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Creasey N, Beijers R, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C, Tollenaar MS. Maternal sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior: a mediating role for glucocorticoid receptor gene ( NR3C1) methylation? Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:967-978. [PMID: 36896668 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The early caregiving environment can have lasting effects on child mental health. Animal models suggest that glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) DNA methylation plays a mediating role in linking more responsive caregiving to improved behavioral outcomes by its impact on the stress regulatory system. In this longitudinal study, we examined whether children's NR3C1 methylation levels mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity in infancy on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior in a community sample. Maternal sensitivity of 145 mothers was rated at infant age 5 weeks, 12 months, and 30 months by observing mother-infant interactions. Buccal DNA methylation was assessed in the same children at age 6 years and maternal-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior was assessed at age 6 and 10 years. Higher sensitivity at age 5 weeks significantly predicted lower DNA methylation levels at two NR3C1 CpG loci, although methylation levels at these loci did not mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Overall, the study provides evidence that maternal sensitivity in early infancy is associated with DNA methylation levels at loci involved in stress regulation, but the significance of this finding for child mental health remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Preventive Youth Care, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands, and Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; and Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
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2
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Coe JL, Daniels T, Huffhines L, Seifer R, Marsit CJ, Kao HT, Porton B, Parade SH, Tyrka AR. Examining the Biological Impacts of Parent-Child Relationship Dynamics on Preschool-Aged Children who have Experienced Adversity. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22463. [PMID: 38601953 PMCID: PMC11003752 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Parent-child relationship dynamics have been shown to predict socioemotional and behavioral outcomes for children, but little is known about how they may affect biological development. The aim of this study was to test if observational assessments of parent-child relationship dynamics (cohesion, enmeshment, and disengagement) were associated with three biological indices of early life adversity and downstream health risk: (1) methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), (2) telomere attrition, and (3) mitochondrial biogenesis, indexed by mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), all of which were measured in children's saliva. We tested hypotheses using a sample of 254 preschool-aged children (M age = 51.04 months) with and without child welfare-substantiated maltreatment (52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) who were racially and ethnically diverse (17% Black, 40% White, 23% biracial, and 20% other races; 45% Hispanic) and from primarily low-income backgrounds (91% qualified for public assistance). Results of path analyses revealed that: (1) higher parent-child cohesion was associated with lower levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and longer telomeres, and (2) higher parent-child disengagement was associated with higher levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and shorter telomeres. Results suggest that parent-child relationship dynamics may have distinct biological effects on children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa Daniels
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Kertes DA, Clendinen C, Duan K, Rabinowitz JA, Browning C, Kvam P. The Social Environment Matters for Telomere Length and Internalizing Problems During Adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:21-35. [PMID: 37747680 PMCID: PMC10761382 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01848-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety symptoms are on the rise among adolescents. With increasing evidence that cellular aging may be associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, there is an urgent need to identify the social environment context that may moderate this link. This study addresses this research gap by investigating the moderating role of the social environment on the relation between telomere length and emotional health among adolescents. Participants were 411 non-Hispanic (88.56%) Black (100%) adolescents (M = 14.23 years, SD = 1.85, female = 54%) in a major metropolitan city. Youth and parents reported on an array of social risk and protective factors, and youth provided DNA samples for telomere length measurement. Results demonstrated that the association of telomere length and anxiety symptoms was stronger among youth with higher perceived stress or lower school belongingness, and the association of telomere length with depressive symptoms was stronger under conditions of higher parent inter-partner psychological aggression. The results enhance our understanding of the complex associations between biological aging, the social environment, and mental health in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darlene A Kertes
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA.
