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Hellwig AF, Wroblewski KL, Krol KM, Connelly JJ, Allen JP. Epigenetic regulation of the oxytocin system as an indicator of adaptation to over-controlling parenting and psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 168:107123. [PMID: 39002450 PMCID: PMC11332246 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107123] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The oxytocin system plays a role in social stress adaptation, and this role is likely to be particularly important in adolescence. One method of regulating the oxytocin system is through DNA methylation in the promoter of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm), which reduces the gene's expression. This multi-method, longitudinal study, using a diverse community sample of 184 adolescents followed from age 13-28, examined the links between OXTRm and exposure to over-controlling parenting in adolescence and conflict with romantic partners and internalizing symptoms in adulthood. Female, but not male, adolescents who were exposed to psychologically controlling parenting at age 13 had lower levels of OXTRm at site -924 at age 28. Reduced OXTRm at site -924 was associated with greater romantic partner-reported relationship conflict at age 27, and reduced OXTRm at site -934 was marginally associated with greater participant-reported conflict for males. Reduced OXTRm at site -924 was also associated with fewer internalizing symptoms at ages 24-25. These results in adulthood are consistent with an upregulated oxytocin system reducing the salience of negative socioemotional stimuli. Overall, findings are consistent with oxytocin playing a role in the stress response system, and more specifically, by helping us to adapt to social environments like parenting and romantic relationships, reducing the salience of negativity, and reducing risk for common emotional problems.
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2
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Spencer H, Parianen Lesemann FH, Buisman RSM, Kraaijenvanger EJ, Branje S, Boks MPM, Bos PA. Facing infant cuteness: How nurturing care motivation and oxytocin system gene methylation are associated with responses to baby schema features. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105595. [PMID: 38972246 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Baby schema features are a specific set of physical features-including chubby cheeks, large, low-set eyes, and a large, round head-that have evolutionary adaptive value in their ability to trigger nurturant care. In this study among nulliparous women (N = 81; M age = 23.60, SD = 0.44), we examined how sensitivity to these baby schema features differs based on individual variations in nurturant care motivation and oxytocin system gene methylation. We integrated subjective ratings with measures of facial expressions and electroencephalography (EEG) in response to infant faces that were manipulated to contain more or less pronounced baby schema features. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that infants with more pronounced baby schema features were rated as cuter and participants indicated greater motivation to take care of them. Furthermore, infants with more pronounced baby schema features elicited stronger smiling responses and enhanced P2 and LPP amplitudes compared to infants with less pronounced baby schema features. Importantly, individual differences significantly predicted baby schema effects. Specifically, women with low OXTR methylation and high nurturance motivation showed enhanced differentiation in automatic neurophysiological responses to infants with high and low levels of baby schema features. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in continued research to further understand the complexities of sensitivity to child cues, including facial features, which will improve our understanding of the intricate neurobiological system that forms the basis of caregiving behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Spencer
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Renate S M Buisman
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Eline J Kraaijenvanger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim /Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Susan Branje
- Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marco P M Boks
- Brain Centre University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter A Bos
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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3
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Cuyvers B, Ein-Dor T, Houbrechts M, Freson K, Goossens L, Van Den Noortgate W, van Leeuwen K, Bijttebier P, Claes S, Turner J, Chubar V, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Bosmans G. Exploring the role of OXTR gene methylation in attachment development: A longitudinal study. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22496. [PMID: 38689124 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The current study explored longitudinally whether oxytocin receptor gene methylation (OXTRm) changes moderated the association between parental sensitivity changes and children's attachment changes over three waves. Six hundred six Flemish children (10-12 years, 42.8%-44.8% boys) completed attachment measures and provided salivary OXTRm data on seven CpG sites. Their parents reported their sensitive parenting. Results suggest that OXTRm changes hardly link to attachment (in)security changes after the age of 10. Some support was found for interaction effects between parental sensitivity changes and OXTRm changes on attachment changes over time. Effects suggest that for children with increased OXTRm in the promotor region and decreased methylation in the inhibitor region over time, increased parental sensitivity was associated with increased secure attachment and decreased insecure attachment over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bien Cuyvers
- Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tsachi Ein-Dor
- Social Sciences, School of Psychology, Reichman University Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | | | - Kathleen Freson
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luc Goossens
- School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Karla van Leeuwen
- Family and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patricia Bijttebier
- School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan Claes
- Research Group Psychiatry, UZ Leuven-KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Turner
- Immune Endocrine Epigenetics Research Group, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Viktoria Chubar
- Research Group Psychiatry, UZ Leuven-KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- William James Center for Research, ISPA University Institute of sychological, Social and Life Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Attachment Research, the New School for Social Research, New York, USA
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
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Gallazzi M, Pizzolante M, Biganzoli EM, Bollati V. Wonder symphony: epigenetics and the enchantment of the arts. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2024; 10:dvae001. [PMID: 38496252 PMCID: PMC10944288 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetics, the study of heritable changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, has gained significant attention due to its implications for gene regulation and chromatin stability. Epigenetic mechanisms play a fundamental role in gene-environment interactions, shaping individual development and adaptation. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs are key epigenetic regulators. Epigenetic changes can be triggered by environmental factors, including stress, toxins, and social interactions, influencing health and well-being. Positive experiences, such as engagement with the arts, have been linked to emotional responses and neurotransmitter release. While the impacts of detrimental factors on epigenetics have been widely studied, the effects of positive influences are less explored. Specifically, visual art and music have profound effects on emotions, cognition, and mood regulation. Exposure to arts enhances memory, reduces stress, and fosters social inclusion. Recent research has begun to explore the links between positive experiences and epigenetic modifications, suggesting that aesthetic experiences, including visual art and music fruition, might induce dynamic and/or stable changes in gene expression profiles. However, this field is in its infancy, and more research is needed to establish clear connections. Collaborative efforts among genetics, epigenetics, neuroscience, psychology, and the arts are essential for a comprehensive understanding. Longitudinal studies tracking sustained exposure to positive experiences and examining the influence of childhood artistic education on the biological bases of therapeutic effects of art and music are promising avenues for future research. Ultimately, understanding how positive experiences influence epigenetics could provide insights into the long-term enhancement of human well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gallazzi
- Catholic University of Milan, Milan 20123, Italy
- EPIGET LAB, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via San Barnaba 8, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Marta Pizzolante
- Research Center in Communication Psychology (PSICOM), Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan 20123, Italy
| | - Elia Mario Biganzoli
- Unit of Medical Statistics, Bioinformatics and Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (DIBIC), University of Milan, Via Giovanni Battista Grassi, 74, Milan 20157, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Research and Medical Statistics, Ospedale “L. Sacco” LITA Campus, Via Giovanni Battista Grassi, 74 Milan 20157, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET LAB, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via San Barnaba 8, Milan 20122, Italy
- Occupational Health Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via San Barnaba 8, Milan 20122, Italy
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5
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Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Tibermont L, Tang T, Evenepoel M, Van der Donck S, Debbaut E, Prinsen J, Chubar V, Claes S, Vanaudenaerde B, Willems L, Steyaert J, Boets B, Alaerts K. Chronic oxytocin administration stimulates the oxytocinergic system in children with autism. Nat Commun 2024; 15:58. [PMID: 38167302 PMCID: PMC10762037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44334-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical efficacy of intranasal administration of oxytocin is increasingly explored in autism spectrum disorder, but to date, the biological effects of chronic administration regimes on endogenous oxytocinergic function are largely unknown. Here exploratory biological assessments from a completed randomized, placebo-controlled trial showed that children with autism (n = 79, 16 females) receiving intranasal oxytocin for four weeks (12 IU, twice daily) displayed significantly higher salivary oxytocin levels 24 hours after the last oxytocin nasal spray administration, but no longer at a four-week follow up session. Regarding salivary oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) epigenetics (DNA-methylation), oxytocin-induced reductions in OXTR DNA-methylation were observed, suggesting a facilitation of oxytocin receptor expression in the oxytocin compared to the placebo group. Notably, heightened oxytocin levels post-treatment were significantly associated with reduced OXTR DNA-methylation and improved feelings of secure attachment. These findings indicate that four weeks of chronic oxytocin administration stimulated the endogenous oxytocinergic system in children with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthijs Moerkerke
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Tibermont
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Margaux Evenepoel
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Van der Donck
