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Lyons-Ruth K, Chasson M, Khoury J, Ahtam B. Reconsidering the nature of threat in infancy: Integrating animal and human studies on neurobiological effects of infant stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105746. [PMID: 38838878 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Early life stress has been associated with elevated risk for later psychopathology. One mechanism that may contribute to such long-term risk is alterations in amygdala development, a brain region critical to stress responsivity. Yet effects of stress on the amygdala during human infancy, a period of particularly rapid brain development, remain largely unstudied. In order to model how early stressors may affect infant amygdala development, several discrepancies across the existing literatures on early life stress among rodents and early threat versus deprivation among older human children and adults need to be reconciled. We briefly review the key findings of each of these literatures. We then consider them in light of emerging findings from studies of human infants regarding relations among maternal caregiving, infant cortisol response, and infant amygdala volume. Finally, we advance a developmental salience model of how early threat may impact the rapidly developing infant brain, a model with the potential to integrate across these divergent literatures. Future work to assess the value of this model is also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlen Lyons-Ruth
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02468, USA.
| | - Miriam Chasson
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02468, USA.
| | - Jennifer Khoury
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1493 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02468, USA.
| | - Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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2
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Khoury JE, Ahtam B, Ou Y, Jenkins E, Klengel T, Enlow MB, Grant E, Lyons-Ruth K. Linking maternal disrupted interaction and infant limbic volumes: The role of infant cortisol output. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 158:106379. [PMID: 37683305 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106379] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite a large animal literature documenting the role of low maternal nurturance and elevated glucocorticoid production on offspring limbic development, these pathways have not yet been assessed during human infancy. Informed by animal models, the present study examined whether 1) maternal disrupted interaction is related to infant cortisol levels, 2) infant cortisol levels are associated with infant limbic volumes, and 3) infant cortisol levels mediate associations between maternal disrupted interaction and infant limbic volumes. Participants included 57 mother-infant dyads. Infant saliva was measured at one time point before and two time points after the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP) at age 4 months. Five aspects of maternal disrupted interaction were coded during the SFP reunion episode. Between 4 and 25 months (M age = 11.74 months, SD = 6.12), under natural sleep, infants completed an MRI. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes were calculated via automated segmentation. Results indicated that 1) maternal disrupted interaction, and specifically disoriented interaction, with the infant was associated with higher infant salivary cortisol (AUCg) levels during the SFP, 2) higher infant AUCg was related to enlarged bilateral amygdala and hippocampal volumes, and 3) infant AUCg mediated the relation between maternal disrupted interaction and infant amygdala and hippocampal volumes. Findings are consistent with controlled animal studies and provide evidence of a link between increased cortisol levels and enlarged limbic volumes in human infants. Results further suggest that established interventions to decrease maternal disrupted interaction could impact both infant cortisol levels and infant limbic volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Yangming Ou
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | | | - Torsten Klengel
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Karlen Lyons-Ruth
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
