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Lautarescu A, Bonthrone AF, Bos B, Barratt B, Counsell SJ. Advances in fetal and neonatal neuroimaging and everyday exposures. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03294-1. [PMID: 38877283 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03294-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
The complex, tightly regulated process of prenatal brain development may be adversely affected by "everyday exposures" such as stress and environmental pollutants. Researchers are only just beginning to understand the neural sequelae of such exposures, with advances in fetal and neonatal neuroimaging elucidating structural, microstructural, and functional correlates in the developing brain. This narrative review discusses the wide-ranging literature investigating the influence of parental stress on fetal and neonatal brain development as well as emerging literature assessing the impact of exposure to environmental toxicants such as lead and air pollution. These 'everyday exposures' can co-occur with other stressors such as social and financial deprivation, and therefore we include a brief discussion of neuroimaging studies assessing the effect of social disadvantage. Increased exposure to prenatal stressors is associated with alterations in the brain structure, microstructure and function, with some evidence these associations are moderated by factors such as infant sex. However, most studies examine only single exposures and the literature on the relationship between in utero exposure to pollutants and fetal or neonatal brain development is sparse. Large cohort studies are required that include evaluation of multiple co-occurring exposures in order to fully characterize their impact on early brain development. IMPACT: Increased prenatal exposure to parental stress and is associated with altered functional, macro and microstructural fetal and neonatal brain development. Exposure to air pollution and lead may also alter brain development in the fetal and neonatal period. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of multiple co-occurring exposures, including stress, environmental toxicants, and socioeconomic deprivation on early brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lautarescu
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra F Bonthrone
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brendan Bos
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ben Barratt
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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Webb EK, Carter SE, Ressler KJ, Fani N, Harnett NG. The neurophysiological consequences of racism-related stressors in Black Americans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105638. [PMID: 38522814 PMCID: PMC11081835 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105638] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Racism-related stressors, from experiences of both implicit and explicit racial discrimination to systemic socioeconomic disadvantage, have a cumulative impact on Black Americans' health. The present narrative review synthesizes peripheral (neuroendocrine and inflammation markers), psychophysiological (heart-rate variability, skin conductance), and neuroimaging (structural and functional) findings that demonstrate unique associations with racism-related stress. Emerging evidence reveals how racism-related stressors contribute to differential physiological and neural responses and may have distinct impacts on regions involved with threat and social processing. Ultimately, the neurophysiological effects of racism-related stress may confer biological susceptibility to stress and trauma-related disorders. We note critical gaps in the literature on the neurophysiological impact of racism-related stress and outline additional research that is needed on the multifactorial interactions between racism and mental health. A clearer understanding of the interactions between racism-related stress, neurophysiology, and stress- and trauma-related disorders is critical for preventative efforts, biomarker discovery, and selection of effective clinical treatments for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Kate Webb
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Georgia State University, Department of Psychology, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Cánepa ET, Berardino BG. Epigenetic mechanisms linking early-life adversities and mental health. Biochem J 2024; 481:615-642. [PMID: 38722301 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
Early-life adversities, whether prenatal or postnatal exposure, have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes later in life increasing the risk of several psychiatric disorders. Research on its neurobiological consequences demonstrated an association between exposure to adversities and persistent alterations in the structure, function, and connectivity of the brain. Consistent evidence supports the idea that regulation of gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms are involved in embedding the impact of early-life experiences in the genome and mediate between social environments and later behavioral phenotypes. In addition, studies from rodent models and humans suggest that these experiences and the acquired risk factors can be transmitted through epigenetic mechanisms to offspring and the following generations potentially contributing to a cycle of disease or disease risk. However, one of the important aspects of epigenetic mechanisms, unlike genetic sequences that are fixed and unchangeable, is that although the epigenetic markings are long-lasting, they are nevertheless potentially reversible. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the mental health consequences derived from early-life exposure to malnutrition, maltreatment and poverty, adversities with huge and pervasive impact on mental health. We also discuss the evidence about transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals and experimental data suggesting that suitable social and pharmacological interventions could reverse adverse epigenetic modifications induced by early-life negative social experiences. In this regard, these studies must be accompanied by efforts to determine the causes that promote these adversities and that result in health inequity in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo T Cánepa
