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Happer JP, Beaton LE, Wagner LC, Hodgkinson CA, Goldman D, Marinkovic K. Neural indices of heritable impulsivity: Impact of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on frontal beta power during early motor preparation. Biol Psychol 2024; 191:108826. [PMID: 38862067 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Studies of COMT Val158Met suggest that the neural circuitry subserving inhibitory control may be modulated by this functional polymorphism altering cortical dopamine availability, thus giving rise to heritable differences in behaviors. Using an anatomically-constrained magnetoencephalography method and stratifying the sample by COMT genotype, from a larger sample of 153 subjects, we examined the spatial and temporal dynamics of beta oscillations during motor execution and inhibition in 21 healthy Met158/Met158 (high dopamine) or 21 Val158/Val158 (low dopamine) genotype individuals during a Go/NoGo paradigm. While task performance was unaffected, Met158 homozygotes demonstrated an overall increase in beta power across regions essential for inhibitory control during early motor preparation (∼100 ms latency), suggestive of a global motor "pause" on behavior. This increase was especially evident on Go trials with slow response speed and was absent during inhibition failures. Such a pause could underlie the tendency of Met158 allele carriers to be more cautious and inhibited. In contrast, Val158 homozygotes exhibited a beta drop during early motor preparation, indicative of high response readiness. This decrease was associated with measures of behavioral disinhibition and consistent with greater extraversion and impulsivity observed in Val homozygotes. These results provide mechanistic insight into genetically-determined interindividual differences of inhibitory control with higher cortical dopamine associated with momentary response hesitation, and lower dopamine leading to motor impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Happer
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lauren E Beaton
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Laura C Wagner
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Zarnegar R, Vounta A, Li Q, Ghoreishizadeh SS. Nociception related biomolecules in the adult human saliva: A scoping review with additional quantitative focus on cortisol. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069241237121. [PMID: 38385158 PMCID: PMC10916496 DOI: 10.1177/17448069241237121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Nociception related salivary biomolecules can be useful patients who are not able to self-report pain. We present the existing evidence on this topic using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and a more focused analysis of cortisol change after cold pain induction using the direction of effect analysis combined with risk of bias analysis using ROBINS-I. Five data bases were searched systematically for articles on adults with acute pain secondary to disease, injury, or experimentally induced pain. Forty three articles met the inclusion criteria for the general review and 11 of these were included in the cortisol-cold pain analysis. Salivary melatonin, kallikreins, pro-inflammatory cytokines, soluable TNF-α receptor II, secretory IgA, testosterone, salivary α-amylase (sAA) and, most commonly, cortisol have been studied in relation to acute pain. There is greatest information about cortisol and sAA which both rise after cold pain when compared with other modalities. Where participants have been subjected to both pain and stress, stress is consistently a more reliable predictor of salivary biomarker change than pain. There remain considerable challenges in identifying biomarkers that can be used in clinical practice to guide the measurement of nociception and treatment of pain. Standardization of methodology and researchers' greater awareness of the factors that affect salivary biomolecule concentrations are needed to improve our understanding of this field towards creating a clinically relevant body of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxaneh Zarnegar
- Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College London, London, UK
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, Stanmore, UK
| | - Angeliki Vounta
- Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Qiuyuan Li
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sara S Ghoreishizadeh
- Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
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3
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Kant T, Koyama E, Zai CC, Sanches M, Beitchman JH, Kennedy JL. COMT Val/Met, stressful life events and externalizing behaviors in youth: A longitudinal study from the ABCD sample. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21126. [PMID: 38027832 PMCID: PMC10665666 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early adolescence is a crucial time for understanding and detecting the risk factors that may influence youth externalizing/disruptive behaviors and disorders. Previous literature reported evidence that risk factors for disruptive behaviors include catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism and environmental influences. An unanswered question is whether there is a change in these risk factors over stages of youth development. This longitudinal study examines the interaction effect of Val158Met and stressful life events (SLE) on youth externalizing behaviors from ages 9-11. Participants were 2363 children of European ancestry recruited as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Repeated measures linear mixed models were used to examine the effect of the interaction between Val158Met and SLE (G × E) on disruptive behaviors over development. Externalizing behaviors were analyzed at both baseline and two-year follow-up. Both Val158Met genotype and SLE scores demonstrated significant main effects on disruptive behaviors in youth, and those effects were consistent at both time points. G × E was not associated with externalizing behaviors. Youth who carried the Val allele and/or were exposed to higher SLE consistently had increased externalizing behavior scores. To our knowledge, this is the first study to longitudinally examine the interaction effects of Val158Met and SLE on externalizing behaviors in youth. The results highlight the importance of understanding the genetic and environmental factors underlying externalizing behaviors for better detection of at-risk youth, helping further with early prevention efforts. The findings propose that COMT Val158Met genotype may act as a biomarker for development of novel treatment strategies for disruptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuana Kant