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Edward Debbaut
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stephan Claes
- University Psychiatric Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Vanaudenaerde
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lynn Willems
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Marzoratti A, Liu ME, Krol KM, Sjobeck GR, Lipscomb DJ, Hofkens TL, Boker SM, Pelphrey KA, Connelly JJ, Evans TM. Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with child-parent neural synchrony during competition. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101302. [PMID: 37734257 PMCID: PMC10518595 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Interpersonal neural synchrony (INS) occurs when neural electrical activity temporally aligns between individuals during social interactions. It has been used as a metric for interpersonal closeness, often during naturalistic child-parent interactions. This study evaluated whether other biological correlates of social processing predicted the prevalence of INS during child-parent interactions, and whether their observed cooperativity modulated this association. Child-parent dyads (n = 27) performed a visuospatial tower-building task in cooperative and competitive conditions. Neural activity was recorded using mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, and experimenters coded video-recordings post-hoc for behavioral attunement. DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) was measured, an epigenetic modification associated with reduced oxytocin activity and socioemotional functioning. Greater INS during competition was associated with lower child OXTRm, while greater behavioral attunement during competition and cooperation was associated with higher parent OXTRm. These differential relationships suggest that interpersonal dynamics as measured by INS may be similarly reflected by other biological markers of social functioning, irrespective of observed behavior. Children's self-perceived communication skill also showed opposite associations with parent and child OXTRm, suggesting complex relationships between children's and their parents' social functioning. Our findings have implications for ongoing developmental research, supporting the utility of biological metrics in characterizing interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analia Marzoratti
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Megan E Liu
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Gus R Sjobeck
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daniel J Lipscomb
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Tara L Hofkens
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Steven M Boker
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Tanya M Evans
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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7
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Evenepoel M, Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Chubar V, Claes S, Turner J, Vanaudenaerde B, Willems L, Verhaeghe J, Prinsen J, Steyaert J, Boets B, Alaerts K. Endogenous oxytocin levels in children with autism: Associations with cortisol levels and oxytocin receptor gene methylation. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:235. [PMID: 37391413 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02524-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the brain's oxytocinergic system have been suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but insights from pediatric populations are sparse. Here, salivary oxytocin was examined in the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) in school-aged children with (n = 80) and without (n = 40) ASD (boys/girls 4/1), and also characterizations of DNA methylation (DNAm) of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) were obtained. Further, cortisol levels were assessed to examine links between the oxytocinergic system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis signaling. Children with ASD displayed altered (diminished) oxytocin levels in the morning, but not in the afternoon, after a mildly stress-inducing social interaction session. Notably, in the control group, higher oxytocin levels at AM were associated with lower stress-induced cortisol at PM, likely reflective of a protective stress-regulatory mechanism for buffering HPA stress activity. In children with ASD, on the other hand, a significant rise in oxytocin levels from the morning to the afternoon was associated with a higher stress-induced cortisol release in the afternoon, likely reflective of a more reactive stress regulatory release of oxytocin for reactively coping with heightened HPA activity. Regarding epigenetic modifications, no overall pattern of OXTR hypo- or hypermethylation was evident in ASD. In control children, a notable association between OXTR methylation and levels of cortisol at PM was evident, likely indicative of a compensatory downregulation of OXTR methylation (higher oxytocin receptor expression) in children with heightened HPA axis activity. Together, these observations bear important insights into altered oxytocinergic signaling in ASD, which may aid in establishing relevant biomarkers for diagnostic and/or treatment evaluation purposes targeting the oxytocinergic system in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Evenepoel
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthijs Moerkerke
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicky Daniels
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stephan Claes
- University Psychiatric Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Turner
- Luxembourg Institute of Health, Department of Infection and Immunity, Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Bart Vanaudenaerde
- KU Leuven, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lynn Willems
- KU Leuven, Department of Chronic Illness and Metabolism, Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Verhaeghe
- KU Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Research Group Woman and Child, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jellina Prinsen
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- KU Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Leuven, Belgium.
- KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Leuven, Belgium.
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Weber S, Bühler J, Vanini G, Loukas S, Bruckmaier R, Aybek S. Identification of biopsychological trait markers in functional neurological disorders. Brain 2023; 146:2627-2641. [PMID: 36417451 PMCID: PMC10232283 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is a well-known risk factor to develop a functional neurological disorder, a frequent neuropsychiatric medical condition in which patients experience a variety of disabling neurological symptoms. Only little is known about biological stress regulation, and how it interacts with predisposing biological and psychosocial risk factors. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with functional neurological disorders has been postulated, but its relationship to preceding psychological trauma and brain anatomical changes remains to be elucidated. We set out to study the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis analysing the cortisol awakening response and diurnal baseline cortisol in 86 patients with mixed functional neurological symptoms compared to 76 healthy controls. We then examined the association between cortisol regulation and the severity and duration of traumatic life events. Finally, we analysed volumetric brain alterations in brain regions particularly sensitive to psychosocial stress, acting on the assumption of the neurotoxic effect of prolonged cortisol exposure. Overall, patients had a significantly flatter cortisol awakening response (P < 0.001) and reported longer (P = 0.01) and more severe (P < 0.001) emotional neglect as compared to healthy controls. Moreover, volumes of the bilateral amygdala and hippocampus were found to be reduced in patients. Using a partial least squares correlation, we found that in patients, emotional neglect plays a role in the multivariate pattern between trauma history and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, while cortisol did not relate to reduced brain volumes. This suggests that psychological stress acts as a precipitating psychosocial risk factor, whereas a reduced brain volume rather represents a biological predisposing trait marker for the disorder. Contrarily, an inverse relationship between brain volume and cortisol was found in healthy controls, representing a potential neurotoxic effect of cortisol. These findings support the theory of reduced subcortical volumes representing a predisposing trait factor in functional neurological disorders, rather than a state effect of the illness. In summary, this study supports a stress-diathesis model for functional neurological disorders and showed an association between different attributes of trauma history and abnormalities in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Moreover, we suggest that reduced hippocampal and amygdalar volumes represent a biological 'trait marker' for functional neurological disorder patients, which might contribute to a reduced resilience to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Weber
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine Unit, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB), University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Janine Bühler
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine Unit, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences (GHS), University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Vanini
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine Unit, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Serafeim Loukas
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine Unit, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rupert Bruckmaier
- Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Selma Aybek
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine Unit, Inselspital Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
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9
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Oxytocin receptor DNA methylation is associated with exogenous oxytocin needs during parturition and postpartum hemorrhage. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:11. [PMID: 36707542 PMCID: PMC9882749 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00244-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is regulated, in part, by DNA methylation. This mechanism has implications for uterine contractility during labor and for prevention or treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, an important contributor to global maternal morbidity and mortality. METHODS We measured and compared the level of OXTR DNA methylation between matched blood and uterine myometrium to evaluate blood as an indicator of uterine methylation status using targeted pyrosequencing and sites from the Illumina EPIC Array. Next, we tested for OXTR DNA methylation differences in blood between individuals who experienced a postpartum hemorrhage arising from uterine atony and matched controls following vaginal birth. Bivariate statistical tests, generalized linear modeling and Poisson regression were used in the analyses. RESULTS Here we show a significant positive correlation between blood and uterine DNA methylation levels at several OXTR loci. Females with higher OXTR DNA methylation in blood had required significantly more exogenous oxytocin during parturition. With higher DNA methylation, those who had oxytocin administered during labor had significantly greater relative risk for postpartum hemorrhage (IRR 2.95, 95% CI 1.53-5.71). CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that epigenetic variability in OXTR is associated with the amount of oxytocin administered during parturition and moderates subsequent postpartum hemorrhage. Methylation can be measured using a peripheral tissue, suggesting potential use in identifying individuals susceptible to postpartum hemorrhage. Future studies are needed to quantify myometrial gene expression in connection with OXTR methylation.
