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Kretzer S, Lawrence AJ, Pollard R, Ma X, Chen PJ, Amasi-Hartoonian N, Pariante C, Vallée C, Meaney M, Dazzan P. The Dynamic Interplay Between Puberty and Structural Brain Development as a Predictor of Mental Health Difficulties in Adolescence: A Systematic Review. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01392-1. [PMID: 38925264 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.012] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Puberty is a time of intense reorganization of brain structure and a high-risk period for the onset of mental health problems, with variations in pubertal timing and tempo intensifying this risk. We conducted 2 systematic reviews of articles published up to February 1, 2024, focusing on 1) the role of brain structure in the relationship between puberty and mental health, and 2) precision psychiatry research evaluating the utility of puberty in making individualized predictions of mental health outcomes in young people. The first review provides inconsistent evidence about whether and how pubertal and psychopathological processes may interact in relation to brain development. While most studies found an association between early puberty and mental health difficulties in adolescents, evidence on whether brain structure mediates this relationship is mixed. The pituitary gland was found to be associated with mental health status during this time, possibly through its central role in regulating puberty and its function in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. In the second review, the design of studies that have explored puberty in predictive models did not allow for a quantification of its predictive power. However, when puberty was evaluated through physically observable characteristics rather than hormonal measures, it was more commonly identified as a predictor of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in adolescence. Social processes may be more relevant than biological ones to the link between puberty and mental health problems and represent an important target for educational strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Kretzer
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A∗STAR) Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Pollard
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xuemei Ma
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pei Jung Chen
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Nare Amasi-Hartoonian
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carmine Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Corentin Vallée
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A∗STAR) Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paola Dazzan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Augsburger P, Liimatta J, Flück CE. Update on Adrenarche-Still a Mystery. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:1403-1422. [PMID: 38181424 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae008] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Adrenarche marks the timepoint of human adrenal development when the cortex starts secreting androgens in increasing amounts, in healthy children at age 8-9 years, with premature adrenarche (PA) earlier. Because the molecular regulation and significance of adrenarche are unknown, this prepubertal event is characterized descriptively, and PA is a diagnosis by exclusion with unclear long-term consequences. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION We searched the literature of the past 5 years, including original articles, reviews, and meta-analyses from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, using search terms adrenarche, pubarche, DHEAS, steroidogenesis, adrenal, and zona reticularis. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Numerous studies addressed different topics of adrenarche and PA. Although basic studies on human adrenal development, zonation, and zona reticularis function enhanced our knowledge, the exact mechanism leading to adrenarche remains unsolved. Many regulators seem involved. A promising marker of adrenarche (11-ketotestosterone) was found in the 11-oxy androgen pathway. By current definition, the prevalence of PA can be as high as 9% to 23% in girls and 2% to 10% in boys, but only a subset of these children might face related adverse health outcomes. CONCLUSION New criteria for defining adrenarche and PA are needed to identify children at risk for later disease and to spare children with a normal variation. Further research is therefore required to understand adrenarche. Prospective, long-term studies should characterize prenatal or early postnatal developmental pathways that modulate trajectories of birth size, early postnatal growth, childhood overweight/obesity, adrenarche and puberty onset, and lead to abnormal sexual maturation, fertility, and other adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Augsburger
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jani Liimatta
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Kuopio Pediatric Research Unit (KuPRU), University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, 70029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Christa E Flück
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
