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Brett BE, Vacaru S, Beijers R, de Weerth C. Infant colic and HPA axis development across childhood. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 164:106965. [PMID: 38493596 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.106965] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study examines the long-term impact of infant colic on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis development and the moderating role of attachment security, in a low-risk Dutch sample of 193 children. We assessed infant colic at 6 weeks, circadian cortisol concentrations at ages 1, 2.5, 6, and 10 years, and attachment security at 1 year. Findings indicated that infant colic was associated with steeper diurnal cortisol slopes and slightly higher cortisol concentrations throughout childhood. Attachment security did not moderate these associations. This is the first study to reveal a link between infant colic and the development of the HPA axis in healthy children beyond infancy. These findings have important implications for understanding early risk and protective factors in the stress system's development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie E Brett
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Stefania Vacaru
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, Nijmegen 6525HR, the Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Liu J, Yang T, Li Y, Li S, Li Y, Xu S, Xia W. Associations of maternal exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid during early pregnancy with steroid hormones among one-month-old infants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169414. [PMID: 38114038 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), a widely used hormonal herbicide, may disrupt steroid hormone homeostasis. However, evidence from population-based studies is limited, especially for one-month-old infants whose steroid hormones are in a state of adjustment to extrauterine life and can be important indicators of endocrine development. This study aimed to explore the associations between maternal 2,4-D exposure during early pregnancy and infant steroid hormone levels. METHODS The 885 mother-infant pairs were from a birth cohort in Wuhan, China. Maternal exposure to 2,4-D was determined in urine samples from early pregnancy, and nine steroid hormones were determined in infant urine. The associations of maternal 2,4-D exposure with infant steroid hormones and their product-to-precursor ratios were estimated based on generalized linear models, and bioinformatic analysis was conducted with public databases to explore the potential mechanisms involved. RESULTS The detection frequency of 2,4-D was 99.32 %, and the detection frequency of steroid hormones ranged from 98.42 % to 100.00 %. After adjusting for covariates, an interquartile range increase in 2,4-D concentrations was associated with a 7.84 % decrease in 11-deoxycortisol (95 % confidence interval, CI: -14.12 %, -1.10 %), an 8.09 % decrease in corticosterone (95 % CI: -14.56 %, -1.14 %), an 8.67 % decrease in cortisol (95 % CI: -14.43 %, -2.52 %), a 13.00 % decrease in cortisone (95 % CI: -20.64 %, -4.62 %), and an 11.17 % decrease in aldosterone (95 % CI: -19.62 %, -1.83 %). Maternal 2,4-D was also associated with lower infant cortisol/17α-OH-progesterone, cortisol/pregnenolone, and aldosterone/pregnenolone ratios. In bioinformatic analysis, pathways/biological processes related to steroid hormone synthesis and secretion were enriched from target genes of 2,4-D exposure. CONCLUSIONS Maternal urinary 2,4-D during early pregnancy was associated with lower infant urinary 11-deoxycortisol, corticosterone, cortisol, cortisone, and aldosterone, reflecting that 2,4-D exposure may interfere with infant steroid hormone homeostasis. Further efforts are still needed to study the relevant health effects of exposure to 2,4-D, particularly for vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tingting Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ying Li
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shulan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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3
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Musillo C, Creutzberg KC, Collacchi B, Ajmone-Cat MA, De Simone R, Lepre M, Amrein I, Riva MA, Berry A, Cirulli F. Bdnf-Nrf-2 crosstalk and emotional behavior are disrupted in a sex-dependent fashion in adolescent mice exposed to maternal stress or maternal obesity. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:399. [PMID: 38105264 PMCID: PMC10725882 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02701-1] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity has been recognized as a stressor affecting the developing fetal brain, leading to long-term negative outcomes comparable to those resulting from maternal psychological stress, although the mechanisms have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that adverse prenatal conditions as diverse as maternal stress and maternal obesity might affect emotional regulation and stress response in the offspring through common pathways, with a main focus on oxidative stress and neuroplasticity. We contrasted and compared adolescent male and female offspring in two mouse models of maternal psychophysical stress (restraint during pregnancy - PNS) and maternal obesity (high-fat diet before and during gestation - mHFD) by combining behavioral assays, evaluation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis of selected markers of neuronal function and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, a key region involved in stress appraisal. Prenatal administration of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) was used as a strategy to protect fetal neurodevelopment from the negative effects of PNS and mHFD. Our findings show that these two stressors produce overlapping effects, reducing brain anti-oxidant defenses (Nrf-2) and leading to sex-dependent impairments of hippocampal Bdnf expression and alterations of the emotional behavior and HPA axis functionality. Prenatal NAC administration, by restoring the redox balance, was able to exert long-term protective effects on brain development, suggesting that the modulation of redox pathways might be an effective strategy to target common shared mechanisms between different adverse prenatal conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Musillo
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
- Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Kerstin C Creutzberg
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Collacchi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta De Simone
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Lepre
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Berry
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Tervahartiala K, Perasto L, Kortesluoma S, Korja R, Karlsson H, Nolvi S, Karlsson L. Latent profile analysis of diurnal cortisol patterns at the ages of 2, 3.5, and 5 years: Associations with childcare setting, child individual characteristics, and maternal distress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 156:106345. [PMID: 37540904 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106345] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
