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Tamman AJF, Jiang L, Averill CL, Mason GF, Averill LA, Abdallah CG. Biological embedding of early trauma: the role of higher prefrontal synaptic strength. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2246338. [PMID: 37642398 PMCID: PMC10467533 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2246338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Early trauma predicts poor psychological and physical health. Glutamatergic synaptic processes offer one avenue for understanding this relationship, given glutamate's abundance and involvement in reward and stress sensitivity, emotion, and learning. Trauma-induced glutamatergic excitotoxicity may alter neuroplasticity and approach/avoidance tendencies, increasing risk for psychiatric disorders. Studies examine upstream or downstream effects instead of glutamatergic synaptic processes in vivo, limiting understanding of how trauma affects the brain.Objective: In a pilot study using a previously published data set, we examine associations between early trauma and a proposed measure of synaptic strength in vivo in one of the largest human samples to undergo Carbon-13 (13C MRS) magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Participants were 18 healthy controls and 16 patients with PTSD (male and female).Method: Energy per cycle (EPC), which represents the ratio of neuronal oxidative energy production to glutamate neurotransmitter cycling, was generated as a putative measure of glutamatergic synaptic strength.Results: Results revealed that early trauma was positively correlated with EPC in individuals with PTSD, but not in healthy controls. Increased synaptic strength was associated with reduced behavioural inhibition, and EPC showed stronger associations between reward responsivity and early trauma for those with higher EPC.Conclusion: In the largest known human sample to undergo 13C MRS, we show that early trauma is positively correlated with EPC, a direct measure of synaptic strength. Our study findings have implications for pharmacological treatments thought to impact synaptic plasticity, such as ketamine and psilocybin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. F. Tamman
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Christopher L. Averill
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
- US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, West Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Lynnette A. Averill
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
- US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chadi G. Abdallah
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
- US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD – Clinical Neurosciences Division, West Haven, CT, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Core for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CAMRI), Houston, TX, USA
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2
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Wang C. The role of physical activity promoting thinking skills and emotional behavior of preschool children. PSICOLOGIA, REFLEXAO E CRITICA : REVISTA SEMESTRAL DO DEPARTAMENTO DE PSICOLOGIA DA UFRGS 2022; 35:24. [PMID: 35913559 PMCID: PMC9343512 DOI: 10.1186/s41155-022-00223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Physical activity is critical, not only for the normal growth and development of children, but also for emotional and social behavior. The purpose of the article is to determine the relationship between physical education and social and emotional development of preschool children. Methods The study involved 366 children (188 boys and 178 girls) at the ages of 5 (N = 191) and 6 (N = 174), who study in public kindergartens in Beijing (China). Within 3 months, additional physical education and fitness classes were held. Before and after the study, a test was conducted: Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE), which was completed by the parents. The research process did not affect the performance or development of children participants. Results As a result of the study, the main regularities of the influence of physical education on social and emotional behavior of children were established. Based on the results of the study, it was determined that there is a positive correlation between age, physical education, and social-emotional behavior (r +—= 0.668). Conclusion Gender differences are not statistically significant when it comes to physical activity’s effect on social and emotional behavior (p-value = 0.004). The results can be applied to programs for the prevention of psychosocial and social-emotional development delays of children in kindergartens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changwei Wang
- Institute of Physical Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China.
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3
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Optimized Clinical Strategies for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Integrating Ketamine Protocols with Trauma- and Attachment-Informed Psychotherapy. PSYCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/psych4010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Strategically timed trauma- and attachment-informed psychotherapy to address underlying emotional wounds, paired with ketamine administered in precision-calibrated doses to ensure high-entropy brain states, may be key to improving the quality and duration of ketamine’s therapeutic efficacy for treatment-resistant depression. This approach optimizes the opportunities for change created by ketamine’s known effects as a rapid antidepressant that stimulates synaptogenesis, normalizes neural connectivity and coherence, enhances neuroplasticity, reduces inflammation, and induces high-entropy brain states with associated subjective psychedelic experiences. Ketamine, a non-selective N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist is a safe, effective, fast-acting dissociative anesthetic that, as a standalone treatment, also exhibits rapid sustained antidepressant effects, even in many patients with treatment-resistant depression. A prior history of developmental trauma and attachment injuries are known primary factors in the etiology of treatment resistance in depression and other mental disorders. Thus, the adjunct of targeted psychotherapy attuned to trauma and attachment injuries may enhance and prolong ketamine efficacy and provide an opportunity for lasting therapeutic change. Psychotherapy engagement during repeated ketamine sessions for patient safety and integration of altered states, paired with separate individualized psychotherapy-only sessions timed 24–48 h post ketamine induction, takes advantage of peak ketamine-induced dendritic spine growth in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, and normalized network connectivity across brain structures. This strategically timed paired-session approach also exploits the therapeutic potential created by precision-calibrated ketamine-linked high-entropy brain states and associated psychedelic experiences that are posited to disrupt overly rigid maladaptive thoughts, behaviors, and disturbing memories associated with treatment-resistant depression; paired sessions also support integration of the felt sense of happiness and connectivity associated with psychedelic experiences.
