cytokine responses to three stimulants [lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and phorbol myristate acetate plus ionomycin (PMA/IO)]. Participants were previously institutionalized (PI) youth (N = 45, 56 % female) who had spent their first years in institutional care (e.g., orphanages, baby homes) before being adopted into well-resourced homes (median age at adoption = 13 mos) and non-adopted comparisons (NA; N = 38, 55 % female). Their age range was 13.3-21.2 years (M = 16.3 years). This analysis followed up an earlier report on these youth (Reid et al., 2019a) that identified an increase in terminally differentiated CD8 + CD57 T cells among the PI relative to the NA youth. Cytokine levels in circulation were not highly correlated and thus examined separately. PI youth had higher circulating levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα), but not Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Cytokine responses to in vitro activation within each stimulant condition were highly correlated and were thus combined to generate an index of the inflammatory reaction to each stimulant. Using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance, there was a highly significant multivariate effect of group, which was carried primarily by the PMA/IO condition, with PI youth exhibiting a larger inflammatory response than NA youth. Tests of mediation showed that both the early rearing effects on circulating TNFα and the composite inflammatory index of PMA/IO responsiveness were mediated in the statistical model by the percentage of CD8 + CD57+ TEMRA cells in circulation, a marker of replicative senescence in T cells. Sex differences were also found in circulating levels of IL-6 and TNFα, with males having higher levels than females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Engel
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 51 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Christopher L Coe
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1202 W. Johnson Street, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Brie M Reid
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 51 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Bonny Donzella
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 51 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Megan R Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 51 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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164
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Young ES, Doom JR, Farrell AK, Carlson EA, Englund MM, Miller GE, Gunnar MR, Roisman GI, Simpson JA. Life stress and cortisol reactivity: An exploratory analysis of the effects of stress exposure across life on HPA-axis functioning. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:301-312. [PMID: 32124708 PMCID: PMC8139339 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579419001779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Stressful experiences affect biological stress systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Life stress can potentially alter regulation of the HPA axis and has been associated with poorer physical and mental health. Little, however, is known about the relative influence of stressors that are encountered at different developmental periods on acute stress reactions in adulthood. In this study, we explored three models of the influence of stress exposure on cortisol reactivity to a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) by leveraging 37 years of longitudinal data in a high-risk birth cohort (N = 112). The cumulative stress model suggests that accumulated stress across the lifespan leads to dysregulated reactivity, whereas the biological embedding model implicates early childhood as a critical period. The sensitization model assumes that dysregulation should only occur when stress is high in both early childhood and concurrently. All of the models predicted altered reactivity, but do not anticipate its exact form. We found support for both cumulative and biological embedding effects. However, when pitted against each other, early life stress predicted more blunted cortisol responses at age 37 over and above cumulative life stress. Additional analyses revealed that stress exposure in middle childhood also predicted more blunted cortisol reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan S. Young
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jenalee R. Doom
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Michelle M. Englund
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Gregory E. Miller
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Megan R. Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Glenn I. Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jeffry A. Simpson
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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165
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Saarinen A, Keltikangas-Järvinen L, Jääskeläinen E, Huhtaniska S, Pudas J, Tovar-Perdomo S, Penttilä M, Miettunen J, Lieslehto J. Early Adversity and Emotion Processing From Faces: A Meta-analysis on Behavioral and Neurophysiological Responses. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:692-705. [PMID: 33486133 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the link between early adversity (EA) and later-life psychiatric disorders is well established, it has yet to be elucidated whether EA is related to distortions in the processing of different facial expressions. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate whether exposure to EA relates to distortions in responses to different facial emotions at three levels: 1) event-related potentials of the P100 and N170, 2) amygdala functional magnetic resonance imaging responses, and 3) accuracy rate or reaction time in behavioral data. METHODS The systematic literature search (PubMed and Web of Science) up to April 2020 resulted in 29 behavioral studies (n = 8555), 32 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies (n = 2771), and 3 electroencephalography studies (n = 197) for random-effect meta-analyses. RESULTS EA was related to heightened bilateral amygdala reactivity to sad faces (but not other facial emotions). Exposure to EA was related to faster reaction time but a normal accuracy rate in response to angry and sad faces. In response to fearful and happy faces, EA was related to a lower accuracy rate only in individuals with recent EA exposure. This effect was more pronounced in individuals with exposure to EA before (vs. after) the age of 3 years. These findings were independent of psychiatric diagnoses. Because of the low number of eligible electroencephalography studies, no conclusions could be reached regarding the effect of EA on the event-related potentials. CONCLUSIONS EA relates to alterations in behavioral and neurophysiological processing of facial emotions. Our study stresses the importance of assessing age at exposure and time since EA because these factors mediate some EA-related perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aino Saarinen
- Research Unit of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Center for Life Course Health Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Erika Jääskeläinen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Sanna Huhtaniska
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Radiology, Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Juho Pudas
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Santiago Tovar-Perdomo
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; PRONIA Research Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian University Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Matti Penttilä
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jouko Miettunen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Johannes Lieslehto
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
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166
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Goulter N, Roubinov DS, McMahon RJ, Boyce WT, Bush NR. Externalizing and Internalizing Problems: Associations with Family Adversity and Young Children's Adrenocortical and Autonomic Functioning. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2021; 49:629-642. [PMID: 33442783 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-020-00762-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The development of child mental health problems has been associated with experiences of adversity and dysregulation of stress response systems; however, past research has largely focused on externalizing or internalizing problems (rather than their co-occurrence) and single physiological systems in high-risk adolescent samples. The present study examined whether cumulative family adversity, functioning in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (i.e., cortisol) and the parasympathetic nervous system (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]), and their interactions, predicted trajectories of co-occurring externalizing and internalizing problems among young children. Participants included 338 socioeconomically and racially diverse children (M age = 5.32 years, SD = .32; male = 51.8%) from a community sample. Family adversity (assessed with six measures) and child daily cortisol output and resting RSA were assessed in kindergarten. Parents, teachers, and children reported on children's externalizing and internalizing psychopathology up to three times from kindergarten to grade 1. Latent class growth analyses identified stable trajectories of externalizing and internalizing psychopathology. Trajectories were combined to create groups: co-occurring externalizing and internalizing (13.1%), externalizing-only (14.0%), internalizing-only (11.3%), and low problems (61.3%). Family adversity and resting RSA significantly positively predicted co-occurring group membership. Tests for interactions showed adversity did not significantly interact with physiological indicators to predict group membership. However, the two physiological systems interacted, such that higher and lower daily cortisol predicted internalizing group membership for children with lower and higher resting RSA, respectively. Findings support the importance of considering family context and multiple physiological systems to inform understanding of the development of mental health problems, and their co-occurrence, in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Goulter
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | | | - Robert J McMahon
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - W Thomas Boyce
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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167
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Adverse childhood experiences: Mechanisms of risk and resilience in a longitudinal urban cohort. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1418-1439. [PMID: 31663487 DOI: 10.1017/s095457941900138x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
There is an extensive literature describing the detrimental effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE; e.g., abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) on physical and mental health. However, few large-scale studies have explored these associations longitudinally in urban minority cohorts or assessed links to broader measures of well-being such as educational attainment, occupation, and crime. Although adversity and resilience have long been of interest in developmental psychology, protective and promotive factors have been understudied in the ACE literature. This paper investigates the psychosocial processes through which ACEs contribute to outcomes, in addition to exploring ways to promote resilience to ACEs in vulnerable populations. Follow-up data were analyzed for 87% of the original 1,539 participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study (N = 1,341), a prospective investigation of the impact of an Early Childhood Education program and early experiences on life-course well-being. Findings suggest that ACEs impact well-being in low-socioeconomic status participants above and beyond the effects of demographic risk and poverty, and point to possible mechanisms of transmission of ACE effects. Results also identify key areas across the ecological system that may promote resilience to ACEs, and speak to the need to continue to support underserved communities in active ways.