This study performed latent profile analysis from more than 4000 saliva cortisol samples collected from children at the ages of 2 (T1), 3.5 (T2), and 5 years (T3). Three clearly different cortisol profiles were identified. The largest group at every age point was the Low/Regular latent profile, in which the cortisol slopes followed typical diurnal variation. A smaller proportion of the children belonged to the latent profile with relatively Low/Flat slope, and a minority belonged to the High/Fluctuating latent group, where the overall cortisol values and variations between the slopes were clearly higher than in the other groups. Most of the children who belonged to the High/Fluctuating group were cared for at home, they had higher temperamental surgency and their mothers had more depressive symptoms than in the other latent profile groups. However, only moderate intraindividual stability in diurnal cortisol profiles was observed across the follow-up period. On average, half of the children moved between the groups from T1 to T3. Neither child temperament, social competence, nor sex explained the stability or movement between the groups across age. Variations in cortisol profiles may be caused by the child's age, and diurnal cortisol rhythm becomes more regular along with development. Methodological issues regarding saliva cortisol research in young children are discussed. Also, more longitudinal research is needed to clarify mechanisms between environmental as well as individual factors and possible dysregulation in a child's HPA axis functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Tervahartiala
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Mattilanniemi 6, 40100 Jyväskylä, Finland; Centre of Excellence in Learning Dynamics and Intervention Research (InterLearn), University of Jyväskylä and University of Turku, Mattilanniemi 6, 40100 Jyväskylä, Finland; The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland.
| | - Laura Perasto
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Susanna Kortesluoma
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre of Excellence in Learning Dynamics and Intervention Research (InterLearn), University of Jyväskylä and University of Turku, Mattilanniemi 6, 40100 Jyväskylä, Finland; The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Saara Nolvi
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre of Excellence in Learning Dynamics and Intervention Research (InterLearn), University of Jyväskylä and University of Turku, Mattilanniemi 6, 40100 Jyväskylä, Finland; The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Clinical Medicine, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
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Grigoropoulou M, Kapetanakis EI, Attilakos A, Charalampopoulos A, Dimopoulou A, Vamvakas E, Mavrigiannaki E, Zavras N. Investigating Non-Pharmacological Stress Reduction Interventions in Pediatric Patients Confirmed with Salivary Cortisol Levels: A Systematic Review. Pediatr Rep 2023; 15:349-359. [PMID: 37368364 DOI: 10.3390/pediatric15020031] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For many children, hospitalization can lead to a state of increased anxiety. Being away from home, the invasive procedures undertaken, and the uncertainty of the outcome cause an uncomfortable situation in anticipation of real or imagined hazards. This systematic review aims to assess current evidence on the types of non-pharmacological interventions used and their impact on children's anxiety or distress levels when they visit the hospital for planned or unplanned admissions. The Databases PubMed, Psych INFO, and Google Scholar were queried for papers published from January 2000 to March 2023 reporting the use of non-pharmacological interventions interacting with children in hospital or clinical environments and confirmed with saliva cortisol levels. A total of nine studies were retrieved. Across these studies, four different strategies of non-pharmacological interventions were used. Anxiety and distress were found to be reduced in the majority of the studies as confirmed with salivary cortisol. Overall, there is evidence that non-pharmacological interventions hold a promising role in reducing levels of anxiety or distress in children as confirmed with saliva cortisol. However, research on saliva cortisol as a tool of anxiety measurement requires higher quality studies to strengthen the evidence base.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanouil I Kapetanakis
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Achilleas Attilakos
- Third Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Anestis Charalampopoulos
- Third Department of Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Dimopoulou
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Efstratios Vamvakas
- Second Department of Critical Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleftheria Mavrigiannaki
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Zavras
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Attikon" University Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
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Weigensberg MJ, Wen CK, Sanogo F, Toledo-Corral C, Ding L. Imagine HEALTH: Changes in diurnal salivary cortisol patterns following a 12-week guided imagery RCT lifestyle intervention in predominantly Latino adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 151:106053. [PMID: 36842257 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106053] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alterations in diurnal salivary cortisol patterns have been linked to adverse metabolic health outcomes. We have previously shown that stress-reduction guided imagery (GI) can reduce salivary cortisol levels acutely. We now ask whether addition of GI into a 12-week lifestyle intervention designed to improve eating and physical activity behaviors can alter diurnal salivary cortisol patterns and perceived stress. METHODS 232 adolescent participants (ages 14-17 years) were cluster randomized by school into one of four intervention arms: non-intervention Control (C; n = 51), Lifestyle (LS; n=61), Stress-Reduction GI (SRGI; n = 55), and Lifestyle Behavior GI (LBGI; n = 65). LS group received one nutrition and one physical activity class per week after-school for 12 weeks. SRGI and LBGI groups received same LS classes plus an additional weekly GI session. Salivary cortisol was assessed pre- and post-intervention on 3 days, 3 times daily, at awakening, 30-minutes post-awakening, and in the evening to determine Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Diurnal Cortisol Slope (DCS). Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was administered pre- and post-intervention. Mixed effects modeling was used for intent-to-treat analysis and sensitivity analysis was used for those participants adherent to intervention protocol. RESULTS Analysis of 208 subjects with complete data showed a small between-group increase in CAR in LBGI vs C (p = 0.045, d=0.24), with no significant group differences among other intervention arms. There were no between group differences in change in DCS or change in PSS after 12-weeks. Amongst adherent participants, LBGI showed a small-moderate increase in CAR (p = 0.03, d=0.37), and moderate-large reduction in PSS (p = 0.02, d=-0.66) compared to C. There were no other between group differences in CAR, DCS, or PSS. CONCLUSION LBGI led to an increase in CAR, and in adherent subjects, a decrease in PSS, suggesting GI may be a mind-body intervention that can affect both objective and subjective measures of the stress response. Whether changes in cortisol patterns in this population affect measures of mental or physical health remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fatimata Sanogo
- USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, USA
| | | | - Li Ding
- USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Division of Biostatistics, USA
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Tyborowska A, Gruber K, Beijers R, Kühn S, Roelofs K, de Weerth C. No evidence for association between late pregnancy maternal cortisol and gray matter volume in a healthy community sample of young adolescents. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:893847. [PMID: 36117621 PMCID: PMC9470950 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.893847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A compelling amount of animal and human research has shown that perceived maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the neurodevelopment of the offspring. Prenatal maternal cortisol is frequently proposed as the biological key mechanism underlying this link; however, literature that investigates the effects of prenatal cortisol on subsequent neurodevelopment in humans is scarce. By using longitudinal data from a relatively large community sample of mother-child dyads (N = 73), this pre-registered study prospectively examined the role of maternal prenatal cortisol concentrations on subsequent individual differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and hippocampal subfield volumes at the onset of puberty of the offspring (12 years of age). Two markers of cortisol, that is, evening cortisol and circadian decline over the day, were used as indicators of maternal physiological stress during the last trimester of pregnancy. The results indicate that prenatal maternal cortisol levels were not associated with GMV or hippocampal subfield volumes of the children. These findings suggest that late pregnancy maternal cortisol may not be related to the structural development of the offspring's brain, at least not in healthy community samples and at the onset of puberty. When examining the influence of prenatal stress on offspring neurodevelopment, future investigations should delineate gestational timing effects of the cortisol exposure, cortisol assessment method, and impact of additional biomarkers, as these were not investigated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tyborowska
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Katharina Gruber
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Tervahartiala K, Kortesluoma S, Pelto J, Ahtola A, Karlsson H, Nolvi S, Karlsson L. Children's diurnal cortisol output and temperament in two different childcare settings at 2 and 3.5 years of age. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63 Suppl 1:e22223. [PMID: 34964496 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Prior research suggests that child temperament may play an important role in early childhood stress regulation. We compared children's diurnal cortisol and the association between cortisol and temperament in two different childcare settings. Cortisol was measured from saliva samples over 2 days in children (N = 84) attending out-of-home childcare and in children (N = 27), who were cared for at home at the age of 3.5 years. There was no difference between the childcare groups in total diurnal cortisol. However, of the individual measurements, afternoon cortisol levels were higher in the out-of-home childcare group during their childcare day when compared with their home day. Child temperament was not associated with total diurnal cortisol. Comparison with our prior measurements showed that the association between temperamental surgency/extroversion and total diurnal cortisol diminished along with the child age from 2 to 3.5 years in both childcare settings. This may indicate that more extroverted children are physiologically more reactive to environmental stimuli when they are younger, but this association does not appear as the children develop. Our results further suggest that the afternoon hours in the out-of-home childcare may be demanding and accelerate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activation in young children independent of their age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Tervahartiala
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
| | - Susanna Kortesluoma
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Pelto
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
| | - Annarilla Ahtola
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
| | - Saara Nolvi
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.,Charité Universitätsmedizin - Berlin, A Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Medical Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
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Maschke J, Roetner J, Bösl S, Plank AC, Rohleder N, Goecke TW, Fasching PA, Beckmann MW, Kratz O, Moll GH, Lenz B, Kornhuber J, Eichler A. Association of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Prenatal Maternal Depression with Offspring Low-Grade Inflammation in Early Adolescence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18157920. [PMID: 34360212 PMCID: PMC8345560 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18157920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
(1) This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the link between prenatal alcohol exposure and prenatal maternal depression with the offspring’s low-grade inflammatory status. (2) Prenatal alcohol exposure was determined via maternal self-report during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (self-report+: n = 29) and the meconium alcohol metabolite Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), collected at birth (≥30 ng/g: n = 23). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen for prenatal maternal depressive symptoms during the 3rd trimester (≥10: n = 35). Fifteen years later, 122 adolescents (M = 13.32 years; 48.4% female) provided blood samples for the analysis of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; M = 0.91; SD = 1.28). (3) Higher hsCRP levels were found in EtG positive adolescents (p = 0.036, ηp2 = 0.04) and an inverse non-significant dose–response relation with hsCRP (r = −0.35, p = 0.113). For maternal self-reported prenatal alcohol consumption (p = 0.780, ηp2 = 0.00) and prenatal depressive symptoms (p = 0.360, ηp2 = 0.01) no differences for hsCRP levels between the affected and unaffected groups were found. (4) Adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure are at risk for low-grade systemic inflammation. The EtG biomarker may be more accurate compared to self-reports. The findings suggest that prenatal maternal depression does not evoke low-grade systemic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Maschke
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9131-8544657
| | - Jakob Roetner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Sophia Bösl
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Anne-Christine Plank
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Nicolas Rohleder
- Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Tamme W. Goecke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (T.W.G.); (P.A.F.); (M.W.B.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RoMed Klinikum Rosenheim, 83022 Rosenheim, Germany
| | - Peter A. Fasching
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (T.W.G.); (P.A.F.); (M.W.B.)