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Nazzari S, Grumi S, Villa M, Mambretti F, Biasucci G, Decembrino L, Giacchero R, Magnani ML, Nacinovich R, Prefumo F, Spinillo A, Veggiotti P, Fullone E, Giorda R, Provenzi L. Sex-dependent association between variability in infants' OXTR methylation at birth and negative affectivity at 3 months. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 145:105920. [PMID: 36108459 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex-specific differences in DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) have been shown in adults and are related to several mental disorders. Negative affectivity early in life is a trans-diagnostic risk marker of later psychopathology and is partly under genetic control. However, sex-specific variations in OXTR methylation (OXTRm) in infants and their associations with negative affectivity are still unknown. AIMS Here, we explored sex differences in the association between infant OXTRm at birth and negative affectivity at 3 months of age. METHODS Infants and their mothers (N = 224) were recruited at delivery. Infants' methylation status was assessed in 13 CpG sites within the OXTR gene intron 1 region (chr3: 8810654-8810919) in buccal cells at birth while 3-month-old infants' negative affectivity was assessed by mothers using a well-validated temperament questionnaire. RESULTS OXTRm at 12 CpG sites was higher in females than in males. Moreover, higher infants' OXTRm at 6 specific CpG sites was associated with greater negative affectivity in males, but not in females. CONCLUSIONS These results provide new insights into the role of sex-dependent epigenetic mechanisms linking OXTRm with early infants' emotional development. Understanding the degree to which epigenetic processes relate to early temperamental variations may help inform the etiology of later childhood psychopathological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Grumi
- Developmental Psychobiology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Villa
- Molecular Biology Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Fabiana Mambretti
- Molecular Biology Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Giacomo Biasucci
- Department of Pediatrics & Neonatology, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Lidia Decembrino
- Unità Operativa di Pediatria e Nido, ASST Pavia, Vigevano, Italy
| | | | | | - Renata Nacinovich
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy; School of Medicine and Surgery & Milan Center for Neuroscience, Università Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Prefumo
- Unit of Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Arsenio Spinillo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic, and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Veggiotti
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, L. Sacco, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Fullone
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto Giorda
- Molecular Biology Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Developmental Psychobiology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
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11
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Neuroimaging genetics of oxytocin: A transcriptomics-informed systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104912. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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12
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Brzozowska A, Longo MR, Mareschal D, Wiesemann F, Gliga T. Oxytocin but not naturally occurring variation in caregiver touch associates with infant social orienting. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22290. [PMID: 35748632 PMCID: PMC9328151 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Caregiver touch is crucial for infants’ healthy development, but its role in shaping infant cognition has been relatively understudied. In particular, despite strong premises to hypothesize its function in directing infant attention to social information, little empirical evidence exists on the topic. In this study, we investigated the associations between naturally occurring variation in caregiver touch and infant social attention in a group of 6‐ to 13‐month‐old infants (n = 71). Additionally, we measured infant salivary oxytocin as a possible mediator of the effects of touch on infant social attention. The hypothesized effects were investigated both short term, with respect to touch observed during parent–infant interactions in the lab, and long term, with respect to parent‐reported patterns of everyday touching behaviors. We did not find evidence that caregiver touch predicts infant social attention or salivary oxytocin levels, short term or long term. However, we found that salivary oxytocin predicted infant preferential attention to faces relative to nonsocial objects, measured in an eye‐tracking task. Our findings confirm the involvement of oxytocin in social orienting in infancy, but raise questions regarding the possible environmental factors influencing the infant oxytocin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Brzozowska
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.,Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew R Longo
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Denis Mareschal
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Frank Wiesemann
- Baby Care, Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Schwalbach am Taunus, Germany
| | - Teodora Gliga
- Department of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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13
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Melino S, Mormone E. On the Interplay Between the Medicine of Hildegard of Bingen and Modern Medicine: The Role of Estrogen Receptor as an Example of Biodynamic Interface for Studying the Chronic Disease's Complexity. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:745138. [PMID: 35712451 PMCID: PMC9196248 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.745138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) interpreted the origins of chronic disease highlighting and anticipating, although only in a limited fashion, the importance that complex interactions among numerous genetic, internal milieu and external environmental factors have in determining the disease phenotype. Today, we recognize those factors, capable of mediating the transmission of messages between human body and environment and vice versa, as biodynamic interfaces. Aim We analyzed, in the light of modern scientific evidence, Hildegard of Bingen's medical approach and her original humoral theory in order to identify possible insights included in her medicine that could be referred to in the context of modern evidence-based medicine. In particular, the abbess's humoral theory suggests the identification of biodynamic interfaces with sex hormones and their receptors. Findings We found that the Hildegardian holistic vision of the organism-environment relationship can actually represent a visionary approach to modern endocrinology and that sex hormones, in particular estrogens, could represent an example of a biodynamic interface. Estrogen receptors are found in regions of the brain involved in emotional and cognitive regulation, controlling the molecular mechanism of brain function. Estrogen receptors are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in the epigenetic regulation of responses to physiological, social, and hormonal stimuli. Furthermore, estrogen affects gene methylation on its own and related receptor promoters in discrete regions of the developing brain. This scenario was strikingly perceived by the abbess in the XIIth century, and depicted as a complex interplay among different humors and flegmata that she recognized to be sex specific and environmentally regulated. Viewpoint Considering the function played by hormones, analyzed through the last scientific evidence, and scientific literature on biodynamic interfaces, we could suggest Hildegardian insights and theories as the first attempt to describe the modern holistic, sex-based medicine. Conclusion Hildegard anticipated a concept of pathogenesis that sees a central role for endocrinology in sex-specific disease. Furthermore, estrogens and estrogen receptors could represent a good example of molecular interfaces capable of modulating the interaction between the organism internal milieu and the environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Melino
- Research Unit of Philosophy of Science and Human Development, Faculty of Science and Technology for Humans and the Environment, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Mormone
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Institute for Stem-Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies, Foggia, Italy
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14
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Chajes JR, Stern JA, Kelsey CM, Grossmann T. Examining the Role of Socioeconomic Status and Maternal Sensitivity in Predicting Functional Brain Network Connectivity in 5-Month-Old Infants. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:892482. [PMID: 35757535 PMCID: PMC9226752 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.892482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infancy is a sensitive period of human brain development that is plastically shaped by environmental factors. Both proximal factors, such as sensitive parenting, and distal factors, such as socioeconomic status (SES), are known predictors of individual differences in structural and functional brain systems across the lifespan, yet it is unclear how these familial and contextual factors work together to shape functional brain development during infancy, particularly during the first months of life. In the current study, we examined pre-registered hypotheses regarding the interplay between these factors to assess how maternal sensitivity, within the broader context of socioeconomic variation, relates to the development of functional connectivity in long-range cortical brain networks. Specifically, we measured resting-state functional connectivity in three cortical brain networks (fronto-parietal network, default mode network, homologous-interhemispheric connectivity) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and examined the associations between maternal sensitivity, SES, and functional connectivity in a sample of 5-month-old infants and their mothers (N = 50 dyads). Results showed that all three networks were detectable during a passive viewing task, and that maternal sensitivity was positively associated with functional connectivity in the default mode network, such that infants with more sensitive mothers exhibited enhanced functional connectivity in this network. Contrary to hypotheses, we did not observe any associations of SES with functional connectivity in the brain networks assessed in this study. This suggests that at 5 months of age, maternal sensitivity is an important proximal environmental factor associated with individual differences in functional connectivity in a long-range cortical brain network implicated in a host of emotional and social-cognitive brain processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna R. Chajes
