Social neuroscience and health: neurophysiological mechanisms linking social ties with physical health

Default mode network dynamics: an integrated neurocircuitry perspective on social dysfunction in human brain disorders

Our intricate social brain is implicated in a range of brain disorders, where social dysfunction emerges as a common neuropsychiatric feature cutting across diagnostic boundaries. Understanding the neurocircuitry underlying social dysfunction and exploring avenues for its restoration could present a transformative and transdiagnostic approach to overcoming therapeutic challenges in these disorders. The brain's default mode network (DMN) plays a crucial role in social functioning and is implicated in various neuropsychiatric conditions. By thoroughly examining the current understanding of DMN functionality, we propose that the DMN integrates diverse social processes, and disruptions in brain communication at regional and network levels due to disease hinder the seamless integration of these social functionalities. Consequently, this leads to an altered balance between self-referential and attentional processes, alongside a compromised ability to adapt to social contexts and anticipate future social interactions. Looking ahead, we explore how adopting an integrated neurocircuitry perspective on social dysfunction could pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches to address brain disorders.

Get out of my head: social evaluative brain states carry over into post-feedback rest and influence remembering how others view us

Learning how others perceive us helps us tune our behavior to form adaptive relationships. But which perceptions stick with us? And when in the learning process are they codified in memory? We leveraged a popular television series-The Office-to answer these questions. Prior to their functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session, viewers of The Office reported which characters they identified with, as well as which characters they perceived another person (i.e. counterpart) was similar to. During their fMRI scan, participants found out which characters other people thought they and the counterpart were like, and also completed rest scans. Participants remembered more feedback inconsistent with their self-views (vs. views of the counterpart). Although neural activity while encoding self-inconsistent feedback did not meaningfully predict memory, returning to the inconsistent self feedback during subsequent rest did. During rest, participants reinstated neural patterns engaged while receiving self-inconsistent feedback in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC). DMPFC reinstatement also quadratically predicted self-inconsistent memory, with too few or too many reinstatements compromising memory performance. Processing social feedback during rest may impact how we remember and integrate the feedback, especially when it contradicts our self-views.

Healthcare workers' perspectives on a prescription phone program to meet the health equity needs of patients in the emergency department: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

People experiencing homelessness and marginalization face considerable barriers to accessing healthcare services. Increased reliance on technology within healthcare has exacerbated these inequities. We evaluated a hospital-based prescription phone program aimed to reduce digital health inequities and improve access to services among marginalized patients in Emergency Departments. We examined the perceived outcomes of the program and the contextual barriers and facilitators affecting outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a constructivist qualitative program evaluation at two urban, academic hospitals in Toronto, Ontario. We interviewed 12 healthcare workers about their perspectives on program implementation and outcomes and analyzed the interview data using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Our analyses generated five interrelated program outcomes: building trust with patients, facilitating independence in healthcare, bridging sectors of care, enabling equitable care for marginalized populations, and mitigating moral distress among healthcare workers. Participants expressed that phone provision is critical for adequately serving patients who face barriers to accessing health and social services, and for supporting healthcare workers who often lack resources to adequately serve these patients. We identified key contextual enablers and challenges that may influence program outcomes and future implementation efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that providing phones to marginalized patient populations may address digital and social health inequities; however, building trusting relationships with patients, understanding the unique needs of these populations, and operating within a biopsychosocial model of health are key to program success.

Social Determinants and Consequences of Pain: Toward Multilevel, Intersectional, and Life Course Perspectives

Despite wide endorsement of a biopsychosocial framework for pain, social aspects of pain remain rarely addressed in the context of pain prevention and management. In this review, we aim to 1) examine the broad scope of social determinants and consequences of pain and their interactions across multiple levels of organization, and 2) provide a framework synthesizing existing concepts and potential areas for future work on social aspects of pain, drawing upon socioecological, intersectional, and life course approaches. Integrating interdisciplinary theory and evidence, we outline pathways through which multilevel social factors and pain may affect each other over time. We also provide a brief summary of intrapersonal aspects of pain, which are thought to operate at the interface between individuals and the social context. Progressing from micro- to macrolevel factors, we illustrate how social determinants of pain can directly or indirectly contribute to pain experiences, expression, risk, prognosis, and impact across populations. We consider 1) at the interpersonal level, the roles of social comparison, social relatedness, social support, social exclusion, empathy, and interpersonal conflict; 2) at the group or community level, the roles of intimacy groups, task groups, social categories, and loose associations; and 3) at the societal level, the roles of political, economic, and cultural systems, as well as their policies and practices. We present examples of multilevel consequences of pain across these levels and discuss opportunities to reduce the burden and inequities of pain by expanding multilevel social approaches in pain research and practice. PERSPECTIVE: Despite wide endorsement of a biopsychosocial framework for pain, social aspects of pain are often unclearly defined, hindering their use in pain prevention, management, and research. We summarize the scope of social aspects of pain and provide a framework synthesizing existing concepts and potential areas for future work.

Contributions of loneliness to cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults are independent of other risk factors and Alzheimer's pathology: a narrative review

Loneliness significantly contributes to cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Loneliness is a distressing feeling resulting from a perceived lack of social connection (i.e., a discrepancy between desired and actual social relationships), while social isolation is a related term that can be defined by number and type of social relationships. Importantly, loneliness is distinct from social isolation in that it is associated with a distressing self-perception. The primary focus of this narrative review is the impact of chronic loneliness on cognitive impairment and dementia among older adults. Loneliness has a significant association with many factors that are related to worse cognition, and therefore we include discussion on health, mental health, as well as the physiological effects of loneliness, neuropathology, and potential treatments. Loneliness has been shown to be related to development of dementia with a hazard ratio (HR) risk comparable to having a single APOE4 gene. The relationship of dementia to loneliness appears to be at least partially independent of other known dementia risk factors that are possibly associated with loneliness, such as depression, educational status, social isolation, and physical activity. Episodic memory is not consistently impacted by loneliness, which would be more typically impaired if the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia was due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In addition, the several longitudinal studies that included neuropathology showed no evidence for a relationship between loneliness and AD neuropathology. Loneliness may decrease resilience, or produce greater cognitive change associated with the same level of AD neuropathology. Intervention strategies to decrease loneliness in older adults have been developed but need to consider key treatment targets beyond social isolation. Loneliness needs to be assessed in all studies of cognitive decline in elders, since it significantly contributes to the variance of cognitive function. It will be useful to better define the underlying mechanism of loneliness effects on cognition to determine if it is similar to other psychological factors related to excessive stress reactivity, such as neuroticism or even depression, which are also associated with cognitive decline. It is important from a health perspective to develop better strategies to decrease loneliness in older adults.

Closing the Gap: How Psychological Distance Influences Willingness to Engage in Risky COVID Behavior

Pandemics, and other risk-related contexts, require dynamic changes in behavior as situations develop. Human behavior is influenced by both explicit (cognitive) and implicit (intuitive) factors. In this study, we used psychological distance as a lens to understand what influences our decision-making with regard to risk in the context of COVID-19. This study was based on the rationale that our relational needs are more concrete to us than the risk of the virus. First, we explored the impact of social-psychological distance on participants' risk perceptions and behavioral willingness. As hypothesized, we found that close social relationships of agents promoted willingness to engage in risky behavior. In the second phase, we tested an intervention designed to increase the concreteness of information about virus transmission as a mechanism to mitigate the bias of social influence. We found that the concreteness intervention resulted in significantly reduced willingness to engage in risky behavior. As such, communications aimed at changing the behavior of citizens during times of increased risk or danger should consider conceptually concrete messaging when communicating complex risk, and hence may provide a valuable tool in promoting health-related behavior.

