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Deer LK, Su C, Thwaites NA, Davis EP, Doom JR. A framework for testing pathways from prenatal stress-responsive hormones to cardiovascular disease risk. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1111474. [PMID: 37223037 PMCID: PMC10200937 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1111474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death globally, with the prevalence projected to keep rising. Risk factors for adult CVD emerge at least as early as the prenatal period. Alterations in stress-responsive hormones in the prenatal period are hypothesized to contribute to CVD in adulthood, but little is known about relations between prenatal stress-responsive hormones and early precursors of CVD, such as cardiometabolic risk and health behaviors. The current review presents a theoretical model of the relation between prenatal stress-responsive hormones and adult CVD through cardiometabolic risk markers (e.g., rapid catch-up growth, high BMI/adiposity, high blood pressure, and altered blood glucose, lipids, and metabolic hormones) and health behaviors (e.g., substance use, poor sleep, poor diet and eating behaviors, and low physical activity levels). Emerging evidence in human and non-human animal literatures suggest that altered stress-responsive hormones during gestation predict higher cardiometabolic risk and poorer health behaviors in offspring. This review additionally highlights limitations of the current literature (e.g., lack of racial/ethnic diversity, lack of examination of sex differences), and discusses future directions for this promising area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- LillyBelle K. Deer
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Chen Su
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | | | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jenalee R. Doom
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
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Nevarez-Brewster M, Demers CH, Mejia A, Haase MH, Bagonis MM, Kim SH, Gilmore JH, Hoffman MC, Styner MA, Hankin BL, Davis EP. Longitudinal and prospective assessment of prenatal maternal sleep quality and associations with newborn hippocampal and amygdala volume. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 58:101174. [PMID: 36375383 PMCID: PMC9661438 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rapid maturation of the fetal brain renders the fetus susceptible to prenatal environmental signals. Prenatal maternal sleep quality is known to have important health implications for newborns including risk for preterm birth, however, the effect on the fetal brain is poorly understood. METHOD Participants included 94 pregnant participants and their newborns (53% female). Pregnant participants (Mage = 30; SDage= 5.29) reported on sleep quality three times throughout pregnancy. Newborn hippocampal and amygdala volumes were assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Multilevel modeling was used to test the associations between trajectories of prenatal maternal sleep quality and newborn hippocampal and amygdala volume. RESULTS The overall trajectory of prenatal maternal sleep quality was associated with hippocampal volume (left: b = 0.00003, p = 0.013; right: b = 0.00003, p = .008). Follow up analyses assessing timing of exposure indicate that poor sleep quality early in pregnancy was associated with larger hippocampal volume bilaterally (e.g., late gestation left: b = 0.002, p = 0.24; right: b = 0.004, p = .11). Prenatal sleep quality was not associated with amygdala volume. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the implications of poor prenatal maternal sleep quality and its role in contributing to newborn hippocampal development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine H Demers
- University of Denver, Department of Psychology, United States; University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Psychiatry, United States
| | - Alexandra Mejia
- University of Denver, Department of Psychology, United States
| | | | - Maria M Bagonis
- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, United States
| | - Sun Hyung Kim
- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, United States
| | - John H Gilmore
- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, United States
| | - M Camille Hoffman
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Psychiatry, United States; University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, United States
| | - Martin A Styner
- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Department of Psychiatry, United States; University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Department of Computer Science, United States
| | - Benjamin L Hankin
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- University of Denver, Department of Psychology, United States; University of California, Irvine, Department of Pediatrics, United States
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Demers CH, Hankin BL, Hennessey EMP, Haase MH, Bagonis MM, Kim SH, Gilmore JH, Hoffman MC, Styner MA, Davis EP. Maternal adverse childhood experiences and infant subcortical brain volume. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 21:100487. [PMID: 36532374 PMCID: PMC9755027 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A large body of research supports the deleterious effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on disease susceptibility and health for both the exposed individual and the next generation. It is likely that there is an intergenerational transmission of risk from mother to child; however, the mechanisms through which such risk is conferred remain unknown. The current study evaluated the association between maternal ACEs, neonatal brain development of the amygdala and hippocampus, and later infant negative emotionality at six months of age. Methods The sample included 85 mother-infant dyads (44 female infants) from a longitudinal study. Maternal ACEs were assessed with the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q) and neonatal hippocampal and amygdala volume was assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Infant negative emotionality was assessed at 6 months using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). Results Multivariate analyses demonstrated that maternal ACEs were associated with bilateral amygdala volume (F(2,78) = 3.697,p = .029). Specifically, higher maternal ACEs were associated with smaller left (β = -0.220, t(79) = -2.661, p = .009, R2 = 0.494, and right (β = -0.167, t(79) = -2.043, p = .044, R2 = 0.501) amygdala volume. No significant association between maternal ACEs and bilateral hippocampal volume (F(2,78) = 0.215,p = .0807) was found. Follow-up regression analyses demonstrated that both high maternal ACEs and smaller left amygdala volume were associated with higher infant negative emotionality at six months of age (β = .232, p = .040, R2 = 0.094, and β = -0.337, p = .022, R2 = 0.16, respectively) although statistically significant mediation of this effect was not observed (Indirect effect = 0.0187, 95% CI [-0.0016-0.0557]). Conclusions Maternal ACEs are associated with both newborn amygdala volume and subsequent infant negative emotionality. These findings linking maternal adverse childhood experiences and infant brain development and temperament provide evidence to support the intergenerational transmission of adversity from mother to child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine H. Demers
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Corresponding author. University of Denver, Department of Psychology, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO, 80208-3500, USA.
| | - Benjamin L. Hankin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Maria M. Bagonis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- PrimeNeuro, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sun Hyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - John H. Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - M. Camille Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Martin A. Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Van Assche IA, Lemiere J, Amant F, Van Calsteren K. Direct and indirect effects on child neurocognitive development when maternal cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy: What do we know so far? Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 179:103824. [PMID: 36174901 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer during pregnancy threatens the lives of mother and foetus and its incidence is rising, making it an emerging medical challenge. Evidence on the direct impact of cancer therapies on neonatal outcomes resulted in general guidelines for maternal treatment that safeguards foetal development. Less focus has been placed on indirect factors, in pre- and postnatal periods, that may exert long-term impacts specifically on child neurocognition. Foetal development, in the context of maternal cancer during pregnancy, may be influenced directly by exposure to cancer diagnostics and (co-)treatment, or indirectly through maternal inflammation, malnutrition, hormonal fluctuations, prematurity, and psycho-biological stress. Maternal stress and insecure mother-infant bonding related to postpartum cancer treatment may further impact child cognitive-behavioural development. Understanding the independent and synergistic effects of the factors impacting neurocognitive development creates the opportunity to intervene during the oncological treatment to improve the child's long-term outcome, both by medical and psychosocial care and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indra A Van Assche
- Department of Development and Regeneration: Woman and Child, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jurgen Lemiere
- Department of Oncology: Pediatric Oncology, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Pediatrics: Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Frédéric Amant
- Department of Oncology: Gynaecological Oncology, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Gynaecological Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Center for Gynaecologic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Kristel Van Calsteren
- Department of Development and Regeneration: Woman and Child, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Foetomaternal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
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Brady RG, Rogers CE, Prochaska T, Kaplan S, Lean RE, Smyser TA, Shimony JS, Slavich GM, Warner BB, Barch DM, Luby JL, Smyser CD. The Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Neighborhood Crime on Neonatal Functional Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:139-148. [PMID: 35428496 PMCID: PMC9257309 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal exposure to adversity during pregnancy has been found to affect infant brain development; however, the specific effect of prenatal crime exposure on neonatal brain connectivity remains unclear. Based on existing research, we hypothesized that living in a high-crime neighborhood during pregnancy would affect neonatal frontolimbic connectivity over and above other individual- and neighborhood-level adversity and that these associations would be mediated by maternal psychosocial stress. METHODS Participants included 399 pregnant women, recruited as part of the eLABE (Early Life Adversity, Biological Embedding, and Risk for Developmental Precursors of Mental Disorders) study. In the neonatal period, 319 healthy, nonsedated infants were scanned using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (repetition time = 800 ms; echo time = 37 ms; voxel size = 2.0 × 2.0 × 2.0 mm3; multiband = 8) on a Prisma 3T scanner and had at least 10 minutes of high-quality data. Crime data at the block group level were obtained from Applied Geographic Solution. Linear regressions and mediation models tested associations between crime, frontolimbic connectivity, and psychosocial stress. RESULTS Living in a neighborhood with high property crime during pregnancy was related to weaker neonatal functional connectivity between the thalamus-anterior default mode network (aDMN) (β = -0.15, 95% CI = -0.25 to -0.04, p = .008). Similarly, high neighborhood violent crime was related to weaker functional connectivity between the thalamus-aDMN (β = -0.16, 95% CI = -0.29 to -0.04, p = .01) and amygdala-hippocampus (β = -0.16, 95% CI = -0.29 to -0.03, p = .02), controlling for other types of adversity. Psychosocial stress partially mediated relationships between the thalamus-aDMN and both violent and property crime. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that prenatal exposure to crime is associated with weaker neonatal limbic and frontal functional brain connections, providing another reason for targeted public policy interventions to reduce crime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Brady