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Jessica A. Stern
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Caroline M. Kelsey
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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15
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Abstract
Already as infants humans are more fearful than our closest living primate relatives, the chimpanzees. Yet heightened fearfulness is mostly considered maladaptive, as it is thought to increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression. How can this human fear paradox be explained? The fearful ape hypothesis presented herein stipulates that, in the context of cooperative caregiving and provisioning unique to human great ape group life, heightened fearfulness was adaptive. This is because from early in ontogeny fearfulness expressed and perceived enhanced care-based responding and provisioning from, while concurrently increasing cooperation with, mothers and others. This explanation is based on a synthesis of existing research with human infants and children, demonstrating a link between fearfulness, greater sensitivity to and accuracy in detecting fear in others, and enhanced levels of cooperative behaviors. These insights critically advance current evolutionary theories of human cooperation by adding an early-developing affective component to the human cooperative makeup. Moreover, the current proposal has important cultural, societal, and health implications, as it challenges the predominant view in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies that commonly construe fearfulness as a maladaptive trait, potentially ignoring its evolutionary adaptive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
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16
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Skyberg AM, Beeler-Duden S, Goldstein AM, Gancayco CA, Lillard AS, Connelly JJ, Morris JP. Neuroepigenetic impact on mentalizing in childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101080. [PMID: 35158164 PMCID: PMC8844842 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mentalizing, or the ability to understand the mental states and intentions of others, is an essential social cognitive function that children learn and continue to cultivate into adolescence. While most typically developing children acquire sufficient mentalizing skills, individual differences in mentalizing persist throughout childhood and are likely influenced by a combination of cognitive functioning, the social environment, and biological factors. DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) impacts gene expression and is associated with increased brain activity in mentalizing regions during displays of animacy in healthy young adults. The establishment, fine-tuning, and implications of such associations in the context of broader social functioning remain unclear. Using a developmental neuroimaging epigenetic approach, we investigated the contributions of OXTRm to individual variability in brain function during animate motion perception in middle childhood. We find that higher levels of OXTRm are associated with increased neural responses in the left temporo-parietal junction and inferior frontal gyrus. We also find a positive association between neural activity in LTPJ and social skills. These findings provide evidence of epigenetic influence on the developing child brain and demonstrate that variability in neural social perception in childhood is multifaceted with contributions from individual social experience and the endogenous oxytocin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia M Skyberg
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Stefen Beeler-Duden
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Alison M Goldstein
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | | | - Angeline S Lillard
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - James P Morris
- University of Virginia, Department of Psychology, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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17
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Oxytocin system gene methylation is associated with empathic responses towards children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 137:105629. [PMID: 34973541 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105629] [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: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is an essential component of sensitive caregiving behavior, which in turn is an important predictor of children's healthy social-emotional development. The oxytocin (OXT) system plays a key role in promoting sensitive parenting and empathy. In this study, we investigated how OXT system gene methylation was associated with empathic processes in nulliparous women (M age = 23.60, SD =0.44)-measuring both physiological facial muscle responses and ratings of compassion and positive affect to affective images depicting children. Linear mixed effects analyses demonstrated that lower methylation levels in the OXT and OXTR genes were related to enhanced empathic responses. The effect of OXT system gene methylation on empathic processes was partly qualified by an interaction with individual variations in women's care motivation. Our findings provide experimental evidence for an association between the methylation of OXT system genes and empathy.
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18
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Ferber SG, Als H, McAnulty G, Klinger G, Weller A. Multi-level hypothalamic neuromodulation of self-regulation and cognition in preterm infants: Towards a control systems model. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 9:100109. [PMID: 35755927 PMCID: PMC9216652 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm infants, age-corrected for prematurity, score on average, 10 points lower on IQ tests than full-term infants tested at comparable ages. This review focuses on the potential contribution of the hypothalamus to cognitive neuro-regulatory development in preterm infants through its bidirectional neural connections with the prefrontal cortex and its neuroendocrine activity. It aims to clarify the central role of the hypothalamus in preterm high stress situations and in influencing cognitive development via its connectivity to the cerebral cortex. The review further evaluates epigenomic sensitivity to environmental inputs. Recent results suggest that an optimal range of DNA methylations (via a continuous process of decreasing levels of receptor methylations that are too high, and increasing levels that are too low) appears necessary in order to reach an adaptive level of receptor availability. Several studies have demonstrated amelioration of preterm infants' stress while in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICUs) and following discharge. The authors postulate that feedback mechanisms and correction signals are the basis for a hypothalamic homeostatic modulating function, a "hypothalamic resistance response", which may account for the stress reduction brought about by in- and post-NICU early interventions and their results of promoting self-regulation and cognition.
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Key Words
- Cognitive
- Controlled process variable, (CPV)
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone, (CRH)
- Epigenetics
- Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, (HPA axis)
- Hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis, (HPG axis)
- Hypothalamic pituitary thyroid axis, (HPT axis)
- Hypothalamus
- Lateral hypothalamus, (LH)
- Magnetic resonance imaging, (MRI)
- Neuro-regulatory development
- Newborn intensive care unit, (NICU)
- Oxytocin, (OT)
- Prefrontal cortex
- Prefrontal cortex, (PFC)
- Premature infants
- Set point, (SP)
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Affiliation(s)
- Sari Goldstein Ferber
- Department of Psychology and the Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Heidelise Als
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gloria McAnulty
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gil Klinger
- Department of Neonatology, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Petach Tikvah, Israel
| | - Aron Weller
- Department of Psychology and the Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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19
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OXTR Gene DNA Methylation Levels Are Associated with Discounting Behavior with Untrustworthy Proposers. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12010098. [PMID: 35053841 PMCID: PMC8774269 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in temporal and probabilistic discounting are associated with a wide range of life outcomes in literature. Traditional approaches have focused on impulsiveness and cognitive control skills, on goal-oriented personality traits as well as on the psychological perception of time. More recently, literature started to consider the role of social and contextual factors in discounting behavior. Between others, higher generalized trust in human beings and specific trust in people who will deliver the future/probabilistic rewards have been related to a stronger willingness to wait and to assume risk. Moreover, the tendency to trust others has been associated with the oxytocin receptor gene regulation that can be modified by life experiences. In this perspective, we hypothesized that differences in the tendency to wait and to take risks for a more desirable reward according to the proposer’s trustworthiness could be related to a different level of DNA methylation at the oxytocin receptor gene. Findings confirmed that participants are less willing to wait and to risk when the proposer is considered highly untrustworthy and revealed how higher oxytocin receptor gene DNA methylation is associated with a stronger effect due to the presence of an untrustworthy proposer. Limits and future directions are outlined.