An unbiased method to partition diverse neuronal responses into functional ensembles reveals interpretable population dynamics during innate social behavior

In neuroscience, understanding how single-neuron firing contributes to distributed neural ensembles is crucial. Traditional methods of analysis have been limited to descriptions of whole population activity, or, when analyzing individual neurons, criteria for response categorization varied significantly across experiments. Current methods lack scalability for large datasets, fail to capture temporal changes and rely on parametric assumptions. There's a need for a robust, scalable, and non-parametric functional clustering approach to capture interpretable dynamics. To address this challenge, we developed a model-based, statistical framework for unsupervised clustering of multiple time series datasets that exhibit nonlinear dynamics into an a-priori-unknown number of parameterized ensembles called Functional Encoding Units (FEUs). FEU outperforms existing techniques in accuracy and benchmark scores. Here, we apply this FEU formalism to single-unit recordings collected during social behaviors in rodents and primates and demonstrate its hypothesis-generating and testing capacities. This novel pipeline serves as an analytic bridge, translating neural ensemble codes across model systems.

The predictive value of cortisol in psychodynamic psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: Extended results of the SOPHONET-Study

Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders (AD), yet a vast majority of patients do not respond to therapy, necessitating the identification of predictors to enhance outcomes. Several studies have explored the relationship between stress response and treatment outcome, as a potential treatment mechanism. However, the latter remains under-researched in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). We studied N = 29 patients undergoing psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) within the SOPHONET-Study. Stress reactivity (i.e., area under the curve with respect to the increase; AUCi) was induced by a standardized psychosocial stressor (Trier Social Stress Test; TSST) and assessed by means of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), blood and salivary cortisol samples before (t1) treatment. Samples of these biomarkers were taken -1 min prior stress exposure and six more blood samples were collected post-TSST ( + 1, + 10, + 20, + 30, + 45, + 60 min.). The participants were diagnosed with SAD based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and completed the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale as well as the Beck Depression Inventory before (t1) and after psychotherapy (t2). Pre-treatment stress reactivity significantly predicted changes in depression (salivary p < 0.001 and blood cortisol p = 0.001), as well as in avoidance behavior (blood cortisol p = 0.001). None of the biomarkers revealed significant results in fear or in the total LSAS-scores, except for ACTH with a trend finding (p = 0.06). Regarding therapy success, symptoms of social anxiety (p = 0.005) and depression (p < 0.001) were significantly reduced from pre (t1) to post-treatment (t2). Our study showed that stress reactivity pre-treatment may serve as a predictor of psychotherapy outcome. In this regard, alterations in stress response relate to changes in symptoms of social anxiety and depression after PDT. This implies that patients with chronic stress might benefit from a targeted interventions during psychotherapy, especially to manage fear in social contexts.

The impact of daily affective touch on cortisol levels in institutionalized & fostered children

Institutionalized children are often deprived of affective touch. Such tactile deprivation often leads to constant stress, as measured by the levels of salivary cortisol. We report here the impact of an affective touch program, optimized to activate a specific population of unmyelinated mechanosensitive nerves in the skin called c-tactile afferents (CT) on stress resistance. Two populations of children (age 4-10) were recruited: (i) a cohort living in an orphanage and (ii) a fostered cohort. Both groups received the affective touch program daily for 10-15 min for 5-6 weeks. A cohort of age-matched children living in a family environment acted as a control group and did not receive any instructions for tactile stimulation. Salivary cortisol was collected at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the study in all three groups. For institutionalized and fostered children there was a significant improvement in the level of cortisol (p < 0.0001) between T1 and T2, which is manifested in the balancing cortisol levels: a decrease where it was elevated and an increase, where the critically low level testified to the distress of the child. Balancing cortisol levels is a process of recovery to normal values, which indicates the restoration of neurohumoral mechanisms of stress regulation. The effect of balancing cortisol levels was more pronounced in the group of fostered children compared to the group of orphanage children (p = 0.0326). The children in the control group had no significant differences.

The missing hallmark of health: psychosocial adaptation

The eight biological hallmarks of health that we initially postulated (Cell. 2021 Jan 7;184(1):33-63) include features of spatial compartmentalization (integrity of barriers, containment of local perturbations), maintenance of homeostasis over time (recycling & turnover, integration of circuitries, rhythmic oscillations) and an array of adequate responses to stress (homeostatic resilience, hormetic regulation, repair & regeneration). These hallmarks affect all eight somatic strata of the human body (molecules, organelles, cells, supracellular units, organs, organ systems, systemic circuitries and meta-organism). Here we postulate that mental and socioeconomic factors must be added to this 8×8 matrix as an additional hallmark of health ("psychosocial adaptation") and as an additional stratum ("psychosocial interactions"), hence building a 9×9 matrix. Potentially, perturbation of each of the somatic hallmarks and strata affects psychosocial factors and vice versa. Finally, we discuss the (patho)physiological bases of these interactions and their implications for mental health improvement.

DNA methylation-environment interactions in the human genome

Previously, we showed that a massively parallel reporter assay, mSTARR-seq, could be used to simultaneously test for both enhancer-like activity and DNA methylation-dependent enhancer activity for millions of loci in a single experiment (Lea et al., 2018). Here, we apply mSTARR-seq to query nearly the entire human genome, including almost all CpG sites profiled either on the commonly used Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array or via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We show that fragments containing these sites are enriched for regulatory capacity, and that methylation-dependent regulatory activity is in turn sensitive to the cellular environment. In particular, regulatory responses to interferon alpha (IFNA) stimulation are strongly attenuated by methyl marks, indicating widespread DNA methylation-environment interactions. In agreement, methylation-dependent responses to IFNA identified via mSTARR-seq predict methylation-dependent transcriptional responses to challenge with influenza virus in human macrophages. Our observations support the idea that pre-existing DNA methylation patterns can influence the response to subsequent environmental exposures-one of the tenets of biological embedding. However, we also find that, on average, sites previously associated with early life adversity are not more likely to functionally influence gene regulation than expected by chance.

The link between spirituality and longevity

We are facing an inverted demographic pyramid with continuously growing aged populations around the world. However, the advances that prolong physical life not always contemplate its psychological and social dimensions. Longevity is a complex outcome influenced by a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle choices, access to healthcare, socio-economic conditions, and other environmental factors. These factors have been generally considered in the compelling research that seeks the determinants of longevity, particularly those concerning personal lifestyle choices, socioeconomic conditions, and molecular mechanisms proposed to mediate these effects. Nonetheless, fundamental aspects that can affect health and well-being, such as spirituality and religiosity, have been somehow left aside despite numerous epidemiological studies showing that higher levels of spirituality/religiosity are associated with lower risk of mortality, even after adjusting for relevant confounders. Because spirituality/religiosity are dimensions of great value for patients, overlooking them can leave them with feelings of neglect and lack of connection with the health system and with the clinicians in charge of their care. Integrating spirituality and religiosity assessment and intervention programs into clinical care can help each person obtain better and complete well-being and also allowing clinicians to achieve the highest standards of health with holistic, person-centered care. The present narrative review aims to explore the available evidence of a relationship between spirituality/religiosity and longevity and discusses the possible mechanisms that can help explain such relationship.

