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Shan W, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Zhao L, Hall BJ, Tucker JD, Jiang F. Association between maltreatment, hair cortisol concentration, positive parent-child interaction, and psychosocial outcomes in Chinese preschool children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:2719-2730. [PMID: 38182921 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02355-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Children now are facing an increasing risk of early life stress (ELS), which leads to detrimental psychosocial outcomes. Behavior studies suggested that positive parental interactions might moderate the negative impact of ELS, but the related biological alteration remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether positive parent-child interactions moderate the association between maltreatment (as a severe form of ELS) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC), as well as between HCC and psychosocial outcomes in young children. Participants were 6-year-old Chinese children (N = 257, Mage = 6.2, 121 were male) selected by stratified cluster random sampling from a Shanghai population representative cohort. Proximal 3 cm hair strands were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for HCC. Children's psychosocial outcome was evaluated using the parental report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parents also reported the frequency of positive parent-child interactions using the Chinese Parent-Child Interaction Scale (CPCIS) as well as the history of maltreatment. Multi-level logistic regression models adjusting for individual, kindergarten, and district confounders were used to evaluate the associations between maltreatment, HCC, and psychosocial outcomes. Interactions terms tested whether more frequent positive parent-child interactions moderates the association between maltreatment and HCC, as well as between HCC and psychosocial outcomes. Maltreated children exhibited higher levels of HCC (B = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.38,2.02; p = 0.004), and children with higher HCC exhibited poorer psychosocial outcomes (B = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18,0.51; p < 0.001). Positive parent-child interactions did not have a moderating effect on the association between maltreatment and HCC, but they demonstrated a moderating effect on the association between increased HCC and psychosocial outcomes (interaction term: B = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.75,-0.10; p = 0.01). These findings provide evidence that positive parental interaction may serve as a moderator between chronic cortisol exposure and psychosocial problems. It highlights the importance of frequent parent-child interactions, especially among children under a high risk of ELS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Shan
- Department of International Clinic, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Child Health Advocacy Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunting Zhang
- Child Health Advocacy Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Zhao
- Child Health Advocacy Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of International Clinic, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Brian J Hall
- Center for Global Health Equity, NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph D Tucker
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Fan Jiang
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Dauvermann MR, Moreno-Lopéz L, Vai B, González-García N, Orellana S, Jones PB, Bullmore E, Goodyer IM, van Harmelen AL. Early adolescent perceived friendship quality aids affective and neural responses to social inclusion and exclusion in young adults with and without adverse childhood experiences. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae044. [PMID: 38902943 PMCID: PMC11219303 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Friendships increase mental wellbeing and resilient functioning in young people with childhood adversity (CA). However, the mechanisms of this relationship are unknown. We examined the relationship between perceived friendship quality at age 14 after the experience of CA and reduced affective and neural responses to social exclusion at age 24. Resilient functioning was quantified as psychosocial functioning relative to the degree of CA severity in 310 participants at age 24. From this cohort, 62 young people with and without CA underwent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to assess brain responses to social inclusion and exclusion. We observed that good friendship quality was significantly associated with better resilient functioning. Both friendship quality and resilient functioning were related to increased affective responses to social inclusion. We also found that friendship quality, but not resilient functioning, was associated with increased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex responses to peer exclusion. Our findings suggest that friendship quality in early adolescence may contribute to the evaluation of social inclusion by increasing affective sensitivity to positive social experiences and increased brain activity in regions involved in emotion regulation to negative social experiences. Future research is needed to clarify this relationship with resilient functioning in early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria R Dauvermann
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Moreno-Lopéz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Benedetta Vai
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, 20127, Italy
| | - Nadia González-García
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, 06720, Mexico
| | - Sofia Orellana
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Peter B Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Ed Bullmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
- Department of Research and Development, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, CB21 5EF, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M Goodyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Anne-Laura van Harmelen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, AK 2333, The Netherlands
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3
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Brett BE, Vacaru S, Beijers R, de Weerth C. Infant colic and HPA axis development across childhood. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 164:106965. [PMID: 38493596 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.106965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study examines the long-term impact of infant colic on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis development and the moderating role of attachment security, in a low-risk Dutch sample of 193 children. We assessed infant colic at 6 weeks, circadian cortisol concentrations at ages 1, 2.5, 6, and 10 years, and attachment security at 1 year. Findings indicated that infant colic was associated with steeper diurnal cortisol slopes and slightly higher cortisol concentrations throughout childhood. Attachment security did not moderate these associations. This is the first study to reveal a link between infant colic and the development of the HPA axis in healthy children beyond infancy. These findings have important implications for understanding early risk and protective factors in the stress system's development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie E Brett
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Stefania Vacaru
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, Nijmegen 6525HR, the Netherlands
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Stegenga K, Henley AK, Harman E, Robb SL. Shifting perspectives and transformative change: Parent perspectives of an active music engagement intervention for themselves and their child with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30913. [PMID: 38337169 PMCID: PMC10959685 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with cancer (ages 3-8 years) and their parents experience significant, interrelated distress associated with cancer treatment. Active music engagement (AME) uses music-based play and shared music-making to mitigate this distress. To advance our understanding about how AME works and its essential features, we interviewed parents who received the AME intervention as part of a multi-site mechanistic trial. The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to describe parents' experiences of AME for themselves and their child and to better understand how the intervention worked to lower parent-child distress. PROCEDURE We conducted a total of 43 interviews with parents/caregivers, and purposively analyzed all interviews from underrepresented groups based on race/ethnicity and parent role. We used thematic analysis and achieved thematic redundancy after analyzing 28 interviews. RESULTS The following statement summarizes resulting themes: Music therapists skillfully use AME to create a safe and healthy space (Theme 1), where parents/children have transformative experiences (Theme 2) that lead to learning and enactment (Theme 3) of new skills that counteract suffering (Theme 4) through empowerment, connectedness, and sustained relief. CONCLUSIONS This work elucidates how AME works to counteract stressful qualities of cancer treatment. As parents witnessed positive and transformative changes in their child, they experienced relief and reported shifts in their perspective about cancer treatment. This led to learning and use of music as a coping strategy that extended beyond therapist-led sessions. Accessible, music-based interventions, like AME, offer a developmentally appropriate and effective way to support parents and young children during treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Stegenga
- Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, Division of Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Kansas City, MO
| | - Amanda K. Henley
- Indiana University, Herron School of Art and Design, Indianapolis, IN
| | | | - Sheri L. Robb
- Indiana University, School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN
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5
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Creasey N, Leijten P, Tollenaar MS, Boks MP, Overbeek G. DNA methylation variation after a parenting program for child conduct problems: Findings from a randomized controlled trial. Child Dev 2024. [PMID: 38436454 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated associations of the Incredible Years (IY) parenting program with children's DNA methylation. Participants were 289 Dutch children aged 3-9 years (75% European ancestry, 48% female) with above-average conduct problems. Saliva was collected 2.5 years after families were randomized to IY or care as usual (CAU). Using an intention-to-treat approach, confirmatory multiple-regression analyses revealed no significant differences between the IY and CAU groups in children's methylation levels at the NR3C1 and FKBP5 genes. However, exploratory epigenome-wide analyses revealed nine differentially methylated regions between groups, coinciding with SLAMF1, MITF, FAM200B, PSD3, SNX31, and CELSR1. The study provides preliminary evidence for associations of IY with children's salivary methylation levels and highlights the need for further research into biological outcomes of parenting programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patty Leijten
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marco P Boks
- Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Geertjan Overbeek
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Zhang L, Wang Y, Li S, Otani S, Chen F. Post-stress Social Interaction and 3-Cyano-N-(1,3-Diphenyl-1H-Pyrazol-5-yl) Benzamide Treatment Attenuate Depressive-like Behavior Induced by Repeated Social Defeat Stress. Neuroscience 2024; 538:11-21. [PMID: 38103860 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Persistent stress increases the probability for developing depression significantly thereafter. Repeated social defeat stress is a widely used model to investigate depressive-like behavior in preclinical models. Hence, the repeated social defeat stress model provided an ideal animal model, through which the hypotheses of prevention and treatment can be investigated. We have successfully induced depressive-like behavior for male C57BL/6J mice with this model. Here, we reported that certain level of during-stress social interactions with single female or multiple male peer(s) exerted a positive role in preventing the development of depressive-like behavior induced by repeated social defeat stress. Our data suggested that the stress-susceptible mice may benefit from positive social interaction, which reduces the chance for depressive-like behavior development. Since numerous studies indicate that the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) plays an important role in various cognitive functions, we further investigate the treatment effect of 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl) benzamide (CDPPB) on the depressive-like behavior induced by repeated social defeat stress. Most importantly, robust anti-depressant effects have been achieved through modulating the mGluR5 function. We found that single oral dose administration of CDPPB (20 mg/kg), to some extent, alleviated the social avoidance behaviors for the stress-susceptible mice. Our data implies that the CDPPB, a positive allosteric modulator of mGluR5, is a promising anti-depressant candidate with limited side effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangui Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Ying Wang
- Core Research Facilities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Shengtian Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Satoru Otani
- Vision Institute, CNRS - INSERM - Sorbonne University, Paris 75012, France.
