Brain on stress: how the social environment gets under the skin

Measuring self-care in the general adult population: Cross-validation of the Self-care Inventory

INTRODUCTION

Self-care is essential for health promotion, disease management and social justice. Robust, theory-based tools are needed for its measurement. The Self-care Inventory (SCI) was developed to measure self-care behaviours in adults regardless of their health status. The aims of this study are to measure validity of the SCI in an Italian sample and measurement equivalence in US and Italian samples.

METHODS

We recruited 340 Italian and 294 US adults with convenience sampling. The Self-care Inventory, new General Self-Efficacy Scale, Positivity Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and a clinical and sociodemographic questionnaire were administered online. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the factor structure of the SCI. Measurement equivalence testing was conducted using Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis, testing configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance. For the Italian version of the SCI, reliability and construct validity were also tested.

RESULTS

The SCI factorial structure was confirmed by CFA in the Italian sample. As for measurement equivalence, the Self-care maintenance scale demonstrated full metric and partial scalar invariance, indicating similar cognitive frameworks between US and Italian respondents. The Self-care Monitoring and Self-care Management scales achieved partial metric invariance. Reliability indices were satisfactory: Cronbach's alpha and Global Reliability Index ranged from 0.69 to 0.84, and test-retest reliability values ranged from 0.70 to 0.84. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations between SCI scales and measures of self-efficacy, positivity, and perceived stress.

CONCLUSION

The SCI is valid and reliable for measuring self-care behaviours in the Italian population. Measurement equivalence show that SCI can be used cross-culturally and results from Italian and US samples are comparable. Our results support the use of the SCI in national and international self-care research and practice.

A new era of inequality: profound changes to mortality in England, Scotland, and 10 major British cities

Deeply concerning changes to UK health trends have been noted since the early 2010s, including a widening of mortality inequalities. Given the importance of urban areas to national health outcomes, we sought to address gaps in the evidence by examining trends in intra-city mortality inequalities across Britain, including assessing the impact of the peak COVID-19 pandemic period. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated (for England, Scotland, and 10 major UK cities) by age (all ages, 0-64 years), sex, year (1981-2020), and country-specific and city-specific area-based quintiles of socio-economic deprivation. Trends in absolute and relative inequalities in mortality by country and city were analysed by means of the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII), respectively. Profound changes to mortality trends and inequalities were observed across both nations and all cities in the decade up to 2020, including increases in death rates among the 20% most deprived populations of almost every city. For deaths at all ages, this was particularly evident in Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Glasgow. For 0-64 years, Scottish cities stood out. With few exceptions, both absolute and relative inequalities increased in the same time period. COVID-19 further increased death rates and inequalities. The analyses provide a hugely concerning picture of worsening mortality and widening inequalities across England and Scotland. When viewed in the context of the evidence for the impact of UK government austerity policies on population health, they represent a wake-up call for both current and future UK governments.

The impact of cognitive behavioral therapy on disease uncertainty, stressful life events, quality of life, anxiety, and depression in glioma patients undergoing chemotherapy: a quasi-experimental study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on disease uncertainty and stressful life events in glioma patients undergoing chemotherapy.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study enrolled 90 glioma patients from Sanmenxia Central Hospital between January and December 2021. Patients were divided into an intervention group (n = 45) or a control group (n = 45). The intervention group received cognitive behavioral therapy provided by nurses, while the control group received routine nursing care. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using the Mishel uncertainty in illness scale (MUIS), life events scale (LES), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), and quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF).

RESULTS

After four cycles of chemotherapy, the study group demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in MUIS and LES scores compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The study group showed significantly lower SAS and SDS scores than the control group (p < 0.05). Finally, the study group reported significantly higher WHOQOL-BREF scores than the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed that the group that received CBT showed significant improvements in the psychological well-being of glioma patients undergoing chemotherapy. These findings suggest that incorporating CBT into standard nursing care can effectively improve the psychological well-being and quality of life of glioma patients during chemotherapy.

Inter-rater reliability of stress signatures in exfoliated primary dentition - Improving scientific rigor and reproducibility in histological data collection

Accentuated Lines (ALs) in tooth enamel can reflect metabolic disruptions from physiological or psychological stresses during development. They can therefore serve as a retrospective biomarker of generalized stress exposure in archaeological and clinical research. However, little consensus exists on when ALs are identified and inter-rater reliability is poorly quantified across studies. Here, we sought to address this gap by examining the reliability of accentuated (AL) markings across raters, in terms of both the presence versus absence of ALs and their intensity (HAL= Highly Accentuated, MAL= Mildly Accentuated, RL= Retzius Line). Ratings were made and compared across observers (with different levels of experience) and pairs of raters (who agreed on AL coding through consensus meetings) (N = 15 teeth, eight observers). Results indicated that more experience in AL assessment does not necessarily produce higher reliability between raters. Most disagreements in intensity ratings occurred in categories other than HAL. Furthermore, when AL assessment was performed by pairs of raters, reliability was significantly higher than individual assessments (Gwet's AC1 = 0.28 to 0.56 for line presence assessment; Gwet's AC1 = 0.48 to 0.64 for line intensity assessment). Based on these results, we recommend a workflow called IRRISS (Improving Reliability and Reporting In Scoring of Stress-markers) to increase rigor and reproducibility in histological analysis of dental collections. The introduction of IRRISS is well-timed, given the surge in studies of teeth occurring across anthropological, epidemiological, medical, forensic, and climate research fields.

Rethinking Depression-Beyond Neurotransmitters: An Integrated Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology Framework for Depression's Pathophysiology and Tailored Treatment

It is known that the effectiveness of drug treatment for depression, ammine deficit based, is largely unsatisfactory. In this review, we examine the proposal of a precision therapy has emerged and has received a strong push by the identification of the role of inflammation in depression. However, precision psychiatry risks being caught in the reductionist trap of searching for the molecular switch that resets the whole system and switches off the disease. This is an illusion since the human being is complex and depression is a systemic and variable disorder. In this study, we show the inadequacy of the reductionist paradigm, and, at the same time, illustrate the superiority of the systemic paradigm centered on psychoneuroendocrineimmunology (PNEI). According to the PNEI paradigm, depression is a disease of the whole human being, caused by different sources working together: psychological, biological, and behavioral. This means knowing the biological and psychological history of the subject, identifying relational and biological crisis factors, and building personalized treatments targeting those factors with the tools of medicine and psychology, which are not reducible to the combination of drugs and psychotherapy. Our proposal presents a paradigm shift that is both theoretical and practical, which enables clinicians to assess patients experiencing depression in a unified way and treat them in an integrated manner.

Instability in the environment and children's in-school self-regulatory behaviors

Introduction

Experiences of chronic and/or extreme stress early in childhood are associated with altered self-regulatory behaviors. However, there is a range of variability in children's behavioral outcomes after experiences of stress. Understanding what contributes to this variability in children's responses to stress can aid in the development of more effective programs aimed at supporting children's self-regulatory processes. The current study examined relationships between indices of environmental stability and changes in children's self-regulatory behaviors.

Methods

Ratings of children's self-regulatory behavior were collected in collaboration with a school program once a month over the course of the academic year. Measures of environmental stability were collected for each child.

Results

Children demonstrated increases in self-regulatory behaviors over the course of the study. Additionally, children in home environments characterized by high levels of environmental instability demonstrated greater positive behavior change during the program.

Discussion

This study suggests that there are important individual differences in children's patterns of self-regulatory behavior changes, and points to complex interactions between children's home environment, implementation of a more positive and stable environment, and changes in behavior.

