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Romero AN, Dickinson E, Turcotte CM, Terhune CE. Skeletal age during hurricane impacts fluctuating asymmetry in Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10425. [PMID: 37575591 PMCID: PMC10421717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As natural disasters become more frequent due to climate change, understanding the biological impact of these ecological catastrophes on wild populations becomes increasingly pertinent. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), or random deviations from bilateral symmetry, is reflective of developmental instability and has long been positively associated with increases in environmental stress. This study investigates craniofacial FA in a population of free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that has experienced multiple Category 3 hurricanes since the colony's inception on Cayo Santiago, including 275 individuals from ages 9 months to 31 years (F = 154; M = 121). Using geometric morphometrics to quantify FA and a linear mixed-effect model for analysis, we found that sex, age, and decade of birth did not influence the amount of FA in the individuals included in the study, but the developmental stage at which individuals experienced these catastrophic events greatly impacted the amount of FA exhibited (p = .001). Individuals that experienced these hurricanes during fetal life exhibited greater FA than any other post-natal developmental period. These results indicate that natural disasters can be associated with developmental disruption that results in long-term effects if occurring during the prenatal period, possibly due to increases in maternal stress-related hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashly N. Romero
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
- Department of Basic Medical SciencesUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine – PhoenixPhoenixArizonaUSA
| | - Edwin Dickinson
- College of Osteopathic MedicineNew York Institute of TechnologyOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Cassandra M. Turcotte
- College of Osteopathic MedicineNew York Institute of TechnologyOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Claire E. Terhune
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
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The Relationship between Psychological Suffering, Value of Maternal Cortisol during Third Trimester of Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Initiation. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020339. [PMID: 36837540 PMCID: PMC9960982 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Cortisol, the stress hormone, is an important factor in initiating and maintaining lactation. Maternal suffering during pregnancy is predictive for the initiation and shorter duration of breastfeeding and can also lead to its termination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the level of salivary cortisol in the third trimester of pregnancy and the initiation of breastfeeding in the postpartum period in a cohort of young pregnant women who wanted to exclusively breastfeed their newborns during hospitalization. Materials and Methods: For the study, full-term pregnant women were recruited between January and May 2022 in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Mureș County Clinical Hospital. Socio-demographic, clinical obstetric and neonatal variables were collected. Breastfeeding efficiency was assessed using the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool at 24 and 48 h after birth. The mean value of the LATCH score assessed at 24 and 48 h of age was higher among mothers who had a higher mean value of salivary cortisol measured in the third trimester of pregnancy (p < 0.05). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to detect risk factors for the success of early breastfeeding initiation. Results: A quarter of pregnant women had a salivary cortisol level above normal limits during the third trimester of pregnancy. There is a statistically significant association between maternal smoking, alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the level of anxiety or depression. Conclusions: The most important finding of this study was that increased salivary cortisol in the last trimester of pregnancy was not associated with delayed initiation/absence of breastfeeding.
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Vrantsidis DM, Wakschlag LS, Espy KA, Wiebe SA. Differential associations of maternal behavior to preschool boys' and girls' executive function. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 83:101468. [PMID: 37220613 PMCID: PMC10201980 DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101468] [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] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Boys are more sensitive to environmental factors like parental behavior, an important predictor of executive function. This study examined whether the interaction between child sex and maternal behavior was associated with children's executive function in a manner consistent with the vulnerability or differential susceptibility model. Participants were 146 36-month-old children and their mothers. Maternal responsiveness and negative reactivity were coded during structured mother-child interactions. Executive function was operationalized as latent self-control and working memory/inhibitory control (WMIC). Structural equation modelling supported a sex by responsiveness interaction for self-control but not WMIC. Consistent with a vulnerability model, less responsiveness was associated with poorer self-control for boys relative to girls. Boys' self-control may be more vulnerable to the negative effect of unresponsive maternal behavior helping explain boys increased risk for externalizing behavior problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne M. Vrantsidis
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Lauren S. Wakschlag
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, 633 N. St. Clair Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Kimberly Andrews Espy
- Departments of Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Sandra A. Wiebe
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, 116 St. and 85 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada
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4
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Murphy HR, Gu Y, Wu Q, Brunner J, Panisch LS, Best M, Arnold MS, Duberstein ZT, Putzig J, Carnahan J, Groth SW, Barrett ES, Qiu X, O'Connor TG. Prenatal diurnal cortisol: Normative patterns and associations with affective symptoms and stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 143:105856. [PMID: 35797838 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in pregnancy has attracted considerable research attention, in part, because it may be a mechanism by which diverse prenatal exposures alter perinatal and child health outcomes. Symptoms of affective disturbance and stress are among the most-studied prenatal factors associated with HPA axis alterations, but there remains uncertainty about the nature of the association because of the limitations to, and variability in, data collection and analytic approaches. The current study capitalized on a prospective, longitudinal pregnancy cohort that examined salivary diurnal cortisol, collected at 5 time points across the day, at each trimester in a diverse sample of women. Detailed data on affective symptoms and major life events were collected at each trimester, as were data on health behaviors, medication, and socio-demographics. Results indicated modest stability of individual differences in diurnal cortisol across pregnancy, which was evident for diurnal slope (ICC = .20) and measures of total output (area under the curve, ICC = .25); substantial gestation-related increases in total cortisol output across pregnancy was also observed (p < .001). Adjusting for health behaviors, medication, and socio-demographic covariates, elevated levels of depressive symptoms and major life events were significantly (p < .05) associated with a higher morning awakening value and flatter diurnal slope, which was evident across all trimesters. In addition to the normative gestation-related changes in cortisol production, our results demonstrate selective but robust associations between psychological symptoms, stressors, and the HPA axis across gestation, and suggest both methodological and mechanistic strategies for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Murphy
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Yu Gu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Qiuyi Wu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jessica Brunner
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Lisa S Panisch
- Wayne State University School of Social Work, 5447 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Meghan Best
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Molly S Arnold
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Zoe T Duberstein
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Jenelle Putzig
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jennifer Carnahan
- Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Susan W Groth
- School of Nursing, University of Rochester, 255 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Xing Qiu
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY 14627, USA; Neuroscience, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 603, KMRB G.9602, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Psychiatry, University of Rochester, 300 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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Maternal effects in mammals: Broadening our understanding of offspring programming. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 62:100924. [PMID: 33992652 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The perinatal period is a sensitive time in mammalian development that can have long-lasting consequences on offspring phenotype via maternal effects. Maternal effects have been most intensively studied with respect to two major conditions: maternal diet and maternal stress. In this review, we shift the focus by discussing five major additional maternal cues and their influence on offspring phenotype: maternal androgen levels, photoperiod (melatonin), microbiome, immune regulation, and milk composition. We present the key findings for each of these topics in mammals, their mechanisms of action, and how they interact with each other and with the maternal influences of diet and stress. We explore their impacts in the contexts of both predictive adaptive responses and the developmental origins of disease, identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities in the field, and place a particular emphasis on the application and consideration of these effects in non-model species and natural ecological systems.
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Pubertal Testosterone and Brain Response to Faces in Young Adulthood: An Interplay between Organizational and Activational Effects in Young Men. J Neurosci 2021; 41:2990-2999. [PMID: 33589514 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0190-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the organizational-activational hypothesis, the organizational effects of testosterone during (prenatal) brain development moderate the activational effects of adult testosterone on behavior. Accumulating evidence supports the notion that adolescence is another period during which sex hormones organize the nervous system. Here we investigate how pubertal sex hormones moderate the activational effects of adult sex hormones on social cognition in humans. To do so, we recruited a sample of young men (n = 507; age, ∼19 years) from a longitudinal birth cohort and investigated whether testosterone exposure during adolescence (from 9 to 17 years of age) moderates the relation between current testosterone and brain response to faces in young adulthood, as assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Our results showed that the cumulative exposure to testosterone during adolescence moderated the relation between adult testosterone and both the mean fMRI response and functional connectivity (i.e., node strength). Specifically, in participants with low exposure to testosterone during puberty, we observed a positive relationship between current testosterone and the brain response to faces; this was not the case for participants with medium and high pubertal testosterone. Furthermore, we observed a stronger relationship between the brain response and current testosterone in parts of the angry-face network associated with (vs without) motion in the eye region of an observed (angry) face. We speculate that pubertal testosterone modulates the relationship between current testosterone and brain response to social cues carried by the eyes and signaling a potential threat.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Accumulating evidence supports the organizational effects of pubertal testosterone, but the body of literature examining these effects on social cognition in humans is in its infancy. With a sample of young men from a longitudinal birth cohort, we showed that the cumulative exposure to testosterone during adolescence moderated the relation between adult testosterone and both the mean BOLD signal change and functional connectivity. Specifically, we observed a positive relationship between adult testosterone and the brain response to faces in participants with low exposure to testosterone during puberty, but not in participants with medium and high pubertal testosterone. Results of further analysis suggest that sensitivity to cues carried by the eyes might underlie the relationship between testosterone and brain response to faces, especially in the context of a potential threat.