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Brain Science Department, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Emiko Koyama
- Brain Science Department, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Laboratory for Molecular Pathology of Psychiatric Disorders, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Clement C. Zai
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Marcos Sanches
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Joseph H. Beitchman
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - James L. Kennedy
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Brain Science Department, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
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Antrobus MR, Brazier J, Callus P, Herbert AJ, Stebbings GK, Day SH, Kilduff LP, Bennett MA, Erskine RM, Raleigh SM, Collins M, Pitsiladis YP, Heffernan SM, Williams AG. Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status. Clin J Sport Med 2023; 33:e145-e151. [PMID: 35350037 DOI: 10.1097/jsm.0000000000001030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Concussions are common match injuries in elite rugby, and reports exist of reduced cognitive function and long-term health consequences that can interrupt or end a playing career and produce continued ill health. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between elite rugby status and 8 concussion-associated risk polymorphisms. We hypothesized that concussion-associated risk genotypes and alleles would be underrepresented in elite rugby athletes compared with nonathletes. DESIGN A case-control genetic association study. SETTING Institutional (university). PARTICIPANTS Elite White male rugby athletes [n = 668, mean (SD) height 1.85 (0.07) m, mass 102 (12) kg, and age 29 (7) years] and 1015 nonathlete White men and women (48% men). INTERVENTIONS Genotype was the independent variable, obtained by PCR of genomic DNA using TaqMan probes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Elite athlete status with groups compared using χ 2 and odds ratio (OR). RESULTS The COMT rs4680 Met/Met (AA) genotype, Met allele possession, and Met allele frequency were lower in rugby athletes (24.8%, 74.6%, and 49.7%, respectively) than nonathletes (30.2%, 77.6%, and 54.0%; P < 0.05). The Val/Val (GG) genotype was more common in elite rugby athletes than nonathletes (OR 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.86). No other polymorphism was associated with elite athlete status. CONCLUSIONS Elite rugby athlete status is associated with COMT rs4680 genotype that, acting pleiotropically, could affect stress resilience and behavioral traits during competition, concussion risk, and/or recovery from concussion. Consequently, assessing COMT rs4680 genotype might aid future individualized management of concussion risk among athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Antrobus
- Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Sport and Exercise Science, University of Northampton, Northampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Brazier
- Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Callus
- Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Adam J Herbert
- School of Health Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Georgina K Stebbings
- Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen H Day
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - Liam P Kilduff
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A Bennett
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Robert M Erskine
- Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart M Raleigh
- School of Health Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm Collins
- Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa ; and
| | - Yannis P Pitsiladis
- FIMS Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Shane M Heffernan
- Applied Sports Science Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Alun G Williams
- Sports Genomics Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Lü W, Ji H, Li Y. Early life adversity and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress among adolescents: Moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 150:106029. [PMID: 36702041 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity (ELA) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases through dysregulation of cardiovascular stress responses manifested by either exaggerated or blunted reactivity. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene rs4680 polymorphism has been identified in gene-environment interaction (G×E) studies to explain individual differences in the effects of ELA on physiological stress responses. However, little is known about whether ELA interacts with COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism to affect cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures. OBJECTIVE The current study examined the associations between ELA and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures, and the moderating role of COMT rs4680 polymorphism in these associations. METHODS The childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) was administered to 359 junior school students who underwent a two-successive stress exposures protocol with continuous cardiovascular monitoring [heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP)] across four laboratory phases, and their saliva samples for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genotyping were collected. RESULTS ELA was associated with blunted HR reactivity to the first and second stress exposures, blunted SBP reactivity to the first stress exposure, and attenuated SBP habituation to repeated stress exposures. Moreover, COMT rs4680 moderated these associations, such that the associations between ELA and blunted HR, SBP, and DBP reactivity to the first stress and disrupted DBP habituation to repeated stress exposures only existed in GA/AA genotype carriers but not in GG genotype carriers. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the A allele of COMT rs4680 is vulnerable to the negative effects of ELA on the developmental dysregulation of stress physiological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lü
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China.