Effect of stress on neuronal cell: Morphological to molecular approach

Stress can be characterized as any perceived or actual threat that necessitates compensatory actions to maintain homeostasis. It can alter an organism's behavior over time by permanently altering the composition and functionality of brain circuitry. The amygdala and prefrontal cortex are two interrelated brain regions that have been the focus of initial research on stress and brain structural and functional plasticity, with the hippocampus serving as the entry point for most of this knowledge. Prolonged stress causes significant morphological alterations in important brain regions such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. Memory, learning, and emotional regulation are among the cognitive functions that are adversely affected by these changes, including neuronal shrinkage, dendritic retraction, and synaptic malfunction. Stress perturbs the equilibrium of neurotransmitters, neuronal plasticity, and mitochondrial function at the molecular level. On the other hand, chronic stress negatively impacts physiology and can result in neuropsychiatric diseases. Recent molecular research has linked various epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs, to the dysregulation of genes in the impacted brain circuits responsible for the pathophysiology of chronic stress. Numerous disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) including Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich's ataxia, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, have been linked to oxidative stress as a possible cause.

Stress-induced neurodegeneration and behavioral alterations in Caenorhabditis elegans: Insights into the evolutionary conservation of stress-related pathways and implications for human health

Stress is a significant determinant for a range of neurological and psychiatric illnesses, and comprehending its influence on the brain is vital for developing effective interventions. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a tiny nematode, has become a potent model system for investigating the impact of stress on neuronal integrity, behavior, and lifespan. This chapter presents a comprehensive summary of the existing understanding of stress-induced neurodegeneration, behavioral abnormalities, and changes in lifespan in C. elegans. We explored the stress response pathways in C. elegans, specifically focusing on the heat shock response and insulin-like signaling (ILS) pathway, targeting how these pathways affect neural integrity and functions. Additionally, this chapter highlighted behavioral modifications such as changes in locomotion, feeding, pharyngeal pumping, defecation, and copulation behaviors that occur in C. elegans following exposure to stressors, and how these findings contribute to our comprehension of stress-related illnesses. Furthermore, the evolutionary preservation of stress responses in both C. elegans and humans, underscoring the significance of C. elegans studies for translational research were highlighted. In conclusion, the possible implications of C. elegans research on human well-being, with a specific emphasis on the discovery of targets for treatment and the creation of innovative approaches to address stress-related conditions are discussed in this chapter.

Effect of Coping Strategies on Perceived Stress and Hair Cortisol Levels During the COVID-19 Pandemic According to Sex

The COVID-19 crisis generated subjective and physiological stress, with important interindividual differences. Studies have shown that coping strategies and sex modulate subjective stress, although their effects on stress hormones have been overlooked. In addition, it remains unknown whether sex and coping interact to predict these stress metrics during long-term stressful events. To examine the impact of coping strategies, sex, and their interaction on subjective and physiological indicators of stress during the year following the arrival of the COVID-19 virus. Coping strategies were assessed using the Brief COPE questionnaire in May 2020. Stress symptoms were assessed as a subjective indicator of stress every 3 months (June 2020 to March 2021) with the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire in 155 participants (49 men). Of these individuals, 111 provided a 6-cm hair sample in June 2020 to estimate cortisol levels as a physiological indicator of stress before and during the first lockdown. A factor analysis identified three clusters of coping strategies: positive-oriented, avoidance-oriented, and social support. For subjective stress, a linear-mixed model showed that women reported more stress than men. Positive-oriented and avoidance-oriented strategies were associated with less and more stress, respectively. An interaction between sex and coping strategies indicated a positive relationship between social support and perceived stress levels in men. However, among men and women who used this strategy infrequently, women reported higher stress levels than men. For physiological stress, a regression revealed that women had greater cortisol secretion in response to the pandemic. These findings suggest that coping and sex modulate subjective stress, whereas sex influences physiological stress.

Patterns of psychiatric healthcare use during pandemic times among boys and girls with pre-existing diagnoses: a Norwegian nationwide primary and specialist healthcare registry study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced complexities that were likely more demanding for some groups, such as children and adolescents, and especially those with pre-existing mental health diagnoses. This study examines long-term patterns of psychiatric healthcare use among this vulnerable group, providing insights into shifts in psychiatric healthcare use during a global health crisis.

METHODS

We use data from the primary and specialist healthcare registries available from the Norwegian emergency preparedness register for COVID-19 (Beredt C19) to estimate patterns of psychiatric healthcare use. The data spans 2017 to 2022, covering children and adolescents aged 6-19. We identified young people with recent diagnoses of mental health conditions and compared weekly consultation volumes before and during the pandemic for mental health conditions overall and the following diagnostic or symptom categories separately: anxiety/depression and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD). Analyses were stratified by gender.

RESULTS

There was a consistent trend of lower-than-predicted weekly healthcare consultations among young people with pre-existing mental health diagnoses in both primary and specialist healthcare during the pandemic. The reduction was more pronounced in later follow-up periods. The study highlights gender disparities, with boys experiencing more notable declines in healthcare consultations, especially in specialist care. Additionally, the time trends varied across different diagnostic groups. While consultations for anxiety/depression were consistently below the predicted levels, declines in ADHD occurred later in the pandemic. The data suggests an overall decline in healthcare use rather than a shift between sectors.

CONCLUSION

The findings offer insights into healthcare use during pandemic times among children and adolescents with pre-existing mental health diagnoses. The study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and support for this group, ensuring accessible and responsive healthcare during public health emergencies.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Sickness Impact Profile-30 (SIP-30) in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Purpose: Accurate measurement tools are essential for evaluating the health-related quality of life in older adults. We aimed to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Sickness Impact Profile-30 (SIP-30) in community-dwelling older adults. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty older adults participated in this study. To evaluate construct validity, its correlation with General Health Questionnaire-28, Geriatric Depression Scale-15, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale was assessed. Reliability features were also investigated. Results: The results of construct validity analysis demonstrated a moderate to high (r = 0.61-0.84) correlation between the total score of SIP-30 and GHQ-28, GDS-15, HADS, MHAQ, and NPRS. There was a moderate inverse (r = -0.67) correlation between the total score of the SIP-30 and the FAB Scale. Test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.83) and internal consistency (α = 0.94) of the Persian SIP-30 were high. Conclusions: The results indicated that the Persian SIP-30 is a reliable and valid measure to assess health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Three-year-old development: The relationship of child health and parenting stress to neurocognition

PURPOSE

This study examined parenting stress and child special healthcare needs to child neurocognitive development (NCD).

DESIGN AND METHODS

This secondary analysis used data from the primary study, a longitudinal cohort study of mother-child dyads. Multivariable regression models examined the associations between parenting stress and child special healthcare needs with NCD. Mothers completed the Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form. The outcome, child NCD, was evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) Cognitive and Language Scales. Covariates included maternal and child sociodemographic factors and maternal knowledge of child development, depression, and IQ.

RESULTS

Of the 1040 mother-child dyads in this analysis, 171 (16.4 %) mothers reported that their child had one or more special healthcare needs and reported higher levels of parenting stress (PS) compared to those not experiencing health needs. Models including clinically significant PS along with identified child health needs showed the effect of 0.515 reduction (CI = 0.11, 0.92, p = .013) in Bayley-III Receptive Scaled scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically significant parenting stress and the presence of child special healthcare needs were associated with lower child NCD, specifically receptive communication skills.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare providers, including pediatric nurses, should support NCD in young children by identifying children with special healthcare needs early on, recognizing and providing support to decrease parenting stress, and delivering needed medical and developmental support to young children and their families.