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Richards G, Beking T, Kreukels BPC, Geuze RH, Beaton AA, Groothuis T. An examination of the influence of prenatal sex hormones on handedness: Literature review and amniotic fluid data. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104929. [PMID: 33454315 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Competing theories have posited roles for foetal androgen exposure in the development of human handedness. However, due to practical and ethical considerations, few studies have used hormonal measures to examine this possibility. The current paper reviews this literature and reveals a generally inconsistent pattern of results. We also present data from a longitudinal study of prenatal sex hormone exposure and subsequent handedness. More specifically, we examine correlations between testosterone and estradiol measured from second trimester amniotic fluid and hand preference (Dutch language version of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory) and hand skill asymmetry (pegboard task) measured at 15 years of age. Prenatal sex hormone exposure was not associated with the direction of hand preference in either males or females. However, in females, high levels of prenatal testosterone were associated with weaker lateralisation of hand skill, and high levels of prenatal estradiol were associated with weaker hand preference. In addition, high levels of prenatal testosterone were associated with increased task duration (i.e., slow hand speed) for the right and left hands of males. The pattern of results observed here is not entirely consistent with any of the main theories linking sex hormones with handedness, suggesting that an association between these variables may be more complex than initially thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Richards
- Newcastle University, School of Psychology, Ridley Building 1, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; University of Cambridge, Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, UK.
| | - Tess Beking
- University of Groningen, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Department Clinical & Developmental Neuropsychology, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VUmc, Department of Medical Psychology, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Baudewijntje P C Kreukels
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VUmc, Department of Medical Psychology, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Reint H Geuze
- University of Groningen, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Department Clinical & Developmental Neuropsychology, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alan A Beaton
- Swansea University, Department of Psychology, School of Human & Health Sciences, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK; Aberystwyth University, Department of Psychology, Aberystwyth SY23 3UX, UK
| | - Ton Groothuis
- University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
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Digit ratio (2D:4D) and amniotic testosterone and estradiol: an attempted replication of Lutchmaya et al. (2004). J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 12:859-864. [PMID: 33472723 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420001294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The ratio of length between the second (index) and fourth (ring) fingers (digit ratio or 2D:4D) is frequently employed as a retrospective marker of prenatal sex hormone exposure. Lutchmaya et al. (2004) reported that the ratio of testosterone (T) to estradiol (E) present in second-trimester amniotic fluid was negatively correlated with digit ratios for the right hand (but not the left hand) in a sample of 29 children at 2-year follow-up. This observation is frequently cited as evidence for the measure's validity but has not been replicated. We therefore present the findings of another study of amniotic T and E that did not find evidence for these effects at 4½-year follow-up. The confidence intervals were large, the direction of correlations observed was generally erratic, and the overall findings question the premise that second-trimester sex hormones affect the development of digit length ratios in humans.
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Spencer D, Pasterski V, Neufeld SAS, Glover V, O'Connor TG, Hindmarsh PC, Hughes IA, Acerini CL, Hines M. Prenatal androgen exposure and children's gender-typed behavior and toy and playmate preferences. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104889. [PMID: 33181133 PMCID: PMC7856278 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We report findings from two studies investigating possible relations of prenatal androgen exposure to a broad measure of children's gender-typed behavior, as well as specifically to children's toy and playmate preferences. Study 1 investigated these outcomes for 43 girls and 38 boys, aged 4 to 11 years, with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH, a genetic condition causing increased adrenal androgen production beginning prenatally) compared to similarly-aged, unaffected relatives (41 girls, 31 boys). The predicted sex differences were found for all of the outcome measures. Furthermore, girls with CAH showed increased male-typical and decreased female-typical behavior and toy and playmate preferences compared to unaffected girls. Study 2 investigated the relationship of amniotic fluid testosterone to gender-typed behavior and toy and playmate preferences in typically developing children (48 girls, 44 boys) aged 3 to 5 years. Although the predicted sex differences were found for all of the outcome measures, amniotic fluid testosterone was not a significant correlate, in the predicted direction, of any outcome measure for either sex. The results of study 1 provide additional support for an influence of prenatal androgen exposure on children's gender-typed behavior, including toy and playmate preferences. The results of study 2 do not, but amniotic fluid testosterone may be an insufficiently sensitive measure of early androgen exposure. A more sensitive and reliable measure of prenatal androgen exposure may be needed to consistently detect relations to later gender typed behavior in non-clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra Spencer
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Vickie Pasterski
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom; Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Sharon A S Neufeld
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom.
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Peter C Hindmarsh
- Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom.
| | - Ieuan A Hughes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Carlo L Acerini
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Hines
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
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Prenatal developmental origins of behavior and mental health: The influence of maternal stress in pregnancy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 117:26-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 438] [Impact Index Per Article: 109.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2016] [Revised: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Argyraki M, Damdimopoulou P, Chatzimeletiou K, Grimbizis GF, Tarlatzis BC, Syrrou M, Lambropoulos A. In-utero stress and mode of conception: impact on regulation of imprinted genes, fetal development and future health. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 25:777-801. [PMID: 31633761 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic gene regulatory mechanism; disruption of this process during early embryonic development can have major consequences on both fetal and placental development. The periconceptional period and intrauterine life are crucial for determining long-term susceptibility to diseases. Treatments and procedures in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and adverse in-utero environments may modify the methylation levels of genomic imprinting regions, including insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2)/H19, mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST), and paternally expressed gene 10 (PEG10), affecting the development of the fetus. ART, maternal psychological stress, and gestational exposures to chemicals are common stressors suspected to alter global epigenetic patterns including imprinted genes. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Our objective is to highlight the effect of conception mode and maternal psychological stress on fetal development. Specifically, we monitor fetal programming, regulation of imprinted genes, fetal growth, and long-term disease risk, using the imprinted genes IGF2/H19, MEST, and PEG10 as examples. The possible role of environmental chemicals in genomic imprinting is also discussed. SEARCH METHODS A PubMed search of articles published mostly from 2005 to 2019 was conducted using search terms IGF2/H19, MEST, PEG10, imprinted genes, DNA methylation, gene expression, and imprinting disorders (IDs). Studies focusing on maternal prenatal stress, psychological well-being, environmental chemicals, ART, and placental/fetal development were evaluated and included in this review. OUTCOMES IGF2/H19, MEST, and PEG10 imprinted genes have a broad developmental effect on fetal growth and birth weight variation. Their disruption is linked to pregnancy complications, metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, and cancer. Adverse early environment has a major impact on the developing fetus, affecting mostly growth, the structure, and subsequent function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurodevelopment. Extensive evidence suggests that the gestational environment has an impact on epigenetic patterns including imprinting, which can lead to adverse long-term outcomes in the offspring. Environmental stressors such as maternal prenatal psychological stress have been found to associate with altered DNA methylation patterns in placenta and to affect fetal development. Studies conducted during the past decades have suggested that ART pregnancies are at a higher risk for a number of complications such as birth defects and IDs. ART procedures involve multiple steps that are conducted during critical windows for imprinting establishment and maintenance, necessitating long-term evaluation of children conceived through ART. Exposure to environmental chemicals can affect placental imprinting and fetal growth both in humans and in experimental animals. Therefore, their role in imprinting should be better elucidated, considering the ubiquitous exposure to these chemicals. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Dysregulation of imprinted genes is a plausible mechanism linking stressors such as maternal psychological stress, conception using ART, and chemical exposures with fetal growth. It is expected that a greater understanding of the role of imprinted genes and their regulation in fetal development will provide insights for clinical prevention and management of growth and IDs. In a broader context, evidence connecting impaired imprinted gene function to common diseases such as cancer is increasing. This implies early regulation of imprinting may enable control of long-term human health, reducing the burden of disease in the population in years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Argyraki
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Laboratory of Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Ring Road, Nea Efkarpia, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, K57 Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katerina Chatzimeletiou
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit for Human Reproduction, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Ring Road, Nea Efkarpia, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Grigoris F Grimbizis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit for Human Reproduction, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Ring Road, Nea Efkarpia, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Basil C Tarlatzis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit for Human Reproduction, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Ring Road, Nea Efkarpia, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Syrrou
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Biology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Dourouti University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Alexandros Lambropoulos
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Laboratory of Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Ring Road, Nea Efkarpia, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
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12
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Almanza-Sepulveda ML, Fleming AS, Jonas W. Mothering revisited: A role for cortisol? Horm Behav 2020; 121:104679. [PMID: 31927022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This selective review first describes the involvement of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the relation between peripartum HPA axis function and maternal behavior, stress reactivity and emotional dysregulation in human mothers. To provide experimental background to this correlational work, where helpful, animal studies are also described. It then explores the association between HPA axis function in mothers and their infants, under ongoing non-stressful conditions and during stressful challenges, the moderating role of mothers' sensitivity and behavior in the mother-child co-regulation and the effects of more traumatic risk factors on these relations. The overarching theme being explored is that the HPA axis - albeit a system designed to function during periods of high stress and challenge - also functions to promote adaptation to more normative processes, shown in the new mother who experiences both high cortisol and enhanced attraction and attention to and recognition of, their infants and their cues. Hence the same HPA system shows positive relations with behavior at some time points and inverse ones at others. However, the literature is not uniform and results vary widely depending on the number, timing, place, and type of samplings and assessments, and, of course, the population being studied and, in the present context, the state, the stage, and the stress levels of mother and infant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra L Almanza-Sepulveda
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Wibke Jonas
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Widerströmska Huset, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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13
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Day DB, Collett BR, Barrett ES, Bush NR, Swan SH, Wang C, Sathyanarayana S. Prenatal sex hormones and behavioral outcomes in children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 113:104547. [PMID: 31901731 PMCID: PMC7759302 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal sex hormone levels in utero have been associated with child behavioral problems, but it is unclear if normal variation in prenatal sex hormones is associated with subsequent behavior in childhood. We assessed maternal sex hormones, including serum estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), free testosterone (FT), and total testosterone (TT), during early pregnancy (gestational week 6-21 (mean = 11.1)) and evaluated child behavior at ages 4-5 using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) in 404 mother/child pairs (211 girls, 193 boys) within The Infant Development and Environment Study, a multi-site pregnancy cohort study. Associations between hormones and composite scores were evaluated using multiple linear regressions in both sexes combined, and separate models assessed effect modification by sex with the addition of interaction terms. A 10-fold increase in maternal FT or TT was associated in both sexes with a 4.3-point (95 % CI: 0.5, 8.2) or 4.4-point (0.8, 8.0) higher BASC-2 internalizing composite T score, respectively. In addition, a 10-fold increase in FT or TT was associated with a 3.8-point (0.04, 7.5) or 4.0-point (0.5, 7.5) higher behavioral symptoms index composite score. In models evaluating effect modification by sex, a 10-fold increase in E1 was associated with a 4.3-point (1.2, 7.4) decrease in adaptive skills composite score in girls only (interaction p = 0.04). We observed associations between testosterone and internalizing behaviors and behavioral symptoms index in both sexes, as well as a female-specific association between E1 and adaptive skills. Sex hormones during pregnancy may play a key role in influencing later-life behavior, and additional studies should further examine different periods of susceptibility to hormonal signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew B Day
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.
