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Feeney K, Pintos Lobo R, Hare MM, Morris SSJ, Laird AR, Musser ED. Parental Deprivation- and Threat-Based Factors Associated with Youth Emotion-Based Neurocircuitry and Externalizing Behavior: A Systematic Review. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024; 52:311-323. [PMID: 37831222 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01138-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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Parental factors, including negative parenting practices (e.g., family conflict, low monitoring), parental depression, and parental substance use, are associated with externalizing behaviors among youth. However, the ways in which these parental factors are associated with youth brain function and consequent externalizing behavior has been less studied. Both the dimensional and stress acceleration models provide frameworks for understanding how parental factors may be associated with frontolimbic and frontoparietal networks implicated in emotional attention and regulation processes. The current review builds upon this work by examining how deprivation- and threat-based parental factors are associated with youth neurocircuitry involved in emotional functioning and externalizing behaviors. A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines was completed and included five studies assessing parenting behaviors, six studies assessing parental depressive symptoms and/or diagnosis, and 12 studies assessing parental history of substance use. Synthesis of reviewed studies discusses support for the dimensional and stress acceleration models within the context of deprivation and threat. Further, a limited number of studies tested (i.e., six studies) and supported (i.e., three studies) youth neural structure and function as a mediator of the association between parental factors and youth externalizing behavior. Specific recommendations for future work include more deliberate planning related to sample composition, improved clarity related to parental constructs, consistency in methodology, and longitudinal study design in order to better understand associations between contextual parental influences and youth neural and behavioral functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Feeney
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | | | - Megan M Hare
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Erica D Musser
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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2
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Kahhale I, Buser NJ, Madan CR, Hanson JL. Quantifying numerical and spatial reliability of hippocampal and amygdala subdivisions in FreeSurfer. Brain Inform 2023; 10:9. [PMID: 37029203 PMCID: PMC10082143 DOI: 10.1186/s40708-023-00189-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
On-going, large-scale neuroimaging initiatives can aid in uncovering neurobiological causes and correlates of poor mental health, disease pathology, and many other important conditions. As projects grow in scale with hundreds, even thousands, of individual participants and scans collected, quantification of brain structures by automated algorithms is becoming the only truly tractable approach. Here, we assessed the spatial and numerical reliability for newly deployed automated segmentation of hippocampal subfields and amygdala nuclei in FreeSurfer 7. In a sample of participants with repeated structural imaging scans (N = 928), we found numerical reliability (as assessed by intraclass correlations, ICCs) was reasonable. Approximately 95% of hippocampal subfields had "excellent" numerical reliability (ICCs ≥ 0.90), while only 67% of amygdala subnuclei met this same threshold. In terms of spatial reliability, 58% of hippocampal subfields and 44% of amygdala subnuclei had Dice coefficients ≥ 0.70. Notably, multiple regions had poor numerical and/or spatial reliability. We also examined correlations between spatial reliability and person-level factors (e.g., participant age; T1 image quality). Both sex and image scan quality were related to variations in spatial reliability metrics. Examined collectively, our work suggests caution should be exercised for a few hippocampal subfields and amygdala nuclei with more variable reliability.
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3
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Teeuw J, Klein M, Mota NR, Brouwer RM, van ‘t Ent D, Al-Hassaan Z, Franke B, Boomsma DI, Hulshoff Pol HE. Multivariate Genetic Structure of Externalizing Behavior and Structural Brain Development in a Longitudinal Adolescent Twin Sample. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063176. [PMID: 35328598 PMCID: PMC8949114 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Externalizing behavior in its more extreme form is often considered a problem to the individual, their families, teachers, and society as a whole. Several brain structures have been linked to externalizing behavior and such associations may arise if the (co)development of externalizing behavior and brain structures share the same genetic and/or environmental factor(s). We assessed externalizing behavior with the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self Report, and the brain volumes and white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy [FA] and mean diffusivity [MD]) with magnetic resonance imaging in the BrainSCALE cohort, which consisted of twins and their older siblings from 112 families measured longitudinally at ages 10, 13, and 18 years for the twins. Genetic covariance modeling based on the classical twin design, extended to also include siblings of twins, showed that genes influence externalizing behavior and changes therein (h2 up to 88%). More pronounced externalizing behavior was associated with higher FA (observed correlation rph up to +0.20) and lower MD (rph up to −0.20), with sizeable genetic correlations (FA ra up to +0.42; MD ra up to −0.33). The cortical gray matter (CGM; rph up to −0.20) and cerebral white matter (CWM; rph up to +0.20) volume were phenotypically but not genetically associated with externalizing behavior. These results suggest a potential mediating role for global brain structures in the display of externalizing behavior during adolescence that are both partially explained by the influence of the same genetic factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalmar Teeuw
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-(088)-75-53-387
| | - Marieke Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Roth Mota
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel M. Brouwer
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis van ‘t Ent
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (D.v.‘t.E.); (D.I.B.)
| | - Zyneb Al-Hassaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (D.v.‘t.E.); (D.I.B.)
