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Breslin FJ, Kerr KL, Ratliff EL, Cohen ZP, Simmons WK, Morris AS, Croff JM. Early Life Adversity Predicts Reduced Hippocampal Volume in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. J Adolesc Health 2024; 75:275-280. [PMID: 38878049 PMCID: PMC11264191 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cross-sectional studies in adults have demonstrated associations between early life adversity (ELA) and reduced hippocampal volume, but the timing of these effects is not clear. The present study sought to examine whether ELA predicts changes in hippocampal volume over time in a large sample of early adolescents. METHODS The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study provides a large dataset of tabulated neuroimaging, youth-reported adverse experiences, and parent-reported financial adversity from a sample of children around the United States. Linear mixed effects modeling was used to determine the relationship between ELA and hippocampal volume change within youth (n = 7036) from ages 9-10 to 11-12 years. RESULTS Results of the models indicated that the number of early adverse events predicted bilateral hippocampal volume change (β = -0.02, t = -2.02, p < .05). Higher adversity was associated with lower hippocampal volume at Baseline (t = 5.55, p < .01) and at Year 2 (t = 6.14, p < .001). DISCUSSION These findings suggest that ELA may affect hippocampal development during early adolescence. Prevention and early intervention are needed to alter the course of this trajectory. Future work should examine associations between ELA, hippocampal development, and educational and socioemotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence J Breslin
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Rural Health, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
| | - Kara L Kerr
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Erin L Ratliff
- Department of Psychology, University of Marlyand, College Park, Maryland
| | - Zsofia P Cohen
- Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - W Kyle Simmons
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Amanda S Morris
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
| | - Julie M Croff
- Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Department of Rural Health, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Hofstra BM, Hoeksema EE, Kas MJH, Verbeek DS. Cross-species analysis uncovers the mitochondrial stress response in the hippocampus as a shared mechanism in mouse early life stress and human depression. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100643. [PMID: 38800537 PMCID: PMC11127276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Depression, or major depressive disorder, poses a significant burden for both individuals and society, affecting approximately 10.8% of the general population. This psychiatric disorder leads to approximately 800,000 deaths per year. A combination of genetic and environmental factors such as early life stress (ELS) increase the risk for development of depression in humans, and a clear role for the hippocampus in the pathophysiology of depression has been shown. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of depression remain poorly understood, resulting in a lack of effective treatments. To better understand the core mechanisms underlying the development of depression, we used a cross-species design to investigate shared hippocampal pathophysiological mechanisms in mouse ELS and human depression. Mice were subjected to ELS by a maternal separation paradigm, followed by RNA sequencing analysis of the adult hippocampal tissue. This identified persistent transcriptional changes linked to mitochondrial stress response pathways, with oxidative phosphorylation and protein folding emerging as the main mechanisms affected by maternal separation. Remarkably, there was a significant overlap between the pathways involved in mitochondrial stress response we observed and publicly available RNAseq data from hippocampal tissue of depressive patients. This cross-species conservation of changes in gene expression of mitochondria-related genes suggests that mitochondrial stress may play a pivotal role in the development of depression. Our findings highlight the potential significance of the hippocampal mitochondrial stress response as a core mechanism underlying the development of depression. Further experimental investigations are required to expand our understanding of these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bente M. Hofstra
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Emmy E. Hoeksema
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Martien JH. Kas
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dineke S. Verbeek
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
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Islam R, White JD, Arefin TM, Mehta S, Liu X, Polis B, Giuliano L, Ahmed S, Bowers C, Zhang J, Kaffman A. Early adversity causes sex-specific deficits in perforant pathway connectivity and contextual memory in adolescent mice. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:39. [PMID: 38715106 PMCID: PMC11075329 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00616-0] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity impairs hippocampal development and function across diverse species. While initial evidence indicated potential variations between males and females, further research is required to validate these observations and better understand the underlying mechanisms contributing to these sex differences. Furthermore, most of the preclinical work in rodents was performed in adult males, with only few studies examining sex differences during adolescence when such differences appear more pronounced. To address these concerns, we investigated the impact of limited bedding (LB), a mouse model of early adversity, on hippocampal development in prepubescent and adolescent male and female mice. METHODS RNA sequencing, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the impact of LB and sex on hippocampal development in prepubescent postnatal day 17 (P17) mice. Additional studies were conducted on adolescent mice aged P29-36, which included contextual fear conditioning, retrograde tracing, and ex vivo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). RESULTS More severe deficits in axonal innervation and myelination were found in the perforant pathway of prepubescent and adolescent LB males compared to LB female littermates. These sex differences were due to a failure of reelin-positive neurons located in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) to innervate the dorsal hippocampus via the perforant pathway in males, but not LB females, and were strongly correlated with deficits in contextual fear conditioning. CONCLUSIONS LB impairs the capacity of reelin-positive cells located in the LEC to project and innervate the dorsal hippocampus in LB males but not female LB littermates. Given the critical role that these projections play in supporting normal hippocampal function, a failure to establish proper connectivity between the LEC and the dorsal hippocampus provides a compelling and novel mechanism to explain the more severe deficits in myelination and contextual freezing found in adolescent LB males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafiad Islam
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Jordon D White
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Tanzil M Arefin
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research (CNMHR), The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Sameet Mehta
- Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, P.O. Box 27386, West Haven, CT, 06516-7386, USA
| | - Xinran Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, SHM IE26, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging, Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Baruh Polis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Lauryn Giuliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sahabuddin Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Christian Bowers
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Jiangyang Zhang
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
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Hoffmann F, Heim C. [Emotional Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence: Biological Embedding and Clinical Implications]. Prax Kinderpsychol Kinderpsychiatr 2024; 73:4-27. [PMID: 38275227 DOI: 10.13109/prkk.2024.73.1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Emotional abuse, defined as degrading, manipulative, or neglectful behaviors by caregivers, represents a common adverse experience for children and adolescents, often co-occurring with other maltreatment types. Exposure to emotional abuse significantly affects mental health across the lifespan and is particularly associated with elevated depression risk.This review examinesmechanisms, by which emotional abuse influences brain development and the neuroendocrine stress response system and discusses the roles of genetic vulnerability and epigenetic processes in contributing to an elevated mental health risk. Emotional abuse has similar effects on brain networks responsible for emotion processing and regulation as other maltreatment types.Moreover, it uniquely affects networks related to self-relevant information and socio-cognitive processes. Furthermore, emotional abuse is associated with an impaired recovery of the neuroendocrine response to acute stress. Similar to other maltreatment types, emotional abuse is associated with epigenetic changes in genes regulating the neuroendocrine stress response system that are implicated in increased mental health risk.These findings suggest that emotional abuse has equally detrimental effects on children'smental health as physical or sexual abuse, warranting broader societal awareness and enhanced early detection efforts. Early interventions should prioritize emotion regulation, social cognition, self-esteemenhancement, and relationship- oriented approaches for victims of emotional abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Hoffmann
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Gliedkörperschaft der Freien Universität Berlin und der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Medizinische Psychologie Deutschland
| | - Christine Heim
- Institut für Medizinische Psychologie Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Luisenstr. 57 10117 Berlin Deutschland
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Sequeira S, Carmel T, Tervo-Clemmens B, Edmiston EK. Future Directions in the Mental Health of Transgender Youth: Towards a Social-Affective Developmental Model of Health Disparity. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2023; 52:866-876. [PMID: 37910433 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2023.2272972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Mental health disparities in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth are well-documented. These disparities are often studied in the context of minority stress theory, and most of this research focuses on experiences of trauma and discrimination TGD youth experience after coming out. However, TGD youth may be targets of violence and victimization due to perceived gender nonconformity before coming out. In this Future Directions, we integrate research on attachment, developmental trauma, and effects of racism and homophobia on mental health to propose a social-affective developmental framework for TGD youth. We provide a clinical vignette to highlight limitations in current approaches to mental health assessment in TGD youth and to illustrate how using a social-affective developmental framework can improve clinical assessment and treatment approaches and deepen our understanding of mental health disparities in TGD people.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tamar Carmel