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Trinidi Prochaska
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Sydney Kaplan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Rachel E Lean
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Tara A Smyser
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joshua S Shimony
- Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Barbara B Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joan L Luby
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Mallinckrot Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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Computational synthesis of cortical dendritic morphologies. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110586. [PMID: 35385736 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal morphologies provide the foundation for the electrical behavior of neurons, the connectomes they form, and the dynamical properties of the brain. Comprehensive neuron models are essential for defining cell types, discerning their functional roles, and investigating brain-disease-related dendritic alterations. However, a lack of understanding of the principles underlying neuron morphologies has hindered attempts to computationally synthesize morphologies for decades. We introduce a synthesis algorithm based on a topological descriptor of neurons, which enables the rapid digital reconstruction of entire brain regions from few reference cells. This topology-guided synthesis generates dendrites that are statistically similar to biological reconstructions in terms of morpho-electrical and connectivity properties and offers a significant opportunity to investigate the links between neuronal morphology and brain function across different spatiotemporal scales. Synthesized cortical networks based on structurally altered dendrites associated with diverse brain pathologies revealed principles linking branching properties to the structure of large-scale networks.
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Calibration and recalibration of stress response systems across development: Implications for mental and physical health. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 63:35-69. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Demers CH, Bagonis MM, Al-Ali K, Garcia SE, Styner MA, Gilmore JH, Hoffman MC, Hankin BL, Davis EP. Exposure to prenatal maternal distress and infant white matter neurodevelopment. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:1526-1538. [PMID: 35586027 PMCID: PMC9109943 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000742] [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: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The prenatal period represents a critical time for brain growth and development. These rapid neurological advances render the fetus susceptible to various influences with life-long implications for mental health. Maternal distress signals are a dominant early life influence, contributing to birth outcomes and risk for offspring psychopathology. This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the association between prenatal maternal distress and infant white matter microstructure. Participants included a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 85 mother-infant dyads. Prenatal distress was assessed at 17 and 29 weeks' gestational age (GA). Infant structural data were collected via diffusion tensor imaging at 42-45 weeks' postconceptional age. Findings demonstrated that higher prenatal maternal distress at 29 weeks' GA was associated with increased fractional anisotropy (b = .283, t(64) = 2.319, p = .024) and with increased axial diffusivity (b = .254, t(64) = 2.067, p = .043) within the right anterior cingulate white matter tract. No other significant associations were found with prenatal distress exposure and tract fractional anisotropy or axial diffusivity at 29 weeks' GA, nor earlier in gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine H. Demers
- Department of Psychology University of Denver, Denver CO,
USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz
Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
| | - Maria M. Bagonis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, USA
| | - Khalid Al-Ali
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, USA
| | - Sarah E. Garcia
- Department of Psychology University of Denver, Denver CO,
USA
| | - Martin A. Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, USA
| | - John H. Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, USA
| | - M. Camille Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz
Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of
Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine,
Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Benjamin L. Hankin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Champaign IL, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology University of Denver, Denver CO,
USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of