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IQUIBICEN, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bruno G Berardino
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IQUIBICEN, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Luby JL, Herzberg MP, Hoyniak C, Tillman R, Lean RE, Brady R, Triplett R, Alexopoulos D, Loseille D, Smyser T, Rogers CE, Warner B, Smyser CD, Barch DM. Basic Environmental Supports for Positive Brain and Cognitive Development in the First Year of Life. JAMA Pediatr 2024; 178:465-472. [PMID: 38497981 PMCID: PMC10949150 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Importance Defining basic psychosocial resources to facilitate thriving in the first year of life could tangibly inform policy and enhance child development worldwide. Objective To determine if key environmental supports measured as a thrive factor (T-factor) in the first year of life positively impact brain, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes through age 3. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective longitudinal cohort study took place at a Midwestern academic medical center from 2017 through 2022. Participants included singleton offspring oversampled for those facing poverty, without birth complications, congenital anomalies, or in utero substance exposures (except cigarettes and marijuana) ascertained prenatally and followed up prospectively for the first 3 years of life. Data were analyzed from March 9, 2023, through January 3, 2024. Exposures Varying levels of prenatal social disadvantage advantage and a T-factor composed of environmental stimulation, nutrition, neighborhood safety, positive caregiving, and child sleep. Main outcomes & measures Gray and white matter brain volumes and cortical folding at ages 2 and 3 years, cognitive and language abilities at age 3 years measured by the Bayley-III, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 2 years measured by the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment. Results The T-factor was positively associated with child cognitive abilities (β = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.52), controlling key variables including prenatal social disadvantage (PSD) and maternal cognitive abilities. The T-factor was associated with child language (β = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.24-0.49), but not after covarying for PSD. The association of the T-factor with child cognitive and language abilities was moderated by PSD (β = -0.32; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.15 and β = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.20, respectively). Increases in the T-factor were positively associated with these outcomes, but only for children at the mean and 1 SD below the mean of PSD. The T-factor was negatively associated with child externalizing and internalizing symptoms over and above PSD and other covariates (β = -0.30; 95% CI, -0.52 to -0.08 and β = -0.32; 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.09, respectively). Increasing T-factor scores were associated with decreases in internalizing symptoms, but only for children with PSD 1 SD above the mean. The T-factor was positively associated with child cortical gray matter above PSD and other covariates (β = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.04-0.54), with no interaction between PSD and T-factor. Conclusions and Relevance Findings from this study suggest that key aspects of the psychosocial environment in the first year impact critical developmental outcomes including cognitive, brain, and socioemotional development at age 3 years. This suggests that environmental resources and enhancement in the first year of life may facilitate every infant's ability to thrive, setting the stage for a more positive developmental trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Max P Herzberg
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Caroline Hoyniak
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rachel E Lean
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Rebecca Brady
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Regina Triplett
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Dimitrios Alexopoulos
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - David Loseille
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Tara Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St. Louis Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, . St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
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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 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x. [PMID: 38658771 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [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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Kim S. Editorial: Placing Parenting in Context: Neighborhood Crime, Early Brain Development, and Socioemotional Outcomes. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:S0890-8567(24)00119-9. [PMID: 38461892 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The past decade has seen scientific advances that have provided an unprecedented window into the earliest years of human brain development.1 These discoveries have corroborated what many have long hypothesized: the human brain does not develop in isolation, but through close interactions with its environment. Evidence converges to support the critical importance of the parent-child relationship-the immediate caregiving environment that comprises foundational building blocks of the child's early socioemotional development.2-4 Attention is being increasingly directed to the role of the broader environment,5,6 the surrounding context in which immediate caregiving takes shape. Much remains to be understood as to how the broader environment intersects with the immediate caregiving environment to shape early developmental trajectories, especially in the face of adversities known to undermine early development (eg, poverty, crime, pollution, racism). The need for such work is timely, with growing public recognition of the deeply embedded inequities that our socioeconomically disadvantaged children face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohye Kim
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.