| | - Matthias W. Beckmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (T.W.G.); (P.A.F.); (M.W.B.)
| | - Oliver Kratz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Gunther H. Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (B.L.); (J.K.)
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (B.L.); (J.K.)
| | - Anna Eichler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.R.); (S.B.); (A.-C.P.); (O.K.); (G.H.M.); (A.E.)
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10
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Shen QH, Li HF, Zhou XY, Lu YP, Yuan XZ. Relation of serum melatonin levels to postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. J Int Med Res 2020; 48:300060520910642. [PMID: 32208849 PMCID: PMC7254598 DOI: 10.1177/0300060520910642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Postoperative delirium (POD) is a perennial and distressing complication in older patients, and it may be caused by various factors. This study aimed to determine whether serum melatonin levels are associated with POD in older patients who undergo major abdominal surgery. Methods We collected serum samples from patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Melatonin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and delirium was assessed by the Confusion Assessment Method after surgery. We classified the patients into the POD group and non-POD group. Results A total of 120 patients met the inclusion criteria and 104 patients were included in the analysis. Postoperative serum melatonin levels were significantly lower than preoperative levels. Multivariate analyses showed that a longer duration of anesthesia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–1.64), advanced age (OR = 3.36, 95% CI = 1.37–8.22), and lower postoperative levels of melatonin (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.25–1.00) were associated with POD. Conclusions Serum melatonin levels significantly decline after surgery and anesthesia. Significantly decreased serum melatonin concentrations postoperatively may be a biomarker for predicting POD in older patients undergoing major abdominal surgery with general anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Hong Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui-Fang Li
- Department of Gynecology, Tongxiang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Tongxiang, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xu-Yan Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ya-Ping Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao-Zong Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
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11
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Tervahartiala K, Karlsson L, Pelto J, Kortesluoma S, Hyttinen S, Ahtola A, Junttila N, Karlsson H. Toddlers' diurnal cortisol levels affected by out-of-home, center-based childcare and at-home, guardian-supervised childcare: comparison between different caregiving contexts. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:1217-1229. [PMID: 31705206 PMCID: PMC7497366 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01432-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous research suggests that attending non-parental out-of-home childcare is associated with elevated cortisol levels for some children. We aimed to compare diurnal saliva cortisol levels between children having out-of-home, center-based childcare or those having at-home, guardian-supervised childcare in Finland. A total of 213 children, aged 2.1 years (SD = 0.6), were drawn from the ongoing Finnish birth cohort study. Saliva samples were collected over 2 consecutive days (Sunday and Monday), with four samples drawn during each day: 30 min after waking up in the morning, at 10 am, between 2 and 3 pm, and in the evening before sleep. These results suggest that the shapes of the diurnal cortisol profiles were similar in both childcare groups following a typical circadian rhythm. However, the overall cortisol levels were on average 30% higher (95% CI: [9%, 54%], p = .004) with the at-home childcare in comparison with the out-of-home childcare group. Furthermore, a slight increase in the diurnal cortisol pattern was noticed in both groups and in both measurement days during the afternoon. This increase was 27% higher ([2%, 57%], p = .031) in the out-of-home childcare group during the out-of-home childcare day in comparison with the at-home childcare day. The elevated afternoon cortisol levels were partly explained by the afternoon naps, but there were probably other factors as well producing the cortisol rise during the afternoon hours. Further research is needed to define how a child's individual characteristic as well as their environmental factors associate with cortisol secretion patterns in different caregiving contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Tervahartiala
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20520, Turku, Finland.