Neurophysiological and behavioral synchronization in group-living and sleeping mice

Social interactions profoundly influence animal development, physiology, and behavior. Yet, how sleep-a central behavioral and neurophysiological process-is modulated by social interactions is poorly understood. Here, we characterized sleep behavior and neurophysiology in freely moving and co-living mice under different social conditions. We utilized wireless neurophysiological devices to simultaneously record multiple individuals within a group for 24 h, alongside video acquisition. We first demonstrated that mice seek physical contact before sleep initiation and sleep while in close proximity to each other (hereafter, "huddling"). To determine whether huddling during sleep is a motivated behavior, we devised a novel behavioral apparatus allowing mice to choose whether to sleep in close proximity to a conspecific or in solitude, under different environmental conditions. We also applied a deep-learning-based approach to classify huddling behavior. We demonstrate that mice are willing to forgo their preferred sleep location, even under thermoneutral conditions, to gain access to social contact during sleep. This strongly suggests that the motivation for prolonged physical contact-which we term somatolonging-drives huddling behavior. We then characterized sleep architecture under different social conditions and uncovered a social-dependent modulation of sleep. We also revealed coordination in multiple neurophysiological features among co-sleeping individuals, including in the timing of falling asleep and waking up and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) intensity. Notably, the timing of rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) was synchronized among co-sleeping male siblings but not co-sleeping female or unfamiliar mice. Our findings provide novel insights into the motivation for physical contact and the extent of social-dependent plasticity in sleep.

Individuals who see the good in the bad engage distinctive default network coordination during post-encoding rest

Focusing on the upside of negative events often promotes resilience. Yet, the underlying mechanisms that allow some people to spontaneously see the good in the bad remain unclear. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotion has long suggested that positive affect, including positivity in the face of negative events, is linked to idiosyncratic thought patterns (i.e., atypical cognitive responses). Yet, evidence in support of this view has been limited, in part, due to difficulty in measuring idiosyncratic cognitive processes as they unfold. To overcome this barrier, we applied Inter-Subject Representational Similarity Analysis to test whether and how idiosyncratic neural responding supports positive reactions to negative experience. We found that idiosyncratic functional connectivity patterns in the brain's default network while resting after a negative experience predicts more positive descriptions of the event. This effect persisted when controlling for connectivity 1) before and during the negative experience, 2) before, during, and after a neutral experience, and 3) between other relevant brain regions (i.e., the limbic system). The relationship between idiosyncratic default network responding and positive affect was largely driven by functional connectivity patterns between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the rest of the default network and occurred relatively quickly during rest. We identified post-encoding rest as a key moment and the default network as a key brain system in which idiosyncratic responses correspond with seeing the good in the bad.

The Stress Phenotyping Framework: A multidisciplinary biobehavioral approach for assessing and therapeutically targeting maladaptive stress physiology

Although dysregulated stress biology is becoming increasingly recognized as a key driver of lifelong disparities in chronic disease, we presently have no validated biomarkers of toxic stress physiology; no biological, behavioral, or cognitive treatments specifically focused on normalizing toxic stress processes; and no agreed-upon guidelines for treating stress in the clinic or evaluating the efficacy of interventions that seek to reduce toxic stress and improve human functioning. We address these critical issues by (a) systematically describing key systems and mechanisms that are dysregulated by stress; (b) summarizing indicators, biomarkers, and instruments for assessing stress response systems; and (c) highlighting therapeutic approaches that can be used to normalize stress-related biopsychosocial functioning. We also present a novel multidisciplinary Stress Phenotyping Framework that can bring stress researchers and clinicians one step closer to realizing the goal of using precision medicine-based approaches to prevent and treat stress-associated health problems.

Characterizing the mechanisms of social connection

Understanding how individuals form and maintain strong social networks has emerged as a significant public health priority as a result of the increased focus on the epidemic of loneliness and the myriad protective benefits conferred by social connection. In this review, we highlight the psychological and neural mechanisms that enable us to connect with others, which in turn help buffer against the consequences of stress and isolation. Central to this process is the experience of rewards derived from positive social interactions, which encourage the sharing of perspectives and preferences that unite individuals. Sharing affective states with others helps us to align our understanding of the world with another's, thereby continuing to reinforce bonds and strengthen relationships. These psychological processes depend on neural systems supporting reward and social cognitive function. Lastly, we also consider limitations associated with pursuing healthy social connections and outline potential avenues of future research.

Multilayer perceptron modeling for social dysfunction prediction based on general health factors in an Iranian women sample

In the year 2022, this research conducted an in-person study involving 780 single or widowed women, aged between 20 and 70, falling within the bottom three economic deciles and possessing varying levels of education. All participants held educational qualifications below a high school diploma and were beneficiaries of charitable financial support in Khorasan province, Iran. The study aimed to investigate the predictive factors of social dysfunction in this specific demographic. Data collection spanned a 12-month period throughout 2022, with participants completing the GHQ-28 questionnaire during their visits to the charity office. Clinical in-person interviews were also conducted to gather comprehensive data. Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS version 27. The research employed a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network model, considering an extensive set of input factors and covariates. These factors included cognitive functioning, anxiety, depression, age, and education levels. The MLP model exhibited robust performance, achieving high overall accuracy and sensitivity in identifying cases of high social dysfunction. The findings emphasized the significance of cognitive functioning, anxiety, and depression as pivotal predictors of social dysfunction within this specific demographic, while education and age displayed relatively lower importance. The normalized importance scores provided a relative measure of each covariate's impact on the model's predictions. These results furnish valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions and evidence-based policies aimed at addressing social dysfunction and promoting societal well-being among economically disadvantaged, single or widowed women. Notably, the research underscores the potential of MLP modeling in social science research and suggests avenues for further research and refinement to enhance the model's predictive accuracy, particularly for cases of low social dysfunction.

Social isolation from childhood to mid-adulthood: is there an association with older brain age?

BACKGROUND

Older brain age - as estimated from structural MRI data - is known to be associated with detrimental mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. Social isolation, which has similar detrimental effects on health, may be associated with accelerated brain aging though little is known about how different trajectories of social isolation across the life course moderate this association. We examined the associations between social isolation trajectories from age 5 to age 38 and brain age assessed at age 45.

METHODS

We previously created a typology of social isolation based on onset during the life course and persistence into adulthood, using group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal data from a New Zealand birth cohort. The typology comprises four groups: 'never-isolated', 'adult-only', 'child-only', and persistent 'child-adult' isolation. A brain age gap estimate (brainAGE) - the difference between predicted age from structural MRI date and chronological age - was derived at age 45. We undertook analyses of brainAGE with trajectory group as the predictor, adjusting for sex, family socio-economic status, and a range of familial and child-behavioral factors.

RESULTS

Older brain age in mid-adulthood was associated with trajectories of social isolation after adjustment for family and child confounders, particularly for the 'adult-only' group compared to the 'never-isolated' group.

CONCLUSIONS

Although our findings are associational, they indicate that preventing social isolation, particularly in mid-adulthood, may help to avert accelerated brain aging associated with negative health outcomes later in life.