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Pelletier-Baldelli A, Sheridan MA, Rudolph MD, Eisenlohr-Moul T, Martin S, Srabani EM, Giletta M, Hastings PD, Nock MK, Slavich GM, Rudolph KD, Prinstein MJ, Miller AB. Brain network connectivity during peer evaluation in adolescent females: Associations with age, pubertal hormones, timing, and status. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101357. [PMID: 38359577 PMCID: PMC10878848 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite copious data linking brain function with changes to social behavior and mental health, little is known about how puberty relates to brain functioning. We investigated the specificity of brain network connectivity associations with pubertal indices and age to inform neurodevelopmental models of adolescence. We examined how brain network connectivity during a peer evaluation fMRI task related to pubertal hormones (dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone), pubertal timing and status, and age. Participants were 99 adolescents assigned female at birth aged 9-15 (M = 12.38, SD = 1.81) enriched for the presence of internalizing symptoms. Multivariate analysis revealed that within Salience, between Frontoparietal - Reward and Cinguloopercular - Reward network connectivity were associated with all measures of pubertal development and age. Specifically, Salience connectivity linked with age, pubertal hormones, and status, but not timing. In contrast, Frontoparietal - Reward connectivity was only associated with hormones. Finally, Cinguloopercular - Reward connectivity related to age and pubertal status, but not hormones or timing. These results provide evidence that the salience processing underlying peer evaluation is jointly influenced by various indices of puberty and age, while coordination between cognitive control and reward circuitry is related to pubertal hormones, pubertal status, and age in unique ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pelletier-Baldelli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Marc D Rudolph
- Sticht Center on Aging, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest, NC, USA
| | - Tory Eisenlohr-Moul
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sophia Martin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ellora M Srabani
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matteo Giletta
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul D Hastings
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Matthew K Nock
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Karen D Rudolph
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adam Bryant Miller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Mohammadi S, Seyedmirzaei H, Salehi MA, Jahanshahi A, Zakavi SS, Dehghani Firouzabadi F, Yousem DM. Brain-based Sex Differences in Depression: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Studies. Brain Imaging Behav 2023; 17:541-569. [PMID: 37058182 PMCID: PMC10102695 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00772-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric illness with a wide range of symptoms such as mood decline, loss of interest, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness. Women develop depression more often than men, and the diagnostic criteria for depression mainly rely on female patients' symptoms. By contrast, male depression usually manifests as anger attacks, aggression, substance use, and risk-taking behaviors. Various studies have focused on the neuroimaging findings in psychiatric disorders for a better understanding of their underlying mechanisms. With this review, we aimed to summarize the existing literature on the neuroimaging findings in depression, separated by male and female subjects. A search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of depression. After screening the search results, 15 MRI, 12 fMRI, and 4 DTI studies were included. Sex differences were mainly reflected in the following regions: 1) total brain, hippocampus, amygdala, habenula, anterior cingulate cortex, and corpus callosum volumes, 2) frontal and temporal gyri functions, along with functions of the caudate nucleus and prefrontal cortex, and 3) frontal fasciculi and frontal projections of corpus callosum microstructural alterations. Our review faces limitations such as small sample sizes and heterogeneity in populations and modalities. But in conclusion, it reflects the possible roles of sex-based hormonal and social factors in the depression pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheil Mohammadi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Homa Seyedmirzaei
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Program (INRP), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ali Jahanshahi
- School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Seyed Sina Zakavi
- School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - David M Yousem
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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5
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Kische H, Voss C, Haring R, Ollmann TM, Pieper L, Kirschbaum C, Beesdo-Baum K. Hair androgen concentrations and depressive disorders in adolescents from the general population. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 32:1375-1389. [PMID: 35112167 PMCID: PMC10326161 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01929-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although the link between androgens and depression is well established in adults, the effects of cofactors on this association are less clearly understood, particularly in youth. Epidemiological cohort study of adolescents in Dresden, Germany. Analyses comprised data of 985 individuals assessed at baseline and of 512 individuals at 1-year follow-up. We investigated multivariable regression models for cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of hair testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and their cortisol ratios with 12-month diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD) and MDD without any anxiety disorder assessed with standardized diagnostic interview (DIA-X-5), and with dimensional depression scores (PHQ-9, PROMIS), separately for males and females. The potential moderating effect of social support was determined. Cross-sectional analyses yielded inverse associations of testosterone and DHEA with MDD and MDD without any anxiety disorders in males. In cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, baseline ratio cortisol/DHEA was significantly, inversely associated to PROMIS-depression in males. Only cross-sectional associations for ratio cortisol/DHEA and PROMIS-depression remained significant after Bonferroni-Holm correction. No robust associations were observed in female participants. Social support exerted no consistent moderating effect on the investigated association. The present observational cohort study showed no consistent association of hair androgen concentrations with depressive disorders in adolescents. However, findings provide some support for the association between the cortisol/DHEA ratio and depression in males. Longitudinal research designs in large samples are needed to understand the interplay between androgens, depression, and developmental and social factors in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Kische