| | - Brent R Collett
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA,University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Nicole R Bush
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Shanna H Swan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Christina Wang
- Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA,University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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14
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Tan HK, Goh SKY, Tsotsi S, Bruntraeger M, Chen HY, Broekman B, Tan KH, Chong YS, Meaney MJ, Qiu A, Rifkin-Graboi A. Maternal antenatal anxiety and electrophysiological functioning amongst a sub-set of preschoolers participating in the GUSTO cohort. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:62. [PMID: 32050929 PMCID: PMC7017524 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-2454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antenatal maternal anxiety is a risk for offspring psychological and cognitive difficulties. The preschool years represent an important time for brain development, and so may be a window for intervention. However, electrophysiological investigations of maternal anxiety and preschoolers' brain functioning are lacking. We ask whether anxiety symptoms predict neurophysiology, and consider timing specificity (26-weeks antenatal or 24-months postnatal), form of insult (anxiety symptoms, per se, or also depression symptoms), and offspring gender. METHODS The sample consisted of a subset of 71 mothers and their 3 year old children taking part in the prospective birth cohort, GUSTO. Mothers provided antenatal (26 weeks) and postnatal (2 years) anxiety and depressive symptomatology data, respectively via the "State Trait Anxiety Questionnaire" and the "Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale." Offspring provided electrophysiological data, obtained while they indicated the emotional expression of actors whose facial expressions remained consistent throughout a pre-switch block, but were reversed at "post-switch." RESULTS Three electrophysiological components linked to different information processing stages were identified. The two earliest occurring components (i.e., the N1 and P2) differed across blocks. During post-switch, both were significantly predicted by maternal anxiety, after controlling for pre-switch neurophysiology. Similar results were observed with depression. Antenatal mental health remained a significant predictor after controlling for postnatal mental health. CONCLUSION In combination with past work, these findings suggest the importance of reducing symptoms in women prior to and during pregnancy, and offering support to offspring early in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Kuang Tan
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.428397.30000 0004 0385 0924Duke-National University of Singapore, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
| | - Shaun K. Y. Goh
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583 Singapore ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Present Address: Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, S637616 Singapore
| | - Stella Tsotsi
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Present Address: Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, S637616 Singapore
| | - Michaela Bruntraeger
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Helen Yu Chen
- grid.428397.30000 0004 0385 0924Duke-National University of Singapore, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857 Singapore ,Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women and Children’s Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Birit Broekman
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,Department of Psychiatry, OLVG and Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kok Hian Tan
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women and Children’s Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Yap Seng Chong
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.412106.00000 0004 0621 9599Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, National University Hospital Singapore, 1E, Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University, 6875 Boulevard Lasalle, Montréal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, 6875 Boulevard Lasalle, Montréal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada
| | - Anqi Qiu
- grid.452264.30000 0004 0530 269XIntegrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609 Singapore ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583 Singapore
| | - Anne Rifkin-Graboi
- Integrative Neurosciences, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR), Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore. .,Present Address: Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, S637616, Singapore.
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15
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Morin EL, Howell BR, Meyer JS, Sanchez MM. Effects of early maternal care on adolescent attention bias to threat in nonhuman primates. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 38:100643. [PMID: 31170549 PMCID: PMC6969349 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention bias towards threat using dot-probe tasks has mainly been reported in adults with stress-related disorders such as PTSD and other anxiety disorders, in some cases associated with early life stress or traumatic experiences. Studies during adolescence are scarce and inconsistent, which highlights the need to increase our understanding of the developmental processes that predict attentional biases, given that this is a time of emergence of psychopathology. Here, we use a translational nonhuman primate model of early life stress in the form of infant maltreatment to examine its long-term impact on attentional biases during adolescence using the dot-probe task and identify interactions with early life risk factors, such as prenatal exposure to stress hormones and emotional/stress reactivity during infancy. Maltreated animals showed higher reaction times to social threat than animals that experienced competent maternal care, suggesting interference of negative valence stimuli on attentional control and cognitive processes. Higher emotional reactivity during infancy in Maltreated animals predicted attention bias towards threat, whereas higher levels of prenatal cortisol exposure was associated with bias away (avoidance of) threat in maltreated and control groups. Our findings suggest that different postnatal experiences and early biobehavioral mechanisms regulate the development of emotional attention biases during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse L Morin
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta GA, 30329, United States; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
| | - Brittany R Howell
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta GA, 30329, United States; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Insititute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
| | - Jerrold S Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 441 Tobin Hall, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
| | - Mar M Sanchez
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta GA, 30329, United States; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
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16
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Walther A, Breidenstein J, Bösch M, Sefidan S, Ehlert U, Annen H, Wyss T, La Marca R. Associations between digit ratio (2D4D), mood, and autonomic stress response in healthy men. Psychophysiology 2019; 56:e13328. [PMID: 30623451 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The ratio between the length of the second (index) and the fourth (ring) finger (2D4D) is a putative biomarker of prenatal testosterone (T) exposure, with higher exposure leading to a smaller ratio. 2D4D has further been linked to mental and somatic disorders. Healthy male Swiss recruits (N = 245; Mage = 20.30 years) underwent a psychosocial stress test. Mood and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) were assessed before and after the stress test, while heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured continuously. Additionally, 2D4D (right: R2D4D; left: L2D4D) was determined and divided into quartile groups. Correlation analysis showed no associations between R/L2D4D and outcome measures. Comparing calculated quartiles for R2D4D, subjects in the lowest R2D4D quartile expressed trendwise (p < 0.10) lower positive and higher negative affect, significantly elevated sAA activity (p < 0.05), but no HR and HRV differences at baseline as compared to subjects in the upper three quartiles. With regard to acute stress, subjects in the lowest as compared to subjects in the upper three R2D4D quartiles showed a higher increase of negative affect and a stronger cardiac response (p < 0.05), but no alterations in positive affect and sAA activity. Young healthy men in the lowest R2D4D quartile revealed a more negative affect and increased physiological activity at baseline and in response to acute stress. An exposure to high levels of prenatal T might constitute a risk factor potentially increasing vulnerability to stress-related disorders in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Walther
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Biopsychology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - J Breidenstein
- Department of Biopsychology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - M Bösch
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Military Academy, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - S Sefidan
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Military Academy, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - U Ehlert
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - H Annen
- Military Academy, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - T Wyss
- Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM), Magglingen, Switzerland
| | - R La Marca
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Voegel CD, La Marca-Ghaemmaghami P, Ehlert U, Baumgartner MR, Kraemer T, Binz TM. Steroid profiling in nails using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Steroids 2018; 140:144-150. [PMID: 30296547 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2018.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The retrospective analysis of endogenous steroid hormones in nails can be used to elucidate endocrine diseases and thus help with their diagnosis and treatment. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based method was developed for the simultaneous identification and quantification of 12 steroid hormones (aldosterone, cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, androstenedione, 11-deoxycorticosterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and progesterone) in human fingernails. Steroid hormones were extracted from 0.5 mg to 10 mg pulverized nail clippings by methanolic extraction, followed by a liquid-liquid extraction. The analysis was conducted with LC-MS/MS in electrospray ionization positive mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, matrix effect, recovery and robustness. It was successfully applied for steroid profiling in nails of mothers and their infants where cortisol, cortisone, testosterone, progesterone, androstenedione and 11-deoxycorticosterone could be detected. Furthermore, it could be shown that there is no significant difference in concentrations between left and right hand for cortisol, cortisone and progesterone. A positive linear correlation between cortisol and cortisone in nails was found. In conclusion, it could be shown that nails are a suitable matrix for the retrospective monitoring of cumulative steroid hormone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Daniela Voegel
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus R Baumgartner
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Kraemer
- Department of Forensic Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Maria Binz
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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18
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Testosterone-cortisol dissociation in children exposed to prenatal maternal stress, and relationship with aggression: Project Ice Storm. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:981-994. [PMID: 30068431 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) has been associated with postnatal behavioral alterations that may be partly explained by interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes. Yet it remains unclear whether PNMS leads to enduring HPA-HPG alterations in the offspring, and whether HPA-HPG interactions can impact behavior during development, in particular levels of aggression in childhood. Here we investigated the relationship between a marker for HPG axis function (baseline testosterone) and a marker for HPA axis response (cortisol area under the curve) in 11½-year-olds whose mothers were exposed to the 1998 Quebec ice storm during pregnancy (n = 59 children; 31 boys, 28 girls). We examined (a) whether the degree of objective or subjective PNMS regulates the testosterone-cortisol relationship at age 11½, and (b) whether this testosterone-cortisol relationship is associated with differences in aggressive behavior. We found that, at lower levels of subjective PNMS, baseline testosterone and cortisol reactivity were positively correlated; in contrast, there was no relationship between these hormones at higher levels of subjective PNMS. Cortisol response moderated the relationship between testosterone and aggression. These results support the notion PNMS may explain variance in fetal HPA-HPG interactions, and that these interactions may be associated with aggressive behavior in late childhood.
