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Wang TM, Chou CH, Lee YL, Chung CH, Huang YC, Lai XC, Sun CA, Kang CY, Wu GJ, Chien WC. Clinical Characteristics of Hyperandrogenism Include Hirsutism, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and Acne: Association with Psychiatric Disease in Women -A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan. Int J Womens Health 2022; 14:1173-1189. [PMID: 36059578 PMCID: PMC9432384 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s376244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Previous studies have shown an increased in psychiatric disorders in women with disorders associated with hyperandrogenism, but few nationwide cohorts have studied this phenomenon. Therefore, this study is aimed to examine the association between the clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism and subsequent psychiatric disorders. Methods Based on the National Health Insurance Research Database, 49,770 enrolled participants were matched for age and index date between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015. Hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome, and acne are characterized by hyperandrogenism. After adjusting for confounding factors, we used Cox proportional analysis to compare the risk of psychiatric disorders during the 16 years of follow-up. Results Of all the participants, 1319 (13.25%) had psychiatric disorders in the study group, whereas only 3900(9.80%) had psychiatric disorders in the control group. After adjusting for age, and monthly income, the Cox regression analysis showed that the study patients were more likely to develop psychiatric disorders (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.327–2.724, P < 0.001). The results demonstrated that women aged 20–29 years had a more significant risk. Conclusion Women with clinical characteristics of hyperandrogenism have a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders, especially those aged 20–29 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsan-Min Wang
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hao Chou
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Liang Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kang Ning Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chi-Hsiang Chung
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taiwanese Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Association (TIPSPA), Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Ching Huang
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech), Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Xiao-Cheng Lai
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-An Sun
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Big Data Research Center, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chieh-Yi Kang
- Chi Mei Medical Center Gynecologic Oncologist Division, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Tainan City, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Correspondence: Gwo-Jang Wu; Chieh-Yi Kang, Email ;
| | - Gwo-Jang Wu
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Correspondence: Gwo-Jang Wu; Chieh-Yi Kang, Email ;
| | - Wu-Chien Chien
- Department of Medical Research, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Taiwanese Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Association (TIPSPA), Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
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Arita Y, Kirk M, Gupta N, Antony R, Park HJ, Stecker MM, Peltier MR. Effect of 2,6-xylidine (DMA) on secretion of biomarkers for inflammation and neurodevelopment by the placenta. J Reprod Immunol 2021; 149:103458. [PMID: 34952372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103458] [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: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cigarette smoke enhances placental inflammation and interferes with steroidogenesis. However, the chemicals in the smoke responsible for these biological activities are unclear. 2,6 xylidine (also called 2,6 Dimethylaniline, DMA) is a component of cigarette smoke that has carcinogenic properties but its effects on the placenta are unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that DMA may interfere with placental steroidogenesis or enhance placental inflammation. Placental explant cultures were treated with 0-50,000 nM DMA and concentrations of progesterone (P4), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, sgp130, HO-1, IL-10, 8-Isoprostane (8-IsoP), and BDNF in the conditioned medium were quantified. Since many environmental toxins enhance the proinflammatory host response to infection, we also performed experiments on placental cultures co-stimulated with 107 heat-killed E. coli. DMA alone significantly reduced P4 and T secretion but enhanced E2 secretion. The toxin also reduced placental secretion of IL-6, sgp130, and BDNF. For bacteria-stimulated cultures, DMA increased secretion of P4 and T, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) but had mixed effects on anti-inflammatory markers, increasing some (sgp130, IL-10) and reducing others (HO-1). However, DMA enhanced 8-IsoP levels by bacteria-stimulated placental cultures, suggesting that it increases oxidative stress by the tissues. These studies suggest that DMA affects secretion of biomarkers by the placenta and may promote inflammation. Further studies are needed to determine if these observed changes occur in vivo and the extent to which DMA exposure increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with smoking in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Arita
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Michael Kirk
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Neha Gupta
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Ronny Antony
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Hyeon-Jeong Park
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Mark M Stecker
- Fresno Institute of Neuroscience, Fresno, CA, United States
| | - Morgan R Peltier
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ, 07753, United States.
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Zachariassen LF, Sørensen DB, Krych L, Hansen AK, Hansen CHF. Effects of delivery mode on behavior in mouse offspring. Physiol Behav 2020; 230:113285. [PMID: 33309952 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cesarean section (CS) has been associated with an increased risk of mental disorders in the offspring. This could possibly be explained by an inadequate microbial colonization early in life with a consequential disturbed gut-brain interaction. To investigate the link between delivery mode and behavior and develop a suitable animal model for further research of the gut-brain axis, the aim of this study was to characterize the gut microbiota (GM) together with the behavioral response in various behavioral tests in CS-delivered mice. We hypothesized that mice delivered by CS would present with disturbances in normal physiological behavior possibly due to an inadequate microbial colonization. C57BL/6 mice delivered by CS or vaginal delivery (VD) were cross fostered and, as adults, observed for anxiety-related behavior in the open field test, social deficits in a sociability test and compulsive behavior in the marble burying test. GM was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The open field test showed that CS-delivered mice had a decreased activity and accelerated defecation compared to VD-delivered mice. In addition, CS-delivered female mice spend less time interacting with cage mates in the sociability test, whereas there was no effect of CS delivery on the average number of marbles buried. In conclusion, CS-delivered mice had a more pronounced anxiety-like behavior and showed less preference for sociability in female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Fisker Zachariassen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Dorte Bratbo Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lukasz Krych
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Axel Kornerup Hansen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Camilla Hartmann Friis Hansen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Nayeri T, Sarvi S, Moosazadeh M, Hosseininejad Z, Amouei A, Daryani A. Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pathog Glob Health 2020; 114:117-126. [PMID: 32186992 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2020.1738153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), as an opportunistic neurotropic parasite of the Apicomplexa family, was firstly described in 1908. As attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in children and adolescents and often persists into adulthood, the purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the relationship between T. gondii infection and ADHD.The data were systematically collected from seven electronic databases up to May 1st 2019 with no language restriction. This study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; code: CRD42020149353). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using a random effects model. Seven studies involving five cross-sectional and two case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis.Results indicated that there was a statistically non-significant association between exposure to T. gondii infection and increased risk of ADHD based on the detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody (2.02 [95% CI: 0.97-4.20]; I2=58.7%). However, obtained results of Egger's tests for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody showed publication bias (P=0.014).Sensitivity analysis revealed stable results for the association between anti-T. gondii IgG antibody with ADHD.Given the small number of studies in this field and the obtained results, it cannot be conclusively stated that T. gondii is a risk factor for ADHD.It is important to have reliable information about the relationship between T. gondii and ADHD around the world; as it may lead to better insight to elucidate the possible association of toxoplasmosis and the pathogenesis of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tooran Nayeri
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmood Moosazadeh
- Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Zahra Hosseininejad
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Amouei
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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Prenatal Glucocorticoid Treatment Completeness and Steroid Hormonal Levels as Related to Infant and Maternal Health. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2020; 34:E32-E43. [PMID: 33079812 DOI: 10.1097/jpn.0000000000000519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study was conducted to confirm the negative associations between testosterone and cortisol levels and health and developmental outcomes in very low-birth weight (VLBW) infants after controlling for prenatal glucocorticoid (GC) treatment. Seventy-four VLBW infant-mother pairs were recruited from a neonatal intensive care unit in the Southeastern United States. We divided the pairs into the complete (n = 58) and incomplete (n = 16) GC treatment groups. Data on infants and mothers were obtained at birth, 40 weeks' postmenstrual age, and 3 and 6 months' corrected age. Salivary testosterone and cortisol levels of the pairs were determined at 40 weeks' postmenstrual age using enzyme immunoassay. Log-linear and general linear mixed models showed that gestational age and birth weight were lower when testosterone was 1 pg/mL higher. When cortisol was 1 μg/dL higher, technology dependence at discharge was higher and motor development at 6 months was lower. Mothers with complete GC treatment had greater parity and gravida, more prenatal visits, and more medical complications. The study outcomes supported our hypothesis that steroid hormonal levels are more predictive of infant health and development than GC treatment completeness. Single dose of GC treatment might be just as effective as 2 doses, although further study with more subjects would be needed to confirm. As the associations with steroid hormonal levels lasted longer than the GC treatment associations, we recommend confirming the predictive effects of testosterone and cortisol levels after 6 months.