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Behavioral Epidemiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Catharina Voss
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Behavioral Epidemiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Robin Haring
- Faculty of Applied Public Health, European University of Applied Sciences, Rostock, Germany
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Theresa Magdalena Ollmann
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Behavioral Epidemiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars Pieper
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Behavioral Epidemiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Biopsychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katja Beesdo-Baum
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Behavioral Epidemiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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6
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Vijayakumar N, Whittle S. A systematic review into the role of pubertal timing and the social environment in adolescent mental health problems. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 102:102282. [PMID: 37094393 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Vijayakumar
- Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Byrne ML, Vijayakumar N, Chavez SJ, Flournoy JC, Cheng TW, Mills KL, Barendse MEA, Mobasser A, Flannery JE, Nelson BW, Wang W, Shirtcliff EA, Allen NB, Pfeifer JH. Associations between multi-method latent factors of puberty and brain structure in adolescent girls. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101228. [PMID: 36934604 PMCID: PMC10031110 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pubertal processes are associated with structural brain development, but studies have produced inconsistent findings that may relate to different measurements of puberty. Measuring both hormones and physical characteristics is important for capturing variation in neurobiological development. The current study explored associations between cortical thickness and latent factors from multi-method pubertal data in 174 early adolescent girls aged 10-13 years in the Transitions in Adolescent Girls (TAG) Study. Our multi-method approach used self-reported physical characteristics and hormone levels (dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2) from saliva) to estimate an overall pubertal factor and for each process of adrenarche and gonadarche. There were negative associations between the overall puberty factor representing later stage and thickness in the posterior cortex, including the occipital cortices and extending laterally to the parietal lobe. However, the multi-method latent factor had weaker cortical associations when examining the adnearcheal process alone, suggesting physical characteristics and hormones capture different aspects of neurobiological development during adrenarche. Controlling for age weakened some of these associations. These findings show that associations between pubertal stage and cortical thickness differ depending on the measurement method and the pubertal process, and both should be considered in future confirmatory studies on the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Byrne
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton VIC, Australia; Department of Psychology, the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
| | - Nandita Vijayakumar
- Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - John C Flournoy
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Theresa W Cheng
- Psychiatric & Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn L Mills
- Department of Psychology, the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA; PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Marjolein E A Barendse
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of California Davis, CA, USA
| | - Arian Mobasser
- Department of Psychology, the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | | | - Wen Wang
- Department of Psychology, the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | - Nicholas B Allen
- Department of Psychology, the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
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8
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Caro JC, Holuka C, Menta G, Turner JD, Vögele C, D'Ambrosio C. Children's internalizing behavior development is heterogeneously associated with the pace of epigenetic aging. Biol Psychol 2023; 176:108463. [PMID: 36436681 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108463] [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: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internalizing behaviors are an indicator of children's psychological and emotional development, predicting future mental disorders. Recent studies have identified associations between DNA methylation (DNAm) and internalizing behaviors. This prospective study aimed at exploring the associations between pace of biological aging and the developmental trajectories of internalizing behaviors. METHODS Participants were children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort (N = 974). Measures of DNA methylation were collected at birth, age 7 and ages 15-17. The pace of aging was estimated using the DunedinPoAm algorithm (PoAm). Internalizing behaviors reported by caregivers between ages 4 and 16 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. To explore heterogeneity in the association between PoAm and internalizing