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19
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Prenatal stress and models explaining risk for psychopathology revisited: Generic vulnerability and divergent pathways. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1041-1062. [PMID: 30068410 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The present review revisits three hypothesized models that potentially could explain how prenatal maternal stress influences fetal development, birth outcomes, and subsequent developmental psychopathology. These models were mostly based on animal models, and new evidence for these models from human studies is evaluated. Furthermore, divergent trajectories from prenatal exposure to adversities to offspring affected outcomes are reviewed, including the comparison of studies on prenatal maternal stress with research on maternal substance use and maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. Finally, new directions in research on the mechanism underlying prenatal stress effects on human offspring is summarized. While it is concluded that there is abundant evidence for the negative associations between prenatal maternal stress and offspring behavioral, brain, and psychopathological outcomes in humans, there is no consistent evidence for specific mechanisms or specific outcomes in relation to stress exposure in utero. Rather, principles of multifinality and equifinality best describe the consequences for the offspring, suggesting a generic vulnerability and different pathways from prenatal adversities to developmental psychopathology, which complicates the search for underlying mechanisms. New and promising directions for research are provided to get a better understanding of how prenatal stress gets under the skin to affect fetal development.
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20
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Lenz B, Bouna-Pyrrou P, Mühle C, Kornhuber J. Low digit ratio (2D:4D) and late pubertal onset indicate prenatal hyperandrogenziation in alcohol binge drinking. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 86:370-378. [PMID: 29499227 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol binge drinking behavior is an important public health issue. Causal rodent and human associational studies show that reinforcement of prenatal androgen signaling increases alcohol consumption in adulthood. However, the effects of prenatal androgen exposure on adult binge drinking patterns have not been investigated yet. METHOD We analyzed data from 2225 participants of an online survey (conducted 06-07/2016) to evaluate biomarkers for prenatal androgen exposure (second-to-fourth finger length ratio [2D:4D], age at spermarche or menarche as hallmark for pubertal onset) in binge drinking (≥1 episode of 15+, 10+, and/or 5+ standard drinks of ~13 g of alcohol within 2 h during the 24 month- and 2 week-recall periods). RESULTS Men reported binge drinking more often than women (ORs > 1.4, P < .001). For the 24 month-recall period, binge drinkers showed lower 2D:4D (P = .006) and reported later pubertal onset (P = .022) than non-binge drinkers. These findings consistently suggest excess prenatal androgen exposure in adult binge drinkers. Moreover, 2D:4D was negatively associated with severity (15+/10+/5+/non-binge drinking, P = .005) and frequency of binge drinking episodes (P = .044). All of these effects were stronger in men than in women. For the 2 week-recall period, the biomarkers were not significantly related to binge drinking behavior. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that increased prenatal androgen exposure is involved in the development of alcohol binge drinking behavior in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany.
| | - Polyxeni Bouna-Pyrrou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany
| | - Christiane Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany
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21
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Kim DJ, Davis EP, Sandman CA, Sporns O, O'Donnell BF, Buss C, Hetrick WP. Prenatal Maternal Cortisol Has Sex-Specific Associations with Child Brain Network Properties. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:5230-5241. [PMID: 27664961 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated maternal cortisol concentrations have the potential to alter fetal development in a sex-specific manner. Female brains are known to show adaptive behavioral and anatomical flexibility in response to early-life exposure to cortisol, but it is not known how these sex-specific effects manifest at the whole-brain structural networks. A prospective longitudinal study of 49 mother child dyads was conducted with serial assessments of maternal cortisol levels from 15 to 37 gestational weeks. We modeled the structural network of typically developing children (aged 6-9 years) and examined its global connectome properties, rich-club organization, and modular architecture. Network segregation was susceptible only for girls to variations in exposure to maternal cortisol during pregnancy. Girls generated more connections than boys to maintain topologically capable and efficient neural circuits, and this increase in neural cost was associated with higher levels of internalizing problems. Maternal cortisol concentrations at 31 gestational weeks gestation were most strongly associated with altered neural connectivity in girls, suggesting a sensitive period for the maternal cortisol-offspring brain associations. Our data suggest that girls exhibit an adaptive response by increasing the neural network connectivity necessary for maintaining homeostasis and efficient brain function across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae-Jin Kim
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Curt A Sandman
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Olaf Sporns
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.,Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Brian F O'Donnell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Charité Centrum für Human-und Gesundheitswissenschaften, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin 10117, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - William P Hetrick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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22
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Eichler A, Heinrich H, Moll GH, Beckmann MW, Goecke TW, Fasching PA, Muschler MR, Bouna-Pyrrou P, Lenz B, Kornhuber J. Digit ratio (2D:4D) and behavioral symptoms in primary-school aged boys. Early Hum Dev 2018; 119:1-7. [PMID: 29486372 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The second-to-forth digit length ratio (2D:4D) is considered to be a biomarker for intrauterine androgen levels. It is associated with adult and child mental health problems, primarily with behavioral symptoms and predominantly in males. Using a cross-sectional design, we examined whether 2D:4D was associated with conduct disorder (CD) symptoms in 138 primary-school aged children (54% boys, Mage = 7.70 years) and considered child sex as a moderating factor. Children's digit lengths were measured from hand scans and mothers rated the behavioral/emotional symptoms of their child. The regression analyses revealed that 2D:4D ratios were associated with behavioral symptoms in boys (β = -0.260, p = 0.026), but not in girls (β = -0.040, p = 0.762). Child emotional symptoms, analyzed as a control, were not significantly correlated with 2D:4D. In conclusion, prenatal brain hyperandrogenization - operationalized by the 2D:4D biomarker - could result in behavioral symptoms in boys at early school age, reflecting one predictor for early onset CD. Our data support the use of 2D:4D as a marker of prenatal androgen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eichler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6+10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Hartmut Heinrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6+10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; kbo-Heckscher-Klinikum, Deisenhofener Str. 28, 81539 München, Germany
| | - Gunther H Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6+10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias W Beckmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tamme W Goecke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Department of Perinatal Medicine and Obstetrics, RoMed Hospital Rosenheim, Pettenkoferstraße 10, 83022 Rosenheim, Germany
| | - Peter A Fasching
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marcel-René Muschler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Polyxeni Bouna-Pyrrou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Del Giudice M, Barrett ES, Belsky J, Hartman S, Martel MM, Sangenstedt S, Kuzawa CW. Individual differences in developmental plasticity: A role for early androgens? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 90:165-173. [PMID: 29500952 PMCID: PMC5864561 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is a widespread property of living organisms, but different individuals in the same species can vary greatly in how susceptible they are to environmental influences. In humans, research has sought to link variation in plasticity to physiological traits such as stress reactivity, exposure to prenatal stress-related hormones such as cortisol, and specific genes involved in major neurobiological pathways. However, the determinants of individual differences in plasticity are still poorly understood. Here we present the novel hypothesis that, in both sexes, higher exposure to androgens during prenatal and early postnatal life should lead to increased plasticity in traits that display greater male variability (i.e., a majority of physical and behavioral traits). First, we review evidence of greater phenotypic variation and higher susceptibility to environmental factors in males; we then consider evolutionary models that explain greater male variability and plasticity as a result of sexual selection. These empirical and theoretical strands converge on the hypothesis that androgens may promote developmental plasticity, at least for traits that show greater male variability. We discuss a number of potential mechanisms that may mediate this effect (including upregulation of neural plasticity), and address the question of whether androgen-induced plasticity is likely to be adaptive or maladaptive. We conclude by offering suggestions for future studies in this area, and considering some research designs that could be used to empirically test our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Del Giudice
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Emily S Barrett
- School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jay Belsky
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Hartman
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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24
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Huber SE, Lenz B, Kornhuber J, Müller CP. Prenatal androgen-receptor activity has organizational morphological effects in mice. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188752. [PMID: 29176856 PMCID: PMC5703447 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal sex hormones exert organizational effects. It has been suggested that prenatal sex hormones affect adult morphological parameters, such as the finger length. Especially the second-to-fourth finger length (2D:4D) ratio has been implicated to be modified when exposed to higher androgen levels in utero. Here we show in a mouse model that experimental manipulation of the prenatal androgen level, by blocking the androgen receptor with flutamide or activating the androgen receptor with dihydrotestosterone (DHT), leads to changes in the length of the fingers of all paws in males and females. In addition to that, also total paw length and the 2D:4D ratio was affected. In males treated with DHT, the 2D:4D ratio was increased, while flutamide-treatment in females led to a reduced 2D:4D ratio. We also measured other parameters, such as head size, body length and tail length and demonstrate that body morphology is affected by prenatal androgen exposure with more prominent effects in females. Another factor that is thought to be influenced by early androgens is handedness. We tested mice for handedness, but did not find a significant effect of the prenatal treatment. These findings demonstrate that prenatal androgen activity is involved in the development of body morphology and might be a useful marker for prenatal androgen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine E. Huber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christian P. Müller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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25
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Spencer D, Pasterski V, Neufeld S, Glover V, O'Connor TG, Hindmarsh PC, Hughes IA, Acerini CL, Hines M. Prenatal androgen exposure and children's aggressive behavior and activity level. Horm Behav 2017; 96:156-165. [PMID: 28939371 PMCID: PMC5722694 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Some human behaviors, including aggression and activity level, differ on average for males and females. Here we report findings from two studies investigating possible relations between prenatal androgen and children's aggression and activity level. For study 1, aggression and activity level scores for 43 girls and 38 boys, aged 4 to 11years, with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH, a genetic condition causing increased adrenal androgen production beginning prenatally) were compared to those of similarly-aged, unaffected relatives (41 girls, 31 boys). Girls with CAH scored higher on aggression than unaffected girls, d=0.69, and unaffected boys scored higher on activity level than unaffected girls, d=0.50. No other group differences were significant. For study 2, the relationship of amniotic fluid testosterone to aggression and activity level was investigated in typically-developing children (48 girls, 44 boys), aged 3 to 5years. Boys scored higher than girls on aggression, d=0.41, and activity level, d=0.50. However, amniotic fluid testosterone was not a significant predictor of aggression or activity level for either sex. The results of the two studies provide some support for an influence of prenatal androgen exposure on children's aggressive behavior, but not activity level. The within-sex variation in amniotic fluid testosterone may not be sufficient to allow reliable assessment of relations to aggression or activity level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra Spencer
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Vickie Pasterski
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom; Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Sharon Neufeld
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom.