Pain-Related Stigma and Its Associations With Clinical and Experimental Pain Severity in Youth With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Conditions

OBJECTIVE

Many children with chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions experience stigma which can have negative downstream consequences. This study compares ratings of clinical pain (current pain intensity and pain interference), experimental pain (temporal summation, cold water tolerance, and cold pain intensity), and pain-related stigma among three groups of youth with rheumatic conditions. The relations among ratings of pain-related stigma and pain variables were explored.

METHODS

Eighty-eight youth aged 8-17 years with a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA = 32), juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM = 31), or non-specific chronic pain (NSCP = 25) completed measures of clinical pain ratings (average 7-day pain intensity, day of assessment pain (DoA), and pain interference), experimental pain (cold pain tolerance, cold pain intensity, and temporal summation of mechanical pain), and pain-related stigma. Data analysis compared pain-related stigma and pain ratings across the three groups and examined the relations among pain-related stigma and pain ratings.

RESULTS

Youth with JFM reported higher ratings of clinical pain and pain-related stigma than their counterparts with NSCP or JIA. However, there were no differences in experimental pain. Pain-related stigma was associated with greater ratings of pain interference, particularly for those with JIA and NSCP. Pain-related stigma was also associated with greater average daily pain intensity but not DoA.

CONCLUSION

Youth with medically unexplained pain report greater stigma and worse pain than their peers; thus, robust assessment of pain in this population is necessary. Future work should longitudinally explore the impact of pain-related stigma on pain outcomes and treatment responses.

Basis of preventive and non-pharmacological interventions in asthma

Asthma is one of the most common atopic disorders in all stages of life. Its etiology is likely due to a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Due to this, different non-pharmacological interventions can be implemented to reduce or alleviate the symptoms caused by this disease. Thus, the present narrative review aimed to analyze the preventive and non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise, physiotherapy, nutritional, ergonutritional, and psychological strategies in asthma treatment. To reach these aims, an extensive narrative review was conducted. The databases used were MedLine (PubMed), Cochrane (Wiley), Embase, PsychINFO, and CinAhl. Asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory condition characterized by increased responsiveness to bronchoconstrictor stimuli. Different factors have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, however, the treatments used to reduce its incidence are more controversial. Physical activity is focused on the benefits that aerobic training can provide, while physiotherapy interventions recommend breathing exercises to improve the quality of life of patients. Nutritional interventions are targeted on implement diets that prioritize the consumption of fruits and vegetables and supplementation with antioxidants. Psychological interventions have been proposed as an essential non-pharmacological tool to reduce the emotional problems associated with asthma.

Social reward processing in depressed and healthy individuals across the lifespan: A systematic review and a preliminary coordinate-based meta-analysis of fMRI studies

BACKGROUND

Social rewards (e.g., social feedback, praise, and social interactions) are fundamental to social learning and relationships across the life span. Exposure to social rewards is linked to activation in key brain regions, that are impaired in major depression. This is the first summary of neuroimaging literature on social reward processing in depressed and healthy individuals.

METHOD

We screened 409 studies and identified 25 investigating task-based fMRI activation during exposure to social stimuli in depressed and healthy populations across the lifespan. We conducted a systematic review followed by an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) analysis of three main contrasts: a) positive social feedback vs. neutral stimuli; b) negative social feedback vs. neutral stimuli; c) positive vs. negative social feedback. We also compared activation patterns in depressed versus healthy controls.

RESULTS

Systematic review revealed that social rewards elicit increased activation in subcortical reward regions (NAcc, amygdala, ventral striatum, thalamus) in healthy and depressed individuals; and decreased activation in prefrontal reward regions (medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex) among depressed persons. Our meta-analysis showed, in both depressed and healthy individuals, increased cluster activation of the putamen and caudate in response to negative social stimuli vs. positive stimuli. We also found increased cluster activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the medial frontal gyrus (MFG) in healthy controls vs. depressed individuals, in response to negative social stimuli.

CONCLUSIONS

Processing of social stimuli elicits activation of key brain regions involved in affective and social information processing. Interventions for depression can increase social reward responsivity to improve outcomes.

Default mode network connectivity and social dysfunction in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) negatively affects social functioning; however, its neurological underpinnings remain unclear. Altered Default Mode Network (DMN) connectivity may contribute to social dysfunction in ADHD. We investigated whether DMN's dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) alterations were associated with social dysfunction in individuals with ADHD.

Methods

Resting-state fMRI was used to examine DMN subsystems (dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC), medial temporal lobe (MTL)) and the midline core in 40 male ADHD patients (7-10 years) and 45 healthy controls (HCs). Connectivity correlations with symptoms and demographic data were assessed. Group-based analyses compared rsFC between groups with two-sample t-tests and post-hoc analyses.

Results

Social dysfunction in ADHD patients was related to reduced DMN connectivity, specifically in the MTL subsystem and the midline core. ADHD patients showed decreased dFC between parahippocampal cortex (PHC) and left superior frontal gyrus, and between ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) and right middle frontal gyrus compared to HCs (MTL subsystem). Additionally, decreased dFC between posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC), and right angular gyrus (midline core) was observed in ADHD patients relative to HCs. No abnormal connectivity was found within the dMPFC.

Conclusion

Preliminary findings suggest that DMN connectional abnormalities may contribute to social dysfunction in ADHD, providing insights into the disorder's neurobiology and pathophysiology.

Factors associated with suicidal attempts in female patients with mood disorder

Aim

This study aims to establish a nomogram model to predict the relevance of SA in Chinese female patients with mood disorder (MD).

Method

The study included 396 female participants who were diagnosed with MD Diagnostic Group (F30-F39) according to the 10th Edition of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). Assessing the differences of demographic information and clinical characteristics between the two groups. LASSO Logistic Regression Analyses was used to identify the risk factors of SA. A nomogram was further used to construct a prediction model. Bootstrap re-sampling was used to internally validate the final model. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and C-index was also used to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction model.

Result

LASSO regression analysis showed that five factors led to the occurrence of suicidality, including BMI (β = -0.02, SE = 0.02), social dysfunction (β = 1.72, SE = 0.24), time interval between first onset and first dose (β = 0.03, SE = 0.01), polarity at onset (β = -1.13, SE = 0.25), and times of hospitalization (β = -0.11, SE = 0.06). We assessed the ability of the nomogram model to recognize suicidality, with good results (AUC = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.71-0.80). Indicating that the nomogram had a good consistency (C-index: 0.756, 95% CI: 0.750-0.758). The C-index of bootstrap resampling with 100 replicates for internal validation was 0.740, which further demonstrated the excellent calibration of predicted and observed risks.

Conclusion

Five factors, namely BMI, social dysfunction, time interval between first onset and first dose, polarity at onset, and times of hospitalization, were found to be significantly associated with the development of suicidality in patients with MD. By incorporating these factors into a nomogram model, we can accurately predict the risk of suicide in MD patients. It is crucial to closely monitor clinical factors from the beginning and throughout the course of MD in order to prevent suicide attempts.

