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Ehlers CL, Wills D, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Phillips E, Kim C, Gilder DA. Event-related Oscillations to Emotional Faces are Related to a History of Internalizing Disorders. Clin EEG Neurosci 2023; 54:420-433. [PMID: 35379012 PMCID: PMC9681067 DOI: 10.1177/15500594221088258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Event-related oscillations (EROs) may represent sensitive biomarkers or endophenotypes for disorders that underlie risk behaviors such as suicidal thoughts and actions. In this study, young adults of American Indian (AI) (n = 821) and Mexican American (MA) (n = 721) ancestry (age 18-30 yrs) were clinically assessed for internalizing and externalizing disorders, and an internalizing scale was generated by extracting core diagnostic items from 6 lifetime DSM5-compatible diagnoses (social phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive episode) and symptoms of suicidality. EROs were generated to sad, happy and neutral faces, and energy and phase locking of delta ERO oscillations were assessed in frontal areas. An increase in delta ERO energy was found in the frontal lead (FZ) following presentation of the sad facial expressions in those with a history of 10 or more internalizing symptoms compared to those with no symptoms. Increases in delta ERO energy in FZ were also associated with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), but not with anxiety disorders or antisocial personality disorder/conduct disorders (ASP). Major depression was also associated with increases in cross-cortical phase-locking (FZ-PZ). A decrease in the percentage of correctly identified neutral faces also was seen among those with 10 or more internalizing symptoms compared to those without internalizing symptoms, and in those with anxiety disorders, but not in those with ASP or MDD as compared to their controls. These findings suggest ERO measures may represent important potential biomarkers of depressive disorders as well as risk indicators for suicidal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy L Ehlers
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Derek Wills
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Evelyn Phillips
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Corrine Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David A Gilder
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Odintsova VV, Hagenbeek FA, van der Laan CM, van de Weijer S, Boomsma DI. Genetics and epigenetics of human aggression. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:13-44. [PMID: 37633706 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00005-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
There is substantial variation between humans in aggressive behavior, with its biological etiology and molecular genetic basis mostly unknown. This review chapter offers an overview of genomic and omics studies revealing the genetic contribution to aggression and first insights into associations with epigenetic and other omics (e.g., metabolomics) profiles. We allowed for a broad phenotype definition including studies on "aggression," "aggressive behavior," or "aggression-related traits," "antisocial behavior," "conduct disorder," and "oppositional defiant disorder." Heritability estimates based on family and twin studies in children and adults of this broadly defined phenotype of aggression are around 50%, with relatively small fluctuations around this estimate. Next, we review the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) which search for associations with alleles and also allow for gene-based tests and epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) which seek to identify associations with differently methylated regions across the genome. Both GWAS and EWAS allow for construction of Polygenic and DNA methylation scores at an individual level. Currently, these predict a small percentage of variance in aggression. We expect that increases in sample size will lead to additional discoveries in GWAS and EWAS, and that multiomics approaches will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular underpinnings of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika V Odintsova
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Mental Health Division, Amsterdam Public Health (APH) Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fiona A Hagenbeek
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Mental Health Division, Amsterdam Public Health (APH) Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Camiel M van der Laan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Steve van de Weijer
- Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Ehlers CL, Wills DN, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Gilder DA, Phillips E, Bernert RA. Delta Event-Related Oscillations Are Related to a History of Extreme Binge Drinking in Adolescence and Lifetime Suicide Risk. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E154. [PMID: 33036364 PMCID: PMC7599813 DOI: 10.3390/bs10100154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure typically begins in adolescence, and heavy binge drinking is associated with health risk behaviors. Event-related oscillations (EROs) may represent sensitive biomarkers or endophenotypes for early alcohol exposure as well as other risk behaviors such as suicidal thoughts and actions. In this study, young adults (age 18-30 years) of American Indian (AI) (n = 479) and Mexican American (MA) (n = 705) ancestry were clinically assessed, and EROs were generated to happy, sad and neutral faces. Extreme adolescent binge drinking (10+ drinks) was common (20%) in this population of AI/MA and associated with a significantly increased risk of a lifetime history of suicidal acts (SA, suicide attempts, deaths) but not suicidal thoughts (ST, ideation, plans). ST were reported among MA participants, whereas SA were more common among AI young adults. Extreme adolescent binge drinking was also associated with errors in detection of sad and neutral faces, increases in delta ERO energy, and decreases in phase locking (PL), particularly in parietal areas. A lifetime history of ST was associated with increases in delta ERO energy and PL, whereas SA were associated with decreases in both. These studies suggest that ERO measures may represent important potential biomarkers of adolescent extreme binge drinking and risk for suicidal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy L. Ehlers
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (D.N.W.); (D.A.G.); (E.P.)
| | - Derek N. Wills
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (D.N.W.); (D.A.G.); (E.P.)
| | | | - David A. Gilder
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (D.N.W.); (D.A.G.); (E.P.)
| | - Evelyn Phillips
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (D.N.W.); (D.A.G.); (E.P.)