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Lyons‐Ruth K, Ahtam B, Li FH, Dickerman S, Khoury JE, Sisitsky M, Ou Y, Bosquet Enlow M, Teicher MH, Grant PE. Negative versus withdrawn maternal behavior: Differential associations with infant gray and white matter during the first 2 years of life. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:4572-4589. [PMID: 37417795 PMCID: PMC10365238 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26401] [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: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Distinct neural effects of threat versus deprivation emerge by childhood, but little data are available in infancy. Withdrawn versus negative parenting may represent dimensionalized indices of early deprivation versus early threat, but no studies have assessed neural correlates of withdrawn versus negative parenting in infancy. The objective of this study was to separately assess the links of maternal withdrawal and maternal negative/inappropriate interaction with infant gray matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), amygdala, and hippocampal volume. Participants included 57 mother-infant dyads. Withdrawn and negative/inappropriate aspects of maternal behavior were coded from the Still-Face Paradigm at four months infant age. Between 4 and 24 months (M age = 12.28 months, SD = 5.99), during natural sleep, infants completed an MRI using a 3.0 T Siemens scanner. GMV, WMV, amygdala, and hippocampal volumes were extracted via automated segmentation. Diffusion weighted imaging volumetric data were also generated for major white matter tracts. Maternal withdrawal was associated with lower infant GMV. Negative/inappropriate interaction was associated with lower overall WMV. Age did not moderate these effects. Maternal withdrawal was further associated with reduced right hippocampal volume at older ages. Exploratory analyses of white matter tracts found that negative/inappropriate maternal behavior was specifically associated with reduced volume in the ventral language network. Results suggest that quality of day-to-day parenting is related to infant brain volumes during the first two years of life, with distinct aspects of interaction associated with distinct neural effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlen Lyons‐Ruth
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Banu Ahtam
- Fetal‐Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Frances Haofei Li
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sarah Dickerman
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jennifer E. Khoury
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
- Present address:
Department of PsychologyMount Saint Vincent UniversityHalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | - Michaela Sisitsky
- Fetal‐Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yangming Ou
- Fetal‐Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Martin H. Teicher
- Department of PsychiatryMcLean Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBelmontMassachusettsUSA
| | - P. Ellen Grant
- Fetal‐Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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4
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Arancibia M, Lutz M, Ardiles Á, Fuentes C. Neurobiology of Disorganized Attachment: A Review of Primary Studies on Human Beings. Neurosci Insights 2023; 18:26331055221145681. [PMID: 36844427 PMCID: PMC9947683 DOI: 10.1177/26331055221145681] [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: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
This article describes and analyzes various aspects related to the neurobiology of disorganized attachment (DA), which is associated with personality, eating, affective, dissociative, and addictive disorders. We included primary studies in humans, published in PubMed from 2000 to 2022. Eight genetic and one epigenetic study were considered. Three molecular studies describe possible roles of oxytocin and cortisol, seven neurophysiological studies investigated functional correlates, and five morphological studies describe anatomical changes. Findings in candidate genes involved in dopaminergic, serotonergic, and oxytonergic systems have not been able to be replicated in large-scale human studies. Alterations in the functioning of cortisol and oxytocin are preliminary. Neurophysiological studies show changes in subcortical structures (mainly in the hippocampus) and occipital, temporal, parietal, and insular cortices. Since there is a lack of robust evidence on the neurobiology of DA in humans, the possible inferences of these studies are preliminary, which restricts their translation to clinical parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Arancibia
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Health
Studies (CIESAL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de
Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile,Marcelo Arancibia, Interdisciplinary Centre
for Health Studies (CIESAL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,
Universidad de Valparaíso, Angamos 655, Viña del Mar, Valparaíso 2540064, Chile.