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA.
| | - Cherita Clendinen
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA
| | - Ke Duan
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA
| | - Jill A Rabinowitz
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Christopher Browning
- Department of Sociology, Ohio State University, 1885 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Peter Kvam
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2250, USA
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Sullivan ADW, Bozack AK, Cardenas A, Comer JS, Bagner DM, Forehand R, Parent J. Parenting Practices May Buffer the Impact of Adversity on Epigenetic Age Acceleration Among Young Children With Developmental Delays. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:1173-1185. [PMID: 37733001 PMCID: PMC10626625 DOI: 10.1177/09567976231194221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined whether children exposed to adversity would exhibit lower epigenetic age acceleration in the context of improved parenting. Children with developmental delays and externalizing behavior problems (N = 62; Mage = 36.26 months; 70.97% boys, 29.03% girls; 71% Latinx, 22.6% Black) were drawn from a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT), which randomized them to receive Internet-delivered parent-child interaction therapy (iPCIT; n = 30) or community referrals as usual (RAU; n = 32). Epigenetic age acceleration was estimated with the pediatric buccal epigenetic clock, using saliva. Adversity was assessed using parent, family, and neighborhood-level cumulative-risk indicators. Adversity interacted with Time 2 (T2) observations of positive and negative-parenting practices to predict epigenetic age acceleration 1.5 years later, regardless of treatment assignment. Children exposed to more adversity displayed lower epigenetic age acceleration when parents evidenced increased positive (b = -0.15, p = .001) and decreased negative (b = -0.12, p = .01) parenting practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra D. W. Sullivan
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Anne K. Bozack
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Medicine, Stanford University
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Medicine, Stanford University
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University
| | - Jonathan S. Comer
- Department of Psychology and Center for Children and Families, Florida International University
| | - Daniel M. Bagner
- Department of Psychology and Center for Children and Families, Florida International University
| | - Rex Forehand
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont
| | - Justin Parent
- Bradley-Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, Providence, RI
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University
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Beijers R, Ten Thije I, Bolhuis E, O'Donnell KJ, Tollenaar MS, Shalev I, Hastings WJ, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Meaney M, Kobor MS, Belsky J, de Weerth C. Cumulative risk exposure and child cellular aging in a Dutch low-risk community sample. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14205. [PMID: 36323627 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
One of the proposed mechanisms linking childhood stressor exposure to negative mental and physical health outcomes in later life is cellular aging. In this prospective, longitudinal, and pre-registered study, we examined the association between a cumulative pattern of childhood risk exposure from age 6 to age 10 (i.e., poor maternal mental health, parental relationship problems, family/friend death, bullying victimization, poor quality friendships) and change in two biomarkers of cellular aging (i.e., telomere length, epigenetic age) from age 6 to age 10 in a Dutch low-risk community sample (n = 193). We further examined the moderating effect of cortisol reactivity at age 6. Ordinary Least Squares regression analyses revealed no significant main effects of childhood risk exposure on change in cellular aging, nor a moderation effect of child cortisol reactivity. Secondary findings showed a positive correlation between telomere length and cortisol reactivity at age 6, warranting further investigation. More research in similar communities is needed before drawing strong conclusions based on the null results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ilse Ten Thije
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Bolhuis
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition and Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - David T S Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jay Belsky
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, California, Davis, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Rheinheimer N, Beijers R, Bruinhof N, Cooijmans KHM, de Weerth C. Effects of daily full-term infant skin-to-skin contact on behavior and cognition at age three - secondary outcomes of a randomized controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:136-144. [PMID: 35942886 PMCID: PMC10087794 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Daily skin-to-skin contact (SSC) during early infancy fosters the long-term development of children born preterm. This is the first randomized controlled trial assessing the potential beneficial effects of daily SSC on executive functioning and socio-emotional behavior of children born full-term. Whether children of mothers who experienced prenatal stress and anxiety benefitted more from SSC was also explored. METHODS Pregnant women (N = 116) were randomly assigned to a SSC or care-as-usual (CAU) condition. Women in the SSC condition were instructed to perform one hour of SSC daily from birth until postnatal week five. Prenatal stress was measured with questionnaires on general and pregnancy-specific stress and anxiety completed by the mothers in gestational week 37. At child age three, mothers filled in questionnaires on children's executive functioning, and externalizing and internalizing behavior. Analyses were performed in an intention-to-treat (ITT), per-protocol, and dose-response approach. Netherlands Trial Register: NL5591. RESULTS In the ITT approach, fewer internalizing (95% CI = 0.11-1.00, U = 2148.50, r = .24, p = .001) and externalizing (95% CI = 0.04-2.62, t = 2.04, d = 0.38, p = .04) problems were reported in the SSC condition compared to the CAU condition. Multivariate analyses of variance did not show group differences on executive functioning. Additional analyses of covariance showed no moderations by maternal prenatal stress. CONCLUSIONS Current findings indicate that early daily SSC in full-term infants may foster children's behavioral development. Future replications, including behavioral observations of child behavior to complement maternal reports, are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Rheinheimer
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Bruinhof
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kelly H M Cooijmans