| | - Fujun Chen
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
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7
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Wall EK, Teo JN, Roth A, Chan ME, Brandt J, Hibri M, Richardson R, Baker KD. Effects of social buffering on fear extinction in adolescent rats. Behav Res Ther 2024; 173:104457. [PMID: 38134498 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Across social species, the presence of another individual can reduce stress reactions to adverse stimuli, a phenomenon known as social buffering. The present study investigated whether social buffering influences the expression and extinction of learned fear in adolescence, a developmental period of diminished fear inhibition and increased social interaction. Quality of maternal care and degree of social investigation were examined as factors that may influence social buffering. In adolescence, male rats were fear conditioned and then given extinction training either in the presence of a same-age rat or alone. Animals were then tested alone for extinction retention. In two experiments, the presence of a conspecific robustly reduced conditioned fear responses during extinction training. Interestingly, a persistent social buffering effect was observed when the extinction and conditioning contexts had prominent differences in features (Experiment 1), but not when these contexts were relatively similar (Experiment 2). Neither quality of maternal care nor degree of social investigation predicted the effects of social buffering. These findings suggest that social buffering robustly dampens fear responses during adolescence when a peer is present and this suppression can persist, in some instances, even when the peer is absent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Wall
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jia Ni Teo
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | | | - Mei E Chan
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | | | - Maya Hibri
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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8
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Lozada M, D'Adamo P. Enactive interventions can enhance agency, health, and social relationships during childhood. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1245883. [PMID: 38235280 PMCID: PMC10791784 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1245883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Lozada
- INIBIOMA, CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Paola D'Adamo
- ECyC IPEHCS CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
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9
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Filetti C, Kane-Grade F, Gunnar M. The Development of Stress Reactivity and Regulation in Children and Adolescents. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:395-419. [PMID: 37559538 PMCID: PMC10845082 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230808120504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Adversity experienced in early life can have detrimental effects on physical and mental health. One pathway in which these effects occur is through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a key physiological stress-mediating system. In this review, we discuss the theoretical perspectives that guide stress reactivity and regulation research, the anatomy and physiology of the axis, developmental changes in the axis and its regulation, brain systems regulating stress, the role of genetic and epigenetics variation in axis development, sensitive periods in stress system calibration, the social regulation of stress (i.e., social buffering), and emerging research areas in the study of stress physiology and development. Understanding the development of stress reactivity and regulation is crucial for uncovering how early adverse experiences influence mental and physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Filetti
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Finola Kane-Grade
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Megan Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
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10
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Modde Epstein C, Rice MJ, French JA, Kupzyk KA, Houfek JF. Social Support Buffers the Effects of Prenatal Depressed Mood: A Mixed-Methods Study. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc 2024; 30:95-107. [PMID: 35081823 DOI: 10.1177/10783903211073793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Women use various coping strategies to deal with stress and depression. These strategies are shaped by social contexts over the life course and may attenuate and/or exacerbate the physiologic effects of depression. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine whether coping strategies (active, disengaged, or social support coping) moderate depression-related diurnal cortisol dysregulation and to explore how social context influences women's use of coping. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study of pregnant women (N = 65) during mid-pregnancy. Cortisol was measured in saliva collected during the waking hours of the day. Participants completed the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Brief COPE. A subset of the sample participated in semistructured qualitative interviews (n = 20). RESULTS: Social support coping, but not active or disengaged coping, moderated end-of-day cortisol levels. Among depressed women, higher use of social support was associated with lower and more dynamic (i.e., less flat) diurnal cortisol rhythms. The qualitative findings revealed how complex social dynamics related to financial insecurity, lack of mutuality, and social identity affected women's use of and access to social support. CONCLUSION: These findings support theories of the stress-buffering effects of social support. Future research is needed to examine how social determinants affect access to social support, and how early life social experiences condition women's adaptive formation of social support coping strategies over the life course. Clinically, these findings underscore the value of relationship-centered nursing care for depressed women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Modde Epstein
- Crystal Modde Epstein, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Michael J Rice
- Michael J. Rice, PhD, APRN-NP, FAAN, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey A French
- Jeffrey A. French, PhD, University of Nebraska at Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Kevin A Kupzyk
- Kevin A. Kupzyk, PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Julia F Houfek
- Julia F. Houfek, PhD, APRN-CNS, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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11
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Xu Y, Harms MB, Green CS, Wilson RC, Pollak SD. Childhood unpredictability and the development of exploration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303869120. [PMID: 38011553 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303869120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Early in development, the process of exploration helps children gather new information that fosters learning about the world. Yet, it is unclear how childhood experiences may influence the way humans approach new learning. What influences decisions to exploit known, familiar options versus trying a novel alternative? We found that childhood unpredictability, characterized by unpredictable caregiving and unstable living environments, was associated with reduced exploratory behavior. This effect holds while controlling for individual differences, including anxiety and stress. Individuals who perceived their childhoods as unpredictable explored less and were instead more likely to repeat previous choices (habitual responding). They were also more sensitive to uncertainty than to potential rewards, even when the familiar options yielded lower rewards. We examined these effects across multiple task contexts and via both in-person (N = 78) and online replication (N = 84) studies among 10- to 13-y-olds. Results are discussed in terms of the potential cascading effects of unpredictable environments on the development of decision-making and the effects of early experience on subsequent learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Xu
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Madeline B Harms
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812
| | - C Shawn Green
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Robert C Wilson
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85716
| | - Seth D Pollak
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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12
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Barclay ME, Rinne GR, Somers JA, Lee SS, Coussons-Read M, Dunkel Schetter C. Maternal Early Life Adversity and Infant Stress Regulation: Intergenerational Associations and Mediation by Maternal Prenatal Mental Health. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1839-1855. [PMID: 36508054 PMCID: PMC10258218 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-01006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversity is a potent risk factor for poor mental health outcomes across the lifespan, including offspring vulnerability to psychopathology. Developmentally, the prenatal period is a sensitive window in which maternal early life experiences may influence offspring outcomes and demarcates a time when expectant mothers and offspring are more susceptible to stressful and salutary influences. This prenatal plasticity constituted the focus of the current study where we tested the association of maternal early life adversity with infant stress regulation through maternal prenatal internalizing symptoms and moderation by prenatal social support. Mother-infant dyads (n = 162) were followed prospectively and mothers completed assessments of social support and depressive and anxiety symptoms across pregnancy. Infants completed standardized stress paradigms at one month and six months. There were several key findings. First, maternal prenatal depressive symptoms significantly mediated predictions of infant cortisol reactivity to the heel stick at one month from maternal early life adversity: specifically, maternal early life adversity positively predicted depressive symptoms in pregnancy, which in turn predicted dampened infant cortisol reactivity. Second, prenatal social support did not significantly moderate predictions of depressive or anxiety symptoms in pregnancy from maternal early life adversity nor did it alter the associations of maternal depressive or anxiety symptoms with infant stress regulation. These results suggest that maternal prenatal mental health is a key mechanism by which maternal early life adverse experiences affect offspring risk for psychopathology. We discuss potential clinical and health implications of dysregulated infant cortisol reactivity with respect to lifespan development.