- Amsterdam Public Health (APH) Research Institute, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
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4
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Hanson JL, Nacewicz BM. Amygdala Allostasis and Early Life Adversity: Considering Excitotoxicity and Inescapability in the Sequelae of Stress. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:624705. [PMID: 34140882 PMCID: PMC8203824 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.624705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA), such as child maltreatment or child poverty, engenders problems with emotional and behavioral regulation. In the quest to understand the neurobiological sequelae and mechanisms of risk, the amygdala has been of major focus. While the basic functions of this region make it a strong candidate for understanding the multiple mental health issues common after ELA, extant literature is marked by profound inconsistencies, with reports of larger, smaller, and no differences in regional volumes of this area. We believe integrative models of stress neurodevelopment, grounded in "allostatic load," will help resolve inconsistencies in the impact of ELA on the amygdala. In this review, we attempt to connect past research studies to new findings with animal models of cellular and neurotransmitter mediators of stress buffering to extreme fear generalization onto testable research and clinical concepts. Drawing on the greater impact of inescapability over unpredictability in animal models, we propose a mechanism by which ELA aggravates an exhaustive cycle of amygdala expansion and subsequent toxic-metabolic damage. We connect this neurobiological sequela to psychosocial mal/adaptation after ELA, bridging to behavioral studies of attachment, emotion processing, and social functioning. Lastly, we conclude this review by proposing a multitude of future directions in preclinical work and studies of humans that suffered ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Brendon M. Nacewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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5
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Gilmore AD, Buser NJ, Hanson JL. Variations in structural MRI quality significantly impact commonly used measures of brain anatomy. Brain Inform 2021; 8:7. [PMID: 33860392 PMCID: PMC8050166 DOI: 10.1186/s40708-021-00128-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Subject motion can introduce noise into neuroimaging data and result in biased estimations of brain structure. In-scanner motion can compromise data quality in a number of ways and varies widely across developmental and clinical populations. However, quantification of structural image quality is often limited to proxy or indirect measures gathered from functional scans; this may be missing true differences related to these potential artifacts. In this study, we take advantage of novel informatic tools, the CAT12 toolbox, to more directly measure image quality from T1-weighted images to understand if these measures of image quality: (1) relate to rigorous quality-control checks visually completed by human raters; (2) are associated with sociodemographic variables of interest; (3) influence regional estimates of cortical surface area, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes from the commonly used Freesurfer tool suite. We leverage public-access data that includes a community-based sample of children and adolescents, spanning a large age-range (N = 388; ages 5-21). Interestingly, even after visually inspecting our data, we find image quality significantly impacts derived cortical surface area, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes from multiple regions across the brain (~ 23.4% of all areas investigated). We believe these results are important for research groups completing structural MRI studies using Freesurfer or other morphometric tools. As such, future studies should consider using measures of image quality to minimize the influence of this potential confound in group comparisons or studies focused on individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysha D Gilmore
- Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Nicholas J Buser
- Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Jamie L Hanson
- Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
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6
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Ibrahim K, Kalvin C, Li F, He G, Pelphrey KA, McCarthy G, Sukhodolsky DG. Sex differences in medial prefrontal and parietal cortex structure in children with disruptive behavior. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 47:100884. [PMID: 33254067 PMCID: PMC7704291 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in brain structure in children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) remain poorly understood. This study examined sex differences in gray matter volume in children with DBD in a priori regions-of-interest implicated in the pathophysiology of disruptive behavior. We then conducted a whole-brain analysis of cortical thickness to examine sex differences in regions not included in our hypothesis. Exploratory analyses investigated unique associations between structure, and dimensional measures of severity of disruptive behavior and callous-unemotional traits. This cross-sectional study included 88 children with DBD (30 females) aged 8-16 years and 50 healthy controls (20 females). Structural MRI data were analyzed using surface-based morphometry to test for interactions between sex and group. Multiple-regression analyses tested for sex-specific associations between structure, callous-unemotional traits, and disruptive behavior severity. Boys with DBD showed reduced gray matter volume in the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and reduced cortical thickness in the supramarginal gyrus, but not girls compared to respective controls. Dimensional analyses revealed associations between sex, callous-unemotional traits, and disruptive behavior for amygdala and vmPFC volume, and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex cortical thickness. Sex-specific differences in prefrontal structures involved in emotion regulation may support identification of neural biomarkers of disruptive behavior to inform target-based treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Ibrahim
- Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, United States.