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Peter C Hindmarsh
- Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom.
| | - Ieuan A Hughes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Carlo L Acerini
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Melissa Hines
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
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26
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Nolvi S, Uusitupa HM, Bridgett DJ, Pesonen H, Aatsinki AK, Kataja EL, Korja R, Karlsson H, Karlsson L. Human milk cortisol concentration predicts experimentally induced infant fear reactivity: moderation by infant sex. Dev Sci 2017; 21:e12625. [PMID: 29076272 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Little consideration has been given to the possibility of human infant development being shaped via lactocrine programming, and by breast milk cortisol levels specifically. Despite animal models indicating that glucocorticoid (GC) exposure via lactation might modify brain development and behavior, only one study has reported that milk cortisol levels were positively associated with infant negative affectivity, especially fearfulness and sadness-early emerging risk factors for internalizing difficulties such as anxiety. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether human milk cortisol is associated with mother-reported fearfulness and experimentally induced infant fear reactivity. Mother-infant dyads (n = 65) enrolled in the FinnBrain Cohort Study participated. Breast milk samples were obtained 2.5 months postpartum, and milk cortisol concentrations were ascertained using validated luminescence immunoassay methodology. Infant fear reactivity was assessed using maternal reports 6 months postpartum and in a laboratory 8 months postpartum. There was a significant interaction between infant sex and milk cortisol such that higher milk cortisol was related to higher infant fear reactivity in a laboratory setting in girls (β = 0.36, p = .04) but not in boys (β = -0.15, p = .40). Milk cortisol was not associated with mother-reported infant fearfulness. Results suggest that higher human milk cortisol concentrations are associated with elevated experimentally induced fear in infancy. Findings support lactocrine programming, and suggest that mothers may "communicate" vital information about stressful environments via cortisol contained in breast milk, shaping girls' early emotional reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Nolvi
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Henna-Maria Uusitupa
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - David J Bridgett
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, Chicago, USA
| | - Henri Pesonen
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Anna-Katariina Aatsinki
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
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27
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Ruuskanen S, Groothuis TGG, Baugh AT, Schaper SV, Vries B, Oers K. Maternal egg hormones in the mating context: The effect of pair personality. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of EcologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of Turku Turku Finland
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Ton G. G. Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Sonja V. Schaper
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Bonnie Vries
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Kees Oers
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
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28
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Nath A, Murthy GVS, Babu GR, Di Renzo GC. Effect of prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and psychological distress on infant development in Bengaluru, southern India: a prospective cohort study. BMC Psychiatry 2017; 17:255. [PMID: 28716072 PMCID: PMC5513340 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-017-1424-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mental health status of a pregnant woman and its consequent impact on foetal well being is not given much importance compared to the risk imposed by obstetric complications and medical conditions. Maternal psychological distress is a major public health problem and needs timely detection and intervention to prevent any adverse pregnancy outcome. There is ample evidence from literature that justifies the association of prenatal maternal mental stress and elevated cortisol with delayed infant motor and cognitive development; evidence from India being rather limited. The study aim is to prospectively assess the association of maternal psychological distress and cortisol level with motor and cognitive development of the infant. METHODS A sample of 2612 eligible pregnant women who have been registered for antenatal care at selected public sector hospitals in Bengaluru will be recruited after obtaining written informed consent. They will be assessed for the presence of maternal psychological distress in the form of depression and anxiety using appropriate scales and saliva samples will be collected for cortisol estimation during early, mid and late pregnancy. Follow up visits after delivery will be done on day 10, 3 months, 8 months and 12 months. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development [BSID] (Third edition) will be used to measure both motor and mental milestones in terms of Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI). Logistic regression model will be used to determine the association between the exposure variables and outcomes which will be reported as Odd's Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). DISCUSSION Our study findings could add to the growing evidence that maternal psychological distress during pregnancy adversely influences growth and development in the offspring and subsequent development of the child. While maternal anxiety and depression can be measured by using self reporting instruments, estimation of maternal endogenous cortisol levels could serve as a biomarker of prenatal psychological stress. Findings from this study could be used to focus upon the burden of mental health problems during pregnancy and to consider steps to scale up prenatal mental health services in health care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Nath
- Wellcome Trust DBT India Alliance Intermediate fellow in clinical and public health, Indian Institute of Public Health-Bengaluru Campus, Public Health Foundation of India, SIHFW Campus, First Cross, Magadi road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560023 India
| | - Gudlavalleti Venkata Satyanarayana Murthy
- Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad-Bengaluru Campus, South, Public Health Foundation of India, Plot # 1, Rd Number 44, Masthan Nagar, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033 India
- International Center for Eye Health, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Giridhara R. Babu
- Wellcome Trust DBT India Alliance Intermediate fellow in clinical and public health, Indian Institute of Public Health-Bengaluru Campus, Public Health Foundation of India, SIHFW Campus, First Cross, Magadi road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560023 India
| | - Gian Carlo Di Renzo
- Department of Ob/Gyn, Centre for Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, the Midwifery School, The University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- The Permanent International and European School of Perinatal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, Florence, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, 06132 San Sisto, Perugia, Italy
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29
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Lenz B, Mühle C, Braun B, Weinland C, Bouna-Pyrrou P, Behrens J, Kubis S, Mikolaiczik K, Muschler MR, Saigali S, Sibach M, Tanovska P, Huber SE, Hoppe U, Eichler A, Heinrich H, Moll GH, Engel A, Goecke TW, Beckmann MW, Fasching PA, Müller CP, Kornhuber J. Prenatal and adult androgen activities in alcohol dependence. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2017; 136:96-107. [PMID: 28383757 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alcohol dependence is more prevalent in men than in women. The evidence for how prenatal and adult androgens influence alcohol dependence is limited. We investigated the effects of prenatal and adult androgen activity on alcohol dependence. Moreover, we studied how the behaviours of pregnant women affect their children's prenatal androgen load. METHOD We quantified prenatal androgen markers (e.g., second-to-fourth finger length ratio [2D : 4D]) and blood androgens in 200 early-abstinent alcohol-dependent in-patients and 240 controls (2013-2015, including a 12-month follow-up). We also surveyed 134 women during pregnancy (2005-2007) and measured the 2D : 4D of their children (2013-2016). RESULTS The prenatal androgen loads were higher in the male alcohol-dependent patients compared to the controls (lower 2D : 4D, P = 0.004) and correlated positively with the patients' liver transaminase activities (P < 0.001) and alcohol withdrawal severity (P = 0.019). Higher prenatal androgen loads and increasing androgen levels during withdrawal predicted earlier and more frequent 12-month hospital readmission in alcohol-dependent patients (P < 0.005). Moreover, stress levels (P = 0.002), alcohol (P = 0.010) and tobacco consumption (P = 0.017), and lifetime stressors (P = 0.019) of women during pregnancy related positively to their children's prenatal androgen loads (lower 2D : 4D). CONCLUSION Androgen activities in alcohol-dependent patients and behaviours of pregnant women represent novel preventive and therapeutic targets of alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - C Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - B Braun
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - C Weinland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - P Bouna-Pyrrou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - J Behrens
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Kubis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - K Mikolaiczik
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - M-R Muschler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Saigali
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - M Sibach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - P Tanovska
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - S E Huber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - U Hoppe
- Department of Audiology, ENT Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Eichler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - H Heinrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.,kbo-Heckscher-Klinikum, Munich, Germany
| | - G H Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Engel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - T W Goecke
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Perinatal Medicine and Obstetrics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - M W Beckmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - P A Fasching
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - C P Müller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - J Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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30
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Enlow MB, Devick KL, Brunst KJ, Lipton LR, Coull BA, Wright RJ. Maternal Lifetime Trauma Exposure, Prenatal Cortisol, and Infant Negative Affectivity. INFANCY 2017; 22:492-513. [PMID: 28983193 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Little research has examined the impact of maternal lifetime trauma exposure on infant temperament. We examined associations between maternal trauma history and infant negative affectivity and modification by prenatal cortisol exposure in a sociodemographically diverse sample of mother-infant dyads. During pregnancy, mothers completed measures of lifetime trauma exposure and current stressors. Third-trimester cortisol output was assessed from maternal hair. When infants were 6 months old, mothers completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. In analyses that controlled for infant sex and maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, and stress during pregnancy, greater maternal trauma exposure was associated with increased infant distress to limitations and sadness. Higher and lower prenatal cortisol exposure modified the magnitude and direction of association between maternal trauma history and infant rate of recovery from arousal. The association between maternal trauma history and infant distress to limitations was somewhat stronger among infants exposed to higher levels of prenatal cortisol. The analyses suggested that maternal lifetime trauma exposure is associated with several domains of infant negative affectivity independently of maternal stress exposures during pregnancy and that some of these associations may be modified by prenatal cortisol exposure. The findings have implications for understanding the intergenerational impact of trauma exposure on child developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School
| | - Katrina L Devick
- Department of Biostatistics Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Kelly J Brunst