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Yuksel T, Sizer E, Durak H. 2D:4D ratios as an indicator of intrauterine androgen exposure in children who stutter. Early Hum Dev 2019; 135:27-31. [PMID: 31228858 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.06.003] [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: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AIM We aimed to explore whether there is a relationship between stuttering and digit ratio (2D:4D), which is thought to be a marker of prenatal testosterone exposure. METHODS We evaluated a total of 90 children who stutter (CWS; n = 40 mild-to-moderate and n = 50 severe stutters) and 40 healthy peers (CWNS) as controls. We used the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGIS) scale to measure the severity of stuttering. We measured the lengths of index finger (2D) and ring finger (4D) of both hands directly and divided to calculate 2D:4D ratio. The difference between the right and the left hand 2D:4D ratio (DR-L) was also calculated. RESULT Significant difference was found in right 2D:4D and the mean DR-L between the CWS and CWNS groups. Right 2D:4D was significantly lower in stuttering boys than in control boys, and in stuttering girls than control girls. Also, DR-L was significantly lower in stuttering boys than control boys. In ANOVA, there were significant differences between the mild-to-moderate, severe stuttering and control groups in terms of right 2D:4D and DR-L. Right hand 2D:4D and DR-L decreased from controls to severe stutterers. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that lower right 2D:4D and DR-L were related to the presence and severity of stuttering in children, i.e. CWS had lower 2D:4D and DR-L than CWNS. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to clarify the reliability of 2D:4D ratio as an indicator of fetal sex hormone exposure level and its relation with the presence and severity of stuttering in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugba Yuksel
- Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
| | - Esra Sizer
- Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Diyarbakir, Turkey
| | - Hasan Durak
- Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Diyarbakir, Turkey
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7
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Zambrano-Sánchez E, Martínez-Cortés J, Poblano A, Dehesa-Moreno M, Vázquez-Urbano F, Del Río-Carlos Y. Maternal smoking during pregnancy and physiological anxiety in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2019; 10:82-89. [PMID: 31269807 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2019.1632708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Our objective was to explore the relationship between mother smoking during pregnancy and physiological anxiety of children with Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Cognitive profile was evaluated by Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, physiological anxiety by Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. Mother's smoking was evaluated by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence. Ninety-seven children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder combined type, 70 inattentive, and 48 hyperactive-impulsive, and 130 controls were studied. We found a higher frequency of high smoking dependence in mothers of children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder-combined type, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-hyperactive type in the Fagerström test; and a significant correlation between physiological anxiety in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-combined type, with high and moderate maternal smoking level during pregnancy. In conclusion, data suggests, with caution a brain alteration of infants, induced by nicotine exposure during pregnancy in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-combined type, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-hyperactive type.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Martínez-Cortés
- Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, National Institute of Rehabilitation, Mexico City, México
| | - Adrián Poblano
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neurophysiology, National Institute of Rehabilitation, Mexico City, México
| | - Minerva Dehesa-Moreno
- Department of Integral Rehabilitation, National Institute of Rehabilitation, Mexico City, México
| | | | - Yolanda Del Río-Carlos
- Department of Integral Rehabilitation, National Institute of Rehabilitation, Mexico City, México
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8
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Bölte S, Girdler S, Marschik PB. The contribution of environmental exposure to the etiology of autism spectrum disorder. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:1275-1297. [PMID: 30570672 PMCID: PMC6420889 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2988-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition of heterogeneous etiology. While it is widely recognized that genetic and environmental factors and their interactions contribute to autism phenotypes, their precise causal mechanisms remain poorly understood. This article reviews our current understanding of environmental risk factors of ASD and their presumed adverse physiological mechanisms. It comprehensively maps the significance of parental age, teratogenic compounds, perinatal risks, medication, smoking and alcohol use, nutrition, vaccination, toxic exposures, as well as the role of extreme psychosocial factors. Further, we consider the role of potential protective factors such as folate and fatty acid intake. Evidence indicates an increased offspring vulnerability to ASD through advanced maternal and paternal age, valproate intake, toxic chemical exposure, maternal diabetes, enhanced steroidogenic activity, immune activation, and possibly altered zinc-copper cycles and treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Epidemiological studies demonstrate no evidence for vaccination posing an autism risk. It is concluded that future research needs to consider categorical autism, broader autism phenotypes, as well as autistic traits, and examine more homogenous autism variants by subgroup stratification. Our understanding of autism etiology could be advanced by research aimed at disentangling the causal and non-causal environmental effects, both founding and moderating, and gene-environment interplay using twin studies, longitudinal and experimental designs. The specificity of many environmental risks for ASD remains unknown and control of multiple confounders has been limited. Further understanding of the critical windows of neurodevelopmental vulnerability and investigating the fit of multiple hit and cumulative risk models are likely promising approaches in enhancing the understanding of role of environmental factors in the etiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Bölte
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Curtin Autism Research Group, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Sonya Girdler
- Curtin Autism Research Group, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Peter B Marschik
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- iDN-interdisciplinary Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Phoniatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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Sobolewski M, Anderson T, Conrad K, Marvin E, Klocke C, Morris-Schaffer K, Allen JL, Cory-Slechta DA. Developmental exposures to ultrafine particle air pollution reduces early testosterone levels and adult male social novelty preference: Risk for children's sex-biased neurobehavioral disorders. Neurotoxicology 2018; 68:203-211. [PMID: 30144459 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have reported associations of air pollution exposures with various neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit and schizophrenia, all of which are male-biased in prevalence. Our studies of early postnatal exposure of mice to the ultrafine particle (UFP) component of air pollution, considered the most reactive component, provide support for these epidemiological associations, demonstrating male-specific or male-biased neuropathological changes and cognitive and impulsivity deficits consistent with these disorders. Since these neurodevelopmental disorders also include altered social behavior and communication, the current study examined the ability of developmental UFP exposure to reproduce these social behavior deficits and to determine whether any observed alterations reflected changes in steroid hormone concentrations. Elevated plus maze, social conditioned place preference, and social novelty preference were examined in adult mice that had been exposed to concentrated (10-20x) ambient UFPs averaging approximately 45 ug/m3 particle mass concentrations from postnatal day (PND) 4-7 and 10-13 for 4 h/day. Changes in serum testosterone (T) and corticosterone where measured at postnatal day (P)14 and approximately P120. UFP exposure decreased serum T concentrations on PND 14 and social nose-to-nose sniff rates with novel males in adulthood, suggesting social communication deficits in unfamiliar social contexts. Decreased sniff rates were not accounted for by alterations in fear-mediated behaviors and occurred without overt deficits in social preference, recognition or communication with a familiar animal or alterations in corticosterone. Adult T serum concentrations were positively correlated with nose to nose sniff rates. Collectively, these studies confirm another feature of male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders following developmental exposures to even very low levels of UFP air pollution that could be related to alterations in sex steroid programming of brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Sobolewski
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Timothy Anderson
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Elena Marvin
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Carolyn Klocke
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Keith Morris-Schaffer
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Joshua L Allen
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY, United States.
