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Kohlhoff J, Karlov L, Dadds M, Barnett B, Silove D, Mendoza Diaz A, Eapen V. Preschool Behavioral Problems: Links with Maternal Oxytocin and Caregiving Sensitivity in the Postnatal Period, and Concurrent Maternal Psychopathology and Attachment State-of-Mind. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:1736-1746. [PMID: 37022532 PMCID: PMC11485215 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-023-01529-6] [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] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated maternal oxytocin, caregiving sensitivity and mother-to-infant bonding at 3-months postpartum as predictors of child behavior and psychological outcomes in the preschool years, when controlling for concurrent maternal negative emotional symptoms and adult attachment state-of-mind. Forty-five mother-child dyads were assessed at 3-months and 3.5 years postpartum using mix of questionnaires, observational, interview and biological methods. Results showed that lower levels of maternal baseline oxytocin at 3-months postpartum significantly predicted emotional reactivity in the child at 3.5 years. When maternal adult attachment state-of-mind and negative emotional symptoms were included, lower levels of maternal baseline oxytocin at 3-months postpartum significantly predicted withdrawn child behavior. In addition, unresolved adult attachment and maternal negative emotional symptoms were significantly associated child behavioral disturbance in a range of areas. Findings highlight maternal postnatal oxytocin as a potential indicator of children who may be more likely to show emotional reactivity and withdrawn behavior in the preschool years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Kohlhoff
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
- Research Department, Karitane, Sydney, Australia.
- Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Lisa Karlov
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Dadds
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Derrick Silove
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Antonio Mendoza Diaz
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
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2
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Lindley Baron-Cohen K, Fearon P, Meins E, Feldman R, Hardiman P, Rosan C, Fonagy P. Maternal mind-mindedness and infant oxytocin are interrelated and negatively associated with postnatal depression. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39363731 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424001585] [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: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies show that maternal mind-mindedness positively impacts children's social development. In the current studies, we examine the relation between mind-mindedness during parent-child interaction, oxytocin (OT), and postnatal depression in a sample of mothers (N = 62, ages 23-44) and their infant (ages 3-9 months). In Study 1, infant salivary OT was positively correlated with mothers' appropriate mind-related comments, and negatively correlated (at trend level) with maternal depression scores. Mothers experiencing symptoms of depression used fewer appropriate mind-related comments than controls. Study 2 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, experimental study, in which the same women who participated in Study 1 were administered nasal OT. This did not significantly influence levels of mind-mindedness. Study 2 warrants a larger trial to investigate the effect of OT on mind-mindedness further. Study 1 is the first to demonstrate an association between maternal mind-mindedness and variation in children's OT levels. Since both OT and mind-mindedness have been repeatedly implicated in processes of maternal-infant attachment, this association highlights the centrality of mothers' caregiving representations in facilitating the parent-child relationship and children's early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lindley Baron-Cohen
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
- Centre for Future Health, University of York, York, UK
| | - P Fearon
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
- Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - E Meins
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
| | - R Feldman
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
| | - P Hardiman
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - C Rosan
- The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
| | - P Fonagy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
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3
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Rilling JK, Lee M, Zhou C, Gonzalez A, Lindo J. Grandmotherhood is associated with reduced OXTR DNA methylation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 168:107122. [PMID: 39002451 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107122] [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: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
In mammals, both parental and alloparental care are associated with increased brain oxytocin signaling. Grandmothers are important alloparents in many human families. Based on animal model research showing that peripheral Oxtr methylation is associated with Oxtr expression in the nucleus accumbens, we investigated whether grandmaternal caregiving is associated with lower peripheral OXTR methylation. Results reveal several regions within OXTR where grandmothers have lower DNA methylation compared with non-grandmother controls, and no regions where grandmothers have higher OXTR DNA methylation. Among grandmothers, OXTR methylation was most strongly correlated with the grandmother's assessment of the degree of positive feelings between her and the grandchild, which in turn predicted caregiving engagement. Although there was little evidence that grandmaternal OXTR methylation modulated grandmaternal neural responses to viewing photos of the grandchild within brain regions involved in caregiving motivation, it was negatively correlated with the neural response to an unknown grandchild. Thus, while OT signaling may not be essential for activating grandmaternal brain reward systems in our low-stress experimental context, it may support caregiving motivation towards unrelated children. Future longitudinal research should determine whether the transition to grandmotherhood is associated with a reduction in OXTR methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Rilling
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, United States; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, United States; Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, United States; Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, United States.
| | - Minwoo Lee
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, United States
| | - Carolyn Zhou
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, United States
| | - Amber Gonzalez
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, United States
| | - John Lindo
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, United States
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4
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Kohlhoff J, Karlov L, Dadds M, Barnett B, Silove D, Eapen V. Maternal antenatal depression, oxytocin, and infant temperament: The roles of ethnicity and adult attachment avoidance. Infant Ment Health J 2024. [PMID: 39099255 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
This study examined the associations between maternal depression and oxytocin in pregnancy, caregiving sensitivity and adult attachment style, and infant temperament. One hundred and six women recruited from a public hospital antenatal clinic in Australia, and their infants completed assessments at three time points (Time 1: pregnancy; Time 2: 3-month postpartum; Time 3: 12-month postpartum). Mothers completed self-report questionnaires assessing maternal depression symptom severity at Time 1-3, adult attachment style at Time 2, and infant temperament at Time 3. At Time 1, they also provided a blood sample to assess peripheral oxytocin levels, and at Time 2, participated in a parent-child interaction session, which was later coded for caregiving behavior (sensitivity). Neither maternal depression nor lower levels of oxytocin during pregnancy predicted difficult infant temperament; rather, it was predicted by non-Caucasian ethnicity. When all other variables were free to vary, adult attachment avoidance mediated an association between maternal depression during pregnancy and difficult infant temperament. Results highlight the potential value of interventions focusing on adult attachment insecurity for pregnant women and raise questions about associations between culture/ethnicity and infant temperament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Kohlhoff
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Research Department, Karitane, Sydney, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lisa Karlov
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Dadds
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bryanne Barnett
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Derrick Silove
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
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5
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Oesch N. Social Brain Perspectives on the Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience of Human Language. Brain Sci 2024; 14:166. [PMID: 38391740 PMCID: PMC10886718 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020166] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Human language and social cognition are two key disciplines that have traditionally been studied as separate domains. Nonetheless, an emerging view suggests an alternative perspective. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of the social brain hypothesis (thesis of the evolution of brain size and intelligence), the social complexity hypothesis (thesis of the evolution of communication), and empirical research from comparative animal behavior, human social behavior, language acquisition in children, social cognitive neuroscience, and the cognitive neuroscience of language, it is argued that social cognition and language are two significantly interconnected capacities of the human species. Here, evidence in support of this view reviews (1) recent developmental studies on language learning in infants and young children, pointing to the important crucial benefits associated with social stimulation for youngsters, including the quality and quantity of incoming linguistic information, dyadic infant/child-to-parent non-verbal and verbal interactions, and other important social cues integral for facilitating language learning and social bonding; (2) studies of the adult human brain, suggesting a high degree of specialization for sociolinguistic information processing, memory retrieval, and comprehension, suggesting that the function of these neural areas may connect social cognition with language and social bonding; (3) developmental deficits in language and social cognition, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), illustrating a unique developmental profile, further linking language, social cognition, and social bonding; and (4) neural biomarkers that may help to identify early developmental disorders of language and social cognition. In effect, the social brain and social complexity hypotheses may jointly help to describe how neurotypical children and adults acquire language, why autistic children and adults exhibit simultaneous deficits in language and social cognition, and why nonhuman primates and other organisms with significant computational capacities cannot learn language. But perhaps most critically, the following article argues that this and related research will allow scientists to generate a holistic profile and deeper understanding of the healthy adult social brain while developing more innovative and effective diagnoses, prognoses, and treatments for maladies and deficits also associated with the social brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Oesch
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