- Department of Pediatrics Kravis Children's Hospital Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | - Lianna R Lipton
- Department of Pediatrics Kravis Children's Hospital Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Pediatrics Kravis Children's Hospital Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mindich Child Health & Development Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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31
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Schore AN. ALL OUR SONS: THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY AND NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY OF BOYS AT RISK. Infant Ment Health J 2017; 38:15-52. [PMID: 28042663 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Why are boys at risk? To address this question, I use the perspective of regulation theory to offer a model of the deeper psychoneurobiological mechanisms that underlie the vulnerability of the developing male. The central thesis of this work dictates that significant gender differences are seen between male and female social and emotional functions in the earliest stages of development, and that these result from not only differences in sex hormones and social experiences but also in rates of male and female brain maturation, specifically in the early developing right brain. I present interdisciplinary research which indicates that the stress-regulating circuits of the male brain mature more slowly than those of the female in the prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal critical periods, and that this differential structural maturation is reflected in normal gender differences in right-brain attachment functions. Due to this maturational delay, developing males also are more vulnerable over a longer period of time to stressors in the social environment (attachment trauma) and toxins in the physical environment (endocrine disruptors) that negatively impact right-brain development. In terms of differences in gender-related psychopathology, I describe the early developmental neuroendocrinological and neurobiological mechanisms that are involved in the increased vulnerability of males to autism, early onset schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and conduct disorders as well as the epigenetic mechanisms that can account for the recent widespread increase of these disorders in U.S. culture. I also offer a clinical formulation of early assessments of boys at risk, discuss the impact of early childcare on male psychopathogenesis, and end with a neurobiological model of optimal adult male socioemotional functions.
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32
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Davis EP, Head K, Buss C, Sandman CA. Prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations predict neurodevelopment in middle childhood. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 75:56-63. [PMID: 27771566 PMCID: PMC5505265 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (cortisol in humans) are the end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and are proposed as a key mechanism for programming fetal brain development. The present prospective longitudinal study evaluates the association between prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations and child neurodevelopment. Participants included a low risk sample of 91 mother-child pairs. Prenatal maternal plasma cortisol concentrations were measured at 19 and 31 gestational weeks. Brain development and cognitive functioning were assessed when children were 6-9 years of age. Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired and cortical thickness was determined. Child cognitive functioning was evaluated using standardized measures (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV and Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition). Higher maternal cortisol concentrations during the third trimester were associated with greater child cortical thickness primarily in frontal regions. No significant associations were observed between prenatal maternal cortisol concentrations and child cortical thinning. Elevated third trimester maternal cortisol additionally was associated with enhanced child cognitive performance. Findings in this normative sample of typically developing children suggest that elevated maternal cortisol during late gestation exert lasting benefits for brain development and cognitive functioning 6-9 years later. The benefits of fetal exposure to higher maternal cortisol during the third trimester for child neurodevelopment are consistent with the role cortisol plays in maturation of the human fetus. It is plausible that more extreme elevations in maternal cortisol concentrations late in gestation, as well as exposure to pharmacological levels of synthetic glucocorticoids, may have neurotoxic effects on the developing fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, United States; Women and Children's Health and Well-Being Project, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, 92868, United States.
| | - Kevin Head
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80210, United States
| | - Claudia Buss
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Curt A. Sandman
- Women and Children’s Health and Well-Being Project, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, 92868, United States
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Reproductive function in the sons of women who experienced stress due to bereavement before and during pregnancy: a nationwide population-based cohort study. Fertil Steril 2016; 107:189-197.e8. [PMID: 27865450 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the association between prenatal exposure to maternal stress and reproductive disorders in Danish men, where prenatal stress exposure was defined as the mother's loss of a close relative during pregnancy or in the 12 months before conception. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Not applicable. PATIENT(S) All males born in Denmark between 1973 and 2008 (n = 1,217,576) and observed for up to 39 years. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Male reproductive function, defined using a composite outcome including congenital malformations of genital organs, testicular cancer, diagnosis of male infertility, or assisted conception use due to male factor infertility. RESULT(S) In total, 28,986 men (2.4%) had been exposed to prenatal stress, and 62,929 (5.2%) experienced the composite outcome during the follow-up period. Prenatal exposure to stress was associated with an elevated risk of reproductive problems (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04-1.15). The association was stronger when the exposure occurred during the first trimester of pregnancy, and for congenital malformations of genital organs. When focusing on infertility alone, we saw no evidence of increased risk (HR 0.90; 95% CI, 0.77-1.06). In addition, the probability of marrying a woman was lower for exposed men (HR 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.98). CONCLUSION(S) Prenatal stress in the form of the mother's bereavement during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of reproductive disorders from congenital malformations of the genital organs in the male offspring. The lack of an association between maternal bereavement and later infertility in the exposed male offspring may be due in part to the men's lower probability of attempting to have children.
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Lenz B, Thiem D, Bouna-Pyrrou P, Mühle C, Stoessel C, Betz P, Kornhuber J. Low digit ratio (2D:4D) in male suicide victims. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2016; 123:1499-1503. [PMID: 27565149 PMCID: PMC5110632 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-016-1608-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Although women attempt suicides equally or more often than men do, men are more likely to die of suicide than women (sex paradox of suicidal behavior). Furthermore, the male traits of aggression and impulsivity predict suicide completion. Here, we studied the second-to-fourth-finger length ratio (2D:4D), a proxy for prenatal androgen exposure, in 46 suicide corpses and 25 non-suicide corpses. We report significantly lower 2D:4D in male suicide corpses than non-suicide corpses (p = .030, partial η 2 = .147). There was no significant association between 2D:4D and the suicide method. Our findings indicate increased risk of suicide following higher prenatal androgen exposure in males. The results may improve future efforts to predict and prevent suicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Daniela Thiem
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute for Legal Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Polyxeni Bouna-Pyrrou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christiane Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Stoessel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Betz
- Institute for Legal Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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Nolvi S, Karlsson L, Bridgett DJ, Korja R, Huizink AC, Kataja EL, Karlsson H. Maternal prenatal stress and infant emotional reactivity six months postpartum. J Affect Disord 2016; 199:163-70. [PMID: 27107891 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal prenatal stress has been related to infant negative affect. However, it is still unclear how different sources of maternal prenatal stress such as depressive, anxiety and pregnancy-specific anxiety symptoms are associated with reactivity outcomes. This study aimed to test the associations between different sources of maternal prenatal stress and the aspects of infant emotional reactivity at six months. METHOD Our study population (n=282) was drawn from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Prenatal stress was measured by questionnaires on maternal depression, general anxiety and pregnancy-specific anxiety at three time points across pregnancy (gwk 14, 24, 34). Based on the symptom scores, the sample was divided into mothers with high stress during pregnancy (n=110) and mothers with low stress during pregnancy (n=172). Mother-reported infant emotional reactivity and its subscales were measured six months postpartum. RESULTS After controlling for background variables and maternal postnatal symptoms, overall negative emotional reactivity (β=0.20, p<0.01), and its aspects fearfulness (β=0.15, p=.057) and falling reactivity (β=-0.22, p<0.01), were predicted by only pregnancy-specific anxiety. No significant predictors were found for infant positive reactivity after adjusting for confounders. LIMITATIONS Mother reports of both maternal symptoms and infant reactivity were used, which might increase the risk of reporting bias. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that mothers experiencing stress should be provided intervention during pregnancy, and that screening should have a particular focus on pregnancy-related worries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Nolvi
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Finland
| | - David J Bridgett
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, United States
| | - Riikka Korja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Anja C Huizink
- Department of Clinical Developmental Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Finland
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Howland MA, Sandman CA, Glynn LM, Crippen C, Davis EP. Fetal exposure to placental corticotropin-releasing hormone is associated with child self-reported internalizing symptoms. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 67:10-7. [PMID: 26855003 PMCID: PMC4808336 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Fetal exposure to maternal prenatal stress hormones such as cortisol exerts influences on the developing nervous system that persist and include risk for internalizing symptoms later in life. Placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (pCRH) is a feto-placental stress signal that also shapes fetal neurodevelopment and may be a more direct indicator of the fetal experience than maternal stress hormones. The programming effects of pCRH on child development are unknown. The current investigation examined associations between prenatal maternal and placental stress hormone exposures (maternal cortisol and pCRH) and child self-reported internalizing symptoms at age 5. METHOD Maternal plasma cortisol and pCRH levels were measured at 15, 19, 25, 31, and 36 weeks' gestation in a sample of 83 women and their 91 children (8 sibling pairs from separate pregnancies), who were born full-term. Child self-reported internalizing symptoms at age 5 were obtained using scales of the Berkeley Puppet Interview. RESULTS Placental CRH profiles (including elevations in mid-gestation) were associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms at age 5. This effect was not explained by critical prenatal or postnatal influences, including obstetric risk, concurrent maternal psychological state, and family socio-economic status. Prenatal maternal cortisol was not significantly associated with child self-reported internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that elevated exposures to the feto-placental stress signal pCRH exert programming effects on the developing fetal central nervous system, with lasting consequences for child mental health.