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Wu Y, De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Brain structural and functional outcomes in the offspring of women experiencing psychological distress during pregnancy. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0. [PMID: 38418579 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
In-utero exposure to maternal psychological distress is increasingly linked with disrupted fetal and neonatal brain development and long-term neurobehavioral dysfunction in children and adults. Elevated maternal psychological distress is associated with changes in fetal brain structure and function, including reduced hippocampal and cerebellar volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification and sulcal depth, decreased brain metabolites (e.g., choline and creatine levels), and disrupted functional connectivity. After birth, reduced cerebral and cerebellar gray matter volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification, altered amygdala and hippocampal volumes, and disturbed brain microstructure and functional connectivity have been reported in the offspring months or even years after exposure to maternal distress during pregnancy. Additionally, adverse child neurodevelopment outcomes such as cognitive, language, learning, memory, social-emotional problems, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction are being increasingly reported after prenatal exposure to maternal distress. The mechanisms by which prenatal maternal psychological distress influences early brain development include but are not limited to impaired placental function, disrupted fetal epigenetic regulation, altered microbiome and inflammation, dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, altered distribution of the fetal cardiac output to the brain, and disrupted maternal sleep and appetite. This review will appraise the available literature on the brain structural and functional outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of pregnant women experiencing elevated psychological distress. In addition, it will also provide an overview of the mechanistic underpinnings of brain development changes in stress response and discuss current treatments for elevated maternal psychological distress, including pharmacotherapy (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and non-pharmacotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavior therapy). Finally, it will end with a consideration of future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | | | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
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Ortiz-Whittingham LR, Zhan L, Ortiz-Chaparro EN, Baumer Y, Zenk S, Lamar M, Powell-Wiley TM. Neighborhood Perceptions Are Associated With Intrinsic Amygdala Activity and Resting-State Connectivity With Salience Network Nodes Among Older Adults. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:116-123. [PMID: 38150567 PMCID: PMC10922456 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001272] [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: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neighborhood perceptions are associated with physical and mental health outcomes; however, the biological associates of this relationship remain to be fully understood. Here, we evaluate the relationship between neighborhood perceptions and amygdala activity and connectivity with salience network (i.e., insula, anterior cingulate, thalamus) nodes. METHODS Forty-eight older adults (mean age = 68 [7] years, 52% female, 47% non-Hispanic Black, 2% Hispanic) without dementia or depression completed the Perceptions of Neighborhood Environment Scale. Lower scores indicated less favorable perceptions of aesthetic quality, walking environment, availability of healthy food, safety, violence (i.e., more perceived violence), social cohesion, and participation in activities with neighbors. Participants separately underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Less favorable perceived safety ( β = -0.33, pFDR = .04) and participation in activities with neighbors ( β = -0.35, pFDR = .02) were associated with higher left amygdala activity, independent of covariates including psychosocial factors. Less favorable safety perceptions were also associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the bilateral insular cortices and the left anterior insula ( β = -0.34, pFDR = .04). Less favorable perceived social cohesion was associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the right thalamus ( β = -0.42, pFDR = .04), and less favorable perceptions about healthy food availability were associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the bilateral anterior insula (right: β = -0.39, pFDR = .04; left: β = -0.42, pFDR = .02) and anterior cingulate gyrus ( β = -0.37, pFDR = .04). CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings document relationships between select neighborhood perceptions and amygdala activity as well as connectivity with salience network nodes; if confirmed, targeted community-level interventions and existing community strengths may promote brain-behavior relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola R. Ortiz-Whittingham
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Liang Zhan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Erika N. Ortiz-Chaparro
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yvonne Baumer
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shannon Zenk