Dynamic self-regulation and coregulation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in mother-child and father-child interactions: Moderating effects of proximal and distal stressors

This study examined how proximal and distal familial stressors influenced the real-time, dynamic individual and dyadic regulation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in mother-preschooler and father-preschooler interactions in at-risk families (N = 94, Mage = 3.03 years, 47% males, 77% White, 20% Latinx, data collected 2013-2017). Proximal stressors were operationalized as changing task demands (baseline, challenge, recovery) across a dyadic puzzle task. Distal stressors were measured as parent-reported stressful life events. Multilevel models revealed that greater proximal and distal stressors were related to weaker dynamic self-regulation of RSA in mothers, fathers, and children, and more discordant mother-child and father-child coregulation of RSA. Findings affirm that stress is transmitted across levels and persons to compromise real-time regulatory functioning in early, developmentally formative caregiver-child interactions.

Neural and immune interactions linking early life stress and anhedonia

Early experiences of stress and adversity are associated with blunted reward sensitivity and altered reward learning. Meanwhile, anhedonia is characterized by impairments in reward processing, including motivation, effort, and pleasure. Early life stress (ELS) and anhedonia share psychological, behavioral, and neurobiological correlates, and the system-level interactions that give rise to anhedonia have yet to be fully appreciated. The proposed framework uses a multilevel, multisystem approach to aid in understanding neural-immune interactions that link ELS and anhedonia. The interactions linking anhedonia and ELS presented here include reduced reward sensitivity, alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response, elevated inflammatory cytokines or physiological markers of stress, and blunted reward circuitry functioning along the mesocorticolimbic pathway. The clinical implications and areas for future research are also discussed. Ultimately, this research may inform the development of more specific and individualized treatments for anhedonia.

Does Religion Mitigate the Effect of Neighborhood Disorder on Cognitive Decline?: Evidence From a National Longitudinal Study of U.S. Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

This paper examines whether perceived neighborhood disorder is associated with trajectories of cognitive functioning and whether religion mitigates this association among U.S. older adults.

METHODS

Data are drawn from the 2006-2016 Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,669). Religious belief and religious attendance are assessed as potential moderators. Growth curve models are used to estimate trajectories of cognitive functioning over time.

RESULTS

We find that perceived neighborhood disorder is associated with lower cognitive functioning at baseline; however, religious belief mitigates the impact of perceived neighborhood disorder on the level of cognitive functioning. For instance, individuals with high religious belief, despite experiencing high perceived neighborhood disorder, show better cognitive functioning at baseline compared to those with high disorder but low belief. While frequent religious attendance is associated with higher cognitive functioning at baseline, it does not moderate the impact of perceived neighborhood disorder on cognitive functioning.

DISCUSSION

This study underscores the protective role of religious belief against cognitive aging in the face of neighborhood disorder, suggesting that personal faith may provide a cognitive reserve or coping mechanism. Our findings also imply that the absence of religious belief, combined with high perceived neighborhood disorder, may produce a compounded negative impact on cognitive aging.

Early childhood family threat and longitudinal amygdala-mPFC circuit development: Examining cortical thickness and gray matter-white matter contrast

Early threat-associated cortical thinning may be interpreted as accelerated cortical development. However, non-adaptive processes may show similar macrostructural changes. Examining cortical thickness (CT) together with grey/white-matter contrast (GWC), a proxy for intracortical myelination, may enhance the interpretation of CT findings. In this prospective study, we examined associations between early life family-related threat (harsh parenting, family conflict, and neighborhood safety) and CT and GWC development from late childhood to middle adolescence. MRI was acquired from 4200 children (2069 boys) from the Generation R study at ages 8, 10 and 14 years (in total 6114 scans), of whom 1697 children had >1 scans. Linear mixed effect models were used to examine family factor-by-age interactions on amygdala volume, caudal and rostral anterior cingulate (ACC) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) CT and GWC. A neighborhood safety-by-age-interaction was found for rostral ACC GWC, suggesting less developmental change in children from unsafe neighborhoods. Moreover, after more stringent correction for motion, family conflict was associated with greater developmental change in CT but less developmental change in GWC. Results suggest that early threat may blunt ACC GWC development. Our results, therefore, do not provide evidence for accelerated threat-associated structural development of the amygdala-mPFC circuit between ages 8-14 years.

Person-centered methods to advance developmental psychopathology

Dante Cicchetti's remarkable contributions to the field of developmental psychopathology include the advancement of key principles such as the interplay of typical and atypical development, multifinality and equifinality, the dynamic processes of resilience, and the integration of multiple levels of analysis into developmental theories. In this paper we assert that person-centered data analytic methods are particularly well-suited to advancing these tenets of developmental psychopathology. We illustrate their utility with a brief novel empirical study focused on underlying patterns of childhood neuroendocrine regulation and prospective links with emerging adult functioning. Results indicate that a childhood neuroendocrine profile marked by high diurnal cortisol paired with low diurnal DHEA was uniquely associated with more adaptive functioning in emerging adulthood. We discuss these findings, and person-centered methods more broadly, within the future of developmental psychopathology.

Prenatal Social Determinants of Health: Narrative review of maternal environments and neonatal brain development

The Social Determinants of Health, a set of social factors including socioeconomic status, community context, and neighborhood safety among others, are well-known predictors of mental and physical health across the lifespan. Recent research has begun to establish the importance of these social factors at the earliest points of brain development, including during the prenatal period. Prenatal socioeconomic status, perceived stress, and neighborhood safety have all been reported to impact neonatal brain structure and function, with exploratory work suggesting subsequent effects on infant and child behavior. Secondary effects of the Social Determinants of Health, such as maternal sleep and psychopathology during pregnancy, have also been established as important predictors of infant brain development. This research not only establishes prenatal Social Determinants of Health as important predictors of future outcomes but may be effectively applied even before birth. Future research replicating and extending the effects in this nascent literature has great potential to produce more specific and mechanistic understanding of the social factors that shape early neurobehavioral development. IMPACT: This review synthesizes the research to date examining the effects of the Social Determinants of Health during the prenatal period and neonatal brain outcomes. Structural, functional, and diffusion-based imaging methodologies are included along with the limited literature assessing subsequent infant behavior. The degree to which results converge between studies is discussed, in combination with the methodological and sampling considerations that may contribute to divergence in study results. Several future directions are identified, including new theoretical approaches to assessing the impact of the Social Determinants of Health during the perinatal period.

Working memory related brain-behavior associations in the context of socioeconomic and psychosocial deprivation

Burgeoning neuroimaging research documents the associations between working memory (WM)-associated neural and behavioral responses. However, these associations have yielded small and inconsistent effect sizes. We hypothesize that one reason for the weakened brain-behavior associations stems from different environmental contexts. Specifically, little research has examined how exposure to adverse rearing environments accounts for variability in brain-behavior relations. Deprivation, characterized by an absence of cognitive and positive social stimulation, has been shown to compromise children's neurocognitive development. Hence, informed by an ecological approach to developmental neuroscience, the present study aims to investigate if psychosocial and socioeconomic deprivation serves as moderators in the associations between neural responses and behaviors during a WM task. Using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (N = 11, 878, Mage = 9.48, 47.8% female, 52.0% White), we found that psychosocial, but not socioeconomic deprivation, significantly attenuated the positive association between WM-related neural activation within the frontoparietal network and attendant behavioral performance. Specifically, children exposed to higher levels of psychosocial deprivation exhibited weaker brain-behavior relations during a WM task. This finding suggests that a certain level of neural response during cognitive tasks may correspond to different levels of behavioral performance depending on children's rearing environment, highlighting the importance of contextual factors in understanding the brain and cognitive development.