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20
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Thrasher C, Krol KM, Grossmann T. Mother's engagement with infant linked to infant's responding to threat. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63 Suppl 1:e22224. [PMID: 34964494 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The early development of threat perception in infancy might be dependent on caregiver context, but this link has not yet been studied in human infants. This study examined the emergence of the young infant's response to threat in the context of variations in caregiving behavior. Eighty infant-caregiver dyads (39 female infants, all of western European descent) visited the laboratory when the infant was 5 months old. Each dyad completed a free-play task, from which we coded for the mother's level of engagement: the amount of talking, close proximity, positive affect, and attention directed toward the infant. When the infant was 7 months old, they came back to the laboratory and we used functional near infrared spectroscopy and eye tracking to measure infants' neural and attentional responses to threatening angry faces. In response to threat, infants of more-engaged mothers showed increased brain responses in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-a brain region associated with emotion regulation and cognitive control among adults-and reduced attentional avoidance. These results point to a role for caregiver behavioral context in the early development of brain systems involved in human threat responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cat Thrasher
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.,Early Social Development Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.,Early Social Development Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Danoff JS, Connelly JJ, Morris JP, Perkeybile AM. An epigenetic rheostat of experience: DNA methylation of OXTR as a mechanism of early life allostasis. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 8:100098. [PMID: 35757665 PMCID: PMC9216658 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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22
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Krol KM, Namaky N, Monakhov MV, Lai PS, Ebstein R, Grossmann T. Genetic variation in the oxytocin system and its link to social motivation in human infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 131:105290. [PMID: 34091402 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Frontal brain asymmetry has been linked to motivational processes in infants and adults, with left lateralization reflecting motivation to approach and right lateralization reflecting motivation to withdraw. We examined the hypothesis that variability in infants' social motivation may be linked to genetic variation in the oxytocin system. Eleven-month-old infants' brain responses and looking preferences to smiling and frowning individuals were assessed in conjunction with a polymorphism in CD38 (rs3796863) linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and reduced oxytocin. Frontal brain asymmetry and looking preferences differed as a function of CD38 genotype. While non-risk A-allele carriers displayed left lateralization to smiling faces (approach) and a heightened looking preference for the individual who smiled, infants with the CC (ASD risk) genotype displayed withdrawal from smiling faces and a preference for the individual who frowned. Findings demonstrate that the oxytocin system is linked to brain and behavioral markers of social motivation in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany.
| | - Nauder Namaky
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Mikhail V Monakhov
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Poh San Lai
- Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Richard Ebstein
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore; China Center for Behavior Economics and Finance, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany
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23
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Kelsey CM, Farris K, Grossmann T. Variability in Infants' Functional Brain Network Connectivity Is Associated With Differences in Affect and Behavior. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:685754. [PMID: 34177669 PMCID: PMC8220897 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Variability in functional brain network connectivity has been linked to individual differences in cognitive, affective, and behavioral traits in adults. However, little is known about the developmental origins of such brain-behavior correlations. The current study examined functional brain network connectivity and its link to behavioral temperament in typically developing newborn and 1-month-old infants (M [age] = 25 days; N = 75) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we measured long-range connectivity between cortical regions approximating fronto-parietal, default mode, and homologous-interhemispheric networks. Our results show that connectivity in these functional brain networks varies across infants and maps onto individual differences in behavioral temperament. Specifically, connectivity in the fronto-parietal network was positively associated with regulation and orienting behaviors, whereas connectivity in the default mode network showed the opposite effect on these behaviors. Our analysis also revealed a significant positive association between the homologous-interhemispheric network and infants' negative affect. The current results suggest that variability in long-range intra-hemispheric and cross-hemispheric functional connectivity between frontal, parietal, and temporal cortex is associated with individual differences in affect and behavior. These findings shed new light on the brain origins of individual differences in early-emerging behavioral traits and thus represent a viable novel approach for investigating developmental trajectories in typical and atypical neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. Kelsey
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Katrina Farris
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Decety J, Holvoet EC. Déficits précoces de l'empathie et psychopathologie Early empathy deficits and psychopathology. NEUROPSYCHIATRIE DE L'ENFANCE ET DE L'ADOLESCENCE 2021; 69:147-152. [PMID: 34024975 PMCID: PMC8136244 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurenf.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is a complex social-cognitive ability that is best understood by distinguishing its emotional, cognitive and motivational dimensions, which from early childhood interact between the child and her/his social environment. To date, among the many factors that are acknowledged to influence the development of empathy, children's temperament and parenting behaviors have been identified as interacting in predicting the extent to which children demonstrate empathic responses. Recent studies in developmental social neuroscience cast light on the neural networks engaged in the development of each of the dimensions that constitute empathy, which are needed to navigate social interaction and establishing positive social relationships. Indeed, early deficits in empathic processes can lead to difficulties in socialization, particularly associated with reduced attention to others' emotions, especially when they are suffering, a lesser degree of remorse and guilt, and a greater tendency to ignore social norms or break the rules. Difficulties in socialization are particularly visible in two well-known developmental disorders: children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with conduct disorder and callous unemotional traits (CU). This paper provides a critical and selective review of recent empirical studies in psychopathology and developmental neuroscience by addressing the dimensions underlying empathy, specifically emotional sharing and caring for others. For children with ASD, some studies report that they pay less attention to another person in distress. However, functional neuroimaging studies conducted with ASD adolescents indicate that the emotional dimension appears to be preserved, but a lack of emotional self-regulation may impair them from experiencing empathic concern. Children with conduct disorder and CU traits clearly manifest a reduced autonomic nervous system response to others' distress or suffering. This may account for their disregard or contempt for others' well-being and social norms. Functional neuroimaging studies show that atypical patterns of brain activity at 15 months of age can predict later severe conduct disorder. Neural regions engaged in emotional processing such as the anterior cingulate cortex, insula and amygdala shown reduced activation to empathy-eliciting stimuli in children with CU. Finally, the genetic nature of CU traits is highlighted in several studies. We conclude by proposing several avenues for developmental research to identify biomarkers from an early age and by inviting to focus on psychological interventions with those populations accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5448 South University Avenue, Chicago 60637, USA
| | - et Claire Holvoet
- Centre de recherche sur les fonctionnements et dysfonctionnements psychologiques, EA7475, Université de Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France
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Festante F, Rayson H, Paukner A, Kaburu SSK, Toschi G, Fox NA, Ferrari PF. Oxytocin promotes prosocial behavior and related neural responses in infant macaques at-risk for compromised social development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100950. [PMID: 33831822 PMCID: PMC8042434 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Although positive effects of oxytocin (OT) on social functioning are well-demonstrated, little is known about the mechanisms through which OT may drive early social development, or its therapeutic efficacy in infancy. To address these critical issues, we investigated the effects of exogenous OT on neural (EEG) and behavioral responses during observation of live facial gestures in infant macaques with limited social exposure (i.e. nursery-reared). Three key findings were revealed. First, OT increased alpha suppression over posterior scalp regions during observation of facial gestures but not non-biological movement, suggesting that OT targets self-other matching and attentional cortical networks involved in social perception from very early infancy. Second, OT increased infant production of matching facial gestures and attention towards the most socially-relevant facial stimuli, both behaviors typically silenced by early social deprivation. Third, infants with higher cortisol levels appeared to benefit the most from OT, displaying greater improvements in prosocial behaviors after OT administration. Altogether, these findings suggest that OT promotes prosocial behaviors and associated neural responses likely impacted by early social adversity, and demonstrate the potential of OT administration to ameliorate social difficulties in the context of neurodevelopmental and early-emerging psychiatric disorders, at a developmental stage when brain plasticity is greatest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Festante
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128, Pisa, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Holly Rayson
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, Cedex, 69675, France
| | - Annika Paukner
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Stefano S K Kaburu
- Department of Biomedical Science & Physiology, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK
| | - Giulia Toschi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125, Parma, Italy
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Pier Francesco Ferrari
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, Cedex, 69675, France; Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125, Parma, Italy.