The impact of gratitude interventions on patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review

Positive psychological factors play a pivotal role in improving cardiovascular outcomes. Gratitude interventions are among the most effective positive psychological interventions, with potential clinical applications in cardiology practice. To better understand the potential clinical effects of gratitude interventions in cardiovascular disease, four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsycArticles) were searched from 2005 to 2023 for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials of gratitude interventions as the intervention and that reported physiological or psychosocial outcomes were eligible for inclusion. In total, 19 studies were identified, reporting results from 2951 participants from 19 to 71 years old from both healthy populations and those with clinical diagnoses. The studies showed that gratitude not only promotes mental health and adherence to healthy behaviors but also improves cardiovascular outcomes. Gratitude may have a positive impact on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk, especially asymptomatic heart failure, cardiovascular function, and autonomic nervous system activity.

Investigating Biological Pathways Underpinning the Longitudinal Association Between Loneliness and Cognitive Impairment

BACKGROUND

Loneliness precedes the onset of cognitive impairment (CI) in older adults. Although the mechanisms through which loneliness "gets under the skin" to influence the risk of developing CI have been conceptually proposed, they are rarely empirically examined. The Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness posits that loneliness as a stressor could cause dysregulations in multiple physiological systems. The current study investigated whether inflammatory, cardiovascular, and kidney biomarkers mediate the longitudinal association between loneliness and CI.

METHODS

Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the hypothesized relationships, using 2006, 2010, and 2014 waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 7,037). Loneliness was measured with the 3-item UCLA loneliness scale. CI was assessed with the modified telephone interview for cognitive status. Biomarkers included HbA1C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and Cystatin C. Using a stepwise model-building approach, first, the model included only loneliness, CI, and biomarker variables; then, sociodemographic covariates were added; lastly, health status were controlled for.

RESULTS

In unadjusted and partially adjusted models, loneliness was associated with higher odds of worse cognitive status in an 8-year follow-up. Only HbA1C mediated the longitudinal association between loneliness and CI. However, after further controlling for health status, all associations became nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

Examining a large number of participants and linking a limited number of biological markers with cognition and loneliness longitudinally, our empirical data did not support theoretical propositions, highlighting the critical importance of controlling for confounders in future studies examining longitudinal mediational relationships underlying loneliness and CI.

From Coaching to Neurocoaching: A Neuroscientific Approach during a Coaching Session to Assess the Relational Dynamics between Coach and Coachee-A Pilot Study

Life transitions represent moments characterized by changes that can profoundly influence individual life trajectories and subjective well-being. Recently, career coaching has become an important method of helping people expand their self-awareness, facilitate personal development, and increase their performance in the school-to-work transition. Although previous studies have confirmed that one of the most important keys to the success of a coaching program is the quality of the relationship between coach and coachee, there is a lack of knowledge regarding how to objectively measure it. In this pilot study, we adopted a neuroscientific approach to introduce objective measures of the relationship between coach and coachee through the phases of a coaching session. A sample of 14 university students and a professional coach participated in career-coaching sessions while their affective states were measured by recording brain (EEG) and physiological (Skin conductance) activity. Electroencephalographic indicators of valence, arousal, and engagement showed differences between session phases, highlighting the possibility of a neurophysiological measurement of relational dynamics. Our results provide initial evidence that neurophysiological activity can be considered a way to understand differences in the coach-coachee relationship, thereby providing information on the effectiveness of coaching interventions and facilitating a better life transition from school to work.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict suicidal behavior in female patients with mood disorder

Introduction

This study aims to explore the risk factors associated with suicidal behavior and establish predictive models in female patients with mood disorders, specifically using a nomogram of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 396 female individuals diagnosed with mood disorders (F30-F39) according to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10). The study utilized the Chi-Squared Test, t-test, and the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test to assess differences in demographic information and clinical characteristics between the two groups. Logistic LASSO Regression Analyses were utilized to identify the risk factors associated with suicidal behavior. A nomogram was constructed to develop a prediction model. The accuracy of the prediction model was evaluated using a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve.

Result

The LASSO regression analysis showed that psychotic symptoms at first-episode (β = 0.27), social dysfunction (β = 1.82), and somatic disease (β = 1.03) increased the risk of suicidal behavior. Conversely, BMI (β = -0.03), age of onset (β = -0.02), polarity at onset (β = -1.21), and number of hospitalizations (β = -0.18) decreased the risk of suicidal behavior. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of the nomogram predicting SB was 0.778 (95%CI: 0.730-0.827, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The nomogram based on demographic and clinical characteristics can predict suicidal behavior risk in Chinese female patients with mood disorders.

Associations between psychosocial factors and circulating cytokines in breast cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE

Research has established links between social isolation and heightened levels of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumour necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]). Recent advances allow for the examination of cytokines that may also play a role in antiviral immunity (interferon-gamma [IFN-γ]). The present work explored how various features of social experience relate to circulating cytokines in breast cancer survivors, as inflammation has been tied to cancer recurrence and mortality.

DESIGN

Female breast cancer survivors (N = 43) completed a blood draw to assess circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and levels of a cytokine that also relates to antiviral immunity (IFN-γ).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We examined associations between cytokines and different aspects of social experience, including household size, psychosocial well-being, and social threat anxiety.

RESULTS

Circulating levels of IFN-γ were associated with larger household size (r = 0.32, p = 0.04) and higher levels of psychosocial well-being (r = 0.33, p = 0.04). Additionally, heightened levels of IL-6 were associated with social threat anxiety (r = 0.38, p = 0.01). Heightened IL-6 was also associated with household size (r = 0.33, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

These findings are consistent with work suggesting that antiviral immunity and inflammation may have distinct contributions to the links between social experience and health, particularly for those previously diagnosed with breast cancer.

Oxytocin prevents dysregulation of the acute stress response and glucocorticoid-induced oxidative stress in chronically isolated prairie voles

Chronic social isolation can lead to dysregulation of many physiological and psychological processes, including the ability to respond to acute stressors. Previous work in our lab reported that six weeks of social isolation in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) caused increased glucocorticoid levels, oxidative damage, telomere degradation and anhedonia, and that oxytocin treatment prevented all of these changes. Following these results, we investigated how chronic social isolation with and without oxytocin treatment affected glucocorticoid (CORT) and oxidative stress responses to an acute stressor, a 5-min resident-intruder (R-I) test at the end of the social isolation period. To investigate the effect of a brief acute stressor on CORT and oxidative stress, baseline blood samples were collected following six weeks of social isolation, 24-hrs before the R-I test. Two more blood samples were collected 15-min after the end of the R-I test, and again 25-min later to measure peak and recovery responses, respectively. Isolated animals had higher baseline, peak, recovery, and integrated levels of CORT and reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs, a measure of oxidative stress), compared to animals that did not experience isolation. Importantly, oxytocin treatment throughout the isolation period prevented these elevations in CORT and ROMs. No significant changes were observed in total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Levels of CORT and ROMs at the peak and recovery time points were positively correlated. These data show that acute stress in chronically isolated prairie voles, then, is associated with increased glucocorticoid-induced oxidative stress (GiOS), and that oxytocin mitigates isolation-induced dysregulation of glucocorticoid and oxidative stress acute stress responses.

Volunteering and Changes in Cardiovascular Biomarkers: Longitudinal Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study

Background and Objectives

Growing body of research shows that volunteering is beneficial for those served, the volunteers, and the larger communities. However, major challenges remain that hinder the practical implications for volunteer activity as a public health intervention, including potential selection effects, lack of longitudinal studies that adjust for baseline characteristics, and a paucity of studies that consider multiple physical health outcomes in a single model.

