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Polemiti E, Hese S, Schepanski K, Yuan J, Schumann G. How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour-a review of current status and future perspectives. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:3268-3286. [PMID: 38658771 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The environment influences brain and mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Existing research has emphasised the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macroenvironmental' challenges, including climate change, pollution, urbanicity, and socioeconomic disparity. Notably, the implications of climate and pollution on brain and mental health have only recently gained prominence. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Polemiti
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sören Hese
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jiacan Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences & CMA-FDU Joint Laboratory of Marine Meteorology & IRDR-ICOE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Martínez M, Damme KS, Vargas T, Yang B, Rompilla DJ, Stephens J, Qu Y, Mittal VA, Haase CM. Longitudinal study of peer victimization, social support, and mental health during early adolescence. Psychol Med 2024; 54:1940-1955. [PMID: 38314519 PMCID: PMC11298578 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer victimization predicts the development of mental health symptoms in the transition to adolescence, but it is unclear whether and how parents and school environments can buffer this link. METHODS We analyzed two-year longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, involving a diverse sample of 11 844 children across the United States (average at baseline = 9.91 years; standard deviation = 0.63; range = 8.92-11.08; complete case sample = 8385). Longitudinal associations between peer victimization and two-year changes in mental health symptoms of major depression disorder (MDD), separation anxiety (SA), prodromal psychosis (PP), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were examined including a wide range of covariates. Mixed linear models were used to test for the moderating effects of parental warmth and prosocial school environment. RESULTS 20% of children experienced peer victimization. Higher exposure to peer victimization was associated with increases in MDD, SA, and ADHD symptoms. Parental warmth was associated with decreases in MDD symptoms but did not robustly buffer the link between peer victimization and mental health symptoms. Prosocial school environment predicted decreases in PP symptoms and buffered the link between peer victimization and MDD symptoms but amplified the link between peer victimization and SA and ADHD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Peer victimization is associated with increases in mental health symptoms during the transition to adolescence. Parental warmth and prosocial school environments might not be enough to counter the negative consequences of peer victimization on all mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Martínez
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Teresa Vargas
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Beiming Yang
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - D. J. Rompilla
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Stephens
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, Medical Social Sciences Department, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yang Qu
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Vijay A. Mittal
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, Medical Social Sciences Department, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Claudia M. Haase
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Buffett Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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Polemiti E, Hese S, Schepanski K, Yuan J, Schumann G. How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour - a review of current status and future perspectives. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.10.09.23296785. [PMID: 37873310 PMCID: PMC10593044 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.09.23296785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The environment influences mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Current research has emphasized the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macro-environmental' challenges including climate change, pollution, urbanicity and socioeconomic disparity. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Polemiti
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Soeren Hese
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jiacan Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences & CMA-FDU Joint Laboratory of Marine Meteorology & IRDR-ICOE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Sturm ET, Thomas ML, Sares AG, Dave S, Baron D, Compton MT, Palmer BW, Jester DJ, Jeste DV. Review of Major Social Determinants of Health in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders: II. Assessments. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:851-866. [PMID: 37022911 PMCID: PMC10318889 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Social determinants of health (SDoHs) impact the development and course of schizophrenia-spectrum psychotic disorders (SSPDs). Yet, we found no published scholarly reviews of psychometric properties and pragmatic utility of SDoH assessments among people with SSPDs. We aim to review those aspects of SDoH assessments. STUDY DESIGN PsychInfo, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were examined to obtain data on reliability, validity, administration process, strengths, and limitations of the measures for SDoHs identified in a paired scoping review. STUDY RESULTS SDoHs were assessed using different approaches including self-reports, interviews, rating scales, and review of public databases. Of the major SDoHs, early-life adversities, social disconnection, racism, social fragmentation, and food insecurity had measures with satisfactory psychometric properties. Internal consistency reliabilities-evaluated in the general population for 13 measures of early-life adversities, social disconnection, racism, social fragmentation, and food insecurity-ranged from poor to excellent (0.68-0.96). The number of items varied from 1 to more than 100 and administration time ranged from less than 5 minutes to over an hour. Measures of urbanicity, low socioeconomic status, immigration status, homelessness/housing instability, and incarceration were based on public records or targeted sampling. CONCLUSIONS Although the reported assessments of SDoHs show promise, there is a need to develop and test brief but validated screening measures suitable for clinical application. Novel assessment tools, including objective assessments at individual and community levels utilizing new technology, and sophisticated psychometric evaluations for reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change with effective interventions are recommended, and suggestions for training curricula are offered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily T Sturm
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael L Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Anastasia G Sares
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - David Baron
- Western University of Health Sciences, CA, USA
| | - Michael T Compton
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Barton W Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Dylan J Jester
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Dilip V Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA (Retired)
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Vargas TG, Mittal VA. The Critical Roles of Early Development, Stress, and Environment in the Course of Psychosis. ANNUAL REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 4:423-445. [PMID: 36712999 PMCID: PMC9879333 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121020-032354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Psychotic disorders are highly debilitating with poor prognoses and courses of chronic illness. In recent decades, conceptual models have shaped understanding, informed treatment, and guided research questions. However, these models have classically focused on the adolescent and early adulthood stages immediately preceding onset while conceptualizing early infancy through all of childhood as a unitary premorbid period. In addition, models have paid limited attention to differential effects of types of stress; contextual factors such as local, regional, and country-level characteristics or sociocultural contexts; and the timing of the stressor or environmental risk. This review discusses emerging research suggesting that (a) considering effects specific to neurodevelopmental stages prior to adolescence is highly informative, (b) understanding specific stressors and levels of environmental exposures (i.e., systemic or contextual features) is necessary, and (c) exploring the dynamic interplay between development, levels and types of stressors, and environments can shed new light, informing a specified neurodevelopmental and multifaceted diathesis-stress model.
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Affiliation(s)
- T G Vargas
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - V A Mittal
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medical Social Sciences, Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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