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20520, Turku, Finland
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Pelto
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Susanna Kortesluoma
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20520, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Sirpa Hyttinen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41a B, 00250, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annarilla Ahtola
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Niina Junttila
- Department for Teacher Education, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 5, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, 20520, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
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12
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Evans BE, van der Ende J, Greaves-Lord K, Huizink AC, Beijers R, de Weerth C. Urbanicity, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning, and behavioral and emotional problems in children: a path analysis. BMC Psychol 2020; 8:12. [PMID: 32019592 PMCID: PMC7001285 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-019-0364-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization is steadily increasing worldwide. Previous research indicated a higher incidence of mental health problems in more urban areas, however, very little is known regarding potential mechanisms underlying this association. We examined whether urbanicity was associated with mental health problems in children directly, and indirectly via hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis functioning. METHODS Utilizing data from two independent samples of children we examined the effects of current urbanicity (n = 306, ages seven to 12 years) and early childhood urbanicity (n = 141, followed from birth through age 7 years). Children's mothers reported on their mental health problems and their family's socioeconomic status. Salivary cortisol samples were collected during a psychosocial stress procedure to assess HPA axis reactivity to stress, and at home to assess basal HPA axis functioning. Neighborhood-level urbanicity and socioeconomic conditions were extracted from Statistics Netherlands. Path models were estimated using a bootstrapping procedure to detect indirect effects. RESULTS We found no evidence for a direct effect of urbanicity on mental health problems, nor were there indirect effects of urbanicity through HPA axis functioning. Furthermore, we did not find evidence for an effect of urbanicity on HPA axis functioning or effects of HPA axis functioning on mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS Possibly, the effects of urbanicity on HPA axis functioning and mental health do not manifest until adolescence. An alternative explanation is a buffering effect of high family socioeconomic status as the majority of children were from families with an average or high socioeconomic status. Further studies remain necessary to conclude that urbanicity does not affect children's mental health via HPA axis functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- B E Evans
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525, HR, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Centre for Research on Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Karlstad University, Room 1D 349A, Universitetsgatan 2, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden.
| | - J van der Ende
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 8, 3015, CN, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - K Greaves-Lord
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 8, 3015, CN, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A C Huizink
- Section of Clinical Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081, BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 1, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - R Beijers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525, HR, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - C de Weerth
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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13
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Xavier MO, Bielemann RM, Carpena MX, Barros FC, Matijasevich A, Santos IS. Sleep duration trajectories from age 3 to 48 months in The Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 Birth Cohort Study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2020; 34:60-69. [PMID: 31960475 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Optimal sleep is essential for child growth, development, and immune function. Few studies have evaluated factors associated with sleep duration in childhood from a longitudinal perspective. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to identify trajectories of sleep duration in childhood and associated maternal and child characteristics. METHODS Sleep duration was assessed by maternal report at 3, 12, 24, and 48 months among children from the Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 Birth Cohort. Independent variables included family income, maternal and child demographics, and clinical characteristics. Trajectory analysis was carried out using a semi-parametric, group-based modelling approach. Multinomial logistic regression provided odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between independent variables and sleep duration trajectory groups. RESULTS A total of 3824 participants were included in the analyses. Three trajectories of sleep duration were identified: "short sleepers" (9.1%), "typical sleepers" (72.1%), and "initially longer sleepers" (18.8%). When compared to typical sleepers, children from less schooled mothers (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.26, 2.62) and those whose mothers reported depressive symptoms during pregnancy (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02, 1.68) and consumed alcohol beverages at 3 months post-partum (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.03, 2.50) were more likely to be short sleepers. Children who shared the bedroom with another child were about 40% (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.07, 1.87) more likely to be short sleepers. None of the investigated maternal and child characteristics remained associated with the "initially longer sleeper" group. CONCLUSIONS Among the identified trajectories, the group with short sleep duration trajectory deserves special attention given the importance of adequate sleep duration in the first years of life for the child's growth and development and the high concomitance of other risk factors, such as less schooled mothers, and mothers who reported depressive symptoms during pregnancy and consumed alcohol at 3 months post-partum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Otero Xavier
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Renata Moraes Bielemann
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Marina Xavier Carpena
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Fernando C Barros
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.,Post-Graduate Program of Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Alicia Matijasevich
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine FMUSP, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iná S Santos
- Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.,Post-graduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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14
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Biological embedding of maternal postpartum depressive symptoms: The potential role of cortisol and telomere length. Biol Psychol 2019; 150:107809. [PMID: 31734351 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although maternal postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) are associated with child behavior problems, the underlying biological mechanisms are poorly understood. Thus, the current study focused on 193 healthy mother-child dyads and investigated child cortisol and telomere length as potential mediating factors. At 3 and 6 months postpartum, mothers reported on PDS. At age 6, children provided saliva and buccal swab samples. At age 10, mothers and children reported on child behavior problems. Structural equation modelling revealed (a) no association between PDS and child behavior problems and thus no possibility of mediation, but that (b) lower cortisol forecast more child-reported internalizing problems, and (c) shorter telomere length predicted more child-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. These findings raise mediational questions about the determinants of these biomarkers.