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26
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Westgarth MMP, Hogan CA, Neumann DL, Shum DHK. A systematic review of studies that used NIRS to measure neural activation during emotion processing in healthy individuals. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:345-369. [PMID: 33528022 PMCID: PMC7990068 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional neuroimaging provides an avenue for earlier diagnosis and tailored treatment of psychological disorders characterised by emotional impairment. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) offers ecological advantages compared to other neuroimaging techniques and suitability of measuring regions involved in emotion functions. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the capacity of NIRS to detect activation during emotion processing and to provide recommendations for future research. Following a comprehensive literature search, we reviewed 85 journal articles, which compared activation during emotional experience, regulation or perception with either a neutral condition or baseline period among healthy participants. The quantitative synthesis of outcomes was limited to thematical analysis, owing to the lack of standardisation between studies. Although most studies found increased prefrontal activity during emotional experience and regulation, the findings were more inconsistent for emotion perception. Some researchers reported increased activity during the task, some reported decreases, some no significant changes, and some reported mixed findings depending on the valence and region. We propose that variations in the cognitive task and stimuli, recruited sample, and measurement and analysis of data are the primary causes of inconsistency. Recommendations to improve consistency in future research by carefully considering the choice of population, cognitive task and analysis approach are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M P Westgarth
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4122, Australia
| | - Christy A Hogan
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4122, Australia
| | - David L Neumann
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4122, Australia
| | - David H K Shum
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon City District, 100077, Hong Kong
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27
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Liu J, Liang Y, Jiang X, Xu J, Sun Y, Wang Z, Lin L, Niu Y, Song S, Zhang H, Xue Z, Lu J, Yao P. Maternal Diabetes-Induced Suppression of Oxytocin Receptor Contributes to Social Deficits in Offspring. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:634781. [PMID: 33633538 PMCID: PMC7900564 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.634781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired skills in social interaction and communication in addition to restricted and repetitive behaviors. Many different factors may contribute to ASD development; in particular, oxytocin receptor (OXTR) deficiency has been reported to be associated with ASD, although the detailed mechanism has remained largely unknown. Epidemiological study has shown that maternal diabetes is associated with ASD development. In this study, we aim to investigate the potential role of OXTR on maternal diabetes-mediated social deficits in offspring. Our in vitro study of human neuron progenitor cells showed that hyperglycemia induces OXTR suppression and that this suppression remains during subsequent normoglycemia. Further investigation showed that OXTR suppression is due to hyperglycemia-induced persistent oxidative stress and epigenetic methylation in addition to the subsequent dissociation of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) from the OXTR promoter. Furthermore, our in vivo mouse study showed that maternal diabetes induces OXTR suppression; prenatal OXTR deficiency mimics and potentiates maternal diabetes-mediated anxiety-like behaviors, while there is less of an effect on autism-like behaviors. Additionally, postnatal infusion of OXTR partly, while infusion of ERβ completely, reverses maternal diabetes-induced social deficits. We conclude that OXTR may be an important factor for ASD development and that maternal diabetes-induced suppression of oxytocin receptor contributes to social deficits in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Liu
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yujie Liang
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xing Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianchang Xu
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yumeng Sun
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zichen Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ling Lin
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanbin Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shiqi Song
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huawei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhenpeng Xue
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianping Lu
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Paul Yao
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kangning Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
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28
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Danoff JS, Wroblewski KL, Graves AJ, Quinn GC, Perkeybile AM, Kenkel WM, Lillard TS, Parikh HI, Golino HF, Gregory SG, Carter CS, Bales KL, Connelly JJ. Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors controlling oxytocin receptor gene expression. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:23. [PMID: 33516250 PMCID: PMC7847178 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01017-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates mammalian social behavior. Disruptions in oxytocin signaling are a feature of many psychopathologies. One commonly studied biomarker for oxytocin involvement in psychiatric diseases is DNA methylation at the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Such studies focus on DNA methylation in two regions of OXTR, exon 3 and a region termed MT2 which overlaps exon 1 and intron 1. However, the relative contribution of exon 3 and MT2 in regulating OXTR gene expression in the brain is currently unknown. RESULTS Here, we use the prairie vole as a translational animal model to investigate genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors affecting Oxtr gene expression in a region of the brain that has been shown to drive Oxtr related behavior in the vole, the nucleus accumbens. We show that the genetic structure of Oxtr in prairie voles resembles human OXTR. We then studied the effects of early life experience on DNA methylation in two regions of a CpG island surrounding the Oxtr promoter: MT2 and exon 3. We show that early nurture in the form of parental care results in DNA hypomethylation of Oxtr in both MT2 and exon 3, but only DNA methylation in MT2 is associated with Oxtr gene expression. Network analyses indicate that CpG sites in the 3' portion of MT2 are most highly associated with Oxtr gene expression. We also identify two novel SNPs in exon 3 of Oxtr in prairie voles and a novel alternative transcript originating from the third intron of the gene. Expression of the novel alternative transcript is associated with genotype at SNP KLW2. CONCLUSIONS These results identify putative regulatory features of Oxtr in prairie voles which inform future studies examining OXTR in human social behaviors and disorders. These studies indicate that in prairie voles, DNA methylation in MT2, particularly in the 3' portion, is more predictive of Oxtr gene expression than DNA methylation in exon 3. Similarly, in human temporal cortex, we find that DNA methylation in the 3' portion of MT2 is associated with OXTR expression. Together, these results suggest that among the CpG sites studied, DNA methylation of MT2 may be the most reliable indicator of OXTR gene expression. We also identify novel features of prairie vole Oxtr, including SNPs and an alternative transcript, which further develop the prairie vole as a translational model for studies of OXTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Danoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Kelly L Wroblewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Andrew J Graves
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Graham C Quinn
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Allison M Perkeybile
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - William M Kenkel
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 105 The Green, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Travis S Lillard
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Hardik I Parikh
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, 345 Crispell Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Research Computing, University of Virginia, 560 Ray C. Hunt Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Hudson F Golino
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, 300 N Duke St, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - C Sue Carter
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
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29
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Carter CS, Kenkel WM, MacLean EL, Wilson SR, Perkeybile AM, Yee JR, Ferris CF, Nazarloo HP, Porges SW, Davis JM, Connelly JJ, Kingsbury MA. Is Oxytocin "Nature's Medicine"? Pharmacol Rev 2021; 72:829-861. [PMID: 32912963 PMCID: PMC7495339 DOI: 10.1124/pr.120.019398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a pleiotropic, peptide hormone with broad implications for general health, adaptation, development, reproduction, and social behavior. Endogenous oxytocin and stimulation of the oxytocin receptor support patterns of growth, resilience, and healing. Oxytocin can function as a stress-coping molecule, an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, with protective effects especially in the face of adversity or trauma. Oxytocin influences the autonomic nervous system and the immune system. These properties of oxytocin may help explain the benefits of positive social experiences and have drawn attention to this molecule as a possible therapeutic in a host of disorders. However, as detailed here, the unique chemical properties of oxytocin, including active disulfide bonds, and its capacity to shift chemical forms and bind to other molecules make this molecule difficult to work with and to measure. The effects of oxytocin also are context-dependent, sexually dimorphic, and altered by experience. In part, this is because many of the actions of oxytocin rely on its capacity to interact with the more ancient peptide molecule, vasopressin, and the vasopressin receptors. In addition, oxytocin receptor(s) are epigenetically tuned by experience, especially in early life. Stimulation of G-protein–coupled receptors triggers subcellular cascades allowing these neuropeptides to have multiple functions. The adaptive properties of oxytocin make this ancient molecule of special importance to human evolution as well as modern medicine and health; these same characteristics also present challenges to the use of oxytocin-like molecules as drugs that are only now being recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - William M Kenkel
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Steven R Wilson
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Allison M Perkeybile
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Jason R Yee
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Craig F Ferris
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Hossein P Nazarloo
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Stephen W Porges
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - John M Davis
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
| | - Marcy A Kingsbury
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (C.S.C., W.M.K., A.M.P., H.P.N., S.W.P.); School of Anthropology, Department of Psychology, and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (E.L.M.); Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (S.R.W.); Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (J.R.Y.); Departments of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (C.F.F.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (J.M.D.); Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (J.J.C.); and Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charleston, Massachusetts (M.A.K.)