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Konno A, Aoki H, Suzuki E, Furuta S, Ueda S. Are dark-eyed dogs favoured by humans? Domestication as a potential driver of iris colour difference between dogs and wolves. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230854. [PMID: 38126061 PMCID: PMC10731317 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Comparative studies have shown that the eye morphology of primates has been shaped by a variety of selection pressures (e.g. communication, environmental factors). To comprehensively elucidate the complex links between ocular morphology and its evolutionary drive, attention should be paid to other phylogenetic groups. Here, we address a new question regarding the evolution of eye colour patterns in the oldest domesticated animal, namely, the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). In this study, we conducted an image analysis of dogs and their closest relatives, grey wolves (Canis lupus), to compare the colours of their irises, with the aim of assessing whether eye colours of dogs affect how humans perceived dogs. We found that the irises of dogs were significantly darker than those of wolves. We also found that facial images of dark-eyed dogs were perceived as more friendly and immature, potentially eliciting caregiving responses from humans. Our findings are consistent with our expectation that humans favour dark-eyed dogs over light-eyed ones and provide an updated hypothesis that dogs with dark eyes may have evolved by acquiring a facial trait that sends a non-threatening gaze signal to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akitsugu Konno
- Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Hitomi Aoki
- Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Emiri Suzuki
- Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Seiya Furuta
- Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Sayoko Ueda
- The Mt. Fuji Institute for Nature and Biology, Showa University, Yamanashi, Japan
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Burenkova OV, Dolgorukova TA, An I, Kustova TA, Podturkin AA, Shurdova EM, Talantseva OI, Zhukova MA, Grigorenko EL. Endogenous oxytocin and human social interactions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 2023; 149:549-579. [PMID: 38713749 PMCID: PMC11077008 DOI: 10.1037/bul0000402] [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: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
While there has been an increase in studies investigating the relationship between endogenous oxytocin (OXT) concentrations and human social interactions over the past decades, these studies still seem far from converging, both in methodological terms and in terms of their results. This systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed at a comprehensive evaluation and synthesis of empirical evidence on the relationship between endogenous OXT concentrations and human social interactions by reviewing studies published between 1970 and July 2020 and addressing various related methodological and analytical limitations. Sixty-three studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and results from 51 studies were pooled in a meta-analysis (n = 3,741 participants). The results indicated that social interaction did not lead to an expected hormonal response in causal designs, either in a pre-post design (g = 0.079) or when comparing experimental conditions with and without social interaction (g = 0.256). However, in correlational designs, the overall mean effect size (ES) of the correlations between indicators of social interaction and OXT concentrations was significantly different from zero (z = 0.137). In both designs, subgroup analyses revealed that studies involving either parent-child interactions, or the utilization of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method for OXT analysis, or unrestricted eating, drinking, or exercise before biofluid collection showed significantly higher than zero mean ESs. This review exposes the observed inconsistencies and suggests that standardized, replicable, and reliable approaches to assessing social interaction and measuring OXT concentrations need to be developed to study neurochemical mechanisms of sociality in humans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Burenkova
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), University of Houston
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University
| | | | - Iuliia An
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University
| | - Tatiana A. Kustova
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology
| | | | | | | | - Marina A. Zhukova
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), University of Houston
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology
| | - Elena L. Grigorenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), University of Houston
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
- Child Study Center, Yale University
- Haskins Laboratories, Yale University
- Research Administration, Moscow State University for Psychology and Education
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8
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Exploring a Possible Interplay between Schizophrenia, Oxytocin, and Estrogens: A Narrative Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13030461. [PMID: 36979271 PMCID: PMC10046503 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is characterized by symptoms of psychosis and sociocognitive deficits. Considering oxytocin’s antipsychotic and prosocial properties, numerous clinical, and preclinical studies have explored the neuropeptide’s therapeutic efficacy. Sex differences in the clinical course of schizophrenia, as well as in oxytocin-mediated behaviors, indicate the involvement of gonadal steroid hormones. The current narrative review aimed to explore empirical evidence on the interplay between schizophrenia psychopathology and oxytocin’s therapeutic potential in consideration of female gonadal steroid interactions, with a focus on estrogens. The review was conducted using the PubMed and PsychINFO databases and conforms to the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines. The results suggest a potential synergistic effect of the combined antipsychotic effect of oxytocin and neuroprotective effect of estrogen on schizophrenia. Consideration of typical menstrual cycle-related hormonal changes is warranted and further research is needed to confirm this assumption.
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Shorey S, Asurlekar AR, Chua JS, Lim LHK. Influence of oxytocin on parenting behaviors and parent-child bonding: A systematic review. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22359. [PMID: 36811366 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) plays a pivotal role in early parent-child relationship formation and bonding that is critical for the social, cognitive, and emotional development of the child. Therefore, this systematic review aims to consolidate all available evidence regarding the associations of parental OT concentration levels with parenting behavior and bonding within the past 20 years. A systematic search was conducted in five databases from 2002 to May 2022, and 33 studies were finalized and included. Due to the heterogeneity of the data, findings were presented narratively based on the type of OT and parenting outcomes. Current evidence strongly suggests that parental OT levels are positively related to parental touch and parental gaze and affect synchrony and observer-coded parent-infant bonding. No gender difference in OT levels was observed between fathers and mothers, but OT strengthens affectionate parenting in mothers and stimulatory parenting in fathers. Child OT levels were also positively associated with parental OT levels. Family and healthcare providers could encourage more positive touch and interactive play between parent and child to strengthen parent-child relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefaly Shorey
- Alice Lee Center for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alpana Rajesh Asurlekar
- Alice Lee Center for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jing Shi Chua
- Alice Lee Center for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lina Hsiu Kim Lim
- Immunology Translational Research Program and Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Sinisalo H, Bakermans‐Kranenburg MJ, Peltola MJ. Hormonal and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in women with and without children. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22321. [PMID: 36282748 PMCID: PMC9545496 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the impact of maternal status on hormonal reactivity and behavioral responses to an infant simulator in 117 women (54 primiparous, 63 nulliparous). The amount of affectionate touch and motherese were analyzed as behavioral measures of caregiving. Saliva was collected before and 10 min after interaction with the infant simulator to analyze oxytocin, testosterone, cortisol, and estradiol levels. Nulliparous women also provided information about their fertility motivation. Linear mixed models indicated that greater use of affectionate touch was associated with lower overall testosterone levels. Cortisol decreased in response to the interaction in both groups. In the primiparous group, the amount of affectionate touch associated inversely with cortisol levels, whereas in the nulliparous group such association was not found. Oxytocin or estradiol reactivity to the simulator did not differ between the groups, nor were these hormones associated with behavior. Higher fertility motivation in nulliparous women was related to more motherese, and lower testosterone levels. Our results indicate that the simulator elicits hormonal reactivity both in mothers and nonmothers, but the patterns of associations between caregiving behavior and hormonal levels may be partially different. These results encourage using the infant simulator to explore hormonal processes related to the transition to parenthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanneli Sinisalo
- Human Information Processing Laboratory, Faculty of Social Sciences, PsychologyTampere UniversityTampereFinland
| | - Marian J. Bakermans‐Kranenburg
- Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Educational and Family StudiesVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mikko J. Peltola
- Human Information Processing Laboratory, Faculty of Social Sciences, PsychologyTampere UniversityTampereFinland
- Tampere Institute for Advanced StudyTampere UniversityTampereFinland
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Markova G, Nguyen T. Interpersonal synchrony is associated with infants’ reactions to subtle changes in caregiver‐infant interactions. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trinh Nguyen
- Faculty of Psychology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Neuroscience of Perception and Action Lab Italian Institute of Technology Rome Italy
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12
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England-Mason G, MacMillan HL, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Gonzalez A. Emotion regulation moderates between maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and oxytocin response. Arch Womens Ment Health 2022; 25:421-430. [PMID: 34751819 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-021-01194-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with oxytocin dysregulation in women, such as decreased peripheral oxytocin concentrations, but little is known about vulnerability markers for oxytocin dysregulation in mothers exposed to ACEs. Identifying vulnerability markers may help inform future targets for prevention and intervention programmes. This study provided a preliminary examination of emotion regulation as a potential moderator of the association between maternal ACEs and peripheral oxytocin levels. The current study included a sample of 38 postpartum women. Women completed questionnaires on exposure to ACEs and difficulties with emotion regulation. At a clinic visit at 9 months postpartum, women provided plasma and salivary oxytocin samples anchored around a mother-infant interaction. Associations between maternal ACEs, three dimensions of difficulties with emotion regulation, and peripheral oxytocin concentrations were examined. Linear regression analyses showed that greater difficulties engaging in goal-directed behaviour (β = - 0.50, p = 0.01) and more limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies (β = - 0.68, p < 0.001) were related to reduced plasma oxytocin concentrations in postpartum women. Furthermore, in postpartum women reporting greater exposure to ACEs, higher levels of nonacceptance of emotional responses (β = - 0.55, p = 0.01) and more limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies (β = - 0.54, p = 0.01) were associated with reduced salivary oxytocin response (i.e. decreased change in oxytocin concentrations from baseline) following mother-infant interaction. Difficulties with emotion regulation may serve as a vulnerability marker for oxytocin dysregulation in postpartum women exposed to ACEs, and this suggests that emotion regulation may be an important target for future clinical interventions. Future research is recommended which replicates these preliminary results and which examines how emotion regulation and peripheral oxytocin levels in mothers exposed to ACEs are associated with parenting and child development outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian England-Mason
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Harriet L MacMillan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster Innovation Park - Suite 201A, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meir Steiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. .,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster Innovation Park - Suite 201A, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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13