| | - Rebecca A. Bernert
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
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Genomics of human aggression: current state of genome-wide studies and an automated systematic review tool. Psychiatr Genet 2020; 29:170-190. [PMID: 31464998 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There are substantial differences, or variation, between humans in aggression, with its molecular genetic basis mostly unknown. This review summarizes knowledge on the genetic contribution to variation in aggression with the following three foci: (1) a comprehensive overview of reviews on the genetics of human aggression, (2) a systematic review of genome-wide association studies (GWASs), and (3) an automated tool for the selection of literature based on supervised machine learning. The phenotype definition 'aggression' (or 'aggressive behaviour', or 'aggression-related traits') included anger, antisocial behaviour, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder. The literature search was performed in multiple databases, manually and using a novel automated selection tool, resulting in 18 reviews and 17 GWASs of aggression. Heritability estimates of aggression in children and adults are around 50%, with relatively small fluctuations around this estimate. In 17 GWASs, 817 variants were reported as suggestive (P ≤ 1.0E), including 10 significant associations (P ≤ 5.0E). Nominal associations (P ≤ 1E) were found in gene-based tests for genes involved in immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. Associations were not replicated across GWASs. A complete list of variants and their position in genes and chromosomes are available online. The automated literature search tool produced literature not found by regular search strategies. Aggression in humans is heritable, but its genetic basis remains to be uncovered. No sufficiently large GWASs have been carried out yet. With increases in sample size, we expect aggression to behave like other complex human traits for which GWAS has been successful.
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Ehlers CL, Phillips E, Kim C, Wills DN, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Gilder DA. CR-19-0950: Event-related responses to alcohol-related stimuli in Mexican-American young adults: Relation to age, gender, comorbidity and "dark side" symptoms. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 202:76-86. [PMID: 31323376 PMCID: PMC6685752 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electrophysiological variables may represent sensitive biomarkers of vulnerability to or endophenotypes for alcohol use disorders (AUD). METHODS Young adults (age 18-30 yrs, n = 580) of Mexican American heritage were assessed with the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism and event-related oscillations (EROs) generated in response to a task that used pictures of objects, food, and alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related drinks as stimuli. RESULTS Decreases in energy in the alpha and beta frequencies and higher phase synchrony within cortical brain areas were seen in response to the alcohol-related as compared to the non-alcohol-related stimuli. Differences in ERO energy and synchrony responses to alcohol-related stimuli were also found as a function of age, sex, AUD status and comorbidity. Age-related decreases in energy and increases in synchrony were found. Females had significantly higher energy and lower synchrony values than males. Participants with AUD had higher synchrony values specifically in the beta frequencies, whereas those with a lifetime diagnosis of conduct disorder and/or antisocial personality disorder had lower alpha power and synchrony, and those with any affective disorder had lower ERO energy in the beta frequencies. Those with substance-associated affective "dark-side" symptoms had slower reaction times to the task, lower energy in the beta frequencies, lower local synchrony in the theta frequencies, and higher long-range synchrony in the delta and beta frequencies. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that EROs recorded to alcohol-related stimuli may be biomarkers of comorbid risk factors, symptoms and disorders associated with AUD that also can differentiate those with "dark-side symptoms".
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy L. Ehlers
- Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,Corresponding author: Dr. Cindy L. Ehlers, TSRI, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA, Telephone: (858) 784-7058; Fax: (858) 784-7409;
| | - Evelyn Phillips
- Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Corinne Kim
- Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Derek N. Wills
- Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - David A. Gilder
- Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Ehlers CL, Wills DN, Phillips E, Havstad J. Low voltage alpha EEG phenotype is associated with reduced amplitudes of alpha event-related oscillations, increased cortical phase synchrony, and a low level of response to alcohol. Int J Psychophysiol 2015; 98:65-75. [PMID: 26151497 PMCID: PMC4579005 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Low voltage EEG (LVEEG) is a heritable phenotype that differs depending on ancestral heritage, yet its impact on brain networks and cognition remain relatively unexplored. In this study we assessed energy and task related phase locking of event-related oscillation (EROs), behavioral responses, measures of IQ and personality, and expected responses to alcohol in a large sample of individuals with LVEEG compared to those with higher voltage variants. Participants (n=762) were recruited from a Native American community and completed a diagnostic interview, the Quick Test, the Subjective High Assessment Scale Expectation Version (SHAS-E) and the Maudsley Personality Inventory. Clinical and spectral analyzed EEGs were collected for determination of the presence of a LVEEG variant. EROs were generated using a facial expression recognition task. Participants with LVEEG (n=451) were significantly more likely to be older, married and have higher degrees of Native American heritage but did not differ in gender, income or education. Individuals with LVEEG were also found to have decreased energy in their alpha EROs, increased phase locking between stimulus trials, and increased phase-locking between cortical brain areas. No significant differences in the cognitive tests, personality variables or alcohol dependence or anxiety diagnoses were found, however, individuals with LVEEG did report a larger number of drinks ever consumed in a 24-h period and a less intense expected response to alcohol. These data suggest that alpha power in the resting EEG is highly associated with energy and cortical connectivity measures generated by event-related stimuli, as well as potentially increased risk for alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy L Ehlers
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd., SP30-1501, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | - Derek N Wills
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd., SP30-1501, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Evelyn Phillips
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd., SP30-1501, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - James Havstad
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Rd., SP30-1501, La Jolla, CA, United States
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