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Plana-Ripoll O, Li J, Kesmodel US, Olsen J, Parner E, Basso O. Maternal stress before and during pregnancy and subsequent infertility in daughters: a nationwide population-based cohort study. Hum Reprod 2015; 31:454-62. [PMID: 26677955 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is maternal stress following the death of a close relative before or during pregnancy associated with the risk of infertility in daughters? SUMMARY ANSWER Compared with unexposed women, women whose mothers had experienced bereavement stress during, or in the year before, pregnancy had a similar risk of infertility overall, but those exposed to maternal bereavement during the first trimester had a higher risk of infertility. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Animal studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress results in reduced offspring fertility. In humans, there is evidence that girls who have been prenatally exposed to stress have a more masculine behaviour and a slight delay in having their first child. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION This population-based cohort study, included 660 099 females born in Denmark between 1 January 1973 and 31 December 1993 to mothers of Danish origin and with at least one living relative in the exposure window, and followed the women through 31 December 2011. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Overall, 13 334 women (2.0%) were considered prenatally exposed to stress because their mother had lost a spouse/partner, a child, a parent, or a sibling during pregnancy or in the year before conception. Infertility was defined as any record of infertility treatment or diagnosis of female infertility. We considered the date of onset as the date of the first appearance of any such record. The association between exposure and outcome was examined using hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Based on our definition, 40 052 (6.5%) women were infertile in the follow-up period (median age at the end of follow-up: 26.7 years, maximum age: 39 years). Overall, prenatal exposure to maternal stress was not associated with risk of infertility (adjusted HR = 1.04 [CI: 0.95-1.14]). However, women prenatally exposed during the first trimester had a higher estimated risk (adjusted HR = 1.40 [CI: 1.05-1.86]). These findings were consistent in subgroups defined by the relationship of the mother to the deceased and in several sensitivity analyses, including a sibling-matched analysis, and in analyses restricted to women who were married or cohabitating with a man, or to women born at term. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We did not have a direct measure of stress, but bereavement due to death of a close relative is likely to be very stressful. We based the timing of exposure on the date of the death of the family member, although the stress may well have started earlier. Infertility was also defined indirectly, and many women in the cohort were too young at the end of the follow-up to have been diagnosed. However, misclassification of the outcome was most likely non-differential, and the similar results from all sensitivity analyses suggest that it is unlikely that the effect observed in first trimester exposure would be due to chance. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Prenatal exposure to maternal stress in the first trimester may affect the later fecundity of daughters. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by a grant from the European Research Council (ERC-2010-StG-260242-PROGEURO) to the ProgEuro project (http://progeuro.au.dk). O.P.-R. is partly supported by a fellowship from Aarhus University and a travel grant from Oticon Fonden. The authors report no conflict of interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Plana-Ripoll
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - J Li
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - U S Kesmodel
- The Fertility Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Herlev University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J Olsen
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - E Parner
- Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - O Basso
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Davis EP, Pfaff D. Sexually dimorphic responses to early adversity: implications for affective problems and autism spectrum disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 49:11-25. [PMID: 25038479 PMCID: PMC4165713 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Revised: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
During gestation, development proceeds at a pace that is unmatched by any other stage of the life cycle. For these reasons the human fetus is particularly susceptible not only to organizing influences, but also to pathogenic disorganizing influences. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to prenatal adversity leads to neurological changes that underlie lifetime risks for mental illness. Beginning early in gestation, males and females show differential developmental trajectories and responses to stress. It is likely that sex-dependent organization of neural circuits during the fetal period influences differential vulnerability to mental health problems. We consider in this review evidence that sexually dimorphic responses to early life stress are linked to two developmental disorders: affective problems (greater female prevalence) and autism spectrum disorder (greater male prevalence). Recent prospective studies illustrating the neurodevelopmental consequences of fetal exposure to stress and stress hormones for males and females are considered here. Plausible biological mechanisms including the role of the sexually differentiated placenta are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysia Poggi Davis
- Neurodevelopmental Research Program, Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
| | - Donald Pfaff
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA
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Barrett ES, Redmon JB, Wang C, Sparks A, Swan SH. Exposure to prenatal life events stress is associated with masculinized play behavior in girls. Neurotoxicology 2014; 41:20-7. [PMID: 24406375 PMCID: PMC4098934 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2013.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals can alter children's neurodevelopment, including sex-typed behavior, and that it can do so in different ways in males and females. Non-chemical exposures, including psychosocial stress, may disrupt the prenatal hormonal milieu as well. To date, only one published study has prospectively examined the relationship between exposure to prenatal stress and gender-specific play behavior during childhood, finding masculinized play behavior in girls who experienced high prenatal life events stress, but no associations in boys. Here we examine this question in a second prospective cohort from the Study for Future Families. Pregnant women completed questionnaires on stressful life events during pregnancy, and those who reported one or more events were considered "stressed". Families were recontacted several years later (mean age of index child: 4.9 years), and mothers completed a questionnaire including the validated Preschool Activities Inventory (PSAI), which measures sexually dimorphic play behavior. In sex-stratified analyses, after adjusting for child's age, parental attitudes toward gender-atypical play, age and sex of siblings, and other relevant covariates, girls (n=72) exposed to prenatal life events stress had higher scores on the PSAI masculine sub-scale (β=3.48, p=0.006) and showed a trend toward higher (more masculine) composite scores (β=2.63, p=0.08). By contrast, in males (n=74), there was a trend toward an association between prenatal stress and higher PSAI feminine sub-scale scores (β=2.23, p=0.10), but no association with masculine or composite scores. These data confirm previous findings in humans and animal models suggesting that prenatal stress is a non-chemical endocrine disruptor that may have androgenic effects on female fetuses and anti-androgenic effects on male fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Barrett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
| | - J Bruce Redmon
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
| | - Christina Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA 90502, United States.
| | - Amy Sparks
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
| | - Shanna H Swan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
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O’Connor TG, Barrett ES. Mechanisms of prenatal programing: identifying and distinguishing the impact of steroid hormones. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:52. [PMID: 24782831 PMCID: PMC3995034 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental programing is gaining considerable leverage as a conceptual framework for understanding individual variability in human behavioral and somatic health. The current mini-review examines some of the key conceptual and methodological challenges for developmental programing research focused on fetal sex steroid exposure and physical, behavioral, physiological, and health outcomes. Specifically, we consider the bases for focusing on sex steroids, methods for assessing prenatal steroid hormone exposure, confounding factors, and the most relevant postnatal outcomes. We conclude with a brief consideration, based on current knowledge, of the applications of the existing findings for further research and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
- *Correspondence: Thomas G. O’Connor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY 14642, USA e-mail:
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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Mina TH, Reynolds RM. Mechanisms linking in utero stress to altered offspring behaviour. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:93-122. [PMID: 24577734 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Development in utero is recognised as a determinant of health in later life, a concept known as early life 'programming'. Several studies in humans have now shown a link between in utero stressors of maternal stress, anxiety and depression and adverse behavioural outcomes for the offspring including poorer cognitive function and behavioural and emotional problems. These behaviours are observed from the very early neonatal period and appear to persist through to adulthood. Underlying mechanisms are not known but overexposure of the developing foetus to glucocorticoids has been proposed. Dysregulation of the maternal and offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been proposed as a mechanism linking in utero stress with offspring behavioural outcomes. Studies suggest that altered circulating levels of maternal cortisol during pregnancy and/or changes in placental gene expression or methylation, which result in increased glucocorticoid transfer to the developing foetus, are linked to changes in offspring behaviour and in activity of the offspring HPA axis. Further understanding of the underlying pathways and identification of any gestation of vulnerability are needed to help design interventions to reduce in utero stress and improve behavioural outcomes in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresia H Mina
- Endocrinology Unit, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
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Rifkin-Graboi A, Bai J, Chen H, Hameed WB, Sim LW, Tint MT, Leutscher-Broekman B, Chong YS, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Meaney MJ, Qiu A. Prenatal maternal depression associates with microstructure of right amygdala in neonates at birth. Biol Psychiatry 2013; 74:837-44. [PMID: 23968960 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 05/26/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antenatal maternal cortisol levels associate with alterations in the amygdala, a structure associated with emotion regulation, in the offspring. However, because offspring brain and behavior are commonly assessed years after birth, the timing of such maternal influences is unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between antenatal maternal depressive symptomatology and neonatal amygdala volume and microstructure and thus establish evidence for the transgenerational transmission of vulnerability for affective disorders during prenatal development. METHODS Our study recruited Asian mothers at 10 to 13 weeks pregnancy and assessed maternal depression at 26 weeks gestation using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging were performed with 157 nonsedated, 6- to 14-day-old newborns and then analyzed to extract the volume, fractional anisotropy, and axial diffusivity values of the amygdala. RESULTS Adjusting for household income, maternal age, and smoking exposure, postconceptual age at magnetic resonance imaging, and birth weight, we found significantly lower fractional anisotropy (p = .009) and axial diffusivity (p = .028), but not volume (p = .993), in the right amygdala in the infants of mothers with high compared with those with low-normal Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores. CONCLUSIONS The results reveal a significant relation between antenatal maternal depression and the neonatal microstructure of the right amygdala, a brain region closely associated with stress reactivity and vulnerability for mood anxiety disorders. These findings suggest the prenatal transmission of vulnerability for depression from mother to child and that interventions targeting maternal depression should begin early in pregnancy.