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Social Development, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Bolhuis E, Belsky J, Frankenhuis WE, Shalev I, Hastings WJ, Tollenaar MS, O’Donnell KJ, McGill MG, Pokhvisneva I, Lin DT, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, de Weerth C, Beijers R. Attachment insecurity and the biological embedding of reproductive strategies: Investigating the role of cellular aging. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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8
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Perinatal and early childhood biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:956-965. [PMID: 35091705 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-01933-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The human brain develops through a complex interplay of genetic and environmental influences. During critical periods of development, experiences shape brain architecture, often with long-lasting effects. If experiences are adverse, the effects may include the risk of mental and physical disease, whereas positive environments may increase the likelihood of healthy outcomes. Understanding how psychosocial stress and adverse experiences are embedded in biological systems and how we can identify markers of risk may lead to discovering new approaches to improve patient care and outcomes. Biomarkers can be used to identify specific intervention targets and at-risk children early when physiological system malleability increases the likelihood of intervention success. However, identifying reliable biomarkers has been challenging, particularly in the perinatal period and the first years of life, including in preterm infants. This review explores the landscape of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. We highlight potential benefits and challenges of identifying risk clinically and different sub-signatures of stress, and in their ability to inform targeted interventions. Finally, we propose that the combination of preterm birth and adversity amplifies the risk for abnormal development and calls for a focus on this group of infants within the field of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. IMPACT: Reviews the landscape of biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in the perinatal period and early childhood and highlights the potential benefits and challenges of their clinical utility in identifying risk status in children, and in developing targeted interventions. Explores associations between psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in childhood with prematurity and identifies potential areas of assessment and intervention to improve outcomes in this at-risk group.
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The Impact of Maternal Prenatal Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic during the First 1000 Days: A Historical Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084710. [PMID: 35457577 PMCID: PMC9029063 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on society, particularly affecting its vulnerable members, including pregnant women and their unborn children. Pregnant mothers reported fear of infection, fear of vertical transmission, fear of poor birth and child outcomes, social isolation, uncertainty about their partner's presence during medical appointments and delivery, increased domestic abuse, and other collateral damage, including vaccine hesitancy. Accordingly, pregnant women's known vulnerability for mental health problems has become a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, also because of the known effects of prenatal stress for the unborn child. The current narrative review provides a historical overview of transgenerational effects of exposure to disasters during pregnancy, and the role of maternal prenatal stress. We place these effects into the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hereby, we aim to draw attention to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women of reproductive age (15-49 year) and its potential associated short-term and long-term consequences for the health of children who are conceived, carried, and born during this pandemic. Timely detection and intervention during the first 1000 days is essential to reduce the burden of transgenerational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Marasco V, Smith S, Angelier F. How does early-life adversity shape telomere dynamics during adulthood? Problems and paradigms. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2100184. [PMID: 35122449 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Although early-life adversity has been associated with negative consequences during adulthood, growing evidence shows that such adversity can also lead to subsequent stress resilience and positive fitness outcomes. Telomere dynamics are relevant in this context because of the link with developmental conditions and longevity. However, few studies have assessed whether the effects of early-life adversity on developmental telomere dynamics may relate to adult telomere dynamics. We propose that the potential links between early-life adversity and adult telomere dynamics could be driven by developmental constraints (the Constraint hypothesis), by the nature/severity of developmental adversity (the Resilience hypothesis), or by developmental-mediated changes in individual life-history strategies (the Pace of Life hypothesis). We discuss these non-mutually exclusive hypotheses, explore future research directions, and propose specific studies to test these hypotheses. Our article aims to expand our understanding of the evolutionary role of developmental conditions on adult telomere dynamics, stress resilience and ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Marasco
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steve Smith
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (LRU), UMR 7372, Villiers en Bois, France
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11
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Simons SSH, Cooijmans KHM, Beijers R, de Weerth C. Can Maternal Prenatal Self-Reported and Physiological Distress Predict Postnatal Caregiving Practices? THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2022; 95:3-17. [PMID: 35370494 PMCID: PMC8961710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal distress is associated with child outcomes, including health, neurocognitive, and socio-emotional development. Knowledge on underlying mechanisms is limited, yet relevant for prevention and intervention. This study investigated whether maternal prenatal distress predicts specific caregiving practices that are known for their effects on child outcomes. Caregiving practices studied were maternal caregiving quality and the initiation and course of breastfeeding and room-sharing. We hypothesized that more maternal prenatal distress would be associated with altered caregiving practices. Participants were 174 healthy mother-child dyads. During the 37th week of pregnancy maternal self-reported distress was assessed using questionnaires, and physiological stress by collecting saliva cortisol. Maternal