| | - Huayu Ji
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China
| | - Yushan Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China
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6
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Vetterlein A, Monzel M, Reuter M. Are catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphisms genetic markers for pain sensitivity after all? - A review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 148:105112. [PMID: 36842714 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has arguably been the designated pain sensitivity gene for nearly two decades. However, the literature provides inconsistent evidence. We performed several meta-analyses including k = 31 samples and n = 4631 participants thereby revealing small effects of rs4680 on pain thresholds in fibromyalgia, headache and across chronic pain conditions. Moreover, rs4680 effects were found across pain patients when affected, but not unaffected, body sites were assessed. No effect was detected for any other SNP investigated. Importantly, our results corroborate earlier findings in that we found a small effect of COMT haplotypes on pain sensitivity. Our review and meta-analysis contribute to the understanding of COMT-dependent effects on pain perception, provide insights into research issues and offer future directions. The results support the theory that rs4680 might only impact behavioural measures of pain when descending pain modulatory pathways are sufficiently challenged. After all, COMT polymorphisms are genetic markers of pain sensitivity, albeit with some limitations which are discussed with respect to their implications for research and clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Merlin Monzel
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin Reuter
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Germany; Center for Economics and Neuroscience (CENs), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Bonn, Germany
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Abstract
Sports genomics is the scientific discipline that focuses on the organization and function of the genome in elite athletes, and aims to develop molecular methods for talent identification, personalized exercise training, nutritional need and prevention of exercise-related diseases. It postulates that both genetic and environmental factors play a key role in athletic performance and related phenotypes. This update on the panel of genetic markers (DNA polymorphisms) associated with athlete status and soft-tissue injuries covers advances in research reported in recent years, including one whole genome sequencing (WGS) and four genome-wide association (GWAS) studies, as well as findings from collaborative projects and meta-analyses. At end of 2020, the total number of DNA polymorphisms associated with athlete status was 220, of which 97 markers have been found significant in at least two studies (35 endurance-related, 24 power-related, and 38 strength-related). Furthermore, 29 genetic markers have been linked to soft-tissue injuries in at least two studies. The most promising genetic markers include HFE rs1799945, MYBPC3 rs1052373, NFIA-AS2 rs1572312, PPARA rs4253778, and PPARGC1A rs8192678 for endurance; ACTN3 rs1815739, AMPD1 rs17602729, CPNE5 rs3213537, CKM rs8111989, and NOS3 rs2070744 for power; LRPPRC rs10186876, MMS22L rs9320823, PHACTR1 rs6905419, and PPARG rs1801282 for strength; and COL1A1 rs1800012, COL5A1 rs12722, COL12A1 rs970547, MMP1 rs1799750, MMP3 rs679620, and TIMP2 rs4789932 for soft-tissue injuries. It should be appreciated, however, that hundreds and even thousands of DNA polymorphisms are needed for the prediction of athletic performance and injury risk.
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Wiegand A, Blickle A, Brückmann C, Weller S, Nieratschker V, Plewnia C. Dynamic DNA Methylation Changes in the COMT Gene Promoter Region in Response to Mental Stress and Its Modulation by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1726. [PMID: 34827724 PMCID: PMC8615564 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in epigenetic modifications present a mechanism how environmental factors, such as the experience of stress, can alter gene regulation. While stress-related disorders have consistently been associated with differential DNA methylation, little is known about the time scale in which these alterations emerge. We investigated dynamic DNA methylation changes in whole blood of 42 healthy male individuals in response to a stressful cognitive task, its association with concentration changes in cortisol, and its modulation by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We observed a continuous increase in COMT promotor DNA methylation which correlated with higher saliva cortisol levels and was still detectable one week later. However, this lasting effect was suppressed by concurrent activity-enhancing anodal tDCS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Our findings support the significance of gene-specific DNA methylation in whole blood as potential biomarkers for stress-related effects. Moreover, they suggest alternative molecular mechanisms possibly involved in lasting behavioral effects of tDCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Wiegand
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Psychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.B.); (C.B.); (V.N.)