California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Kassotaki I, Valsamakis G, Mastorakos G, Grammatopoulos DK. Placental CRH as a Signal of Pregnancy Adversity and Impact on Fetal Neurodevelopment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:714214. [PMID: 34408727 PMCID: PMC8366286 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.714214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life is a period of considerable plasticity and vulnerability and insults during that period can disrupt the homeostatic equilibrium of the developing organism, resulting in adverse developmental programming and enhanced susceptibility to disease. Fetal exposure to prenatal stress can impede optimum brain development and deranged mother's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) stress responses can alter the neurodevelopmental trajectories of the offspring. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and glucocorticoids, regulate fetal neurogenesis and while CRH exerts neuroprotective actions, increased levels of stress hormones have been associated with fetal brain structural alterations such as reduced cortical volume, impoverishment of neuronal density in the limbic brain areas and alterations in neuronal circuitry, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmission and G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling. Emerging evidence highlight the role of epigenetic changes in fetal brain programming, as stress-induced methylation of genes encoding molecules that are implicated in HPA axis and major neurodevelopmental processes. These serve as molecular memories and have been associated with long term modifications of the offspring's stress regulatory system and increased susceptibility to psychosomatic disorders later in life. This review summarises our current understanding on the roles of CRH and other mediators of stress responses on fetal neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifigeneia Kassotaki
- Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Internal Medicine Clinic, Venizeleio Pananeio General Hospital, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Second University Department of Obs and Gynae, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Institute of Precision Diagnostics and Translational Medicine, Pathology, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Maternal caregiving ameliorates the consequences of prenatal maternal psychological distress on child development. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:1376-1385. [PMID: 34311804 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Children exposed to prenatal maternal psychological distress are at elevated risk for a range of adverse outcomes; however, it remains poorly understood whether postnatal influences can ameliorate impairments related to prenatal distress. The current study evaluated if sensitivematernal care during the first postnatal year could mitigate child cognitive and emotional impairments associated with prenatal psychological distress. Prenatal maternal psychological distress was assessed via self-reports of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress for 136 mothers at five prenatal and four postpartum time points. Quality of maternal care (sensitivity to nondistress, positive regard, and intrusiveness reverse-scored) were assessed during a mother-child play interaction at 6 and 12 months. Child cognitive function and negative emotionality were assessed at 2 years, using The Bayley Scales and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire. Elevated prenatal distress was associated with poorer child cognitive function and elevated negative emotionality. Children exposed to elevated prenatal maternal distress did not, however, display these outcomes if they received high-quality caregiving. Specifically, maternal care moderated the relation between prenatal psychological distress and child cognitive function and negative emotionality. This association remained after consideration of postnatal maternal psychological distress and relevant covariates. Sensitive maternal care was associated with altered offspring developmental trajectories, supporting child resilience following prenatal distress exposure.
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Wolfova K, Csajbok Z, Kagstrom A, Kåreholt I, Cermakova P. Role of sex in the association between childhood socioeconomic position and cognitive ageing in later life. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4647. [PMID: 33633200 PMCID: PMC7907064 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84022-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to explore sex differences in the association of childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) with the level of cognitive performance and the rate of cognitive decline. We studied 84,059 individuals (55% women; mean age 64 years) from the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Sex differences in the association of childhood SEP (household characteristics at age 10) with the level of cognitive performance (verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall) were analysed using multilevel linear regression. Structural equation modelling tested education, depressive symptoms and physical state as mediators. The relationship between childhood socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage and the rate of cognitive decline was assessed using linear mixed-effects models. Higher childhood SEP was associated with a higher level of cognitive performance to a greater extent in women (B = 0.122; 95% CI 0.092–0.151) than in men (B = 0.109; 95% CI 0.084–0.135). The strongest mediator was education. Childhood socioeconomic disadvantage was related to a higher rate of decline in delayed recall in both sexes, with a greater association in women. Strategies to prevent impaired late-life cognitive functioning, such as reducing childhood socioeconomic disadvantages and improving education, might have a greater benefit for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Wolfova
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Ruska 87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic.,National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Zsofia Csajbok