caregiving quality was observed in postnatal week 5 during infant bathing. Weekly diaries on breastfeeding and daily diaries on room-sharing were completed during the first 6 postnatal months. In a regression analysis, no associations between maternal prenatal distress and caregiving quality were found. Multilevel analyses indicated that maternal prenatal evening cortisol was positively related to the initiation of breastfeeding and room-sharing. Replications are warranted, but these results suggest that breastfeeding and room-sharing initiation may be part of a mechanism underlying links between maternal prenatal physiological stress and child outcomes. As other prenatal cortisol markers and self-reported distress were not found to be related to the caregiving practices, it is likely that alternative mechanisms (co-)exist in explaining links between maternal prenatal distress and child outcomes. Future replication research including child outcomes and (other) potential mechanisms will inform prevention and intervention programs fostering healthy pregnancies and child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre S. H. Simons
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University,
Nijmegen, The Netherlands,To whom all correspondence should be addressed:
Sterre S. H. Simons, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, The
Netherlands, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; E-mail:
; ORCID iD:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4483-0255
| | - Kelly H. M. Cooijmans
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University,
Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute
for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,
The Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University,
Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute
for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,
The Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute
for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,
The Netherlands
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12
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Elam KK, Johnson SL, Ruof A, Eisenberg DTA, Rej PH, Sandler I, Wolchik S. Examining the influence of adversity, family contexts, and a family-based intervention on parent and child telomere length. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2088935. [PMID: 35789082 PMCID: PMC9248961 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2088935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Background: Exposure to adversity, trauma, and negative family environments can prematurely shorten telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Conversely, some evidence indicates that positive environments and psychosocial interventions can buffer the shortening of telomere length (TL). However, most work has examined individual aspects of the family environment as predictive of TL with little work investigating multiple risk and protective factors. Further, most research has not examined parent TL relative to child TL despite its heritability. Objective: In the current study, we examined interparental conflict, positive parenting, alcohol use, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and a family-based intervention as predictive of parent TL. We also examined interparental conflict, positive parenting, ACEs, and a family-based intervention as predictive of child TL. Method: Parents and adolescents from a sample of divorced families participated in either a 10-session family-based intervention, the New Beginnings Programme (NBP), or a 2-week active control condition. Approximately six years after the intervention, a subsample of parents (n = 45) and adolescents (n = 41) were assessed for TL. Parents reported on interparental conflict, ACEs, and alcohol use. Children reported on interparental conflict, positive parenting, and ACEs. In separate models, these constructs and the NBP intervention condition were examined as predictors of parent TL and child TL. Results: Findings indicated that the family-based intervention was associated with longer TL in parents. Also, positive parenting was associated with longer TL in children. Conclusions: These findings have important implications for the role of the family and family-based preventive interventions in buffering parent and child biological stress. HIGHLIGHTS Across multiple indices of psychosocial functioning, we found a family-based intervention associated with longer telomere length in parents and positive parenting associated with longer telomere length in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit K Elam
- Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Sarah Lindstrom Johnson
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Ariana Ruof
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Dan T A Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter H Rej
- Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Irwin Sandler
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Sharlene Wolchik
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Oxidative Dysregulation in Early Life Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Comprehensive Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060723. [PMID: 34072322 PMCID: PMC8228973 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic stress may chronically affect master homeostatic systems at the crossroads of peripheral and central susceptibility pathways and lead to the biological embedment of trauma-related allostatic trajectories through neurobiological alterations even decades later. Lately, there has been an exponential knowledge growth concerning the effect of traumatic stress on oxidative components and redox-state homeostasis. This extensive review encompasses a detailed description of the oxidative cascade components along with their physiological and pathophysiological functions and a systematic presentation of both preclinical and clinical, genetic and epigenetic human findings on trauma-related oxidative stress (OXS), followed by a substantial synthesis of the involved oxidative cascades into specific and functional, trauma-related pathways. The bulk of the evidence suggests an imbalance of pro-/anti-oxidative mechanisms under conditions of traumatic stress, respectively leading to a systemic oxidative dysregulation accompanied by toxic oxidation byproducts. Yet, there is substantial heterogeneity in findings probably relative to confounding, trauma-related parameters, as well as to the equivocal directionality of not only the involved oxidative mechanisms but other homeostatic ones. Accordingly, we also discuss the trauma-related OXS findings within the broader spectrum of systemic interactions with other major influencing systems, such as inflammation, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and the circadian system. We intend to demonstrate the inherent complexity of all the systems involved, but also put forth associated caveats in the implementation and interpretation of OXS findings in trauma-related research and promote their comprehension within a broader context.
