1
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Black SR, Scalco MD, Mackin D, Shirtcliff EA, Klein DN. Longitudinal patterns of neuroendocrine coupling from middle childhood to early adolescence. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22340. [PMID: 36426796 PMCID: PMC9708093 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Recent scholarship has highlighted the importance of understanding relations between hormones, rather than studying hormones in isolation. Considering neuroendocrine coupling, or the coordination of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones over time, is one way to investigate how systems governing stress responsiveness and pubertal development covary during critical periods. To date, however, most work has considered hormone coupling cross-sectionally. The current study investigated neuroendocrine coupling in a longitudinal sample from the Northeastern United States. Youth (N = 437, 53% male, 90% White) provided saliva samples for analysis of diurnal hormone activity at ages 9 (three samples per day across 3 days) and 12 (one sample per day on the same weekday for 4 weeks). At both timepoints, samples collected 30-min after waking were assayed for cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and testosterone. Multilevel growth modeling was used to determine how levels of morning cortisol changed in tandem with DHEA and testosterone. Morning cortisol-DHEA coupling varied by child sex, as males' cortisol-DHEA diminished over time, especially among pubertally advanced males. Females, in contrast, demonstrated strengthening cortisol-DHEA coupling over time, especially more pubertally advanced females. Morning cortisol-testosterone coupling did not vary by sex or pubertal status, demonstrating strengthening associations between ages 9 and 12. The current findings contribute to the literature on hormone coupling across development and expand this work into an earlier developmental phase than previously investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R. Black
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
| | - Matthew D. Scalco
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
| | - Daniel Mackin
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | | | - Daniel N. Klein
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
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2
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Chafkin JE, O'Brien JM, Medrano FN, Lee HY, Josephs RA, Yeager DS. A dual-system, machine-learning approach reveals how daily pubertal hormones relate to psychological well-being in everyday life. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 58:101158. [PMID: 36368088 PMCID: PMC9650000 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The two studies presented in this paper seek to resolve mixed findings in research linking activity of pubertal hormones to daily adolescent outcomes. In study 1 we used a series of Confirmatory Factor Analyses to compare the fit of one and two-factor models of seven steroid hormones (n = 994 participants, 8084 samples) of the HPA and HPG axes, using data from a field study (https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/studies/38180) collected over ten consecutive weekdays in a representative sample of teens starting high school. In study 2, we fit a Bayesian model to our large dataset to explore how hormone activity was related to outcomes that have been demonstrated to be linked to mental health and wellbeing (self-reports of daily affect and stress coping). Results reveal, first that a two-factor solution of adolescent hormones showed good fit to our data, and second, that HPG activity, rather than the more often examined HPA activity, was associated with improved daily affect ratios and stress coping. These findings suggest that field research, when it is combined with powerful statistical techniques, may help to improve our understanding of the relationship between adolescent hormones and daily measures of well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Chafkin
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Joseph M O'Brien
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Robert A Josephs
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David S Yeager
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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3
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Cortisol trajectories measured prospectively across thirty years of female development following exposure to childhood sexual abuse: Moderation by epigenetic age acceleration at midlife. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 136:105606. [PMID: 34896740 PMCID: PMC8724404 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Lasting changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are a potential indication of the biological embedding of early life adversity, yet, prospective and repeatedly collected data are needed to confirm this relation. Likewise, integrating information from multiple biological systems, such as the HPA axis and the epigenome, has the potential to identify individuals with enhanced embedding of early life adversity. The current study reports results from the Female Growth and Development Study, a 30-year prospective cohort study of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Females exposed to substantiated CSA and a demographically-similar comparison condition were enrolled and resting state cortisol concentrations were sampled on seven subsequent occasions across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Differences in participants' cortisol trajectories were examined in relation to prior CSA exposure and DNA methylation-derived epigenetic age acceleration at midlife. Bilinear spline growth models revealed a trajectory where cortisol secretion increased until approximately age twenty and then declined into mid-life, consistent with normative trends. However, cortisol concentrations peaked at a lower level and transitioned to the decline phase at an earlier age for females in the CSA condition with increased epigenetic age acceleration. Robustness tests across three independent measures of epigenetic age acceleration demonstrated similar results for lower peak cortisol levels and earlier ages at transition. Results suggest that CSA is associated with significant changes in HPA-axis activity over extended periods of time with these changes most pronounced in females with accelerated epigenetic aging in mid-life. Implications for biological embedding models of early life adversity and adulthood health are discussed.
