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Coe JL, Daniels T, Huffhines L, Seifer R, Marsit CJ, Kao HT, Porton B, Parade SH, Tyrka AR. Examining the Biological Impacts of Parent-Child Relationship Dynamics on Preschool-Aged Children who have Experienced Adversity. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22463. [PMID: 38601953 PMCID: PMC11003752 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22463] [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: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Parent-child relationship dynamics have been shown to predict socioemotional and behavioral outcomes for children, but little is known about how they may affect biological development. The aim of this study was to test if observational assessments of parent-child relationship dynamics (cohesion, enmeshment, and disengagement) were associated with three biological indices of early life adversity and downstream health risk: (1) methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), (2) telomere attrition, and (3) mitochondrial biogenesis, indexed by mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), all of which were measured in children's saliva. We tested hypotheses using a sample of 254 preschool-aged children (M age = 51.04 months) with and without child welfare-substantiated maltreatment (52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) who were racially and ethnically diverse (17% Black, 40% White, 23% biracial, and 20% other races; 45% Hispanic) and from primarily low-income backgrounds (91% qualified for public assistance). Results of path analyses revealed that: (1) higher parent-child cohesion was associated with lower levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and longer telomeres, and (2) higher parent-child disengagement was associated with higher levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and shorter telomeres. Results suggest that parent-child relationship dynamics may have distinct biological effects on children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa Daniels
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Koopmans Y, Nelemans SA, Bosmans G, Van Den Noortgate W, Van Leeuwen K, Goossens L. Perceived Parental Support and Psychological Control, DNA Methylation, and Loneliness: Longitudinal Associations Across Early Adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 2023:10.1007/s10964-023-01822-6. [PMID: 37470939 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01822-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
A broad range of factors have been associated with the development of adolescent loneliness. In the family context, a lack of parental support and high levels of parental psychological control have systematically been linked to loneliness. On the biological level, DNA methylation (which is an epigenetic process that suppresses gene expression) is believed to play a role in the development of loneliness. Specifically, high levels of DNA methylation in genes that play an important role in the functioning of the human stress response system are believed to elevate the risk of loneliness. Moreover, DNA methylation levels in these stress-related genes can be influenced by stressful environmental factors, suggesting a potential mediating role of DNA methylation in the association between parenting behaviors and loneliness. The current 3-year longitudinal study is the first study to examine the potential bidirectional longitudinal associations between loneliness, DNA methylation in stress-related genes, and both perceived parental support and psychological control. Furthermore, we explored the potential mediating role of DNA methylation in stress-related genes in the associations between perceived parenting and loneliness. The sample comprised 622 early adolescents (55% girls, Mage T1 = 10.77 years, SDage T1 = 0.48) who were followed from Grade 5 to 7. Parental support, psychological control, and loneliness were assessed annually by adolescent self-report questionnaires and DNA methylation was determined from saliva samples. Cross-Lagged Panel Models (CLPM) revealed that higher levels of loneliness predicted lower perceived parental support and higher perceived psychological control over time, as well as higher DNA methylation in some stress-related genes, that is, the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, higher NR3C1 methylation was predictive of lower perceived parental support and higher psychological control over time. No evidence was found for a mediating role of DNA methylation. Overall, our longitudinal findings challenge the current focus on DNA methylation and parenting behaviors as risk factors for adolescent loneliness. Instead, they suggest that the less considered direction of effects, which implies that loneliness predicts DNA methylation and aspects of parenting such as support and psychological control, should receive greater attention in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yentl Koopmans
- School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Stefanie A Nelemans
- Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Department of Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Luc Goossens
- School Psychology and Development in Context, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Lee B, Shin E, Song I, Chang B. Depression in Adolescence and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:947192. [PMID: 35875661 PMCID: PMC9302599 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.947192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of depression among adolescents has been rapidly increasing in recent years. Environmental and genetic factors have been identified as important risk factors for adolescent depression. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of adolescent depression that are triggered by these risk factors are not well understood. Clinical and preclinical studies have focused more on adult depression, and differences in depressive symptoms between adolescents and adults make it difficult to adequately diagnose and treat adolescent depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of many psychiatric disorders, including depression. However, there are still few studies on adolescent depression. Therefore, in this review paper, the causes and treatment of adolescent depression and the function of BDNF are investigated.
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Motavalli R, Majidi T, Pourlak T, Abediazar S, Shoja MM, Zununi Vahed S, Etemadi J. The clinical significance of the glucocorticoid receptors: Genetics and epigenetics. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 213:105952. [PMID: 34274458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The impacts of glucocorticoids (GCs) are mainly mediated by a nuclear receptor (GR) existing in almost every tissue. The GR regulates a wide range of physiological functions, including inflammation, cell metabolism, and differentiation playing a major role in cellular responses to GCs and stress. Therefore, the dysregulation or disruption of GR can cause deficiencies in the adaptation to stress and the preservation of homeostasis. The number of GR polymorphisms associated with different diseases has been mounting per year. Tackling these clinical complications obliges a comprehensive understanding of the molecular network action of GCs at the level of the GR structure and its signaling pathways. Beyond genetic variation in the GR gene, epigenetic changes can enhance our understanding of causal factors involved in the development of diseases and identifying biomarkers. In this review, we highlight the relationships of GC receptor gene polymorphisms and epigenetics with different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roza Motavalli
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Taraneh Majidi
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tala Pourlak
- Department of Pathology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sima Abediazar
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammadali M Shoja
- Clinical Academy of Teaching and Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, FL, USA
| | | | - Jalal Etemadi
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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