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Muehlenbein MP, Gassen J, Nowak TJ, Henderson AD, Thum E, Weaver SP, Baker EJ. Exploring links between pathogen avoidance motivation, COVID-19 case counts, and immune function. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23833. [PMID: 36382790 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The selection pressures exerted by pathogens have played important roles in shaping the biology and behavior of animals, including humans. Immune systems recognize and respond to cues of infection or damage by coordinating cellular, humoral, and metabolic shifts that promote recovery. Moreover, animals also possess a repertoire of behavioral tools to help combat the threat of pathogens, often referred to as the behavioral immune system. Recently, researchers have begun to examine how cognitive, affective, and behavioral disease avoidance mechanisms interact with the biological immune system. METHODS The present study explored relationships among individual differences in behavioral immune system activity (e.g., pathogen disgust), shifts in SARS-CoV-2 infection risk (i.e., 7-day case averages), and immune function in a community cohort from McLennan County, Texas, USA (n = 387). RESULTS Levels of disease concern were not consistently associated with immune markers. However, serum levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, and IL-8, as well as serum killing ability of Escherichia coli, each varied with case counts. Additional analyses found that case counts also predicted changes in stress physiology, but not subjective measures of distress. However, follow-up mediation models did not provide evidence that relationships between case counts and immunological outcomes were mediated through levels of stress. CONCLUSIONS The present project provides initial evidence that markers of immune function may be sensitive to changes in infection risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. This adds to the growing body of research finding relationships among behavioral and biological pathogen management mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey Gassen
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - Tomasz J Nowak
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | | | - Edward Thum
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | | | - Erich J Baker
- Department of Computer Science, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
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Ribas-Prats T, Arenillas-Alcón S, Pérez-Cruz M, Costa-Faidella J, Gómez-Roig MD, Escera C. Speech-Encoding Deficits in Neonates Born Large-for-Gestational Age as Revealed With the Envelope Frequency-Following Response. Ear Hear 2023:00003446-990000000-00115. [PMID: 36759954 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present envelope frequency-following response (FFRENV) study aimed at characterizing the neural encoding of the fundamental frequency of speech sounds in neonates born at the higher end of the birth weight continuum (>90th percentile), known as large-for-gestational age (LGA). DESIGN Twenty-five LGA newborns were recruited from the maternity unit of Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children's Hospital and paired by age and sex with 25 babies born adequate-for-gestational age (AGA), all from healthy mothers and normal pregnancies. FFRENVs were elicited to the/da/ syllable and recorded while the baby was sleeping in its cradle after a successful universal hearing screening. Neural encoding of the stimulus' envelope of the fundamental frequency (F0ENV) was characterized through the FFRENV spectral amplitude. Relationships between electrophysiological parameters and maternal/neonatal variables that may condition neonatal neurodevelopment were assessed, including pregestational body mass index (BMI), maternal gestational weight gain and neonatal BMI. RESULTS LGA newborns showed smaller spectral amplitudes at the F0ENV compared to the AGA group. Significant negative correlations were found between neonatal BMI and the spectral amplitude at the F0ENV. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that in spite of having a healthy pregnancy, LGA neonates' central auditory system is impaired in encoding a fundamental aspect of the speech sounds, namely their fundamental frequency. The negative correlation between the neonates' BMI and FFRENV indicates that this impaired encoding is independent of the pregnant woman BMI and weight gain during pregnancy, supporting the role of the neonatal BMI. We suggest that the higher adipose tissue observed in the LGA group may impair, via proinflammatory products, the fine-grained central auditory system microstructure required for the neural encoding of the fundamental frequency of speech sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Ribas-Prats
- Brainlab-Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
- Brainlab-Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Míriam Pérez-Cruz
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Costa-Faidella
- Brainlab-Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Brainlab-Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Röszer T. Metabolic impact of adipose tissue macrophages in the early postnatal life. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 112:1515-1524. [PMID: 35899927 PMCID: PMC9796690 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3mr0722-201r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) play key roles in metabolic inflammation, insulin resistance, adipose tissue fibrosis, and immune disorders associated with obesity. Research on ATM biology has mostly been conducted in the setting of adult obesity, since adipocyte hypertrophy is associated with a significant increase in ATM number. Signals that control ATM activation toward a proinflammatory or a proresolving phenotype also determine the developmental program and lipid metabolism of adipocytes after birth. ATMs are present at birth and actively participate in the synthesis of mediators, which induce lipolysis, mitobiogenesis, and mitochondrial uncoupling in adipocytes. ATMs in the newborn and the infant promote a lipolytic and fatty acid oxidizing adipocyte phenotype, which is essential to support the lipid-fueled metabolism, to maintain nonshivering thermogenesis and counteract an excessive adipose tissue expansion. Since adipose tissue metabolism in the early postnatal life determines obesity status in adulthood, early-life ATM functions may have a life-long impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Röszer
- Division of Pediatric Obesity, Children's Hospital and Institute of PediatricsUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary,Institute of NeurobiologyUlm UniversityUlmGermany
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