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4
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Condon EM, Dettmer A, Baker E, McFaul C, Stover CS. Early Life Adversity and Males: Biology, Behavior, and Implications for Fathers' Parenting. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104531. [PMID: 35063493 PMCID: PMC9236197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Fathers have an important and unique influence on child development, but influences on fathers' parenting have been vastly understudied in the scientific literature. In particular, very little empirical research exists on the effects of early life adversity (ELA; e.g. childhood maltreatment, parental separation) on later parenting among fathers. In this review, we draw from both the human and non-human animal literature to examine the effects of ELA, specifically among males, in the following areas: 1) neurobiology and neurocognitive functioning, 2) hormones and hormone receptors, 3) gene-environment interactions and epigenetics, and 4) behavior and development. Based on these findings, we present a conceptual model to describe the biological and behavioral pathways through which exposure to ELA may influence parenting among males, with a goal of guiding future research and intervention development in this area. Empirical studies are needed to improve understanding of the relationship between ELA and father's parenting, inform the development of paternal and biparental interventions, and prevent intergenerational transmission of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen M Condon
- University of Connecticut School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Rd, Storrs CT 06269, United States; Yale Early Stress and Adversity Consortium, United States.
| | - Amanda Dettmer
- Yale Early Stress and Adversity Consortium, United States; Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
| | - Ellie Baker
- Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06519, United States; Division of Psychology and Language Science, University College London (UCL), 26 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AP, United Kingdom
| | - Ciara McFaul
- Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
| | - Carla Smith Stover
- Yale Early Stress and Adversity Consortium, United States; Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
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5
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Howland MA, Donzella B, Miller BS, Gunnar MR. Pubertal recalibration of cortisol-DHEA coupling in previously-institutionalized children. Horm Behav 2020; 125:104816. [PMID: 32649929 PMCID: PMC7543053 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
As a period of heightened plasticity, puberty may provide a window of opportunity for recalibration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to current conditions. Our group has recently documented evidence for pubertal recalibration of HPA axis reactivity among children internationally adopted as infants from institutions into supportive, well-resourced homes. As a first step at examining potential mechanisms by which puberty may facilitate recalibration of the HPA axis, the current study assessed whether previously-institutionalized (PI) children differed from non-adopted (NA) comparison children in levels of the adrenal steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and in its intra-individual covariation (coupling) with cortisol by adrenal pubertal stage. In an accelerated longitudinal design, 7- to 15-year-olds completed up to 3 annual assessments, which included nurse-conducted pubertal staging and the Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-M). Adrenal (pubic hair) rather than gonadal pubertal stage scores were used in the analysis. Paired salivary cortisol-DHEA samples were available at 60-80 min post-TSST-M. NA and PI children did not differ in DHEA levels, which were higher among children at more advanced pubertal stages (averaged across the sessions) for both groups. For NA children, post-stressor cortisol and DHEA were positively coupled across sessions at all average adrenal pubertal stages. For PI children who were, on average, at earlier adrenal pubertal stages, post-stressor cortisol and DHEA were not coupled, but PI children who were at later pubertal stages demonstrated positive cortisol-DHEA coupling similar to that of the NA children. We suggest that these findings provide insights into processes which may underlie pubertal recalibration of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariann A Howland
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, United States of America.