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Ruska 87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic.,National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic.,Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicna 7, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Kagstrom
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Ruska 87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic.,National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Ingemar Kåreholt
- Institute of Gerontology, Aging Research Network - Jönköping (ARN-J), School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.,Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pavla Cermakova
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Ruska 87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic. .,National Institute of Mental Health, Topolova 748, 250 67, Klecany, Czech Republic. .,Department of Epidemiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Plzenska 130/221, 150 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
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12
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Davis EP, Narayan AJ. Pregnancy as a period of risk, adaptation, and resilience for mothers and infants. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:1625-1639. [PMID: 33427164 PMCID: PMC7863987 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The pregnancy period represents a unique window of opportunity to identify risks to both the fetus and mother and to deter the intergenerational transmission of adversity and mental health problems. Although the maternal-fetal dyad is especially vulnerable to the effects of stress during pregnancy, less is known about how the dyad is also receptive to salutary, resilience-promoting influences. The present review adopts life span and intergenerational perspectives to review four key areas of research. The first part describes how pregnancy is a sensitive period for both the mother and fetus. In the second part, the focus is on antecedents of maternal prenatal risks pertaining to prenatal stress response systems and mental health. The third part then turns to elucidating how these alterations in prenatal stress physiology and mental health problems may affect infant and child outcomes. The fourth part underscores how pregnancy is also a time of heightened fetal receptivity to maternal and environmental signals, with profound implications for adaptation. This section also reviews empirical evidence of promotive and protective factors that buffer the mother and fetus from developmental and adaptational problems and covers a sample of rigorous evidence-based prenatal interventions that prevent maladaptation in the maternal-fetal dyad before babies are born. Finally, recommendations elaborate on how to further strengthen understanding of pregnancy as a period of multilevel risk and resilience, enhance comprehensive prenatal screening, and expand on prenatal interventions to promote maternal-fetal adaptation before birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Scott H, Phillips TJ, Sze Y, Alfieri A, Rogers MF, Volpato V, Case CP, Brunton PJ. Maternal antioxidant treatment prevents the adverse effects of prenatal stress on the offspring's brain and behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100281. [PMID: 33344732 PMCID: PMC7739187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal exposure to stress during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders in the offspring in later life. The mechanisms through which the effects of maternal stress are transmitted to the fetus are unclear, however the placenta, as the interface between mother and fetus, is likely to play a key role. Using a rat model, we investigated a role for placental oxidative stress in conveying the effects of maternal social stress to the fetus and the potential for treatment using a nanoparticle-bound antioxidant to prevent adverse outcomes in the offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress increased circulating corticosterone in the mother, but not in the fetuses. Maternal stress also induced oxidative stress in the placenta, but not in the fetal brain. Blocking oxidative stress using an antioxidant prevented the prenatal stress-induced anxiety phenotype in the male offspring, and prevented sex-specific neurobiological changes, specifically a reduction in dendrite lengths in the hippocampus, as well as reductions in the number of parvalbumin-positive neurons and GABA receptor subunits in the hippocampus and basolateral amygdala of the male offspring. Importantly, many of these effects were mimicked in neuronal cultures by application of placental-conditioned medium or fetal plasma from stressed pregnancies, indicating molecules released from the placenta may mediate the effects of prenatal stress on the fetal brain. Indeed, both placenta-conditioned medium and fetal plasma contained differentially abundant microRNAs following maternal stress, and their predicted targets were enriched for genes relevant to nervous system development and psychiatric disorders. The results highlight placental oxidative stress as a key mediator in transmitting the maternal social stress effects on the offspring's brain and behavior, and offer a potential intervention to prevent stress-induced fetal programming of affective disorders. Social stress in pregnancy induces oxidative stress but is prevented by antioxidant. Prenatal stress induces behavioural, neuroanatomical and neurochemical changes. Maternal antioxidant treatment prevents stress-induced effects in the offspring. Maternal stress alters the balance of microRNAs secreted from the placenta. Placental oxidative stress mediates maternal social stress effects on the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Scott
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - T J Phillips
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Y Sze
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - A Alfieri
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - M F Rogers
- Intelligent Systems Laboratory, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - V Volpato