Research Design and Methods

Data from 2006 to 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016) were used (N = 18,847). Outcome-wide analyses were utilized to evaluate if changes in volunteering between 2006/2008 (t0) and 2010/2012 (t1) were associated with 7 cardiovascular disease biomarkers 4 years later (2014/2016, t2). These models were adjusted for demographic factors, socioeconomic status, health behaviors, chronic conditions, baseline biomarkers, and volunteering. Additionally, selection into volunteering and attrition were taken into account.

Results

Compared with nonvolunteers, volunteering more than 200 hr a year was associated with a lower risk for clinically high diastolic blood pressure. In addition, increased volunteering effort (change from 1 to 99 hr at t0 to >100 hr at t1) was associated with a lower likelihood of clinically high systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Sustained high volunteering (>100 hr at both t0 and t1) was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure.

Discussion and Implications

The current study adds to the evidence on the health benefits of volunteering for adults 50 and older by inferring a potential causal link between high-intensity volunteering and reduced blood pressure.

A cultural-ecosocial systems view for psychiatry

While contemporary psychiatry seeks the mechanisms of mental disorders in neurobiology, mental health problems clearly depend on developmental processes of learning and adaptation through ongoing interactions with the social environment. Symptoms or disorders emerge in specific social contexts and involve predicaments that cannot be fully characterized in terms of brain function but require a larger social-ecological view. Causal processes that result in mental health problems can begin anywhere within the extended system of body-person-environment. In particular, individuals' narrative self-construal, culturally mediated interpretations of symptoms and coping strategies as well as the responses of others in the social world contribute to the mechanisms of mental disorders, illness experience, and recovery. In this paper, we outline the conceptual basis and practical implications of a hierarchical ecosocial systems view for an integrative approach to psychiatric theory and practice. The cultural-ecosocial systems view we propose understands mind, brain and person as situated in the social world and as constituted by cultural and self-reflexive processes. This view can be incorporated into a pragmatic approach to clinical assessment and case formulation that characterizes mechanisms of pathology and identifies targets for intervention.

Childhood maltreatment predicts physical health in college students

Objective: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with physical health problems throughout the lifespan, yet more research is needed regarding the trajectory of health problems (e.g., onset of health risk indicators) in young adults. The current study examined whether college students self-reporting higher levels of CM exhibited poorer physical health outcomes. Method: Young adults in college (N = 100) completed a physical health assessment (heart rate, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar, waist circumference), self-reported measures of health (symptoms of illness), and CM during spring semester 2018. Results: CM scores predicted higher heart rate and increased symptoms of illness. Females with maltreatment history presented higher levels of obesity and more metabolic syndrome conditions than their peers. Conclusions: Findings support the importance of examining the trajectory of CM to chronic disease, as health risk indicators are present in young adults.

Construct Validity of Inherited Retinal Disease-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

PURPOSE

To evaluate aspects of construct validity of the Michigan Retinal Degeneration Questionnaire (MRDQ) and the Michigan Vision-related Anxiety Questionnaire (MVAQ).

METHODS

Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of an inherited retinal disease (IRD) were recruited prospectively and 3 tests were used to assess construct validity: the ability to distinguish different IRD phenotypes; test a priori hypothesis of an association between vision-related anxiety and vision-related disabilities; and correlate MRDQ and MVAQ with the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (NEI VFQ-25) and the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare different phenotypes for mean domain scores for MRDQ/MVAQ. Pearson correlations were performed between; Cone-Function Anxiety and Central Vision controlling for better eye visual acuity, Rod-Function Anxiety and Scotopic Function controlling for visual field area (III4e and IV4e), and scores of MRDQ/MVAQ, NEI VFQ-25, and IVI.

RESULTS

The study sample consisted of 146 patients evenly divided between males and females, and mean age was 50 years. The 1-way ANOVA test was significant for distinguishing IRD phenotypes in 6 domains of MRDQ/MVAQ. Cone-Function Anxiety correlated with Central Vision controlling for visual acuity, Rod-Function Anxiety correlated with Scotopic Function controlling for visual field area, and all domains in MRDQ/MVAQ had significant correlations with NEI VFQ-25 and IVI composite scores.

CONCLUSION

MRDQ and MVAQ domenstrate aspects of construct-validity set forth by the US Food and Drug Administration. The study futher supports the use of both patient-reported outcome measures in IRD clinical trials and natural history studies.NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.

Cell-liposome delivery system based on neuroinflammation to target the amygdala for ameliorating depressive-like behaviors

Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder with unsatisfactory outcomes due to difficulties in delivering therapeutic molecules from the periphery to the brain. Neuroinflammation plays a key role in neurobiology and the treatment of depression. Neutrophils can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and infiltrate key brain regions related to the pathophysiology of depression during neuroinflammation. N-Acetyl Pro-Gly-Pro (PGP) peptides efficiently bind to CXCR2 receptors on the surface of neutrophils. The neuropeptide oxytocin demonstrated antidepressant properties in preclinical and clinical studies, but its inability to penetrate the BBB hampers its therapeutic applications. In this study, we established a novel drug delivery system based on neutrophil infiltration in key brain regions during neuroinflammation. PGP was used to modify oxytocin-loaded liposomes (PGP-OTL) as the target ligand. Systematic administration of PGP-OTL exhibited enhanced antidepressant properties resulting from elevated oxytocin concentrations, especially in the amygdala, a crucial depression-implicated brain region. Enhanced antidepressant effects of PGP-OTL, similar to the ones caused by central oxytocin infusion, were observed in behavioral measurement including forced swim and tail suspension tests. Our study demonstrated that PGP-OTL can "hitchhike" neutrophils and enhance delivery of therapeutics into the brain, thus providing the means for developing novel cell-liposome-based drug delivery strategies for depression therapy.

On the relationship between the social brain, social connectedness, and wellbeing

The emergence of social neuroscience in the past two decades has offered a useful neurocognitive framework for understanding human social behavior. Of importance, social neuroscience research aimed to provide mechanistic explanations for the established link between wellbeing and social behavioral phenomena-particularly those reflective of social connectedness. Here, we provide an overview of the relevant literature focusing on recent work using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In general, fMRI research demonstrated that aspects of social connectedness that are known to either positively (e.g., social acceptance) or negatively (e.g., social isolation) impact wellbeing also modulated the activity of subcortical reward system accordingly. Similar modulatory influence was found for the activity of other brain regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex, which are typically regarded as components of the "social brain" that support a wide range of functions related to social cognition and behavior. Elucidating such individual differences in brain activity may shed light onto the neural underpinnings of the link between social connectedness and wellbeing.

Acculturation in Context and Brain Health in Older Latino Adults: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

BACKGROUND

Latinos are at higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease than non-Latino Whites. Acculturation factors may influence this risk, yet there are few studies that have examined associations of acculturation, particularly in the context of socioenvironmental and familial factors, and brain health in older Latinos.

OBJECTIVE

To examine potential associations between acculturation in context and brain health in older Latinos.

METHODS

Using three previously established composites of acculturation-in-context, (acculturation-related: nativity status, language preference, acculturation scores; contextually-related socioenvironmental: perceived discrimination, loneliness/social isolation, social network size; and familism), and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), associations with white matter structural integrity were examined in 92 Latino adults without dementia participating in one of three epidemiological studies of aging. Linear regression models were used to test associations with DTI-derived metrics (fractional anisotropy, FA; trace) as separate outcomes and acculturation composite scores as individual predictors, while adjusting for age, sex, education, scanner, and white matter hyperintensities (voxelwise and total volumes normalized by intracranial volume).

