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Mariani Wigley ILC, Mascheroni E, Fontana C, Giorda R, Morandi F, Bonichini S, McGlone F, Fumagalli M, Montirosso R. The role of maternal touch in the association between SLC6A4 methylation and stress response in very preterm infants. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63 Suppl 1:e22218. [PMID: 34964498 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22218] [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: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Very preterm (VPT) infants requiring hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are exposed to several stressful procedural experiences. One consequence of NICU-related stress is a birth-to-discharge increased serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) methylation that has been associated with poorer stress regulation at 3 months of age. Maternal touch is thought to support infants' stress response, but its role in moderating the effects of SLC6A4 methylation changes is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the role of maternal touch in moderating the association between increased SLC6A4 methylation and stress response in 3-month-old VPT infants. Twenty-nine dyads were enrolled and at 3 months (age corrected for prematurity), participated in the Face-to-Face Still-Face paradigm to measure infants' stress response (i.e., negative emotionality) and the amount of maternal touch (i.e., dynamic and static). Results showed that low level of maternal touch is associated with high level of negative emotionality during social stress. Furthermore, during NICU stay SLC6A4 methylation in VPT exposed to low level of maternal touch at 3 months was associated with increased negative emotionality. Thus, low levels of maternal static touch can intensify the negative effects of SLC6A4 epigenetic changes on stress response in 3-month-old VPT infants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eleonora Mascheroni
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Camilla Fontana
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, NICU, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Giorda
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Lecco, Italy
| | | | - Sabrina Bonichini
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.,Institute of Psychology Health & Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Monica Fumagalli
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, NICU, Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosario Montirosso
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
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Peeters DGA, Lange WG, von Borries AKL, Franke B, Volman I, Homberg JR, Verkes RJ, Roelofs K. Threat-Avoidance Tendencies Moderate the Link Between Serotonin Transporter Genetic Variation and Reactive Aggression. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:562098. [PMID: 33132858 PMCID: PMC7549659 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.562098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism has been linked to reactive aggression in men, but this association is less consistent in females. Reactive aggression has been particularly described as a result of fear-driven defense to threat, but how this interaction between defensive behavior and aggression is expressed in S-allele carriers remains unknown. In order to explore this interplay between 5-HTTLPR genotype, defensive behavior and reactive aggression, we combined genotyping with objective measures of action tendencies toward angry faces in an approach-avoidance task (AAT) and reactive aggression in the Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP) in healthy females, N = 95. This study shows that female S-allele carriers in general display increased implicit reactive aggression (administering aversive white noise) toward opponents. Furthermore, we found that threat-avoidance tendencies moderate the association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and aggression displayed on the TAP. Together, these findings indicate a positive correlation between avoidance of angry faces in the AAT and reactive aggression in the TAP exclusively present in S-allele carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah G. A. Peeters
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Wolf-Gero Lange
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - A. Katinka L. von Borries
- Department of Psychocardiology, Clinic for Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Bergmannsheil und Kinderklinik Buer GmbH, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
- Institute for Stressmedicine, ISM Rhein Ruhr, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Inge Volman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Robbert-Jan Verkes
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Abstract
Suicide is a relevant worldwide public health problem. Many studies have shown that different demographic and clinical factors are potentially associated with suicidal behavior. Other studies have reported data about the role of biomarkers in the onset of suicidal behaviors. Specifically, researchers have found that suicidal risk may be increased by abnormalities in serotonergic system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, lipid metabolism, immune system and neuronal plasticity. The identification of specific biological parameters associated with self-harm may be helpful to implement prevention strategies and also to detect new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize and analyze the results of main studies about neurobiological mechanisms related to suicidal behavior, also exploring the possible interconnection between the different biological systems.
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Timothy A, Benegal V, Shankarappa B, Saxena S, Jain S, Purushottam M. Influence of early adversity on cortisol reactivity, SLC6A4 methylation and externalizing behavior in children of alcoholics. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 94:109649. [PMID: 31082414 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children of parents with alcoholism face considerable stress, and often have externalizing behaviors. Early adversity is known to affect DNA methylation and the functioning of the HPA axis. We investigated the association of early adversity with cortisol reactivity, 5HTTLPR genotype, site specific DNA methylation in the SLC6A4 gene and externalizing behavior in children of alcoholics (COA), and a matched sample of control children. METHODS We examined children of alcoholics (N = 50) and age matched control children (N = 50) for exposure to early adversity (both prenatal and postnatal), assessed their salivary cortisol reactivity and evaluated their levels of emotional and behavioral difficulty in terms of externalizing and internalizing behavior. Site-specific DNA methylation at a previously characterized SLC6A4 region was determined in salivary DNA using pyrosequencing. The 5HTTLPR region of the SLC6A4 gene was also genotyped. RESULTS COA had significantly higher experience of early adversity than control children. Cortisol reactivity was reduced in COA, and negatively correlated with early adversity. Both early adversity and cortisol reactivity correlated with externalizing behavior. SLC6A4 methylation was higher in COA, and correlated with early adversity. SLC6A4 genotype did not show association with any of the variables. CONCLUSION Our study provides further evidence that early adversity is associated with blunted cortisol reactivity, increased site-specific CpG DNA methylation at the SLC6A4 gene, and high externalizing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anurag Timothy
- Centre for Addiction Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India; Department of Psychiatry, Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, New Delhi 110010, India
| | - Vivek Benegal
- Centre for Addiction Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Bhagyalakshmi Shankarappa
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India; St Johns Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, India
| | - Sachin Saxena
- Department of Psychiatry, Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, New Delhi 110010, India
| | - Sanjeev Jain
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Meera Purushottam
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India.
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