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Remmers MCC, Reijs RP, Hoebe CJPA. Defining and distinguishing early life stress, trauma, adversity, toxic and chronic stress and allostatic load: a descriptive review. Scand J Public Health 2024:14034948241260105. [PMID: 39087715 DOI: 10.1177/14034948241260105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Various concepts are used to study the impact of stress on childhood development. These concepts are often used inconsistently or interchangeably. Our main objectives were to determine how selected stress concepts (chronic stress, toxic stress, allostatic load, early life stress, childhood adversity, childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences; ACEs) are defined, operationalized and described, and to provide a theoretical context to aid the choice for a preferred concept in public health research. METHODS For this descriptive review, we systematically searched for literature published before 4 August 2021, on PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo. Two independent reviewers included studies. Exclusion criteria were: no systematic review, not peer reviewed, not published in English, selected stress concepts were no predetermined variable or a substantial topic in the discussion, full text was unobtainable or study described non-human or non-childhood populations. Data extraction forms were used. Descriptives were gathered, publication fields were identified through Journal Citation Reports categories, and verbatim descriptions were ordered in text and Venn diagrams. RESULTS Of 264 screened studies, 124 were included. ACEs, childhood adversity and childhood trauma were used most. ACEs were the main concept used most frequently (47.6%). A total of 11 of 14 public and environmental health journals used ACEs. All concepts refer to prolonged, repeated, interpersonal stress from 0 to 18 years, that can alter physiological systems. Four concepts were stressor oriented, two concepts focused on stress response and effect and one on the state of challenged homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS ACEs seem most fitting for public health setting, due to their operationalizability, large set of core experiences and widespread use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten C C Remmers
- Department of Social Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Youth Health Care, Public Health Service Limburg-North, Venlo, Netherlands
| | - Rianne P Reijs
- Department of Social Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Youth Health Care, Living Lab Public Health Mosa, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, Netherlands
| | - Christian J P A Hoebe
- Department of Social Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Living Lab Public Health Mosa, Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Bérubé A, Pétrin R, Blais C. Parental depression moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and the recognition of children expressions of emotions. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1374872. [PMID: 38903632 PMCID: PMC11188386 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1374872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Sensitivity plays a crucial role in parenting as it involves the ability to perceive and respond appropriately to children's signals. Childhood maltreatment and depression can negatively impact adults' ability to recognize emotions, but it is unclear which of these factors has a greater impact or how they interact. This knowledge is central to developing efficient, targeted interventions. This paper examines the interaction between parents' depressive symptoms and childhood maltreatment and its influence on their ability to recognize the five basic emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust) in children's faces. Method The sample consisted of 52 parents. Depressive symptoms were measured by the depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and maltreatment history was assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Children's emotional stimuli were morphed images created using The Child Affective Facial Expression (CAFE) database. Results Our findings indicate that depressive symptoms moderate the relationship between parents' history of childhood maltreatment and emotion recognition skills. Parents with higher depressive symptoms had lower emotion recognition accuracy when they had not experienced maltreatment. When childhood maltreatment was severe, emotion recognition skills were more consistent across all levels of depression. The relationship between depression and emotion recognition was primarily linked to recognizing sadness in children's faces. Conclusion These findings highlight how different experiences can affect parental abilities in emotion recognition and emphasize the need for interventions tailored to individual profiles to improve their effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bérubé
- Ricochet, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche Universitaire sur les Jeunes et les Familles (CRUJeF), Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Rachel Pétrin
- Ricochet, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
| | - Caroline Blais
- Social and Visual Perception Laboratory, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
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3
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Diaconu B, Kohls G, Rogers JC, Pauli R, Cornwell H, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Ackermann K, Fann N, Fernandez-Rivas A, Gonzalez-Torres MA, Gonzalez de Artaza-Lavesa M, Hervas A, Stadler C, Konrad K, Freitag CM, Fairchild G, Rotshtein P, De Brito SA. Emotion processing in maltreated boys and girls: Evidence for latent vulnerability. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 32:2523-2536. [PMID: 36738328 PMCID: PMC10682268 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-02132-1] [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] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of alterations in emotion processing in maltreated youth has been hypothesized to reflect latent vulnerability for psychopathology. However, previous studies have not systematically examined the influence of psychopathology on the results. Here, we examined emotion recognition and learning in youth who differed in terms of presence vs. absence of maltreatment and psychopathology and tested for potential sex effects. Maltreatment and psychopathology were assessed in 828 youth (514 females) aged 9-18 years using diagnostic interviews and self- and parent-report questionnaires. Emotion recognition was assessed via identification of morphed facial expressions of six universal emotions. For emotion learning, reward and punishment values were assigned to novel stimuli and participants had to learn to correctly respond/withhold response to stimuli to maximize points. A three-way interaction of maltreatment by psychopathology by emotion indicated that when psychopathology was low, maltreated youth were less accurate than non-maltreated youth for happy, fear and disgust. A three-way interaction of sex, maltreatment and emotion indicated that maltreated girls and boys were impaired for fear, but girls showed an impairment for happy, while boys for disgust. There were no effects of maltreatment, psychopathology, or sex on reward learning. However, a two-way interaction between sex and maltreatment showed that maltreated girls were worse at learning from punishment relative to non-maltreated girls, while maltreated boys were better than non-maltreated boys. The study provides the first clear evidence of latent-vulnerability in emotion recognition in maltreated youth and suggests that girls and boys might be characterized by distinct profiles of emotion recognition and learning following maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Diaconu