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Gilgoff R, Mengelkoch S, Elbers J, Kotz K, Radin A, Pasumarthi I, Murthy R, Sindher S, Burke Harris N, Slavich GM. The Stress Phenotyping Framework: A multidisciplinary biobehavioral approach for assessing and therapeutically targeting maladaptive stress physiology. Stress 2024; 27:2327333. [PMID: 38711299 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2327333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Although dysregulated stress biology is becoming increasingly recognized as a key driver of lifelong disparities in chronic disease, we presently have no validated biomarkers of toxic stress physiology; no biological, behavioral, or cognitive treatments specifically focused on normalizing toxic stress processes; and no agreed-upon guidelines for treating stress in the clinic or evaluating the efficacy of interventions that seek to reduce toxic stress and improve human functioning. We address these critical issues by (a) systematically describing key systems and mechanisms that are dysregulated by stress; (b) summarizing indicators, biomarkers, and instruments for assessing stress response systems; and (c) highlighting therapeutic approaches that can be used to normalize stress-related biopsychosocial functioning. We also present a novel multidisciplinary Stress Phenotyping Framework that can bring stress researchers and clinicians one step closer to realizing the goal of using precision medicine-based approaches to prevent and treat stress-associated health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Gilgoff
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Summer Mengelkoch
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jorina Elbers
- Trauma Recovery Program, HeartMath Institute, Boulder Creek, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Isha Pasumarthi
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Reanna Murthy
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Sayantani Sindher
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Brady RG, Leverett SD, Mueller L, Ruscitti M, Latham AR, Smyser TA, Gerstein ED, Warner BB, Barch DM, Luby JL, Rogers CE, Smyser CD. Neighborhood Crime and Externalizing Behavior in Toddlers: A Longitudinal Study With Neonatal fMRI and Parenting. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023:S0890-8567(23)02235-9. [PMID: 38070869 PMCID: PMC11156792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.09.547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prenatal exposure to neighborhood crime has been associated with weaker neonatal frontolimbic connectivity; however, associations with early childhood behavior remain unclear. We hypothesized that living in a high-crime neighborhood would be related to higher externalizing symptoms at age 1 and 2 years, over and above other adversities, and that neonatal frontolimbic connectivity and observed parenting behaviors at 1 year would mediate this relationship. METHOD Participants included 399 pregnant women, recruited as part of the Early Life Adversity, Biological Embedding, and Risk for Developmental Precursors of Mental Disorders (eLABE) study. Geocoded neighborhood crime data was obtained from Applied Geographic Solution. A total of 319 healthy, non-sedated neonates underwent scanning using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a Prisma 3T scanner and had ≥10 minutes of high-quality data. Infant-Toddler Socioemotional Assessment Externalizing T scores were available for 274 mothers of 1-year-olds and 257 mothers of 2-year-olds. Observed parenting behaviors were available for 202 parent-infant dyads at 1 year. Multilevel and mediation models tested longitudinal associations. RESULTS Living in a neighborhood with high violent (β = 0.15, CI = 0.05-0.27, p = .004) and property (β = 0.10, CI = 0.01-0.20, p = .039) crime was related to more externalizing symptoms at 1 and 2 years, controlling for other adversities. Weaker frontolimbic connectivity was also associated with higher externalizing symptoms at 1 and 2 years. After controlling for other adversities, parenting behaviors mediated the specific association between crime and externalizing symptoms, but frontolimbic connectivity did not. CONCLUSION These findings provide evidence that early exposure to neighborhood crime and weaker neonatal frontolimbic connectivity may influence later externalizing symptoms, and suggest that parenting may be an early intervention target for families in high-crime areas. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Brady
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Shelby D Leverett
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Liliana Mueller
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Michayla Ruscitti
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Aidan R Latham
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Tara A Smyser
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Barbara B Warner
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joan L Luby
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
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11