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13
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Kimonis ER. The Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) Model for the Development of Secondary Psychopathic Traits. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:1097-1114. [PMID: 37735279 PMCID: PMC10640461 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00455-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and treatment of antisocial behavior have improved through efforts to subtype individuals based on similar risk factors and outcomes. In particular, the presence of psychopathic traits is associated with distinct etiological factors and antisocial behavior that begins early in life, is aggressive, persistent, and less likely to normalize with traditional treatments, relative to individuals low on psychopathy or its childhood precursor, callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, important distinctions can be made within individuals with CU/psychopathic traits according to the presence of elevated anxiety symptoms and/or adverse childhood experiences, known as secondary psychopathy/CU traits. This paper provides a broad and brief overview of theory and empirical literature supporting the existence of secondary psychopathy/CU variants as a distinct subtype of childhood antisocial behavior. It outlines the Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) model for the developmental psychopathology of secondary psychopathic/CU traits and discusses research and theory supporting this perspective. Future research directions for testing this conceptual model and its implications for assessing and treating high-risk individuals with secondary CU/psychopathic traits are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva R Kimonis
- Parent-Child Research Clinic, School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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14
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König M, Berhe O, Ioannidis K, Orellana S, Davidson E, Kaser M, Moreno-López L, van Harmelen AL. The stress-buffering role of friendships in young people with childhood threat experiences: a preliminary report. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2281971. [PMID: 38154076 PMCID: PMC10990450 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2281971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: High-quality friendships have a positive impact on the mental health of young people with childhood adversity (CA). Social stress buffering, the phenomenon of a social partner attenuating acute stress responses, is a potential yet unexplored mechanism that may underlie this relationship.Objective: This study examined whether perceived friendship quality was related to better mental health and lower neural stress response in young people with CA.Method: A total of N = 102 young people (aged 16-26) with low to moderate CA were included in the study. We first investigated associations between friendship quality, mental health, and CA. In a representative subset (n = 62), we assessed neural stress responses using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task. In our sample, CA was best described along two dimensions resembling threat or deprivation like experiences. Hence, we investigated both cumulative and dimensional effects of CA.Results: We found no support for social thinning after CA, meaning that the severity of CA (cumulative or dimensional) did not differentially impact friendship quality. High-quality friendships, on the other hand, were strongly associated with better mental health. Furthermore, acute stress increased state anxiety and enhanced neural activity in five frontolimbic brain regions, including the left hippocampus. We found weak support that threat experiences interacted with friendship quality to predict left hippocampal reactivity to stress. However, this effect did not survive multiple comparison correction.Conclusion: The absence of social thinning in our sample may suggest that the risk of developing impoverished social networks is low for rather well-functioning young people with low to moderate CA. Regardless, our findings align with prior research, consistently showing a strong association between high-quality friendships and better mental health in young people with CA. Future research is needed to examine whether friendships aid neural stress responses in young people with childhood threat experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian König
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Konstantinos Ioannidis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sofia Orellana
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eugenia Davidson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Muzaffer Kaser
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - RAISE Consortium
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laura Moreno-López
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anne-Laura van Harmelen
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
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15
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D'Souza L, Cassels T. Contextual considerations in infant sleep: Offering alternative interventions to families. Sleep Health 2023; 9:618-625. [PMID: 35768320 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Infant sleep problems are one of the commonly reported reasons parents seek professional help, yet what constitutes a "sleep problem" depends on the models used to explain the development of infant sleep. The current models are based on research conducted in the western context where infant solitary sleeping is the norm. Parent-child co-sleeping is the norm in many cultures around the world. We argue that the primary focus of current research on parent-child interactions as the mediating context for the development of infant sleep problems has inherently made these models and ensuing interventions less sensitive and applicable to infant sleep problems in the context of co-sleeping families. When families present for help with infant sleep difficulties, extinction based behavioral interventions or interventions focused on reducing parental presence at bedtime are commonly recommended. These recommendations may not always align with cultural values and parenting practices of all families, therefore precluding these families from getting necessary help. In attempting to provide families with choices that depart from behavioral based interventions, this paper draws on research and adapts current models to propose an alternative to conceptualize perceptions of infant sleep problems that may be sensitive to and applied across various cultural and personal contexts. We attempt to provide a rationale for interventions that are inclusive and sensitive to families where reduced parental nighttime responsiveness may not be a preferred choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levita D'Souza
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
| | - Tracy Cassels
- Evolutionary Parenting, 116 County Rd, 16 Milford, ON, K0K 2P0, Canada
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16
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Jones-Mason K, Coccia M, Alkon A, Melanie Thomas KCP, Laraia B, Adler N, Epel ES, Bush NR. Parental sensitivity modifies the associations between maternal prenatal stress exposure, autonomic nervous system functioning and infant temperament in a diverse, low-income sample. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:487-523. [PMID: 37749913 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2257669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that adversity experienced during fetal development may shape infant physiologic functioning and temperament. Parental sensitivity is associated with child stress regulation and may act as a buffer against risk for intergenerational health effects of pre- or postnatal adversity. Building upon prior evidence in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of infants (M infant age = 6.5 months) and women of low socioeconomic status, this study examined whether coded parenting sensitivity moderated the association between an objective measure of prenatal stress exposures (Stressful Life Events (SLE)) and infant parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) or sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) nervous system functioning assessed during administration of the Still-Face-Paradigm (SFP) (n = 66), as well as maternal report of temperament (n = 154). Results showed that parental sensitivity moderated the associations between prenatal stress exposures and infant RSA reactivity, RSA recovery, PEP recovery, and temperamental negativity. Findings indicate that greater parental sensitivity is associated with lower infant autonomic nervous system reactivity and greater recovery from challenge. Results support the hypothesis that parental sensitivity buffers infants from the risk of prenatal stress exposure associations with offspring cross-system physiologic reactivity and regulation, potentially shaping trajectories of health and development and promoting resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Michael Coccia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Abbey Alkon
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Barbara Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Nancy Adler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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17
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Somers JA, Chu K, Schwartz C, Towner E, Callaghan B. Sometimes "we" can help: parents' pronoun use buffers fear and anxiety transmission. ANXIETY, STRESS, AND COPING 2023; 36:488-501. [PMID: 36153744 PMCID: PMC10038937 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2022.2127694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Parents' natural language when describing health-related threats reflects parents' cognitions that may shape their transmission of anxiety and fear. Parents' greater communal focus (i.e., higher we-talk) and less self-focus (i.e., lower I-talk) may buffer against intergenerational fear/anxiety transmission. The current study investigated whether the relation between parents' and children's anxiety and pandemic-related fear differed by parent we- and I-talk. DESIGN AND METHODS Parents of 114 children (2-19 years; M = 9.75, SD = 3.73) completed online measures assessing children's and parents' anxiety and COVID-19-related fears, and engaged in a written reflection on their early pandemic experiences. The proportion of parents' we-talk and I-talk during the reflection was obtained using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count software. RESULTS Results of multilevel structural equation models were partially consistent with expectations: The protective effect of we-talk was only observed for parents with lower fear/anxiety. For parents with higher fear/anxiety, higher I-talk was associated with lower child fear/anxiety. At higher levels of parent we-talk and at lower levels of I-talk, there was an unexpectedly positive association between parents' and children's fear/anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The concordance between parents' and their children's fear/anxiety differs depending on parents' natural language when reflecting on the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Somers