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Vaiserman A, Krasnienkov D. Telomere Length as a Marker of Biological Age: State-of-the-Art, Open Issues, and Future Perspectives. Front Genet 2021; 11:630186. [PMID: 33552142 PMCID: PMC7859450 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.630186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere shortening is a well-known hallmark of both cellular senescence and organismal aging. An accelerated rate of telomere attrition is also a common feature of age-related diseases. Therefore, telomere length (TL) has been recognized for a long time as one of the best biomarkers of aging. Recent research findings, however, indicate that TL per se can only allow a rough estimate of aging rate and can hardly be regarded as a clinically important risk marker for age-related pathologies and mortality. Evidence is obtained that other indicators such as certain immune parameters, indices of epigenetic age, etc., could be stronger predictors of the health status and the risk of chronic disease. However, despite these issues and limitations, TL remains to be very informative marker in accessing the biological age when used along with other markers such as indices of homeostatic dysregulation, frailty index, epigenetic clock, etc. This review article is aimed at describing the current state of the art in the field and at discussing recent research findings and divergent viewpoints regarding the usefulness of leukocyte TL for estimating the human biological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Vaiserman
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro Krasnienkov
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, Kyiv, Ukraine
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15
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Nolvi S, Rasmussen JM, Graham AM, Gilmore JH, Styner M, Fair DA, Entringer S, Wadhwa PD, Buss C. Neonatal brain volume as a marker of differential susceptibility to parenting quality and its association with neurodevelopment across early childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100826. [PMID: 32807730 PMCID: PMC7393458 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Parenting quality is associated with child cognitive and executive functions (EF), which are important predictors of social and academic development. However, children vary in their susceptibility to parenting behaviors, and the neurobiological underpinnings of this susceptibility are poorly understood. In a prospective longitudinal study, we examined whether neonatal total brain volume (TBV) and subregions of interest (i.e., hippocampus (HC) and anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG)) moderate the association between maternal sensitivity and cognitive/EF development across early childhood. Neonates underwent a brain magnetic resonance imaging scan. Their cognitive performance and EF was characterized at 2.0 ± 0.1 years (N = 53) and at 4.9 ± 0.8 years (N = 36) of age. Maternal sensitivity was coded based on observation of a standardized play situation at 6-mo postpartum. Neonatal TBV moderated the association between maternal sensitivity and 2-year working memory as well as all 5-year cognitive outcomes, suggesting that the positive association between maternal sensitivity and child cognition was observed only among children with large or average but not small TBV as neonates. Similar patterns were observed for TBV-corrected HC and ACG volumes. The findings suggest that larger neonatal TBV, HC and ACG may underlie susceptibility to the environment and affect the degree to which parenting quality shapes long-term cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Nolvi
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Medical Psychology
| | - Jerod M Rasmussen
- Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Alice M Graham
- The Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and the Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Martin Styner
- Departments of Psychiatry and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Damien A Fair
- The Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and the Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Medical Psychology; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Medical Psychology; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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