RESULTS

Higher scores on the socioenvironmental composite were associated with lower FA in two clusters of left-hemisphere connections. Cluster 1 was dominated by both short association pathways connecting frontal regions and projection pathways connecting frontal regions with the thalamus. Cluster 2 was dominated by long association pathways connecting parietal, frontal, and temporal regions.

CONCLUSIONS

This study of older Latino adults demonstrated an association between reduced brain white matter integrity and contextually related socioenvironmental experiences known to increase risk of MCI and Alzheimer's disease.

Treatment of adjustment disorder stemming from romantic betrayal using memory reactivation under propranolol: A open-label interrupted time series trial

OBJECTIVES

In a sustained relationship, romantic betrayal is a catastrophic event that can precipitate an adjustment disorder (AD). Surprisingly, there exists no empirically validated treatment for AD, despite its high prevalence in clinical practice. Considering the promise of memory reactivation under propranolol (i.e., reconsolidation interference) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, we sought to extend this finding to AD, given that in both disorders, symptoms stem from an identified stressor.

METHOD

A single-blind interrupted time series design was used to examine the efficacy of memory reactivation under propranolol to alleviate symptoms of AD. After being placed on a 4-week waitlist, sixty-one participants received 5 weekly 25-min treatments during which they recalled the betrayal event, 1 h after having orally ingested the beta-blocker propranolol.

RESULTS

Segmented regression analyses on the intent-to-treat sample revealed that AD symptoms significantly decreased during the treatment phase (pre/post Cohen's d = 1.44), compared to the waitlist phase (d = 0.01). Significant pre/post reductions in anxio-depressive symptomatology were also found. Improvement was maintained at the 4-month follow-up on all outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Memory reactivation under propranolol shows promise in reducing symptoms of AD. This study provides the theoretical framework and necessary effect sizes to inform larger, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Pain-related stigma as a social determinant of health in diverse pediatric pain populations

Pediatric patients with invisible symptomology, such as chronic pain syndromes, are more likely to experience pain-related stigma and associated discrimination by others, including medical providers, peers, school personnel, and family members. The degree of this pain-related stigma may depend on several social dimensions, including observer (e.g., attentional and implicit biases) and patient characteristics (e.g., racial identity, socioeconomic stressors). In this mini-review, we introduce the concept of pain-related stigma, and the intersectionality of stigma, within the context of social determinants of health in pediatric pain populations. Stigma theory, observer attentional biases, healthcare provider implicit/explicit biases, adverse childhood experience, and psychophysiology of socio-environmental stressors are integrated. Several ethical, clinical, and research implications are also discussed. Because the study of pain-related stigma in pediatric pain is in its infancy, the purpose of this conceptual review is to raise awareness of the nuances surrounding this social construct, propose avenues through which stigma may contribute to health inequities, present frameworks to advance the study of this topic, and identify areas for further investigation.

The genomic impact of kindness to self vs. others: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Prosocial behavior has been linked to improved physical health, but the biological mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study tested whether a 4-week kindness intervention could reduce expression of a stress-related immune response gene signature known as the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA).

METHODS

In a diverse sample of community adults (N = 182), study participants were randomly assigned to perform 3 kind acts for other people, to perform 3 kind acts for themselves, or to list daily activities (control), on one day per week over 4 weeks. CTRA gene expression was measured by RNA sequencing of dried blood spots (DBS) collected at baseline and 5 weeks later (1 week after completing study assignments). Participants' descriptions of their kind acts were coded for protocol adherence and act content.

RESULTS

Participants who were randomized to perform kind acts for others showed significant reductions in CTRA gene expression relative to controls. Participants who were randomized to perform kind acts for themselves also showed significant reductions in CTRA gene expression relative to controls, but this pattern emerged only for those who failed to perform the requested self-kind acts (protocol non-adherent). Those who fully adhered to the self-kindness protocol showed no change in CTRA gene expression and did not differ from controls. Act content analyses implicated self-stress-reducing behavior in the paradoxical effects of self-kindness and the physical presence of others in the effects of prosocial behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Prosocial engagement-doing something kind for others rather than oneself-reduces CTRA gene expression. The nature of kind acts and their intended recipient plays a key role in shaping the genomic impact of kindness.

Clinically relevant effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in individuals with asthma

Background

Psychological distress and comorbid psychopathology contribute to exacerbation risk in patients with asthma. Thus, interventions designed to reduce stress and improve emotion regulation, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), may augment standard care. Few studies have addressed this question and a paucity of data exists to determine the ability of MBSR to impact clinical outcomes in asthma.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of MBSR training on asthma control and airway inflammation, in relation to psychological symptoms, in adults with asthma. Participants were randomized to an 8-week MBSR training (n = 35) or wait-list control group (n = 34). Clinically relevant asthma assessments, including Asthma Control Questionnaire and inflammatory biomarkers, were collected at baseline and six approximately-monthly follow-ups. Self-reported mindfulness, distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and study completion. Chronic stress level was determined at baseline only.

Results

Asthma control improved significantly in individuals randomized to MBSR, relative to wait-list controls (p = .01; effect size d = 0.76), which was maintained at 4mo post-intervention. 32% of MBSR participants achieved a clinically significant improvement, based on the ACQ6 Minimally Important Difference, relative to 12% of wait-list participants. Moreover, MBSR-related improvement in asthma control was associated with a reduction in distress (p = .043) and the intervention was most efficacious for those with the highest baseline depressive symptoms (p = .023). Importantly, MBSR also reduced levels of exhaled nitric oxide, a biomarker of airway inflammation, relative to wait-list controls (p < .05).

Conclusion

Supporting and extending extant evidence of mind-body relationships in asthma and the benefits of stress reduction for these patients, this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first RCT to demonstrate that training in MBSR improves clinically relevant asthma outcomes. MBSR may thus be a valuable addition to optimal asthma management, particularly for those with comorbid psychopathology.

Clinical trial registration

NCT02157766.

The promises and pitfalls of functional magnetic resonance imaging hyperscanning for social interaction research

Social neuroscience combines tools and perspectives from social psychology and neuroscience to understand how people interact with their social world. Here we discuss a relatively new method-hyperscanning-to study real-time, interactive social interactions using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We highlight three contributions that fMRI hyperscanning makes to the study of the social mind: (1) Naturalism: it shifts the focus from tightly-controlled stimuli to more naturalistic social interactions; (2) Multi-person Dynamics: it shifts the focus from individuals as the unit of analysis to dyads and groups; and (3) Neural Resolution: fMRI hyperscanning captures high-resolution neural patterns and dynamics across the whole brain, unlike other neuroimaging hyperscanning methods (e.g., electroencephalogram, functional near-infrared spectroscopy). Finally, we describe the practical considerations and challenges that fMRI hyperscanning researchers must navigate. We hope researchers will harness this powerful new paradigm to address pressing questions in today's society.