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Richmond
| | | | - E Kale Edmiston
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine
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Russell JD, Heyn SA, Herringa RJ. Through a Developmental Lens: Emerging Insights to Understand and Treat Pediatric PTSD. Am J Psychiatry 2023; 180:636-644. [PMID: 37654114 PMCID: PMC10636806 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin D Russell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Sara A Heyn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Ryan J Herringa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
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Dark HE, Harnett NG, Goodman AM, Wheelock MD, Mrug S, Schuster MA, Elliott MN, Tortolero Emery S, Knight DC. Stress-induced Changes in Autonomic Reactivity Vary with Adolescent Violence Exposure and Resting-state Functional Connectivity. Neuroscience 2023; 522:81-97. [PMID: 37172687 PMCID: PMC10330471 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to violence during childhood can lead to functional changes in brain regions that are important for emotion expression and regulation, which may increase susceptibility to internalizing disorders in adulthood. Specifically, childhood violence exposure can disrupt the functional connectivity among brain regions that include the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and amygdala. Together, these regions are important for modulating autonomic responses to stress. However, it is unclear to what extent changes in brain connectivity relate to autonomic stress reactivity and how the relationship between brain connectivity and autonomic responses to stress varies with childhood violence exposure. Thus, the present study examined whether stress-induced changes in autonomic responses (e.g., heart rate, skin conductance level (SCL)) varied with amygdala-, hippocampus-, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)-whole brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) as a function of violence exposure. Two hundred and ninety-seven participants completed two resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans prior to (pre-stress) and after (post-stress) a psychosocial stress task. Heart rate and SCL were recorded during each scan. Post-stress heart rate varied negatively with post-stress amygdala-inferior parietal lobule rsFC and positively with post-stress hippocampus-anterior cingulate cortex rsFC among those exposed to high, but not low, levels of violence. Results from the present study suggest that post-stress fronto-limbic and parieto-limbic rsFC modulates heart rate and may underlie differences in the stress response among those exposed to high levels of violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Dark
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Adam M Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Muriah D Wheelock
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sylvie Mrug
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Mark A Schuster
- Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Susan Tortolero Emery
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David C Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Chaposhloo M, Nicholson AA, Becker S, McKinnon MC, Lanius R, Shaw SB. Altered Resting-State functional connectivity in the anterior and posterior hippocampus in Post-traumatic stress disorder: The central role of the anterior hippocampus. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 38:103417. [PMID: 37148709 PMCID: PMC10193024 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder can be viewed as a memory disorder, with trauma-related flashbacks being a core symptom. Given the central role of the hippocampus in autobiographical memory, surprisingly, there is mixed evidence concerning altered hippocampal functional connectivity in PTSD. We shed light on this discrepancy by considering the distinct roles of the anterior versus posterior hippocampus and examine how this distinction may map onto whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity patterns among those with and without PTSD. METHODS We first assessed whole-brain between-group differences in the functional connectivity profiles of the anterior and posterior hippocampus within a publicly available data set of resting-state fMRI data from 31 male Vietnam war veterans diagnosed with PTSD (mean age = 67.6 years, sd = 2.3) and 29 age-matched combat-exposed male controls (age = 69.1 years, sd = 3.5). Next, the connectivity patterns of each subject within the PTSD group were correlated with their PTSD symptom scores. Finally, the between-group differences in whole-brain functional connectivity profiles discovered for the anterior and posterior hippocampal seeds were used to prescribe post-hoc ROIs, which were then used to perform ROI-to-ROI functional connectivity and graph-theoretic analyses. RESULTS The PTSD group showed increased functional connectivity of the anterior hippocampus with affective brain regions (anterior/posterior insula, orbitofrontal cortex, temporal pole) and decreased functional connectivity of the anterior/posterior hippocampus with regions involved in processing bodily self-consciousness (supramarginal gyrus). Notably, decreased anterior hippocampus connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus was associated with increased PTSD symptom severity. The left anterior hippocampus also emerged as a central locus of abnormal functional connectivity, with graph-theoretic measures suggestive of a more central hub-like role for this region in those with PTSD compared to trauma-exposed controls. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight that the anterior hippocampus plays a critical role in the neurocircuitry underlying PTSD and underscore the importance of the differential roles of hippocampal sub-regions in serving as biomarkers of PTSD. Future studies should investigate whether the differential patterns of functional connectivity stemming from hippocampal sub-regions is observed in PTSD populations other than older war veterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Chaposhloo
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew A Nicholson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Suzanna Becker
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margaret C McKinnon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth Lanius
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Imaging Division, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Saurabh Bhaskar Shaw
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
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Peverill M, Rosen ML, Lurie LA, Sambrook KA, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Childhood trauma and brain structure in children and adolescents. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 59:101180. [PMID: 36563460 PMCID: PMC9800267 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101180] [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: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The dimensional model of adversity proposes that experiences of threat and deprivation have distinct neurodevelopmental consequences. We examined these dimensions, separately and jointly, with brain structure in a sample of 149 youth aged 8-17-half recruited based on exposure to threat-related experiences. We predicted that greater threat would be uniquely associated with reduced cortical thickness and surface area in brain regions associated with salience processing including ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula, and that deprivation experiences would be uniquely associated with reductions in cortical thickness and surface area in frontoparietal areas associated with cognitive control. As predicted, greater threat was associated with thinner cortex in a network including areas involved in salience processing (anterior insula, vmPFC), and smaller amygdala volume (particularly in younger participants), after controlling for deprivation. Contrary to our hypotheses, threat was also associated with thinning in the frontoparietal control network. However, these associations were reduced following control for deprivation. No associations were found between deprivation and brain structure. This examination of deprivation and threat concurrently in the same sample provided further evidence that threat-related experiences influence the structure of the developing brain independent of deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Peverill
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, WI 53719, USA; Harvard University, Department of Psychology, William James Hall, 10th Floor, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Maya L Rosen
- Harvard University, Department of Psychology, William James Hall, 10th Floor, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Smith College, Program in Neuroscience, Clark Science Center, 44 College Ln, Northampton, MA 01063, USA
| | - Lucy A Lurie
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology, 235 E Cameron Ave., NC 27599, USA
| | - Kelly A Sambrook
- Harvard University, Department of Psychology, William James Hall, 10th Floor, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology, 235 E Cameron Ave., NC 27599, USA
| | - Katie A McLaughlin
- Harvard University, Department of Psychology, William James Hall, 10th Floor, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Lantrip C, Szabo YZ, Pazienza S, Benge J. Associations of childhood trauma and executive functioning in everyday life of those with subjective cognitive complaints. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023; 30:101-109. [PMID: 33929926 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2021.1913738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Subjective cognitive complaints are a frequent patient-reported problem. Some adults with cognitive complaints present to the neuropsychology clinic without a diagnosable cognitive disorder but experience subjective daily executive dysfunction. It is well-established that trauma may impact executive function; however, the nuances of this relationship remain of interest. The present study descriptively reports associations between executive function and childhood trauma as well as lifetime trauma and current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants were 48 adults referred to a neuropsychology clinic for evaluation without an identified neurocognitive disorder. Correlations between self-reported executive dysfunction, as assessed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A), childhood trauma as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and lifetime and current symptoms using the PTSD Diagnostic Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 were conducted. Correlations indicated that emotional neglect was associated with BRIEF-A indices and specific subscales including self-monitoring, shifting attention, task initiation, and planning/organization. Childhood emotional and sexual abuse and physical neglect and abuse, lifetime trauma and current PTSD symptoms were not associated with BRIEF-A indices. Though preliminary, these results highlight that in this population, history of childhood emotional neglect is particularly important when considering etiology of daily executive function complaints. Clinical implications and limitations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Lantrip