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Burtchen N, Alvarez-Segura M, Mendelsohn AL, Dreyer BP, Castellanos FX, Catapano P, Guedeney A. SCREENING FOR SUSTAINED SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL BEHAVIORS IN SIX-MONTH-OLD INFANTS DURING PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE VISITS: RESULTS FROM AN AT-RISK LATINO IMMIGRANT SAMPLE WITH HIGH RATES OF MATERNAL MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER. Infant Ment Health J 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan L. Mendelsohn
- New York University School of Medicine and Bellvue Hospital Center; New York
| | - Benard P. Dreyer
- New York University School of Medicine and Bellvue Hospital Center; New York
| | - Francisco X. Castellanos
- New York University Langone Medical Center Child Study Center and Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research; New York
| | - Peter Catapano
- New York University School of Medicine and Bellvue Hospital Center; New York
| | - Antoine Guedeney
- Paris Diderot University and Hospital Bichat Claude Bernard; Paris
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Baibazarova E, van de Beek C, Cohen-Kettenis PT, Buitelaar J, Shelton KH, van Goozen SHM. Influence of prenatal maternal stress, maternal plasma cortisol and cortisol in the amniotic fluid on birth outcomes and child temperament at 3 months. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:907-15. [PMID: 23046825 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Revised: 09/21/2012] [Accepted: 09/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
This prospective, longitudinal study aimed to investigate relationships between indicators of maternal prenatal stress, infant birth outcomes and early temperament. We examined the pattern of associations and postulated pathways between physiological (cortisol plasma concentrations) and self-report indices (stress, anxiety) of maternal prenatal stress, cortisol in the amniotic fluid, birth outcomes and infant temperament at 3 months. The sample consisted of 158 women undergoing amniocentesis in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Questionnaire measures of maternal stress and anxiety were found to be unrelated to cortisol in plasma or amniotic fluid. Maternal cortisol was related to amniotic cortisol, which in turn was associated with lower birth weight. Birth weight predicted infant fear and distress to limitation at 3 months old. We found trend-like indirect effects of amniotic fluid on infant distress to limitation and fear via birth weight. This is one of the few studies to simultaneously assess the role of maternal and amniotic fluid cortisol on birth outcomes and infant emotional development. The results suggest that foetal cortisol may be an important predictor of infant outcomes and shed light on the mechanisms through which prenatal maternal stress affects infant psychological health.
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Goldman S. Opinion: Sex, Gender and the Diagnosis of Autism - A Biosocial View of the Male Preponderance. RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2013; 7:675-679. [PMID: 23687516 PMCID: PMC3655776 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2013.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Goldman
- Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine,1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY,10461
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine,1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY,10461
- Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine,1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY,10461
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Saenz J, Alexander GM. Postnatal testosterone levels and disorder relevant behavior in the second year of life. Biol Psychol 2013; 94:152-9. [PMID: 23727253 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Revised: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship between testosterone collected at 3-4 months of age and sex-linked disorder-relevant behaviors in the second year of life. Eighty-four children participated at 3-4 (when salivary testosterone levels were obtained and second to fourth digit ratios were measured) and 18-24 months of age (when behavioral ratings of aggression and verbal ability were coded from two 8-min play sessions). Parents also completed the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment, and the four subscales (Internalizing, Externalizing, Dysregulation, and Autism Spectrum Disorder) were used to indicate child specific problems. Greater postnatal testosterone levels in early infancy were predictive of more male-typical behaviors in the second year of life (i.e., more autism spectrum behaviors, less time vocalizing, and more Internalizing Problems). These results support the hypothesis that early infancy may be another critical period for the development of gender-linked behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Saenz
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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Robinson M, Whitehouse AJO, Jacoby P, Mattes E, Sawyer MG, Keelan JA, Hickey M. Umbilical cord blood testosterone and childhood internalizing and externalizing behavior: a prospective study. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59991. [PMID: 23573225 PMCID: PMC3613417 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antenatal testosterone exposure influences fetal neurodevelopment and gender-role behavior in postnatal life and may contribute to differences in developmental psychopathology during childhood. We prospectively measured the associations between umbilical cord blood testosterone levels at birth and childhood behavioral development in both males and females from a large population based sample. The study comprised 430 females and 429 males from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study where umbilical cord blood had been collected. Total testosterone concentrations were determined by mass spectrometry and bioavailable testosterone (BioT) levels were calculated. At two, five, eight and ten years of age, the participants completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Linear regression models were used to analyse the relationship between BioT concentrations (in quartiles) and CBCL scores (total, internalizing, externalizing and selected syndrome). Boys had higher mean CBCL T-scores than girls across all ages of follow-up. There was no significant relationship between cord blood BioT quartiles and CBCL total, internalizing and externalizing T-scores at age two or five to ten combined. In the syndrome score analyses, higher BioT quartiles were associated with significantly lower scores for attention problems for boys at age five, eight and ten, and greater withdrawal symptoms in pre-school girls (age five). We did not identify a consistent relationship between antenatal testosterone exposure and total, internalizing or externalizing behavioral difficulties in childhood. Higher umbilical cord BioT levels were associated with lower scores for attention problems in boys up to 10 years and more withdrawn behavior in 5-year-old girls; however, these findings were not consistent across ages and require further investigation in a larger sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monique Robinson
- Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
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Barrett ES, Parlett LE, Sathyanarayana S, Liu F, Redmon JB, Wang C, Swan SH. Prenatal exposure to stressful life events is associated with masculinized anogenital distance (AGD) in female infants. Physiol Behav 2013; 114-115:14-20. [PMID: 23499769 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Revised: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In animal models, prenatal stress programs reproductive development in the resulting offspring, however little is known about effects in humans. Anogenital distance (AGD) is a commonly used, sexually dimorphic biomarker of prenatal androgen exposure in many species. In rodents, prenatally stressed males have shorter AGD than controls (suggesting lower prenatal androgen exposure), whereas prenatally stressed females have longer AGD than controls (suggesting greater prenatal androgen exposure). Our objective was to investigate the relationship between stressful life events in pregnancy and infant AGD. In a prospective cohort study, pregnant women and their partners reported exposure to stressful life events during pregnancy. Pregnancies in which the couple reported 4+ life events were considered highly stressed. After birth (average 16.5 months), trained examiners measured AGD in the infants (137 males, 136 females). After adjusting for age, body size and other covariates, females born to couples reporting high stress had significantly longer (i.e. more masculine) AGD than females born to couples reporting low stress (p=0.015). Among males, high stress was weakly, but not significantly, associated with shorter AGD. Our results suggest prenatal stress may masculinize some aspects of female reproductive development in humans. More sensitive measures of prenatal stress and additional measures of reproductive development are needed to better understand these relationships and clarify mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Barrett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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Suarez-Jimenez B, Gore HE, Hachey J, King HM, Lacreuse A. Testosterone modulation of anxiety in gonadally-suppressed male rhesus monkeys: a role for gonadotropins? Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 104:97-104. [PMID: 23333155 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Revised: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) has repeatedly been shown to have anxiolytic properties in rodents, but findings in primates are more mixed. To examine the effects of exogenous T on anxiety, we tested pharmacologically-castrated adult male rhesus monkeys in a modified version of the Human Intruder Paradigm, which measured defensive responses to an unfamiliar human staring directly at them for 2 min. Monkeys were tested at 2 week intervals during 4 experimental conditions lasting 4 weeks each: at baseline, during treatment with the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist leuprolide acetate (200 μg/kg; Lupron phase), during treatment with Lupron+T enanthate (TE, 5 mg/kg; TE phase) and during treatment with Lupron+oil vehicle (oil phase). We found that the number of anxious behaviors was lower during periods of low T (Lupron only and Lupron+oil phases) than during the Lupron+TE phase. No change in pacing or watching behavior was observed. Thus, in contrast to rodent data, we found no evidence for anxiolytic properties of T in male rhesus monkeys. Rather, T supplementation restored baseline levels of anxiety in Lupron-treated monkeys. These discrepant findings may be best explained by the low levels of gonadotropins achieved by the GnRH agonist. We suggest that Lupron-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) suppression reduced anxiety and that this effect was abolished by T administration. This interpretation is consistent with the view that T increases emotional reactivity to a potential threat and facilitates adaptive arousal response in face of immediate social challenge.
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50
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Constantinescu M, Hines M. Relating Prenatal Testosterone Exposure to Postnatal Behavior in Typically Developing Children: Methods and Findings. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-8606.2012.00257.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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