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10
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James WH, Grech V. Can sex ratios at birth be used in the assessment of public health, and in the identification of causes of selected pathologies? Early Hum Dev 2018; 118:15-21. [PMID: 29428574 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
This paper will consist of two parts. In the first, further support is given to the proposal that offspring sex ratios (proportions male) may usefully be regarded as indicators of public health. In the second, it is shown that sex ratios may help in the identification of the causes and effects of several pathologies that seriously impinge on public health viz. autism, testicular cancer, hepatitis B and toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6HH, UK
| | - Victor Grech
- Victor Grech, Academic Department of Paediatrics, University of Malta Medical School, Msida, Malta.
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11
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James WH, Grech V. Homosexual Sons and the Fraternal Birth Order Effect: The Role of Elevated Maternal Intrauterine Testosterone. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:33-36. [PMID: 29159753 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1113-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6HH, UK.
| | - Victor Grech
- Paediatric Department, University of Malta Medical School, Msida, Malta
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12
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Romero-Martínez Á, Polderman TJC, González-Bono E, Moya-Albiol L. Masculinization in Parents of Offspring With Autism Spectrum Disorders Could Be Involved in Comorbid ADHD Symptoms. J Atten Disord 2017; 21:938-943. [PMID: 23569156 DOI: 10.1177/1087054713482685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have comorbid ADHD symptoms. ASD and ADHD are both associated with high intrauterine testosterone (T) levels. This study aims to investigate whether masculinization predicts inattention symptoms in parents, and in their ASD-affected offspring. METHOD The sample consisted of 32 parents with ASD-affected children (13 male, 19 female) and 32 offspring individuals (28 male, 4 female). Masculinization of parents was measured by 2D:4D finger ratio, and current T levels. Inattention in both parents and in their offspring was measured with behavior questionnaires. RESULTS The results indicated that masculinized 2D:4D explains inattentive ADHD symptoms in ASD parents and in their offspring. These predictions are mediated by T and inattention symptoms of ASD parents, respectively. CONCLUSION These findings suggest the existence of a masculinized endophenotype in ASD parents, which may be characterized by high attentional sensitivity to T effects.
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13
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Abstract
The human sex ratio (proportion male) at birth (SRB) varies with many variables. Some of this variation has an established proximate cause. For instance, low SRB (more females) at birth are associated with various forms of stressful events or circumstances during or prior to pregnancy. These low SRB are almost certainly mainly caused by maternal-stress-induced male foetal loss. Other types of SRB variation are thought to be caused by hormonal variation in either or both parents around the time of conception. One or other of these two types of proximate cause seems to be responsible for most of the established variation of SRB. This will be illustrated here in respect of some selected forms of SRB variation. It seems likely that a clarification of the hormonal causes of SRB variation will also help explain the striking (apparent) inconsistencies in the results of reported tests of the influential Trivers-Willard hypothesis. It is further proposed that an appreciation of the evidence that parental hormones influence SRB may enhance understanding of several important pathologies (hepatitis B, toxoplasmosis, testicular cancer, prostate cancer and autism).
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Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- The Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Victor Grech
- Department of Paediatrics, Mater Dei Hospital Medical School, Malta.
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Cho J, Su X, Holditch-Davis D. Associations of Maternal Testosterone and Cortisol Levels With Health Outcomes of Mothers and Their Very-Low-Birthweight Infants. Biol Res Nurs 2017; 19:409-418. [PMID: 28399640 DOI: 10.1177/1099800417703704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the roles of testosterone and cortisol in various health problems have been extensively investigated, little is known about their associations with health outcomes in mothers and their very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants when maternal testosterone and cortisol are examined together during the postpartum period. METHOD The 101 mother-VLBW infant pairs were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary medical center in the southeastern United States. Demographic information, pregnancy and labor complications of mothers, and health and growth outcomes of infants were obtained from medical records and interviews with mothers. Maternal salivary testosterone and cortisol levels were determined using enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS Linear regression showed that mothers who were older and had a larger body mass index experienced more pregnancy complications, whereas mothers who were single and had a cesarean section experienced more labor complications. Generalized linear models showed that mothers with high cortisol levels had more antepartum hemorrhage, whereas infants of mothers with high cortisol levels had fewer neurological insults and shorter hospitalizations than other infants. More mothers experienced premature prolonged rupture of membranes (PPROM) than chorioamnionitis, and maternal medical complications were negatively associated with infant health outcomes except PPROM, which was positively associated with infant outcomes. CONCLUSIONS High maternal cortisol levels were associated with maternal health problems during pregnancy. Beneficial effects of PPROM and high maternal cortisol levels on infant health outcomes were important findings, and understanding the mechanisms of these relationships may be of practical value for clinicians and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- June Cho
- 1 School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xiaogang Su
- 2 Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
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Wang LJ, Chou MC, Chou WJ, Lee MJ, Lee SY, Lin PY, Lee YH, Yang YH, Yen CF. Potential role of pre- and postnatal testosterone levels in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is there a sex difference? Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2017; 13:1331-1339. [PMID: 28553119 PMCID: PMC5439987 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s136717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Both prenatal testosterone (T) exposure and postnatal T levels have been associated with developing neural circuitry and behavioral systems. This study examined the potential correlation between pre- and postnatal T levels and behavioral and neurocognitive profiles of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS Two hundred ADHD patients with a mean age of 8.7±2.0 years (158 boys and 42 girls) were recruited. The ratio of the length of the right index finger (2D) to that of the right ring finger (4D) (2D/4D ratio) served as a surrogate of prenatal T exposure, and postnatal T was determined using salivary T concentration. Behavioral symptoms were evaluated using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham - Version IV Scale for ADHD (SNAP-IV). Neurocognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT). RESULTS Lower 2D/4D ratios were associated with comorbid disruptive behavior disorders (t=2.15, P=0.033) in all participants. Among the boys with ADHD, neither 2D/4D ratios nor salivary T levels were associated with behavioral symptoms or neurocognitive function. Among the girls with ADHD, the salivary T level was positively correlated with the Perceptual Reasoning Index of the WISC-IV (r=0.48, P=0.001) and the Confidence Index (r=0.37, P=0.017) and Omission Errors of the CPT (r=0.62, P<0.001). CONCLUSION Findings suggest that a higher prenatal T exposure is associated with a greater risk of developing disruptive behavior disorders, and T may exert differential neurocognitive effects between boys and girls with ADHD. However, the neurobiological mechanisms of T involved in the pathogenesis of ADHD warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Jen Wang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University
| | - Miao-Chun Chou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine
| | - Wen-Jiun Chou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine
| | - Min-Jing Lee
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine
| | - Sheng-Yu Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung.,Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan