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Waco, TX, USA.,Baylor Scott and White Memorial, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Neurosciences Institute, Temple, TX, USA
| | - Yvette Z Szabo
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Shawneen Pazienza
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jared Benge
- Baylor Scott and White Memorial, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Neurosciences Institute, Temple, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Rifkin-Graboi A, Tsotsi S, Syazwana N, Stephenson MC, Sim LW, Lee K. Variation in maternal sensitivity and the development of memory biases in preschoolers. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1093619. [PMID: 36873774 PMCID: PMC9978004 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1093619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Links between maternal sensitivity, hippocampal development, and memory abilities suggests early life insensitive care may shape structures and schemas influencing future decisions and stress management, biasing children to negative information. While it is possible that this pattern of neurodevelopment may have adaptive consequences, for example, preventing children from encountering untoward experience with future adversity, it may also leave some children at risk for the development of internalizing problems. Methods Here, in a Two Wave Study, we examine whether insensitive care predicts sub sequentially assessed memory biases for threatening (but not happy) stimuli in preschoolers (n = 49), and if such relations cut across different forms of relational memory, i.e., memory for relations between two "items," between an "item" and its spatial location, and an "item" and its temporal sequence. In a subset (n = 18) we also examine links between caregiving, memory, and hippocampal subregion volume. Results Results indicate no main or interactive influence of gender on relational memory. However, insensitive caregiving predicted the difference between Angry and Happy memory during the Item-Space condition (B = 2.451, se = 0.969, p = 0.014, 95% CI (0.572, 4.340)], as well as memory for Angry (but not Happy) items [B = -2.203, se = 0.551, p < 0.001, 95% CI (-3.264,-1.094)]. Memory for the difference between Angry and Happy stimuli in the Space condition associated with larger right hippocampal body volumes (Rho = 0.639, p = 0.004). No relations were observed with internalizing problems. Discussion Results are discussed with reference to developmental stage and in consideration of whether negative biases may serve as an intermediate factor linking early life insensitive care and later socioemotional problems including an increased incidence of internalizing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Rifkin-Graboi
- Office of Educational Research, Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Stella Tsotsi
- PROMENTA Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadhrah Syazwana
- Office of Educational Research, Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mary C Stephenson
- Centre for Translational MR Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lit Wee Sim
- Office of Educational Research, Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kerry Lee
- Centre for Educational and Developmental Sciences, Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education and Human Development, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Moyes E, Nutman G, Mirman JH. The Efficacy of Targeted Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Improving Mental Health and Cognition Among Youth and Adults with ACE Histories: A Systematic Mixed Studies Review. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2022; 15:1165-1177. [PMID: 36439656 PMCID: PMC9684378 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00454-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are associated with increased psychological wellbeing. The literature suggests that individuals exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may benefit greatly from MBIs. However, research has tended to focus on universal MBIs for this population with less attention on the effectiveness of targeted approaches. Moreover, there is growing concern regarding the methodological rigor of MBI research. This systematic mixed studies review (SMRS) reports the effectiveness of MBIs for improving mental health and cognition among individuals with ACE histories. Additionally, the review reports the quality and rigor of the included research. Systematic searches of PsycInfo, EMBASE, MEDLINE, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, ProQuest Social Science database and the Child Development and Adolescent Studies database were conducted. Results were screened and data were extracted then synthesized using a data-based convergent synthesis design. Thirteen studies were included in the final review. Six prominent themes emerged. Themes indicated that MBIs were effective for improving mental health and cognition for individuals with ACEs. For example, improvements in mood and anxieties, as well as a better ability to manage emotions. Shortcomings in the quality of MBI research included lack of reporting of methodological details (e.g., randomization procedures) and not systematically reporting adverse event evaluations. Recommendations are made for future research to strengthen the evidence base for MBIs for individuals with ACEs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00454-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Moyes
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - George Nutman
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Jessica Hafetz Mirman
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
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13
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Carcone D, Gardhouse K, Goghari VM, Lee ACH, Ruocco AC. The transdiagnostic relationship of cumulative lifetime stress with memory, the hippocampus, and personality psychopathology. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 155:483-492. [PMID: 36183602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Stress has a detrimental impact on memory, the hippocampus, and psychological health. Psychopathology research on stress has centered mainly on psychiatric diagnoses rather than symptom dimensions, and less attention has been given to the neurobiological factors through which stress might be translated into psychopathology. The present work investigates the transdiagnostic relationship of cumulative stress with episodic memory and the hippocampus (both structure and function) and explores the extent to which stress mediates the relationship between personality psychopathology and hippocampal size and activation. Cumulative lifetime stress was assessed in a sample of females recruited to vary in stress exposure and severity of personality psychopathology. Fifty-six participants completed subjective and objective tests of episodic memory, a T2-weighted high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the medial-temporal lobe, and functional MRI (fMRI) scanning during a learning and recognition memory task. Higher cumulative stress was significantly related to memory complaints (but not episodic memory performance), lower bilateral hippocampal volume, and greater encoding-related hippocampal activation during the presentation of novel stimuli. Furthermore, cumulative stress significantly mediated the relationship between personality psychopathology and both hippocampal volume and activation, whereas alternative mediation models were not supported. The findings suggest that structural and functional activation differences in the hippocampus observed in case-control studies of psychiatric diagnoses may share cumulative stress as a common factor, which may mediate broadly reported relationships between psychopathology and hippocampal structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Carcone
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Katherine Gardhouse
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 60 White Squirrel Way, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Vina M Goghari
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Andy C H Lee
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, 3560 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
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14
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Hao K, Wang H, Zhang Y, Xie X, Huang H, Chen C, Xu S, Xu R, Shu C, Liu Z, Zhou Y, Reynolds GP, Wang G. Nicotinamide reverses deficits in puberty-born neurons and cognitive function after maternal separation. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:232. [PMID: 36131290 PMCID: PMC9494869 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02591-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Early life stress (ELS) is associated with the development of schizophrenia later in life. The hippocampus develops significantly during childhood and is extremely reactive to stress. In rodent models, ELS can induce neuroinflammation, hippocampal neuronal loss, and schizophrenia-like behavior. While nicotinamide (NAM) can inhibit microglial inflammation, it is unknown whether NAM treatment during adolescence reduces hippocampal neuronal loss and abnormal behaviors induced by ELS. Methods Twenty-four hours of maternal separation (MS) of Wistar rat pups on post-natal day (PND)9 was used as an ELS. On PND35, animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of BrdU to label dividing neurons and were given NAM from PND35 to PND65. Behavioral testing was performed. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)/Sirtuin3 (Sirt3)/superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) pathway-related proteins. Results Compared with controls, only MS animals in the adult stage (PND56–65) but not the adolescent stage (PND31–40) exhibited pre-pulse inhibition deficits and cognitive impairments mimicking schizophrenia symptoms. MS decreased the survival and activity of puberty-born neurons and hippocampal NAD+ and Sirt3 expression in adulthood. These observations were related to an increase in acetylated SOD2, microglial activation, and significant increases in pro-inflammatory IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 expression. All the effects of MS at PND9 were reversed by administering NAM in adolescence (PND35–65). Conclusions MS may lead to schizophrenia-like phenotypes and persistent hippocampal abnormalities. NAM may be a safe and effective treatment in adolescence to restore normal hippocampal function and prevent or ameliorate schizophrenia-like behavior. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02591-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keke Hao
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Huiling Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Department of Psychiatry, Zhongxiang Hospital of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Zhongxiang, 431900, China. .,Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Yuejin Zhang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Xinhui Xie
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Huan Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Shilin Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Chang Shu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Zhongchun Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Gavin P Reynolds
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Gaohua Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China. .,Hubei Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry Research, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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15