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168
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Elevated infant cortisol is necessary but not sufficient for transmission of environmental risk to infant social development: Cross-species evidence of mother-infant physiological social transmission. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1696-1714. [PMID: 33427190 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental adversity increases child susceptibility to disrupted developmental outcomes, but the mechanisms by which adversity can shape development remain unclear. A translational cross-species approach was used to examine stress-mediated pathways by which poverty-related adversity can influence infant social development. Findings from a longitudinal sample of low-income mother-infant dyads indicated that infant cortisol (CORT) on its own did not mediate relations between early-life scarcity-adversity exposure and later infant behavior in a mother-child interaction task. However, maternal CORT through infant CORT served as a mediating pathway, even when controlling for parenting behavior. Findings using a rodent "scarcity-adversity" model indicated that pharmacologically blocking pup corticosterone (CORT, rodent equivalent to cortisol) in the presence of a stressed mother causally prevented social transmission of scarcity-adversity effects on pup social behavior. Furthermore, pharmacologically increasing pup CORT without the mother present was not sufficient to disrupt pup social behavior. Integration of our cross-species results suggests that elevated infant CORT may be necessary, but without elevated caregiver CORT, may not be sufficient in mediating the effects of environmental adversity on development. These findings underscore the importance of considering infant stress physiology in relation to the broader social context, including caregiver stress physiology, in research and interventional efforts.
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169
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Niu L, Brown J, Till Hoyt L, Salandy A, Nucci-Sack A, Shankar V, Burk RD, Schlecht NF, Diaz A. Profiles of Childhood Maltreatment: Associations with Sexual Risk Behavior during Adolescence in a Sample of Racial/Ethnic Minority Girls. Child Dev 2021; 92:1421-1438. [PMID: 33442867 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examines associations between childhood maltreatment and developmental trajectories of sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) in a sample of 882 sexually active adolescent girls, predominantly Hispanic or Black, assessed every 6 months between 13 and 23 years. Latent profile analyses revealed four distinct maltreatment profiles: Low Maltreatment (76%), Moderate Emotional Neglect Only (15%), Severe Physical/Emotional Abuse (3%), and Severe Sexual Abuse (6%). Multilevel growth analyses showed the Moderate Emotional Neglect Only and Severe Sexual Abuse profiles exhibited more SRBs starting in late adolescence, and the Severe Sexual Abuse profile also exhibited a faster increase than the Low Maltreatment profile. Understanding heterogeneity within maltreated populations may have important implications for healthy sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Niu
- Fordham University.,Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicolas F Schlecht
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine.,Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Angela Diaz
- Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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170
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The Young Adolescent Project: A longitudinal study of the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1440-1459. [PMID: 31845641 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579419001391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Young Adolescent Project (YAP) is an ongoing longitudinal study investigating the effects of abuse and neglect on adolescent development. It is a multidisciplinary study guided by a developmental, ecological perspective, and designed to consider the physical, social, and psychological effects of childhood maltreatment through the transition from childhood to adolescence. Four waves of data collection have been completed, ranging from early (Mean age = 10.95) to late adolescence (Mean age = 18.24). Members of the maltreated group (n = 303) were selected from new cases that had been opened by the Department of Child and Family Services, whereas the comparison group (n = 151) were not involved with child welfare but lived in the same neighborhoods as the maltreated group. The study assessed a wide variety of domains including physical development (e.g., height, weight, body mass, pubertal development); physiological reactivity (e.g., cortisol); cognitive abilities; mental health (e.g., symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, and aggression); risk behavior (e.g., sexual activity, delinquency, or substance use); social development (e.g., self-esteem, competence, and social support); family environment; and exposure to community violence. Overall, our findings demonstrated the pervasive and persistent adverse effects of child maltreatment both within and across domains, but they also identified maltreated youth with positive functioning. Our hope is that this work will help move us toward identifying targets for intervention to cultivate resilience and positive adaptation after early maltreatment experiences.
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171
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Environmental determinants of physiological reactivity to stress: The interacting effects of early life deprivation, caregiving quality, and stressful life events. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1732-1742. [PMID: 33427173 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Children who spend their early lives in institutions experience profound psychosocial deprivation that is associated with altered stress response system development. Here, we used data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of foster care for institutionally reared children to examine whether caregiving quality and stressful life events (SLEs) in early adolescence (age 12) influence patterns of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity. Controlling for the effect of institutional care, higher caregiving quality at age 12 was associated with heightened cortisol and SNS reactivity. However, moderation analysis revealed that the latter effect was only observed among never-institutionalized children, whereas ever-institutionalized children demonstrated a persistently blunted SNS response regardless of recent caregiving quality. Among institutionally reared children, SLEs interacted with prior random assignment to foster care, such that those placed in foster care early in development had a SNS response that approximated never-institutionalized children when SLEs at age 12 were low. In contrast, SNS reactivity was persistently blunted among those with prolonged deprivation, regardless of recent SLEs. Early-life deprivation is associated with persistent blunting of stress response systems, but normalization may be achievable if SLEs are limited following placement into enriched family-based care.
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172
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Abstract
Nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States lives in a household whose income is below the official federal poverty line, and more than 40% of children live in poor or near-poor households. Research on the effects of poverty on children's development has been a focus of study for many decades and is now increasing as we accumulate more evidence about the implications of poverty. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently added "Poverty and Child Health" to its Agenda for Children to recognize what has now been established as broad and enduring effects of poverty on child development. A recent addition to the field has been the application of neuroscience-based methods. Various techniques including neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology, cognitive psychophysiology, and epigenetics are beginning to document ways in which early experiences of living in poverty affect infant brain development. We discuss whether there are truly worthwhile reasons for adding neuroscience and related biological methods to study child poverty, and how might these perspectives help guide developmentally based and targeted interventions and policies for these children and their families.
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173
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Maltreatment timing, HPA axis functioning, multigenic risk, and depressive symptoms in African American youth: Differential associations without moderated mediation. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1838-1853. [PMID: 33427169 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Utilizing a large (N = 739), ancestrally homogenous sample, the current study aimed to better understand biological risk processes involved in the development of depressive symptoms in maltreated, African American children age 8-12 years. Maltreatment was independently coded from Child Protective Services records and maternal report. Self-reported depressive symptoms were attained in the context of a week-long, summer research camp. DNA was acquired from buccal cell or saliva samples and genotyped for nine polymorphisms in four hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis-related genes: FKBP5, NR3C1, NR3C2, and CRHR1. Salivary cortisol samples were collected each morning (9 a.m.) and late afternoon (4 p.m.) throughout the week to assess HPA functioning. Results revealed that experiences of maltreatment beginning prior to age 5 were most predictive of depressive symptoms, whereas maltreatment onset after age 5 was most predictive of HPA axis dysregulation (blunted daytime cortisol patterns). Multigenic risk did not relate to HPA functioning, nor did it moderate the relationship between maltreatment and HPA activity. There was no mediation of the relationship between maltreatment and depressive symptoms by HPA dysfunction. Results are interpreted through a developmental psychopathology lens, emphasizing the principle of equifinality while carefully appraising racial differences. Implications for future research, particularly the need for longitudinal studies, and important methodological considerations are discussed.