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15
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Simons SSH, Zijlmans MAC, Cillessen AHN, de Weerth C. Maternal prenatal and early postnatal distress and child stress responses at age 6. Stress 2019; 22:654-663. [PMID: 31092104 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1608945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals differ in their physiological and behavioral stress responses. Alterations in these responses have been associated with mental and physical health. Therefore, it is important to understand how stress responses develop. This study investigated whether in a healthy, non-risk population, 6-year-old's physiological (cortisol) and behavioral (gazing) stress responses were associated with stress early in the child's life, in the form of maternal prenatal and early postnatal distress. Additionally, associations between the two stress responses were studied. At age 6, children (n = 149; Mage = 6.09; 70 girls) in a longitudinal project that started prenatally (n = 193), participated in a social evaluative stress test (Children's Reactions to Evaluation Stress Test, CREST) in front of a judge. To operationalize physiological stress responses six cortisol saliva samples were collected and cortisol stress reactivity and total stress cortisol scores were calculated. To operationalize behavioral stress responses, gazing at the judge during the stress test was observed. Maternal prenatal distress (week 37) was measured using questionnaires and physiological measures, that is, cortisol saliva samples. Early postnatal maternal distress (first 6 months) was measured using questionnaires. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that less maternal prenatal fear of giving birth, higher maternal prenatal evening cortisol concentrations, and more maternal feelings of anxiety in the first 6 postnatal months were all uniquely associated with higher total stress cortisol concentrations in children at age 6. Additionally, correlations indicated that children with higher cortisol stress reactivity gazed less in the direction of the judge. Results indicate that maternal prenatal and early postnatal distress are associated with children's later hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis functioning and that in children gazing and physiological stress reactivity are related. Lay summary We examined whether maternal stress and anxiety during pregnancy, as measured by means of maternal self-reports and saliva cortisol samples, as well as maternal stress and anxiety in the first 6 months of the child's life, measured using maternal self-reports, were associated with children's physiological (cortisol) and behavioral (gazing) responses during a stressful laboratory situation at the age of 6. Results showed that mothers with higher levels of distress in late pregnancy and/or the early postnatal period had children with higher cortisol concentrations during the stressful situation. This suggests that maternal prenatal and early postnatal distress are associated with children's later hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre S H Simons
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Carolina de Weerth
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
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16
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Matenchuk BA, Tamana SK, Lou WY, Lefebvre DL, Sears MR, Becker AB, Azad MB, Moraes TJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Kozyrskyj AL, Mandhane PJ, Subbarao P, Turvey S, Anand S, Azad M, Becker A, Befus A, Brauer M, Brook J, Chen E, Cyr M, Daley D, Dell S, Denburg J, Duan Q, Eiwegger T, Grasemann H, HayGlass K, Hegele R, Holness D, Hystad P, Kobor M, Kollmann T, Kozyrskyj A, Laprise C, Lou W, Macri J, Mandhane P, Miller G, Moraes T, Paré P, Ramsey C, Ratjen F, Sandford A, Scott J, Scott J, Sears M, Silverman F, Simons E, Takaro T, Tebbutt S, To T. Prenatal depression and birth mode sequentially mediate maternal education's influence on infant sleep duration. Sleep Med 2019; 59:24-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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17
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Liu X, Zheng X, Liu Y, Du X, Chen Z. Effects of adaptation to handling on the circadian rhythmicity of blood solutes in Mongolian gerbils. Animal Model Exp Med 2019; 2:127-131. [PMID: 31392306 PMCID: PMC6600653 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The Mongolian gerbil has been widely used in many research fields and has been reported to be a diurnal laboratory animal. The circadian rhythmicity of these gerbils was investigated in the present study by measuring two hormones that show daily oscillations, cortisol and ACTH, in serum using ELISA kits. The levels of the two hormones were highest at 8:00 am and their rhythmic changes were similar to those in humans. In addition, the influence of stress of handling and blood collection on the physiological parameters of the gerbils was examined. After adaptation to handling for 1 week, some serum parameters in the animals changed. Handling and blood collection did not impact significantly on the following parameters: creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and albumin (ALB). However, blood glucose (GLU), total protein (TP) and globulin (GLB) significantly increased while creatinine (CRE) and albumin/globulin (A/G) significantly decreased after adaptation. This work further confirms that the Mongolian gerbil is a diurnal animal and also indicates that a suitable adaptation procedure is necessary for getting reliable results when performing experiments using these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Liu
- School of Basic Medical ScienceCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiang Zheng
- School of Basic Medical ScienceCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yihan Liu
- School of Basic Medical ScienceCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoyan Du
- School of Basic Medical ScienceCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Department of Laboratory AnimalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhenwen Chen
- School of Basic Medical ScienceCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
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18
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Send TS, Bardtke S, Gilles M, Wolf IAC, Sütterlin MW, Wudy SA, Wang R, Laucht M, Witt SH, Rietschel M, Streit F, Deuschle M. Prenatal maternal stress is associated with lower cortisol and cortisone levels in the first morning urine of 45-month-old children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:219-224. [PMID: 30711899 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PS) has been related to altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity later in life. So far, studies in children assessing HPA axis functioning have focused on salivary cortisol, reflecting daytime activity. The present work is part of a prospective study and aims to extend knowledge about the association between PS and HPA axis regulation in children. To do so, we investigated cortisol, cortisone, and the ratio cortisone/(cortisone + cortisol) in the first morning urine of 45-month-old children in relation to several measures of maternal stress during pregnancy. Urinary cortisol and cortisone were measured by online turbulent flow chromatography coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PS was defined as: perceived stress for aim 1 (Perceived Stress Scale; n = 280); presence of self-reported (n = 371) and expert-rated psychopathology for aim 2 (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview; n = 281); continuous measures of anxiety and depression for exploratory aim 3 (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; n = 280). Aim 1: Perceived maternal PS showed negative associations with cortisol and cortisone levels. Aim 2: The presence of expert-rated maternal psychopathology was associated with reduced morning cortisone. Aim 3: Continuous measures of anxiety and depression showed negative associations with cortisol and cortisone levels. After correcting for multiple testing, perceived maternal PS (aim 1) and prenatal level of anxiety (aim 3) were significant predictors of children's urinary cortisol and cortisone in the morning (and, in the case of cortisone, also prenatal level of depression). The ratio cortisone/(cortisone + cortisol) as a global marker for the balance between the enzymes metabolizing cortisol to cortisone and vice versa (11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases type 1 and 2; 11β-HSD1 and 2) was not associated with any measure of maternal PS (aims 1-3). The present study provides insight into possible programming effects of PS on nocturnal HPA axis activity and a proxy of 11β-HSD in a large sample. The results suggest that the nocturnal rate of cortisol production is lower in children exposed to PS, but do not support the hypothesis of divergent 11β-HSD activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- T S Send
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany.