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Waters RC, Gould E. Early Life Adversity and Neuropsychiatric Disease: Differential Outcomes and Translational Relevance of Rodent Models. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:860847. [PMID: 35813268 PMCID: PMC9259886 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.860847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well-established that early life adversity (ELA) predisposes individuals to develop several neuropsychiatric conditions, including anxiety disorders, and major depressive disorder. However, ELA is a very broad term, encompassing multiple types of negative childhood experiences, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, as well as trauma associated with chronic illness, family separation, natural disasters, accidents, and witnessing a violent crime. Emerging literature suggests that in humans, different types of adverse experiences are more or less likely to produce susceptibilities to certain conditions that involve affective dysfunction. To investigate the driving mechanisms underlying the connection between experience and subsequent disease, neuroscientists have developed several rodent models of ELA, including pain exposure, maternal deprivation, and limited resources. These studies have also shown that different types of ELA paradigms produce different but somewhat overlapping behavioral phenotypes. In this review, we first investigate the types of ELA that may be driving different neuropsychiatric outcomes and brain changes in humans. We next evaluate whether rodent models of ELA can provide translationally relevant information regarding links between specific types of experience and changes in neural circuits underlying dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Gould
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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16
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Lurie LA, Hangen EJ, Rosen ML, Crosnoe R, McLaughlin KA. Reduced growth mindset as a mechanism linking childhood trauma with academic performance and internalizing psychopathology. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022:105672. [PMID: 35610110 PMCID: PMC10028502 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the high prevalence of childhood adversity and well-documented associations with poor academic achievement and psychopathology, effective, scalable interventions remain largely unavailable. Existing interventions targeting growth mindset-the belief that personal characteristics are malleable-have been shown to improve academic achievement and symptoms of psychopathology in youth. OBJECTIVE The present study examines growth mindset as a potential modifiable mechanism underlying the associations of two dimensions of childhood adversity-threat and deprivation-with academic achievement and internalizing psychopathology. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Participants were 408 youth aged 10-18 years drawn from one timepoint of two longitudinal studies of community-based samples recruited to have diverse experiences of childhood adversity. METHOD Experiences of threat and deprivation were assessed using a multi-informant, multi-method approach. Youth reported on growth mindset of intelligence and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Parents provided information about youths' academic performance. RESULTS Both threat and deprivation were independently associated with lower growth mindset, but when accounting for co-occurring adversities, only the association between threat and lower growth mindset remained significant. Lower growth mindset was associated with worse academic performance and greater symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Finally, there was a significant indirect effect of experiences of threat on both lower academic performance and greater symptoms of anxiety through lower growth mindset. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that growth mindset could be a promising target for efforts aimed at mitigating the impact of childhood adversity on academic achievement and psychopathology given the efficacy of existing brief, scalable growth mindset interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy A Lurie
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
| | | | - Maya L Rosen
- Harvard University, United States; Smith College, United States
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17
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Picci G, Taylor BK, Killanin AD, Eastman JA, Frenzel MR, Wang YP, Stephen JM, Calhoun VD, Wilson TW. Left amygdala structure mediates longitudinal associations between exposure to threat and long-term psychiatric symptomatology in youth. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4091-4102. [PMID: 35583310 PMCID: PMC9374891 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic experiences during childhood can have profound effects on stress sensitive brain structures (e.g., amygdala and hippocampus) and the emergence of psychiatric symptoms. Recent theoretical and empirical work has delineated dimensions of trauma (i.e., threat and deprivation) as having distinct neural and behavioral effects, although there are few longitudinal examinations. A sample of 243 children and adolescents were followed for three time points, with each assessment approximately 1 year apart (ages 9–15 years at Time 1; 120 males). Participants or their caregiver reported on youths' threat exposure, perceived stress (Time 1), underwent a T1‐weighted structural high‐resolution MRI scan (Time 2), and documented their subsequent psychiatric symptoms later in development (Time 3). The primary findings indicate that left amygdala volume, in particular, mediated the longitudinal association between threat exposure and subsequent internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. Greater threat exposure related to reduced left amygdala volume, which in turn differentially predicted internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Decreased bilateral hippocampal volume was related to subsequently elevated internalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that the left amygdala is highly threat‐sensitive and that stress‐related alterations may partially explain elevated psychopathology in stress‐exposed adolescents. Uncovering potential subclinical and/or preclinical predictive biomarkers is essential to understanding the emergence, progression, and eventual targeted treatment of psychopathology following trauma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Picci
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA.,Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Abraham D Killanin
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA.,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jacob A Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA
| | - Michaela R Frenzel
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA
| | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | | | - Vince D Calhoun
- Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, USA.,Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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18
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Botdorf M, Canada KL, Riggins T. A meta-analysis of the relation between hippocampal volume and memory ability in typically developing children and adolescents. Hippocampus 2022; 32:386-400. [PMID: 35301771 PMCID: PMC9313816 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Memory is supported by a network of brain regions, with the hippocampus serving a critical role in this cognitive process. Previous meta-analyses on the association between hippocampal structure and memory have largely focused on adults. Multiple studies have since suggested that hippocampal volume is related to memory performance in children and adolescents; however, the strength and direction of this relation varies across reports, and thus, remains unclear. To further understand this brain-behavior relation, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the association between hippocampal volume (assessed as total volume) and memory during typical development. Across 25 studies and 61 memory outcomes with 1357 participants, results showed a small, but significant, positive association between total hippocampal volume and memory performance. Estimates of the variability across studies in the relation between total volume and memory were not explained by differences in memory task type (delayed vs. immediate; relational vs. nonrelational), participant age range, or the method of normalization of hippocampal volumes. Overall, findings suggest that larger total hippocampal volume relates to better memory performance in children and adolescents and that this relation is similar across the memory types and age ranges assessed. To facilitate enhanced generalization across studies in the future, we discuss considerations for the field moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Botdorf
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
- Present address:
Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kelsey L. Canada
- Institute of GerontologyWayne State UniversityDetroitMichiganUSA
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
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19
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Dynamic Alterations in Neural Networks Supporting Aversive Learning in Children Exposed to Trauma: Neural Mechanisms Underlying Psychopathology. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:667-675. [PMID: 34916067 PMCID: PMC8917987 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered aversive learning represents a potential mechanism through which childhood trauma (CT) might influence risk for psychopathology. This study examines the temporal dynamics of neural activation and patterns of functional connectivity during aversive learning in children with and without exposure to CT involving interpersonal violence and evaluates whether these neural patterns mediate the association of CT with psychopathology in a longitudinal design. METHODS A total of 147 children (aged 8-16 years, 77 with CT) completed a fear conditioning procedure during a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Dynamic patterns of neural activation were examined, and functional connectivity was assessed with generalized psychophysiological interaction analyses. We evaluated whether the associations between CT and psychopathology symptoms at baseline and 2-year follow-up were mediated by neural activation and connectivity during aversive learning. RESULTS Children exposed to trauma displayed blunted patterns of neural activation over time to the conditioned threat versus safety stimuli (CS+>CS-) in the right amygdala. In addition, trauma was associated with reduced functional connectivity of right amygdala with the hippocampus, posterior parahippocampal gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex and with elevated connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex to CS+>CS-. The longitudinal association between CT and later externalizing symptoms was mediated by blunted activation in the right amygdala. Reduced amygdala-hippocampal connectivity mediated the association of CT with transdiagnostic anxiety symptoms, and elevated amygdala-anterior cingulate cortex connectivity mediated the association of CT with generalized anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS CT is associated with poor threat-safety discrimination and altered functional coupling between salience and default mode network regions during aversive learning. These altered dynamics may be key mechanisms linking CT with distinct forms of psychopathology.