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174
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Challenges in researching the immune pathways between early life adversity and psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1597-1624. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractExposure to childhood adversity is a critical risk factor for the development of psychopathology. A growing field of research examines how exposure to childhood adversity is translated into biological risk for psychopathology through alterations in immune system functioning, most notably heightened levels of inflammation biomarkers. Though our knowledge about how childhood adversity can instantiate biological risk for psychopathology is growing, there remain many challenges and gaps in the field to understand how inflammation from childhood adversity contributes to psychopathology. This paper reviews research on the inflammatory outcomes arising from childhood adversity and presents four major challenges that future research must address: (a) the measurement of childhood adversity, (b) the measurement of inflammation, (c) the identification of mediators between childhood adversity and inflammation, and (d) the identification of moderators of inflammatory outcomes following childhood adversity. We discuss synergies and inconsistencies in the literature to summarize the current understanding of the association between childhood adversity, a proinflammatory phenotype, and the biological risk for psychopathology. We discuss the clinical implications of the inflammatory links between childhood adversity and psychopathology, including possibilities for intervention. Finally, this review conclude by delineates future directions for research, including issues of how best to detect, prevent, and understand these “hidden wounds” of childhood adversity.
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175
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Frost A, Rodriguez M, Imrisek S, Dash A, Bernard K. Externalizing behavior and stress system functioning in infants exposed to early adversity: A multi-system exploration. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1255-1265. [PMID: 33423285 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Children who experience early adversity often show alterations across multiple stress response systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS). Changes in the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol (a marker of HPA axis functioning) and alpha-amylase (a marker of ANS functioning) may increase their probability of developing behavior problems. The goal of this study is to examine how these analytes may interact to predict externalizing behavior in infants exposed to early stress. Participants included 179 parents and their 6- to 20-month old infants recruited from a low-income neighborhood. Parents reported on their infants' externalizing behaviors and collected saliva samples from their children at wake-up and bedtime over three days. Diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase were modeled using latent difference scores. Four models were tested examining the effects of cortisol and alpha-amylase morning values and slopes, as well as their interactions, on externalizing behavior. Results showed a significant interaction effect of cortisol and alpha-amylase morning values, such that low morning cortisol was associated with decreased externalizing behavior when morning alpha-amylase was high but not low. These findings highlight the importance of examining multiple systems when characterizing the physiological correlates of externalizing behavior among infants experiencing adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Frost
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melanie Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Steven Imrisek
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Allison Dash
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Kristin Bernard
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Perceived Social Support and Children's Physiological Responses to Stress: An Examination of the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:51-61. [PMID: 33060454 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study aimed to examine the stress-buffering effect of children's perceived social support on their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and autonomic nervous system reactivity to an acute laboratory stressor. METHODS A sample of 150 children (aged 9-13 years, mean [standard deviation] age = 10.69 [0.93] years, 74 girls) reported perceived social support, stressful life events, and underwent the Modified Trier Social Stress Test, during which six saliva samples were collected. A two-piece multilevel growth curve model with landmark registration was used to detect trajectory differences in the reactivity and recovery phases of the stress response and account for individual variation in the timing of poststressor peak hormone concentrations. RESULTS The interaction between stressful life events and perceived social support significantly predicted poststressor peak cortisol levels (β = 0.0805, SE = 0.0328, p = .015) and cortisol recovery slope (β = -0.0011, SE = 0.0005, p = .040). Children with more life events and low social support exhibited the lowest poststressor peak cortisol levels and the flattest cortisol recovery slope. In contrast, children high in stressful life events and high in social support displayed cortisol response profiles more similar to those of children with low stressful life events. Conversely, there were no statistically significant two-way interactions of stressful life events and perceived social support on salivary α-amylase parameters (i.e., poststressor peak [p = .38], reactivity slope [p = .81], and recovery slope [p = .32]). CONCLUSIONS These results provide preliminary evidence for the buffering effect of children's perceived social support on the association between life stress and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis response profiles.
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177
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Suyin Chalmin-Pui L, Roe J, Griffiths A, Smyth N, Heaton T, Clayden A, Cameron R. "It made me feel brighter in myself"- The health and well-being impacts of a residential front garden horticultural intervention. LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING 2021; 205:103958. [PMID: 33012932 PMCID: PMC7525452 DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Residential gardens make up 30% of urban space in the UK, yet unlike many other green space typologies, their role in the health and well-being agenda has largely been overlooked. A horticultural intervention introduced ornamental plants to 38 previously bare front gardens (≈ 10 m2) within an economically deprived region of North England, UK. Measures of perceived stress and diurnal cortisol profiles (as an indicator of health status) were taken pre- and post-intervention (over 3 months). Residents reported significant decreases in perceived stress post-intervention. This finding was aligned with a higher proportion of 'healthy' diurnal cortisol patterns post-intervention, suggesting better health status in those individuals. All residents derived one or more reported socio-cultural benefits as a result of the front garden plantings, although overall scores for subjective well-being did not increase to a significant level. Further qualitative data suggested that the gardens were valued for enhancing relaxation, increasing positive emotions, motivation, and pride of place. The results indicate that adding even small quantities of ornamental plants to front gardens within deprived urban communities had a positive effect on an individual's stress regulation and some, but not all, aspects of subjective well-being. The research highlights the importance of residential front gardens to human health and well-being, and thus their contribution to the wider debates around city densification, natural capital and urban planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Jenny Roe
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Alistair Griffiths
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Nina Smyth
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Timothy Heaton
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Andy Clayden
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Ross Cameron
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
- Center for Design and Health, University of Virginia, USA
- Science Team, Royal Horticultural Society, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Westminster, UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK
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178
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Rauschenberg C, van Os J, Goedhart M, Schieveld JNM, Reininghaus U. Bullying victimization and stress sensitivity in help-seeking youth: findings from an experience sampling study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:591-605. [PMID: 32405792 PMCID: PMC8041697 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01540-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Bullying victimization confers the risk for developing various mental disorders, but studies investigating candidate mechanisms remain scarce, especially in the realm of youth mental health. Elevated stress sensitivity may constitute a mechanism linking bullying victimization and mental health problems. In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether exposure to bullying victimization amplifies stress sensitivity in youth's daily life. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) was used to measure stress sensitivity [i.e. the association of momentary stress with (i) negative affect and (ii) psychotic experiences] in 42 help-seeking youths (service users), 17 siblings, and 40 comparison subjects (mean age 15 years). Before ESM assessments, bullying victimization at school as well as various psychopathological domains (i.e. depression, anxiety, psychosis) were assessed. Service users exposed to high levels of overall (primary hypotheses) as well as specific types (secondary hypotheses; physical and indirect, but not verbal) of bullying victimization experienced more intense negative affect and psychotic experiences in response to stress compared to those with low exposure levels (all p < 0.05), whereas, in contrast, controls showed either less intense negative affect or no marked differences in stress sensitivity by exposure levels. In siblings, a less consistent pattern of findings was observed. Findings suggest that stress sensitivity may constitute a potential risk and resilience mechanism linking bullying victimization and youth mental health. Interventions that directly target individuals' reactivity to stress by providing treatment components in real-life using mHealth tools may be a promising novel therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Rauschenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. .,Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Jim van Os