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McParlin Z, Cerritelli F, Friston KJ, Esteves JE. Therapeutic Alliance as Active Inference: The Role of Therapeutic Touch and Synchrony. Front Psychol 2022; 13:783694. [PMID: 35250723 PMCID: PMC8892201 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.783694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognizing and aligning individuals' unique adaptive beliefs or "priors" through cooperative communication is critical to establishing a therapeutic relationship and alliance. Using active inference, we present an empirical integrative account of the biobehavioral mechanisms that underwrite therapeutic relationships. A significant mode of establishing cooperative alliances-and potential synchrony relationships-is through ostensive cues generated by repetitive coupling during dynamic touch. Established models speak to the unique role of affectionate touch in developing communication, interpersonal interactions, and a wide variety of therapeutic benefits for patients of all ages; both neurophysiologically and behaviorally. The purpose of this article is to argue for the importance of therapeutic touch in establishing a therapeutic alliance and, ultimately, synchrony between practitioner and patient. We briefly overview the importance and role of therapeutic alliance in prosocial and clinical interactions. We then discuss how cooperative communication and mental state alignment-in intentional communication-are accomplished using active inference. We argue that alignment through active inference facilitates synchrony and communication. The ensuing account is extended to include the role of (C-) tactile afferents in realizing the beneficial effect of therapeutic synchrony. We conclude by proposing a method for synchronizing the effects of touch using the concept of active inference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe McParlin
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
| | - Francesco Cerritelli
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
| | - Karl J. Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge E. Esteves
- Foundation COME Collaboration, Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Pescara, Italy
- Malta ICOM Educational Ltd., Gzira, Malta
- Research Department, University College of Osteopathy, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Dye C, Lenz KM, Leuner B. Immune System Alterations and Postpartum Mental Illness: Evidence From Basic and Clinical Research. Front Glob Womens Health 2022; 2:758748. [PMID: 35224544 PMCID: PMC8866762 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2021.758748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The postpartum period is a time associated with high rates of depression and anxiety as well as greater risk for psychosis in some women. A growing number of studies point to aberrations in immune system function as contributing to postpartum mental illness. Here we review evidence from both clinical and animal models suggesting an immune component to postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum psychosis. Thus far, clinical data primarily highlights changes in peripheral cytokine signaling in disease etiology, while animal models have begun to provide insight into the immune environment of the maternal brain and how central inflammation may also be contributing to postpartum mental illnesses. Further research investigating peripheral and central immune function, along with neural and endocrine interactions, will be important in successfully developing novel prevention and treatment strategies for these serious disorders that impact a large portion of new mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Dye
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Lenz
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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15
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Attachment and Caregiving in the Mother–Infant Dyad: Evolutionary Developmental Psychology Models of their Origins in the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-76000-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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16
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Kohlhoff J, Karlov L, Dadds M, Barnett B, Silove D, Eapen V. The contributions of maternal oxytocin and maternal sensitivity to infant attachment security. Attach Hum Dev 2021; 24:525-540. [PMID: 34963414 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.2018472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated links between maternal postnatal oxytocin, maternal sensitivity, and infant attachment security. At 3-months postpartum, participants (n=88) took part in a structured parent-infant interaction. Maternal oxytocin levels were assessed via blood, before and after the interaction. At 12-months postpartum, mother-child dyads completed the Strange Situation Procedure. Neither baseline oxytocin, oxytocin response, or maternal sensitivity were identified as significant independent predictors of infant attachment security or organisation. However, an interaction effect was identified, with higher maternal sensitivity being associated with secure infant attachment for mothers who showed an increase in oxytocin during parent-child interaction. Results indicate that maternal sensitivity, when accompanied by an increase in maternal oxytocin during parent-child interaction, is associated with the establishment of a positive early parent-child attachment relationship. This adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting maternal oxytocin response as a key adaptive process in the postpartum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Kohlhoff
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Research Department, Karitane, Sydney, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lisa Karlov
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Dadds
- Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bryanne Barnett
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Derrick Silove
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.,Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
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17
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O'Rourke P, Jureidini J, Ben-Tovim D. The Maternal Looking Guide: a perinatal clinical tool to support the emerging mother-infant relationship'. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2021:1-18. [PMID: 34672887 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2021.1991566] [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: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study explores maternal looking - the unidirectional looking by a mother at her newborn - as a precursor to mother-infant gaze. METHODS Phase 1 used video as a means of detailed and disciplined observation to examine how mothers look at their newborns (n = 13). Using an iterative design, intensive analysis identified and categorised patterns of looking and looking-related behaviours. This resulted in a typology of looking. Phase 2 subjected the typology to inter-rater reliability testing, with midwives as multiple raters (n = 24), using the typology to rate standardised tapes of mothers and newborns (n = 10). RESULTS Phase 1 generated a one-page clinical tool (Maternal Looking Guide). This tool enables the assessment of mothers' looking behaviour over six constructs and allocation to one of three overall categories of looking: those women who are doing well (comfortable), those who need a referral to an expert perinatal service (worrisome) and those to whom something extra could be offered (uncomfortable). In Phase 2 the Maternal Looking Guide achieved moderate reliability. CONCLUSIONS The Maternal Looking Guide is a practical, moderately reliable, clinical tool that can assist midwives and other perinatal workers identify those mothers who may need extra support at this critical perinatal window of opportunity. .
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia O'Rourke
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Jon Jureidini
- Critical and Ethical Mental Health Research Group, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - David Ben-Tovim
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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18
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Yamada J, Nakawake Y, Shou Q, Nishina K, Matsunaga M, Takagishi H. Salivary Oxytocin Is Negatively Associated With Religious Faith in Japanese Non-Abrahamic People. Front Psychol 2021; 12:705781. [PMID: 34512461 PMCID: PMC8427280 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Spirituality and religiosity have a significant impact on one's well-being. Although previous studies have indicated that the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin is associated with spirituality/religiosity, existing findings remain inconsistent. Some studies have reported a positive relationship between oxytocin and spirituality/religiosity, while other studies have reported a negative association. Herein, we examined the association between endogenous oxytocin and spirituality/religiosity in 200 non-Abrahamic Japanese individuals (102 females, mean age ± standard deviation = 41.53 ± 10.46) by measuring the level of salivary oxytocin and spiritual/religious faith. We found that the level of salivary oxytocin was negatively associated with spiritual/religious faith. Individuals with higher levels of salivary oxytocin tend to have more negative spiritual/religious faith compared with those with low oxytocin levels (e.g., “Spirituality/religiosity makes people passive and clinging.”). Moreover, this tendency was only significant in individuals who were not interested in a specific religion. The uniqueness of spirituality/religiosity in Japan could help interpret the current findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko Yamada
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida, Japan
| | - Yo Nakawake
- Center for the Study of Social Cohesion, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,School of Economics & Management, Kochi University of Technology, Kami, Japan
| | - Qiulu Shou
- Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Machida, Japan
| | - Kuniyuki Nishina
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Masahiro Matsunaga
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University, School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
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19
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Lee YJ, Lin HT, Chaudhary MA, Lee YC, Wang DC. Effects of Prenatal Phthalate Exposure and Childhood Exercise on Maternal Behaviors in Female Rats at Postpartum: A Role of Oxtr Methylation in the Hypothalamus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9847. [PMID: 34576011 PMCID: PMC8465903 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Both the detrimental effect of prenatal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) and the beneficial effects of physical exercise on brain functions have been reported. The oxytocin pathway has been implicated in the onset of maternal behaviors. Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) through DNA methylation has been associated with the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal DEHP exposure on oxytocin-regulated maternal behaviors and to examine the protective effect of exercise. Pregnant rats (F0) were fed with vehicle or DEHP during gestation and the offspring females (F1) were assessed for their maternal behaviors by pup retrieval test at postpartum. The results showed that reduced pup retrieval activities without significant alteration of stress responses were observed in the prenatally DEHP-exposed females. Prenatal DEHP exposure decreased the expressions of oxytocin, Oxtr mRNA, and oxytocin receptor, and increased Oxtr methylation in the hypothalamus of postpartum female rats. There were no significant effects of exercise on behavioral, biochemical, and epigenetic measurements. These results suggest that prenatal DEHP exposure has a long-term adverse effect on maternal behaviors; Oxtr hyper-methylation may be a potential epigenetic mechanism for this alteration, which cannot be prevented by physical exercise during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ju Lee
- Department of Sports Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-J.L.); (H.-T.L.)
| | - Hwai-Ting Lin
- Department of Sports Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-J.L.); (H.-T.L.)
- Ph. D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Muhammad Asad Chaudhary
- Ph. D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Ching Lee
- Department of Food and Beverage Services, Tainan University of Technology, Tainan 710302, Taiwan;
| | - Dean-Chuan Wang
- Department of Sports Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-J.L.); (H.-T.L.)