| | - Bonny Donzella
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, United States of America
| | - Bradley S Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, United States of America
| | - Megan R Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, United States of America
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6
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Phan JM, Van Hulle CA, Shirtcliff EA, Schmidt NL, Goldsmith HH. Longitudinal effects of family psychopathology and stress on pubertal maturation and hormone coupling in adolescent twins. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:512-528. [PMID: 32862448 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22028] [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: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents experience profound neuroendocrine changes, including hormone "coupling" between cortisol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Emerging research has only begun to elucidate the role of hormone coupling, its genetic and environmental etiology, and the extent to which coupling is impacted by gender, puberty, and family context. We included measures on parent and child mental health, parenting stress, and family conflict of 444 twin pairs and their parents across two timepoints, when youth were on average 8 and 13 years old, respectively. Structural equation models examined the impact of family context effects on coupling during adolescence. Biometric twin models were then used to probe additive genetic, shared, and non-shared environmental effects on hormone coupling. Hormones were more tightly coupled for females than males, and coupling was sensitive to parental depression and co-twin psychopathology symptoms and stress exposure in females. The association between family context and coupling varied across specific neuroendocrine measures and was largely distinct from pubertal maturation. Biometric models revealed robust shared and non-shared environmental influences on coupling. We found that family antecedents modify the strength of coupling. Environmental influences account for much of the variation on coupling during puberty. Gender differences were found in genetic influences on coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny M Phan
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth A Shirtcliff
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Nicole L Schmidt
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - H Hill Goldsmith
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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7
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Apter-Levy Y, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. Chronic Depression Alters Mothers' DHEA and DEHA-to-Cortisol Ratio: Implications for Maternal Behavior and Child Outcomes. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:728. [PMID: 32793012 PMCID: PMC7387697 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal depression is a major public health problem that typically occurs in the period surrounding childbirth. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying maternal depression have been the focus of increasing research and studies pointed to the crucial role of the HPA axis in this disorder. However, most studies focused on cortisol expression and regulation while recent attention has shifted to include the sulfate steroids DHEA and DHEA-S. A community cohort of 1,983 women with no comorbid risk was recruited at birth and depression was assessed periodically across the first postpartum year. At 6 years, 156 families were re-visited: 46 mothers were defined as chronically-depressed and 103 controls reported no depression from birth to six years. Mothers and children were diagnosed by structured psychiatric interviews and mother-child interactions were observed. Maternal diurnal cortisol (CT) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were assessed. Depressed mothers had lower levels of DHEA (AUCg), flattened DHEA diurnal variability (AUCi), and smaller DHEA-to-CT Ratio. Regression analysis demonstrated that maternal sensitivity during mother-child interaction was independently predicted by maternal depression, DHEA levels, child CT, and child social withdrawal. Results underscore the need for multi-level understanding of the dynamic interplay between maternal psychopathology, mother-child relationship, and pituitary-adrenal-cortex-to-medulla balance in studying the cross generational transfer of psychiatric vulnerability from depressed mothers to their children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ruth Feldman
- The Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
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8
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King LS, Graber MG, Colich NL, Gotlib IH. Associations of waking cortisol with DHEA and testosterone across the pubertal transition: Effects of threat-related early life stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 115:104651. [PMID: 32199287 PMCID: PMC7183417 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Atypical regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a putative mechanism underlying the association between exposure to early life stress (ELS) and the subsequent development of mental and physical health difficulties. Recent research indicates that puberty is a period of HPA-axis plasticity during which the effects of exposure to ELS on cortisol regulation may change. In particular, increases in the sex hormones that drive pubertal maturation, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone, may be implicated in pubertal recalibration of cortisol regulation. In the current study, we examined the associations among levels of objectively-rated threat-related ELS and salivary waking cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone in a sample of 178 adolescents (55 % female) who were in early puberty at baseline (Tanner stages 1-3; mean Tanner stage[SD] = 1.93[0.64]; mean age[SD] = 11.42[1.04]) and were followed up approximately two years later (mean Tanner stage[SD] = 3.46[0.86]; mean age[SD] = 13.38[1.06]). Using multi-level modeling, we disaggregated the effects of between-individual levels and within-individual increases in pubertal stage and sex hormones on change in cortisol. Controlling for between-individual differences in average pubertal stage, the association between levels of cortisol and DHEA was more strongly positive among adolescents who evidenced greater within-individual increases in pubertal stage across time. Both higher average levels and greater within-individual increases in DHEA and testosterone were associated with increases in cortisol across time, indicating positive coupling of developmental changes in these hormones; however, coupling was attenuated in adolescents who were exposed to more severe threat-related ELS prior to puberty. These findings advance our understanding of the development of the HPA-axis and its association with childhood environmental risk during puberty.