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Gregor Kohls
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jack C Rogers
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ruth Pauli
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Anka Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- School of Psychology, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katharina Ackermann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nikola Fann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Amaia Hervas
- University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
- Global Institute of Neurodevelopment Integrated Care (IGAIN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christina Stadler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Pia Rotshtein
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Stephane A De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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4
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Reisch AA, Bessette KL, Jenkins LM, Skerrett KA, Gabriel LB, Kling LR, Stange JP, Ryan KA, Schreiner MW, Crowell SE, Kaufman EA, Langenecker SA. Human emotion processing accuracy, negative biases, and fMRI activation are associated with childhood trauma. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1181785. [PMID: 37908596 PMCID: PMC10614639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emerging literature suggests that childhood trauma may influence facial emotion perception (FEP), with the potential to negatively bias both emotion perception and reactions to emotion-related inputs. Negative emotion perception biases are associated with a range of psychiatric and behavioral problems, potentially due or as a result of difficult social interactions. Unfortunately, there is a poor understanding of whether observed negative biases are related to childhood trauma history, depression history, or processes common to (and potentially causative of) both experiences. Methods The present cross-sectional study examines the relation between FEP and neural activation during FEP with retrospectively reported childhood trauma in young adult participants with remitted major depressive disorder (rMDD, n = 41) and without psychiatric histories (healthy controls [HC], n = 34). Accuracy of emotion categorization and negative bias errors during FEP and brain activation were each measured during exposure to fearful, angry, happy, sad, and neutral faces. We examined participant behavioral and neural responses in relation to total reported severity of childhood abuse and neglect (assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ). Results Results corrected for multiple comparisons indicate that higher trauma scores were associated with greater likelihood of miscategorizing happy faces as angry. Activation in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) positively correlated with trauma scores when participants viewed faces that they correctly categorized as angry, fearful, sad, and happy. Discussion Identifying the neural mechanisms by which childhood trauma and MDD may change facial emotion perception could inform targeted prevention efforts for MDD or related interpersonal difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis A. Reisch
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Katie L. Bessette
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lisanne M. Jenkins
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kristy A. Skerrett
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Laura B. Gabriel
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Leah R. Kling
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jonathan P. Stange
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kelly A. Ryan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Mindy Westlund Schreiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Sheila E. Crowell
- Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Erin A. Kaufman
- Department of Psychiatry and Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Scott A. Langenecker
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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5
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Loh MK, Stickling C, Schrank S, Hanshaw M, Ritger AC, Dilosa N, Finlay J, Ferrara NC, Rosenkranz JA. Liposaccharide-induced sustained mild inflammation fragments social behavior and alters basolateral amygdala activity. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:647-671. [PMID: 36645464 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Conditions with sustained low-grade inflammation have high comorbidity with depression and anxiety and are associated with social withdrawal. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical for affective and social behaviors and is sensitive to inflammatory challenges. Large systemic doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) initiate peripheral inflammation, increase BLA neuronal activity, and disrupt social and affective measures in rodents. However, LPS doses commonly used in behavioral studies are high enough to evoke sickness syndrome, which can confound interpretation of amygdala-associated behaviors. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The objectives of this study were to find a LPS dose that triggers mild peripheral inflammation but not observable sickness syndrome in adult male rats, to test the effects of sustained mild inflammation on BLA and social behaviors. To accomplish this, we administered single doses of LPS (0-100 μg/kg, intraperitoneally) and measured open field behavior, or repeated LPS (5 μg/kg, 3 consecutive days), and measured BLA neuronal firing, social interaction, and elevated plus maze behavior. RESULTS Repeated low-dose LPS decreased BLA neuron firing rate but increased the total number of active BLA neurons. Repeated low-dose LPS also caused early disengagement during social bouts and less anogenital investigation and an overall pattern of heightened social caution associated with reduced gain of social familiarity over the course of a social session. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence for parallel shifts in social interaction and amygdala activity caused by prolonged mild inflammation. This effect of inflammation may contribute to social symptoms associated with comorbid depression and chronic inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine K Loh
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Courtney Stickling
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sean Schrank
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, North Chicago, USA
| | - Madison Hanshaw
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alexandra C Ritger
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, North Chicago, USA
| | - Naijila Dilosa
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Joshua Finlay
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicole C Ferrara
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J Amiel Rosenkranz
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA. .,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA.