Exposure to an acute stress impaired the metabolic plasticity of resilient rats by enhancing fatty acid β-oxidation in the ventral hippocampus

The concept of resilience has changed over time and nowadays it refers to the positive adaptation to life adversities, rather than to the absence of a pathological response normally occurring in susceptible people. Based on our previous data showing that the exposure to the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm differently affected bioenergetics in the ventral hippocampus of vulnerable and resilient animals, here we investigated whether resilience is a stable trait or if the energetic strategy set in motion to sustain resilience unveils a vulnerability feature in a more dynamic situation. To this aim, vulnerable and resilient rats after 6 weeks of CMS were subjected to a further acute, unfamiliar restraint stress (ARS) and metabolomic studies were conducted in the ventral hippocampus. We observed that exposure to a single novel challenge negatively affects the fuel utilization of resilient animals. Indeed, while they increase glycolysis to sustain the non-hedonic phenotype when exposed to CMS, they shift to fatty acid β-oxidation after ARS, as vulnerable animals following CMS, suggesting that the energy strategy that guarantees resilience is fragile and can be negatively modified by a different environmental condition. These results suggest that strengthening resilience to foster individuals to bounce back from stressful life events may represent a strategy to decrease vulnerability or prevent the risk of relapsing to a pathological state.

Social determinants of inflammatory markers linking depression and type 2 diabetes among women: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Inflammation is implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and is linked to social determinants of health (SDoH) associated with socioeconomic disadvantage. The objective of this review is to identify and map the range of SDoHs associated with inflammation in depression, T2D, or their co-occurrence among women.

METHODS

PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Web of Science were searched March-July 2023 to identify studies where 1) an SDoH was a predictor or independent variable, 2) depression or T2D was a clinical focus, 3) inflammatory markers were collected, and 4) analysis was specific to women. We used the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities research framework to guide searching SDoHs, organize findings, and identify gaps.

RESULTS

Of the 1135 studies retrieved, 46 met criteria. Within the reviewed studies, the most used inflammatory measures were C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and the most studied SDoHs were early life stress and socioeconomic status. Individual and interpersonal-level variables comprised the bulk of SDoHs in the included studies, while few to no studies examined built environment (n = 6) or health system level (n = 0) factors. Disadvantageous SDoHs were associated with higher levels of inflammation across the included studies.

CONCLUSION

The scope and intersection of depression and T2D represent a syndemic that contributes to and results from socioeconomic inequities and disproportionately affects women. Simultaneous inclusion of social and inflammatory measures, particularly understudied SDoHs, is needed to clarify potent targets aimed at advancing health and equity.

Treatment withdrawal experiences of women with breast cancer: A phenomenological study

AIM

To obtain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences, values, and beliefs of Taiwanese women with breast cancer who withdrew from cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND

Fear of side effects, negative experiences and personal beliefs were identified as reasons for withdrawing from cancer treatments. Body-mind consciousness and body autonomy play a crucial role in cancer treatment decisions.

DESIGN

Descriptive phenomenological approach.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face and in-depth interviews with 16 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were purposefully selected from the Cancer Registry database. Employing a phenomenological approach, our aim was to explore the lived experiences of these individuals. Data analysis followed Giorgi's five-step process. To ensure a comprehensive report the COREQ checklist was applied.

FINDINGS

'The Determination to Preserve Me' is the essence of treatment withdrawal, identified by three themes and seven sub-themes. 'Raising Body-Mind Consciousness' was generated using body autonomy and preventing repeated psychological trauma from the participant's view. Their lifestyles, maintaining the family role, and returning to a normal trajectory help develop 'Maintaining Stability for Being a Patient and a Family Carer'. 'Self-Defending Against the Body Harm' was generated by concerns about maintaining health and preventing harm.

CONCLUSION

Women's behaviours became transformed by suffering. Actions were influenced by physical and psychological distress, misconceptions about treatments, and appearance changes by self-determination through self-protection.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Healthcare professionals should respect women's autonomy and work collaboratively to ensure their decision-making with accurate information and awareness of the potential risks and benefits of treatment withdrawal need to concern.

Reading children's teeth to reconstruct life history and the evolution of human cooperation and cognition: The role of dental enamel microstructure and chemistry

Studying infants in the past is crucial for understanding the evolution of human life history and the evolution of cooperation, cognition, and communication. An infant's growth, health, and mortality can provide information about the dynamics and structure of a population, their cultural practices, and the adaptive capacity of a community. Skeletal remains provide one way of accessing this information for humans recovered prior to the historical periods. Teeth in particular, are retrospective archives of information that can be accessed through morphological, micromorphological, and biogeochemical methods. This review discusses how the microanatomy and formation of teeth, and particularly enamel, serve as archives of somatic growth, stress, and the environment. Examining their role in the broader context of human evolution, we discuss dental biogeochemistry and emphasize how the incremental growth of tooth microstructure facilitates the reconstruction of temporal data related to health, diet, mobility, and stress in past societies. The review concludes by considering tooth microstructure as a biomarker and the potential clinical applications.

Predicting Intraindividual Change in Satisfaction with Life During COVID-19: A Prospective Study of Swiss Older Adults with Differing Levels of Childhood Adversity

Objectives This study examined intraindividual change in satisfaction with life (SWL) in Swiss older adults before, during, and after COVID-19. It assessed whether predictors of adaptation influenced SWL stability, and whether this differed depending on adverse childhood experiences (ACE). Methods SWL was assessed eight times over a 21-month period. ACE, emotion regulation, meaning in life, and subjective socio-economic status (SES) were assessed as predictors. Data were analyzed using growth curve modeling. Results The sample consisted of two groups: A risk group (RG: n = 111, M age  = 69.4 years) comprised of individuals with a high risk of having been exposed to ACE, and a (low-risk) control group (CG: n = 120, M age  = 70.3 years). Intraindividual change in SWL was predicted by (presence of) meaning in life only in the RG, and by subjective SES only in the CG. Conclusion Results identified predictors of stable SWL trajectories and the potential for positive psychological functioning into later life, despite past and current prolonged adversity.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-024-00791-2.

Towards an understanding of the biopsychosocial determinants of CVD in SLE: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune condition with significant physical, mental, psychosocial and economic impacts. A main driver of SLE morbidity and mortality is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Both SLE and CVD exhibit disparities related to gender, race and other social dimensions linked with biological outcomes and health trajectories. However, the biospsychosocial dimensions of CVD in SLE populations remain poorly understood. The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the existing literature around known social factors influencing the development of CVD in SLE.

METHODS

A scoping review protocol was developed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping reviews guidelines. The search strategy encompassed three main concepts: SLE, CVD and social factors. Four databases were searched (PubMed, SCOPUS, PsychINFO and CINAHL). 682 studies were identified for screening. Articles were screened in two phases (title/abstract and full text) to determine whether they fulfilled the selection criteria.

RESULTS

Nine studies were included after screening. All were conducted in the USA between 2009 and 2017. Six studies (67%) were cross-sectional and three (33%) were longitudinal. Most employed SLE cohorts (n=7, 78%) and two drew from healthcare databases (n=2; 22%). We identified five main themes encompassing social factors: socioeconomic status and education (n=5; 56%), race and/or ethnicity (n=7; 78%), mental health (n=2; 22%), gender (n=3; 33%) and healthcare quality and/or insurance (n=2; 22%). Overall, low income, fewer years of education, black race and/or ethnicity, depression, male gender, lack of insurance and healthcare fragmentation were all associated with CVD risk factors and outcomes in SLE.

CONCLUSIONS

While several social factors contribute to CVD in SLE populations, considerable gaps remain as many social determinants remain un(der)explored. There is rich opportunity to integrate social theory, advance conceptualisations of race and/or ethnicity and gender, expand investigations of mental health and explore novel geographical contexts. In healthcare policy and practice, identified social factors should be considered for SLE populations during decision-making and treatment, and education resources should be targeted for these groups.