| | - Pao-Yen Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine
| | - Yi-Hsuan Lee
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine
| | - Yi-Hsin Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital
| | - Cheng-Fang Yen
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University.,Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Mouridsen SE, Rich B, Isager T. The Sex Ratio of Full and Half Siblings of People Diagnosed With ADHD in Childhood and Adolescence: A Danish Nationwide Register-Based Cohort Study. J Atten Disord 2016; 20:1017-1022. [PMID: 24752665 DOI: 10.1177/1087054714529817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It has been suggested that high levels of prenatal testosterone exposure are implied in the etiology of male preponderance disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Within this scope, we studied the sex ratio (proportion of males) in siblings of individuals diagnosed with ADHD in childhood and adolescence. METHOD We did a nationwide, register-based cohort study of the sex ratio in siblings of the 16,381 patients in Denmark diagnosed with ADHD at age 17 years and younger and registered in the nationwide Danish Psychiatric Central Register between January 1, 1994 and May 28, 2013. RESULTS Among the 33,151 siblings, 17,041 were males and 16,110 females. This yields a sex ratio of 0.514, which is not statistically significant different from the Danish live birth sex ratio of 0.513 during the relevant years (p = .70). CONCLUSION These findings provide no support for the hypothesis that the sex ratio is elevated among the siblings of people with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bente Rich
- Hødersvej 5, Roskilde, Denmark.,International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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James WH. The sex ratio of the sibs of probands diagnosed with autism. J Theor Biol 2016; 400:154-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Bakroon A, Lakshminarayanan V. Visual function in autism spectrum disorders: a critical review. Clin Exp Optom 2016; 99:297-308. [PMID: 27161596 DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown considerable evidence of visual dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. Anomalies in visual information processing can have a major effect on the life quality of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. We summarise the hypotheses and theories underlying neural aetiologies and genetic factors that cause these disorders, as well as the possible influences of unusual sensory processing on the communications and behaviour characterised by the autistics. In particular, we review the impact of these dysfunctions on visual performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa Bakroon
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.,Departments of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Pivovarciova A, Durdiakova J, Babinska K, Kubranska A, Vokalova L, Minarik G, Celec P, Murin M, Ostatnikova D. Testosterone and Androgen Receptor Sensitivity in Relation to Hyperactivity Symptoms in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149657. [PMID: 26910733 PMCID: PMC4765851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and hyperactivity symptoms exhibit an incidence that is male-biased. Thus androgen activity can be considered a plausible biological risk factor for these disorders. However, there is insufficient information about the association between increased androgen activity and hyperactivity symptoms in children with ASD. METHODS In the present study, the relationship between parameters of androgenicity (plasmatic testosterone levels and androgen receptor sensitivity) and hyperactivity in 60 boys (age 3-15) with ASD is investigated. Given well documented differences in parent and trained examiners ratings of symptom severity, we employed a standardized parent`s questionnaire (Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form) as well as a direct examiner`s rating (Autism diagnostic observation schedule) for assessment of hyperactivity symptoms. RESULTS Although it was found there was no significant association between actual plasmatic testosterone levels and hyperactivity symptoms, the number of CAG triplets was significantly negatively correlated with hyperactivity symptoms (R2 = 0.118, p = 0.007) in the sample, indicating increased androgen receptor sensitivity in association with hyperactivity symptoms. Direct trained examiner´s assessment appeared to be a relevant method for evaluating of behavioral problems in the investigation of biological underpinnings of these problems in our study. CONCLUSIONS A potential ASD subtype characterized by increased rates of hyperactivity symptoms might have distinct etiopathogenesis and require a specific behavioral and pharmacological approach. We propose an increase of androgen receptor sensitivity as a biomarker for a specific ASD subtype accompanied with hyperactivity symptoms. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for practice and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pivovarciova
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- * E-mail:
| | - Jaroslava Durdiakova
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Babinska
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Aneta Kubranska
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Vokalova
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gabriel Minarik
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Celec
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marianna Murin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Social Communication Disorders Clinic, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Ostatnikova
- Academic Research Center for Autism, Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Hergüner S, Harmancı H, Toy H. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder symptoms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Int J Psychiatry Med 2016; 50:317-25. [PMID: 26449924 DOI: 10.1177/0091217415610311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Several studies suggest that androgens are involved in the etiology of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study, we investigated the ADHD symptoms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a complex endocrine, hormonal, and metabolic condition associated with hyperandrogenism. METHODS Forty women between the ages of 18 and 35 years with PCOS were recruited for the study group. For comparison, 40 healthy women who had regular menses were included. Current and childhood ADHD symptoms were assessed by using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale and Wender-Utah Rating Scale, respectively. RESULTS Women with PCOS had higher total Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale and total Wender-Utah Rating Scale scores than controls. According to the Wender-Utah Rating Scale, the frequency of childhood ADHD was significantly higher in PCOS group than the control. Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale: Hyperactivity-Impulsivity and Wender-Utah Rating Scale: Behavioral Problems/Impulsivity scores were significantly higher in women with PCOS. However, there were no significant differences between groups in both current and childhood inattention scores. We found no correlations between ADHD symptoms and serum hormone levels including testosterone in women with PCOS. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that women with PCOS have higher ADHD symptoms. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between PCOS and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabri Hergüner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Hatice Harmancı
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Harun Toy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
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21
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James WH. Studies of human sex ratios at birth may lead to the understanding of several forms of pathology. Hum Biol 2015; 85:769-88. [PMID: 25078960 DOI: 10.3378/027.085.0513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This article deals with the problem of the causes of the variation of sex ratio (proportion male) at birth. This problem is common to a number of areas in biology and medicine, for example, obstetrics, neurology/psychiatry, parasitology, virology, oncology, and teratology. It is established that there are signifi cantly biased, but unexplained, sex ratios in each of these fields. Yet workers in them (with the possible exception of virology) have regarded the problem as a minor loose end, irrelevant to the field's major problems. However, as far as I know, no one has previously noted that unexplained biased sex ratios occur, and thus pose (perhaps similar) problems, in all these fields. Here it is suggested that similar sorts of solutions apply in each. Further research is proposed for testing each solution. If the argument here is substantially correct across this range of topics, it may lead to an improved understanding not only of sex ratio but also of some of the pathologies in these specialties.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- The Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT UK