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristen Chu
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chloe Schwartz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emily Towner
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Bridget Callaghan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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18
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Kirkland JM, Patel I, Ardeshna MS, Kopec AM. Microglial synaptic pruning in the nucleus accumbens during adolescence sex-specifically influences splenic immune outcomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.03.539317. [PMID: 37205376 PMCID: PMC10187280 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.539317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Strong social support promotes a variety of positive health outcomes in humans and rodent models, while social isolation in rodents shortens lifespan, perceived social isolation (i.e. loneliness) can increase mortality by up to 50% in humans. How social relationships lead to these drastic health effects is unclear, but may involve modulation of the peripheral immune system. The reward circuitry of the brain and social behaviors undergo a critical period of development during adolescence. We published that microglia-mediated synaptic pruning occurs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) reward region during adolescence to mediate social development in male and female rats. We hypothesized that if reward circuitry activity and social relationships directly impact the peripheral immune system, then natural developmental changes in the reward circuitry and social behaviors during adolescence should also directly impact the peripheral immune system. To test this, we inhibited microglial pruning in the NAc during adolescence, and then collected spleen tissue for mass spectrometry proteomic analysis and ELISA validation. We found that the global proteomic consequences of inhibiting microglial pruning in the NAc were similar between the sexes, but target-specific examination suggests that NAc pruning impacts Th1 cell-related immune markers in the spleen in males, but not females, and broad neurochemical systems in the spleen in females, but not males.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Kirkland
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ishan Patel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Monali S. Ardeshna
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ashley M. Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
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19
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Smucny J, Vlasova RM, Lesh TA, Rowland DJ, Wang G, Chaudhari AJ, Chen S, Iosif AM, Hogrefe CE, Bennett JL, Shumann CM, Van de Water JA, Maddock RJ, Styner MA, Geschwind DH, McAllister AK, Bauman MD, Carter CS. Increased Striatal Presynaptic Dopamine in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Maternal Immune Activation: A Longitudinal Neurodevelopmental Positron Emission Tomography Study With Implications for Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:505-513. [PMID: 36805246 PMCID: PMC10164700 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies suggest that maternal immune activation (MIA) is a significant risk factor for future neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ), in offspring. Consistent with findings in SZ research and work in rodent systems, preliminary cross-sectional findings in nonhuman primates suggest that MIA is associated with dopaminergic hyperfunction in young adult offspring. METHODS In this unique prospective longitudinal study, we used [18F]fluoro-l-m-tyrosine positron emission tomography to examine the developmental time course of striatal presynaptic dopamine synthesis in male rhesus monkeys born to dams (n = 13) injected with a modified form of the inflammatory viral mimic, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], in the late first trimester. Striatal (caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) dopamine from these animals was compared with that of control offspring born to dams that received saline (n = 10) or no injection (n = 4). Dopamine was measured at 15, 26, 38, and 48 months of age. Prior work with this cohort found decreased prefrontal gray matter volume in MIA offspring versus controls between 6 and 45 months of age. Based on theories of the etiology and development of SZ-related pathology, we hypothesized that there would be a delayed (relative to the gray matter decrease) increase in striatal fluoro-l-m-tyrosine signal in the MIA group versus controls. RESULTS [18F]fluoro-l-m-tyrosine signal showed developmental increases in both groups in the caudate and putamen. Group comparisons revealed significantly greater caudate dopaminergic signal in the MIA group at 26 months. CONCLUSIONS These findings are highly relevant to the known pathophysiology of SZ and highlight the translational relevance of the MIA model in understanding mechanisms by which MIA during pregnancy increases risk for later illness in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Smucny
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California.
| | - Roza M Vlasova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Tyler A Lesh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Douglas J Rowland
- Center for Genomic and Molecular Imaging, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Guobao Wang
- Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Abhijit J Chaudhari
- Center for Genomic and Molecular Imaging, University of California, Davis, California; Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Shuai Chen
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Casey E Hogrefe
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Jeffrey L Bennett
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Cynthia M Shumann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Judy A Van de Water
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Richard J Maddock
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Martin A Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Cameron S Carter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, California.
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20
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Figueroa C, Edgar EL, Kirkland JM, Patel I, King’uyu DN, Kopec AM. Social aging trajectories are sex-specific, sensitive to adolescent stress, and most robustly revealed during social tests with familiar stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.27.538622. [PMID: 37162856 PMCID: PMC10168396 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.27.538622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Social networks and support are integral to health and wellness across the lifespan, and social engagement may be particularly important during aging. However, social behavior and social cognition decline naturally during aging across species. Social behaviors are in part supported by the 'reward' circuitry, a network of brain regions that develops during adolescence. We published that male and female rats undergo adolescent social development during sex-specific periods, pre-early adolescence in females and early-mid adolescence males. Although males and females have highly dimorphic development, expression, and valuation of social behaviors, there is relatively little data indicating whether social aging is the same or different between the sexes. Thus, we sought to test two hypotheses: (1) natural social aging will be sex-speciifc, and (2) social isolation stress restricted to sex-specific adolescent critical periods for social development would impact social aging in sex-specific ways. To do this, we bred male and female rats in-house, and divided them randomly to receive either social isolation for one week during each sex's respective critical period, or no manipulation. We followed their social aging trajectory with a battery of five tests at 3, 7, and 11 months of age. We observed clear social aging signatures in all tests administered, but sex differences in natural social aging were most robustly observed when a familiar social stimulus was included in the test. We also observed that adolescent isolation did impact social behavior, in both age-independent and age-dependent ways, that were entirely sex-specific. Please note, this preprint will not be pushed further to publication (by me, AMK), as I am leaving academia. So, it's going to be written more conversationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Figueroa
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Erin L. Edgar
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - J. M. Kirkland
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ishan Patel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - David N. King’uyu
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ashley M. Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
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21
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Meyer HC, Fields A, Vannucci A, Gerhard DM, Bloom PA, Heleniak C, Opendak M, Sullivan R, Tottenham N, Callaghan BL, Lee FS. The Added Value of Crosstalk Between Developmental Circuit Neuroscience and Clinical Practice to Inform the Treatment of Adolescent Anxiety. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:169-178. [PMID: 37124361 PMCID: PMC10140450 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant advances have been made in recent years regarding the developmental trajectories of brain circuits and networks, revealing links between brain structure and function. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of developmental trajectories in determining early psychiatric outcomes. However, efforts to encourage crosstalk between basic developmental neuroscience and clinical practice are limited. Here, we focus on the potential advantage of considering features of neural circuit development when optimizing treatments for adolescent patient populations. Drawing on characteristics of adolescent neurodevelopment, we highlight two examples, safety cues and incentives, that leverage insights from neural circuit development and may have great promise for augmenting existing behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders during adolescence. This commentary seeks to serve as a framework to maximize the translational potential of basic research in developmental populations for strengthening psychiatric treatments. In turn, input from clinical practice including the identification of age-specific clinically relevant phenotypes will continue to guide future basic research in the same neural circuits to better reflect clinical practices. Encouraging reciprocal communication to bridge the gap between basic developmental neuroscience research and clinical implementation is an important step toward advancing both research and practice in this domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi C. Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrea Fields