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9
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Korpel POJ, Varkevisser T, Hoppenbrouwers SS, Van Honk J, Geuze E. The Predictive Value of Early-Life Trauma, Psychopathy, and the Testosterone-Cortisol Ratio for Impulsive Aggression Problems in Veterans. CHRONIC STRESS 2019; 3:2470547019871901. [PMID: 32440599 PMCID: PMC7219916 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019871901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background In this study, we examined whether early-life trauma, psychopathy, and the
testosterone/cortisol ratio predicted impulsive aggression problems in
veterans. Method A sample of 49 male veterans with impulsive aggression problems and 51
nonaggressive veterans were included in the study. Logistic regression
analysis was performed with early-life trauma, primary and secondary
psychopathy, and testosterone/cortisol ratio as continuous predictor
variables; impulsive aggression status was entered as a binary outcome
measure. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine pairwise relations
among the predictors. Results Results indicated that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy, but not
the testosterone/cortisol ratio or primary psychopathy, were significant
predictors of impulsive aggression status. Conclusions The current results indicate that early-life trauma and secondary psychopathy
are risk factors for impulsive aggression problems among veterans. Future
studies are needed to determine the exact causal relations among the
variables examined here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline O J Korpel
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tim Varkevisser
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sylco S Hoppenbrouwers
- Thalamus, Centre for Neuropsychiatry and Behavioural Neurology, Wolfheze, the Netherlands
| | - Jack Van Honk
- Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Brain Research and Innovation Center, Dutch Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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10
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Nicolson NA, Ponnamperuma T. Gender moderates diurnal cortisol in relation to trauma and PTSD symptoms: A study in Sri Lankan adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 104:122-131. [PMID: 30844606 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to aspects of diurnal cortisol secretion in adolescents, but little is known about gender differences in these associations. A school-based sample of Sri Lankan adolescents aged 13-16 years took part in this study 4.5 years after the 2004 tsunami had impacted many of their lives to varying degrees. Saliva samples were obtained 4 times a day for 3 days in 84 participants, who also completed measures of lifetime trauma, current stressors, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). We used multilevel regression to estimate effects of trauma exposure and symptoms on cortisol level, diurnal slope, and awakening response (CAR). Results indicated higher cortisol in girls and older adolescents. Although trauma, PTSS, and recent PTSD had non-significant main effects, these three variables interacted with gender, with higher cortisol in girls than in similarly traumatized or symptomatic boys. Co-occurrence of internalizing symptoms and PTSS was also associated with higher cortisol. The 28 adolescents with recent PTSD displayed flatter diurnal slopes, reflecting relatively low morning cortisol. Among the 56 trauma-exposed participants, negative trauma appraisals were associated with higher cortisol. Girls were more likely than boys to display elevated cortisol in relation to re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms. In contrast to significant findings for cortisol level and diurnal slope, the CAR showed no association with either trauma or PTSS, irrespective of gender. Findings, viewed in light of normative gender differences in HPA activity during adolescence, can contribute to understanding heightened female vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy A Nicolson
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Thyagi Ponnamperuma
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle, Sri Lanka.
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11
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Andersen SL. Stress, sensitive periods, and substance abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100140. [PMID: 30569003 PMCID: PMC6288983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.100140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the inter-relationship between drug abuse and social stress has primarily focused on the role of stress exposure during adulthood and more recently, adolescence. Adolescence is a time of heightened reward sensitivity, but it is also a time when earlier life experiences are expressed. Exposure to stress early in postnatal life is associated with an accelerated age of onset for drug use. Lifelong addiction is significantly greater if drug use is initiated during early adolescence. Understanding how developmental changes following stress exposure interact with sensitive periods to unfold over the course of maturation is integral to reducing their later impact on substance use. Arousal levels, gender/sex, inflammation, and the timing of stress exposure play a role in the vulnerability of these circuits. The current review focuses on how early postnatal stress impacts brain development during a sensitive period to increase externalizing and internalizing behaviors in adolescence that include social interactions (aggression; sexual activity), working memory impairment, and depression. How stress effects the developmental trajectories of brain circuits that are associated with addiction are discussed for both clinical and preclinical studies.
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12