- grid.7692.a0000000090126352Department of Psychiatry, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Matthieu Goedhart
- grid.12295.3d0000 0001 0943 3265Tilburg School of Humanities, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands ,Mutsaers Foundation and Educational Institute Wijnberg, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Jan N. M. Schieveld
- grid.412966.e0000 0004 0480 1382Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- grid.5012.60000 0001 0481 6099Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,grid.7700.00000 0001 2190 4373Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
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179
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Ouellet-Morin I, Cantave C, Paquin S, Geoffroy MC, Brendgen M, Vitaro F, Tremblay R, Boivin M, Lupien S, Côté S. Associations between developmental trajectories of peer victimization, hair cortisol, and depressive symptoms: a longitudinal study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:19-27. [PMID: 32196669 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer victimization has been associated with long-lasting risks for mental health. Prior research suggests that stress-related systems underlying adaptation to changing environments may be at play. To date, inconsistent findings have been reported for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and its end product cortisol. This study tested whether peer victimization was associated with hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), and whether this association varied according to sex, timing, and changes in exposure. We also examined whether peer victimization differentially predicted depressive symptoms according to HCC. METHODS The sample comprised 556 adolescents (42.0%; 231 males) who provided hair for cortisol measurement at 17 years of age. Peer victimization was reported at seven occasions between the ages of 6 and 15 years. RESULTS Peer victimization was nonlinearly associated with HCC for boys only, whereas changes in peer victimization were related to HCC for boys and girls. Peer victimization predicted more depressive symptoms for all participants, except those with lower HCC. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide further support for persistent dysregulation of the HPA axis following exposure to chronic adversity, of which the expression may change according to sex and the severity of victimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Paquin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Geoffroy
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard Tremblay
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michel Boivin
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvana Côté
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,INSERM U1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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180
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Isenhour J, Raby KL, Dozier M. The persistent associations between early institutional care and diurnal cortisol outcomes among children adopted internationally. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:1156-1166. [PMID: 33354777 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Young children in institutional care experience conditions that are incompatible with their needs for attachment relationships. As a result, early institutionalization is expected to have lasting effects on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The current study tested whether early institutionalization has persistent consequences for diurnal HPA axis outcomes among 130 children who had been adopted internationally between the ages of 6 and 48 months. Daily cortisol samples were collected from children at two time points: shortly after adoption (average of 5.3 months after adoption) and approximately 3 years later (average of 39.2 months after adoption). Shortly after adoption, children who had experienced a long duration of institutional care had lower morning cortisol levels and more blunted declines in cortisol across the day than children who experienced minimal or no institutional care. Three years later, children who had experienced a long duration of institutionalization continued to exhibit low morning cortisol levels and also exhibited low bedtime cortisol levels. Altogether, these results support the idea that early adversity results in the downregulation of the HPA axis and suggest that the effects of institutionalization on HPA axis functioning may persist several years after children are adopted into highly enriched families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Isenhour
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - K Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
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181
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Smith KE, Pollak SD. Early life stress and development: potential mechanisms for adverse outcomes. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:34. [PMID: 33327939 PMCID: PMC7745388 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09337-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic and/or extreme stress in early life, often referred to as early adversity, childhood trauma, or early life stress, has been associated with a wide range of adverse effects on development. However, while early life stress has been linked to negative effects on a number of neural systems, the specific mechanisms through which early life stress influences development and individual differences in children's outcomes are still not well understood. MAIN TEXT The current paper reviews the existing literature on the neurobiological effects of early life stress and their ties to children's psychological and behavioral development. CONCLUSIONS Early life stress has persistent and pervasive effects on prefrontal-hypothalamic-amygdala and dopaminergic circuits that are at least partially mediated by alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. However, to date, this research has primarily utilized methods of assessment that focus solely on children's event exposures. Incorporating assessment of factors that influence children's interpretation of stressors, along with stressful events, has the potential to provide further insight into the mechanisms contributing to individual differences in neurodevelopmental effects of early life stress. This can aid in further elucidating specific mechanisms through which these neurobiological changes influence development and contribute to risk for psychopathology and health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Smith
- Department of Psychology and Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 S Highland Blvd, Rm 399, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| | - Seth D Pollak
- Department of Psychology and Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 S Highland Blvd, Rm 399, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
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182
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O'Hara VM, Curran JL, Browne NT. The Co-occurrence of Pediatric Obesity and ADHD: an Understanding of Shared Pathophysiology and Implications for Collaborative Management. Curr Obes Rep 2020; 9:451-461. [PMID: 33113108 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-020-00410-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To describe what is known about the association between obesity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children along with the co-occurring conditions of sleep dysfunction, loss of control/binge eating disorder (LOC-ED/BED), and anxiety. RECENT FINDINGS Obesity and ADHD share common brain pathways (hypothalamic, executive, and reward centers) with pathophysiology in these areas manifesting in partial or complete expression of these diseases. Sleep dysfunction, LOC-ED/BED, and anxiety share similar pathways and are associated with this disease dyad. The association of obesity and ADHD with sleep dysfunction, LOC-ED/BED, and anxiety is discussed. An algorithm outlining decision pathways for patients with obesity and with and without ADHD is presented. Future research exploring the complex pathophysiology of both obesity and ADHD as well as co-occurring conditions is needed to develop clinical guidelines and ultimately assist in providing the best evidence-based care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie M O'Hara
- WOW for Wellness Clinic, Penobscot Community Health Care, 6 Telcom Drive, Bangor, ME, 04401, USA
| | - Jennifer L Curran
- Northern Light Health, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, 489 State St, Bangor, ME, 04401, USA
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183
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Lacey RE, Bartley M, Kelly-Irving M, Bevilacqua L, Iob E, Kelly Y, Howe LD. Adverse childhood experiences and early life inflammation in the Avon longitudinal study of parents and children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 122:104914. [PMID: 33129041 PMCID: PMC8188296 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with poorer health across the life course. Previous studies have used cumulative risk scores (ACE scores) or individual ACEs but these two approaches have important shortcomings. ACE scores assume that each adversity is equally important for the outcome of interest and the single adversity approach assumes that ACEs do not co-occur. Latent class analysis (LCA) is an alternative approach to operationalising ACEs data, identifying groups of people co-reporting similar ACEs. Here we apply these three approaches for ACEs operationalisation with inflammation in childhood with the aim of identifying particular ACEs or ACE combinations that are particularly associated with higher inflammation in early life. METHODS Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) we compare ACE scores, single adversities and LCA-derived ACE clusters in their relationships with Interleukin-6 at age 9 (n = 4935) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) at age 9 (n = 4887). ACEs included were parental separation/divorce, parental alcohol problems, parental mental health problems, parental offending, inter-parental violence, parental drug misuse, and physical, emotional and sexual abuse. RESULTS Two thirds of the sample reported at least one ACE. Mother's mental health problems was the most frequently reported ACE (32.3 %). LCA identified four ACE classes - 'Low ACEs' (81.1 %), 'Maternal mental health problems' (10.3 %), 'Maternal mental health problems and physical abuse' (6.3 %) and 'Parental conflict, mental health problems and emotional abuse' (2.4 %). Parental separation/divorce was associated with higher IL-6. Parental alcohol problems, paternal mental health problems, parental convictions and emotional abuse were associated with lower levels of IL-6. Associations for paternal mental health problems and emotional abuse were only observed for boys. ACE score and LCA-derived ACE classes were not associated with differences in IL-6. Girls in the 'Maternal mental health problems' cluster had lower CRP levels. CONCLUSIONS Specific adversities and adversity combinations are important for differences in childhood inflammation. Some associations were only observed for girls or boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Lacey
- Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Mel Bartley
- Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Leonardo Bevilacqua
- Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Eleonora Iob
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Yvonne Kelly
- Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Laura D Howe
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
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184
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Farrow P, Simmons JG, Pozzi E, Díaz-Arteche C, Richmond S, Bray K, Schwartz O, Whittle S. Associations between early life stress and anterior pituitary gland volume development during late childhood. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 122:104868. [PMID: 33068951 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Early Life Stress (ELS) is thought to influence Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal-Axis (HPAA) functioning, contributing to an increased risk for psychopathology through dysregulation of biological stress responses. Research exploring relationships between ELS and HPAA functioning has largely focused on its key hormonal output, cortisol. However, findings have been inconsistent, potentially due to cortisol's distinctive diurnal patterns and dynamic nature complicating its accurate measurement. Thus, this study explored the link between ELS and a more stable, structural component of the HPAA, specifically, anterior pituitary gland volume (PGV) in a community sample of children (N = 129, 68 female). PGV was traced from Magnetic Resonance Imaging brain scans across two time-points at ages 8 (baseline) and 10 years (follow-up). ELS exposure was assessed at baseline through parent-report questionnaires and maternal affective behavior observed in mother-child interaction tasks. ELS variables were reduced to a 5-factor structure using exploratory factor analysis - Uninvolved Parenting, Negative Affective Parenting, Neglect, Trauma, and Dysfunctional Discipline. Direct and sex-moderated associations between ELS and PGV were explored using regression and linear mixed models analyses. PGV-mediated associations between ELS and internalizing symptoms were also investigated. Childhood Neglect was significantly associated with greater baseline anterior PGV, that was stable over the follow-up period. This effect was found in the whole sample, and in males, specifically. No mediation effects were found. Results suggest that neglect may play a unique role in HPAA neurodevelopment; however, it is important that future research extends into adolescence to more clearly characterize these neurodevelopmental associations and any subsequent psychopathological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Farrow
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Julian G Simmons
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Elena Pozzi
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia; Orygen, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Carmela Díaz-Arteche
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia
| | - Sally Richmond
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Australia
| | - Katherine Bray
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Orli Schwartz
- Orygen, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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185
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Hagan MJ, Roubinov DS, Boyce WT, Bush NR. Associations between multisystem stress reactivity and peer nominated aggression in early childhood vary by sex. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:1888-1898. [PMID: 33427184 PMCID: PMC10436776 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
There is emerging evidence that the development of problematic aggression in childhood may be associated with specific physiological stress response patterns, with both biological overactivation and underactivation implicated. This study tested associations between sex-specific patterns of stress responses across the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and peer nominations of aggression among 271 kindergarten children (Mean age = 5.32 years; 52% Female; 44% White). Upon entry to kindergarten, children participated in a multidomain standardized stress paradigm. Changes in pre-ejection period (PEP) and salivary cortisol were assessed. On a separate day, children provided peer ratings of physical and relational aggression in a standardized interview. As expected, there was a significant three-way interaction between PEP, cortisol reactivity, and sex, but only for physical aggression. Among boys, cortisol reactivity was positively associated with physical aggression only for those with higher SNS reactivity. Findings suggest that for boys, asymmetrical and symmetrical HPA/SNS reactivity may be associated with lower and higher risk for peer-directed physical aggression, respectively. Understanding the complex associations between multisystem physiology, child sex and peer-directed aggression in early childhood may offer insight into individual differences underlying the emergence of behavioral dysregulation in early peer contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J. Hagan
- San Francisco State University & University of California, San Francisco
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186
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Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) has been associated with inflammation and immunosenescence, as well as hyporeactivity of the HPA axis. Because the immune system and the HPA axis are tightly intertwined around the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), we examined peripheral GR functionality in the EpiPath cohort among participants who either had been exposed to ELA (separation from parents and/or institutionalization followed by adoption; n = 40) or had been reared by their biological parents (n = 72).Expression of the strict GR target genes FKBP5 and GILZ as well as total and 1F and 1H GR transcripts were similar between groups. Furthermore, there were no differences in GR sensitivity, examined by the effects of dexamethasone on IL6 production in LPS-stimulated whole blood. Although we did not find differences in methylation at the GR 1F exon or promoter region, we identified a region of the GR 1H promoter (CpG 1-9) that showed lower methylation levels in ELA.Our results suggest that peripheral GR signaling was unperturbed in our cohort and the observed immune phenotype does not appear to be secondary to an altered GR response to the perturbed HPA axis and glucocorticoid (GC) profile, although we are limited in our measures of GR activity and time points.
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187
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Garnett M, Bernard K, Hoye J, Zajac L, Dozier M. Parental sensitivity mediates the sustained effect of Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up on cortisol in middle childhood: A randomized clinical trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104809. [PMID: 32781397 PMCID: PMC7733705 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Parenting interventions have been found to normalize cortisol regulation among high-risk children early in development; it is important to investigate the sustainability of these effects and their mechanisms, given the maladaptive outcomes associated with cortisol dysregulation. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention, implemented in infancy, predicts cortisol regulation in middle childhood via changes in early parental sensitivity. DESIGN Double blind randomized clinical trial design; started January 2006, the follow-up for this project concluded March 2016. SETTING Parents of children under age 2 referred from child protective services agencies in a large, mid-Atlantic city. PARTICIPANTS 103 parent-child dyads (45.6% female children) with histories of child protective services involvement, randomly assigned to receive ABC (n = 45) or a control intervention (n = 58); in infancy, the children's ages ranged from 1.60 to 25.30 months (M = 9.87 months); at the middle childhood follow-up, they ranged from 8.0 to 11.0 years old (M = 8.52 years). INTERVENTIONS Both conditions included 10-week, in-home, manualized interventions. The experimental condition, ABC, has 3 primary targets for parents: increasing nurturance to child distress, increasing following the child's lead, and decreasing frightening behavior. The control intervention, Developmental Education for Families (DEF), is an adaptation of a program focused on enhancing cognitive and language development. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Parental sensitivity was coded from a semi-structured interaction task between the parent and child in early childhood. Middle childhood diurnal cortisol slopes were modeled by collecting salivary cortisol samples from children at wake-up and bedtime over the course of 3 consecutive days. RESULTS ABC participation in infancy was associated with increased parental sensitivity post-intervention, β = 0.28, p = .004, and this increased sensitivity predicted steeper decline across the day in children's cortisol concentration in middle childhood, β = -.53, p = .002. The indirect effect of ABC on cortisol regulation via sensitivity was significant, β = -0.15, p = .038. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE ABC has an indirect effect on middle childhood diurnal cortisol regulation via parental sensitivity; future research should seek to determine how this enhanced neurobiological regulation relates to children's behavioral, socioemotional, and psychological outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02093052.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory Garnett
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE, 19718, United States.