| | - Carla Kalvin
- Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center, United States
| | - Fangyong Li
- Yale University School of Medicine, Center for Analytical Sciences, United States
| | - George He
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, United States
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Perino MT, Guassi Moreira JF, Telzer EH. Links between adolescent bullying and neural activation to viewing social exclusion. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:1467-1478. [PMID: 31292887 PMCID: PMC6864266 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-019-00739-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Neuroscientists who have studied bullying have primarily focused on the psychopathology of diagnosable offenders or the resulting symptomatology of victimization. Less attention has been given to theories that suggest that bullying may be an interpersonal strategy. In an exploratory study, we recruited a sample of adolescents (N = 24) who engaged in high rates of delinquent behavior and collected self-report ratings of bullying behaviors. During an fMRI scan, adolescents observed instances of social exclusion and social inclusion. The adolescents' self-reported bullying was associated with greater ventral striatum, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and insula activation when viewing social exclusion > social inclusion. Activation in these regions is commonly associated with reward-learning, salience monitoring, and motivational processes, suggesting that bullies show altered processing of interpersonal cues and social dynamic experiences in their environment. Our findings highlight the need for developmental neuroscientists to further explore the role of social motivation in processing socio-affective information, with a particular focus on goal-directed antisocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Perino
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - João F Guassi Moreira
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel-Hill, 235 E Cameron Avenue, Room 213D, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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8
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Andre QR, Geeraert BL, Lebel C. Brain structure and internalizing and externalizing behavior in typically developing children and adolescents. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 225:1369-1378. [PMID: 31701264 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01973-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mental health problems often emerge in adolescence and are associated with reduced gray matter thickness or volume in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and limbic system and reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased mean diffusivity (MD) of white matter linking these regions. However, few studies have investigated whether internalizing and externalizing behavior are associated with brain structure in children and adolescents without mental health disorders, which is important for understanding the progression of symptoms. 67 T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging datasets were obtained from 48 typically developing participants aged 6-16 years (37M/30F; 19 participants had two visits). Volume was calculated in the prefrontal and limbic structures, and diffusion parameters were assessed in limbic white matter. Linear mixed effects models were used to compute associations between brain structure and internalizing and externalizing behavior, assessed using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) Parent Rating Scale. Internalizing behavior was positively associated with MD of the bilateral cingulum. Gender interactions were found in the cingulum, with stronger positive relationships between MD and internalizing behavior in females. Externalizing behavior was negatively associated with FA of the left cingulum, and the left uncinate fasciculus showed an age-behavior interaction. No relationships between behavior and brain volumes survived multiple comparison correction. These results show altered limbic white matter FA and MD related to sub-clinical internalizing and externalizing behavior and further our understanding of neurological markers that may underlie risk for future mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn R Andre
- Medical Science Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bryce L Geeraert
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Alberta Children's Hospital, 28 Oki Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada.