| | - Mariane Lutz
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Health
Studies (CIESAL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de
Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Álvaro Ardiles
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Health
Studies (CIESAL), School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de
Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile,Synaptopathy Lab, School of Medicine,
Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile,Centro Interdisciplinario de
Neurociencias de Valparaíso (CINV), Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Valparaíso,
Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Camila Fuentes
- Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de
Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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5
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Dégeilh F, Leblanc É, Daneault V, Beauchamp MH, Bernier A. Longitudinal associations between mother-child attachment security in toddlerhood and white matter microstructure in late childhood: a preliminary investigation. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:291-310. [PMID: 36794390 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2172437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood experiences are considered to influence the strength and effectiveness of neural connections and thus the development of brain connectivity. As one of the most pervasive and potent early relational experiences, parent-child attachment is a prime candidate to account for experience-driven differences in brain development. Yet, knowledge of the effects of parent-child attachment on brain structure in typically developing children is scarce and largely limited to grey matter, whereas caregiving influences on white matter (i.e. neural connections) have seldom been explored. This study examined whether normative variation in mother-child attachment security predicts white matter microstructure in late childhood and explored associations with cognitive-inhibition. Mother-child attachment security was assessed using home observations when children (N = 32, 20 girls) were 15 and 26 months old. White matter microstructure was assessed using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging when children were 10 years old. Child cognitive-inhibition was tested when children were 11 years old. Results revealed a negative association between mother-toddler attachment security and child white matter microstructure organization, which in turn related to better child cognitive-inhibition. While preliminary given the sample size, these findings add to the growing literature that suggests that rich and positive experiences are likely to decelerate brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Dégeilh
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Élizabel Leblanc
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Véronique Daneault
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Functional Neuroimaging Unit, Montreal Geriatric University Institute, Quebec, Canada.,Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital, Quebec, Canada
| | - Miriam H Beauchamp
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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6
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Rajkumar RP. Comorbid depression and anxiety: Integration of insights from attachment theory and cognitive neuroscience, and their implications for research and treatment. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1104928. [PMID: 36620859 PMCID: PMC9811005 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1104928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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7
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Kidd T, Dferevine SL, Walker SC. Affective Touch and Regulation of Stress Responses. Health Psychol Rev 2022; 17:60-77. [PMID: 36346350 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2143854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Much has been documented on the association between stress and health. Both direct and indirect pathways have been identified and explored extensively, helping us understand trajectories from healthy individuals to reductions in well-being, and development of preclinical and disease states. Some of these pathways are well established within the field; physiology, affect regulation, and social relationships. The purpose of this review is to push beyond what is known separately about these pathways and provide a means to integrate them using one common mechanism. We propose that social touch, specifically affective touch, may be the missing active ingredient fundamental to our understanding of how close relationships contribute to stress and health. We provide empirical evidence detailing how affective touch is fundamental to the development of our stress systems, critical to the development of attachment bonds and subsequent social relationships across the life course. We will also explore how we can use this in applied contexts and incorporate it into existing interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Kidd
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moore University, Liverpool, U.K
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8
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Leblanc É, Dégeilh F, Beauchamp MH, Bernier A. Disorganized attachment behaviors in infancy as predictors of brain morphology and peer rejection in late childhood. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:833-848. [PMID: 35146642 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00987-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Studies show robust links between disorganized attachment in infancy and socioemotional maladjustment in childhood. Little is known, however, about the links between disorganized attachment and brain development, and whether attachment-related differences in brain morphology translate into meaningful variations in child socioemotional functioning. This study examined the links between infants' disorganized attachment behaviors toward their mothers, whole-brain regional grey matter volume and thickness, and peer rejection in late childhood. Thirty-three children and their mothers took part in this study. The Strange Situation Procedure was used to assess mother-infant attachment when infants were 18 months old. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed when they were 10 years old to assess cortical thickness and grey matter volumes. Children and teachers reported on peer rejection 1 year later, as an indicator of socioemotional maladjustment. Results indicated that disorganized attachment was not associated with grey matter volumes. However, children who exhibited more disorganized attachment behaviors in infancy had significantly thicker cortices in bilateral middle and superior frontal gyri, and extending to the inferior frontal gyrus, as well as the orbitofrontal and insular cortices in the right hemisphere in late childhood. Moreover, children with thicker cortices in these regions experienced greater peer rejection, as rated by themselves and their teachers. Although preliminary, these results are the first to indicate that disorganized attachment may play a role in cortical thickness development and that changes in cortical thickness are associated with differences in child socioemotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élizabel Leblanc
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Fanny Dégeilh
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- University of Rennes, CNRS, Inria, Inserm, IRISA UMR 6074, Empenn Team ERL U 1228, Rennes, France
| | - Miriam H Beauchamp
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.