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Anna Vannucci
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Danielle M. Gerhard
- Department of Psychiatry, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Paul A. Bloom
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | | | - Maya Opendak
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Regina Sullivan
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Bridget L. Callaghan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Francis S. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
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22
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Scheuplein M, Vermeulen S, van Harmelen AL, Alink L. Child maltreatment and victimization. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:147-160. [PMID: 37633707 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
It is estimated that up to 25% of all children growing up worldwide experience child maltreatment, making it a global emergency with substantial individual and public health consequences. This chapter addresses one of the most societally pervasive consequences of child maltreatment which is known as the "cycle of victimization." This concept depicts the increased risk of maltreated individuals to victimize others later in life, both within and outside the family environment. To understand the architecture of this victimization cycle, the chapter further sheds light on neurocognitive mechanisms aiding different forms of victimization and the buffering role of social support that could help break the cycle of victimization. Advancing our understanding of these complex and interrelated mechanisms will ultimately facilitate the design and implementation of more targeted early treatments and (preventive) interventions and support a move toward a safer society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Scheuplein
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Samantha Vermeulen
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lenneke Alink
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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23
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Yoon SO, Paek EJ. Video Call Usage in Older Adults With or Without Dementia Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2023; 38:15333175231160679. [PMID: 37173805 PMCID: PMC10185459 DOI: 10.1177/15333175231160679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The usage of video calls for social connection generally increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear, how individuals with dementia (IWD), many of who already experienced isolation in their care settings, use and perceive video calls, what barriers and benefits exist, and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their use of video calls. An online survey was conducted to healthy older adults (OA) and people surrounding IWD as proxies. Both OA and IWD showed increased use of video calls after COVID-19 and the severity of dementia was not correlated with the video call usage among IWD during this period. Both groups perceived significant benefits in using video calls. However, IWD exhibited more difficulties and barriers to using them compared to OA. Given the perceived benefits of video calls to the quality of life in both populations, education and support by family, caregivers, or healthcare professionals are necessary for them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si On Yoon
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA, USA
| | - Eun Jin Paek
- Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Knoxville, TN, USA
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24
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Wade M, McLaughlin KA, Buzzell GA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA. Family-based care buffers the stress sensitizing effect of early deprivation on executive functioning difficulties in adolescence. Child Dev 2023; 94:e43-e56. [PMID: 36254858 PMCID: PMC9828738 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We examined whether family care following early-life deprivation buffered the association between stressful life events (SLEs) and executive functioning (EF) in adolescence. In early childhood, 136 institutionally reared children were randomly assigned to foster care or care-as-usual; 72 never-institutionalized children served as a comparison group. At age 16 years, adolescents (n = 143; 54% female; 67.1% Romanian) self-reported recent SLEs, completed a battery of memory and EF tasks, and completed a go/nogo task in which mediofrontal theta power (MFTP) was measured using electroencephalogram. More independent SLEs predicted lower EF and more dependent SLEs predicted lower MFTP, but only among adolescents with prolonged early deprivation. Findings provide preliminary evidence that family care following early deprivation may facilitate resilience against stress during adolescence on EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto
| | | | | | - Nathan A. Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park
| | - Charles H. Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Boston Children’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
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25
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Dryer A, Zhang X, England-Mason G, Atkinson L, Gonzalez A. Maternal sensitivity moderates the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and child executive function. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 134:105933. [PMID: 36283274 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experiences of childhood maltreatment are associated with a variety of negative outcomes throughout individuals' lives as well as disadvantaged cognitive and socioemotional development among their offspring. The mechanisms through which some children show resilience against the intergenerational transmission of risk, however, are less well understood. OBJECTIVE The current study focuses on a proximal parental factor that plays a central role in children's early cognitive development - maternal sensitivity - and examines whether it moderates the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and child executive function (EF). PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Data were collected from a community sample of 139 mothers and their infants (51 % female) recruited from urban areas in Ontario, Canada. METHODS Maternal maltreatment history was assessed via self-report at child age 3 months. Maternal sensitivity was assessed observationally at child age 8 months, and child executive function was assessed using performance-based measures at child age 3 years. Hypotheses were tested through multiple regression models. RESULTS In the current sample, maternal maltreatment history was not associated with child EF on average. However, results were consistent with a moderation model, indicating that maternal maltreatment history was associated with lower levels of child EF only when mothers were relatively insensitive. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate the importance of considering sensitive parenting practices as a protective factor for children's cognitive development in the context of more distal risk factors such as mothers' history of childhood maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arielle Dryer
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Xutong Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and the Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 3L8, Canada
| | - Gillian England-Mason
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and the Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 3L8, Canada.
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Runze J, Pappa I, Van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Conduct Problems and Hair Cortisol Concentrations Decrease in School-Aged Children after VIPP-SD: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Two Twin Cohorts. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15026. [PMID: 36429745 PMCID: PMC9690337 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) is effective in increasing parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline, and aims to decrease child behavior problems. Changes in quality of parenting may be accompanied by effects on child stress levels. However, studies of VIPP-SD effects on child behavior problems have shown mixed results and there are no studies to date of the effect of the intervention on children's stress levels, as measured by hair cortisol concentration (HCC). Furthermore, differences in intervention effectiveness may be explained by differential susceptibility factors. We hypothesized that the effects of the VIPP-SD on child behavior problems might be moderated by currently available child polygenic scores of differential susceptibility (PGS-DS). In the current pre-registered trial, we randomly assigned 40% of n = 445 families with school-aged twin children to the intervention group. The VIPP-SD was successful in decreasing both children's conduct problems and HCC. Effects were not moderated by available child PGS-DS. We conclude that a brief, home-based video-feedback parenting intervention can decrease child behavior problems and affect the child's stress-related neuroendocrine system as assessed with hair cortisol. In future studies, more specific PGS-DS for externalizing behaviors should be used as well as parental PGS-DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Runze
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Leiden Consortium on Individual Development, Leiden University and VU Amsterdam, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Pappa
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Leiden Consortium on Individual Development, Leiden University and VU Amsterdam, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H. Van IJzendoorn
- Leiden Consortium on Individual Development, Leiden University and VU Amsterdam, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Leiden Consortium on Individual Development, Leiden University and VU Amsterdam, 2311 EZ Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences, ISPA Lisbon, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal
- Center for Attachment Research, The New School for Social Research, New York, NY 10011, USA
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Qiu Y, Dou H, Dai Y, Li H, Lei Y. The influence of being left behind on fear acquisition and academic performance—a study of left-behind children. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03914-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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28