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Bérubé A, Turgeon J, Blais C, Fiset D. Emotion Recognition in Adults With a History of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:278-294. [PMID: 34238064 PMCID: PMC9660286 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211029403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment has many well-documented lasting effects on children. Among its consequences, it affects children's recognition of emotions. More and more studies are recognizing the lasting effect that a history of maltreatment can have on emotion recognition. A systematic literature review was conducted to better understand this relationship. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used and four databases were searched, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and FRANCIS, using three cross-referenced key words: child abuse, emotion recognition, and adults. The search process identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The review highlights the wide variety of measures used to assess child maltreatment as well as the different protocols used to measure emotion recognition. The results indicate that adults with a history of childhood maltreatment show a differentiated reaction to happiness, anger, and fear. Happiness is less detected, whereas negative emotions are recognized more rapidly and at a lower intensity compared to adults not exposed to such traumatic events. Emotion recognition is also related to greater brain activation for the maltreated group. However, the results are less consistent for adults who also have a diagnosis of mental health problems. The systematic review found that maltreatment affects the perception of emotions expressed on both adult and child faces. However, more research is needed to better understand how a history of maltreatment is related to adults' perception of children's emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bérubé
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
- Annie Bérubé, Department of Psychology and
Psychoeducation, Université du Québec en Outaouais, P.O. Box 1250, Station Hull,
Gatineau, Québec, Canada J8X 3X7.
| | - Jessica Turgeon
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Caroline Blais
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Daniel Fiset
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
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7
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Blauth K, Iffland B. Attentional bias for sad facial expressions in adults with a history of peer victimization. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1127381. [PMID: 36949914 PMCID: PMC10025354 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1127381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Previous research has indicated altered attentional processing in individuals with experiences of maltreatment or victimization in childhood and adolescence. The present study examined the impact of child and adolescent experiences of relational peer victimization on attentional processes in adulthood when confronted with emotional facial expressions. Methods As part of an online study, a community sample of adults completed a facial dot-probe task. In the present task, pictures of facial expressions displaying four different emotions (anger, disgust, happiness, and sadness) were used. Results The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that retrospective reports of peer victimization made a significant contribution to the prediction of facilitated orienting processes for sad facial expressions. Experiences of emotional child maltreatment, on the other hand, made a significant contribution to the prediction of attentional biases for angry facial expressions. Discussion Our results emphasize the relevance of experiences of emotional and relational maltreatment in childhood and in adolescence for the processing of social stimuli in adulthood. The findings regarding emotional child maltreatment are more indicative of attentional biases in the context of threat detection, whereas the altered attentional processes in peer victimization are more indicative of mood-congruent biases. These altered processes may be active in social situations and may therefore influence future social situations, behavior, feelings, and thus mental health.
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Peltonen K, Gredebäck G, Pollak SD, Lindskog M, Hall J. The role of maternal trauma and discipline types in emotional processing among Syrian refugee children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022:10.1007/s00787-022-01962-3. [PMID: 35217919 PMCID: PMC10326120 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-01962-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Stressful experiences in armed conflict incur intergenerational effects through parental behaviors with their children. A recent study reported that among Syrian refugee families, mothers' (but not fathers') post-traumatic stress (PTS) impacted children's emotional processing. In this study, we aim to shed further light on this phenomenon by analyzing how the parenting practices in the context of post-traumatic stress confers protection or risk for children's emotional processing. Participants were 6-18-year-old children (n = 212) and their mothers (n = 94), who fled from Syria and were residing in Turkish communities. We used the computer-based emotional processing task including photos of facial movements typically associated with different emotions to measure children's capacity for emotional processing. Mothers reported their PTS and the discipline types they use, as well as the contextual factors related to their refugee background. Linear mixed effect models were constructed first, to find out the discipline types that are most strongly associated with emotional processing of the child, and second, to examine whether these discipline types moderate the effect of maternal PTS on children's emotional processing. Finally, generalized linear models were constructed to examine which contextual factors are associated with the use of these discipline types by mothers. We found that spanking as a discipline type was associated with poorer child emotional processing, whereas withholding of media access was associated with better emotional processing. Younger and less religious mothers were more prone to use spanking. The study underlines the need for parenting programs alongside with efforts to address mental health issues among mothers living under armed conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsi Peltonen
- Department of Child Psychiatry and INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20014, Turku, Finland.