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4
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Donofry SD, Stillman CM, Hanson JL, Sheridan M, Sun S, Loucks EB, Erickson KI. Promoting brain health through physical activity among adults exposed to early life adversity: Potential mechanisms and theoretical framework. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:688-703. [PMID: 34624365 PMCID: PMC8642290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, and poverty, profoundly alter neurobehavioral development in a manner that negatively impacts health across the lifespan. Adults who have been exposed to such adversities exhibit premature and more severe age-related declines in brain health. Unfortunately, it remains unclear whether the negative effects of early life adversity (ELA) on brain health can be remediated through intervention in adulthood. Physical activity may represent a low-cost behavioral approach to address the long-term consequences of ELA on brain health. However, there has been limited research examining the impact of physical activity on brain health among adults with a history of ELA. Accordingly, the purpose of this review is to (1) review the influence of ELA on brain health in adulthood and (2) highlight evidence for the role of neurotrophic factors, hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis regulation, inflammatory processes, and epigenetic modifications in mediating the effects of both ELA and physical activity on brain health outcomes in adulthood. We then propose a theoretical framework to guide future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon D Donofry
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Institute, Allegheny Health Network Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| | - Chelsea M Stillman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jamie L Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Margaret Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Shufang Sun
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Mindfulness Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Eric B Loucks
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Mindfulness Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Kirk I Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Murdoch University, College of Science, Health, Engineering, and Education, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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5
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Petrican R, Miles S, Rudd L, Wasiewska W, Graham KS, Lawrence AD. Pubertal timing and functional neurodevelopmental alterations independently mediate the effect of family conflict on adolescent psychopathology. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 52:101032. [PMID: 34781251 PMCID: PMC10436252 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This study tested the hypothesis that early life adversity (ELA) heightens psychopathology risk by concurrently altering pubertal and neurodevelopmental timing, and associated gene transcription signatures. Analyses focused on threat- (family conflict/neighbourhood crime) and deprivation-related ELAs (parental inattentiveness/unmet material needs), using longitudinal data from 1514 biologically unrelated youths in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Typical developmental changes in white matter microstructure corresponded to widespread BOLD signal variability (BOLDsv) increases (linked to cell communication and biosynthesis genes) and region-specific task-related BOLDsv increases/decreases (linked to signal transduction, immune and external environmental response genes). Increasing resting-state (RS), but decreasing task-related BOLDsv predicted normative functional network segregation. Family conflict was the strongest concurrent and prospective contributor to psychopathology, while material deprivation constituted an additive risk factor. ELA-linked psychopathology was predicted by higher Time 1 threat-evoked BOLDSV (associated with axonal development, myelination, cell differentiation and signal transduction genes), reduced Time 2 RS BOLDsv (associated with cell metabolism and attention genes) and greater Time 1 to Time 2 control/attention network segregation. Earlier pubertal timing and neurodevelopmental alterations independently mediated ELA effects on psychopathology. Our results underscore the differential roles of the immediate and wider external environment(s) in concurrent and longer-term ELA consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Petrican
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Sian Miles
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Lily Rudd
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Wiktoria Wasiewska
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Kim S Graham
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew D Lawrence
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
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6
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Demir-Lira ÖE, Asaridou SS, Nolte C, Small SL, Goldin-Meadow S. Parent Language Input Prior to School Forecasts Change in Children's Language-Related Cortical Structures During Mid-Adolescence. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:650152. [PMID: 34408634 PMCID: PMC8366586 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.650152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Children differ widely in their early language development, and this variability has important implications for later life outcomes. Parent language input is a strong experiential factor predicting the variability in children's early language skills. However, little is known about the brain or cognitive mechanisms that underlie the relationship. In addressing this gap, we used longitudinal data spanning 15 years to examine the role of early parental language input that children receive during preschool years in the development of brain structures that support language processing during school years. Using naturalistic parent-child interactions, we measured parental language input (amount and complexity) to children between the ages of 18 and 42 months (n = 23). We then assessed longitudinal changes in children's cortical thickness measured at five time points between 9 and 16 years of age. We focused on specific regions of interest (ROIs) that have been shown to play a role in language processing. Our results support the view that, even after accounting for important covariates such as parental intelligence quotient (IQ) and education, the amount and complexity of language input to a young child prior to school forecasts the rate of change in cortical thickness during the 7-year period from 5½ to 12½ years later. Examining the proximal correlates of change in brain and cognitive differences has the potential to inform targets for effective prevention and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ö Ece Demir-Lira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Salomi S Asaridou