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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20
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Joas J, Möhler E. Maternal Bonding in Early Infancy Predicts Childrens' Social Competences in Preschool Age. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:687535. [PMID: 34489753 PMCID: PMC8416914 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.687535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There are many studies on mother-child-bonding with little theoretical doubt that better bonding may have a positive effect on further social development. However, there is hardly any empirical evidence. In particular, there is a lack prospective longitudinal studies. Methods: As part of a longitudinal study, bonding was assessed in a community sample of 97 healthy mothers using the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) 6 weeks after birth of their child. Social competencies in the offspring were assessed using the Self- and Other-oriented Social Competencies (SOCOMP) at 5.5 years of age. A potential correlation between bonding and social competencies was tested using Spearman Rank Correlation. Results: Retention rate over 5.5 years was 77.23%. Lower Maternal Bonding Impairment Scores 6 weeks postnatally were positively related to childrens' social competences at 5.5 years of age. Conclusion: The present data confirm a positive and long-term influence of bonding on social skills and provide further evidence of the importance of parent child bonding for child development in general. This result should give reason to further investigate this relationship in depth, causally and at later points in time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eva Möhler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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21
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Shimao M, Matsumura K, Tsuchida A, Kasamatsu H, Hamazaki K, Inadera H, The Japan Environment And Children's Study Group. Influence of infants' feeding patterns and duration on mothers' postpartum depression: A nationwide birth cohort -The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). J Affect Disord 2021; 285:152-159. [PMID: 33667755 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is increasingly being promoted worldwide. Although several studies have examined breastfeeding and postpartum depression, contradictory results concerning their relationship have been found. This study investigated the influence of the feeding patterns of 1- to 6-month-old infants on maternal postpartum depression, as well as the influence of activities performed by mothers during feeding on postpartum depression. METHODS We used data from parents and children who participated in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). The data were from 71,448 mothers who did not show depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum. RESULTS The group that continued exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months postpartum had a lower risk of postpartum depression compared with those who adopted other feeding patterns. Regardless of the pattern or duration of feeding, the group that maintained eye contact or talked to their baby during feeding had a lower risk of postpartum depression compared with the group that performed other activities. Furthermore, the group that continued both exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and maintained eye contact or talked to their babies during feeding had an odds ratio of 0.69 for postpartum depression (95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.79), the lowest of any group. LIMITATIONS All variables were measured using a self-administered questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS It may be possible to control the onset of postpartum depression by recommending breastfeeding to new mothers, providing them with appropriate information on how to interact with their babies, and offering them support. TRIAL REGISTRATION UMIN000030786.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moeko Shimao
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kenta Matsumura
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Akiko Tsuchida
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Haruka Kasamatsu
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kei Hamazaki
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hidekuni Inadera
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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22
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Does Mothers' Self-Reported Mindful Parenting Relate to the Observed Quality of Parenting Behavior and Mother-Child Interaction? Mindfulness (N Y) 2020; 12:344-356. [PMID: 33193907 PMCID: PMC7652703 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-020-01533-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Growing academic interest in mindful parenting (MP) requires a reliable and valid measure for use in research and clinical setting. Because MP concerns the way parents relate to, and nurture, their children, it is important to evaluate the associations between self-reported MP and observed parenting and parent-child interaction measures. Methods Seventy-three mothers who experience difficulties with their young children aged 0–48 months admitted for a Mindful with your baby/toddler training (63% in a mental health care and 27% in a preventative context) were included. Mothers completed the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IM-P) and video-observations of parent-child interactions were coded for maternal sensitivity, acceptance, mind-mindedness, and emotional communication (EC). Results The IM-P total score was positively associated only with mothers’ gaze to the child (EC). IM-P subscale Listening with Full Attention negatively predicted non-attuned mind-mindedness, Compassion with the Child positively predicted maternal sensitivity and positive facial expression (EC), and Emotional Awareness of Self positively predicted mothers’ gaze to the child (EC) and dyadic synchrony of positive affect (EC). Conclusions The current study provides support for the hypothesis that the IM-P total score is predictive of maternal actual attention for the child during a face-to-face interaction. When the IM-P is administered with the aim to gain understanding of different aspects of parenting behavior and the parent-child interaction, it is important not only to employ the IM-P total score but also to incorporate the individual IM-P subscales, as meaningful associations between IM-P subscales and observed parenting and parent-child interactions were found.
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23
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Harvey AR. Links Between the Neurobiology of Oxytocin and Human Musicality. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:350. [PMID: 33005139 PMCID: PMC7479205 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The human species possesses two complementary, yet distinct, universal communication systems—language and music. Functional imaging studies have revealed that some core elements of these two systems are processed in closely related brain regions, but there are also clear differences in brain circuitry that likely underlie differences in functionality. Music affects many aspects of human behavior, especially in encouraging prosocial interactions and promoting trust and cooperation within groups of culturally compatible but not necessarily genetically related individuals. Music, presumably via its impact on the limbic system, is also rewarding and motivating, and music can facilitate aspects of learning and memory. In this review these special characteristics of music are considered in light of recent research on the neuroscience of the peptide oxytocin, a hormone that has both peripheral and central actions, that plays a role in many complex human behaviors, and whose expression has recently been reported to be affected by music-related activities. I will first briefly discuss what is currently known about the peptide’s physiological actions on neurons and its interactions with other neuromodulator systems, then summarize recent advances in our knowledge of the distribution of oxytocin and its receptor (OXTR) in the human brain. Next, the complex links between oxytocin and various social behaviors in humans are considered. First, how endogenous oxytocin levels relate to individual personality traits, and then how exogenous, intranasal application of oxytocin affects behaviors such as trust, empathy, reciprocity, group conformity, anxiety, and overall social decision making under different environmental conditions. It is argued that many of these characteristics of oxytocin biology closely mirror the diverse effects that music has on human cognition and emotion, providing a link to the important role music has played throughout human evolutionary history and helping to explain why music remains a special prosocial human asset. Finally, it is suggested that there is a potential synergy in combining oxytocin- and music-based strategies to improve general health and aid in the treatment of various neurological dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
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24
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Kerr F, Wiechula R, Feo R, Schultz T, Kitson A. Neurophysiology of human touch and eye gaze in therapeutic relationships and healing: a scoping review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 17:209-247. [PMID: 30730854 PMCID: PMC6382052 DOI: 10.11124/jbisrir-2017-003549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Objective: The primary objective of this scoping review was to examine and map the range of neurophysiological impacts of human touch and eye gaze, and consider their potential relevance to the therapeutic relationship and to healing. Introduction: Clinicians, and many patients and their relatives, have no doubt as to the efficacy of a positive therapeutic relationship; however, much evidence is based on self-reporting by the patient or observation by the researcher. There has been little formal exploration into what is happening in the body to elicit efficacious reactions in patients. There is, however, a growing body of work on the neurophysiological impact of human interaction. Physical touch and face-to-face interaction are two central elements of this interaction that produce neurophysiological effects on the body. Inclusion criteria: This scoping review considered studies that included cognitively intact human subjects in any setting. This review investigated the neurophysiology of human interaction including touch and eye gaze. It considered studies that have examined, in a variety of settings, the neurophysiological impacts of touch and eye gaze. Quantitative studies were included as the aim was to examine objective measures of neurophysiological changes as a result of human touch and gaze. Methods: An extensive search of multiple databases was undertaken to identify published research in the English language with no date restriction. Data extraction was undertaken using an extraction tool developed specifically for the scoping review objectives. Results: The results of the review are presented in narrative form supported by tables and concept maps. Sixty-four studies were included and the majority were related to touch with various types of massage predominating. Only seven studies investigated gaze with three of these utilizing both touch and gaze. Interventions were delivered by a variety of providers including nurses, significant others and masseuses. The main neurophysiological measures were cortisol, oxytocin and noradrenaline. Conclusions: The aim of this review was to map the neurophysiological impact of human touch and gaze. Although our interest was in studies that might have implications for the therapeutic relationship, we accepted studies that explored phenomena outside of the context of a nurse-patient relationship. This allowed exploration of the boundary of what might be relevant in any therapeutic relationship. Indeed, only a small number of studies included in the review involved clinicians (all nurses) and patients. There was sufficient consistency in trends evident across many studies in regard to the beneficial impact of touch and eye gaze to warrant further investigation in the clinical setting. There is a balance between tightly controlled studies conducted in an artificial (laboratory) setting and/or using artificial stimuli and those of a more pragmatic nature that are contextually closer to the reality of providing nursing care. The latter should be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Kerr
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Faculty of the Professions, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,The NeuroTech Institute Pty. Ltd., Adelaide, Australia.,South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Rick Wiechula
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Centre for Evidence-based Practice South Australia: a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence
| | - Rebecca Feo
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Centre for Evidence-based Practice South Australia: a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence
| | - Tim Schultz
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Centre for Evidence-based Practice South Australia: a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence
| | - Alison Kitson
- Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Centre for Evidence-based Practice South Australia: a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence
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25
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Le J, Kou J, Zhao W, Fu M, Zhang Y, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Oxytocin Facilitation of Emotional Empathy Is Associated With Increased Eye Gaze Toward the Faces of Individuals in Emotional Contexts. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:803. [PMID: 32848571 PMCID: PMC7432151 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most robust effects of intranasal oxytocin treatment is its enhancement of emotional empathy responses across cultures to individuals displaying emotions in realistic contexts in the Multifaceted Empathy Task (MET). However, it is not established if this effect of oxytocin on emotional empathy is due to altered visual attention toward different components of the stimulus pictures or an enhanced empathic response. In the current randomized placebo-controlled within-subject experiment on 40 healthy male individuals, we both attempted a further replication of emotional empathy enhancement by intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) and used eye-tracking measures to determine if this was associated by altered visual attention toward different components of the picture stimuli (background context, human face, and body posture). Results replicated previous findings of enhanced emotional empathy in response to both negative and positive stimuli and that this was associated with an increased proportion of time viewing the faces of humans in the pictures and a corresponding decrease in that toward the rest of the body and/or background context. Overall, our findings suggest that enhanced emotional empathy following oxytocin administration is due to increased attention to the faces of others displaying emotions and away from other contextual and social cues. Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov Oxytocin Modulates Eye Gaze Behavior During Social Processing; registration ID: NCT03293511; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03293511.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Le