The Role of Psychosocial Stress on Cardiovascular Disease in Women: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Psychosocial stress can affect cardiovascular health through multiple pathways. Certain stressors, such as socioeconomic disadvantage, childhood adversity, intimate partner violence, and caregiving stress, are especially common among women. The consequences of stress begin at a young age and persist throughout the life course. This is especially true for women, among whom the burden of negative psychosocial experiences tends to be larger in young age and midlife. Menarche, pregnancy, and menopause can further exacerbate stress in vulnerable women. Not only is psychosocial adversity prevalent in women, but it could have more pronounced consequences for cardiovascular risk among women than among men. These differential effects could reside in sex differences in responses to stress, combined with women's propensity toward vasomotor reactivity, microvascular dysfunction, and inflammation. The bulk of evidence suggests that targeting stress could be an important strategy for cardiovascular risk reduction in women.

Manifold Learning Uncovers Nonlinear Interactions Between the Adolescent Brain and Environment That Predict Emotional and Behavioral Problems

BACKGROUND

To progress adolescent mental health research beyond our present achievements-a complex account of brain and environmental risk factors without understanding neurobiological embedding in the environment-we need methods to uncover relationships between the developing brain and real-world environmental experiences.

METHODS

We investigated associations between brain function, environments, and emotional and behavioral problems using participants from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (n = 2401 female). We applied manifold learning, a promising technique for uncovering latent structure from high-dimensional biomedical data such as functional magnetic resonance imaging. Specifically, we developed exogenous PHATE (potential of heat-diffusion for affinity-based trajectory embedding) (E-PHATE) to model brain-environment interactions. We used E-PHATE embeddings of participants' brain activation during emotional and cognitive processing tasks to predict individual differences in cognition and emotional and behavioral problems both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

RESULTS

E-PHATE embeddings of participants' brain activation and environments at baseline showed moderate-to-large associations with total, externalizing, and internalizing problems at baseline, across several subcortical regions and large-scale cortical networks, compared with the zero-to-small effects achieved by voxelwise data or common low-dimensional embedding methods. E-PHATE embeddings of the brain and environment at baseline were also related to emotional and behavioral problems 2 years later. These longitudinal predictions showed a consistent moderate effect in the frontoparietal and attention networks.

CONCLUSIONS

The embedding of the adolescent brain in the environment yields enriched insight into emotional and behavioral problems. Using E-PHATE, we demonstrated how the harmonization of cutting-edge computational methods with longstanding developmental theories advances the detection and prediction of adolescent emotional and behavioral problems.

Risk and resilience models in child development

This chapter provides the most comprehensive review of risk and resilience models for child development thus far, synthesizing these interdisciplinary frameworks for ease of use in research and practice. This review specifically focuses on process models with broader conceptualizations of risk and resilience that have effects across multiple developmental domains. Risk and resilience models alike agree that alleviating risk factors is beneficial for children's development, including risks ranging from proximal issues with households (e.g., instability) and caregivers (e.g., insecure attachment, abuse) to relatively distal influences like structural racism and socioeconomic status. Resilience models further add that children who experience risks are not inherently doomed to poorer outcomes, but can draw upon positive factors in development to combat negative effects from risk, which cannot always be avoided. Major positive factors include loving relationships, educational resources, and cultural assets. Risk and resilience are highly multidisciplinary fields that have contributed much to our understanding of human development, with ample room for continued growth. Understanding of risk and resilience processes, especially during sensitive developmental periods like early childhood, provides valuable insight for prevention and intervention research and practices. Risk and resilience models share an interest in deciphering the developmental processes that hinder and help children across domains so that kids can live their best lives, resulting in a better off society for all.

Allostasis, health, and development in Latin America

The lifespan is influenced by adverse childhood experiences that create predispositions to poor health outcomes. Here we propose an allostatic framework of childhood experiences and their impact on health across the lifespan, focusing on Latin American and Caribbean countries. This region is marked by significant social and health inequalities nested in environmental and social stressors, such as exposure to pollution, violence, and nutritional deficiencies, which critically influence current and later-life health outcomes. We review several manifestations across cognition, behavior, and the body, observed at the psychological (e.g., cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral dysfunctions), brain (e.g., alteration of the development, structure, and function of the brain), and physiological levels (e.g., dysregulation of the body systems and damage to organs). To address the complexity of the interactions between environmental and health-related factors, we present an allostatic framework regarding the cumulative burden of environmental stressors on physiological systems (e.g., cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine) related to health across the life course. Lastly, we explore the relevance of this allostatic integrative approach in informing regional interventions and public policy recommendations. We also propose a research agenda, potentially providing detailed profiling and personalized care by assessing the social and environmental conditions. This framework could facilitate the delivery of evidence-based interventions and informed childhood-centered policy-making.

Racism-Related Experiences and Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Ethnoracially Minoritized Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Despite growing evidence demonstrating the association between racial and ethnic discrimination and traumatic stress symptoms in adult populations, the research among youth remains sparse. Drawing upon race-based traumatic stress models, and following the PRISMA-2020 guidelines, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the state of the empirical evidence in the association between racism-related experiences and traumatic stress symptoms in ethnoracially minoritized youth.

METHOD

Scientific databases were searched to identify articles with ethnoracially minoritized youth participants under age 18 years old that examined the association between racial and/or ethnic discrimination and traumatic stress symptoms.

RESULTS

A total of 18 articles comprising 16 studies (N = 4,825 participants) met inclusion criteria. Studies were largely cross-sectional, used nonrandom sampling strategies, focused on Black and Latinx youth, and were conducted in the United States. Furthermore, most studies were theoretically grounded and operationalized racism-related experiences as frequency of direct, personal, everyday discrimination. Few studies examined other dimensions of racism-related experiences. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant positive association with a medium effect size, rpooled = .356, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.27, 0.44, between racism-related experiences and traumatic stress symptoms. No evidence of moderation by age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, country, or recruitment setting was detected.

CONCLUSION

Racism-related experiences may confer risk for traumatic stress symptoms in ethnoracially minoritized youth. Attending to racism-related experiences is critical to improve the cultural responsiveness of trauma-informed services.

Trauma-informed care

In recent years, trauma informed care has become a heavily researched topic; however, it has yet to achieve a universal standard in the field of pediatric medicine. One of the primary tenants of trauma informed care is a clear understanding of the pervasiveness and complexities of childhood trauma, and its intersection with a child and caregiver's physical wellness. A major component of trauma informed care is addressing the way medical providers may be exposed to vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. By taking proactive steps to educate medical providers on the effects of trauma, they are better equipped to assess a family's needs and provide enhanced quality of care for their patients and themselves.

Unveiling stress markers: A systematic review investigating psychological stress biomarkers

Psychological stress is a ubiquitous facet of modern life, impacting individuals across diverse contexts and demographics. Understanding its physiological manifestations through biomarkers has gained substantial attention within the scientific community. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases for peer-reviewed articles published within the past decade. Preliminary findings reveal many biomarkers associated with psychological stress across different biological systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, immune system, cardiovascular system, and central nervous system. This systematic review explores psychological, physiological, and biochemical biomarkers associated with stress. Analyzing recent literature, it synthesizes findings across these three categories, elucidating their respective roles in stress response mechanisms. Psychological markers involve subjective assessments like self-reported stress levels, perceived stress scales, or psychometric evaluations measuring anxiety, depression, or coping mechanisms. Physiological markers include heart rate variability, blood pressure, and immune system responses such as cytokine levels or inflammatory markers. Biochemical markers involve hormones or chemicals linked to stress. It includes cortisol, catecholamines, copeptin, salivary amylase, IL-6, and C-reactive protein.