| | - Kristin Bernard
- Stony Brook University, Psychology B Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794, United States
| | - Julie Hoye
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19718, United States
| | - Lindsay Zajac
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19718, United States
| | - Mary Dozier
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19718, United States
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188
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Sarapultsev A, Sarapultsev P, Dremencov E, Komelkova M, Tseilikman O, Tseilikman V. Low glucocorticoids in stress-related disorders: the role of inflammation. Stress 2020; 23:651-661. [PMID: 32401103 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1766020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that plasma cortisol concentration can be either increased or decreased in patients with depression and related anxiety and stress-related disorders; the exact pathophysiological mechanisms of this state are not almost clear. Several distinct theories were proposed and mechanisms, which could lead to decreased glucocorticoid signaling and/or levels, were described. However, there is a possible drawback in almost all the theories proposed: insufficient attention to the inflammatory process, which is undoubtedly present in several stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous studies only briefly mentioned the presence of an inflammatory reaction's signs in PTSD, without giving it due importance, although recognizing that it can affect the course of the disease. With that, the state of biochemical changes, characterized by the low glucocorticoids, glucocorticoid receptor's resistance and the signs of the persistent inflammation (with the high levels of circulating cytokines) might be observed not only in PTSD but in coronary heart diseases and systemic chronic inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis) as well. That is why the present review aims to depict the pathophysiological mechanisms, which lead to a decrease in glucocorticoids in PTSD due to the action of inflammatory stimuli. We described changes in the glucocorticoid system and inflammatory reaction as parts of an integral system, where glucocorticoids and the glucocorticoid receptor reside at the apex of a regulatory network that blocks several inflammatory pathways, while decreased glucocorticoid signaling and/or level leads to unchecked inflammatory reactions to promote pathologies such as PTSD. LAY SUMMARY This review emphasizes the importance of inflammatory reaction in the development of puzzling conditions sometimes observed in severe diseases including post-traumatic stress disorder - the decreased levels of glucocorticoids in the blood. Following the classical concepts, one would expect an increase in glucocorticoid hormones, since they are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system, which reduces stress and inflammation. However, low levels of glucocorticoid hormones are also observed. Thus, this review describes potential mechanisms, which can lead to the development of such a state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Sarapultsev
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Petr Sarapultsev
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Eliyahu Dremencov
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Centre for Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maria Komelkova
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Olga Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Vadim Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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189
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Missler M, van Straten A, Denissen J, Donker T, Beijers R. Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:658. [PMID: 33129314 PMCID: PMC7603696 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first months postpartum can be challenging for parents, leading to elevated symptoms of parenting stress, depression and anxiety. In turn, distressed parents are at higher risk for providing suboptimal quality of caregiving. As psychoeducational interventions can be effective in reducing psychological distress, the goal of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effectiveness of low-intensity universal psychoeducational program to prevent postpartum parenting stress, and to enhance parental well-being and caregiving quality. METHOD Between 26 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, 138 pregnant women and 96 partners were randomized to the intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention consisted of a booklet, a video, a home visit, and a telephone call. Information was provided on (1) sensitive responsiveness, adapting to the parental role, and attending to own needs; (2) crying patterns; (3) feeding (arrangements); and (4) sleeping (arrangements). The primary outcome was parenting stress postpartum. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of distress (depression and anxiety), parental well-being, and caregiving quality. RESULTS Both groups showed a rise in distress after birth. No between-group differences were observed on parenting stress, nor on the secondary outcomes. The intervention was rated as useful and of added value by the parents. CONCLUSION This study offered no evidence that our universal prevention program was effective in decreasing parental distress or in increasing caregiving quality. However, parents found aspects of the intervention useful. More research is needed, including a longer period of follow-up as well as observational measures of parents' responsiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION This trial has been registered on 15 September 2016 in the Netherlands National Trial Register, ID: NTR6065, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5782 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein Missler
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke van Straten
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Denissen
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tara Donker
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 8, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Radboud University, Behavioural Science Institute, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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190
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Díaz-Arteche C, Simmons JG, Ganella DE, Schwartz O, Kim JH, Farrow P, Whittle S. Associations between early life stress and anterior pituitary gland volume development - A novel index of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:808-816. [PMID: 33078393 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has established associations between early life stress (ELS) and altered pituitary gland volume (PGV) growth during adolescence. The pituitary gland, however, is composed of an anterior and a posterior lobe with distinct histological and neuroendocrinological properties. While the anterior (but not posterior) pituitary gland is directly involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) stress response, no studies have examined the effects of ELS on anterior PGV (aPGV). The present study investigated whether previously reported associations between ELS and PGV development during adolescence were driven by aPGV versus posterior PGV (pPGV). Ninety-one adolescents (49 males) were included from a longitudinal, community-based adolescent development study investigating risk for psychopathology. ELS (maternal affective behavior, childhood maltreatment, stressful life events) was assessed during early adolescence. Participants underwent two waves of structural magnetic resonance imaging during mid- and late-adolescence, and aPGV and pPGV were manually traced. Regression analyses showed that childhood maltreatment predicted greater aPGV growth in females. This finding was stronger than that previously reported for PGV. No associations were found between ELS and pPGV development. Neither aPGV nor pPGV changes mediated associations between ELS and psychopathology. Results suggest that ELS may accelerate aPGV (but not pPGV) growth throughout adolescence. Investigating the development of aPGV, rather than PGV, represents a novel approach to studying the effects of stress on HPAA functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Díaz-Arteche
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Departmet of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia
| | - Julian G Simmons
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Departmet of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia.,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Despina E Ganella
- Mental Health Theme, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Orli Schwartz
- Orygen, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Mental Health Theme, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, VIC, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,IMPACT - The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Paige Farrow
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Departmet of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Departmet of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia.,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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191
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Differential associations of parental harshness and parental disengagement with overall cortisol output at 15 years: Implications for adolescent mental health. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 34:129-146. [PMID: 33070808 PMCID: PMC8053724 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420000954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Psychosocial stress in childhood and adolescence is linked to stress system dysregulation, although few studies have examined the relative impacts of parental harshness and parental disengagement. This study prospectively tested whether parental harshness and disengagement show differential associations with overall cortisol output in adolescence. Associations between overall cortisol output and adolescent mental health problems were tested concurrently. Adolescents from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) provided hair samples for cortisol assay at 15 years (N = 171). Caregivers reported on parental harshness and disengagement experiences at 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15 years, and adolescents reported at 15 years. Both parent and adolescent reported depressive and anxiety symptoms and antisocial behaviors at 15. Greater parental harshness from 1-15 years, and harshness reported at 15 years in particular, was associated with higher overall cortisol output at 15. Greater parental disengagement from 1-15 years, and disengagement at 1 year specifically, was associated with lower cortisol output. There were no significant associations between cortisol output and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or antisocial behaviors. These results suggest that the unique variances of parental harshness and disengagement may have opposing associations with cortisol output at 15 years, with unclear implications for adolescent mental health.