| | - S Bardtke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M Gilles
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - I A C Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M W Sütterlin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S A Wudy
- Steroid Research and Mass Spectrometry Unit, Laboratory for Translational Hormone Analytics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Center of Child and Adolescent Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - R Wang
- Steroid Research and Mass Spectrometry Unit, Laboratory for Translational Hormone Analytics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Center of Child and Adolescent Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - M Laucht
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany and Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Germany
| | - S H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - F Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M Deuschle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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Children's stress regulation mediates the association between prenatal maternal mood and child executive functions for boys, but not girls. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:953-969. [PMID: 30068413 DOI: 10.1017/s095457941800041x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal mood disturbances shapes children's cognitive development reflected in the critical construct of executive functions (EFs). Little is known, however, about underlying mechanisms. By examining cortisol responses in both everyday and lab challenge settings, we tested whether the child/offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis mediates effects of prenatal maternal mood on child EFs at age 6. In 107 Canadian children born to women with a wide range of anxious and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, we found that in boys but not girls, depressed and/or anxious prenatal maternal mood is associated with heightened diurnal cortisol levels in everyday settings, as well as heightened cortisol reactivity to a lab challenge and that this heightened reactivity was associated with poorer EFs. Among boys we also observed that cortisol reactivity but not diurnal cortisol mediated the association between depressed and/or anxious prenatal maternal mood and EFs. Depressed and/or anxious prenatal maternal mood was related to child EFs for both girls and boys. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a mediating role for child stress regulation in the association between prenatal maternal stress-related mood disturbances and child EFs, providing evidence of a mechanism contributing to fetal programming of cognition.
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Astiz M, Oster H. Perinatal Programming of Circadian Clock-Stress Crosstalk. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:5689165. [PMID: 29593783 PMCID: PMC5822916 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5689165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
An intact communication between circadian clocks and the stress system is important for maintaining physiological homeostasis under resting conditions and in response to external stimuli. There is accumulating evidence for a reciprocal interaction between both-from the systemic to the molecular level. Disruption of this interaction by external factors such as shiftwork, jetlag, or chronic stress increases the risk of developing metabolic, immune, or mood disorders. From experiments in rodents, we know that both systems maturate during the perinatal period. During that time, exogenous factors such as stress or alterations in the external photoperiod may critically affect-or program-physiological functions later in life. This developmental programming process has been attributed to maternal stress signals reaching the embryo, which lastingly change gene expression through the induction of epigenetic mechanisms. Despite the well-known function of the adult circadian system in temporal coordination of physiology and behavior, the role of maternal and embryonic circadian clocks during pregnancy and postnatal development is still poorly defined. A better understanding of the circadian-stress crosstalk at different periods of development may help to improve stress resistance and devise preventive and therapeutic strategies against chronic stress-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Astiz
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Marie-Curie Street, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Henrik Oster
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Marie-Curie Street, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
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21
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Souza A, Carraro Detanico B, Fernandes Medeiros L, Oliveira CD, Leal Scarabelot V, Giotti Cioato S, Caumo W, Torres ILS. Acute stress disrupts temporal patterns of behavioral and biochemical parameters of rats. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2017.1386267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Souza
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Carraro Detanico
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Liciane Fernandes Medeiros
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Carla de Oliveira
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Leal Scarabelot
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Stefania Giotti Cioato
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Wolnei Caumo
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Iraci LS Torres
- Post-Graduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences – Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Pre-clinical Researchs, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, ICBS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Animal Experimentation Unit and Graduate Research Group, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
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22
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Do bacteria shape our development? Crosstalk between intestinal microbiota and HPA axis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:458-471. [PMID: 28918360 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The human body contains as many bacteria in the intestine as the total number of human body cells. These bacteria have a central position in human health and disease, and would also play a role in the regulation of emotions, behavior, and even higher cognitive functions. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) is a major physiological stress system that produces cortisol. This hormone is involved in responding to environmental stress and also shapes many aspects of brain development. Both the HPA axis and the intestinal microbiota show rapid and profound developmental changes during the first years of life. Early environmental disturbances can affect the development of both systems. Early adversity, for example, is known to lead to later unbalances in both, as well as to psychopathological behavior and emotions. The goal of this theoretical review is to summarize current knowledge on the developmental crosstalk between the intestinal microbiota and the HPA axis, providing a basis for understanding the development and bidirectional communication between these two essential systems in human functioning.