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9
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Kolla NJ, Dunlop K, Meyer JH, Downar J. Corticostriatal Connectivity in Antisocial Personality Disorder by MAO-A Genotype and Its Relationship to Aggressive Behavior. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:725-733. [PMID: 29746646 PMCID: PMC6070029 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The influence of genetic variation on resting-state neural networks represents a burgeoning line of inquiry in psychiatric research. Monoamine oxidase A, an X-linked gene, is one example of a molecular target linked to brain activity in psychiatric illness. Monoamine oxidase A genetic variants, including the high and low variable nucleotide tandem repeat polymorphisms, have been shown to differentially affect brain functional connectivity in healthy humans. However, it is currently unknown whether these same polymorphisms influence resting-state brain activity in clinical conditions. Given its high burden on society and strong connection to violent behavior, antisocial personality disorder is a logical condition to study, since in vivo markers of monoamine oxidase A brain enzyme are reduced in key affect-modulating regions, and striatal levels of monoamine oxidase A show a relation with the functional connectivity of this same region. METHODS We utilized monoamine oxidase A genotyping and seed-to-voxel-based functional connectivity to investigate the relationship between genotype and corticostriatal connectivity in 21 male participants with severe antisocial personality disorder and 19 male healthy controls. RESULTS Dorsal striatal connectivity to the frontal pole and anterior cingulate gyrus differentiated antisocial personality disorder subjects and healthy controls by monoamine oxidase A genotype. Furthermore, the linear relationship of proactive aggression to superior ventral striatal-angular gyrus functional connectivity differed by monoamine oxidase A genotype in the antisocial personality disorder groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that monoamine oxidase A genotype may affect corticostriatal connectivity in antisocial personality disorder and that these functional connections may also underlie use of proactive aggression in a genotype-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Kolla
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Research Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Violence Prevention Neurobiological Research Unit, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Correspondence: Nathan Kolla, MD, PhD, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Room 626, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 1R8 ()
| | - Katharine Dunlop
- Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffrey H Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Research Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan Downar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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10
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van Donkelaar MMJ, Hoogman M, Pappa I, Tiemeier H, Buitelaar JK, Franke B, Bralten J. Pleiotropic Contribution of MECOM and AVPR1A to Aggression and Subcortical Brain Volumes. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:61. [PMID: 29666571 PMCID: PMC5891600 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression have been recognized to help parse etiological heterogeneity of this complex phenotype. With a heritability of about 50%, genetic factors play a role in the development of aggressive behavior. Imaging studies implicate brain structures related to social behavior in aggression etiology, most notably the amygdala and striatum. This study aimed to gain more insight into the pathways from genetic risk factors for aggression to aggression phenotypes. To this end, we conducted genome-wide gene-based cross-trait meta-analyses of aggression with the volumes of amygdala, nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus to identify genes influencing both aggression and aggression-related brain volumes. We used data of large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of: (a) aggressive behavior in children and adolescents (EAGLE, N = 18,988); and (b) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based volume measures of aggression-relevant subcortical brain regions (ENIGMA2, N = 13,171). Second, the identified genes were further investigated in a sample of healthy adults (mean age (SD) = 25.28 (4.62) years; 43% male) who had genome-wide genotyping data and questionnaire data on aggression subtypes available (Brain Imaging Genetics, BIG, N = 501) to study their effect on reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression. Our meta-analysis identified two genes, MECOM and AVPR1A, significantly associated with both aggression risk and nucleus accumbens (MECOM) and amygdala (AVPR1A) brain volume. Subsequent in-depth analysis of these genes in healthy adults (BIG), including sex as an interaction term in the model, revealed no significant subtype-specific gene-wide associations. Using cross-trait meta-analysis of brain measures and psychiatric phenotypes, this study generated new hypotheses about specific links between genes, the brain and behavior. Results indicate that MECOM and AVPR1A may exert an effect on aggression through mechanisms involving nucleus accumbens and amygdala volumes, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein M J van Donkelaar
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martine Hoogman
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Irene Pappa
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Janita Bralten
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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11
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Cerniglia L, Cimino S, Erriu M, Jezek S, Almenara CA, Tambelli R. Trajectories of aggressive and depressive symptoms in male and female overweight children: Do they share a common path or do they follow different routes? PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190731. [PMID: 29304081 PMCID: PMC5755891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of childhood overweight is a major social and public health issue, and primary assessment should focus on early and middle childhood, because weight gain in these phases constitutes a strong predictor of subsequent negative outcomes. Studies on community samples have shown that growth curves may follow linear or non-linear trajectories from early to middle childhood, and can differ based on sex. Overweight children may exhibit a combination of physiological and psychosocial issues, and several studies have demonstrated an association between overweight and internalizing/externalizing behavior. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of longitudinal studies on depressive and aggressive symptoms in children with high BMI. This study adopted a growth curve modeling over three phases to: (1) describe BMI trajectories in two groups of children aged 2–8 (overweight and normal weight) from a community sample; (2) describe the developmental trajectories of children’s aggressive and depressive symptoms from 2 to 8 years of age. Results indicate higher BMI in 2-year-old girls, with males catching up with them by age 8. While overweight females’ BMIs were consistently high, males’ increased at 5 and 8 years. The mean scores for aggressive symptoms at T1 (2 years of age) were the same in all subjects, but a significant deviation occurred from T1 to T2 in both samples, in divergent directions. With regards to children’s depressive symptoms, the two groups had different starting points, with normal weight children scoring lower than overweight youths. Overweight females showed lower depressive scores than overweight males at T1, but they surpassed boys before T2, and showed more maladaptive symptoms at T3. This study solicits professionals working in pediatric settings to consider overweight children’s psychopathological risk, and to be aware that even when children’s BMI does not increase from 2 to 8 years, their psychopathological symptoms may grow in intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Cerniglia
- International Telematic University Uninettuno, Psychology Faculty, Department of Psychology, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Silvia Cimino
- Sapienza, University of Rome, Psychology and Medicine Faculty, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Erriu
- Sapienza, University of Rome, Psychology and Medicine Faculty, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Rome, Italy
| | - Stanislav Jezek
- Institute for Research on Children, Youth and Family, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Carlos A. Almenara
- Institute for Research on Children, Youth and Family, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Faculty of Psychology, Chorrillos, Lima, Perú
| | - Renata Tambelli
- Sapienza, University of Rome, Psychology and Medicine Faculty, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Rome, Italy
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Palmer RHC, Bidwell LC, Heath AC, Brick LA, Madden PAF, Knopik VS. Effects of Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy on Offspring Externalizing Problems: Contextual Effects in a Sample of Female Twins. Behav Genet 2016; 46:403-15. [PMID: 26826031 PMCID: PMC4860102 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9779-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies of maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) suggest increased risk for cognitive impairment and psychiatric outcomes. However, it is uncertain whether these associations are the direct result of MSDP or related to confounding familial variables associated with MSDP. The current study employed propensity score analysis to examine the effects of MSDP on offspring EXT using data from a large sample of 979 unrelated mothers. Logistic regression models were used to determine the propensity that the offspring of these mothers were likely to be exposed to MSDP [i.e., smoked during only the first trimester (MSDP-EARLY[E]) or smoked throughout their pregnancy (MSDP-THROUGHOUT[T])] given known familial confounders. Analyses focused on the effect of MSDP-E/T on the EXT behavior in offspring of these mothers (N = 1616) were conducted across the distribution of liability for MSDP-E/T and at different levels of risk for MSDP-E/T. MSDP-E/T was associated with offspring EXT problems, but the effects were partly confounded by the familial liability for MSDP. Further, the observed effects were not consistent across all levels of the MSDP risk distribution. These findings suggest a direct association between MSDP and offspring EXT behaviors, and that varied associations observed across studies may be the result of differences in the level of familial confounders that also have an effect on offspring EXT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan H C Palmer
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
- Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center Coro West, 1 Hoppin St, Suite 204, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - L Cinnamon Bidwell
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Andrew C Heath
- Midwestern Alcohol Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Leslie A Brick
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Pamela A F Madden
- Midwestern Alcohol Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Valerie S Knopik
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
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Hanson JL, Albert D, Iselin AMR, Carré JM, Dodge KA, Hariri AR. Cumulative stress in childhood is associated with blunted reward-related brain activity in adulthood. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 11:405-12. [PMID: 26443679 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is strongly associated with negative outcomes in adulthood, including reduced motivation and increased negative mood. The mechanisms mediating these relations, however, are poorly understood. We examined the relation between exposure to ELS and reward-related brain activity, which is known to predict motivation and mood, at age 26, in a sample followed since kindergarten with annual assessments. Using functional neuroimaging, we assayed individual differences in the activity of the ventral striatum (VS) during the processing of monetary rewards associated with a simple card-guessing task, in a sample of 72 male participants. We examined associations between a cumulative measure of ELS exposure and VS activity in adulthood. We found that greater levels of cumulative stress during childhood and adolescence predicted lower reward-related VS activity in adulthood. Extending this general developmental pattern, we found that exposure to stress early in development (between kindergarten and grade 3) was significantly associated with variability in adult VS activity. Our results provide an important demonstration that cumulative life stress, especially during this childhood period, is associated with blunted reward-related VS activity in adulthood. These differences suggest neurobiological pathways through which a history of ELS may contribute to reduced motivation and increased negative mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Hanson
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, Center For Developmental Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, Center for Child & Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA,
| | - Dustin Albert
- Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
| | - Anne-Marie R Iselin
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina-Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada, and
| | - Kenneth A Dodge
- Center for Child & Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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