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Ravi S, Catalina Camacho M, Fleming B, Scudder MR, Humphreys KL. Concurrent and prospective associations between infant frontoparietal and default mode network connectivity and negative affectivity. Biol Psychol 2023; 184:108717. [PMID: 37924936 PMCID: PMC10762930 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Emotion dysregulation is linked to differences in frontoparietal (FPN) and default mode (DMN) brain network functioning. These differences may be identifiable early in development. Temperamental negative affectivity has been identified as a precursor to later emotion dysregulation, though the underlying neurodevelopmental mechanism is unknown. The present study explores concurrent and prospective associations between FPN and DMN connectivity in infants and measures of negative affectivity. 72 infants underwent 5.03-13.28 min of resting state fMRI during natural sleep (M±SD age=4.90 ± 0.84 weeks; 54% male; usable data=9.92 ± 2.15 min). FPN and DMN intra- and internetwork connectivity were computed using adult network assignments. Crying was obtained from both parent-report and day-long audio recordings. Temperamental negative affectivity was obtained from a parent-report questionnaire. In this preregistered study, based on analyses conducted with a subset of this data (N = 32), we hypothesized that greater functional connectivity within and between FPN and DMN would be associated with greater negative affectivity. In the full sample we did not find support for these hypotheses. Instead, greater DMN intranetwork connectivity at age one month was associated with lower concurrent parent-reported crying and temperamental negative affectivity at age six months (ßs>-0.35, ps<.025), but not crying at age six months. DMN intranetwork connectivity was also negatively associated with internalizing symptoms at age eighteen-months (ß=-0.58, p = .012). FPN intra- and internetwork connectivity was not associated with negative affectivity measures after accounting for covariates. This work furthers a neurodevelopmental model of emotion dysregulation by suggesting that infant functional connectivity at rest is associated with later emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjana Ravi
- Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN 37204, USA.
| | - M Catalina Camacho
- Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1125, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Brooke Fleming
- Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN 37204, USA
| | - Michael R Scudder
- Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, #552, Nashville, TN 37204, USA
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12
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Curci SG, Luecken LJ, Hernández JC, Winstone LK, Perez M. Multilevel prenatal socioeconomic predictors of Mexican American children's cardiometabolic health in preschool and school age. Health Psychol 2023; 42:788-799. [PMID: 37883036 PMCID: PMC10683869 DOI: 10.1037/hea0001311] [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] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Using a life course perspective, this longitudinal study examines the extent to which prenatal family- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors influence the cardiometabolic health of low-income Mexican American children. It was hypothesized that prenatal maternal residence in a more economically disadvantaged neighborhood and more family-level economic hardship would each be associated with higher adiposity and blood pressure (BP) at child age 4.5 years, and higher adiposity, BP, inflammation and a less healthy lipid profile at child age 7.5 years. METHOD The sample consisted of 322 low-income, Mexican American mother-child dyads, 181 of whom completed the 7.5-year laboratory visit. Using maternal prenatal residence and U.S. census data, neighborhood concentrated disadvantage index was computed. RESULTS Higher prenatal neighborhood concentrated disadvantage predicted higher 4.5-year adiposity in children, which, in turn, predicted higher adiposity, BP, and inflammation, and less healthy lipid profile (higher triglycerides, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) at 7.5 years. Higher child 4.5-year BP was concurrently associated with higher adiposity and predicted higher 7.5-year BP. CONCLUSIONS Extending previous work with this sample, the current study found associations between cardiometabolic risk indicators as early as preschool among Mexican American children. Furthermore, this study builds on existing literature by expanding our understanding of the effect of prenatal neighborhood concentrated disadvantage on cardiometabolic phenotypes during early childhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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13
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Kraaijenvanger EJ, Banaschewski T, Eickhoff SB, Holz NE. A coordinate-based meta-analysis of human amygdala connectivity alterations related to early life adversities. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16541. [PMID: 37783710 PMCID: PMC10545708 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43057-2] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
By affecting core neurobiological systems early in development, early life adversities (ELAs) might confer latent vulnerability to future psychopathologies. This coordinate-based meta-analysis aims to identify significant convergent alterations in functional connectivity of the amygdala related to ELAs across resting-state and task-based fMRI-studies. Five electronic databases were systematically searched until 22 October 2020, retrieving 49 eligible studies (n = 3162 participants). Convergent alterations in functional connectivity related to ELAs between the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left hippocampus were found. Sub-analyses based on hemisphere and direction showed that connectivity seeded in the right amygdala was affected and, moreover, revealed that connectivity with ACC was decreased. Analyses based on paradigm and age showed that amygdala-ACC coupling was altered during resting state and that amygdala-left hippocampus connectivity was mostly affected during task-based paradigms and in adult participants. While both regions showed altered connectivity during emotion processing and following adverse social postnatal experiences such as maltreatment, amygdala-ACC coupling was mainly affected when ELAs were retrospectively assessed through self-report. We show that ELAs are associated with altered functional connectivity of the amygdala with the ACC and hippocampus. As such, ELAs may embed latent vulnerability to future psychopathologies by systematically affecting important neurocognitive systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline J Kraaijenvanger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
- Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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14
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Verney C, Vitalis T. [Stress during prenatal and early postnatal period when everything begins]. Med Sci (Paris) 2023; 39:744-753. [PMID: 37943135 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2023124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Early severe stresses are known to affect the biological and psychological development in childhood. Good and adaptable stress during prenatal and early postnatal period can switch to traumatic during these highly susceptible developmental stages. These different stresses modulate genetic/epigenetic processes and the setting up of connectome during these highly plastic and adaptable time periods. The polyvagal processes control the base of the security/well-being perception of the newborn by the onset of synchronized interactions between the mother/parent/nurse and the baby. These positive adjustments in mirror lead to attachment and social links and to implicit learning processes leading to a balanced emotional and cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Verney
- Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Paris, France - Association Ensemble pour l'éducation de la petite enfance, 37 allée du Forum, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Tania Vitalis
- Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Paris, France - Inserm, Paris, U1141, hôpital Robert-Debré, 48 boulevard Sérurier, 75019 Paris, France
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15
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Tooley UA, Latham A, Kenley JK, Alexopoulos D, Smyser T, Warner BB, Shimony JS, Neil JJ, Luby JL, Barch DM, Rogers CE, Smyser CD. Prenatal environment is associated with the pace of cortical network development over the first three years of life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.18.552639. [PMID: 37662189 PMCID: PMC10473645 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.18.552639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental influences on brain structure and function during early development have been well-characterized. In pre-registered analyses, we test the theory that socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with differences in trajectories of intrinsic brain network development from birth to three years (n = 261). Prenatal SES is associated with developmental increases in cortical network segregation, with neonates and toddlers from lower-SES backgrounds showing a steeper increase in cortical network segregation with age, consistent with accelerated network development. Associations between SES and cortical network segregation occur at the local scale and conform to a sensorimotor-association hierarchy of cortical organization. SES-associated differences in cortical network segregation are associated with language abilities at two years, such that lower segregation is associated with improved language abilities. These results yield key insight into the timing and directionality of associations between the early environment and trajectories of cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula A. Tooley
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Aidan Latham
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeanette K. Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | | | - Tara Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Barbara B. Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joshua S. Shimony
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeffrey J. Neil
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joan L. Luby
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Cynthia E. Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Chris D. Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
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16
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Feijó DM, Pires JF, Gomes RMR, Carlo EJF, Viana TNDL, Magalhães JR, Santos ACT, Rodrigues LD, Oliveira LF, dos Santos JCC. The impact of child poverty on brain development: does money matter? Dement Neuropsychol 2023; 17:e20220105. [PMID: 37577181 PMCID: PMC10417148 DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-dn-2022-0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of the human nervous system makes up a series of fundamental and interdependent events involving birth, growth, and neuronal maturation, in addition to the positive or negative selection of synapses of these neurons that will participate in the composition of neural circuits essential to the activity of the nervous system. In this context, where environment and social relationships seem to be relevant markers for neurodevelopment, advanced neuroimaging techniques and behavioral assessment tools have demonstrated alterations in brain regions and cognitive functions among children developing in low or high socioeconomic status environments. Considering the aspects mentioned, this review aimed to identify the importance of socioeconomic status in children's brain development, seeking to identify what are the impacts of these factors on the morphological and physiological formation of the nervous system, allowing a greater understanding of the importance of environmental factors in neurodevelopmental processes.