Manifold learning uncovers nonlinear interactions between the adolescent brain and environment that predict emotional and behavioral problems

Background

To progress adolescent mental health research beyond our present achievements - a complex account of brain and environmental risk factors without understanding neurobiological embedding in the environment - we need methods to unveil relationships between the developing brain and real-world environmental experiences.

Methods

We investigated associations among brain function, environments, and emotional and behavioral problems using participants from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (N=2,401 female). We applied manifold learning, a promising technique for uncovering latent structure from high-dimensional biomedical data like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Specifically, we developed exogenous PHATE (E-PHATE) to model brain-environment interactions. We used E-PHATE embeddings of participants' brain activation during emotional and cognitive processing to predict individual differences in cognition and emotional and behavioral problems, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Results

E-PHATE embeddings of participants' brain activation and environments at baseline show moderate-to-large associations with total, externalizing, and internalizing problems at baseline, across several subcortical regions and large-scale cortical networks, relative to the zero-to-small effects achieved by voxel or PHATE methods. E-PHATE embeddings of the brain and environment at baseline also relate to emotional and behavioral problems two years later. These longitudinal predictions show a consistent, moderate effect in the frontoparietal and attention networks.

Conclusions

Adolescent brain's embedding in the environment yields enriched insight into emotional and behavioral problems. Using E-PHATE, we demonstrate how the harmonization of cutting-edge computational methods with longstanding developmental theories advances detection and prediction of adolescent emotional and behavioral problems.

The mechanisms linking perceived stress to pilots' safety attitudes: a chain mediation effect of job burnout and cognitive flexibility

Introduction

Pilots' safety attitude is crucial for aviation safety. Current research shows a correlation between perceived stress and safety attitude, yet the mechanism underlying this association remains unclear. Against the backdrop of heightened attention to pilots' stress, this study aims to thoroughly explore the inherent connection between pilot safety attitudes and their perceived stress, offering targeted insights into preventing and addressing safety attitude issues arising from pilot stress.

Methods

Through path analysis of questionnaire data from 106 civil aviation pilots in China, this study systematically investigates the roles of job burnout and cognitive flexibility in the relationship between perceived stress and safety attitude. The study reveals the chain-mediated mechanism of these two factors.

Results

The results demonstrate a significantly negative correlation between pilots' perceived stress and safety attitude, with cognitive flexibility and job burnout fully mediating this relationship, and cognitive flexibility affecting job burnout. A detailed analysis of the three dimensions of job burnout reveals varying impacts of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment on the aforementioned path. The research model exhibits a good fit (GFI=0.902), providing new theoretical perspectives on the association between pilots' perceived stress and safety attitude.

Discussion

The findings offer practical implications for improving pilots' safety attitude by proposing targeted measures to alleviate the adverse impacts of perceived stress on safety attitude, thereby promoting aviation safety.

Perceived Discrimination and Incident Dementia Among Older Adults in the United States: The Buffering Role of Social Relationships

OBJECTIVES

Recent studies have found that perceived discrimination as a chronic stressor predicts poorer cognitive health. However, little research has investigated how social relationships as potential intervening mechanisms may mitigate or exacerbate this association. Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults, this study examined how the existence and quality of 4 types of relationships-with a partner, children, other family members, and friends-may modify the impact of perceived discrimination on incident dementia.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the 2006 to 2016 Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,236) using discrete-time event history models with competing risks. We used perceived discrimination, social relationships, and their interactions at the baseline to predict the risk of incident dementia in the follow-ups.

RESULTS

Perceived discrimination predicted a higher risk of incident dementia in the follow-ups. Although having a partner or not did not modify this association, partnership support attenuated the negative effects of discrimination on incident dementia. Neither the existence nor quality of relationships with children, other family members, or friends modified the association.

DISCUSSION

Our findings imply that intimate partnership plays a critical role in coping with discrimination and, consequently, influencing the cognitive health of older adults. Although perceived discrimination is a significant risk factor for the incidence of dementia, better partnership quality may attenuate this association. Policies that eliminate discrimination and interventions that strengthen intimate partnerships may facilitate better cognitive health in late life.

Effects of parental job loss on psychotropic drug use in children: Long-term effects, timing, and cumulative exposure

Intra-family crossover effects triggered by job losses have received growing attention across scientific disciplines, but existing research has reached discrepant conclusions concerning if, and if so how, parental job losses affect child mental health. Drawing on sociological models of stress and life course epidemiology, we ask if parental job losses have long-term effects on child mental health, and if these effects are conditional on the timing of, or the cumulative exposure to, job losses. We use intergenerationally linked Swedish register data combined with entropy balance and structural nested mean models for the analyses. The data allow us to track 400,000 children over 14 years and thereby test different life-course models of cross-over effects. We identify involuntary job losses using information on workplace closures, thus reducing the risk of confounding. Results show that paternal but not maternal job loss significantly increases the risk of psychotropic drug use among children, that the average effects are modest in size (less than 4% in relative terms), that they may persist for up to five years, and that they are driven by children aged 6-10 years. Moreover, cumulative exposure to multiple job losses are more harmful than zero or one job loss.

The relationship between negative life events and cortical structural connectivity in adolescents

Adolescence is a crucial period for physical and psychological development. The impact of negative life events represents a risk factor for the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. This study aims to investigate the relationship between negative life events and structural brain connectivity, considering both graph theory and connectivity strength. A group (n = 487) of adolescents from the IMAGEN Consortium was divided into Low and High Stress groups. Brain networks were extracted at an individual level, based on morphological similarity between grey matter regions with regions defined using an atlas-based region of interest (ROI) approach. Between-group comparisons were performed with global and local graph theory measures in a range of sparsity levels. The analysis was also performed in a larger sample of adolescents (n = 976) to examine linear correlations between stress level and network measures. Connectivity strength differences were investigated with network-based statistics. Negative life events were not found to be a factor influencing global network measures at any sparsity level. At local network level, between-group differences were found in centrality measures of the left somato-motor network (a decrease of betweenness centrality was seen at sparsity 5%), of the bilateral central visual and the left dorsal attention network (increase of degree at sparsity 10% at sparsity 30% respectively). Network-based statistics analysis showed an increase in connectivity strength in the High stress group in edges connecting the dorsal attention, limbic and salience networks. This study suggests negative life events alone do not alter structural connectivity globally, but they are associated to connectivity properties in areas involved in emotion and attention.

Institutional Context Shapes the Physical Health of College Graduates Differently for U.S. White, Black, and Hispanic Adults

Greater educational attainment is generally associated with healthier and longer lives. However, important heterogeneity in who benefits from educational attainment, how much, and why remains underexplored. In particular, in the United States, the physical health returns to educational attainment are not as large for minoritized racial and ethnic groups compared with individuals racialized as White. Yet, our current understanding of ethnoracial differences in educational health disparities is limited by an almost exclusive focus on the quantity of education attained without sufficient attention to heterogeneity within educational attainment categories, such as different institution types among college graduates. Using biomarker data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we test whether the physical health of college graduates in early adulthood (aged 24-32) varies by institution type and for White, Black, and Hispanic adults. In considering the role of the college context, we conceptualize postsecondary institutions as horizontally stratified and racialized institutional spaces with different implications for the health of their graduates. Finally, we quantify the role of differential attendance at and returns to postsecondary institution type in shaping ethnoracialized health disparities among college graduates in early adulthood.

Subjective social status and trajectories of frailty: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Objectives

Subjective social status is a known antecedent for many health outcomes, but little research has examined the association between subjective status and frailty among older people. Using longitudinal data, the goal of this study was, first, to identify latent trajectories of frailty over time, and second, to investigate the relationship between subjective social status and frailty trajectory.