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20
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Abstract
The overarching objective is to review how early exposure to adversity interacts with inflammation to alter brain maturation. Both adversity and inflammation are significant risk factors for psychopathology. Literature relevant to the effects of adversity in children and adolescents on brain development is reviewed. These studies are supported by research in animals exposed to species-relevant stressors during development. While it is known that exposure to adversity at any age increases inflammation, the effects of inflammation are exacerbated at developmental stages when the immature brain is uniquely sensitive to experiences. Microglia play a vital role in this process, as they scavenge cellular debris and prune synapses to optimize performance. In essence, microglia modify the synapse to match environmental demands, which is necessary for someone with a history of adversity. Overall, by piecing together clinical and preclinical research areas, what emerges is a picture of how adversity uniquely sculpts the brain. Microglia interactions with the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (specifically, the subtype expressing parvalbumin) are discussed within contexts of development and adversity. A review of inflammation markers in individuals with a history of abuse is combined with preclinical studies to describe their effects on maturation. Inconsistencies within the literature are discussed, with a call for standardizing methodologies relating to the age of assessing adversity effects, measures to quantify stress and inflammation, and more brain-based measures of biochemistry. Preclinical studies pave the way for interventions using anti-inflammation-based agents (COX-2 inhibitors, CB2 agonists, meditation/yoga) by identifying where, when, and how the developmental trajectory goes awry.
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21
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Feasibility of Using Child Maltreatment Measurement Instruments in the Primary Care Setting: A Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs 2021; 61:e1-e14. [PMID: 33926746 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PROBLEM Child maltreatment is a devastating epidemic affecting millions of children and adolescents in the United States (U.S.) every year. Primary care providers (PCPs) encounter these victims but need resources to aid in the recognition of maltreatment. The purpose of this review is to evaluate child maltreatment measurement instruments and determine feasibility of use by U.S. PCPs. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases from 2014 until 2020. Eligibility criteria included articles conducted in the U.S., with use of a child maltreatment measurement instrument, and subjects less than 18 years old. Eligible articles were reference searched to find the original studies for each instrument and were included if they were published in a peer-reviewed paper, could be located, and addressed the development or validation of the instrument. SAMPLE Of the 3816 articles, 111 used a child maltreatment measurement instrument. Sixteen of the 27 identified instruments were evaluated for feasibility using a quality rating with criteria including psychometrics, construct measurement, administration, availability, and cost. RESULTS Six instruments were recommended for use by PCPs. CONCLUSIONS This is the first review evaluating the use of child maltreatment measurement instruments by PCPs and it highlights the combination of psychometric evaluation and other pertinent feasibility criteria to recommend several instruments for use by PCPs. IMPLICATIONS Use of these instruments by PCPs may serve to identify children and families who are at risk for or suffering from maltreatment.
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22
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Cohodes EM, Kribakaran S, Odriozola P, Bakirci S, McCauley S, Hodges HR, Sisk LM, Zacharek SJ, Gee DG. Migration-related trauma and mental health among migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States: Effects on developmental neurobiology and implications for policy. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22158. [PMID: 34292596 PMCID: PMC8410670 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Children make up over half of the world's migrants and refugees and face a multitude of traumatic experiences prior to, during, and following migration. Here, we focus on migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States and review trauma related to migration, as well as its implications for the mental health of migrant and refugee children. We then draw upon the early adversity literature to highlight potential behavioral and neurobiological sequalae of migration-related trauma exposure, focusing on attachment, emotion regulation, and fear learning and extinction as transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying the development of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology following early-life adversity. This review underscores the need for interdisciplinary efforts to both mitigate the effects of trauma faced by migrant and refugee youth emigrating from Mexico and Central America and, of primary importance, to prevent child exposure to trauma in the context of migration. Thus, we conclude by outlining policy recommendations aimed at improving the mental health of migrant and refugee youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sahana Kribakaran
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah Bakirci
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah McCauley
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - H R Hodges
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sadie J Zacharek
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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23
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Conley MI, Skalaban LJ, Rapuano KM, Gonzalez R, Laird AR, Dick AS, Sutherland MT, Watts R, Casey B. Altered hippocampal microstructure and function in children who experienced Hurricane Irma. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:864-877. [PMID: 33325561 PMCID: PMC8206237 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Hurricane Irma was the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in recorded history, displacing 6 million and killing over 120 people in the state of Florida alone. Unpredictable disasters like Irma are associated with poor cognitive and health outcomes that can disproportionately impact children. This study examined the effects of Hurricane Irma on the hippocampus and memory processes previously related to unpredictable stress. We used an innovative application of an advanced diffusion-weighted imaging technique, restriction spectrum imaging (RSI), to characterize hippocampal microstructure (i.e., cell density) in 9- to 10-year-old children who were exposed to Hurricane Irma relative to a non-exposed control group (i.e., assessed the year before Hurricane Irma). We tested the hypotheses that the experience of Hurricane Irma would be associated with decreases in: (a) hippocampal cellularity (e.g., neurogenesis), based on known associations between unpredictable stress and hippocampal alterations; and (b) hippocampal-related memory function as indexed by delayed recall. We show an association between decreased hippocampal cellularity and delayed recall memory in children who experienced Hurricane Irma relative to those who did not. These findings suggest an important role of RSI for assessing subtle microstructural changes related to functionally significant changes in the developing brain in response to environmental events.
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Affiliation(s)
- May I. Conley
- Department of PsychologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | | | | | - Raul Gonzalez
- Department of PsychologyFlorida International UniversityMiamiFLUSA
| | - Angela R. Laird
- Department of PhysicsFlorida International UniversityMiamiFLUSA
| | | | | | - Richard Watts
- Department of PsychologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - B.J. Casey
- Department of PsychologyYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
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24
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Grasser LR, Jovanovic T. Safety learning during development: Implications for development of psychopathology. Behav Brain Res 2021; 408:113297. [PMID: 33862062 PMCID: PMC8102395 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fear and safety learning are necessary adaptive behaviors that develop over the course of maturation. While there is a large body of literature regarding the neurobiology of fear and safety learning in adults, less is known regarding safety learning during development. Given developmental changes in the brain, there are corresponding changes in safety learning that are quantifiable; these may serve to predict risk and point to treatment targets for fear and anxiety-related disorders in children and adolescents. For healthy, typically developing youth, the main developmental variation observed is reduced discrimination between threat and safety cues in children compared to adolescents and adults, while lower expression of extinction learning is exhibited in adolescents compared to adults. Such distinctions may be related to faster maturation of the amygdala relative to the prefrontal cortex, as well as incompletely developed functional circuits between the two. Fear and anxiety-related disorders, childhood maltreatment, and behavioral problems are all associated with alterations in safety learning for youth, and this dysfunction may proceed into adulthood with corresponding abnormalities in brain structure and function-including amygdala hypertrophy and hyperreactivity. As impaired inhibition of fear to safety may reflect abnormalities in the developing brain and subsequent psychopathology, impaired safety learning may be considered as both a predictor of risk and a treatment target. Longitudinal neuroimaging studies over the course of development, and studies that query change with interventions are needed in order to improve outcomes for individuals and reduce long-term impact of developmental psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Ruvolo Grasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Dr, Tolan Park Suite 2C Room 273, Detroit, MI 48201 United States.
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Dr, Tolan Park Suite 2C, Detroit, MI 48201 United States.