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Kou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Meina Fu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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26
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Woo BM, Schaller M. "Parental" responses to human infants (and puppy dogs): Evidence that the perception of eyes is especially influential, but eye contact is not. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232059. [PMID: 32374738 PMCID: PMC7202593 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The present investigation tests: (i) whether the perception of an human infant’s eyes, relative to other facial features, especially strongly elicits “parental” responses (e.g., appraisals of cuteness and vulnerability); (ii) if, so, whether effects of the visual perception of eyes may be partially attributable to eye contact; (iii) whether the perception of non-human animals’ (puppy dogs’) eyes also especially strongly influence appraisals of their cuteness and vulnerability; and (iv) whether individual differences in caregiving motives moderate effects. Results from 5 experiments (total N = 1458 parents and non-parents) provided empirical evidence to evaluate these hypotheses: Appraisals of human infants were influenced especially strongly by the visual perception of human infants’ eyes (compared to other facial features); these effects do not appear to be attributable to eye contact; the visual perception of eyes influenced appraisals of puppy dogs, but not exactly in the same way that it influenced appraisals of human infants; and there was no consistent evidence of moderation by individual differences in caregiving motives. These results make novel contributions to several psychological literatures, including literatures on the motivational psychology of parental care and on person perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon M. Woo
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Mark Schaller
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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27
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Yuan W, Li L, Hou W, He Z, Wang L, Zhang J, Yang Y, Cai W, Guo Q, Zhang X, Jia R, Lian Z, Tai F. Preweaning Paternal Deprivation Impacts Parental Responses to Pups and Alters the Serum Oxytocin and Corticosterone Levels and Oxytocin Receptor, Vasopressin 1A Receptor, Oestrogen Receptor, Dopamine Type I Receptor, Dopamine Type II Receptor Levels in Relevant Brain Regions in Adult Mandarin Voles. Neuroendocrinology 2020; 110:292-306. [PMID: 31256151 DOI: 10.1159/000501798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although maternal separation and neonatal paternal deprivation (PD) have been found to exert a profound and persistent effects on the physiological and behavioural development of offspring, whether preweaning PD (PPD; from PND 10 to 21) affects maternal and parental responses to pups and the underlying neuroendocrine mechanism are under-investigated. Using monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), the present study found that PPD increased the latency to approach a pup-containing ball, decreased the total durations of sniffing and contacting a pup-containing ball and walking and increased the total duration of inactivity in both sexes. Moreover, PPD decreased serum oxytocin levels and increased corticosterone levels, but only in females. Furthermore, in both males and females, PPD decreased the expression of oxytocin receptor mRNA and protein in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but increased it in the medial amygdala (MeA) and decreased the expression of oestrogen receptor mRNA and protein in the MPOA. PPD increased the expression of dopamine type I receptor in the NAcc, but decreased it in the mPFC. PPD decreased dopamine type II receptor (D2R) in the NAcc both in males and females, but increased D2R in the mPFC in females and decreased D2R protein expression in males. Moreover, PPD decreased vasopressin 1A receptor (V1AR) in the MPOA, MeA and mPFC, but only in males. Our results suggest that the reduction of parental responses to pups induced by PPD may be associated with the sex-specific alteration of several neuroendocrine parameters in relevant brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medications, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenqi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xueni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenmin Lian
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China,
- Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China,
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28
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Abstract
In recent decades, human sociocultural changes have increased the numbers of fathers that are involved in direct caregiving in Western societies. This trend has led to a resurgence of interest in understanding the mechanisms and effects of paternal care. Across the animal kingdom, paternal caregiving has been found to be a highly malleable phenomenon, presenting with great variability among and within species. The emergence of paternal behaviour in a male animal has been shown to be accompanied by substantial neural plasticity and to be shaped by previous and current caregiving experiences, maternal and infant stimuli and ecological conditions. Recent research has allowed us to gain a better understanding of the neural basis of mammalian paternal care, the genomic and circuit-level mechanisms underlying paternal behaviour and the ways in which the subcortical structures that support maternal caregiving have evolved into a global network of parental care. In addition, the behavioural, neural and molecular consequences of paternal caregiving for offspring are becoming increasingly apparent. Future cross-species research on the effects of absence of the father and the transmission of paternal influences across generations may allow research on the neuroscience of fatherhood to impact society at large in a number of important ways.
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Lahousen T, Unterrainer HF, Kapfhammer HP. Psychobiology of Attachment and Trauma-Some General Remarks From a Clinical Perspective. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:914. [PMID: 31920761 PMCID: PMC6920243 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Attachment refers to a psychobiological principle that is deeply rooted in evolutionary development; it is thought to contribute a major advantage in the survival of the social group. Within individual development it indicates a primary motivational system that guides the initial transactions between mother and baby and furthermore mediates affective attunement and regulation. Psychosocial learning, in close interaction with genetics and epigenetics, also develops a decisive foundation for further brain development of the infant. Finally, the attachment pattern established forms an enduring, relational context for later affective, cognitive, and social development of the child. As an unconsciously active matrix for future personal relationships it has a particular impact on the comprehensive psychological functions of empathy and mentalization. Early adverse and traumatic experiences or major emotional neglect may lead to different levels of security versus insecurity or disorientation-disorganization of the attachment pattern that corresponds to characteristic features of neurobiological regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Lahousen
- University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Human Friedrich Unterrainer
- University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
- Center for Integrative Addiction Research (CIAR), Grüner Kreis Society, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Religious Studies, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans-Peter Kapfhammer
- University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
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30
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Nguyen AJ, Hoyer E, Rajhans P, Strathearn L, Kim S. A tumultuous transition to motherhood: Altered brain and hormonal responses in mothers with postpartum depression. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12794. [PMID: 31520440 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common but complex condition that is poorly understood and multifactorial in aetiology. It is a condition that can compromise the mother's care for her infant, which may pose challenges to the formation of the mother-infant bond and the infant's overall development. Past research has looked at abnormalities in the brain circuitry and hormonal profiles of mothers with PPD compared to non-depressed mothers. However, abnormalities in PPD that may specifically affect the mother's care of her infant have not been clearly assessed. Thus, the present review aims to synthesise studies of altered brain and hormonal responses in mothers with PPD in relation to their care of their infant. First, we review maternal brain responses and their relation to PPD symptomatology, focusing on the salience/fear network, reward/attachment network and default mode network. Next, we discuss oxytocin and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones in the context of maternal behaviour and PPD. Finally, we synthesise these findings and propose how future studies may benefit from the combined study of both neural and hormonal activity to better understand the underlying neurobiology of maternal care in PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Nguyen
- School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Elisabeth Hoyer
- School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Purva Rajhans
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sohye Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Reproductive Psychiatry, Pavilion for Women, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
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31
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Cherepanov SM, Miura R, Shabalova AA, Ichinose W, Yokoyama S, Fukuda H, Watanabe M, Higashida H, Shuto S. Synthesis of oxytocin derivatives lipidated via a carbonate or carbamate linkage as a long-acting therapeutic agent for social impairment-like behaviors. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:3358-3363. [PMID: 31229420 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In the course of our studies of hydrophobic oxytocin (OT) analogues, we newly synthesized lipidated OT (LOT-4a-c and LOT-5a-c), in which a long alkyl chain (C14-C16) is conjugated via a carbonate or carbamate linkage at the Tyr-2 phenolic hydroxy group and a palmitoyl group at the terminal amino group of Cys-1. These LOTs did not activate OT and vasopressin receptors. Among the LOTs, however, LOT-4c, having a C16-chain via a carbonate linkage at the phenolic hydroxyl group of the Tyr-2, showed very long-lasting action for the recovery of impaired social behavior in CD38 knockout mice, a rodent model of autistic phenotypes, whereas the effect of OT itself rapidly diminished. These results indicate that LOT-4c may serve as a potential prodrug in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav M Cherepanov
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Risako Miura
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Anna A Shabalova
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Wataru Ichinose
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yokoyama
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Hayato Fukuda
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Mizuki Watanabe
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
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32
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Toepfer P, O'Donnell KJ, Entringer S, Garg E, Heim CM, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Provençal N, Binder EB, Wadhwa PD, Buss C. Dynamic DNA methylation changes in the maternal oxytocin gene locus (OXT) during pregnancy predict postpartum maternal intrusiveness. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:156-162. [PMID: 30690225 PMCID: PMC6554513 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Maternal behavior (MB) is observable across mammals and represents an important feature of environmental variation during early postnatal development. Oxytocin (OT) plays a crucial role in MB. Even prior to childbirth, pregnancy induces epigenetic and other downstream changes in the maternal OT-system, likely mediated by the actions of steroid hormones. However, little is known about the nature and consequences of epigenetic modifications in the maternal OT-encoding gene (OXT) during pregnancy. Our study aims to investigate temporal dynamics of OXT promoter DNA methylation (DNAm) throughout pregnancy in predicting MB in humans. In 107 mother-child dyads, maternal OXT DNAm was serially analyzed in whole blood in early, mid and late pregnancy. MB was coded based on standardized mother-child interactions at six months postpartum. After controlling for cellular heterogeneity, race/ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status, OXT-promoter DNAm exhibited a dynamic profile during pregnancy (b = 0.026, t=-3.37, p < .001), with decreases in DNAm from early to mid-pregnancy and no further change until late pregnancy. Moreover, dynamic DNAm trajectories of the OXT-promoter region predicted MB (intrusiveness) at six months postpartum (b = 0.006, t = 2.0, p < 0.05), with 6% higher OXT DNAm in late pregnancy in intrusive compared to non-intrusive mothers. We here demonstrate that OXT promoter DNAm changes significantly throughout gestation in peripheral blood and that these changes are associated with variability in MB, providing a novel potential biomarker predicting postnatal MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Toepfer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Elika Garg
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine M Heim
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - David T S Lin
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA.