behaviors we use Poisson quantile regression in cross-section heterogeneity and longitudinal latent class analysis over the childhood and adolescence. RESULTS Internalizing behavior trajectories were identified: low-risk, childhood limited, late onset and early onset (persistent). Accelerated aging at birth was negatively associated with internalizing behaviors in early childhood but positively correlated during adolescence. Higher PoAm at birth increased chance of low-risk profile, while decreasing likelihood of childhood limited trajectory. PoAm at age 15 was negatively associated with childhood limited profile and positively linked to late onset trajectories. Associations were larger at higher values of internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity in the association between biological age acceleration and internalizing behaviors suggests a complex dynamic relationship, particularly in children with high or increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Caro
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Cyrielle Holuka
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg; Faculty of Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Giorgia Menta
- Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Claus Vögele
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Conchita D'Ambrosio
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
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Zarate-Ortiz AG, Verhoef H, Melse-Boonstra A, Woods BJ, Lee-Bazaldúa EE, Feskens EJ, Quiroga-Garza A, Cepeda-Lopez AC. Depressive symptoms among Mexican adolescent girls in relation to iron status, anaemia, body weight and pubertal status: results from a latent class analysis. Public Health Nutr 2022; 26:1-8. [PMID: 35583048 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study examined the association between depressive symptoms and iron status, anaemia, body weight and pubertal status among Mexican adolescent girls. DESIGN In this cross-sectional study, depressive symptoms were assessed by the 6-item Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale, and latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify and characterise groups of girls based on depressive symptoms. Iron status and inflammation were assessed using ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor, C-reactive protein and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, respectively. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were applied to model class membership as a function of iron status, anaemia, body weight and pubertal status. PARTICIPANTS We collected data from 408 girls aged 12-20 years. SETTING Public schools in northern Mexico. RESULTS LCA yielded three classes of depressive symptoms: 44·4 % of the adolescents were 'unlikely to be depressed', 41·5 % were 'likely to be depressed' and 14·1 % were 'highly likely to be depressed'. Our analyses demonstrated that iron-deficient girls had greater odds of being 'likely depressed' (OR 2·01, 95 % CI 1·01, 3·00) or 'highly likely depressed' (OR 2·80, 95 % CI 1·76, 3·84). Linear regression analyses revealed that lower Hb concentrations and higher body weight increased the probability of being 'likely depressed'. There was no evidence that depressive symptoms were associated with age at menarche and years since menstruation. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that iron-deficient adolescent girls are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms and that lower concentrations of Hb and higher body weight increased the probability of experiencing depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arli Guadalupe Zarate-Ortiz
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen6700 AK, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Verhoef
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen6700 AK, The Netherlands
- Medical Research Council (MCR) Unit, The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Serrekunda, Gambia
| | - Alida Melse-Boonstra
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen6700 AK, The Netherlands
| | - Bo-Jane Woods
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen6700 AK, The Netherlands
- Access to Nutrition Initiative, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Edith Jm Feskens
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen6700 AK, The Netherlands
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10
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Ho TC, Gifuni AJ, Gotlib IH. Psychobiological risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescence: a consideration of the role of puberty. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:606-623. [PMID: 34117365 PMCID: PMC8960417 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01171-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. While clinicians and researchers have begun to recognize the importance of considering multidimensional factors in understanding risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) during this developmental period, the role of puberty has been largely ignored. In this review, we contend that the hormonal events that occur during puberty have significant effects on the organization and development of brain systems implicated in the regulation of social stressors, including amygdala, hippocampus, striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. Guided by previous experimental work in adults, we also propose that the influence of pubertal hormones and social stressors on neural systems related to risk for STBs is especially critical to consider in adolescents with a neurobiological sensitivity to hormonal changes. Furthermore, facets of the pubertal transition, such as pubertal timing, warrant deeper investigation and may help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of sex differences in the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying adolescent STBs. Ultimately, advancing our understanding of the pubertal processes that contribute to suicide risk will improve early detection and facilitate the development of more effective, sex-specific, psychiatric interventions for adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany C. Ho