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Collin Nolte
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Steven L Small
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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7
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González-Castañeda H, Pineda-García G, Serrano-Medina A, Martínez AL, Bonilla J, Ochoa-Ruíz E. Neuropsychology of metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2021.1913878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hévila González-Castañeda
- Facultad De Medicina Y Psicología, Universidad Autónoma De Baja California, Tijuana B.C., Calzada Universidad 14418, Parque Industrial Internacional, Tijuana 22300, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Julieta Bonilla
- Escuela de psicología, Universidad Xochicalco, Mexicali, 21376, Mexico
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8
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Schott BH, Kronenberg G, Schmidt U, Düsedau HP, Ehrentraut S, Geisel O, von Bohlen Und Halbach O, Gass P, Dunay IR, Hellweg R. Robustly High Hippocampal BDNF levels under Acute Stress in Mice Lacking the Full-length p75 Neurotrophin Receptor. PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY 2021; 54:205-213. [PMID: 33592642 DOI: 10.1055/a-1363-1680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) exerts its effects on neural plasticity via 2 distinct receptor types, the tyrosine kinase TrkB and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). The latter can promote inflammation and cell death while TrkB is critically involved in plasticity and memory, particularly in the hippocampus. Acute and chronic stress have been associated with suppression of hippocampal BDNF expression and impaired hippocampal plasticity. We hypothesized that p75NTR might be involved in the hippocampal stress response, in particular in stress-induced BDNF suppression, which might be accompanied by increased neuroinflammation. METHOD We assessed hippocampal BDNF protein concentrations in wild-type mice compared that in mice lacking the long form of the p75NTR (p75NTRExIII-/-) with or without prior exposure to a 1-hour restraint stress challenge. Hippocampal BDNF concentrations were measured using an optimized ELISA. Furthermore, whole-brain mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (Il6) was assessed with RT-PCR. RESULTS Deletion of full-length p75NTR was associated with higher hippocampal BDNF protein concentration in the stress condition, suggesting persistently high hippocampal BDNF levels in p75NTR-deficient mice, even under stress. Stress elicited increased whole-brain Il6 mRNA expression irrespective of genotype; however, p75NTRExIII-/- mice showed elevated baseline Il6 expression and thus a lower relative increase. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide evidence for a role of p75NTR signaling in the regulation of hippocampal BDNF levels, particularly under stress. Furthermore, p75NTR signaling modulates baseline but not stress-related Il6 gene expression in mice. Our findings implicate p75NTR signaling as a potential pathomechanism in BDNF-dependent modulation of risk for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn H Schott
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Department of Behavioral Neurology, Magdeburg, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Golo Kronenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Henning P Düsedau
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Ehrentraut
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Olga Geisel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Peter Gass
- Central Institute for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heidelberg University, Mannheim Faculty, Germany
| | - Ildiko Rita Dunay
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Hellweg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Muscat SA, Hartelius G, Crouch CR, Morin KW. An Integrative Approach to Ketamine Therapy May Enhance Multiple Dimensions of Efficacy: Improving Therapeutic Outcomes With Treatment Resistant Depression. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:710338. [PMID: 34899408 PMCID: PMC8653702 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.710338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Research over the last two decades has established ketamine as a safe, effective, fast-acting, and sustained antidepressant that significantly reduces adverse symptoms associated with depression, even in patients who are treatment resistant. Much of this research has evolved within the framework of several independent branches of scientific inquiry: in addition to the study of ketamine is a non-selective NMDAR antagonist with rapid antidepressant effects, it has also been found effective as a psychoplastogen that stimulates synaptogenesis and increases neuroplasticity, as a powerful anti-inflammatory that may improve inflammation-related depressive symptoms, as a substance that induces beneficial high entropy brain states, and as a subjectively impactful psychedelic agent. Each branch of inquiry has generated independent evidence of ketamine's efficacy but has advanced without substantive coordination or communication with other lines of inquiry. Integrative research that considers these branches of research together may lead toward a better understanding of ketamine's effects and improved treatment protocols and clinical outcomes. Such an overview can inform more comprehensive patient care through: (a) informed patient psychoeducation that encompasses all of ketamine's mechanisms of action; (b) calibration of optimal dosage to ensure induction and maintenance of high entropy brain states during each ketamine session utilizing EEG measurement; (c) Improved management of emergence side effects through proper care for set and setting; (d) inclusion of pre-selected appropriate music to enhance the emotional experience; (e) increased monitoring of ketamine effects on cortical activity, inter-hemispheric imbalance, and inflammation-related levels of cytokines to further improvements in ketamine protocols; and (f) appropriate timing of any adjunctive psychotherapy sessions to coincide with peak neurogenesis at 24-48 h post ketamine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry-Anne Muscat
- Youth Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Glenn Hartelius
- Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Courtenay Richards Crouch
- Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kevin W Morin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Acute Adult Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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10