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9
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Cruciani G, Boccia M, Lingiardi V, Giovanardi G, Zingaretti P, Spitoni GF. An Exploratory Study on Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Individuals with Disorganized Attachment: Evidence for Key Regions in Amygdala and Hippocampus. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111539. [PMID: 34827538 PMCID: PMC8615787 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies comparing organized (O) and unresolved/disorganized (UD) attachment have consistently shown structural and functional brain abnormalities, although whether and how attachment patterns may affect resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) is still little characterized. Here, we investigated RSFC of temporal and limbic regions of interest for UD attachment. Participants’ attachment was classified via the Adult Attachment Interview, and all participants underwent clinical assessment. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 11 UD individuals and seven matched O participants during rest. A seed-to-voxel analysis was performed, including the anterior and the posterior cingulate cortex, the bilateral insula, amygdala and hippocampus as seed regions. No group differences in the clinical scales emerged. Compared to O, the UD group showed lower RSFC between the left amygdala and the left cerebellum (lobules VIII), and lower functional coupling between the right hippocampus and the posterior portion of the right middle temporal gyrus. Moreover, UD participants showed higher RSFC between the right amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex. Our findings suggest RSFC alterations in regions associated with encoding of salient events, emotion processing, memories retrieval and self-referential processing in UD participants, highlighting the potential role of attachment experiences in shaping brain abnormalities also in non-clinical UD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Cruciani
- Department of Psychology, Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0)6-49917711
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), 00179 Rome, Italy;
| | - Vittorio Lingiardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Guido Giovanardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Pietro Zingaretti
- Villa von Siebenthal Neuropsychiatric Clinic and Hospital, Genzano di Roma, 00045 Rome, Italy;
| | - Grazia Fernanda Spitoni
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), 00179 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
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10
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Ferschmann L, Bos MGN, Herting MM, Mills KL, Tamnes CK. Contextualizing adolescent structural brain development: Environmental determinants and mental health outcomes. Curr Opin Psychol 2021; 44:170-176. [PMID: 34688028 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The spatiotemporal group-level patterns of brain macrostructural development are relatively well-documented. Current research emphasizes individual variability in brain development, including its causes and consequences. Although genetic factors and prenatal and perinatal events play critical roles, calls are now made to also study brain development in transactional interplay with the different aspects of an individual's physical and social environment. Such focus is highly relevant for research on adolescence, a period involving a multitude of contextual changes paralleled by continued refinement of complex cognitive and affective neural systems. Here, we discuss associations between selected aspects of an individual's physical and social environment and adolescent brain structural development and possible links to mental health. We also touch on methodological considerations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Ferschmann
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
| | - Marieke G N Bos
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Kathryn L Mills
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA
| | - Christian K Tamnes
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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11
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Ilyka D, Johnson MH, Lloyd-Fox S. Infant social interactions and brain development: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:448-469. [PMID: 34506843 PMCID: PMC8522805 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Associations between caregiver-infant behaviours during social interactions and brain development outcomes were investigated. Caregivers' and infants' behaviours in interactions related to children’s structural, functional and connectivity measures. Concurrent associations between behavioural and brain measures were apparent as early as three months postnatally. Long-term associations between behaviours in early interactions and brain development outcomes were observed decades later. Individual differences in early interactions and associated brain development is an important avenue for further research.