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Anthony J. Gifuni
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Psychiatry Department and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Ian H. Gotlib
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
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11
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Kolmogorova D, Ah-Yen EG, Taylor BC, Vaggas T, Liang J, Davis T, Ismail N. Sex-specific responses of the pubertal neuroimmune axis in CD-1 mice. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 13:100229. [PMID: 34589744 PMCID: PMC8474685 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic relationship between the sexually dimorphic neuroimmune system and the sex-specific outcomes of a pubertal immune challenge is unclear. Therefore, we examined sex differences in the progression of cytotoxic microglial responses and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption to a peripubertal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment in brain regions relevant to stress responses and cognitive function. Six-week-old (i.e., stress-sensitive pubertal period) male and female CD-1 mice were treated with LPS (1.5 mg/kg body weight, ip) or 0.9% saline (LPS-matched volume, ip). Sex and treatment differences in microglial (Iba1+) and apoptotic neuronal (caspase-3+/NeuN+) and non-neuronal (caspase-3+/NeuN−) expression were examined in the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and paraventricular nucleus 24 h (sickness), one week (symptomatic recovery) and four weeks (early adulthood) post-treatment (n = 8/group). Microglial morphology was quantified with fractal analyses. Group differences in BBB permeability to 14C-sucrose were examined 24 h (whole-brain, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and cerebellum) and one week (whole-brain) post-treatment. The acute effects of pubertal LPS were specific to females (i.e., global BBB disruption, altered microglial expression and morphology in the mPFC and hippocampus, increased hippocampal apoptosis). The residual effects of pubertal LPS-induced sickness observed in microglia persisted into adulthood in a sex- and region-specific manner. In addition to highlighting these sex-specific responses of the pubertal neuroimmune system, we report baseline region-specific sex differences in microglia spanning puberty through adulthood. We propose that these sex differences in neuroimmune-neurovascular interactions during the stress-sensitive pubertal period create sex biases in stress-related disorders of brain and behaviour. Pubertal LPS alters baseline sex differences in microglial numbers and morphology. Pubertal CD-1 mice mount sexually dimorphic neuroimmune responses to systemic LPS. Treatment effects on microglial expression and morphology differ by sex and region. The acute LPS-induced effects were specific to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Kolmogorova
- NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Grace Ah-Yen
- NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Tiffany Vaggas
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Jacky Liang
- NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tama Davis
- NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nafissa Ismail
- NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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12
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The effects of puberty and its hormones on subcortical brain development. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 7:100074. [PMID: 35757051 PMCID: PMC9216456 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Puberty triggers a period of structural “re-organization” in the brain, when rising hormone levels act via receptors to influence morphology. However, our understanding of these neuroendocrine processes in humans remains poor. As such, the current longitudinal study characterized development of the human subcortex during puberty, including changes in relation to pubertal (Tanner) stage and hormone (testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]) levels. Beyond normative group-level patterns of development, we also examined whether individual differences in the rate of pubertal maturation (i.e., “pubertal/hormonal tempo”) were associated with variations in subcortical trajectories. Participants (N = 192; scans = 366) completed up to three waves of MRI assessments between 8.5 and 14.5 years of age. Parents completed questionnaire assessments of pubertal stage at each wave, and adolescents provided hormone samples on a subset of waves. Generalized additive mixture models were used to characterize trajectories of subcortical development. Results showed that development of most subcortical structures was related to pubertal stage, although findings were mostly non-significant when controlling for age. Testosterone and DHEA levels were related to development of the amygdala, hippocampus and pallidum in both sexes, and findings in the amygdala remained significant when controlling for age. Additionally, we found that variability in hormonal (specifically testosterone) tempo was related to right hippocampal development in males, with an accelerated pattern of hippocampal development in those with greater increases in testosterone levels. Overall, our findings suggest prominent hormonal influences on the amygdala and hippocampus, consistent with the prevalence of androgen and estrogen receptors in these regions. We speculate that these findings are most likely reflective of the important role of adrenarcheal processes on adolescent brain development. There are widespread associations between physical and hormonal indices of puberty and subcortical development. Effects of testosterone and DHEA are strongest in the amygdala, hippocampus and pallidum. Individual differences in the tempo of rising testosterone are related to variability in hippocampal development in males.