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25
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Large-scale network dynamics in neural response to emotionally negative stimuli linked to serotonin 1A binding in major depressive disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2393-2401. [PMID: 32355333 PMCID: PMC7606327 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0733-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Serotonergic dysfunction is implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), but the mechanisms of this relationship remain elusive. Serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) autoreceptors regulate brain-wide serotonin neuron firing and are positioned to assert large-scale effects on negative emotion. Here we investigated the relationship between raphe 5-HT1A binding and brain-wide network dynamics of negative emotion. 22 healthy-volunteers (HV) and 27 medication-free participants with MDD underwent positron emission tomography (PET) using [11C]CUMI-101 (CUMI) to quantify 5-HT1A binding in midbrain raphe nuclei and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning during emotionally negative picture viewing. Causal connectivity across regions responsive to negative emotion was estimated in the fMRI data using a multivariate dynamical systems model. During negative picture viewing, MDD subjects demonstrated significant hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, basal-ganglia, thalamus, orbital frontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (IFG, dmPFC). MDD-related connectivity was not associated with raphe 5-HT1A binding. However, greater hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, thalamus, IFG and dmPFC correlated with hippocampal 5-HT1A binding. Correlation between hippocampal 5-HT1A binding and the hippocampal inhibition network was specific to MDD but not HV. MDD and HV groups also differed with respect to the correlation between raphe and hippocampal 5-HT1A binding which was more pronounced in HV. These findings suggest that increased hippocampal network inhibition in MDD is linked to hippocampal serotonergic dysfunction which may in turn arise from disrupted linkage in raphe to hippocampus serotonergic circuitry.
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Rule L, Yang J, Watkin H, Hall J, Brydges NM. Environmental enrichment rescues survival and function of adult-born neurons following early life stress. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1898-1908. [PMID: 32286496 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0718-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences early in life are associated with the development of psychiatric illnesses. The hippocampus is likely to play pivotal role in generating these effects: it undergoes significant development during childhood and is extremely reactive to stress. In rodent models, stress in the pre-pubertal period impairs adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and behaviours which rely on this process. In normal adult animals, environmental enrichment (EE) is a potent promoter of AHN and hippocampal function. Whether exposure to EE during adolescence can restore normal hippocampal function and AHN following pre-pubertal stress (PPS) is unknown. We investigated EE as a treatment for reduced AHN and hippocampal function following PPS in a rodent model. Stress was administered between post-natal days (PND) 25-27, EE from PND 35 to early adulthood, when behavioural testing and assessment of AHN took place. PPS enhanced fear reactions to a conditioned stimulus (CS) following a trace fear protocol and reduced the survival of 4-week-old adult-born neurons throughout the adult hippocampus. Furthermore, we show that fewer adult-born neurons were active during recall of the CS stimulus following PPS. All effects were reversed by EE. Our results demonstrate lasting effects of PPS on the hippocampus and highlight the utility of EE during adolescence for restoring normal hippocampal function. EE during adolescence is a promising method of enhancing impaired hippocampal function resulting from early life stress, and due to multiple benefits (low cost, few side effects, widespread availability) should be more thoroughly explored as a treatment option in human sufferers of childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lowenna Rule
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Jessica Yang
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Holly Watkin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Nichola Marie Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
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27
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Wang J, John Y, Barbas H. Pathways for Contextual Memory: The Primate Hippocampal Pathway to Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1807-1826. [PMID: 33207365 PMCID: PMC7869091 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is one of the few prefrontal areas that receives robust direct hippocampal terminations. This pathway may enable current context and past experience to influence goal-directed actions and emotional regulation by prefrontal cortices. We investigated the still ill-understood organization of the pathway from anterior hippocampus to ACC (A24a, A25, A32) to identify laminar termination patterns and their postsynaptic excitatory and inhibitory targets from system to synapse in rhesus monkeys. The densest hippocampal terminations targeted posterior A25, a region that is involved in affective and autonomic regulation. Hippocampal terminations innervated mostly excitatory neurons (~90%), suggesting strong excitatory effects. Among the smaller fraction of inhibitory targets, hippocampal terminations in A25 preferentially innervated calretinin neurons, a pattern that differs markedly from rodents. Further, hippocampal terminations innervated spines with D1 receptors, particularly in the deep layers of A25, where D1 receptors are enriched in comparison with the upper layers. The proximity of hippocampal terminations to D1 receptors may enable dopamine to enhance information transfer from the hippocampus to A25 and contribute to dopaminergic influence downstream on goal-directed action and emotional control by prefrontal cortices, in processes that may be disrupted by excessive dopamine release during uncontrollable stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wang
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yohan John
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Helen Barbas
- Department of Health Sciences, Neural Systems Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University and School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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28
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Dark HE, Harnett NG, Goodman AM, Wheelock MD, Mrug S, Schuster MA, Elliott MN, Emery ST, Knight DC. Violence exposure, affective style, and stress-induced changes in resting state functional connectivity. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:1261-1277. [PMID: 33000367 PMCID: PMC7718383 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00833-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic childhood stress is linked to greater susceptibility to internalizing disorders in adulthood. Specifically, chronic stress leads to changes in brain connectivity patterns, and, in turn, affects psychological functioning. Violence exposure, a chronic stressor, increases stress reactivity and disrupts emotion regulation processes. However, it is unclear to what extent violence exposure affects the neural circuitry underlying emotion regulation. Individual differences in affective style also moderate the impact of stress on psychological function and can thus alter the relationship between violence exposure and brain function. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) is an index of intrinsic brain activity. Stress-induced changes in rsFC between the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) are associated with emotion dysregulation and may elucidate how affective style modulates the relationship between violence exposure and brain connectivity. Therefore, the present study examined the impact of violence exposure and affective style on stress-induced changes in rsFC. Participants (n = 233) completed two 6-minute resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, one before (pre-stress) and one after (post-stress) a psychosocial stress task. The bilateral amygdala, hippocampus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) were used as seed regions for rsFC analyses. Significant stress-induced changes in the prefrontal, fronto-limbic, and parieto-limbic rsFC were observed. Further, pre-stress to post-stress differences in rsFC varied with violence exposure and affective style. These findings suggest that prefrontal, fronto-limbic, and parieto-limbic connectivity is associated with the emotional response to stress and provide new insight into the neural mechanisms through which affective style moderates the impact violence exposure has on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Dark
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Adam M Goodman
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Muriah D Wheelock
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Sylvie Mrug
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Mark A Schuster
- Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Susan Tortolero Emery
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David C Knight
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, CIRC 235H, 1720 2nd Ave S., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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29
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Kasparek SW, Jenness JL, McLaughlin KA. Reward processing modulates the association between trauma exposure and externalizing psychopathology. Clin Psychol Sci 2020; 8:989-1006. [PMID: 33758689 PMCID: PMC7983845 DOI: 10.1177/2167702620933570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Childhood adversity is common and strongly associated with risk for psychopathology. Identifying factors that buffer children from experiencing psychopathology following adversity is critical for developing more effective intervention approaches. The present study examined several behavioral metrics of reward processing reflecting global approach motivation for reward and the degree to which reward responses scaled with reward value (i.e., behavioral sensitivity to reward value) as potential moderators of the association of multiple dimensions of adversity-including trauma, caregiver neglect, and food insecurity-with depression and externalizing psychopathology in a sample of youth aged 8-16 years (n = 132). Trauma exposure and externalizing problems were positively associated at low and moderate levels of reward reactivity, but this association became non-significant at high levels of reward reactivity. Our findings extend prior work, suggesting that high behavioral sensitivity to reward value may buffer against externalizing problems following exposure to trauma.