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17
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Monnig MA. Brain not exempt from social determinants of health. Lancet HIV 2023; 10:e212-e213. [PMID: 36764318 PMCID: PMC10484330 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3018(22)00396-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mollie A Monnig
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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18
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Parra LA, Spahr CM, Goldbach JT, Bray BC, Kipke MD, Slavich GM. Greater lifetime stressor exposure is associated with poorer mental health among sexual minority people of color. J Clin Psychol 2023; 79:1130-1155. [PMID: 36459589 PMCID: PMC10010942 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research has shown that sexual minority people of color experience pervasive and sometimes severe life stressors that increase their risk of experiencing mental health problems, and that can contribute to lifelong health disparities. However, no studies in this population have investigated stressor exposure occurring over the entire lifespan. Moreover, it remains unknown whether these stressor-health effects differ based on the timing or types of stressors experienced. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to examine how cumulative lifetime stressor exposure is associated with mental health among Black, Latinx, and biracial Black-Latinx sexual minority persons. METHOD Participants were 285 ethnic/racial minority young adults (Mage = 25.18 years old, SD = 1.94, age range = 19-29 years), who completed the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adults to assess for retrospective reports of lifetime stressor count and severity. The Brief Symptom Inventory was used to assess participants' symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization, which were the main outcomes. Most participants identified as cisgender male (94.7%) and gay (74.2%), with the remaining participants identifying as transgender or genderqueer/nonbinary for gender and bisexual/pansexual, queer, or another sexual orientation. RESULTS Multiple regression analyses indicated that experiencing more-and more severe-stressors across the lifespan was related to greater anxiety, depressive, and somatization symptoms. These effects were robust while controlling for race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, and employment status, and they differed based on stressor exposure timing, type, primary life domain, and core social-psychological characteristic. CONCLUSION Greater cumulative lifetime stressor exposure is related to poorer mental health among sexual minority people of color. Screening for lifetime stressors may thus help identify at-risk persons and provide an opportunity to intervene to help mitigate or prevent mental health disparities in multiply stigmatized adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Parra
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Chandler M. Spahr
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | | | - Bethany C. Bray
- Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michele D. Kipke
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - George M. Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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19
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Holz NE, Berhe O, Sacu S, Schwarz E, Tesarz J, Heim CM, Tost H. Early Social Adversity, Altered Brain Functional Connectivity, and Mental Health. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:430-441. [PMID: 36581495 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Early adverse environmental exposures during brain development are widespread risk factors for the onset of severe mental disorders and strong and consistent predictors of stress-related mental and physical illness and reduced life expectancy. Current evidence suggests that early negative experiences alter plasticity processes during developmentally sensitive time windows and affect the regular functional interaction of cortical and subcortical neural networks. This, in turn, may promote a maladapted development with negative consequences on the mental and physical health of exposed individuals. In this review, we discuss the role of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based functional connectivity phenotypes as potential biomarker candidates for the consequences of early environmental exposures-including but not limited to-childhood maltreatment. We take an expanded concept of developmentally relevant adverse experiences from infancy over childhood to adolescence as our starting point and focus our review of functional connectivity studies on a selected subset of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based phenotypes, including connectivity in the limbic and within the frontoparietal as well as default mode networks, for which we believe there is sufficient converging evidence for a more detailed discussion in a developmental context. Furthermore, we address specific methodological challenges and current knowledge gaps that complicate the interpretation of early stress effects on functional connectivity and deserve particular attention in future studies. Finally, we highlight the forthcoming prospects and challenges of this research area with regard to establishing functional connectivity measures as validated biomarkers for brain developmental processes and individual risk stratification and as target phenotypes for mechanism-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie E Holz
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Seda Sacu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jonas Tesarz
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christine M Heim
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
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20