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30
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The promiscuity of the oxytocin-vasopressin systems and their involvement in autism spectrum disorder. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 182:121-140. [PMID: 34266588 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819973-2.00009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin systems have been studied separately in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we provide evidence from an evolutionary and neuroscience perspective about the shared mechanisms and the common roles in regulating social behaviors. We first discuss findings on the evolutionary history of oxytocin and vasopressin ligands and receptors that highlight their common origin and clarify the evolutionary background of the crosstalk between them. Second, we conducted a comprehensive review of the increasing evidence for the role of both neuropeptides in regulating social behaviors. Third, we reviewed the growing evidence on the associations between the oxytocin/vasopressin systems and ASD, which includes oxytocin and vasopressin dysfunction in animal models of autism and in human patients, and the impact of treatments targeting the oxytocin or the vasopressin systems in children and in adults. Here, we highlight the potential of targeting the oxytocin/vasopressin systems to improve social deficits observed in ASD and the need for further investigations on how to transfer these research innovations into clinical applications.
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31
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Gut microbiota composition is associated with newborn functional brain connectivity and behavioral temperament. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:472-486. [PMID: 33157257 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome appears to play an important role in human health and disease. However, only little is known about how variability in the gut microbiome contributes to individual differences during early and sensitive stages of brain and behavioral development. The current study examined the link between gut microbiome, brain, and behavior in newborn infants (N = 63; M [age] = 25 days). Infant gut microbiome diversity was measured from stool samples using metagenomic sequencing, infant functional brain network connectivity was assessed using a resting state functional near infrared spectroscopy (rs-fNIRS) procedure, and infant behavioral temperament was assessed using parental report. Our results show that gut microbiota composition is linked to individual variability in brain network connectivity, which in turn mediated individual differences in behavioral temperament, specifically negative emotionality, among infants. Furthermore, virulence factors, possibly indexing pathogenic activity, were associated with differences in brain network connectivity linked to negative emotionality. These findings provide novel insights into the early developmental origins of the gut microbiome-brain axis and its association with variability in important behavioral traits. This suggests that the gut microbiome is an important biological factor to consider when studying human development and health.
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Abstract
Historically, research characterizing the development of emotion recognition has focused on identifying specific skills and the age periods, or milestones, at which these abilities emerge. However, advances in emotion research raise questions about whether this conceptualization accurately reflects how children learn about, understand, and respond to others’ emotions in everyday life. In this review, we propose a developmental framework for the emergence of emotion reasoning—that is, how children develop the ability to make reasonably accurate inferences and predictions about the emotion states of other people. We describe how this framework holds promise for building upon extant research. Our review suggests that use of the term emotion recognition can be misleading and imprecise, with the developmental processes of interest better characterized by the term emotion reasoning. We also highlight how the age at which children succeed on many tasks reflects myriad developmental processes. This new framing of emotional development can open new lines of inquiry about how humans learn to navigate their social worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L. Ruba
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;,
| | - Seth D. Pollak
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;,
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Bayet L, Perdue KL, Behrendt HF, Richards JE, Westerlund A, Cataldo JK, Nelson CA. Neural responses to happy, fearful and angry faces of varying identities in 5- and 7-month-old infants. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 47:100882. [PMID: 33246304 PMCID: PMC7695867 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
fNIRS and looking responses to emotional faces were measured in 5- and 7-month-olds. Emotional faces had varying identities within happy, angry, and fearful blocks. Temporo-parietal and frontal activations were observed, particularly to happy faces. Infants looked longer to the mouth region of angry faces. No difference in behavior or neural activity observed between 5- and 7-month-olds.
The processing of facial emotion is an important social skill that develops throughout infancy and early childhood. Here we investigate the neural underpinnings of the ability to process facial emotion across changes in facial identity in cross-sectional groups of 5- and 7-month-old infants. We simultaneously measured neural metabolic, behavioral, and autonomic responses to happy, fearful, and angry faces of different female models using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), eye-tracking, and heart rate measures. We observed significant neural activation to these facial emotions in a distributed set of frontal and temporal brain regions, and longer looking to the mouth region of angry faces compared to happy and fearful faces. No differences in looking behavior or neural activations were observed between 5- and 7-month-olds, although several exploratory, age-independent associations between neural activations and looking behavior were noted. Overall, these findings suggest more developmental stability than previously thought in responses to emotional facial expressions of varying identities between 5- and 7-months of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Bayet
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine L Perdue
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hannah F Behrendt
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Moore
- Psychology Field Group, Pitzer College and Claremont Graduate University, United States.
| | - Ross Flom
- Department of Psychology, Southern Utah University, United States
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Krol KM, Grossmann T. Impression Formation in the Human Infant Brain. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa070. [PMID: 33134930 PMCID: PMC7592636 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Forming an impression of another person is an essential aspect of human social cognition linked to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function in adults. The current study examined the neurodevelopmental origins of impression formation by testing the hypothesis that infants rely on processes localized in mPFC when forming impressions about individuals who appear friendly or threatening. Infants’ brain responses were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy while watching 4 different face identities displaying either smiles or frowns directed toward or away from them (N = 77). This was followed by a looking preference test for these face identities (now displaying a neutral expression) using eyetracking. Our results show that infants’ mPFC responses distinguish between smiling and frowning faces when directed at them and that these responses predicted their subsequent person preferences. This suggests that the mPFC is involved in impression formation in human infants, attesting to the early ontogenetic emergence of brain systems supporting person perception and adaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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Gonzalez MZ, Wroblewski KL, Allen JP, Coan JA, Connelly JJ. OXTR DNA methylation moderates the developmental calibration of neural reward sensitivity. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:114-124. [PMID: 32803764 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The Adaptive Calibration Model of Stress Responsivity (ACM) suggests that developmental experiences predictably tune biological systems to meet the demands of the environment. Particularly important is the calibration of reward systems. Using a longitudinal sample (N = 184) followed since adolescence, this study models the dimensions of early life stress and their effects on epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and individual differences in neural response to reward anticipation. We first created a latent variable model of developmental context using measures collected when participants were 13 years old. As adults, two subsets of participants completed a reward anticipation fMRI paradigm (N = 82) and agreed to have their blood assayed for (OXTR) DNA methylation (N = 112) at two CpG sites. Three latent constructs of developmental context emerged: Neighborhood Harshness, Family Harshness, and Abuse and Disorder. Greater OXTR DNA methylation at CpG sites -924 and -934 blunted the association between greater Neighborhood Harshness and increased neural activation in caudate in anticipation of rewards. Interaction effects were also found outside of reward-related areas for all three latent constructs. Results indicate an epigenetically derived differential susceptibility model whereby high methylation coincides with decreased association between developmental environment and neural reward anticipation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - James A Coan
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene: implications for autism symptom severity and brain functional connectivity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1150-1158. [PMID: 31931508 PMCID: PMC7235273 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0610-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The role of oxytocin in social cognition has attracted tremendous interest in social neuroscience and psychiatry. Some studies have reported improvement in social symptoms following oxytocin treatment in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), while others point to endogenous factors influencing its efficiency and to mixed results in terms of long-term clinical benefits. Epigenetic modification to the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) in ASD could be an informative biomarker of treatment efficacy. Yet, little is known about the relationship between OXTR methylation, clinical severity, and brain function in ASD. Here, we investigated the relationship between OXTR methylation, ASD diagnosis (in N = 35 ASD and N = 64 neurotypical group), measures of social responsiveness, and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between areas involved in social cognition and reward processing (in a subset of ASD, N = 30). Adults with ASD showed higher OXTR methylation levels in the intron 1 area compared with neurotypical subjects. This hypermethylation was related to clinical symptoms and to a hypoconnectivity between cortico-cortical areas involved in theory of mind. Methylation at a CpG site in the exon 1 area was positively related to social responsiveness deficits in ASD and to a hyperconnectivity between striatal and cortical brain areas. Taken together, these findings provide initial evidence for OXTR hypermethylation in the intron area as a potential biomarker for adults with ASD with less severe developmental communication deficits, but with impairments in theory of mind and self-awareness. Also, OXTR methylation in the exon 1 area could be a potential biomarker of sociability sensitive to life experiences.