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Dettweiler U, Becker C, Auestad BH, Simon P, Kirsch P. Stress in School. Some Empirical Hints on the Circadian Cortisol Rhythm of Children in Outdoor and Indoor Classes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:E475. [PMID: 28468292 PMCID: PMC5451926 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14050475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This prospective longitudinal survey compared the stress levels of students taught using an outdoor curriculum in a forest, with children in a normal school setting. We were especially interested in the effect outdoor teaching might have on the children's normal diurnal cortisol rhythm. 48 children (mean age = 11.23; standard deviation (SD) = 0.46) were enrolled, with 37 in the intervention group (IG), and 11 in the control group (CG). The intervention consisted of one full school day per week in the forest over the school year. Stress levels were measured in cortisol with three samples of saliva per day. Furthermore, the data allowed for statistical control of physical activity (PA) values. For data analysis, we used a linear mixed-effects model (LMM) with random intercept and general correlation matrix for the within-unit residuals. The LMM yields that IG have expected greater decline of cortisol compared to CG; rate 0.069 µg/L vs. 0.0102 µg/L (log-units/2 h), p = 0.009. PA does not show a statistically significant interaction with cortisol (p = 0.857), despite being higher in the intervention group (p < 0.001). The main effect in our measures was that the IG had a steady decline of cortisol during the school day. This is in accordance with a healthy child's diurnal rhythm, with a significant decline of cortisol from morning to noon. This effect is constant over the school year. The CG does not show this decline during either measurement day. Further research is needed to fully explain this interesting phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Dettweiler
- Department of Cultural Studies and Languages, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Christoph Becker
- Department of Sports and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstr. 21, 80333 Munich, Germany.
| | - Bjørn H Auestad
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Perikles Simon
- Faculty of Social Science, Media and Sport, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz Saarstr. 21, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
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24
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Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning is characterized by the baseline production of cortisol following a circadian rhythm, as well as by the superimposed production of cortisol in response to a stressor. However, it is relatively unknown whether the basal cortisol circadian rhythm is associated with the cortisol stress response in children. Since alterations in cortisol stress responses have been associated with mental and physical health, this study investigated whether the cortisol circadian rhythm is associated with cortisol stress responses in 6-year-old children. To this end, 149 normally developing children (Mage = 6.09 years; 70 girls) participated in an innovative social evaluative stress test that effectively provoked increases in cortisol. To determine the cortisol stress response, six cortisol saliva samples were collected and two cortisol stress response indices were calculated: total stress cortisol and cortisol stress reactivity. To determine children's cortisol circadian rhythm eight cortisol circadian samples were collected during two days. Total diurnal cortisol and diurnal cortisol decline scores were calculated as indices of the cortisol circadian rhythm. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that higher total diurnal cortisol as well as a smaller diurnal cortisol decline, were both uniquely associated with higher total stress cortisol. No associations were found between the cortisol circadian rhythm indices and cortisol stress reactivity. Possible explanations for the patterns found are links with children's self-regulatory capacities and parenting quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre S H Simons
- a Developmental Psychology , Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Antonius H N Cillessen
- a Developmental Psychology , Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- a Developmental Psychology , Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
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25
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Kwak Y, Taylor ZE, Anaya LY, Feng Y, Evich CD, Jones BL. Cumulative Family Stress and Diurnal Cortisol Responses in Midwest Latino Families. HISPANIC JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/0739986316684130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Latino youth and their families have been shown to experience higher levels of stressors than the general population, as well as additional unique stressors such as racism, poverty, acculturation, and discrimination. Chronic or cumulative stress often disrupts physiological systems and can lead to dysregulation in diurnal cortisol responses. This study examined the associations between family stress and cortisol responses in 57 Latino mother-adolescent dyads ( N = 114) living in the Midwestern United States. Dyads collected saliva 6 times across two consecutive days and completed a survey. Results from repeated measures mixed-effect analysis found that both mothers and adolescents in the high-stress group had flatter cortisol awakening responses than those in the low-stress group, which indicated disruptions in their diurnal cortisol rhythms. These findings suggest that family stress can potentially influence the diurnal cortisol patterns of early Latino adolescents as well as adults, which may, in turn, lead to future health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yi Feng
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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26
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Simons SSH, Cillessen AHN, de Weerth C. Cortisol stress responses and children's behavioral functioning at school. Dev Psychobiol 2016; 59:217-224. [PMID: 27774583 PMCID: PMC5324537 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated whether cortisol stress responses of 6‐year‐olds were associated with their behavioral functioning at school. Additionally, the moderating role of stress in the family environment was examined. To this end, 149 healthy children (Mage = 6.09 years; 70 girls) participated in an age‐appropriate innovative social evaluative stress test. Saliva cortisol samples were collected six times during the stress test to calculate two indices of the cortisol stress response: cortisol stress reactivity and total stress cortisol. Teachers assessed children's internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors. Stress in the family environment was operationalized as maternally reported parenting stress. Results indicated a significant increase in cortisol concentrations in response to the stressor. No significant associations were found between cortisol stress responses and behavioral functioning at school and there was no evidence for moderation by maternal parenting stress. Potential theoretical and methodological explanations for these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre S H Simons
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Carolina de Weerth
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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