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Nolvi S, Merz EC, Kataja EL, Parsons CE. Prenatal Stress and the Developing Brain: Postnatal Environments Promoting Resilience. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:942-952. [PMID: 36870895 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Heightened maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with atypical brain development and an elevated risk for psychopathology in offspring. Supportive environments during early postnatal life may promote brain development and reverse atypical developmental trajectories induced by prenatal stress. We reviewed studies focused on the role of key early environmental factors in moderating associations between prenatal stress exposure and infant brain and neurocognitive outcomes. Specifically, we focused on the associations between parental caregiving quality, environmental enrichment, social support, and socioeconomic status with infant brain and neurocognitive outcomes. We examined the evidence that these factors may moderate the effects of prenatal stress on the developing brain. Complementing findings from translational models, human research suggests that high-quality early postnatal environments are associated with indices of infant neurodevelopment that have also been associated with prenatal stress, such as hippocampal volume and frontolimbic connectivity. Human studies also suggest that maternal sensitivity and higher socioeconomic status may attenuate the effects of prenatal stress on established neurocognitive and neuroendocrine mediators of risk for psychopathology, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Biological pathways that may underlie the effects of positive early environments on the infant brain, including the epigenome, oxytocin, and inflammation, are also discussed. Future research in humans should examine resilience-promoting processes in relation to infant brain development using large sample sizes and longitudinal designs. The findings from this review could be incorporated into clinical models of risk and resilience during the perinatal period and used to design more effective early programs that reduce risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Nolvi
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Emily C Merz
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Christine E Parsons
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Interacting Minds Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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21
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Lean RE, Smyser CD, Brady RG, Triplett RL, Kaplan S, Kenley JK, Shimony JS, Smyser TA, Miller JP, Barch DM, Luby JL, Warner BB, Rogers CE. Prenatal exposure to maternal social disadvantage and psychosocial stress and neonatal white matter connectivity at birth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204135119. [PMID: 36219693 PMCID: PMC9586270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204135119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (social disadvantage and psychosocial stressors) is associated with altered microstructure in fronto-limbic pathways important for socioemotional development. Understanding when these associations begin to emerge may inform the timing and design of preventative interventions. In this longitudinal study, 399 mothers were oversampled for low income and completed social background measures during pregnancy. Measures were analyzed with structural equation analysis resulting in two latent factors: social disadvantage (education, insurance status, income-to-needs ratio [INR], neighborhood deprivation, and nutrition) and psychosocial stress (depression, stress, life events, and racial discrimination). At birth, 289 healthy term-born neonates underwent a diffusion MRI (dMRI) scan. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured for the dorsal and inferior cingulum bundle (CB), uncinate, and fornix using probabilistic tractography in FSL. Social disadvantage and psychosocial stress were fitted to dMRI parameters using regression models adjusted for infant postmenstrual age at scan and sex. Social disadvantage, but not psychosocial stress, was independently associated with lower MD in the bilateral inferior CB and left uncinate, right fornix, and lower MD and higher FA in the right dorsal CB. Results persisted after accounting for maternal medical morbidities and prenatal drug exposure. In moderation analysis, psychosocial stress was associated with lower MD in the left inferior CB among the lower-to-higher socioeconomic status (SES) (INR ≥ 200%) group, but not the extremely low SES (INR < 200%) group. Increasing access to social welfare programs that reduce the burden of social disadvantage and related psychosocial stressors may be an important target to protect fetal brain development in fronto-limbic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Lean
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Christopher D. Smyser
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Rebecca G. Brady
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Regina L. Triplett
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Sydney Kaplan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeanette K. Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joshua S. Shimony
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Tara A. Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - J. Phillip Miller
- Department of Biostatistics, Institute for Informatics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Joan L. Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Barbara B. Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Newborn Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Cynthia E. Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110
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22
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Pränatale Belastung der Wohnumgebung beeinflusst kindliche
Hirnentwicklung. FORTSCHRITTE DER NEUROLOGIE · PSYCHIATRIE 2022. [DOI: 10.1055/a-1899-6667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Bei Kindern beeinflusst die räumliche direkte Umgebung bzw. das Setting,
in welchem das Aufwachsen stattfindet, die psychische und soziale Entwicklung.
Das ist akzeptiert und Gegenstand vieler Debatten und Bemühungen zur
Gesundheitsprävention. Aber: können sich Einflüsse
womöglich auch schon früher – vor der Geburt –
manifestieren, die sich dann ebenfalls in der Entwicklung widerspiegeln?
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23
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Hendrix CL. Reconceptualizing Prenatal Stress as a Multilevel Phenomenon Will Reduce Health Disparities. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:100-101. [PMID: 35772904 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Hendrix
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York.
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