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Costs of caring: Synchrony in salivary alpha amylase, heart rate, and negative affect in adolescents’ close friendships. Biol Psychol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108447] [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]
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White AM, An X, Debiec J. Intact maternal buffering of stress response in infant rats despite altered responsivity towards maternal olfactory cues in the valproic acid model of autism-like behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:959485. [PMID: 36072089 PMCID: PMC9441625 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.959485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Disrupted processing of social cues and altered social behaviors are among the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and they emerge as early as the first year of life. These differences in sensory abilities may affect the ability of children with ASDs to securely attach to a caregiver and experience caregiver buffering of stress. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has been used to model some aspects of ASDs in rodents. Here, we asked whether prenatal VPA exposure altered infant rats’ behavioral responsivity to maternal olfactory cues in an Odor Preference Test (OPT) and affected maternal buffering of infants’ stress responsivity to shock. In the odor preference test, 1-week old rats treated with VPA during pregnancy appeared to have impaired social recognition and/or may be less motivated to approach social odors in early infancy. These effects were particularly prominent in female pups. In 2-week old rats, VPA-exposed pups and saline-exposed pups showed similar preferences for home cage bedding. Although VPA-exposed pups may initially have a deficit in this attachment-related behavior they do recover typical responses to home cage bedding in later infancy. Both control and VPA-exposed pups showed robust stress hormone responses to repeated shocks, an effect which was blocked when a calm mother was present during shock exposure. No sex differences in the effect of maternal presence on the stress response to shock and no interactions between sex and prenatal drug exposure were observed. Although VPA-exposed pups may show impaired responsivity to maternal cues in early infancy, maternal presence is still capable of regulating the stress response in VPA-exposed pups. In this study we demonstrate the importance of utilizing multiple batteries of tests in assessing behavior, dissecting the behavior on one test into different components. Our results inform about the underlying behavioral characteristics of some of the ASD phenotypes, including sex differences reported by clinical studies, and could shed light on potential opportunities for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. White
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Amanda M. White
| | - Xianli An
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychology, School of Educational Science, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jacek Debiec
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Naeem N, Zanca RM, Weinstein S, Urquieta A, Sosa A, Yu B, Sullivan RM. The Neurobiology of Infant Attachment-Trauma and Disruption of Parent-Infant Interactions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:882464. [PMID: 35935109 PMCID: PMC9352889 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.882464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Current clinical literature and supporting animal literature have shown that repeated and profound early-life adversity, especially when experienced within the caregiver-infant dyad, disrupts the trajectory of brain development to induce later-life expression of maladaptive behavior and pathology. What is less well understood is the immediate impact of repeated adversity during early life with the caregiver, especially since attachment to the caregiver occurs regardless of the quality of care the infant received including experiences of trauma. The focus of the present manuscript is to review the current literature on infant trauma within attachment, with an emphasis on animal research to define mechanisms and translate developmental child research. Across species, the effects of repeated trauma with the attachment figure, are subtle in early life, but the presence of acute stress can uncover some pathology, as was highlighted by Bowlby and Ainsworth in the 1950s. Through rodent neurobehavioral literature we discuss the important role of repeated elevations in stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) in infancy, especially if paired with the mother (not when pups are alone) as targeting the amygdala and causal in infant pathology. We also show that following induced alterations, at baseline infants appear stable, although acute stress hormone elevation uncovers pathology in brain circuits important in emotion, social behavior, and fear. We suggest that a comprehensive understanding of the role of stress hormones during infant typical development and elevated CORT disruption of this typical development will provide insight into age-specific identification of trauma effects, as well as a better understanding of early markers of later-life pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimra Naeem
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Emotional Brain Institute, The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Nimra Naeem,
| | - Roseanna M. Zanca
- Emotional Brain Institute, The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sylvie Weinstein
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alejandra Urquieta
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anna Sosa
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Boyi Yu
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Regina M. Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience, New York University, New York, NY, United States,Emotional Brain Institute, The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Regina M. Sullivan,
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Kocamaz D, Franzke C, Gröger N, Braun K, Bock J. Early Life Stress-Induced Epigenetic Programming of Hippocampal NPY-Y2 Receptor Gene Expression Changes in Response to Adult Stress. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:936979. [PMID: 35846564 PMCID: PMC9283903 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.936979] [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: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early Life Stress (ELS) can critically influence brain development and future stress responses and thus represents an important risk factor for mental health and disease. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is discussed to be a key mediator of resilient vs. vulnerable adaptations and specifically, the NPY-Y2 receptor (Y2R) may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression due to its negative regulation of NPY-release. The present study addressed the hypotheses that ELS and adult stress (AS) affect the expression of hippocampal Y2R and that exposure to ELS induces an epigenetically mediated programming effect towards a consecutive stress exposure in adulthood. The specific aims were to investigate if (i) ELS or AS as single stressors induce changes in Y2 receptor gene expression in the hippocampus, (ii) the predicted Y2R changes are epigenetically mediated via promoter-specific DNA-methylation, (iii) the ELS-induced epigenetic changes exert a programming effect on Y2R gene expression changes in response to AS, and finally (iv) if the predicted alterations are sex-specific. Animals were assigned to the following experimental groups: (1) non-stressed controls (CON), (2) only ELS exposure (ELS), (3) only adult stress exposure (CON+AS), and (4) exposure to ELS followed by AS (ELS+AS). Using repeated maternal separation in mice as an ELS and swim stress as an AS we found that both stressors affected Y2R gene expression in the hippocampus of male mice but not in females. Specifically, upregulated expression was found in the CON+AS group. In addition, exposure to both stressors ELS+AS significantly reduced Y2R gene expression when compared to CON+AS. The changes in Y2R expression were paralleled by altered DNA-methylation patterns at the Y2R promoter, specifically, a decrease in mean DNA-methylation in the CON+AS males compared to the non-AS exposed groups and an increase in the ELS+AS males compared to the CON+AS males. Also, a strong negative correlation of mean DNA-methylation with Y2R expression was found. Detailed CpG-site-specific analysis of DNA-methylation revealed that ELS induced increased DNA-methylation only at specific CpG-sites within the Y2R promoter. It is tempting to speculate that these ELS-induced CpG-site-specific changes represent a “buffering” programming effect against elevations of Y2R expression induced by AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derya Kocamaz
- Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Caroline Franzke
- Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Gröger
- Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Braun
- Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Bock
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- PG “Epigenetics and Structural Plasticity,” Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Jörg Bock,
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Why Being 'Stressed' Is 'Desserts' in Reverse-The Effect of Acute Psychosocial Stress on Food Pleasure and Food Choice. Foods 2022; 11:foods11121756. [PMID: 35741954 PMCID: PMC9222595 DOI: 10.3390/foods11121756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The link between acute stress, food pleasure and eating behavior in humans by employing measures of individual reward mechanisms has not been investigated as of yet. Having these insights is key to understanding why many people experience a change in eating behavior when experiencing stress. Thirty-five Danes (mean age 21.71 years) underwent a stress-inducing and relaxation-inducing task based on a randomized cross-over study design. Both tasks were combined with the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire, to investigate the effect of stress on specific measures of food reward. Furthermore, participants chose a snack, as a covert measure of actual food choice. The study found no effect on explicit liking, explicit wanting or relative preference. For implicit wanting, an effect was detected on high-fat sweet foods, with increasing scores for the stress-induced condition. Moreover, 54% chose a different snack following the stress-inducing condition. Interestingly, 14% chose to change their snack choice to no snack at all. Results suggest acute psychosocial stress can increase cravings for highly palatable foods for some, while for others an experience of loss of appetite prevails. Overall, this study points to a further understanding of why consumers have issues with making healthy food choices, ultimately affecting public health too.