From birth, interactions with others are an integral part of a person’s daily life. In infancy, social exchanges are thought to be critical for optimal brain development. This systematic review explores this association by drawing together infant studies that relate adult-infant behaviours – coded from their social interactions - to children’s brain measures collected during a neuroimaging session in infancy, childhood, adolescence or adulthood. In total, we identified 55 studies that explored associations between infants’ social interactions and neural measures. These studies show that several aspects of caregiver-infant behaviours are associated with, or predict, a variety of neural responses in infants, children and adolescents. The presence of both concurrent and long-term associations - some of which are first observed just a few months postnatally and extend into adulthood - open an important research avenue and motivate further longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianna Ilyka
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Lloyd-Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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12
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White LO, Schulz CC, Schoett MJS, Kungl MT, Keil J, Borelli JL, Vrtička P. Conceptual Analysis: A Social Neuroscience Approach to Interpersonal Interaction in the Context of Disruption and Disorganization of Attachment (NAMDA). Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:517372. [PMID: 33424647 PMCID: PMC7785824 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.517372] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are strongly dependent upon social resources for allostasis and emotion regulation. This applies especially to early childhood because humans-as an altricial species-have a prolonged period of dependency on support and input from caregivers who typically act as sources of co-regulation. Accordingly, attachment theory proposes that the history and quality of early interactions with primary caregivers shape children's internal working models of attachment. In turn, these attachment models guide behavior, initially with the set goal of maintaining proximity to caregivers but eventually paving the way to more generalized mental representations of self and others. Mounting evidence in non-clinical populations suggests that these mental representations coincide with differential patterns of neural structure, function, and connectivity in a range of brain regions previously associated with emotional and cognitive capacities. What is currently lacking, however, is an evidence-based account of how early adverse attachment-related experiences and/or the emergence of attachment disorganization impact the developing brain. While work on early childhood adversities offers important insights, we propose that how these events become biologically embedded crucially hinges on the context of the child-caregiver attachment relationships in which the events take place. Our selective review distinguishes between direct social neuroscience research on disorganized attachment and indirect maltreatment-related research, converging on aberrant functioning in neurobiological systems subserving aversion, approach, emotion regulation, and mental state processing in the wake of severe attachment disruption. To account for heterogeneity of findings, we propose two distinct neurobiological phenotypes characterized by hyper- and hypo-arousal primarily deriving from the caregiver serving either as a threatening or as an insufficient source of co-regulation, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars O. White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Charlotte C. Schulz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Melanie T. Kungl
- Department of Psychology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Keil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jessica L. Borelli
- THRIVE Laboratory, Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Pascal Vrtička
- Research Group “Social Stress and Family Health”, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Science, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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13
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Dubois-Comtois K, Sabourin-Guardo É, Achim J, Lebel A, Terradas MM. L’attachement et la mentalisation en pédopsychiatrie : une fenêtre sur le fonctionnement des enfants et de leurs parents. SANTE MENTALE AU QUEBEC 2020. [DOI: 10.7202/1073529ar] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Le travail auprès de la clientèle en pédopsychiatrie et les défis qu’il pose amènent à revoir les pratiques cliniques afin de prendre en compte de façon systématique les notions d’attachement et de mentalisation chez les enfants et leurs parents. L’article traite d’abord des concepts d’attachement et de mentalisation et fait un résumé de l’état des connaissances sur ces derniers. Il est ensuite question d’un projet de recherche développé en pédopsychiatrie à la clinique spécialisée 0-5 ans de l’Hôpital en santé mentale Albert-Prévost (HSMAP). Nous présentons les résultats préliminaires de cette recherche de même que les défis rencontrés dans l’implantation du projet. Enfin, nous développons sur la façon d’aborder le travail clinique en considérant de manière systématique l’attachement et la mentalisation dans l’évaluation et l’intervention auprès des familles référées en pédopsychiatrie.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Dubois-Comtois
- Ph. D., professeure titulaire, Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Psychologue en pédopsychiatrie et chercheure régulière, Centre de recherche du CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
| | | | - Julie Achim
- Ph. D., psychologue clinicienne et professeure agrégée, Département de psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke – Campus de Longueuil. Chercheure associée, Centre de recherche du CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
| | - Alain Lebel
- M.D., Psychiatre de l’enfant et de l’adolescent, Hôpital en Santé Mentale Albert-Prévost, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. Professeur agrégé de clinique, Faculté de médecine, Département de psychiatrie, Université de Montréal
| | - Miguel M. Terradas