Methods

Data were drawn from the 2002-2019 surveys of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, involving 9484 individuals aged 50+ years at baseline. Group-based trajectory models were used to identify frailty trajectories over the 18-year period, and multinomial regression models were used to investigate the relationship between subjective social status and frailty trajectory membership. Controls were included for confounding factors, including a range of socioeconomic indicators and health behaviours.

Results

Four trajectories of the frailty index were retained: low frailty (53% of participants), progressive mild frailty (25%), progressive moderate frailty (15%) and high frailty (6%). Higher subjective social status is associated with higher probabilities of being in the low-frailty group and lower probabilities of being in one of the progressive or high-frailty groups.

Conclusions

Subjective social status is significantly associated with being in a milder frailty trajectory after controlling for age, health behaviours and a wide range of objective socioeconomic status markers.

Incarceration Exposure, Biological Aging, and Depression Symptoms in an African American Sample of Older Adults

Objectives: The study draws upon perspectives on life-course stressors and health to assess whether lifetime incarceration exposure is a determinant of biological aging and self-reported depression. Methods: Using data from a sample of 460 African American participants (average age= 57) in the Family and Community Health Study, the study examined two epigenetic indices of biological aging, DunedinPoAm and GrimAge, as well as a self-reported measure of depression symptoms. Estimates were derived from multivariate regression models with adjustments for selection on observables and confounding factors. Results: Exposure to incarceration was a significant determinant of accelerated biological aging (GrimAge) and the pace of aging (DunedinPoAm) and depressive symptoms. Discussion: Among formerly incarcerated older adults, past experiences with the stressors of incarceration predict key biomarkers of physiological deterioration and depressive symptoms. Incarceration contributes to the mental and physical health burden of older adults.

Ahnak in the prefrontal cortex mediates behavioral correlates of stress resilience and rapid antidepressant action in mice

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key neural node mediating behavioral responses to stress and the actions of ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, however, are not fully understood. Our recent study revealed a pivotal role of hippocampal Ahnak as a regulator of cellular and behavioral adaptations to chronic stress. However, despite its significant expression in the PFC, the contribution of cortical Ahnak to behavioral responses to stress and antidepressants remains unknown. Here, using a mouse model for chronic social stress, we find that Ahnak expression in the PFC is significantly increased in stress-resilient mice and positively correlated with social interaction after stress exposure. Conditional deletion of Ahnak in the PFC or forebrain glutamatergic neurons facilitates stress susceptibility, suggesting that Ahnak is required for behavioral resilience. Further supporting this notion, Ahnak expression in the PFC is increased after the administration of ketamine or its metabolite (2R, 6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK). Moreover, Ahnak deletion in forebrain glutamatergic neurons blocks the restorative behavioral effects of ketamine or HNK in stress-susceptible mice. This forebrain excitatory neuron-specific Ahnak deletion reduces the frequency of mini excitatory postsynaptic currents in layer II/III pyramidal neurons, suggesting that Ahnak may induce its behavioral effects via modulation of glutamatergic transmission in the PFC. Altogether, these data suggest that Ahnak in glutamatergic PFC neurons may be critical for behavioral resilience and antidepressant actions of ketamine or HNK in chronic social stress-exposed mice.

Dyadic contagion in cognitive function: A nationally-representative longitudinal study of older U.S. couples

Later-life cognitive function is strongly influenced by one's environment. At this life stage, a partner's behaviors and attributes-including their own cognitive status-are a key environmental determinant. A recent "social allostasis" theory also yields specific predictions on patterns of mutual influence-or "contagion"-in cognitive function. Yet, no population representative studies have examined these coupled dynamics. Using recently developed fixed-effects cross-lagged panel modeling (FE-CLPM) methods and ten-year data from the Health and Retirement Study-nationally-representative of U.S. adults over 50-the current study filled this gap. Results supported dyadic cognitive contagion over the long- but not short-run. Short-term associations suggested intriguing "cognitive cycling" possibilities among both men and women that need further investigation. Overall, results supported a theoretical model of coupled "cognitive careers," and relational inducement of allostatic load. Especially among men, recurrent impulses also cumulatively induced substantial path-dependent cognitive improvements, supporting the added value of repeated over one-time interventions. Theoretical and substantive implications are discussed.

Left OFC Activation in Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy during an Inhibitory Control Task in an Early Years Sample: Integrating Stress Responses with Cognitive Function and Brain Activation

INTRODUCTION

Previous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies using Go/No-Go (GNG) tasks have focused on brain activation in relation to cognitive processes, particularly inhibitory control (IC). The results of these studies commonly describe right hemispheric engagement of the dorsolateral, ventromedial, or inferior frontal regions of the prefrontal cortex. Considering that typical healthy cognitive development is negatively correlated with higher cortisol levels (which may alter brain development), the overarching aim of the current study was to investigate how elevated stress (due to unforeseeable events such as the pandemic) impacts early cognitive development.

METHOD

In this study, we examined fNIRS data collected from a sample of children (aged 2-4 years) during a GNG task relative to the response to stressors measured via hair cortisol concentrations. We acquired data in an ecological setting (Early Childhood Education and Care) during the coronavirus pandemic.

RESULTS

We found that children with higher stress levels and a less efficient IC recruited more neural terrain and our group-level analysis indicated activation in the left orbitofrontal area during IC performance.

CONCLUSIONS

A contextual stressor may disrupt accuracy in the executive function of IC early in development. More research efforts are needed to understand better how an orbitofrontal network subserves goal-directed behavior.

INTRODUCTION

Previous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies using Go/No-Go (GNG) tasks have focused on brain activation in relation to cognitive processes, particularly inhibitory control (IC). The results of these studies commonly describe right hemispheric engagement of the dorsolateral, ventromedial, or inferior frontal regions of the prefrontal cortex. Considering that typical healthy cognitive development is negatively correlated with higher cortisol levels (which may alter brain development), the overarching aim of the current study was to investigate how elevated stress (due to unforeseeable events such as the pandemic) impacts early cognitive development.

METHOD

In this study, we examined fNIRS data collected from a sample of children (aged 2-4 years) during a GNG task relative to the response to stressors measured via hair cortisol concentrations. We acquired data in an ecological setting (Early Childhood Education and Care) during the coronavirus pandemic.

RESULTS

We found that children with higher stress levels and a less efficient IC recruited more neural terrain and our group-level analysis indicated activation in the left orbitofrontal area during IC performance.

CONCLUSIONS

A contextual stressor may disrupt accuracy in the executive function of IC early in development. More research efforts are needed to understand better how an orbitofrontal network subserves goal-directed behavior.

Emerging Theories of Allostatic-Interoceptive Overload in Neurodegeneration

Recent integrative multilevel models offer novel insights into the etiology and course of neurodegenerative conditions. The predictive coding of allostatic-interoception theory posits that the brain adapts to environmental demands by modulating internal bodily signals through the allostatic-interoceptive system. Specifically, a domain-general allostatic-interoceptive network exerts adaptive physiological control by fine-tuning initial top-down predictions and bottom-up peripheral signaling. In this context, adequate adaptation implies the minimization of prediction errors thereby optimizing energy expenditure. Abnormalities in top-down interoceptive predictions or peripheral signaling can trigger allostatic overload states, ultimately leading to dysregulated interoceptive and bodily systems (endocrine, immunological, circulatory, etc.). In this context, environmental stress, social determinants of health, and harmful exposomes (i.e., the cumulative life-course exposition to different environmental stressors) may interact with physiological and genetic factors, dysregulating allostatic interoception and precipitating neurodegenerative processes. We review the allostatic-interoceptive overload framework across different neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). We describe how concepts of allostasis and interoception could be integrated with principles of predictive coding to explain how the brain optimizes adaptive responses, while maintaining physiological stability through feedback loops with multiple organismic systems. Then, we introduce the model of allostatic-interoceptive overload of bvFTD and discuss its implications for the understanding of pathophysiological and neurocognitive abnormalities in multiple neurodegenerative conditions.