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - C P Case
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - P J Brunton
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, PR China
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14
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Wilson HA, Martin ER, Howes C, Wasson CS, Newman AE, Choleris E, MacLusky NJ. Low dose prenatal testosterone exposure decreases the corticosterone response to stress in adult male, but not female, mice. Brain Res 2020; 1729:146613. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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15
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Short AK, Maras PM, Pham AL, Ivy AS, Baram TZ. Blocking CRH receptors in adults mitigates age-related memory impairments provoked by early-life adversity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:515-523. [PMID: 31698409 PMCID: PMC6969076 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0562-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In humans, early-life adversity is associated with impairments in learning and memory that may emerge later in life. In rodent models, early-life adversity directly impacts hippocampal neuron structure and connectivity with progressive deficits in long-term potentiation and spatial memory function. Previous work has demonstrated that augmented release and actions of the stress-activated neuropeptide, CRH, contribute to the deleterious effects of early-life adversity on hippocampal dendritic arborization, synapse number and memory-function. Early-life adversity increases hippocampal CRH expression, and blocking hippocampal CRH receptor type-1 (CRHR1) immediately following early-life adversity prevented the consequent memory and LTP defects. Here, we tested if blocking CRHR1 in young adults ameliorates early-life adversity-provoked memory deficits later in life. A weeklong course of a CRHR1 antagonist in 2-month-old male rats prevented early-life adversity-induced deficits in object recognition memory that emerged by 12 months of age. Surprisingly, whereas the intervention did not mitigate early-life adversity-induced spatial memory losses at 4 and 8 months, it restored hippocampus-dependent location memory in 12-month-old rats that experienced early-life adversity. Neither early-life adversity nor CRHR1 blockade in the adult influenced anxiety- or depression-related behaviors. Altogether, these findings suggest that cognitive deficits attributable to adversity during early-life-sensitive periods are at least partially amenable to interventions later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel K Short
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Pamela M Maras
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Aidan L Pham
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Autumn S Ivy
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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16
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Bögi E, Belovičová K, Moravčíková L, Csatlósová K, Dremencov E, Lacinova L, Dubovicky M. Pre-gestational stress impacts excitability of hippocampal cells in vitro and is associated with neurobehavioral alterations during adulthood. Behav Brain Res 2019; 375:112131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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17
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Short AK, Baram TZ. Early-life adversity and neurological disease: age-old questions and novel answers. Nat Rev Neurol 2019; 15:657-669. [PMID: 31530940 PMCID: PMC7261498 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-019-0246-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Neurological illnesses, including cognitive impairment, memory decline and dementia, affect over 50 million people worldwide, imposing a substantial burden on individuals and society. These disorders arise from a combination of genetic, environmental and experiential factors, with the latter two factors having the greatest impact during sensitive periods in development. In this Review, we focus on the contribution of adverse early-life experiences to aberrant brain maturation, which might underlie vulnerability to cognitive brain disorders. Specifically, we draw on recent robust discoveries from diverse disciplines, encompassing human studies and experimental models. These discoveries suggest that early-life adversity, especially in the perinatal period, influences the maturation of brain circuits involved in cognition. Importantly, new findings suggest that fragmented and unpredictable environmental and parental signals comprise a novel potent type of adversity, which contributes to subsequent vulnerabilities to cognitive illnesses via mechanisms involving disordered maturation of brain 'wiring'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel K Short
- Departments of Anatomy and Neruobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Departments of Anatomy and Neruobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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18
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Duman JG, Mulherkar S, Tu YK, Erikson KC, Tzeng CP, Mavratsas VC, Ho TSY, Tolias KF. The adhesion-GPCR BAI1 shapes dendritic arbors via Bcr-mediated RhoA activation causing late growth arrest. eLife 2019; 8:47566. [PMID: 31461398 PMCID: PMC6713510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic arbor architecture profoundly impacts neuronal connectivity and function, and aberrant dendritic morphology characterizes neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we identify the adhesion-GPCR BAI1 as an important regulator of dendritic arborization. BAI1 loss from mouse or rat hippocampal neurons causes dendritic hypertrophy, whereas BAI1 overexpression precipitates dendrite retraction. These defects specifically manifest as dendrites transition from growth to stability. BAI1-mediated growth arrest is independent of its Rac1-dependent synaptogenic function. Instead, BAI1 couples to the small GTPase RhoA, driving late RhoA activation in dendrites coincident with growth arrest. BAI1 loss lowers RhoA activation and uncouples it from dendrite dynamics, causing overgrowth. None of BAI1's known downstream effectors mediates BAI1-dependent growth arrest. Rather, BAI1 associates with the Rho-GTPase regulatory protein Bcr late in development and stimulates its cryptic RhoA-GEF activity, which functions together with its Rac1-GAP activity to terminate arborization. Our results reveal a late-acting signaling pathway mediating a key transition in dendrite development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Duman