- Ph. D., psychologue clinicien et professeur agrégé, Département de psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke – Campus de Longueuil. Chercheur régulier, Institut universitaire Jeunes en difficulté – CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal
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14
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Farber MJ, Gee DG, Hariri AR. Normative range parenting and the developing brain: A scoping review and recommendations for future research. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:2341-2358. [PMID: 33051903 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Studies of early adversity such as trauma, abuse, and neglect highlight the critical importance of quality caregiving in brain development and mental health. However, the impact of normative range variability in caregiving on such biobehavioral processes remains poorly understood. Thus, we lack an essential foundation for understanding broader, population-representative developmental mechanisms of risk and resilience. Here, we conduct a scoping review of the extant literature centered on the question, "Is variability in normative range parenting associated with variability in brain structure and function?" After removing duplicates and screening by title, abstract, and full-text, 23 records were included in a qualitative review. The most striking outcome of this review was not only how few studies have explored associations between brain development and normative range parenting, but also how little methodological consistency exists across published studies. In light of these limitations, we propose recommendations for future research on normative range parenting and brain development. In doing so, we hope to facilitate evidence-based research that will help inform policies and practices that yield optimal developmental trajectories and mental health as well as extend the literature on the neurodevelopmental impact of early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline J Farber
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NA, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Clinical Affective Neuroscience & Development Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NA, USA
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15
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Guérin-Marion C, Sezlik S, Bureau JF. Developmental and attachment-based perspectives on dissociation: beyond the effects of maltreatment. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1802908. [PMID: 33244358 PMCID: PMC7678681 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1802908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Numerous years of theory and research have informed our understanding of the caregiving experiences that confer vulnerability for dissociation. This work has resulted in widespread agreement on the role of childhood maltreatment as an aetiological factor. Objective: With clear integration of this perspective, the current paper draws attention to the spectrum of vulnerability that can exist over and above the trauma of maltreatment within early caregiving experiences. Method: An integrative review of the developmental literature on dissociation is presented. Results: We first review and integrate existing developmental theories of dissociation into a more unified perspective, highlighting a combination of defensive and intersubjective pathways towards dissociative outcomes. Next, we present empirical research demonstrating which specific caregiving experiences are associated with dissociation. Lastly, we review recent neurodevelopmental research demonstrating that (non-extreme) caregiving stressors during infancy impact the developing limbic structures in the brain. We conclude by offering directions for future research. Conclusion: Findings make the case for approaching assessments of the caregiver-child relationship with discernment of factors beyond the presence/absence of maltreatment when conceptualizing risk pathways toward dissociation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sage Sezlik
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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16
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Cheng F, Cui S, Zhang C, Zhang L, Wang L, Yuan Q, Huang C, Zhang K, Zhou X. Association Between Cognitive Function and Early Life Experiences in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:792. [PMID: 32903659 PMCID: PMC7438706 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early life experiences could be potential risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorder. In similar circumstances, it might also influence cognitive impairment in later life. However, the relationship between early life experience and cognitive function in people with alcohol use disorders is unclear. The current study examined the effects of early social environments and experiences on cognitive function in patients with alcohol use disorder. METHODS A total of 37 adult male patients with alcohol use disorder and 30 healthy control (HC) subjects were enrolled. The MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery (MCCB) was used to evaluate cognitive function. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) were used to evaluate early life experiences of the participants. The RAAS was used to evaluate the attachment patterns of participants. RESULTS Compared with the HC group, the alcohol use disorder group reported higher levels of childhood abuse and were more likely to form an insecure attachment style. Patients with alcohol use disorder who experienced trauma performed worse in terms of discrete cognitive parameters such as social cognition, reasoning and problem solving compared to patients without trauma. Importantly, emotional neglect and social comfort were significantly associated with individual social cognitive skills. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the cognitive function of patients with alcohol use disorder, especially social cognitive function, is affected by early life experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangshuo Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shu Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Fuyang People's Hospital, Fuyang, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiuyu Yuan
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Cui Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoqin Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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