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22
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Cheslack-Postava K, Susser E, Liu K, Bearman PS. Can Sibling Sex Ratios Be Used as a Valid Test for the Prenatal Androgen Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders? PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141338. [PMID: 26495967 PMCID: PMC4619748 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sibling sex ratios have been applied as an indirect test of a hypothesized association between prenatal testosterone levels and risk for autism, a developmental disorder disproportionately affecting males. Differences in sibling sex ratios between those with and without autism would provide evidence of a shared risk factor for autism and offspring sex. Conclusions related to prenatal testosterone, however, require additional assumptions. Here, we used directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to clarify the elements required for a valid test of the hypothesis that sibling sex ratios differ between children with and without autism. We then conducted such a test using a large, population-based sample of children. METHODS Over 1.1 million subjects, born in California from 1992-2007, and identified through birth records, were included. The association between autism diagnosis, determined using the administrative database of the California Department of Developmental Services, and the sex of the subsequent sibling was examined using generalized estimating equations. Sources of potential bias identified using DAGs were addressed. RESULTS Among male children with autism, 52.2% of next-born siblings were brothers, versus 51.0% for unaffected males. For females with autism, 50.2% of following siblings were brothers versus 51.2% among control females. The relative risk of a subsequent male sibling associated with autism diagnosis was 1.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.99, 1.04). CONCLUSIONS In a large, population-based sample we failed to find evidence suggesting an excess of brothers among children with autism while controlling for several threats to validity. This test cannot rule out a role of any given exposure, including prenatal testosterone, in either risk of autism or offspring sex ratio, but suggests against a common cause of both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely Cheslack-Postava
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ezra Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kayuet Liu
- Department of Sociology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Peter S. Bearman
- Interdisciplinary Center for Innovative Theory and Empirics, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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23
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Butwicka A, Lichtenstein P, Landén M, Nordenvall AS, Nordenström A, Nordenskjöld A, Frisén L. Hypospadias and increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2015; 56:155-61. [PMID: 25048198 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypospadias (aberrant opening of the urethra on the underside of the penis) occurs in 1 per 300 newborn boys. It has been previously unknown whether this common malformation is associated with increased psychiatric morbidity later in life. Studies of individuals with hypospadias also provide an opportunity to examine whether difference in androgen signaling is related to neurodevelopmental disorders. To elucidate the mechanisms behind a possible association, we also studied psychiatric outcomes among brothers of the hypospadias patients. METHODS Registry study within a national cohort of all 9,262 males with hypospadias and their 4,936 healthy brothers born in Sweden between 1973 and 2009. Patients with hypospadias and their brothers were matched with controls by year of birth and county. The following outcomes were evaluated (1) any psychiatric (2) psychotic, (3) mood, (4) anxiety, (5) eating, and (6) personality disorders, (7) substance misuse, (8) attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), (9) autism spectrum disorders (ASD), (10) intellectual disability, and (11) other behavioral/emotional disorders with onset in childhood. RESULTS Patients with hypospadias were more likely to be diagnosed with intellectual disability (OR 3.2; 95% CI 2.8-3.8), ASD (1.4; 1.2-1.7), ADHD (1.5; 1.3-1.9), and behavioral/emotional disorders (1.4; 1.2-1.6) compared with the controls. Brothers of patients with hypospadias had an increased risk of ASD (1.6; 1.3-2.1) and other behavioral/emotional disorders with onset in childhood (1.2; 0.9-1.5) in comparison to siblings of healthy individuals. A slightly higher, although not statistically significant, risk was found for intellectual disability (1.3; 1.0-1.9). No relation between other psychiatric diagnosis and hypospadias was found. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to identify an increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in patients with hypospadias, as well as an increased risk for ASD in their brothers, suggesting a common familial (genetic and/or environmental) liability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Butwicka
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Child Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Mouridsen SE, Rich B, Isager T. The sex ratio of full and half siblings of people diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder: a Danish Nationwide Register Study. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2014; 45:493-9. [PMID: 24213328 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-013-0419-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In the extreme male brain theory of autism sex steroid hormones are hypothesized to influence brain development and to mediate sex differences in developmental psychopathology. Within this scope we examined the sex ratio (proportion of males) in siblings of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We did a nationwide, register based cohort study of the sex ratio in 17,380 siblings of the 10,297 patients diagnosed with ASD at age 17 years and younger and registered in the nationwide Danish Psychiatric Central Register between 1994 and 2012. Among the 17,380 siblings 8,828 were males and 8,552 females. This yields a sex ratio of 0.508, which is not different from the Danish live birth sex ratio of 0.513 during the relevant years (P = 0.18). Overall, our findings provide no support for the hypothesis that there are relatively more males among the siblings of people with ASD. Accordingly, our results do not give support to the extreme male brain theory of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svend Erik Mouridsen
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Centre, Bispebjerg University Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark,
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Abdoli A, Dalimi A. Are There any Relationships between Latent Toxoplasma gondii Infection, Testosterone Elevation, and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder? Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:339. [PMID: 25309376 PMCID: PMC4173877 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Abdoli
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Kashan University of Medical Science , Kashan , Iran ; Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran
| | - Abdolhossein Dalimi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran
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An update on the hypothesis that one cause of autism is high intrauterine levels of testosterone of maternal origin. J Theor Biol 2014; 355:33-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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What have we learned from recent twin studies about the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders? Curr Opin Neurol 2013; 26:111-21. [PMID: 23426380 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0b013e32835f19c3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The relative influence of genes and environment on the liability to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) can be investigated using a twin design. This review highlights the results of the most recent twin studies of NDDs. RECENT FINDINGS Recent twin studies have confirmed that NDDs show moderate-to-high heritability, and that from an etiological viewpoint both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are best regarded as the extremes on a continuous liability distribution. Both ASD and ADHD show high heritability in childhood and a substantial drop in heritability in adulthood, which is likely explained by the use of different assessment strategies in childhood versus adulthood, or by a complex mechanism of gene-by-environment interaction. NDDs show substantial comorbidity among each other, and with other mental health problems, which is partly because of a shared genetic etiology between different disorders. SUMMARY The findings of twin studies implicate substantial heritability of NDDs, and warrant large-scale molecular genetic studies for such traits.