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Perspectives of Pitocin administration on behavioral outcomes in the pediatric population: recent insights and future implications. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04047. [PMID: 32509991 PMCID: PMC7264063 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin plays an important role in the regulation of parturition as this peptide hormone promotes uterine smooth muscle contractility in gravid women undergoing labor. Here, we review the impact of Pitocin administration on behavioral outcomes in the pediatric population. Pitocin is a synthetic preparation of oxytocin widely used in the obstetric practice for the management of labor and postpartum hemorrhage. We begin by tracing the neuroanatomy of oxytocin-containing cells from an evolutionary perspective and then summarize key findings on behavioral and neural activity reported from offspring dosed with Pitocin during vaginal delivery. Finally, we discuss future directions that are experimentally tractable for understanding the developmental consequences of Pitocin administration on a small but growing subset of children worldwide. Given that fetal past experiences can shape the future behavior of the adult, further work on oxytocin signaling pathways will provide valuable references and insights for early-brain development and state-dependent regulation of behavioral outcome.
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García-Alba J, Rubio-Valdehita S, Sánchez MJ, García AIM, Esteba-Castillo S, Gómez-Caminero M. Cognitive training in adults with intellectual disability: pilot study applying a cognitive tele-rehabilitation program. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 68:301-308. [PMID: 35602993 PMCID: PMC9122373 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1764242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This pilot study analyzes the effect of a cognitive training program in adults with intellectual disability (ID). METHOD Twenty subjects (mean age 52.7 ± 9.77 years) with mild and moderate ID were divided in control and experimental group. Only the experimental group received the training program. This program was applied through the GNPT® (Guttmann, NeuroPersonalTrainer®) platform for people with ID. RESULTS The results revealed a significant improvement in the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2 scores (Matrices subtest) in the experimental group [Z = 2.12; p = .03] after the intervention, indicating an enhancement in fluid ability due to effect of cognitive training program. CONCLUSION Findings provide evidence of the importance of applying these programs in a systematized way in adults with ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Alba
- Research and Psychology in Education Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Rubio-Valdehita
- Department of Social, Work and Differential Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Julia Sánchez
- Psychology Department, Juan XXIII Roncalli Foundation, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amelia I. M. García
- Department of Social, Work and Differential Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susanna Esteba-Castillo
- Specialized Department in Mental Health and Intellectual Disability, Parc Hospitalari Martí I Julia, Girona, Spain
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Porto JA, Bick J, Perdue KL, Richards JE, Nunes ML, Nelson CA. The influence of maternal anxiety and depression symptoms on fNIRS brain responses to emotional faces in 5- and 7-month-old infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 59:101447. [PMID: 32305734 PMCID: PMC7255941 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Greater relative right (versus left) frontal cortical activation to emotional faces as measured with alpha power in the electroencephalogram (EEG), has been considered a promising neural marker of increased vulnerability to psychopathology and emotional disorders. We set out to explore multichannel fNIRS as a tool to investigate infants' frontal asymmetry responses (hypothesizing greater right versus left frontal cortex activation) to emotional faces as influenced by maternal anxiety and depression symptoms during the postnatal period. We also explored activation differences in fronto-temporal regions associated with facial emotion processing. Ninety-one typically developing 5- and 7-month-old infants were shown photographs of women portraying happy, fearful and angry expressions. Hemodynamic brain responses were analyzed over two frontopolar and seven bilateral cortical regions subdivided into frontal, temporal and parietal areas, defined by age-appropriate MRI templates. Infants of mothers reporting higher negative affect had greater oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) activation across all emotions over the left inferior frontal gyrus, a region implicated in emotional communication. Follow-up analyses indicated that associations were driven by maternal depression, but not anxiety symptoms. Overall, we found no support for greater right versus left frontal cortex activation in association with maternal negative affect. Findings point to the potential utility of fNIRS as a method for identifying altered neural substrates associated with exposure to maternal depression in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana A Porto
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Johanna Bick
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katherine L Perdue
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John E Richards
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Magda L Nunes
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Krol KM, Moulder RG, Lillard TS, Grossmann T, Connelly JJ. Epigenetic dynamics in infancy and the impact of maternal engagement. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaay0680. [PMID: 31663028 PMCID: PMC6795517 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay0680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of nature versus nurture to the development of human behavior has been debated for centuries. Here, we offer a piece to this complex puzzle by identifying the human endogenous oxytocin system-known for its critical role in mammalian sociality-as a system sensitive to its early environment and subject to epigenetic change. Recent animal work suggests that early parental care is associated with changes in DNA methylation of conserved regulatory sites within the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm). Through dyadic modeling of behavior and OXTRm status across the first year and a half of life, we translated these findings to 101 human mother-infant dyads. We show that OXTRm is dynamic in infancy and its change is predicted by maternal engagement and reflective of behavioral temperament. We provide evidence for an early window of environmental epigenetic regulation of the oxytocin system, facilitating the emergence of individual differences in human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M. Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - Robert G. Moulder
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Travis S. Lillard
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Tobias Grossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Reece AS, Hulse GK. Impacts of cannabinoid epigenetics on human development: reflections on Murphy et. al. 'cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm' epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208-1221. Epigenetics 2019; 14:1041-1056. [PMID: 31293213 PMCID: PMC6773386 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2019.1633868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent data from the Kollins lab (‘Cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm’ Epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208–1221) indicated epigenetic effects of cannabis use on sperm in man parallel those in rats and showed substantial shifts in both hypo- and hyper-DNA methylation with the latter predominating. This provides one likely mechanism for the transgenerational transmission of epigenomic instability with sperm as the vector. It therefore contributes important pathophysiological insights into the probable mechanisms underlying the epidemiology of prenatal cannabis exposure potentially explaining diverse features of cannabis-related teratology including effects on the neuraxis, cardiovasculature, immune stimulation, secondary genomic instability and carcinogenesis related to both adult and pediatric cancers. The potentially inheritable and therefore multigenerational nature of these defects needs to be carefully considered in the light of recent teratological and neurobehavioural trends in diverse jurisdictions such as the USA nationally, Hawaii, Colorado, Canada, France and Australia, particularly relating to mental retardation, age-related morbidity and oncogenesis including inheritable cancerogenesis. Increasing demonstrations that the epigenome can respond directly and in real time and retain memories of environmental exposures of many kinds implies that the genome-epigenome is much more sensitive to environmental toxicants than has been generally realized. Issues of long-term multigenerational inheritance amplify these concerns. Further research particularly on the epigenomic toxicology of many cannabinoids is also required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Stuart Reece
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia , Crawley , Western Australia Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia
| | - Gary Kenneth Hulse
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia , Crawley , Western Australia Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia
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