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Shalaka Mulherkar
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Yen-Kuei Tu
- Graduate Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Kelly C Erikson
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Christopher P Tzeng
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Vasilis C Mavratsas
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States.,Rice University, Houston, United States
| | - Tammy Szu-Yu Ho
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
| | - Kimberley F Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States.,Graduate Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States.,Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States
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19
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Ding YX, Cui H. The brain development of infants with intrauterine growth restriction: role of glucocorticoids. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2019; 39:hmbci-2019-0016. [PMID: 31348758 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2019-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Brain injury is a serious complication of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), but the exact mechanism remains unclear. While glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in intrauterine growth and development, GCs also have a damaging effect on microvascular endothelial cells. Moreover, intrauterine adverse environments lead to fetal growth restriction and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis resetting. In addition, chronic stress can cause a decrease in the number and volume of astrocytes in the hippocampus and glial cells play an important role in neuronal differentiation. Therefore, it is speculated that the effect of GCs on cerebral neurovascular units under chronic intrauterine stimulation is an important mechanism leading to brain injury in infants with growth restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Xue Ding
- Department of Pediatric, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, Phone: +86-10-13146645219
| | - Hong Cui
- Department of Pediatric, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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20
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Davis EP, Hankin BL, Glynn LM, Head K, Kim DJ, Sandman CA. Prenatal Maternal Stress, Child Cortical Thickness, and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms. Child Dev 2019; 91:e432-e450. [PMID: 31073997 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal maternal stress predicts subsequent elevations in youth depressive symptoms, but the neural processes associated with these links are unclear. This study evaluated whether prenatal maternal stress is associated with child brain development, and adolescent depressive symptoms using a prospective design with 74 mother child pairs (40 boys). Maternal stress was assessed during pregnancy, child cortical thickness at age 7, and depressive symptoms at age 12. Prenatal maternal stress was associated with less cortical thickness primarily in frontal and temporal regions and with elevated depressive symptoms; child cortical thickness additionally correlated with adolescent depressive symptoms. The observed associations are consistent with the possibility that cortical thickness in superior frontal regions links associations between prenatal maternal stress and adolescent depressive symptoms.
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21
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Bolton JL, Short AK, Simeone KA, Daglian J, Baram TZ. Programming of Stress-Sensitive Neurons and Circuits by Early-Life Experiences. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:30. [PMID: 30833892 PMCID: PMC6387907 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life experiences influence brain structure and function long-term, contributing to resilience or vulnerability to stress and stress-related disorders. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which early-life experiences program specific brain cells and circuits to shape life-long cognitive and emotional functions is crucial. We identify the population of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) as a key, early target of early-life experiences. Adverse experiences increase excitatory neurotransmission onto PVN CRH cells, whereas optimal experiences, such as augmented and predictable maternal care, reduce the number and function of glutamatergic inputs onto this cell population. Altered synaptic neurotransmission is sufficient to initiate large-scale, enduring epigenetic re-programming within CRH-expressing neurons, associated with stress resilience and additional cognitive and emotional outcomes. Thus, the mechanisms by which early-life experiences influence the brain provide tractable targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Bolton
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Annabel Katherine Short
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Kristina A Simeone
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer Daglian
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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22