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30
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Abstract
We review basic science research on neural mechanisms underlying emotional processing in individuals of differing socioeconomic status (SES). We summarise SES differences in response to positive and negative stimuli in limbic and cortical regions associated with emotion and emotion regulation. We discuss the possible relevance of neuroscience to understanding the link between mental health and SES. We hope to provide insights into future neuroscience research on the etiology and pathophysiology of mental disorders relating to SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Hao
- Center for Neuroscience & Society, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Martha J Farah
- Center for Neuroscience & Society, University of Pennsylvania, USA
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31
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Subcortical brain morphometry of avoidant personality disorder. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:1057-1061. [PMID: 32663932 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) is a condition typified by social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. AvPD has a high comorbidity rate with other personality disorders and other psychological diagnostic categories. There is very little research investigating subcortical volumetry in AvPD. We studied subcortical brain morphometry in AvPD as compared to both healthy controls and comorbidity-matched psychiatric controls (patients in the same clinic matched for age, sex and all psychiatric diagnoses except for AvPD). METHODS We compared volumetric measures of 9 bilateral subcortical brain regions between AvPD patients, healthy controls, and psychiatric controls (n = 100 each group). The Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple comparisons across regions (p < 0.0028). RESULTS Compared to healthy controls, AvPD patients had lower volume of the left accumbens and left thalamus. However, no significant results were found when comparing AvPD patients and psychiatric controls. An exploratory study of cortical regions showed similar results: statistically significant differences between HC and AvPD (left lateral occipital, left and right pericalcarine smaller in AvPD) but no differences between AvPD and PC. LIMITATIONS MRI and neuroimaging provides correlational information, and no causal claims can be made. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest there may be no overt subcortical volumetric differences specific to AvPD, and provide strong cautionary advice when comparing patients to healthy controls, a common practice in psychiatry biomarker research.
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32
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Pițur S, Miu AC. Childhood maltreatment and expressive flexibility: specific effects of threat and deprivation? Cogn Emot 2020; 34:1721-1728. [PMID: 32698695 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1795625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
While childhood maltreatment has been consistently associated with a high risk for psychopathology, the mechanisms underlying this relation are still unclear. Dysfunctional emotion regulation has been singled out as a potential mechanism and recent perspectives emphasise the importance of measuring flexibility over habitual patterns of regulating strategies when assessing it. The present study has investigated the relation between childhood maltreatment and expressive flexibility, the ability to control emotional expression according to situational demands. Participants completed a retrospective self-report maltreatment questionnaire, which measured levels of childhood abuse and neglect, and an experimental task, which measured expressive flexibility. Depressive symptoms and trait anxiety were also evaluated. Results indicated an association between childhood maltreatment and reduced expressive flexibility. When investigated separately, both abuse and neglect were associated with reduced expressive flexibility, but when analyzed concurrently, only the former relation remained significant. Expressive flexibility negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that childhood maltreatment, a distal risk factor for psychopathology, impacts expressive flexibility, a form of emotion regulation flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simina Pițur
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei C Miu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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33
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Rosen ML, Hagen MP, Lurie LA, Miles ZE, Sheridan MA, Meltzoff AN, McLaughlin KA. Cognitive Stimulation as a Mechanism Linking Socioeconomic Status With Executive Function: A Longitudinal Investigation. Child Dev 2020; 91:e762-e779. [PMID: 31591711 PMCID: PMC7138720 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Executive functions (EF), including working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, vary as a function of socioeconomic status (SES), with children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds having poorer performance than their higher SES peers. Using observational methods, we investigated cognitive stimulation in the home as a mechanism linking SES with EF. In a sample of 101 children aged 60-75 months, cognitive stimulation fully mediated SES-related differences in EF. Critically, cognitive stimulation was positively associated with the development of inhibition and cognitive flexibility across an 18-month follow-up period. Furthermore, EF at T1 explained SES-related differences in academic achievement at T2. Early cognitive stimulation-a modifiable factor-may be a desirable target for interventions designed to ameliorate SES-related differences in cognitive development and academic achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya L. Rosen
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University
| | - McKenzie P. Hagen
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University
| | - Lucy A. Lurie
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University
| | - Zoe E. Miles
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
| | | | - Andrew N. Meltzoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington
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34
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Nakamoto K, Taniguchi A, Tokuyama S. Changes in opioid receptors, opioid peptides and morphine antinociception in mice subjected to early life stress. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 881:173173. [PMID: 32511976 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that the endogenous opioid system is considerably affected by early life stress such as child abuse. Here, we investigated whether early life stress changes the endogenous opioid receptors and their peptides, and if such stress impacts morphine antinociception. We used mice affected by maternal separation and social isolation (MSSI) as an early life stress model. In the tail-flick test, 10-week-old MSSI mice showed a significant decrease in morphine antinociception compared to age-matched control mice. The number of c-Fos-positive cells increased in the periaqueductal gray (PAG), nucleus accumbens, and thalamus of control mice after the morphine injections, whereas hardly any positive cells were detected in the same areas of MSSI mice. The expression of μ- and κ-opioid receptor (MOR and KOR, respectively) messenger RNA (mRNA) was significantly decreased in the PAG of MSSI mice, whereas KOR expression was significantly increased in the amygdala of MSSI mice. The expression of δ-opioid receptor (DOR) mRNA was significantly reduced in the PAG and rostral ventromedial medulla of MSSI mice compared to control mice. Moreover, the lack of morphine antinociception was observed in 18-week-old MSSI mice. Our findings suggest that the supraspinal opioid system may be affected by early life stress exposure, and that this exposure may impact morphine antinociception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Nakamoto
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-8586, Japan
| | - Ayaka Taniguchi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-8586, Japan
| | - Shogo Tokuyama
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-8586, Japan.
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35
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Tang L, Pruitt PJ, Yu Q, Homayouni R, Daugherty AM, Damoiseaux JS, Ofen N. Differential Functional Connectivity in Anterior and Posterior Hippocampus Supporting the Development of Memory Formation. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:204. [PMID: 32581749 PMCID: PMC7291774 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging evidence suggests that the development of the hippocampus, a brain structure critical for memory function, contributes to the improvements of episodic memory between middle childhood to adulthood. However, investigations on age differences in hippocampal activation and functional connectivity and their contributions to the development of memory have yielded mixed results. Given the known structural and functional heterogeneity along the long axis of the hippocampus, we investigated age differences in the activation and functional connectivity in hippocampal subregions with a cross-sectional sample of 96 participants ages 8–25 years. We found that anterior and posterior hippocampus supported memory formation, and there was overall stability in memory-related hippocampal activation with age. Without taking account of memory outcome, direct contrast between subregions showed higher functional connectivity of anterior, compared to the posterior hippocampus, with regions in the inferior frontal and lateral temporal lobes, and higher functional connectivity of posterior, compared to the anterior hippocampus, with regions in the medial and superior frontal, inferior parietal, and occipital lobes. A direct contrast between the memory-related connectivity patterns of anterior and posterior hippocampus identified a region in the medial frontal cortex, with which anterior and posterior hippocampus was differentially functionally connected. Finally, we identified age differences in memory-related differential hippocampal functional connectivity with several frontal and visual/sensory cortices, underscoring the importance of examining age differences in the patterns of hippocampal connectivity. Moreover, the specific patterns of differential anterior and posterior functional connectivity indicate an increase in the functional specialization along the long axis of the hippocampus and a dynamic shift in hippocampal connectivity patterns that supports memory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingfei Tang
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Patrick J Pruitt
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Qijing Yu
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Roya Homayouni
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Ana M Daugherty
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Jessica S Damoiseaux
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Noa Ofen
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Neurobiology Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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36