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Bai L, Crosby B, Teti DM. Socioeconomic status and infant nighttime sleep across the second year of life: The moderating role of infant attachment security. Child Dev 2022; 93:845-861. [PMID: 34962285 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study examined socioeconomic status (SES) and attachment security as predictors of infant nighttime sleep during the second year. Participants included 128 mothers (86% White) with infants (48.4% boys). Data collection took place between April, 2009 and February, 2014. At 12, 18, and 24 months, infant sleep was assessed via actigraphy and daily diaries, and attachment with the Attachment Q-Set. SES indicators included income-to-needs ratios and education. Lower SES predicted greater variability in sleep duration and later sleep timing only for less secure infants. Less secure attachment was associated with poorer sleep at both between- and within-person levels, especially when infants were 12 months of age. Results emphasize the complex interactive effects of environmental and relational factors on infant sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Bai
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brian Crosby
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Douglas M Teti
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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34
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Uy JP, Schwartz C, Chu KA, Towner E, Lemus A, Brito NH, Callaghan BL. Parenting under pressure: Parental transmission and buffering of child fear during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22253. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.22253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica P. Uy
- Department of Psychology University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
| | - Chloe Schwartz
- Department of Psychology University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
| | - Kristen A. Chu
- Department of Psychology University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
| | - Emily Towner
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Alejandra Lemus
- Department of Applied Psychology New York University New York New York USA
| | - Natalie H. Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology New York University New York New York USA
| | - Bridget L. Callaghan
- Department of Psychology University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
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Scheuplein M, Harmelen ALV. The importance of friendships in reducing brain responses to stress in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity: a pre-registered systematic review. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 45:101310. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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36
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Faraji J, Metz GAS. Aging, Social Distancing, and COVID-19 Risk: Who is more Vulnerable and Why? Aging Dis 2021; 12:1624-1643. [PMID: 34631211 PMCID: PMC8460299 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.0319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Perceived social support represents an important predictor of healthy aging. The global COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the face of social relationships and revealed elderly to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of social isolation. Social distancing may represent a double-edged sword for older adults, protecting them against COVID-19 infection while also sacrificing personal interaction and attention at a critical time. Here, we consider the moderating role of social relationships as a potential influence on stress resilience, allostatic load, and vulnerability to infection and adverse health outcomes in the elderly population. Understanding the mechanisms how social support enhances resilience to stress and promotes mental and physical health into old age will enable new preventive strategies. Targeted social interventions may provide effective relief from the impact of COVID-19-related isolation and loneliness. In this regard, a pandemic may also offer a window of opportunity for raising awareness and mobilizing resources for new strategies that help build resilience in our aging population and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamshid Faraji
- 1Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.,2Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Gerlinde A S Metz
- 1Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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Perpétuo C, Diniz E, Veríssimo M. A Systematic Review on Attachment and Sleep at Preschool Age. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 8:895. [PMID: 34682160 PMCID: PMC8534890 DOI: 10.3390/children8100895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a biological process that impacts nearly every domain of a child's life. Sleep-wake regulation influences and it is highly influenced by developmental variables related to parent-child relationships, such as attachment. The main goal of the present systematic review is to analyze and integrate the findings of empirical studies investigating the relations between attachment and sleep in preschool age, a period marked by important developmental changes that challenge both attachment system and sleep-wake regulation. A database search was performed using a combination of relevant keywords, leading to the identification of 524 articles, with 19 manuscripts assessed for eligibility; finally, seven studies (2344 children) were included. Overall, the findings were not consistent, with some studies reporting significant associations between attachment security and sleep quality, as well as between attachment insecurity and sleep problems, whereas others did not find significant associations. The results are discussed in light of the available theoretical models and integrated in the context of measurement approaches to attachment and sleep heterogeneity, aiming to guide future research on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Manuela Veríssimo
- William James Center for Research, ISPA—Instituto Universitário, 1100-304 Lisbon, Portugal; (C.P.); (E.D.)
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Quinn M, Caldwell B. A "Storm" of Somatic Symptoms: A Child's Reaction to a Natural Disaster Leads to Diagnostic Uncertainty. J Pediatr Health Care 2021; 35:542-547. [PMID: 33789796 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann S. Masten
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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40
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Linking post-stressor interpersonal processes in adolescent girls' close friendships with acute HPA stress responses. J Adolesc 2021; 92:10-19. [PMID: 34388607 DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION For adolescent girls, close friendships may facilitate stress management and mitigate risk for internalizing psychopathology. However, little is known about how friendship processes may buffer (or potentially exacerbate) acute psychobiological responses to interpersonal stressors in ways that affect risk. METHODS In a sample of 220 girls (ages 12-17 years) with a history of internalizing symptoms, this study investigated friendship dynamics following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to evaluate associations between post-stressor friendship behaviors (expressions of vulnerability by the stressed teen; support offered by their close friend) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses. RESULTS Multilevel regression modeling revealed that girls who displayed more pronounced cortisol reactivity expressed greater vulnerability to, and received greater support from, their close friend. Expressed vulnerability was associated with more efficient cortisol recovery. Close friend support was not significantly associated with cortisol recovery, nor did it influence the connection between expressed vulnerability and cortisol recovery. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that HPA reactivity may prompt expressions of vulnerability to girls' close friends, and in this context, promote more efficient HPA recovery. Findings highlight the role friendship dynamics may play in HPA-related risk for internalizing symptoms and point to expressed vulnerability in adolescent girls' close friendships as a potential consideration for interpersonally-centered therapeutic approaches.
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Studying caregiver-infant co-regulation in dynamic, diverse cultural contexts: A call to action. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 64:101586. [PMID: 34118652 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Caregivers and infants co-regulate their physiology, emotions, and behavior in a way that is dynamically responsive to each other and the contexts in which they live. This paper is an introduction and call to action for researchers interested in understanding how to study caregiver-infant interactions in the home and diverse cultural contexts, including marginalized communities. We argue that research will be more valid, culturally relevant, and tapped-in to the daily lives of caregivers and infants if there is partnership and collaboration with the caregivers in the design of the questions, data collection and analysis, and distribution of the findings. We recommend dynamically assessing emotions, behaviors, and physiology using repeated sampling methods including ecological momentary assessments (EMA), salivary bioscience, and actigraphy. We aim to extend current practices of studying caregiver-infant co-regulation by measuring fluctuations of daily life and considering sociocultural factors that shape naturalistic caregiver-infant interactions. Using methodological advancements and community-based participatory research approaches can enable developmental scientists to measure life as it is actually lived.
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Bleil ME, Spieker SJ, Booth-LaForce C. Targeting Parenting Quality to Reduce Early Life Adversity Impacts on Lifespan Cardiometabolic Risk. Front Psychol 2021; 12:678946. [PMID: 34149571 PMCID: PMC8211431 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.678946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence that early life adversity (ELA) exposures confer risk for cardiometabolic disease over the lifespan motivated this narrative review to examine parenting quality as a potential intervention target to reduce ELA exposures or mitigate their impact as a way of reducing or preventing cardiometabolic disease. We describe findings from the limited number of family-based intervention studies in ELA-exposed children that have tested parenting impacts on cardiometabolic health outcomes. We then describe the implications of this work and make recommendations for future research that will move this field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Bleil
- Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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Rodrigues MA, Yoon SO, Clancy KBH, Stine-Morrow EAL. What are friends for? The impact of friendship on communicative efficiency and cortisol response during collaborative problem solving among younger and older women. J Women Aging 2021; 33:411-427. [PMID: 34038325 DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2021.1915686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Conversation is a skilled activity that depends on cognitive and social processes, both of which develop through adulthood. We examined the effects of age and partner familiarity on communicative efficiency and cortisol reactivity. Younger and older women interacted with familiar or unfamiliar partners in a dyadic collaborative conversation task (N = 8 in each group). Regardless of age, referential expressions among familiar and unfamiliar partners became more efficient over time, and cortisol concentrations were lower for speakers interacting with familiar partners. These findings suggest that communicative effectiveness is largely preserved with age, as is the stress-buffering effect of a familiar partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Rodrigues
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Si On Yoon
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Kathryn B H Clancy
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth A L Stine-Morrow