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Leviton A, Allred EN, Joseph RM, O’Shea TM, Majzoub J, Kuban KC. Behavioural dysfunctions of 10-year-old children born extremely preterm associated with corticotropin-releasing hormone expression in the placenta. Acta Paediatr 2018; 107:1932-1936. [PMID: 29992644 PMCID: PMC6179924 DOI: 10.1111/apa.14494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the relationship between corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) expression in the placenta and the risk of school-related dysfunctions at the age of 10 years among children born extremely preterm (EP). METHODS Corticotropin-releasing hormone expression was measured in the placenta of 761 EP children, who had the following assessments at the age of 10 years: Differential Ability Scales, Oral and Written Language Scales, the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-III, NEPSY-II and the Child Symptom Inventory-4. We evaluated whether lowest and highest quartiles of CRH mRNA were associated with undesirable scores on these assessments. With 272 evaluations, we would expect 14 to be significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS Only 16 associations were statistically significant. On the other hand, seven of these were social limitations among girls whose placenta CRH mRNA was in the top quartile. Adjusting for delivery indication or restricting the sample to one delivery indication group resulted in few differences. CONCLUSION Overall, placenta CRH mRNA concentrations in the top or bottom quartiles were not associated with increased risks of dysfunctions 10 years later. Girls whose placenta CRH expression was in the top quartile, however, were at increased risk of seven indicators/correlates of social limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Leviton
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | | | | | - T. Michael O’Shea
- University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Joseph Majzoub
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | - Karl C.K. Kuban
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Medical Center, Boston MA, USA
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23
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Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is distributed throughout the brain and in peripheral sites but primarily is localized in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. It is a "master" stress hormone that is responsible for the synthesis of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the anterior pituitary gland. Behaviorally active peptide hormones, including adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and B-endorphin, are liberated from POMC by enzymes to activate critical processes during stress. CRH is not detectable in the circulation even during extreme stress. However, during human pregnancy, the human placenta expresses the gene for CRH (pCRH) resulting in detectable levels in maternal plasma that increases 20- to 40-fold over the course of gestation. Placental CRH is identical to CRH of hypothalamic origin in size, structure, immunoreactivity, and bioactivity. However, unlike the negative feedback between adrenal cortisol and hypothalamic CRH, cortisol stimulates the synthesis and release of pCRH. The bidirectional release of pCRH into maternal and fetal compartments is associated with regulating the timing of delivery, remodeling the fetal nervous system, and influencing developmental trajectories. Fetal exposure to pCRH during early and late gestation is associated with unique patterns of cortical thinning in school-age children. Placental CRH is elevated in response to physical and behavioral stress and may be an integrative marker of early adversity.
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24
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Sandman CA, Curran MM, Davis EP, Glynn LM, Head K, Baram TZ. Cortical Thinning and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes in Children Exposed to Prenatal Adversity: A Role for Placental CRH? Am J Psychiatry 2018; 175:471-479. [PMID: 29495899 PMCID: PMC5930042 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16121433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The authors sought to assess associations among early-life exposure to adversity, the development and maturation of neurons and brain circuits, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Specifically, they examined whether fetal exposure to placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a molecule conveying maternal signals to the fetus, predicts brain growth and neuropsychiatric outcomes in school-age children. METHOD In a large, well-characterized prospective cohort, concentrations of placental CRH (pCRH) in maternal plasma were determined during five intervals during gestation. When the children reached school age, their brain structures were examined using MRI, and emotional and cognitive tests assessing internalizing and externalizing behaviors and attention were administered (N=97, 49 of them girls). RESULTS Levels of pCRH during gestation predicted structural and functional brain outcomes in children. Specifically, fetal exposure to elevated pCRH levels was associated with thinning of selective cortical regions and with commensurate cognitive and emotional deficits. The relations among fetal exposure to pCRH, cortical thinning, and childhood function were sex specific. CONCLUSIONS In view of the established effects of CRH on maturation and arborization of cortical neurons, and the major contribution of dendrites to cortical volume, these findings position pCRH as an important mediator of the consequences of early-life adversity on neuropsychiatric outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Curt A Sandman
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
| | - Megan M Curran
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
| | - Laura M Glynn
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
| | - Kevin Head
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pediatrics, and Neurology, University of California, Irvine; the Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver; and the Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, Calif
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