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du Plessis MR, Smeekens S, Cillessen AHN, Whittle S, Güroǧlu B. Bullying the Brain? Longitudinal Links Between Childhood Peer Victimization, Cortisol, and Adolescent Brain Structure. Front Psychol 2019; 9:2706. [PMID: 30692951 PMCID: PMC6340095 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Childhood peer victimization is a stressful life experience associated with long-lasting adverse psychological consequences. While there is some evidence that victimization is associated with alterations in brain function, little is known about effects on brain structure. This study explored the relationships between childhood peer victimization, cortisol, and adolescent ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) structure in a sample of healthy children. Methods: A total of 50 (Mage = 9.29 years at baseline) children participated in this longitudinal study. We examined whether diurnal cortisol levels (assessed at baseline) moderated the link between children’s self-reported peer victimization (assessed at baseline) and vlPFC surface area, gray matter volume, and thickness 5 years later. Results: For boys, cortisol levels moderated the association between victimization and brain structure. For boys with a low daily cortisol output (assessed as area under the curve; AUC), high victimization was associated with a smaller right vlPFC surface area, and for boys with a high AUC, high victimization was associated with a larger right vlPFC surface area. In addition, for boys with a steeper diurnal slope, high victimization was associated with a smaller right vlPFC surface area, and for boys with a low flatter diurnal slope, high victimization was associated with a larger right vlPFC surface area. Conclusion: These results indicate the differential influence of cortisol on the relationship between victimization and brain structure. Findings suggest that victimization may have differential effects on brain development in boys who are more versus less biologically sensitive to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sanny Smeekens
- Department of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, Netherlands
| | | | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Berna Güroǧlu
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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13
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Abstract
The assumption that early stress leads to dysregulation and impairment is widespread in developmental science and informs prevailing models (e.g., toxic stress). An alternative evolutionary–developmental approach, which complements the standard emphasis on dysregulation, proposes that early stress may prompt the development of costly but adaptive strategies that promote survival and reproduction under adverse conditions. In this review, we survey this growing theoretical and empirical literature, highlighting recent developments and outstanding questions. We review concepts of adaptive plasticity and conditional adaptation, introduce the life history framework and the adaptive calibration model, and consider how physiological stress response systems and related neuroendocrine processes may function as plasticity mechanisms. We then address the evolution of individual differences in susceptibility to the environment, which engenders systematic person–environment interactions in the effects of stress on development. Finally, we discuss stress-mediated regulation of pubertal development as a case study of how an evolutionary–developmental approach can foster theoretical integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce J. Ellis
- Department of Psychology and Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Marco Del Giudice
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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14
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Kaess M, Whittle S, O'Brien-Simpson L, Allen NB, Simmons JG. Childhood maltreatment, pituitary volume and adolescent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis - Evidence for a maltreatment-related attenuation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 98:39-45. [PMID: 30098511 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations of the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) have been suggested to be related to experiences of early maltreatment. It has been postulated that early stress (i.e., maltreatment) leads to initial hyperactivation of the HPAA, which subsequently may progress to hypoactivation during the course of adolescence, however empirical studies on this hypothesis are rare. In the current study, we aimed to examine the longitudinal relationships between childhood maltreatment, early adolescent pituitary gland volume (PGV) and mid-adolescent cortisol output in an existing data set to explore the utility of PGV as a measure of HPAA function, and as an indirect test of the attenuation hypothesis. METHODS The sample comprised 69 adolescents (30 females), subsampled from a larger longitudinal, community-based study on adolescent development. PGV, as an estimate of chronic childhood HPAA activity, was measured by magnetic resonance imaging during early adolescence (mean age 12.62 ± 0.45 years). Cortisol output was assessed via multiple salivary cortisol measures in mid-adolescence (mean age 15.52 ± 0.39 years). The cortisol awakening response (CAR) was calculated as a measure of HPAA functioning. Retrospective assessment of childhood maltreatment was performed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Regression analyses were conducted to examine whether childhood maltreatment, PGV, and their interaction, predicted mid-adolescent CAR. RESULTS No main effect of PGV or maltreatment was found on adolescent CAR. PGV did however significantly interact with childhood maltreatment in predicting the CAR (t = -2.26; p = 0.024). Larger PGV positively predicted lower CAR in the context of relatively high childhood maltreatment (t = 2.032; p = 0.046), but showed no relationship in the context of relatively low maltreatment (t = 0.723; p = 0.472). Maltreatment also interacted with sex, such that (only) in females, higher levels of maltreatment predicted a lower CAR (t = -2.04, p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS In the presence of childhood maltreatment, larger PGV was associated with lower CAR in adolescence, providing support for the application of PGV in studies of HPA axis function. Our finding is consistent with a maltreatment-related attenuation of HPAA functioning that may derive from a stress induced chronic hyperactivation during childhood. Prospective longitudinal studies are now required to further explicate these findings and relationships with psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kaess
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland; Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Laurie O'Brien-Simpson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nicholas B Allen
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, United States
| | - Julian G Simmons
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
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15