Combinatorial approaches for treating neuropsychiatric social impairment

Social behaviour is an essential component of human life and deficits in social function are seen across multiple psychiatric conditions with high morbidity. However, there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for social dysfunction. Since social cognition and behaviour rely on multiple signalling processes acting in concert across various neural networks, treatments aimed at social function may inherently require a combinatorial approach. Here, we describe the social neurobiology of the oxytocin and endocannabinoid signalling systems as well as translational evidence for their use in treating symptoms in the social domain. We leverage this systems neurobiology to propose a network-based framework that involves pharmacology, psychotherapy, non-invasive brain stimulation and social skills training to combinatorially target trans-diagnostic social impairment. Lastly, we discuss the combined use of oxytocin and endocannabinoids within our proposed framework as an illustrative strategy to treat specific aspects of social function. Using this framework provides a roadmap for actionable treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric social impairment. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'.

Autistic traits heighten sensitivity to rejection-induced social pain

Autistic traits-subclinical forms of characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders-are associated with poor social interactions and high risks for mental health disorders. We hypothesized that altered sensitivity to social rejection is an important contributor to psychological distress observed among individuals with high autistic traits. Experiment 1 adopted a social-judgment task and compared behavioral and neural activity in response to social rejection between participants exhibiting either high or low autistic traits (HAT and LAT, respectively). Rejection-induced hurt feelings, P3 amplitudes, and θ-oscillation magnitudes were greater in the HAT group than in the LAT group. Mediation analysis indicated that autistic traits heighten rejection-induced social pain through increasing frontal-midline θ-oscillations. Responses to nonsocial feedback in the age-judgment task were comparable, confirming that the between-group differences were specific to social negative feedback. Experiment 2 assessed the association between autistic traits, rejection sensitivity, and psychological distress among randomly recruited participants. Results showed that autistic traits affected depressive/anxious symptomatology partially through heightened rejection sensitivity. Therefore, autistic traits heighten sensitivity to rejection-induced social pain that leads to psychological distress. This finding will help facilitate the development of strategies for coping with social pain and improving mental health for individuals with high autistic traits.

Psychoneuroimmunology in the time of COVID-19: Why neuro-immune interactions matter for mental and physical health

The brain and immune system are intricately connected, and perturbations in one system have direct effects on the other. This review focuses on these dynamic psychoneuroimmune interactions and their implications for mental and physical health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we describe how psychological states influence antiviral immunity and the vaccine response, and how immune changes triggered by COVID (either via infection with SARS-CoV-2 or associated stressors) can influence the brain with effects on cognition, emotion, and behavior. We consider negative psychological states, which have been the primary focus of psychological research in the context of COVID-19 (and psychoneuroimmunology more generally). We also consider positive psychological states, including positive affect and eudaimonic well-being, given increasing evidence for their importance as modulators of immunity. We finish with a discussion of interventions that may be effective in improving immune function, the neuro-immune axis, and ultimately, mental and physical health.

The converging paradigms of holism and complexity: An exploration of naturopathic clinical case management using complexity science principles

RATIONALE

Traditional whole systems of medicine, such as naturopathy, are founded upon holism; a philosophical paradigm consistent with contemporary complexity science. Naturopathic case management is predicated upon the understanding of an intimately interconnected internal physiological and external context of the human organism-potentially indicating a worldview aligned with a complexity perspective. In this study we investigate naturopathic clinical reasoning using a complexity lens with the aim of ascertaining the extent of correspondence between the two.

METHOD

Mind maps depicting case presentations were sought from Australian degree qualified naturopaths. A network mapping was undertaken, which was then analysed in accordance with a complexity science framework using exploratory data analysis and network analysis processes and tools.

RESULTS

Naturopathic case schematics, in the form of mind maps (n = 70), were collected, network mapped, and analysed. A total of 739 unique elements and 2724 links were identified across the network. Integral elements across the network were: stress, fatigue, general anxiety, systemic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and diet. A modularity algorithm detected 11 communities, the primary ones of these representing the nervous system and mood; the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and nutrition; immune function and the immune system; and diet and nutrients.

CONCLUSIONS

Naturopathic case management is holistic and based on a perspective of an integrated physiology and external context of the human organism. The traditional concept of holism, when subjected to a complexity lens, leads to the emergence of a contemporary holistic paradigm cognisant of the human organism being a complex system. The application of complexity science to investigate naturopathic case management as employed in this study, demonstrates that it is possible to investigate traditional philosophies and principles in a scientific and critical manner. A complexity science research approach may offer a suitable scientific paradigm to develop our understanding of traditional whole systems of medicine.

Population variation in social brain morphology: Links to socioeconomic status and health disparity

Health disparity across layers of society involves reasons beyond the healthcare system. Socioeconomic status (SES) shapes people's daily interaction with their social environment and is known to impact various health outcomes. Using generative probabilistic modeling, we investigate health satisfaction and complementary indicators of socioeconomic lifestyle in the human social brain. In a population cohort of ~10,000 UK Biobank participants, our first analysis probed the relationship between health status and subjective social standing (i.e., financial satisfaction). We identified volume effects in participants unhappy with their health in regions of the higher associative cortex, especially the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and bilateral temporo-parietal junction (TPJ). Specifically, participants in poor subjective health showed deviations in dmPFC and TPJ volume as a function of financial satisfaction. The second analysis on health status and objective social standing (i.e., household income) revealed volume deviations in regions of the limbic system for individuals feeling unhealthy. In particular, low-SES participants dissatisfied with their health showed deviations in volume distributions in the amygdala and hippocampus bilaterally. Thus, our population-level evidence speaks to the possibility that health status and socioeconomic position have characteristic imprints in social brain differentiation.

The effect of loving-kindness meditation on employees’ mindfulness, affect, altruism and knowledge hiding

Background

This study investigated the effects of the loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on employees’ mindfulness, affect, altruism and knowledge hiding.

Methods

In total, 100 employees were recruited from a knowledge-based enterprise in China and randomly divided into the LKM training group (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50). The LKM training group underwent LKM training for 8 weeks, while the control group did not. Seven main variables (mindfulness, altruism positive affect, negative affect, playing dumb, rationalized hiding, and evasive hiding) were measured both before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the LKM training intervention.

Results

The LKM intervention significantly increased participants’ altruism, and significantly reduced negative affect, playing dumb and evasive hiding, but did not significantly improve mindfulness, positive affect, and rationalized hiding.

Conclusions

LKM significantly improved employees’ altruism, and significantly reduce their negative affect, but did not significantly improve their mindfulness and positive affect. For knowledge hiding, LKM significantly reduced playing dumb and evasive hiding, but had no significant effect on rationalized hiding. These results further elucidate the psychological effects of LKM and suggest the possibility of reducing knowledge hiding in the workplace.

Trial registration

ChiCTR2200057460. Registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), 13 March 2022—Retrospectively registered.

Social cognitive network neuroscience

Over the past three decades, research from the field of social neuroscience has identified a constellation of brain regions that relate to social cognition. Although these studies have provided important insights into the specific neural regions underlying social behavior, they may overlook the broader neural context in which those regions and the interactions between them are embedded. Network neuroscience is an emerging discipline that focuses on modeling and analyzing brain networks-collections of interacting neural elements. Because human cognition requires integrating information across multiple brain regions and systems, we argue that a novel social cognitive network neuroscience approach-which leverages methods from the field of network neuroscience and graph theory-can advance our understanding of how brain systems give rise to social behavior. This review provides an overview of the field of network neuroscience, discusses studies that have leveraged this approach to advance social neuroscience research, highlights the potential contributions of social cognitive network neuroscience to understanding social behavior and provides suggested tools and resources for conducting network neuroscience research.