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Fowler CH, Bogdan R, Gaffrey MS. Stress-induced cortisol response is associated with right amygdala volume in early childhood. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100329. [PMID: 33997154 PMCID: PMC8102621 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodent research suggests that dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the resulting cortisol stress response can alter the structure of the hippocampus and amygdala. Because early-life changes in brain structure can produce later functional impairment and potentially increase risk for psychiatric disorder, it is critical to understand the relationship between the cortisol stress response and brain structure in early childhood. However, no study to date has characterized the concurrent association between cortisol stress response and hippocampal and amygdala volume in young children. In the present study, 42 young children (M age = 5.97, SD = 0.76), completed a frustration task and cortisol response to stress was measured. Children also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), providing structural scans from which their hippocampal and amygdala volumes were extracted. Greater cortisol stress response was associated with reduced right amygdala volume, controlling for whole brain volume, age, sex, and number of cortisol samples. There were no significant associations between cortisol stress response and bilateral hippocampus or left amygdala volumes. The association between right amygdala volume and cortisol stress response raises the non-mutually exclusive possibilities that the function of the HPA axis may shape amygdala structure and/or that amygdala structure may shape HPA axis function. As both cortisol stress response and amygdala volume have been associated with risk for psychopathology, it is possible that the relationship between cortisol stress response and amygdala volume is part of a broader pathway contributing to psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina H. Fowler
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Reuben-Cooke Building, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, Somers Family Hall, Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri, 63105, USA
| | - Michael S. Gaffrey
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Reuben-Cooke Building, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Morato C, Guerra P, Bublatzky F. Verbal threat learning does not spare loved ones. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5469. [PMID: 33750850 PMCID: PMC7970900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84921-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant others provide individuals with a sense of safety and security. However, the mechanisms that underlie attachment-induced safety are hardly understood. Recent research has shown beneficial effects when viewing pictures of the romantic partner, leading to reduced pain experience and defensive responding. Building upon this, we examined the inhibitory capacity of loved face pictures on fear learning in an instructed threat paradigm. Pictures of loved familiar or unknown individuals served as signals for either threat of electric shocks or safety, while a broad set of psychophysiological measures was recorded. We assumed that a long-term learning history of beneficial relations interferes with social threat learning. Nevertheless, results yielded a typical pattern of physiological defense activation towards threat cues, regardless of whether threat was signaled by an unknown or a loved face. These findings call into question the notion that pictures of loved individuals are shielded against becoming threat cues, with implications for attachment and trauma research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Morato
- Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro Guerra
- Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Florian Bublatzky
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
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van Harmelen AL, Blakemore S, Goodyer IM, Kievit R. The interplay between adolescent friendship quality and resilient functioning following childhood and adolescent adversity. ADVERSITY AND RESILIENCE SCIENCE 2021; 2:37-50. [PMID: 37915317 PMCID: PMC7615274 DOI: 10.1007/s42844-020-00027-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Background Child and adolescent adversity ('CA') is a major predictor of mental health problems in adolescence and early adulthood. However, not all young people who have experienced CA develop psychopathology; their mental health functioning can be described as resilient. We previously found that resilient functioning in adolescence following CA is facilitated by adolescent friendships.However, during adolescence, friendships undergo significant change. It is unknown whether resilient functioning after CA fluctuates with these normative changes in friendship quality. Methods We used Latent Change Score Modelling in a large sample of adolescents (i.e. the ROOTS cohort; N=1238) to examine whether and how emergent friendship quality and resilient functioning at ages 14 and 17 inter-relate and change together. Results We found that friendships quality and resilient functioning had strong associations at age 14, although friendships at 14 did not predict higher resilient functioning at 17. Higher resilient functioning in 14-year-olds with a history of CA was associated with a positive change in friendships from age 14 to 17. Finally, improvements in friendship quality and resilient functioning went hand in hand, even when taking into account baseline levels of both, the change within friendship quality or resilient functioning over time, and the association between resilient functioning and change in friendship quality over time. Conclusions We show that friendship quality and resilient functioning after CA inter-relate and change together between ages 14 and 17. Our results suggest that improving friendship quality or resilient functioning within this timeframe may benefit this vulnerable adolescent group, and this should be tested in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.-L. van Harmelen
- Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - S.J. Blakemore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK
- UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - IM Goodyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - R.A. Kievit
- Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, UK
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Hapunda G. The association between emotional symptoms and daily life stressors is not moderated by intergroup behaviours among school-going adolescents in Zambia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2021.1886128] [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: 10/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Given Hapunda
- Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
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Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is sensitive to early life stress, with enduring consequences for biological stress vulnerability and health (Gunnar & Talge, 2008). Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with dysregulation of the stress hormone cortisol in early childhood. However, a mechanistic understanding of this association is lacking. Multidimensional assessment of both SES and cortisol is needed to characterize the intricate relations between SES and cortisol function in early childhood. We assessed parent-reported family income, parent education, occupational prestige, neighborhood risk, food insecurity, and household chaos for 12-month-old infants (N = 90) and 3.5-year-old children (N = 91). Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) was obtained from parent and child, indexing chronic biological stress, and diurnal salivary cortisol was measured in the children. Controlling for parent HCC, parent education uniquely predicted infant and child HCC and, in addition, neighborhood risk uniquely predicted infant HCC. Household chaos predicted bedtime salivary cortisol concentration (SCC) for both infants and children, and infant daily cortisol output. Food insecurity was associated with flattened cortisol slope in 3.5-year-old children. Parental sensitivity did not mediate relations between SES and cortisol. Results highlight the utility of SES measures that index unpredictable and unsafe contexts, such as neighborhood risk, food insecurity, and household chaos.
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Sensitive periods for psychosocial risk in childhood and adolescence and cardiometabolic outcomes in young adulthood. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1864-1875. [PMID: 33427189 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Greater psychosocial risk in childhood and adolescence predicts poorer cardiometabolic outcomes in adulthood. We assessed whether the timing of psychosocial risk from infancy through adolescence predicts cardiometabolic outcomes in young adulthood. Young adults and their mothers participated in a longitudinal study beginning in infancy in Santiago, Chile (N = 1040). At infancy, 5 years, 10 years, and adolescence, mothers reported on depressive symptoms, stressful experiences, support for child development in the home, father absence, parental education, and socioeconomic status (SES) to create a psychosocial risk composite at each time point. Young adults (52.1% female; 21-27 years) provided fasting serum samples and participated in anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) assessments, including a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan for measuring body fat. Greater infant psychosocial risk was associated with a greater young adult metabolic syndrome score (β = 0.07, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.01 to 0.13, p = 0.02), a higher body mass index and waist circumference composite (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.13, p = 0.002), and a higher body fat (DXA) composite (β = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.12, p = 0.02). No psychosocial risk measure from any time point was associated with BP. Infant psychosocial risk predicted cardiometabolic outcomes in young adulthood better than psychosocial risk at 5 years, 10 years, or adolescence, mean of psychosocial risk from infancy through adolescence, and maximum of psychosocial risk at any one time. Consistent with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease model, findings suggest that infancy is a sensitive period for psychosocial risk leading to poorer cardiometabolic outcomes in young adulthood.
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Parenting matters: Parents can reduce or amplify children's anxiety and cortisol responses to acute stress. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1799-1809. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractParents serve important functions in regulating children's responses to stress and challenge. However, the parental characteristics that modulate the effectiveness of parents as stress buffers remain to be fully characterized. To address this gap, this study examined parental characteristics and behaviors that may explain variation in parents’ ability to buffer cortisol responses to acute stress of 180 children (ages 9–11 years old, M = 9.9 years, SD = .58). Children were randomly assigned to either participate in a public speaking task, the Trier Social Stress Test – modified for children (TSST-M) or a control condition. Children in the TSST-M condition were randomly assigned to prepare for the public speaking task either with their parent (N = 59) or alone (N = 60), whereas 61 children were assigned to the control condition (no TSST-M). We found that parental education moderated the effect of condition on children's responses to acute stress. Children whose parents had lower levels of education exhibited reduced cortisol responses in the parent condition compared to the alone condition, showing a buffered pattern of reactivity. In contrast, children of parents with high levels of education displayed higher cortisol reactivity in the parent condition compared to the alone and control conditions. Parental education was also positively associated with higher levels of state anxiety within the parent condition. These results suggest that highly educated parents may emphasize performance over comfort, amplifying their children's state anxiety and cortisol responses to a public performance.
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