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33
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Yuan W, He Z, Hou W, Wang L, Li L, Zhang J, Yang Y, Jia R, Qiao H, Tai F. Role of oxytocin in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) in the modulation of paternal behavior in mandarin voles. Horm Behav 2019; 110:46-55. [PMID: 30836063 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Parental care plays an important role in individual survival and development in mammals. Many studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying maternal behavior. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of paternal behavior are less understood. Using monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), the present study found that fathers initiated more paternal behavior and the virgin male showed more infanticide. Moreover fathers had shorter latency to approach a pup at the postnatal day (PND) 10 than PND1, PND20 than nonfathers. Fathers had a shorter latency to take care of unfamiliar pups than nonfathers. They had higher levels of paternal behavior at PND 10 than PND1 and PND20 toward the mandarin vole pups. Fathers had a significantly higher serum concentration of oxytocin (OT) than virgin males. Both RT-PCR and Western blot results indicated that the levels of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of fathers were significantly higher than in virgin males, but the levels of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1AR) mRNA and protein expression in the MPOA did not show significant differences. Microinjection of an oxytocin receptor antagonist into the MPOA significantly reduced the total duration of paternal behavior and increased the latency to approach the pup and initiate paternal behavior. Our results indicated that OT plays a key role in the modulation of paternal behavior via the MPOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Hui Qiao
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
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34
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Noriuchi M, Kikuchi Y, Mori K, Kamio Y. The orbitofrontal cortex modulates parenting stress in the maternal brain. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1658. [PMID: 30733605 PMCID: PMC6367346 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38402-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many mothers are adaptive, deploying successful coping strategies that mitigate the deleterious effects of parenting stress on caregiving, nevertheless, the neural mechanisms underlying these adaptive responses remain unclear. We utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain activity in 28 healthy mothers of typically developing, 2-to-3-year-old children in response to the feeding behavior of their own children versus that of other children. We then examined the correlation between maternal brain activation and subjective feelings of parenting stress. Brain regions associated with maternal motivation including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), ventral pallidum, periaqueductal gray (PAG), dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), and anterior insular cortex (AIC)—as well as those associated with the recognition of one’s own child’s state (e.g., cerebellum)—exhibited significant activation in response to their own children. While mothers with higher activation in the OFC showed less parenting stress related to one’s sense of competence in the parental role, mothers with higher co-activation of the OFC with both of the AIC and PAG/DRN, and with the cerebellum showed less parenting stress caused by child characteristics. Our findings suggest that well-balanced maternal brain mechanisms integrated by the OFC may provide effective adaptive responses in daily parenting scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madoka Noriuchi
- Department of Frontier Health Science, Division of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 7-2-10 Higashi-ogu, Arakawa, Tokyo, 116-8551, Japan.
| | - Yoshiaki Kikuchi
- Department of Frontier Health Science, Division of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 7-2-10 Higashi-ogu, Arakawa, Tokyo, 116-8551, Japan
| | - Kumiko Mori
- Department of Frontier Health Science, Division of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan University, 7-2-10 Higashi-ogu, Arakawa, Tokyo, 116-8551, Japan
| | - Yoko Kamio
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan.,Institute of Education and Human Development, Ochanomizu Univesrsity, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
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35
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Strathearn L, Mertens CE, Mayes L, Rutherford H, Rajhans P, Xu G, Potenza MN, Kim S. Pathways Relating the Neurobiology of Attachment to Drug Addiction. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:737. [PMID: 31780957 PMCID: PMC6857543 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders constitute a significant public health problem in North America and worldwide. Specifically, substance addictions in women during pregnancy or in the postpartum period have adverse effects not only on the mother, but also on mother-infant attachment and the child's subsequent development. Additionally, there is growing evidence suggesting that parental addiction may be transmitted intergenerationally, where the child of parents with addiction problems is more likely to experience addiction as an adult. The current review takes a developmental perspective and draws from animal and human studies to examine how compromised early experience, including insecure attachment, early abuse/neglect, and unresolved trauma, may influence the development of neurobiological pathways associated with addictions, ultimately increasing one's susceptibility to addictions later in life. We approach this from three different levels: molecular, neuroendocrine and behavioral; and examine the oxytocin affiliation system, dopamine reward system, and glucocorticoid stress response system in this regard. Increased understanding of these underlying mechanisms may help identify key targets for early prevention efforts and inform needed intervention strategies related to both insecure attachment and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lane Strathearn
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Carol E Mertens
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Linda Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Helena Rutherford
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Purva Rajhans
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Guifeng Xu
- Attachment and Neurodevelopment Laboratory, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and the National Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sohye Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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36
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Payne JL, Maguire J. Pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in postpartum depression. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 52:165-180. [PMID: 30552910 PMCID: PMC6370514 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to summarize the diverse proposed pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to postpartum depression, highlighting both clinical and basic science research findings. The risk factors for developing postpartum depression are discussed, which may provide insight into potential neurobiological underpinnings. The evidence supporting a role for neuroendocrine changes, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter alterations, circuit dysfunction, and the involvement of genetics and epigenetics in the pathophysiology of postpartum depression are discussed. This review integrates clinical and preclinical findings and highlights the diversity in the patient population, in which numerous pathophysiological changes may contribute to this disorder. Finally, we attempt to integrate these findings to understand how diverse neurobiological changes may contribute to a common pathological phenotype. This review is meant to serve as a comprehensive resource reviewing the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms underlying postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Payne
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Mood Disorders Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jamie Maguire
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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37
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Althammer F, Jirikowski G, Grinevich V. The oxytocin system of mice and men-Similarities and discrepancies of oxytocinergic modulation in rodents and primates. Peptides 2018; 109:1-8. [PMID: 30261208 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Nonapeptides and their respective receptors have been conserved throughout evolution and display astonishing similarities among the animal kingdom. They can be found in worms, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, including rodents, non-human primates and humans. In particular, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has attracted the attention of scientists due to its profound effects on social behavior. However, although both the neuropeptide and its receptor are identical in rodents and primates, the effects of OT vary greatly in the two species. Here, we provide a brief overview about OT's role in the evolution of mammals and provide reasons for the manifold effects of OT within the brain with a particular focus on the discrepancy of OT's effects in rodents and primates. In addition, we suggest new approaches towards improvement of translatability of scientific studies and highlight the most recent advances in animal models for autism spectrum disorder, a disease, in which the normal function of the OT system seems to be impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Althammer
- Schaller Research Group on Neuropeptides at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Cell Network Cluster of Excellence at the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Valery Grinevich
- Schaller Research Group on Neuropeptides at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Cell Network Cluster of Excellence at the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI), Mannheim, Germany
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Grinevich V, Stoop R. Interplay between Oxytocin and Sensory Systems in the Orchestration of Socio-Emotional Behaviors. Neuron 2018; 99:887-904. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Boose K, White F, Brand C, Meinelt A, Snodgrass J. Infant handling in bonobos (Pan paniscus): Exploring functional hypotheses and the relationship to oxytocin. Physiol Behav 2018; 193:154-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Luyten P, Fonagy P. The stress–reward–mentalizing model of depression: An integrative developmental cascade approach to child and adolescent depressive disorder based on the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) approach. Clin Psychol Rev 2018; 64:87-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Luberto CM, Shinday N, Song R, Philpotts LL, Park ER, Fricchione GL, Yeh GY. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors. Mindfulness (N Y) 2018; 9:708-724. [PMID: 30100929 PMCID: PMC6081743 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-017-0841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Increased attention has focused on methods to increase empathy, compassion, and pro-social behavior. Meditation practices have traditionally been used to cultivate pro-social outcomes, and recently investigations have sought to evaluate their efficacy for these outcomes. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of meditation for pro-social emotions and behavior. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane databases (inception-April 2016) using the search terms: mindfulness, meditation, mind-body therapies, tai chi, yoga, MBSR, MBCT, empathy, compassion, love, altruism, sympathy, or kindness. Randomized controlled trials in any population were included (26 studies with 1,714 subjects). Most were conducted among healthy adults (n=11) using compassion or loving kindness meditation (n=18) over 8-12weeks (n=12) in a group format (n=17). Most control groups were wait-list or no-treatment (n=15). Outcome measures included self-reported emotions (e.g., composite scores, validated measures) and observed behavioral outcomes (e.g., helping behavior in real-world and simulated settings). Many studies showed a low risk of bias. Results demonstrated small to medium effects of meditation on self-reported (SMD = .40, p < .001) and observable outcomes (SMD = .45, p < .001) and suggest psychosocial and neurophysiological mechanisms of action. Subgroup analyses also supported small to medium effects of meditation even when compared to active control groups. Clinicians and meditation teachers should be aware that meditation can improve positive pro-social emotions and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Luberto
- Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of
Psychiatry, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
- Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital, 151 Merrimac St, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
| | - Nina Shinday
- Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, 1309 Brookline Avenue, Boston MA,
USA, 02445
| | - Rhayun Song
- Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea, 6 Munwha 1-Dong,
Jung-Gu, Dae Jeon, 301-747
| | - Lisa L. Philpotts
- Treadwell Library, Massachusetts General Hospital, 125 Nashua
Street, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
| | - Elyse R. Park
- Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of
Psychiatry, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
- Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital, 151 Merrimac St, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
| | - Gregory L. Fricchione
- Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of
Psychiatry, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
- Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital, 151 Merrimac St, Boston, MA, USA, 02114
| | - Gloria Y. Yeh
- Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, 1309 Brookline Avenue, Boston MA,
USA, 02445
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Strathearn L, Kim S, Bastian DA, Jung J, Iyengar U, Martinez S, Goin-Kochel RP, Fonagy P. Visual systemizing preference in children with autism: A randomized controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:511-521. [PMID: 28712371 PMCID: PMC5771998 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have suggested that the neuropeptide oxytocin may enhance aspects of social communication in autism. Little is known, however, about its effects on nonsocial manifestations, such as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. In the empathizing-systemizing theory of autism, social deficits are described along the continuum of empathizing ability, whereas nonsocial aspects are characterized in terms of an increased preference for patterned or rule-based systems, called systemizing. We therefore developed an automated eye-tracking task to test whether children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to matched controls display a visual preference for more highly organized and structured (systemized) real-life images. Then, as part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, we examined the effect of intranasal oxytocin on systemizing preferences in 16 male children with ASD, compared with 16 matched controls. Participants viewed 14 slides, each containing four related pictures (e.g., of people, animals, scenes, or objects) that differed primarily on the degree of systemizing. Visual systemizing preference was defined in terms of the fixation time and count for each image. Unlike control subjects who showed no gaze preference, individuals with ASD preferred to fixate on more highly systemized pictures. Intranasal oxytocin eliminated this preference in ASD participants, who now showed a similar response to control subjects on placebo. In contrast, control participants increased their visual preference for more systemized images after receiving oxytocin versus placebo. These results suggest that, in addition to its effects on social communication, oxytocin may play a role in some of the nonsocial manifestations of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lane Strathearn
- University of Iowa
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Texas Children's Hospital
| | - Sohye Kim
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Texas Children's Hospital
| | - D Anthony Bastian
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Fonagy
- Baylor College of Medicine
- University College London
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Tse WS, Siu AFY, Wong TKY. How does maternal oxytocin influence children's mental health problem and maternal mental health problem? Psychiatry Res 2017; 258:124-129. [PMID: 28992549 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.09.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to explore the interrelationship among maternal oxytocin (OT) responsiveness, maternal mental health, maternal parenting behavior, and mental health of children under a free-play interaction. 61 mother-child dyads were recruited for the study. Maternal mental health problem and parenting self-efficacy were measured using self-reported questionnaires. The mental health problems of children were also evaluated using a mother-reported questionnaire. Furthermore, salivary OT was collected before and after a standardized 10min free-play interaction. Parenting behaviors, including eye gaze and touch, were measured during the free-play interaction. Maternal OT responsiveness was significantly associated with less maternal mental health problem, touch frequency, and mental health problem of children but not with parenting self-efficacy. In the multivariate linear regression analysis that considers maternal OT responsiveness and maternal and children's mental health problems, maternal OT responsiveness was not associated with the mental health problems of children. This result suggested that maternal mental health problem played a mediational role between maternal OT responsiveness and the mental health problem of children. Results supported the assertion that maternal OT responsiveness contributed to the increased risk of maternal mental health problems and, subsequently, the risk of mental health problems of their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai S Tse
- School of Arts and Humanities, Tung Wah College, 90A Shantung Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Angela F Y Siu
- Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Tracy K Y Wong
- School of Life Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
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Kim S, Iyengar U, Mayes LC, Potenza MN, Rutherford HJV, Strathearn L. Mothers with substance addictions show reduced reward responses when viewing their own infant's face. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:5421-5439. [PMID: 28746733 PMCID: PMC5763911 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal addiction constitutes a major public health problem affecting children, with high rates of abuse, neglect, and foster care placement. However, little is known about the ways in which substance addiction alters brain function related to maternal behavior. Prior studies have shown that infant face cues activate similar dopamine-associated brain reward regions to substances of abuse. Here, we report on a functional MRI study documenting that mothers with addictions demonstrate reduced activation of reward regions when shown reward-related cues of their own infants. Thirty-six mothers receiving inpatient treatment for substance addiction were scanned at 6 months postpartum, while viewing happy and sad face images of their own infant compared to those of a matched unknown infant. When viewing happy face images of their own infant, mothers with addictions showed a striking pattern of decreased activation in dopamine- and oxytocin-innervated brain regions, including the hypothalamus, ventral striatum, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex-regions in which increased activation has previously been observed in mothers without addictions. Our results are the first to demonstrate that mothers with addictions show reduced activation in key reward regions of the brain in response to their own infant's face cues. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5421-5439, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohye Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTexasUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics and Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTexasUnited States
- Center for Reproductive Psychiatry, Pavilion for Women, Texas Children's HospitalHoustonTexasUnited States
| | - Udita Iyengar
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Linda C. Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUnited States
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUnited States
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASAColumbia)Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUnited States
- Connecticut Mental Health CenterNew HavenConnecticutUnited States
| | - Helena J. V. Rutherford
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUnited States
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Department of Pediatrics and Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTexasUnited States
- Stead Family Department of PediatricsUniversity of Iowa Carver College of MedicineIowa CityIowaUnited States
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King L, Robins S, Chen G, Yerko V, Zhou Y, Nagy C, Feeley N, Gold I, Hayton B, Turecki G, Zelkowitz P. Perinatal depression and DNA methylation of oxytocin-related genes: a study of mothers and their children. Horm Behav 2017; 96:84-94. [PMID: 28918249 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated the association of perinatal depression (PD) with differential methylation of 3 genomic regions among mother and child dyads: exon 3 within the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and 2 intergenic regions (IGR) between the oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) genes. Maternal PD was assessed at 5 time-points during pregnancy and postpartum. Four groups were established based on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) cut-off scores: no PD, prenatal or postpartum depressive symptoms only and persistent PD (depressive symptoms both prenatally and postpartum). Salivary DNA was collected from mothers and children at the final time-point, 2.9years postpartum. Mothers with persistent PD had significantly higher overall OXTR methylation than the other groups and this pattern extended to 16/22 individual CpG sites. For the IGR, only the region closer to the AVP gene (AVP IGR) showed significant differential methylation, with the persistent PD group displaying the lowest levels of methylation overall, but not for individual CpG sites. These results suggest that transient episodes of depression may not be associated with OXTR hypermethylation. Validation studies need to confirm the downstream biological effects of AVP IGR hypomethylation as it relates to persistent PD. Differential methylation of the OXTR and IGR regions was not observed among children exposed to maternal PD. The consequences of OXTR hypermethylation and AVP IGR hypomethylation found in mothers with persistent PDS may not only impact the OXT system, but may also compromise maternal behavior, potentially resulting in negative outcomes for the developing child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonora King