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13
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Weissman DG, Rodman AM, Rosen ML, Kasparek S, Mayes M, Sheridan MA, Lengua LJ, Meltzoff AN, McLaughlin KA. Contributions of Emotion Regulation and Brain Structure and Function to Adolescent Internalizing Problems and Stress Vulnerability During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 1:272-282. [PMID: 34901918 PMCID: PMC8643098 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is a period of increased vulnerability for internalizing problems, particularly following stressful life events. We examined how emotion regulation and brain structure and function were associated with internalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and moderated the association between pandemic-related stressors and internalizing problems. METHODS Data are from a longitudinal sample (N = 145, age range, 10-15 years) strategically assessed at 3 crucial time points: before the COVID-19 pandemic, early during the stay-at-home order period, and again 6 months later. We examined associations of amygdala and hippocampal volume and amygdala activation during an emotional processing task before the pandemic, examined use of emotion regulation strategies before and during the pandemic, and examined pandemic-related stressors with internalizing problems. RESULTS Greater exposure to pandemic-related stressors was associated with higher internalizing problems both early and later in the COVID-19 pandemic. Youths who reported more frequent use of rumination before the pandemic and higher use of expressive suppression and lower use of cognitive reappraisal early in the pandemic had higher internalizing problems early in the pandemic. Higher left amygdala activation to neutral relative to fearful faces before the pandemic was associated with greater internalizing problems and a stronger link between pandemic-related stressors and internalizing problems early in the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic are strongly associated with adolescent internalizing problems, as are individual differences in emotional reactivity and regulation and their underlying neural mechanisms. Interventions that reduce pandemic-related stressors and foster adaptive emotion regulation skills may protect against adolescent psychopathology during this period of heightened exposure to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts,Address correspondence to David G. Weissman, Ph.D.
| | | | - Maya L. Rosen
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Steven Kasparek
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Makeda Mayes
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Margaret A. Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Assari S, Boyce S, Jovanovic T. Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9-10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences. CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8050411. [PMID: 34070074 PMCID: PMC8158143 DOI: 10.3390/children8050411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM This study tested sex differences in the association between hippocampal volume and working memory of a national sample of 9-10-year-old children in the US. As the hippocampus is functionally lateralized (especially in task-related activities), we explored the results for the right and the left hippocampus. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data. This analysis included baseline ABCD data (n = 10,093) of children between ages 9 and 10 years. The predictor variable was right and left hippocampal volume measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). The primary outcome, list sorting working memory, was measured using the NIH toolbox measure. Sex was the moderator. Age, race, ethnicity, household income, parental education, and family structure were the covariates. RESULTS In the overall sample, larger right (b = 0.0013; p < 0.001) and left (b = 0.0013; p < 0.001) hippocampal volumes were associated with higher children's working memory. Sex had statistically significant interactions with the right (b = -0.0018; p = 0.001) and left (b = -0.0012; p = 0.022) hippocampal volumes on children's working memory. These interactions indicated stronger positive associations between right and left hippocampal volume and working memory for females compared to males. CONCLUSION While right and left hippocampal volumes are determinants of children's list sorting working memory, these effects seem to be more salient for female than male children. Research is needed on the role of socialization, sex hormones, and brain functional connectivity as potential mechanisms that may explain the observed sex differences in the role of hippocampal volume as a correlate of working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervin Assari
- Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
- Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-734-232-0445; Fax: +1-734-615-873
| | - Shanika Boyce
- Department of Pediatrics, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA;
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA;
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15
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Hubachek S, Botdorf M, Riggins T, Leong HC, Klein DN, Dougherty LR. Hippocampal subregion volume in high-risk offspring is associated with increases in depressive symptoms across the transition to adolescence. J Affect Disord 2021; 281:358-366. [PMID: 33348179 PMCID: PMC7856102 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. This study examined whether youth hippocampal subregion volumes were differentially associated with maternal depression history and youth's depressive symptoms across the transition to adolescence. METHODS 74 preadolescent offspring (Mage=10.74+/-0.84 years) of mothers with (n = 33) and without a lifetime depression history (n = 41) completed a structural brain scan. Youth depressive symptoms were assessed with clinical interviews and mother- and youth-reports prior to the neuroimaging assessment at age 9 (Mage=9.08+/-0.29 years), at the neuroimaging assessment, and in early adolescence (Mage=12.56+/-0.40 years). RESULTS Maternal depression was associated with preadolescent offspring's reduced bilateral hippocampal head volumes and increased left hippocampal body volume. Reduced bilateral head volumes were associated with offspring's increased concurrent depressive symptoms. Furthermore, reduced right hippocampal head volume mediated associations between maternal depression and increases in offspring depressive symptoms from age 9 to age 12. LIMITATIONS This study included a modest-sized sample that was oversampled for early temperamental characteristics, one neuroimaging assessment, and no correction for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSIONS Findings implicate reductions in hippocampal head volume in the intergenerational transmission of risk from parents to offspring.