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Campbell KA. The neurobiology of childhood trauma, from early physical pain onwards: as relevant as ever in today's fractured world. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2131969. [PMID: 36276555 PMCID: PMC9586666 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2131969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The situation in the world today, encompassing multiple armed conflicts, notably in Ukraine, the Coronavirus pandemic and the effects of climate change, increases the likelihood of childhood exposure to physical injury and pain. Other effects of these worldwide hardships include poverty, malnutrition and starvation, also bringing with them other forms of trauma, including emotional harm, neglect and deliberate maltreatment. Objective: To review the neurobiology of the systems in the developing brain that are most affected by physical and emotional trauma and neglect. Method: The review begins with those that mature first, such as the somatosensory system, progressing to structures that have a more protracted development, including those involved in cognition and emotional regulation. Explored next are developing stress response systems, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and its central regulator, corticotropin-releasing hormone. Also examined are reward and anti-reward systems and genetic versus environmental influences. The behavioural consequences of interpersonal childhood trauma, focusing on self-harm and suicide, are also surveyed briefly. Finally, pointers to effective treatment are proffered. Results: The low-threshold nature of circuitry in the developing brain and lack of inhibitory connections therein result in heightened excitability, making the consequences of both physical and emotional trauma more intense. Sensitive and critical periods in the development of structures such as the amygdala render the nervous system more vulnerable to insults occurring at those points, increasing the likelihood of psychiatric disorders, culminating in self-harm and even suicide. Conclusion: In view of the greater excitability of the developing nervous system, and its vulnerability to physical and psychological injuries, the review ends with an exhortation to consider the long-term consequences of childhood trauma, often underestimated or missed altogether when faced with adults suffering mental health problems.
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Nagy SA, Kürtös Z, Németh N, Perlaki G, Csernela E, Lakner FE, Dóczi T, Czéh B, Simon M. Childhood maltreatment results in altered deactivation of reward processing circuits in depressed patients: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of a facial emotion recognition task. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100399. [PMID: 34646916 PMCID: PMC8495173 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance and objectives Childhood adversity is a strong risk factor for the development of various psychopathologies including major depressive disorder (MDD). However, not all depressed patients experience early life trauma. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies using facial emotion processing tasks have documented altered blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) responses in specific cortico-limbic networks both in MDD patients and in individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM). Therefore, a history of maltreatment may represent a key modulating factor responsible for the altered processing of socio-affective stimuli. To test this hypothesis, we recruited MDD patients with and without of maltreatment history to study the long-term consequences of childhood trauma and examined the impact of CM on brain activity using a facial emotion recognition fMRI task. Methods MDD patients with childhood maltreatment (MDD + CM, n = 21), MDD patients without maltreatment (MDD, n = 19), and healthy controls (n = 21) matched for age, sex and intelligence quotient underwent fMRI while performing a block design facial emotion matching task with images portraying negative emotions (fear, anger and sadness). The history of maltreatment was assessed with the 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Results Both MDD and MDD + CM patients displayed impaired accuracy to recognize sad faces. Analysis of brain activity revealed that MDD + CM patients had significantly reduced negative BOLD signals in their right accumbens, subcallosal cortex, and anterior paracingulate gyrus compared to controls. Furthermore, MDD + CM patients had a significantly increased negative BOLD response in their right precentral and postcentral gyri compared to controls. We found little difference between MDD and MDD + CM patients, except that MDD + CM patients had reduced negative BOLD response in their anterior paracingulate gyrus relative to the MDD group. Conclusions Our present data provide evidence that depressed patients with a history of maltreatment are impaired in facial emotion recognition and that they display altered functioning of key reward-related fronto-striatal circuits during a facial emotion matching task. History of childhood maltreatment (CM) can alter socio-cognitive functioning in adults. We studied depressed patients with and without CM with age, gender and IQ matched controls. Brain activity was assessed with fMRI using a facial emotion matching task. CM patients had impaired accuracy to recognize facial emotions, especially sadness. CM patients had altered negative BOLD signals in their fronto-striatal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia Anett Nagy
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,MTA-PTE, Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Pécs Diagnostic Centre, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Kürtös
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Pécs Diagnostic Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Nándor Németh
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Perlaki
- MTA-PTE, Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Pécs Diagnostic Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Eszter Csernela
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Flóra Elza Lakner
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tamás Dóczi
- MTA-PTE, Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Pécs Diagnostic Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Boldizsár Czéh
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Maria Simon
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Hungary
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