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Tiwari A, Gonzalez A. Biological alterations affecting risk of adult psychopathology following childhood trauma: A review of sex differences. Clin Psychol Rev 2018; 66:69-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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16
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Koss KJ, Gunnar MR. Annual Research Review: Early adversity, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, and child psychopathology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2018; 59:327-346. [PMID: 28714126 PMCID: PMC5771995 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on early adversity, stress biology, and child development has grown exponentially in recent years. FINDINGS We review the current evidence for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis as a stress-mediating mechanism between various forms of childhood adversity and psychopathology. We begin with a review of the neurobiology of the axis and evidence for relations between early adversity-HPA axis activity and HPA axis activity-psychopathology, as well as discuss the role of regulatory mechanisms and sensitive periods in development. CONCLUSIONS We call attention to critical gaps in the literature to highlight next steps in this research including focus on developmental timing, sex differences, stress buffering, and epigenetic regulation. A better understanding of individual differences in the adversity-HPA axis-psychopathology associations will require continued work addressing how multiple biological and behavioral systems work in concert to shape development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalsea J. Koss
- Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Office of Population Research, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton, Princeton University, NJ, USA
| | - Megan R. Gunnar
- Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Office of Population Research, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton, Princeton University, NJ, USA
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17
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Barendse MEA, Simmons JG, Byrne ML, Seal ML, Patton G, Mundy L, Wood SJ, Olsson CA, Allen NB, Whittle S. Brain structural connectivity during adrenarche: Associations between hormone levels and white matter microstructure. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 88:70-77. [PMID: 29175736 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Levels of the adrenal hormones dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), its sulfate (DHEAS), and testosterone, have all been linked to behavior and mental health during adrenarche, and preclinical studies suggest that these hormones influence brain development. However, little is known about how variation in these hormones is associated with white matter structure during this period of life. The current study aimed to examine associations between DHEA, DHEAS, and testosterone, and white matter microstructure during adrenarche. To avoid the confounding effect of age on hormone levels, we tested these associations in 87 children within a narrow age range (mean age 9.56 years, SD=0.34) but varying in hormone levels. All children provided saliva samples directly after waking and completed a diffusion-weighted MRI scan. Higher levels of DHEA were associated with higher mean diffusivity (MD) in a widespread cluster of white matter tracts, which was partially explained by higher radial diffusivity (RD) and partially by higher axial diffusivity (AD). In addition, there was an interaction between DHEA and testosterone, with higher levels of testosterone being associated with higher fractional anisotropy (FA) and lower MD and RD when DHEA levels were relatively high, but with lower FA and higher MD and RD when DHEA levels were low. These findings suggest that relatively early exposure to DHEA, as well as an imbalance between the adrenal hormones, may be associated with alterations in white matter microstructure. These findings highlight the potential relevance of adrenarcheal hormones for structural brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein E A Barendse
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Julian G Simmons
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Michelle L Byrne
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Marc L Seal
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - George Patton
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Lisa Mundy
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Stephen J Wood
- Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Craig A Olsson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Nicholas B Allen
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
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18
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Patterns of neuroendocrine coupling in 9-year-old children: Effects of sex, body-mass index, and life stress. Biol Psychol 2017; 132:252-259. [PMID: 29155118 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Previous investigations have explored stress and pubertal hormones in parallel; it has been a recent development, however, to explore the relationships between different hormones during puberty, and how this hormonal cross-talk may be influenced by the environment. The current study investigated neuroendocrine coupling, or the extent to which hormones are correlated within the individual, and also investigated early life stressors that may influence coupling. Participants were 405 adrenarcheal children (mean Tanner stage=1.73 for girls and 1.38 for boys) from a longitudinal study who provided saliva samples for analysis of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and testosterone. Saliva was collected when children were 9-years-old, while early life stressors were assessed at each longitudinal assessment (ages 3, 6, and 9). Results from multi-level modeling (MLM) analyses provided evidence of positive cortisol-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol-testosterone coupling in middle childhood, and identified body mass index as a predictor of the strength of hormone coordination. While exposure to stressful life events did not impact cortisol-DHEA coupling patterns, stress interacted with sex to predict looser cortisol-testosterone coupling in girls, but not boys. The current study adds to the existing literature on the development of neuroendocrine coupling, and provided further evidence of sex differences in the impact of stress. Furthermore, hormone coupling may be investigated in the future as a mechanism by which puberty is associated with negative behavioral outcomes.