- Jewish General Hospital, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research & McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stephanie Robins
- Jewish General Hospital & Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gang Chen
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Volodymyr Yerko
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yi Zhou
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nancy Feeley
- Centre for Nursing Research, Jewish General Hospital & McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ian Gold
- Department of Philosophy & Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Barbara Hayton
- Jewish General Hospital & McGill University, Department of Psychiatry & Family Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute & McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Phyllis Zelkowitz
- Jewish General Hospital, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research & McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Cherepanov SM, Akther S, Nishimura T, Shabalova AA, Mizuno A, Ichinose W, Shuto S, Yamamoto Y, Yokoyama S, Higashida H. Effects of Three Lipidated Oxytocin Analogs on Behavioral Deficits in CD38 Knockout Mice. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7100132. [PMID: 29035307 PMCID: PMC5664059 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7100132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a nonapeptide that plays an important role in social behavior. Nasal administration of OT has been shown to improve trust in healthy humans and social interaction in autistic subjects. As is consistent with the nature of a peptide, OT has some unfavorable characteristics: it has a short half-life in plasma and shows poor permeability across the blood-brain barrier. Analogs with long-lasting effects may overcome these drawbacks. To this end, we have synthesized three analogs: lipo-oxytocin-1 (LOT-1), in which two palmitoyl groups are conjugated to the cysteine and tyrosine residues, lipo-oxytocin-2 (LOT-2) and lipo-oxytocin-3 (LOT-3), which include one palmitoyl group conjugated at the cysteine or tyrosine residue, respectively. The following behavioral deficits were observed in CD38 knockout (CD38−/−) mice: a lack of paternal nurturing in CD38−/− sires, decreased ability for social recognition, and decreased sucrose consumption. OT demonstrated the ability to recover these disturbances to the level of wild-type mice for 30 min after injection. LOT-2 and LOT-3 partially recovered the behaviors for a short period. Conversely, LOT-1 restored the behavioral parameters, not for 30 min, but for 24 h. These data suggest that the lipidation of OT has some therapeutic benefits, and LOT-1 would be most useful because of its long-last activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav M Cherepanov
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Shirin Akther
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Tomoko Nishimura
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Anna A Shabalova
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Akira Mizuno
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Wataru Ichinose
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Yasuhiko Yamamoto
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Shigeru Yokoyama
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
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Okamoto Y, Ishitobi M, Wada Y, Kosaka H. The Potential of Nasal Oxytocin Administration for Remediation of Autism Spectrum Disorders. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2017; 15:564-77. [PMID: 27071789 PMCID: PMC5080861 DOI: 10.2174/1871527315666160413120845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Administration of oxytocin has been proposed as a treatment for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including social-communicative deficit. Previous clinical trials have investigated the efficacy and safety of oxytocin intranasal single-dose and long-term administration for individuals with ASD. All studies suggest that single-dose and long-term administration are well tolerated, and no severe adverse events have been reported. However, the efficacy of long-term oxytocin administration is controversial. Some studies have reported significant improvement of the core symptoms of ASD by long-term oxytocin administration, while other studies showed no such improvement. To elucidate the factors influencing the efficacy of oxytocin administration, it is necessary to examine the effects of administration schedules (e.g., dosage amount, frequency per day) and participant characteristics (e.g., age, sex, intellectual ability). In addition to doubts about the efficacy of particular methods of administration, questions remain about the mechanism of action of intranasal oxytocin on the central nervous system. Examination of changes in the neural underpinnings of social behavior and simultaneous oxytocin levels in blood or cerebrospinal fluid could prove important in elucidating the pharmacokinetics of intranasal oxytocin administration, which could be essential for establishing optimal oxytocin treatments for individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hirotaka Kosaka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
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Szymanska M, Schneider M, Chateau-Smith C, Nezelof S, Vulliez-Coady L. Psychophysiological effects of oxytocin on parent-child interactions: A literature review on oxytocin and parent-child interactions. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 71:690-705. [PMID: 28573830 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), often called the 'hormone of love' or 'hormone of attachment,' plays a fundamental role in the establishment and quality of parent-infant bonding. However, emerging evidence indicates that OT can also produce antisocial behavior. To clarify these effects, we review studies examining the role of endogenous and exogenous OT on several determinants of attachment: parental sensitivity, and bonding or synchrony in parent-child dyads. Contextual and individual factors moderating the effect of intranasal OT and its peripheral levels are also reviewed. Finally, potential therapeutic applications for OT and current limitations in human OT research are examined. This systematic literature review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with two electronic databases and other bibliographic sources. We identified a total of 47 relevant studies for inclusion in our review. Most of the findings are in accordance with recent ideas that OT administration may increase parent-child prosocial interaction, showing that OT exerts beneficial effects on processes thought to promote bonding, sensitivity, and synchrony. However, we found that OT can induce antisocial behavior (e.g., anxiety) or adverse effects (modulation of maternal care recollections) that are moderated by different contextual (e.g., maltreatment level, presence of unfamiliar people) and individual (attachment style) factors. This review reinforces the importance of context- and individual-dependent factors, which must be taken into account when analyzing the psychophysiological effects of OT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szymanska
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France
| | - Marie Schneider
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Carmela Chateau-Smith
- Science and Technology Department, Training and Research Unit: Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, Dijon, France
| | - Sylvie Nezelof
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
| | - Lauriane Vulliez-Coady
- Science and Technology Department, Laboratory of Integrative and Clinical Neuroscience, EA 481, University of Burgundy Franche-Comté, COMUE Burgundy, CHRU Besançon, France.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Regional Hospital, Besançon, France
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Schladt TM, Nordmann GC, Emilius R, Kudielka BM, de Jong TR, Neumann ID. Choir versus Solo Singing: Effects on Mood, and Salivary Oxytocin and Cortisol Concentrations. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:430. [PMID: 28959197 PMCID: PMC5603757 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The quantification of salivary oxytocin (OXT) concentrations emerges as a helpful tool to assess peripheral OXT secretion at baseline and after various challenges in healthy and clinical populations. Both positive social interactions and stress are known to induce OXT secretion, but the relative influence of either of these triggers is not well delineated. Choir singing is an activity known to improve mood and to induce feelings of social closeness, and may therefore be used to investigate the effects of positive social experiences on OXT system activity. We quantified mood and salivary OXT and cortisol (CORT) concentrations before, during, and after both choir and solo singing performed in a randomized order in the same participants (repeated measures). Happiness was increased, and worry and sadness as well as salivary CORT concentrations were reduced, after both choir and solo singing. Surprisingly, salivary OXT concentrations were significantly reduced after choir singing, but did not change in response to solo singing. Salivary OXT concentrations showed high intra-individual stability, whereas salivary CORT concentrations fluctuated between days within participants. The present data indicate that the social experience of choir singing does not induce peripheral OXT secretion, as indicated by unchanged salivary OXT levels. Rather, the reduction of stress/arousal experienced during choir singing may lead to an inhibition of peripheral OXT secretion. These data are important for the interpretation of future reports on salivary OXT concentrations, and emphasize the need to strictly control for stress/arousal when designing similar experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Moritz Schladt
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Gregory C Nordmann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Roman Emilius
- University Choir Regensburg, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Brigitte M Kudielka
- Department of Medical Psychology, Psychological Diagnostics and Research Methodology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Trynke R de Jong
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
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Oxytocin in the postnatal period: Associations with attachment and maternal caregiving. Compr Psychiatry 2017; 76:56-68. [PMID: 28431269 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated the associations of maternal oxytocin, self-reported attachment insecurity and depressive symptoms with maternal caregiving sensitivity at 3-4months postpartum, observed during the 'free play' and 'reunion' episodes of the Still Face Procedure. METHODS 112 mothers completed questionnaires and gave blood samples to determine oxytocin plasma levels before (time 1) and after participating in the Still Face Procedure with their infant (time 2). RESULTS Sensitive maternal caregiving during the free play episode was predicted by 'good' infant behavior; during the reunion episode it was predicted by 'good' infant behavior, higher baseline levels of maternal oxytocin and a greater maternal oxytocin response, or in other words, a larger increase in maternal oxytocin level from time 1 to time 2. With other variables free to vary, baseline maternal oxytocin levels mediated an inverse relation between maternal adult attachment avoidance and sensitive maternal caregiving during the reunion episode. CONCLUSION Results highlight the association between oxytocin and sensitive maternal caregiving and suggest that oxytocin is a biological mechanism through which maternal attachment insecurity affects early parenting quality.
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