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Tollenaar MS, Beijers R, Garg E, Nguyen TTT, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Shalev I, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C. Internalizing symptoms associate with the pace of epigenetic aging in childhood. Biol Psychol 2021; 159:108021. [PMID: 33460784 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Childhood psychiatric symptoms may be associated with advanced biological aging. This study examined whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) associates with internalizing and externalizing symptoms that were prospectively collected across childhood in a longitudinal cohort study. At age 6 buccal epithelial cells from 148 children (69 girls) were collected to survey genome-wide DNA methylation. EAA was estimated using the Horvath clock. Internalizing symptoms at ages 2.5 and 4 years significantly predicted higher EAA at age 6, which in turn was significantly associated with internalizing symptoms at ages 6-10 years. Similar trends for externalizing symptoms did not reach statistical significance. These findings indicate advanced biological aging in relation to child mental health and may help better identify those at risk for lasting impairments associated with internalizing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Elika Garg
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - T T Thao Nguyen
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - David T S Lin
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Neurobiology, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Neurobiology, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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17
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Pfeifer JH, Allen NB. Puberty Initiates Cascading Relationships Between Neurodevelopmental, Social, and Internalizing Processes Across Adolescence. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:99-108. [PMID: 33334434 PMCID: PMC8494463 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of dramatic developmental transitions-from puberty-related changes in hormones, bodies, and brains to an increasingly complex social world. The concurrent increase in the onset of many mental disorders has prompted the search for key developmental processes that drive changes in risk for psychopathology during this period of life. Hormonal surges and consequent physical maturation linked to pubertal development in adolescence are thought to affect multiple aspects of brain development, social cognition, and peer relations, each of which have also demonstrated associations with risk for mood and anxiety disorders. These puberty-related effects may combine with other nonpubertal influences on brain maturation to transform adolescents' social perception and experiences, which in turn continue to shape both mental health and brain development through transactional processes. In this review, we focus on pubertal, neural, and social changes across the duration of adolescence that are known or thought to be related to adolescent-emergent disorders, specifically depression, anxiety, and deliberate self-harm (nonsuicidal self-injury). We propose a theoretical model in which social processes (both social cognition and peer relations) are critical to understanding the way in which pubertal development drives neural and psychological changes that produce potential mental health vulnerabilities, particularly (but not exclusively) in adolescent girls.
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18
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Barch DM, Shirtcliff EA, Elsayed NM, Whalen D, Gilbert K, Vogel AC, Tillman R, Luby JL. Testosterone and hippocampal trajectories mediate relationship of poverty to emotion dysregulation and depression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:22015-22023. [PMID: 32839328 PMCID: PMC7486761 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2004363117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There is robust evidence that early poverty is associated with poor developmental outcomes, including impaired emotion regulation and depression. However, the specific mechanisms that mediate this risk are less clear. Here we test the hypothesis that one pathway involves hormone mechanisms (testosterone and DHEA) that contribute to disruption of hippocampal brain development, which in turn contributes to perturbed emotion regulation and subsequent risk for depression. To do so, we used data from 167 children participating in the Preschool Depression Study, a longitudinal study that followed children from preschool (ages 3 to 5 y) to late adolescence, and which includes prospective assessments of poverty in preschool, measures of testosterone, DHEA, and hippocampal volume across school age and adolescence, and measures of emotion regulation and depression in adolescence. Using multilevel modeling and linear regression, we found that early poverty predicted shallower increases of testosterone, but not DHEA, across development, which in turn predicted shallower trajectories of hippocampal development. Further, we found that early poverty predicted both impaired emotion regulation and depression. The relationship between early poverty and self-reported depression in adolescence was explained by serial mediation through testosterone to hippocampus to emotion dysregulation. There were no significant interactions with sex. These results provide evidence about a hormonal pathway by which early poverty may contribute to disrupted brain development and risk for mental health problems later in life. Identification of such pathways provide evidence for potential points of intervention that might help mitigate the impact of early adversity on brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130;