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Exercise in obese female rats has beneficial effects on maternal and male and female offspring metabolism. Int J Obes (Lond) 2013; 39:712-9. [PMID: 23949616 PMCID: PMC3925765 DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2013.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal obesity (MO) impairs maternal and offspring health. Mechanisms and interventions to prevent adverse maternal and offspring outcomes need to be determined. Human studies are confounded by socio-economic status providing the rationale for controlled animal data on effects of maternal exercise (MEx) intervention on maternal (F0) and offspring (F1) outcomes in MO. HYPOTHESIS MO produces metabolic and endocrine dysfunction, increases maternal and offspring glucocorticoid exposure, oxidative stress and adverse offspring outcomes by postnatal day (PND) 36. MEx prevents these outcomes. METHODS F0 female rats ate either control or obesogenic diet from weaning through lactation. Half of each group wheel ran (from day ninety of life through pregnancy beginning day 120) providing four groups (n=8/group) – i) controls, ii) obese, iii) exercised controls and iv) exercised obese. After weaning, PND 21, F1 offspring ate a control diet. Metabolic parameters of F0 prepregnancy and end of lactation and F1 offspring at PND 36 were analyzed. RESULTS Exercise did not change maternal weight. Before breeding, MO elevated F0 glucose, insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, fat and oxidative stress. Exercise completely prevented the triglyceride rise and partially glucose, insulin, cholesterol and oxidative stress increases. MO decreased fertility, recovered by exercise. At the end of lactation, exercise returned all metabolic variables except leptin to control levels. Exercise partially prevented MO elevated corticosterone. F1 Offspring weights were similar at birth. At PND 36 MO increased F1 male but not female offspring leptin, triglycerides and fat mass. In controls exercise reduced male and female offspring glucose, prevented the offspring leptin increase and partially the triglyceride rise. CONCLUSIONS MEx before and during pregnancy has beneficial effects on maternal and offspring metabolism and endocrine function occurring with no weight change in mothers and offspring indicating the importance of body composition rather than weight in evaluations of metabolic status.
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Cho J, Holditch-Davis D. Effects of perinatal testosterone on infant health, mother-infant interactions, and infant development. Biol Res Nurs 2013; 16:228-36. [PMID: 23639953 DOI: 10.1177/1099800413486340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many researchers and health care providers have noticed male vulnerability in infant health, mother-infant interactions, and some infant cognitive development, especially among very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants. However, factors beyond gender that could explain these observed differences have not been clear. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the subject and to introduce a conceptual framework relating these factors. DISCUSSION According to gender-difference theories, prenatal exposure to high levels of testosterone may influence infant health and mother-infant interactions by negatively affecting infant cognitive/motor/language development. We constructed a conceptual framework based on the associations among biological (perinatal testosterone), stress-related (perinatal and maternal cortisol), and developmental (infant cognitive/motor/language skills) factors. If research establishes these biological, environmental, and developmental associations in mother-VLBW preterm pairs, the results will highlight the importance of addressing gender differences in nursing research and encourage the development of nursing interventions designed to reduce stress among mothers of VLBW preterm infants, particularly male infants. CONCLUSION From a psychobiosocial perspective, combining biophysiological factors such as perinatal testosterone and cortisol with socioenvironmental factors such as the quality of mother-infant interactions and infant temperament may provide a broader view of gender differences in infant health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- June Cho
- 1School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Tropeano M, Ahn JW, Dobson RJB, Breen G, Rucker J, Dixit A, Pal DK, McGuffin P, Farmer A, White PS, Andrieux J, Vassos E, Ogilvie CM, Curran S, Collier DA. Male-biased autosomal effect of 16p13.11 copy number variation in neurodevelopmental disorders. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61365. [PMID: 23637818 PMCID: PMC3630198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2012] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) at chromosome 16p13.11 have been associated with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, ADHD, intellectual disability and schizophrenia. Significant sex differences in prevalence, course and severity have been described for a number of these conditions but the biological and environmental factors underlying such sex-specific features remain unclear. We tested the burden and the possible sex-biased effect of CNVs at 16p13.11 in a sample of 10,397 individuals with a range of neurodevelopmental conditions, clinically referred for array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH); cases were compared with 11,277 controls. In order to identify candidate phenotype-associated genes, we performed an interval-based analysis and investigated the presence of ohnologs at 16p13.11; finally, we searched the DECIPHER database for previously identified 16p13.11 copy number variants. In the clinical referral series, we identified 46 cases with CNVs of variable size at 16p13.11, including 28 duplications and 18 deletions. Patients were referred for various phenotypes, including developmental delay, autism, speech delay, learning difficulties, behavioural problems, epilepsy, microcephaly and physical dysmorphisms. CNVs at 16p13.11 were also present in 17 controls. Association analysis revealed an excess of CNVs in cases compared with controls (OR = 2.59; p = 0.0005), and a sex-biased effect, with a significant enrichment of CNVs only in the male subgroup of cases (OR = 5.62; p = 0.0002), but not in females (OR = 1.19, p = 0.673). The same pattern of results was also observed in the DECIPHER sample. Interval-based analysis showed a significant enrichment of case CNVs containing interval II (OR = 2.59; p = 0.0005), located in the 0.83 Mb genomic region between 15.49-16.32 Mb, and encompassing the four ohnologs NDE1, MYH11, ABCC1 and ABCC6. Our data confirm that duplications and deletions at 16p13.11 represent incompletely penetrant pathogenic mutations that predispose to a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, and suggest a sex-limited effect on the penetrance of the pathological phenotypes at the 16p13.11 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tropeano
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joo Wook Ahn
- Department of Cytogenetics, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. B. Dobson
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Rucker
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abhishek Dixit
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Deb K. Pal
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter McGuffin
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Farmer
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter S. White
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Division of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Joris Andrieux
- Institut de Génétique Médicale, CHRU de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Evangelos Vassos
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Mackie Ogilvie
- Department of Cytogenetics, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Curran
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David A Collier
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Discovery Neuroscience Research, Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Lilly Research Laboratories, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
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El-Ansary A, Al-Ayadhi L. Lipid mediators in plasma of autism spectrum disorders. Lipids Health Dis 2012; 11:160. [PMID: 23170784 PMCID: PMC3557222 DOI: 10.1186/1476-511x-11-160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Inflammation is increasingly recognized as being of both physiological and pathological importance in the immature brain. Cerebellar pathology occurs in autism, as a neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and environmental origins. The genesis of this disorder is still not understood but inflammation in utero or early in childhood is an environmental risk factor. Methods Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cysteinyl leukotriene as two important lipid mediators together with 8 isoprostane as marker of oxidative stress were measured using ELISA in plasma of 20 male autistic patients compared to 19 age and gender matching control participants. Results PGE2, leukotrienes and isoprostanes recorded significantly elevated levels in autistics compared to controls. Role of these measured parameters in inflammation and autoimmunity as two etiological factors in autism were discussed in details. Conclusion Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis shows satisfactory values of area under the curve (AUC) which could reflect the high degree of specificity and sensitivity of the altered PGE2, leukotrienes and isoprostanes as predictive biomarkers in autistic patients from Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afaf El-Ansary
- Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Liu J, Portnoy J, Raine A. Association between a marker for prenatal testosterone exposure and externalizing behavior problems in children. Dev Psychopathol 2012; 24:771-82. [PMID: 22781854 PMCID: PMC4247331 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579412000363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal androgen exposure has been associated with aggressive behavior in adults. It is less clear whether this association holds for childhood externalizing behavior. This study tests the hypothesis that increased prenatal androgen exposure is associated with aggressive behavior and attention problems in childhood. The ratio of the length of the second finger digit relative to the fourth digit, which is a marker for prenatal testosterone exposure, was assessed in 239 male and female fifth grade schoolchildren from Jintan, China, together with parent and teacher ratings of aggression and attention problems. Increased aggression and attention problems were both significantly associated with a lower ratio of the length of the second finger digit relative to the fourth digit ratios in boys but not girls. The effects remained significant after controlling for early adversity. These findings are the first to establish a relationship between an indirect indicator of fetal androgen exposure and any child psychopathology in Chinese children, and the observed effect size in boys was stronger than in male adults in Western studies. The results provide limited cross-cultural support for the importance of prenatal androgen exposure in contributing to the development of externalizing behavior problems in children, and they suggest that such effects may be specific to boys who may be relatively more vulnerable to early prenatal influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghong Liu
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, 3809 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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James WH. The relevance of the epidemiology of human sex ratios at birth to some medical problems. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2012; 26:181-9. [PMID: 22471677 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2012.01267.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The human sex ratio (proportion male at birth) shows considerable variation which is central to reproductive epidemiology. For example, it has reportedly shown significant secular trends and wartime variation, and it has shown replicated variation with parental exposure to several deleterious chemicals. However, scientific progress in identifying the causes of these forms of variation has been very slow and, as described here, this has elicited some scepticism. Benefits may be expected from identifying these causes. Two (non-competing) hypotheses have emerged, the first relating to the hormonal regulation of sex ratio at conception, and the second to the sex-selective effects of stressors during pregnancy. It is shown here that if the first of these hypotheses was substantially correct, it would illuminate a number of scientific and medical problems, for example, the causes of autism and of selected sex-related congenital malformations and obstetric pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
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Abstract
Baron-Cohen hypothesized that a cause of autism in infants is exposure to high concentrations of intrauterine testosterone concentrations. Some of the subsequent research on this hypothesis has focused on the possibility that the source of this testosterone is the fetus; however, this review shows that if the source is taken to be the mother, then many of the established risk factors for autism could be explained. If that were correct, it would follow that high maternally derived intrauterine androgen concentrations may be a major environmental cause of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College, London, UK.
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Tammimies K, Tapia-Páez I, Rüegg J, Rosin G, Kere J, Gustafsson JÅ, Nalvarte I. The rs3743205 SNP is important for the regulation of the dyslexia candidate gene DYX1C1 by estrogen receptor β and DNA methylation. Mol Endocrinol 2012; 26:619-29. [PMID: 22383464 DOI: 10.1210/me.2011-1376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen is involved in numerous physiological processes such as growth, differentiation, and function of the male and female reproductive tissues. In the developing brain, estrogen signaling has been linked to cognitive functions, such as learning and memory; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood. We have previously shown a link between developmental dyslexia and estrogen signaling, when we studied the functional interactions between the dyslexia candidate protein DYX1C1 and the estrogen receptors α (ERα) and β (ERβ). Here, we investigate the 17β-estradiol (E2)-dependent regulation of dyslexia susceptibility 1 candidate 1 (DYX1C1) expression. We demonstrate that ERβ, not ERα, binds to a transcriptionally active cis-regulatory region upstream of DYX1C1 transcriptional start site and that DYX1C1 expression is enhanced by E2 in a neuroblastoma cell line. This regulation is dependent on transcription factor II-I and liganded ERβ recruitment to this region. In addition, we describe that a single nucleotide polymorphism previously shown to be associated with dyslexia and located in the cis-regulatory region of DYX1C1 may alter the epigenetic and endocrine regulation of this gene. Our data provide important molecular insights into the relationship between developmental dyslexia susceptibility and estrogen signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiina Tammimies
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14183 Huddinge, Sweden
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Pfaff DW, Rapin I, Goldman S. Male predominance in autism: neuroendocrine influences on arousal and social anxiety. Autism Res 2011; 4:163-76. [PMID: 21465671 DOI: 10.1002/aur.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2010] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
We offer a neurobiologic theory based on animal work that helps account for the conspicuous male predominance in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In young male animals, testosterone (TST) binds to androgen receptors (AR) in brainstem neurons responsible for enhancing brain arousal. As a consequence, arousal-related neurotransmitters bombard the amygdala hypersensitized by TST acting though AR. Arousal-related inputs are known to prime amygdaloid mechanisms for fear and anxiety, with resultant social avoidance. We hypothesize that similar mechanisms contribute to autism's male predominance and to its defining impaired social skills. The theory rests on two key interacting factors: the molecular effects of TST in genetically vulnerable boys in combination with environmental stresses they experienced in utero, neonatally, or during the first years. We postulate that higher TST levels and, therefore, higher amounts of arousal-related inputs to the amygdala sensitize these genetically vulnerable male infants to very early stresses. In sharp contrast to boys, girls not only do not have high levels of TST-facilitated arousal-causing inputs to the amygdala but they also enjoy the protection afforded by estrogenic hormones, oxytocin, and the oxytocin receptor. This theory suggests that novel technologies applied to the molecular endocrinology of TST's actions through AR will offer new avenues of enquiry into ASD. Since the high male preponderance in autism is important yet understudied, we offer our theory, which is based on detailed neurobehavioral research with animals, to stimulate basic and clinical research in animals and humans and hopefully help develop novel more effective medical treatments for autism.
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THE CATEGORIES OF EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE HYPOTHESIS THAT MAMMALIAN SEX RATIOS AT BIRTH ARE CAUSALLY RELATED TO THE HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS OF BOTH PARENTS AROUND THE TIME OF CONCEPTION. J Biosoc Sci 2010; 43:167-84. [DOI: 10.1017/s0021932010000660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SummaryThis note categorizes the evidence for the hypothesis that mammalian offspring sex ratios (proportions male) are causally related to the hormone levels of both parents around the time of conception. Most of the evidence may be acknowledged to be correlational and observational. As such it might be suspected of having been selected; or of having been subject to other forms of bias or confounding; or, at any rate, of being inadequate as a firm basis for causal inference. However, there are other types of evidence that are not vulnerable to these types of criticism. These are from the following sources: (1) previously neglected data from Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia; (2) fulfilled predictions; (3) genetics; and (4) a network of logically (mathematically) related propositions, for some of which there is overwhelming empirical evidence. It is suggested that this variety of evidence confers greater overall credibility on the hypothesis than would be the case if all the evidence were of the same observational/correlational status. This observational/correlational evidence is tabulated to illustrate its consistency.