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19
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Simmons JG, Schwartz OS, Bray K, Deane C, Pozzi E, Richmond S, Smith J, Vijayakumar N, Byrne ML, Seal ML, Yap MBH, Allen NB, Whittle SL. Study protocol: families and childhood transitions study (FACTS) - a longitudinal investigation of the role of the family environment in brain development and risk for mental health disorders in community based children. BMC Pediatr 2017; 17:153. [PMID: 28666427 PMCID: PMC5493854 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-017-0905-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Extant research has demonstrated that parenting behaviour can be a significant contributor to the development of brain structure and mental health during adolescence. Nonetheless, there is limited research examining these relationships during late childhood, and particularly in the critical period of brain development occurring between 8 and 10 years of age. The effects of the family environment on the brain during late childhood may have significant implications for later functioning, and particularly mental health. The Families and Childhood Transitions Study (FACTS) is a multidisciplinary longitudinal cohort study of brain development and mental health, with two waves of data collection currently funded, occurring 18-months apart, when child participants are aged approximately 8- and 10-years old. Methods/design Participants are 163 children (M age [SD] = 8.44 [0.34] years, 76 males) and their mothers (M age [SD] = 40.34 [5.43] years). Of the 163 families who consented to participate, 156 completed a video-recorded and observer-coded dyadic interaction task and 153 completed a child magnetic resonance imaging brain scan at baseline. Families were recruited from lower socioeconomic status (SES) areas to maximise rates of social disadvantage and variation in parenting behaviours. All experimental measures and tasks completed at baseline are repeated at an 18-month follow-up, excluding the observer coded family interaction tasks. The baseline assessment was completed in October 2015, and the 18-month follow up will be completed May 2017. Discussion This study, by examining the neurobiological and mental health consequences of variations in parenting, has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of child development and risk processes. Recruitment of lower SES families will also allow assessment of resilience factors given the poorer outcomes often associated with this population. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-017-0905-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Simmons
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia. .,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Parkville, Australia. .,Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.
| | - O S Schwartz
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - K Bray
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - C Deane
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - E Pozzi
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Parkville, Australia
| | - S Richmond
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - J Smith
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - N Vijayakumar
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - M L Byrne
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - M L Seal
- Developmental Imaging, MRI Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - M B H Yap
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.,Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - N B Allen
- Department of Psychology, The University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - S L Whittle
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Parkville, Australia
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20
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Taylor MK, Hernández LM, Kviatkovsky SA, Schoenherr MR, Stone MS, Sargent P. The "yin and yang" of the adrenal and gonadal systems in elite military men. Stress 2017. [PMID: 28629254 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2017.1333594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently established daily, free-living profiles of the adrenal hormone cortisol, the (primarily adrenal) anabolic precursor dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and the (primarily gonadal) anabolic hormone testosterone in elite military men. A prevailing view is that adrenal and gonadal systems reciprocally modulate each other; however, recent paradigm shifts prompted the characterization of these systems as parallel, cooperative processes (i.e. the "positive coupling" hypothesis). In this study, we tested the positive coupling hypothesis in 57 elite military men by evaluating associations between adrenal and gonadal biomarkers across the day. Salivary DHEA was moderately and positively coupled with salivary cortisol, as was salivary testosterone. Anabolic processes (i.e. salivary DHEA and testosterone) were also positively and reliably coupled across the day. In multivariate models, salivary DHEA and cortisol combined to account for substantial variance in salivary testosterone concentrations across the day, but this was driven almost exclusively by DHEA. This may reflect choreographed adrenal release of DHEA with testicular and/or adrenal release of testosterone, systemic conversion of DHEA to testosterone, or both. DHEA and testosterone modestly and less robustly predicted cortisol concentrations; this was confined to the morning, and testosterone was the primary predictor. Altogether, top-down co-activation of adrenal and gonadal hormone secretion may complement bottom-up counter-regulatory functions to foster anabolic balance and neuronal survival; hence, the "yin and yang" of adrenal and gonadal systems. This may be an adaptive process that is amplified by stress, competition, and/or dominance hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus K Taylor
- a Biobehavioral Sciences Lab, Warfighter Performance Department , Naval Health Research Center , San Diego , CA , USA
| | - Lisa M Hernández
- a Biobehavioral Sciences Lab, Warfighter Performance Department , Naval Health Research Center , San Diego , CA , USA
| | - Shiloah A Kviatkovsky
- a Biobehavioral Sciences Lab, Warfighter Performance Department , Naval Health Research Center , San Diego , CA , USA
| | - Matthew R Schoenherr
- a Biobehavioral Sciences Lab, Warfighter Performance Department , Naval Health Research Center , San Diego , CA , USA
| | - Michael S Stone
- b College of Health and Human Services , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA
| | - Paul Sargent
- c Naval Special Warfare Group ONE , San Diego , CA , USA
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21
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Schwartz OS, Simmons JG, Whittle S, Byrne ML, Yap MBH, Sheeber LB, Allen NB. Affective Parenting Behaviors, Adolescent Depression, and Brain Development: A Review of Findings From the Orygen Adolescent Development Study. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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22