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192
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Grimm J, Stemmler M, Golub Y, Schwenke E, Goecke TW, Fasching PA, Beckmann MW, Kratz O, Moll GH, Kornhuber J, Eichler A. The association between prenatal alcohol consumption and preschool child stress system disturbance. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:687-697. [PMID: 33012000 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is considered a risk factor for child development; however, child biomarkers of prenatal alcohol exposure have been rarely studied. We examined whether a meconium alcohol metabolite (ethyl glucuronide, EtG) was associated with child cortisol concentrations at primary school age. METHODS For 137 children, prenatal alcohol exposure was operationalized by the meconium biomarker EtG and by maternal self-reports during pregnancy. Two EtG cut-offs (EtG ≥10 ng/g and EtG ≥112 ng/g) were applied. Cortisol concentrations were measured in saliva and hair samples. RESULTS Children with EtG ≥10 ng/g showed significantly reduced hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) (p = .050, η p 2 = 0.042). For children with EtG ≥112 ng/g, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) was significantly decreased (p = .025, η p 2 = 0.070). These effects were also present in correlational analyses with continuous EtG data, speaking for partly dose-dependent effects. Especially, within the EtG ≥112 ng/g group, the basal (CAR: rp = -.642, p = .120) and cumulative (HCC: rp = -.660, p = .107) cortisol parameters were associated with child emotional symptoms at medium effect size. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed both the biological association of intrauterine alcohol exposure with the cortisol stress system, partly dose-dependent, and the functional association with emotional and behavioral symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Grimm
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mark Stemmler
- Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yulia Golub
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden, Germany
| | - Eva Schwenke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tamme W Goecke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,RoMed Klinikum Rosenheim, Rosenheim, Germany
| | - Peter A Fasching
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias W Beckmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oliver Kratz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gunther H Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna Eichler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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Schuurmans AAT, Nijhof KS, Scholte R, Popma A, Otten R. Game-Based Meditation Therapy to Improve Posttraumatic Stress and Neurobiological Stress Systems in Traumatized Adolescents: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e19881. [PMID: 32965226 PMCID: PMC7542410 DOI: 10.2196/19881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many adolescents in residential care have been exposed to prolonged traumatic experiences such as violence, neglect, or abuse. Consequently, they suffer from posttraumatic stress. This not only negatively affects psychological and behavioral outcomes (eg, increased anxiety, depression, and aggression) but also has adverse effects on physiological outcomes, in particular on their neurobiological stress systems. Although current evidence-based treatment options are effective, they have their limitations. An alternative to traditional trauma treatment is meditation-based treatment that focuses on stress regulation and relaxation. Muse is a game-based meditation intervention that makes use of adolescents' intrinsic motivation. The neurofeedback element reinforces relaxation abilities. OBJECTIVE This paper describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial in which the goal is to examine the effectiveness of Muse (InteraXon Inc) in reducing posttraumatic stress and normalizing neurobiological stress systems in a sample of traumatized adolescents in residential care. METHODS This will be a multicenter, multi-informant, and multimethod randomized controlled trial. Participants will be adolescents (N=80), aged 10 to 18 years, with clinical levels of posttraumatic symptoms, who are randomized to receive either the Muse therapy sessions and treatment as usual (intervention) or treatment as usual alone (control). Data will be collected at 3 measurement instances: pretest (T1), posttest (T2), and at 2-month follow-up. Primary outcomes will be posttraumatic symptoms (self-report and mentor report) and stress (self-report) at posttest. Secondary outcomes will be neurobiological stress parameters under both resting and acute stress conditions, and anxiety, depression, and aggression at posttest. Secondary outcomes also include all measures at 2-month follow-up: posttraumatic symptoms, stress, anxiety, depression aggression, and neurobiological resting parameters. RESULTS The medical-ethical committee Arnhem-Nijmegen (NL58674.091.16) approved the trial on November 15, 2017. The study was registered on December 2, 2017. Participant enrollment started in January 2018, and the results of the study are expected to be published in spring or summer 2021. CONCLUSIONS Study results will demonstrate whether game-based meditation therapy improves posttraumatic stress and neurobiological stress systems, and whether it is more effective than treatment as usual alone for traumatized adolescents. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register NL6689 (NTR6859); https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6689. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/19881.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela A T Schuurmans
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Karin S Nijhof
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ron Scholte
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Praktikon, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Tranzo, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit medisch centrum De Bascule, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Roy Otten
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Research and Development, Pluryn, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Research and Education Advancing Children's Health Institute, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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194
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Zhao N, Mu L, Chang X, Zhu L, Geng Y, Li G. Effects of varying intensities of heat stress on neuropeptide Y and proopiomelanocortin mRNA expression in rats. Biomed Rep 2020; 13:39. [PMID: 32934812 DOI: 10.3892/br.2020.1346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of varying intensities of heat stress on the mRNA expression levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and stress hormones in rats. To establish a rat model of heat stress, the temperature and time were adjusted in a specialized heating chamber. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups; control (CN; temperature, 24±1˚C); moderate strength 6 h (MS6; temperature, 32±1˚C time, 6 h), moderate strength 24 h (MS24; temperature, 32±1˚C; time, 24 h) and high strength 6 h (HS6; temperature, 38±1˚C; time, 6 h) groups. SD rats were exposed to heat for 14 consecutive days. The levels of heat stress-related factors, including corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), cortisol (COR), epinephrine (EPI) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), were measured in the rat blood using ELISA. In addition, the weight of the spleen, thymus, hypophysis and hypothalamus were determined. The mRNA expressions levels of NPY and POMC were detected using quantitative PCR. The results showed that the CRH, COR and HSP70 levels were increased in the three heat stress groups compared with the CN group. Notably, the levels of CRH, EPI and HSP70 were increased in the HS6 group compared with the CN and MS6 groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, the weights of the hypophysis and hypothalamus in the HS6 group were significantly lower compared with the CN group (P<0.05). In addition, NPY and POMC expression levels were downregulated in the MS24 group compared with the CN group. The mRNA expression levels of NPY and POMC were altered in response to different intensities of heat stress. Therefore, their levels were downregulated and upregulated following long-time and moderate-time heat exposure, respectively. The results of the present study suggested that the reduced mRNA expression levels of NPY may be partially responsible for the heat-induced injuries in rats following long-time heat exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121000, P.R. China
| | - Le Mu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Chang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Lingqing Zhu
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Yao Geng
- School of Nursing, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Guanghua Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.,School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
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195
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Golm D, Maughan B, Barker ED, Hill J, Kennedy M, Knights N, Kreppner J, Kumsta R, Schlotz W, Rutter M, Sonuga‐Barke EJ. Why does early childhood deprivation increase the risk for depression and anxiety in adulthood? A developmental cascade model. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:1043-1053. [PMID: 32026473 PMCID: PMC8597399 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Using data from the English & Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study, we recently reported that early time-limited exposure to severe institutional deprivation is associated with early-onset and persistent neurodevelopmental problems and later-onset emotional problems. Here, we examine possible reasons for the late emergence of emotional problems in this cohort. Our main focus is on testing a developmental cascade mediated via the functional impact of early-appearing neurodevelopmental problems on late adolescent functioning. We also explore a second putative pathway via sensitization to stress. METHODS The ERA study includes 165 Romanian individuals who spent their early lives in grossly depriving institutions and were subsequently adopted into UK families, along with 52 UK adoptees with no history of deprivation. Age six years symptoms of neurodevelopmental problems and age 15 anxiety/depression symptoms were assessed via parental reports. Young adult symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed by both parent and self-reports; young adults also completed measures of stress reactivity, exposure to adverse life events, and functioning in work and interpersonal relationships. RESULTS The path between early institutional deprivation and adult emotional problems was mediated via the impact of early neurodevelopmental problems on unemployment and poor friendship functioning during the transition to adulthood. The findings with regard to early deprivation, later life stress reactivity, and emotional problems were inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis suggests that the risk for adult depression and anxiety following extreme institutional deprivation is explained through the effects of early neurodevelopmental problems on later social and vocational functioning. Future research should more fully examine the role of stress susceptibility in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Golm