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Mouridsen SE, Hauschild KM. The sex ratio of siblings of individuals with a history of developmental language disorder. LOGOP PHONIATR VOCO 2010; 35:144-8. [DOI: 10.3109/14015430903518007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To summarize recent research on developmental coordination disorder (DCD), with particular attention to comorbidity and related questions of etiology. RECENT FINDINGS Although a general consensus on the disorder definition exists, case identification in research studies remains problematic. Despite this, recent research has reported high levels of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and internalizing disorders among children with poor motor coordination. These findings offer some support for the longstanding view that DCD may be one facet of a broader syndrome that includes learning difficulties and deficits in attention. 'Pure' cases are common, however, and other work suggests that DCD and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have distinct causes. There is also some evidence that internalizing disorder may be a consequence of DCD. SUMMARY Measurement issues in DCD persist, whereas findings on comorbidity have both illuminated the nature of the disorder and heightened debate on its usefulness as a distinct diagnostic entity.
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Abstract
The human sex ratio SR (proportion male) at birth has been reported to vary with many variables. The explanation of this variation is not established, but I have hypothesized that it is partially caused by the hormonal concentrations of both parents around the time of conception. The present note suggests how this hypothesis might accommodate recent sex ratio findings relating to 'psychosexual restriction', female genital cutting, sexes of prior sibs, finger length ratios, the autism spectrum disorder, parental occupation and maternal eating disorders. Tests of such suggestions are offered, and it is hypothesized that: (a) in women, Manning's R (the ratio of the lengths of the 2nd and 4th digits) is positively correlated with offspring sex ratio (proportion male); (b) women who have undergone female genital cutting (FGC) have high androgen levels; (c) offspring sex ratio correlates positively with 'masculinity' of parental occupation, the correlation being mediated by testosterone levels. It is noted that the lines of evidence for three hypotheses (James', Manning's and Baron-Cohen's) are mutually supportive.
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Corpus callosum deficits in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia: evidence for neurodevelopmental pathogenesis. Psychiatry Res 2010; 182:141-5. [PMID: 20413279 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2009] [Revised: 12/06/2009] [Accepted: 01/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The corpus callosum (CC), the largest inter-hemispheric tract connecting the association cortices, has been shown to be affected in disorders with aberrant neurodevelopment. Previous studies that investigated CC abnormalities in schizophrenia have reported mixed findings potentially due to various confounding factors. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging to examine a large sample of antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients (n=66) in comparison with age-, sex-, and handedness-matched (as a group) healthy comparison subjects (n=46). Mid-sagittal areas of CC sub-regions--namely, the genu, body, isthmus and splenium--were measured based on Witelson's method with good inter- and intra-rater reliability. The genu and body of the CC were significantly smaller in schizophrenia patients in comparison to healthy subjects after controlling for the potential confounding effects of age, sex and intracranial area. In male schizophrenia patients, there was a significant positive correlation between the age at onset of psychosis and the area of the genu. Together, these findings suggest neurodevelopmentally mediated hypoconnectivity in schizophrenia.
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James WH. Sex ratio of siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Dev Med Child Neurol 2010; 52:228. [PMID: 19549192 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03383.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
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Mouridsen SE, Rich B, Isager T. Sibling sex ratio of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as children. Dev Med Child Neurol 2010; 52:289-92. [PMID: 19549197 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03368.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM To study the sex ratio (proportion of males) in siblings of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) as children. METHOD In the current study, we extended previous studies dealing with the androgen theory of autism and examined sex ratios in the siblings of 326 individuals with ASD (245 males, 81 females) who had been consecutively assessed at two Danish university clinics of child psychiatry during the 25-year period from 1960 to 1985. RESULTS Among the 513 siblings, 300 were males and 213 females. This yields a sex ratio of 0.585, which is significantly higher than the Danish live-birth sex ratio over the same period (0.514, p=0.001). The sibling sex ratio was not associated with the IQ in the autistic probands. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest a potential indirect confirmation of the androgen theory of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svend Erik Mouridsen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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45
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James WH. A potential cause of the reported increase in rates of autism. Int J Epidemiol 2009; 39:1676-7. [DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyp357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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46
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Hughes JR. Update on autism: a review of 1300 reports published in 2008. Epilepsy Behav 2009; 16:569-89. [PMID: 19896907 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2009] [Accepted: 09/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This publication, by reviewing 1300 studies published on autism in 2008, represents an update on this topic. Results include possible parental influences, maternal conditions, and studies on genes and chromosomes. Possible etiological factors involve the "extreme male brain," defects in the mirror neuron system, vaccines, underconnectivity, disorders of central coherence, and many other more specific etiologies. Assessments or tests for autism are also reviewed. Characteristics of autistic individuals include repetitive behavior, language disorders, sleep disturbances, social problems, joint attention disorders, seizures, allergic reactions, and various behavioral changes. Cognitive changes involve IQ, reasoning, and verbal and language disorders. The savant syndrome is a fascinating phenomenon, at times seen in autistic individuals. Neurophysiological and neuroanatomical changes are also reviewed, as are comorbid conditions. Finally, treatment involves various medications including risperidone, ziprasidone, and antipsychotic drugs, as well as different procedures such as magnetic stimulation, acupuncture, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. As mentioned in the 2007 survey, nearly every conceivable problem that a child can have may be found in these unfortunate children and nearly every conceivable etiology has been mentioned to account for this serious disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Hughes
- Department of Neurology, University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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47
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James WH. A new method for testing a hypothesis on a cause of polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod 2009; 24:2968. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dep328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Pediatr 2009; 21:272-80. [PMID: 19307901 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0b013e32832ad5c0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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49
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Brosnan M, Walker I. A preliminary investigation into the potential role of waist hip ratio (WHR) preference within the assortative mating hypothesis of autistic spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2008; 39:164-71. [PMID: 18600439 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0615-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2007] [Accepted: 06/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Of particular interest to studying the etiology of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) is the potential for multiple risk factors to combine through non-random mechanisms-assortative mating. Both genetic influences and a high-testosterone prenatal environment have been implicated in the etiology of ASDs, and given that waist-hip ratio (WHR) is indicative of a woman's circulating testosterone level, a man attracted to higher-than-average WHR women is likely to have a higher-than-average prenatal testosterone exposure for their offspring. We show that whereas fathers of children without ASD show a statistically reliable preference for WHRs at the low end of the normal range, indicative of women with low testosterone levels, fathers of children diagnosed with ASD do not consistently show this preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Brosnan
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK.
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