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | | | - Nourhan M Elsayed
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Diana Whalen
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Kirsten Gilbert
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Alecia C Vogel
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
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Weissman DG, Lambert HK, Rodman AM, Peverill M, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Reduced hippocampal and amygdala volume as a mechanism underlying stress sensitization to depression following childhood trauma. Depress Anxiety 2020; 37:916-925. [PMID: 32579793 PMCID: PMC7484449 DOI: 10.1002/da.23062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stressful life events are more likely to trigger depression among individuals exposed to childhood adversity. However, the mechanisms underlying this stress sensitization remain largely unknown. Any such mechanism must be altered by childhood adversity and interact with recent stressful life events, magnifying their association with depression. AIM This study investigated whether reduced hippocampal and amygdala volume are potential mechanisms underlying stress sensitization following childhood violence exposure. METHOD A sample of 149 youth (aged 8-17 years), with (N = 75) and without (N = 74) exposure to physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence participated. Participants completed a structural MRI scan and assessments of depression. Approximately 2 years later, stressful life events were assessed along with depression symptoms in 120 participants (57 violence exposed). RESULTS Childhood violence exposure was associated with smaller hippocampal and amygdala volume. Stressful life events occurring during the follow-up period predicted worsening depression over time, and this association was magnified among those with smaller hippocampal and amygdala volumes. Significant moderated mediation models revealed the indirect effects of violence exposure on increasing depression over time through hippocampal and amygdala volumes, particularly among youths who experienced more stressful life events. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence for reduced hippocampal and amygdala volume as potential mechanisms of stress sensitization to depression following exposure to violence. More broadly, these patterns suggest that hippocampal and amygdala-mediated emotional and cognitive processes may confer vulnerability to stressful life events among children who have experienced violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Hilary K. Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Matthew Peverill
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Margaret A. Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Abstract
The hippocampus is central to spatial learning and stress responsiveness, both of which differ in form and function in males versus females, yet precisely how the hippocampus contributes to these sex differences is largely unknown. In reproductively mature individuals, sex differences in the steroid hormone milieu undergirds many sex differences in hippocampal-related endpoints. However, there is also evidence for developmental programming of adult hippocampal function, with a central role for androgens as well as their aromatized byproduct, estrogens. These include sex differences in cell genesis, synapse formation, dendritic arborization, and excitatory/inhibitory balance. Enduring effects of steroid hormone modulation occur during two developmental epochs, the first being the classic perinatal critical period of sexual differentiation of the brain and the other being adolescence and the associated hormonal changes of puberty. The cellular mechanisms by which steroid hormones enduringly modify hippocampal form and function are poorly understood, but we here review what is known and highlight where attention should be focused.
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Abstract
Adrenarche, the post-natal rise of DHEA and DHEAS, is unique to humans and the African Apes. Recent findings have linked DHEA in humans to the development of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDPFC) between the ages of 4-8 years and the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) from 7 to 12 years of age. Given the association of the LDLPFC with the 5-to-8 transition and the rTPJ with mentalizing during middle childhood DHEA may have played an important role in the evolution of the human brain. I argue that increasing protein in the diet over the course of human evolution not only increased levels of DHEAS, but linked meat consumption with brain development during the important 5- to-8 transition. Consumption of animal protein has been associated with IGF-1, implicated in the development of the adrenal zona reticularis (ZR), the site of DHEAS production. In humans and chimps, the zona reticularis emerges at 3-4 years, along with the onset of DHEA/S production. For chimps this coincides with weaning and peak synaptogenesis. Among humans, weaning is completed around 2 ½ years, while synaptogenesis peaks around 5 years. Thus, in chimpanzees, early cortical maturation is tied to the mother; in humans it may be associated with post-weaning provisioning by others. I call for further research on adrenarche among the African apes as a critical comparison to humans. I also suggest research in subsistence populations to establish the role of nutrition and energetics in the timing of adrenarche and the onset of middle childhood.
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