- International Max Planck Research School for Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Arne Blickle
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Psychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.B.); (C.B.); (V.N.)
| | - Christof Brückmann
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Psychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.B.); (C.B.); (V.N.)
| | - Simone Weller
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neurophysiology & Interventional Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.W.); (C.P.)
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Psychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.B.); (C.B.); (V.N.)
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Plewnia
- Tübingen Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neurophysiology & Interventional Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (S.W.); (C.P.)
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Sexism-Related Stigma Affects Pain Perception. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6612456. [PMID: 33854543 PMCID: PMC8019650 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6612456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
People with stigmatized characteristics tend to be devalued by others in a given society. The negative experiences related to stigma cause individuals to struggle as they would if they were in physical pain and bring various negative outcomes in the way that physical pain does. However, it is unclear whether stigma related to one's identity would affect their perception of physical pain. To address this issue, using sexism-related paradigms, we found that females had reduced pain threshold/tolerance in the Cold Pressor Test (Experiment 1) and an increased rating for nociceptive laser stimuli with fixed intensity (Experiment 2). Additionally, we observed that there was a larger laser-evoked N1, an early laser-evoked P2, and a larger magnitude of low-frequency component in laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) in the stigma condition than in the control condition (Experiment 3). Our study provides behavioral and electrophysiological evidence that sexism-related stigma affects the pain perception of females.
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al'Absi M, Ginty AT, Lovallo WR. Neurobiological mechanisms of early life adversity, blunted stress reactivity and risk for addiction. Neuropharmacology 2021; 188:108519. [PMID: 33711348 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Blunted stress reactivity resulting from early exposure to stress during childhood and adolescence may increase vulnerability to addiction. Early life adversity (ELA) affects brain structure and function and results in blunted stress axis reactivity. In this review, we focus on the underlying neurobiological mechanisms associated with a blunted response to stress, ELA, and risk for addictive disorders. ELA and blunted reactivity are accompanied by unstable mood regulation, impulsive behaviors, and reduced cognitive function. Neuroimaging studies reveal cortical and subcortical changes in persons exposed to ELA and those who have a genetic disposition for addiction. We propose a model in which blunted stress reactivity may be a marker of risk for addiction through an altered motivational and behavioral reactivity to stress that contribute to disinhibited behavioral reactivity and impulsivity leading in turn to increased vulnerability for substance use. Evidence supporting this hypothesis in the context of substance use initiation, maintenance, and risk for relapse is presented. The effects of ELA on persons at risk for addiction may lead to early experimentation with drugs of abuse. Early adoption of drug intake may alter neuroregulation in such vulnerable persons leading to a permanent dysregulation of motivational responses consistent with dependence. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa al'Absi
- Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA.
| | - Annie T Ginty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - William R Lovallo
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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Zareyan S, Zhang H, Wang J, Song W, Hampson E, Abbott D, Diamond A. First Demonstration of Double Dissociation between COMT-Met158 and COMT-Val158 Cognitive Performance When Stressed and When Calmer. Cereb Cortex 2020; 31:1411-1426. [PMID: 33124661 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
We present here the first evidence of the much-predicted double dissociation between the effect of stress on cognitive skills [executive functions (EFs)] dependent on prefrontal cortex (PFC) by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype. The COMT gene polymorphism with methionine (Met) at codon 158 results in more dopamine (DA) in PFC and generally better EFs, while with valine (Val) at codon 158 the result is less PFC DA and generally poorer EFs. Many have predicted that mild stress, by raising PFC DA levels should aid EFs of COMT-Vals (bringing their PFC DA levels up, closer to optimal) and impair EFs of COMT-Mets (raising their PFC DA levels past optimal). We tested 140 men and women in a within-subject crossover design using extremely mild social evaluative stress. On trials requiring EFs (incongruent trials) of the Flanker/Reverse Flanker task, COMT-Val158 homozygotes performed better when mildly stressed than when calmer, while COMT-Met158 carriers performed worse when mildly stressed. Two other teams previously tried to obtain this, but only found stress impairing EFs of COMT-Mets, not improving EFs of COMT-Vals. Perhaps we found both because we used a much milder stressor. Evidently, the bandwidth for stress having a facilitative effect on EFs is exceedingly narrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahab Zareyan
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Haolu Zhang
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Juelu Wang
- Basic Neurosciences Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Weihong Song
- Basic Neurosciences Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
| | - David Abbott
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Adele Diamond
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
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