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Cecil CAM, Zhang Y, Nolte T. Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:392-409. [PMID: 32081689 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) - an epigenetic process that regulates gene expression - may represent a mechanism for the biological embedding of early traumatic experiences, including childhood maltreatment. Here, we conducted the first systematic review of human studies linking childhood maltreatment to DNAm. In total, 72 studies were included in the review (2008-2018). The majority of extant studies (i) were based on retrospective data in adults, (ii) employed a candidate gene approach (iii) focused on global maltreatment, (iv) were based on easily accessible peripheral tissues, typically blood; and (v) were cross-sectional. Two-thirds of studies (n = 48) also examined maltreatment-related outcomes, such as stress reactivity and psychiatric symptoms. While findings generally support an association between childhood maltreatment and altered patterns of DNAm, factors such as the lack of longitudinal data, low comparability across studies as well as potential genetic and 'pre-exposure' environmental confounding currently limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Key challenges are discussed and concrete recommendations for future research are provided to move the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, University of Southampton; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tobias Nolte
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Jenkins LM, Chiang JJ, Vause K, Hoffer L, Alpert K, Parrish TB, Wang L, Miller GE. Subcortical structural variations associated with low socioeconomic status in adolescents. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:162-171. [PMID: 31571360 PMCID: PMC7268024 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a higher probability of multiple exposures (e.g., neighborhood violence, poor nutrition, housing instability, air pollution, and insensitive caregiving) known to affect structural development of subcortical brain regions that subserve threat and reward processing, however, few studies have examined the relationship between SES and such subcortical structures in adolescents. We examined SES variations in volume and surface morphometry of subcortical regions. The sample comprised 256 youth in eighth grade (mean age = 13.9 years), in whom high dimensional deformation mapping of structural 3T magnetic resonance imaging scans was performed. Vertex‐wise linear regression analyses examined associations between income to poverty ratio and surfaces of the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens and pallidum, with the covariates age, pubertal status, and intracranial volume. Given sex differences in pubertal development and subcortical maturation at this age, the analyses were stratified by sex. Among males, who at this age average an earlier pubertal stage than females, the relationship between SES and local shape variation in subcortical regions was almost entirely positive. For females, the relationship between SES and local shape variation was negative. Racial identity was associated with SES in our sample, however supplementary analyses indicated that most of the associations between SES and subcortical structure were independent of it. Although these cross‐sectional results are not definitive, they are consistent with a scenario where low SES delays structural maturation of subcortical regions involved with threat and reward processing. Future longitudinal studies are needed to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne M Jenkins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jessica J Chiang
- Department of, Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Katherine Vause
- Department of, Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lauren Hoffer
- Department of, Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kathryn Alpert
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Todd B Parrish
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Department Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Department of, Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
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12
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Bueno D. Genetics and Learning: How the Genes Influence Educational Attainment. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1622. [PMID: 31354597 PMCID: PMC6635910 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is the organ of thought. The word thought is defined as the act of thinking about or considering something: an idea or opinion, or a set of ideas about a particular subject. It implicitly includes the processes of learning. Mental functions, including most if not all aspects of human behavior, such as those related to learning, arise from the activity of the brain. Neural connections that generate and support mental functions are formed throughout life, which enables lifelong learning of new concepts and skills. Both brain formation and function, as well as neural plasticity, are influenced by the activity of a variety of genes and also by epigenetic modifications, which contribute to the regulation of gene expression by adapting it to environmental conditions. In this review, aimed especially at education professionals, I discuss the genetic and epigenetic contributions to mental aspects related to learning processes in terms of heritability. I will argue that, despite most if not all aspects related to learning having a clear genetic background, innate abilities can be enhanced or diminished through educational processes. Thus, the importance of education, in the context of the inheritability of learning processes, will be discussed. The conclusion I draw is that, despite the relatively high genetic heritability shown in most brain processes associated with learning, educational practices are a key contributor to student development, allowing genetically based skills to be enhanced or alternatively diminished. Therefore one of the main goals of education in a changing an uncertain world should be to form adaptable and versatile people who can, and want to, make the most of their capabilities. Thus, knowledge derived from genetics and epigenetics, as well as from neuroscience, should be used to enhance education professionals’ understanding of the biological origins of differences in mental capabilities, thereby empowering them with the possibility to adopt more respectful and flexible educational practices to attain the goal mentioned above.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bueno
- Biomedical, Evolutionary, and Developmental Genetics Section, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Jäncke L, Liem F, Merillat S. Weak correlations between body height and several brain metrics in healthy elderly subjects. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3578-3589. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology Institute of Psychology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Franz Liem
- Division Neuropsychology Institute of Psychology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Susan Merillat
- Division Neuropsychology Institute of Psychology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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