Cognitive, emotional, and social factors promoting psychosocial adaptation: a study of latent profiles in people living in socially vulnerable contexts

Introduction

Social adaptation is a multifaceted process that encompasses cognitive, social, and affective factors. Previous research often focused on isolated variables, overlooking their interactions, especially in challenging environments. Our study addresses this by investigating how cognitive (working memory, verbal intelligence, self-regulation), social (affective empathy, family networks, loneliness), and psychological (locus of control, self-esteem, perceived stress) factors interact to influence social adaptation.

Methods

We analyzed data from 254 adults (55% female) aged 18 to 46 in economically vulnerable households in Santiago, Chile. We used Latent profile analysis (LPA) and machine learning to uncover distinct patters of socioadaptive features and identify the most discriminating features.

Results

LPA showed two distinct psychosocial adaptation profiles: one characterized by effective psychosocial adaptation and another by poor psychosocial adaptation. The adaptive profile featured individuals with strong emotional, cognitive, and behavioral self-regulation, an internal locus of control, high self-esteem, lower stress levels, reduced affective empathy, robust family support, and decreased loneliness. Conversely, the poorly adapted profile exhibited the opposite traits. Machine learning pinpointed six key differentiating factors in various adaptation pathways within the same vulnerable context: high self-esteem, cognitive and behavioral self-regulation, low stress levels, higher education, and increased social support.

Discussion

This research carries significant policy implications, highlighting the need to reinforce protective factors and psychological resources, such as self-esteem, self-regulation, and education, to foster effective adaptation in adversity. Additionally, we identified critical risk factors impacting social adaptation in vulnerable populations, advancing our understanding of this intricate phenomenon.

Threat experiences moderate the link between hippocampus volume and depression symptoms prospectively in adolescence

Identifying neuroimaging risk markers for depression has been an elusive goal in psychopathology research. Despite this, smaller hippocampal volume has emerged as a potential risk marker for depression, with recent research suggesting this association is moderated by family income. The current pre-registered study aimed to replicate and extend these findings by examining the moderating role of family income and three dimensions of environmental experience on the link between hippocampus volume and later depression. Data were drawn from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study and were comprised of 6693 youth aged 9-10 years at baseline. Results indicated that psychosocial threat moderated the association between right hippocampus volume and depression symptoms two years later, such that a negative association was evident in low-threat environments (std. beta=0.15, 95% CI [0.05, 0.24]). This interaction remained significant when baseline depression symptoms were included as a covariate, though only in youth endorsing 1 or more depression symptoms at baseline (β = 0.13, 95% CI = [0.03, 0.22]). These results suggest that hippocampus volume may not be a consistent correlate of depression symptoms in high risk environments and emphasize the importance of including measures of environmental heterogeneity when seeking risk markers for depression.

Do dyadic interventions impact biomarkers of child health? A state-of-the-science narrative review

BACKGROUND

Early life adversity is related to numerous poor health outcomes in childhood; however, dyadic interventions that promote sensitive and responsive caregiving may protect children from the negative consequences of such exposures. To date, quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined the impact of dyadic interventions on a range of individual biomarkers in children, which may elucidate the relation between early stress exposure and transdiagnostic risk factors for prospective poor health. However, the content of interventions, analytic strategies, and findings vary widely across studies, obscuring key themes in the science and hindering policy and research efforts.

METHODS

We use a narrative approach to review findings from methodologically rigorous (predominantly RCT) studies of dyadic interventions' impacts on different biomarkers in children, including indicators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic nervous systems (SNS), brain development, inflammation, and intracellular DNA processes. We contribute to this important area of inquiry through integrating findings across biological systems and identifying contextual and mechanistic factors to depict the current state of the field.

RESULTS

Evidence suggests dyadic interventions improved PNS functioning and advanced brain maturation. Some studies indicated interventions reduced hair cortisol concentrations, systemic inflammation, and resulted in differences in DNA methylation patterns. Findings did not support main effect-level change in salivary measures of HPA axis activity, SNS activity, or telomere length. Importantly, reviewed studies indicated significant heterogeneity in effects across biological systems, underscoring the importance of contextual factors (e.g., adversity subtype and severity) as potential moderators of effects. Further, findings suggested enhanced parenting behaviors may be a mechanism through which dyadic interventions operate on biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

We close with future policy and research directions, emphasizing the promise of biologically-informed dyadic interventions for understanding and ameliorating the effects of early adversity on transdiagnostic biomarkers of health.

Neural signatures of natural behaviour in socializing macaques

Our understanding of the neurobiology of primate behaviour largely derives from artificial tasks in highly controlled laboratory settings, overlooking most natural behaviours that primate brains evolved to produce1-3. How primates navigate the multidimensional social relationships that structure daily life4 and shape survival and reproductive success5 remains largely unclear at the single-neuron level. Here we combine ethological analysis, computer vision and wireless recording technologies to identify neural signatures of natural behaviour in unrestrained, socially interacting pairs of rhesus macaques. Single-neuron and population activity in the prefrontal and temporal cortex robustly encoded 24 species-typical behaviours, as well as social context. Male-female partners demonstrated near-perfect reciprocity in grooming, a key behavioural mechanism supporting friendships and alliances6, and neural activity maintained a running account of these social investments. Confronted with an aggressive intruder, behavioural and neural population responses reflected empathy and were buffered by the presence of a partner. Our findings reveal a highly distributed neurophysiological ledger of social dynamics, a potential computational foundation supporting communal life in primate societies, including our own.

Adverse childhood experience and young adult's problematic Internet use: The role of hostility and loneliness

BACKGROUND

Few studies have explored the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and problematic Internet use (PIU) during young adulthood. Moreover, even fewer studies have explored the roles of loneliness (social and emotional) and hostility in this relationship.

METHODS

This study used data from the Taiwan Youth Project (2011-2017). The analytical sample included 1885 participants (mean age = 31.3 years). PIU was measured using the short form of Chen's Internet Addiction Scale (2017). ACEs were assessed at the baseline of the adolescent phase (mean age = 14.3 years); this indicator has undergone recent revision. Hostility (three items from the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised) and loneliness (six items from the De Jong Gierveld scale) were measured in 2011 and 2014, respectively.

RESULTS

ACEs were associated with hostility and loneliness (emotional and social). Additionally, hostility (β = 0.62, p < .01) and emotional loneliness (β = 0.44, p < .01) were significantly associated with PIU. Most mediating paths (e.g., ACE → hostility → PIU) were significant, based on the bootstrapping results.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that ACEs have a long-term shadow effect on PIU in young adults. ACEs show an indirect association with PIU through both hostility and loneliness, as well as involving the relationship between them.

Is lifetime abuse forgivable in old age?

Old age is characterized by reflection and a retrospective examination of the multiple meanings of various life experiences, including lifelong abuse. Forgiveness is found to have a salutary effect, especially for older adults. To understand the place and role of forgiveness in the reflective process during aging, we performed a secondary analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N = 78) with older women survivors of abuse. Inductive thematic analysis was based on concepts developed deductively from the literature review. The findings include three main themes: (1) The dimensions of forgiving: The victim as subject; (2) Being forgiven: Between lost forgiveness and hope; and (3) Self-forgiveness and the aging self. Despite the known salutary effect of forgiveness, we must consider that this is not a universally desirable process. We included the dimension of forgiveness in the study of abuse throughout the older person's life course and identified further complexities in addition to the "forgiveness"/"unforgiveness."