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Shirtcliff EA, Dismukes AR, Marceau K, Ruttle PL, Simmons JG, Han G. A dual-axis approach to understanding neuroendocrine development. Dev Psychobiol 2015. [PMID: 26220016 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This introduction sets out to present a series of paper about a novel perspective regarding stress and sex hormones, or what the authors within this special issue term "coupling" of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and--gonadal axes. This view postulates that these axes do not necessarily operate in opposition, but can operate together as evidenced empirically as a positive within-person association between stress hormones like cortisol or sex hormones like testosterone. A wealth of papers within the special issue demonstrate positive coupling across acute, diurnal, basal, and longitudinal timeframes and across several different types of contexts. Reviews were meant to challenge whether this was physiologically plausible. Consistently, sophisticated statistical models were utilized in order to show a template for how to model positive coupling and to ensure that coupling was a within-person phenomenon. We cautiously considered positive coupling until the consistency of observing coupling was robust enough for us to consider challenging the prevailing oppositional view of these axes. We do so to acknowledge that there are contexts, moments and stages in which the function of these axes should work together: for example when contexts are both stressful and challenging or at developmental stages (like adolescence) in which the youth must grow up despite the storm and stress of youth. We hope that by putting forward a functional dual-axis approach, the field will be able to consider when and how these axes work together.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew R Dismukes
- Human Development Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011
| | | | | | - Julian G Simmons
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3071
| | - Georges Han
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616
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23
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Dismukes AR, Shirtcliff EA, Hanson JL, Pollak SD. Context influences the interplay of endocrine axes across the day. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 57:731-41. [PMID: 26118359 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The current investigation examined stressors upon the coupling of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes. Emphasis is placed on the moderating role of context and time. One hundred and eighteen adolescent males and females provided up to 32 diurnal saliva samples across a visit to a research lab. This visit constituted a day-long stress through which the impact on HPA-HPG axis coupling could be assessed. We tested four models of HPA-HPG axis coupling across the lab day. Sex and stress hormones operated synchronously (β = .404, p < .001), and the coupling of sex and stress hormones was moderated by the stress of the lab day (β = .010, p = .05). This pattern of co-elevation did not appear to be moderated by the distal experience of early life adversity. Findings suggest that the notion of "stress" must disentangle proximal and distal challenges, each of which appears to impact neurobiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Dismukes
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
| | | | - Jamie L Hanson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Seth D Pollak
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI
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24
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Early life stress alters pituitary growth during adolescence-a longitudinal study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 53:185-94. [PMID: 25622011 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary gland is integral in mediating the stress-response via its role in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Pituitary gland volume (PGV) is altered in stress-related psychopathology, and one study to date has shown stress to be associated with age-related PGV change during adolescence. The current study investigated the effects of a number of different types of early life (i.e., childhood and adolescent) stress (including childhood maltreatment, stressful life events, and maternal affective behavior) on PGV development from mid- to late adolescence using a longitudinal design. The influence of PGV development on depressive and anxiety symptoms was also investigated. Ninety one (49 male) adolescents took part in mother-child dyadic interaction tasks when they were approximately 12 years old, reported on childhood maltreatment and stressful life events when they were approximately 15 years old, and underwent two waves of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, when they were approximately 16 and 19 years old. Results revealed that childhood maltreatment predicted accelerated PGV development in females, and maternal dysphoric behavior predicted accelerated PGV development in the whole sample. PGV development was not associated with depressive or anxiety symptoms. These results suggest an effect of early life stress on altered HPA axis function across mid- to late adolescence. Further research is required to assess functional implications and whether these changes might be associated with risk for subsequent psychopathology.
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25
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Marceau K, Ruttle PL, Shirtcliff EA, Essex MJ, Susman EJ. Developmental and contextual considerations for adrenal and gonadal hormone functioning during adolescence: Implications for adolescent mental health. Dev Psychobiol 2014; 57:742-68. [PMID: 24729154 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Substantial research has implicated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes independently in adolescent mental health problems, though this literature remains largely inconclusive. Given the cross-talk between the HPA and HPG axes and their increased activation in adolescence, a dual-axis approach that examines both axes simultaneously is proposed to predict the emergence and persistence of adolescent mental health problems. After briefly orienting readers to HPA and HPG axis functioning, we review the literature examining associations between hormone levels and changes with behavior during adolescence. Then, we provide a review of the literature supporting examination of both axes simultaneously and present the limited research that has taken a dual-axis approach. We propose future directions including consideration of between-person and within-person approaches to address questions of correlated changes in HPA and HPG hormones. Potential moderators are considered to increase understanding of the nuanced hormone-behavior associations during key developmental transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Marceau
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. .,Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, RI. .,Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI.
| | - Paula L Ruttle
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Elizabeth A Shirtcliff
- Iowa State University, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, New Orleans, LA
| | - Marilyn J Essex
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
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