- Centre for Innovation in Mental HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Barbara Maughan
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry CentreInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Edward D. Barker
- Department of PsychologyInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jonathan Hill
- School of Psychology & Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Mark Kennedy
- Department of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Nicky Knights
- Department of PsychologyCentre for Clinical and Community Applications of Health PsychologyUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Jana Kreppner
- Centre for Innovation in Mental HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic PsychologyFaculty of PsychologyRuhr University BochumBochumGermany
| | - Wolff Schlotz
- Max Planck Institute for Empirical AestheticsFrankfurtGermany
| | - Michael Rutter
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry CentreInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Edmund J.S. Sonuga‐Barke
- Department of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK,Department of Child & Adolescent PsychiatryAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
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196
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Kim AW, Adam EK, Bechayda SA, Kuzawa CW. Early life stress and HPA axis function independently predict adult depressive symptoms in metropolitan Cebu, Philippines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:448-462. [PMID: 32744374 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Alterations in adult hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity have increasingly been linked with early life stress and adult depression, but a limited number of studies have used longitudinal data to explore HPA axis dysregulation as an underlying mechanism driving the long-term depressive impacts of early stressors. Here we address potential long-term impacts of early life, family-based stress on depressive symptoms among young adults in a longitudinal birth cohort study begun in 1983 in the Philippines. MATERIALS AND METHODS We relate a composite measure of family-based stressors experienced between birth and adolescence to circadian dynamics in adult salivary cortisol and depressive risk measured at 21-22 years of age. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between early life stress levels and risk of adult depressive symptoms, as well as the role of adult diurnal cortisol activity in this relationship. RESULTS Greater levels of early life familial stress predicted more severe depressive symptomatology at age 21-22 in a dose-response fashion (p < .0001) independent of adult diurnal cortisol patterns. Flatter diurnal cortisol slopes are directly associated with higher adult depressive symptoms, an effect mostly driven by evening cortisol levels (p = .004). When considering the cumulative effects of early life stress measures, however, exposure to more of these stressors during development is associated with even higher depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION The long-term depressive effects of early life familial stress extend to this large sample of Cebuano young adults, and early life stress and HPA axis function may shape adult depressive symptoms through independent pathways in this sample. Our findings provide further evidence that HPA axis activity is shaped by early life conditions and is associated with depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Wooyoung Kim
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Emma K Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Sonny A Bechayda
- Office of Population Studies, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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197
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Palmer AR, Labella M, Plowman EJ, Foster R, Masten AS. Parental emotion regulation strategies and parenting quality predict child internalizing symptoms in families experiencing homelessness. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 29:732-749. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa R. Palmer
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | - Madelyn Labella
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | | | - Rachel Foster
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | - Ann S. Masten
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
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198
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McLean MA, Simcock G, Elgbeili G, Laplante DP, Kildea S, Hurrion E, Lequertier B, Cobham VE, King S. Disaster-related prenatal maternal stress, and childhood HPA-axis regulation and anxiety: The QF2011 Queensland Flood Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 118:104716. [PMID: 32479967 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fetal programming hypothesis suggests that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) influences aspects of fetal development, such as the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, enhancing susceptibility to emotional problems. No study (to our knowledge) has investigated this pathway considering development of preschool anxiety symptoms. Using data from the Queensland Flood study (QF2011), our objective was to determine whether toddler HPA-axis functioning mediated the association between aspects of flood-related PNMS and child anxiety symptoms at 4-years, and whether relationships were moderated by the timing of the stressor in utero or by the child's sex. METHODS Women, pregnant during the 2011 Queensland floods (N = 230), were recruited soon afterwards and completed questionnaires regarding their objective hardship (e.g., loss of personal property), subjective distress (post-traumatic-like symptoms) and cognitive appraisal of the disaster. At 16 months, indexes of the child's diurnal cortisol rhythm (awakening response, total daily output, diurnal slope [N = 80]), and stress reactivity (N = 111), were obtained. At 4-years, N = 117 mothers reported on their own mood and their children's anxiety symptoms; of these, N = 80 also had valid child cortisol reactivity data, and N = 64 had diurnal cortisol rhythm data. RESULTS A greater cortisol awakening response at 16 months mediated the relationship between subjective PNMS and anxiety symptoms at 4-years. Greater toddler daily cortisol secretion predicted more anxiety symptoms, independent of PNMS. The laboratory stressor did not elicit a cortisol response. PNMS effects were not dependent upon child sex nor on gestational timing of flood exposure. CONCLUSIONS Indexes of diurnal cortisol in toddlerhood may represent vulnerability for anxiety symptoms in preschoolers, both independent of, and following, exposure to disaster-related prenatal maternal subjective distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia A McLean
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Simcock
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Thompson Institute, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Guillaume Elgbeili
- Schizophrenia and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - David P Laplante
- Schizophrenia and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada; Centre for Child Development and Mental Health, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sue Kildea
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Molly Wardaguga Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Charles Darwin University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hurrion
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Belinda Lequertier
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vanessa E Cobham
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Suzanne King
- Thompson Institute, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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199
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Effects of stress on 6- and 7-year-old children's emotional memory differs by gender. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 199:104924. [PMID: 32707294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding effects of emotional valence and stress on children's memory is important for educational and legal contexts. This study disentangled the effects of emotional content of to-be-remembered information (i.e., items differing in emotional valence and arousal), stress exposure, and associated cortisol secretion on children's memory. We also examined whether girls' memory is more affected by stress induction. A total of 143 6- and 7-year-old children were randomly allocated to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (n = 103) or a control condition (n = 40). At 25 min after stressor onset, children incidentally encoded 75 objects varying in emotional valence (crossed with arousal) together with neutral scene backgrounds. We found that response bias corrected memory was worse for low-arousing negative items than for neutral and positive items, with the latter two categories not being different from each other. Whereas boys' memory was largely unaffected by stress, girls in the stress condition showed worse memory for negative items, especially the low-arousing ones, than girls in the control condition. Girls, compared with boys, reported higher subjective stress increases following stress exposure and had higher cortisol stress responses. Whereas a higher cortisol stress response was associated with better emotional memory in girls in the stress condition, boys' memory was not associated with their cortisol secretion. Taken together, our study suggests that 6- and 7-year-old children, more so girls, show memory suppression for negative information. Girls' memory for negative information, compared with that of boys, is also more strongly modulated by stress experience and the associated cortisol response.
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200
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Smith KE, Pollak SD. Rethinking Concepts and Categories for Understanding the Neurodevelopmental Effects of Childhood Adversity. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020; 16:67-93. [PMID: 32668190 PMCID: PMC7809338 DOI: 10.1177/1745691620920725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Discovering the processes through which early adverse experiences affect children’s nervous-system development, health, and behavior is critically important for developing effective interventions. However, advances in our understanding of these processes have been constrained by conceptualizations that rely on categories of adversity that are overlapping, have vague boundaries, and lack consistent biological evidence. Here, we discuss central problems in understanding the link between early-life adversity and children’s brain development. We conclude by suggesting alternative formulations that hold promise for advancing knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms through which adversity affects human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Smith
- Department of Psychology and Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Seth D Pollak
- Department of Psychology and Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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