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Cohodes EM, Kitt ER, Baskin-Sommers A, Gee DG. Influences of early-life stress on frontolimbic circuitry: Harnessing a dimensional approach to elucidate the effects of heterogeneity in stress exposure. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:153-172. [PMID: 32227350 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Early-life stress confers profound and lasting risk for developing cognitive, social, emotional, and physical health problems. The effects of stress on the developing brain contribute to this risk, with frontolimbic circuitry particularly susceptible to early experiences, possibly due to its innervation with glucocorticoid receptors and the timing of frontolimbic circuit maturation. To date, the majority of studies on stress and frontolimbic circuitry have employed a categorical approach, comparing stress-exposed versus non-stress-exposed youth. However, there is vast heterogeneity in the nature of stress exposure and in outcomes. Recent forays into understanding the psychobiological effects of stress have employed a dimensional approach focused on experiential, environmental, and temporal factors that influence the association between stress and subsequent vulnerability. This review highlights empirical findings that inform a dimensional approach to understanding the effects of stress on frontolimbic circuitry. We identify the timing, type, severity, controllability, and predictability of stress, and the degree to which a caregiver is involved, as specific features of stress that may play a substantial role in differential outcomes. We propose a framework for the effects of these features of stress on frontolimbic development that may partially determine how heterogeneity in stress exposure influences this circuitry and, ultimately, mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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37
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Lissek S, Klass A, Tegenthoff M. Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus Participates in Mediating the Renewal Effect Irrespective of Context Salience. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:43. [PMID: 32292332 PMCID: PMC7118360 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The renewal effect of extinction demonstrates the context-dependency of extinction learning. It is defined as the recovery of an extinguished response occurring when the contexts of extinction and recall differ. Behavioral studies showed that modulating context relevance can strengthen context-specific responses. In our fMRI study, we investigated to what extent a modulation of context salience can alter renewal levels and provide additional information about the neural basis for renewal. In a within-subjects design, participants completed two sessions of an associative learning task in randomized order. In the salient condition (SAL), a context was presented alone at the start of each trial, before being presented together with the stimulus. The regular condition (REG) contained no context-alone phase. In about one-third of participants (SWITCH), the context salience modulation significantly increased renewal rates in the SAL compared to the REG condition. The other participants showed either renewal (REN) or no renewal (NoREN) in both conditions. The modulation did not significantly affect learning performance during the initial forming of associations or extinction learning. In the SWITCH group, activation in left opercular inferior frontal gyrus (iFG) during the recall phase was associated with a renewal effect, together with activity in the bilateral posterior hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Also during the extinction phase, left opercular iFG activation was higher in groups exhibiting renewal in recall, irrespective of the context salience modulation. Besides confirming the participation of vmPFC in extinction recall, our findings provide novel insights regarding an as yet undetected, potentially important role for renewal-supporting processes in left iFG during extinction learning and recall, which are presumably based on the region's proposed function of evaluating competing response options under conditions of ambiguity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Lissek
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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38
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Keresztes A, Raffington L, Bender AR, Bögl K, Heim C, Shing YL. Hair cortisol concentrations are associated with hippocampal subregional volumes in children. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4865. [PMID: 32184428 PMCID: PMC7078215 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61131-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human hippocampus, a brain structure crucial for memory across the lifespan, is highly sensitive to adverse life events. Stress exposures during childhood have been linked to altered hippocampal structure and memory performance in adulthood. Animal studies suggest that these differences are in part driven by aberrant glucocorticoid secretion during development, with strongest effects on the CA3 region and the dentate gyrus (CA3-DG) of the hippocampus, alongside associated memory impairments. However, only few pediatric studies have examined glucocorticoid associations with hippocampal subfield volumes and their functional relevance. In 84 children (age range: 6-7 years), we assessed whether volumes of hippocampal subregions were related to cumulative glucocorticoid levels (hair cortisol), parenting stress, and performance on memory tasks known to engage the hippocampus. We found that higher hair cortisol levels were specifically related to lower CA3-DG volume. Parenting stress did not significantly correlate with hair cortisol, and there was no evidence to suggest that individual differences in hippocampal subregional volumes manifest in memory performance. Our results suggest that the CA3-DG may be the hippocampal region most closely associated with hair cortisol levels in childhood. Establishing causal pathways underlying this association and its relation to environmental stress and memory development necessitates longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Keresztes
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Laurel Raffington
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew R Bender
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics & Neurology and Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Christine Heim
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Yee Lee Shing
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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39
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Nelson CA, Gabard-Durnam LJ. Early Adversity and Critical Periods: Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Violating the Expectable Environment. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:133-143. [PMID: 32101708 PMCID: PMC8092448 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It is now widely recognized that children exposed to adverse life events in the first years of life are at increased risk for a variety of neural, behavioral, and psychological sequelae. As we discuss in this paper, adverse events represent a violation of the expectable environment. If such violations occur during a critical period of brain development, the detrimental effects of early adversity are likely to be long lasting. Here we discuss the various ways adversity becomes neurobiologically embedded, and how the timing of such adversity plays an important role in determining outcomes. We conclude our paper by offering recommendations for how to elucidate the neural mechanisms responsible for the behavioral sequelae and how best to model the effects of early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Nelson
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Laurel J Gabard-Durnam
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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40
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Hawkins M, Ciciolla L, Colaizzi J, Keirns N, Smith C, Stout M, Addante S, Armans M, Erato G. Adverse childhood experiences and cognitive function among adults with excess adiposity. Obes Sci Pract 2020; 6:47-56. [PMID: 32128242 PMCID: PMC7042117 DOI: 10.1002/osp4.385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and obesity are independently associated with brain/neurocognitive health. Despite a growing emphasis on the importance of early life adversity on health, the relationship between ACEs and neurocognition in adults with overweight/obesity is unclear. The objective was to examine associations between self-reported ACEs and measured neurocognitive domains in a sample of adults with overweight/obesity. METHODS Participants were 95 predominantly white, highly educated adult women (76% female, 81% Caucasian, and 75% ≥ bachelor's degree) with excess adiposity enrolled in the Cognitive and Self-regulatory Mechanisms of Obesity Study. ACEs and fluid/crystallized neurocognitive domains were measured at baseline using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale and the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery and Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric, respectively. RESULTS Higher ACEs scores were negatively correlated with fluid cognition (r = -.34, P < .001) but not crystallized cognition (r = .01, ns). Individuals with 3 and 4+ ACEs displayed significantly lower fluid cognition scores than those with fewer ACEs F 4,89 = 3.24, P < .05. After accounting for body mass index (BMI), age, sex, race, and education, higher ACEs scores were still associated with poorer performance on overall fluid cognition (β = -.36, P < .01), along with the following subtests: Stroop Colour/Word test (β = -.23, P < .05), Go/No-Go omissions (β = .29, P < .01), and Picture Sequence Memory task (β = -.30, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS The role of ACEs in health may be related to their associations with executive function and episodic neurocognitive domains essential to cognitive processing and self-regulation. Obesity science should further examine the role of ACEs and neurocognition in obesity prevention, prognosis, and treatment using more rigorous, prospective designs and more diverse samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty Hawkins
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Lucia Ciciolla
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | | | - Natalie Keirns
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Caitlin Smith
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Madison Stout
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Samantha Addante
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Mira Armans
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
| | - Gina Erato
- Department of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma
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41
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Herzberg MP, Gunnar MR. Early life stress and brain function: Activity and connectivity associated with processing emotion and reward. Neuroimage 2019; 209:116493. [PMID: 31884055 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating the developmental sequelae of early life stress has provided researchers the opportunity to examine adaptive responses to extreme environments. A large body of work has established mechanisms by which the stressful experiences of childhood poverty, maltreatment, and institutional care can impact the brain and the distributed stress systems of the body. These mechanisms are reviewed briefly to lay the foundation upon which the current neuroimaging literature has been built. More recently, developmental cognitive neuroscientists have identified a number of the effects of early adversity, including differential behavior and brain function. Among the most consistent of these findings are differences in the processing of emotion and reward-related information. The neural correlates of emotion processing, particularly frontolimbic functional connectivity, have been well studied in early life stress samples with results indicating accelerated maturation following early adversity. Reward processing has received less attention, but here the evidence suggests a deficit in reward sensitivity. It is as yet unknown whether the accelerated maturation of emotion-regulation circuits comes at the cost of delayed development in other systems, most notably the reward system. This review addresses the early life stress neuroimaging literature that has investigated emotion and reward processing, identifying important next steps in the study of brain function following adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max P Herzberg
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
| | - Megan R Gunnar
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA
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42
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McLaughlin KA, Weissman D, Bitrán D. Childhood Adversity and Neural Development: A Systematic Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 1:277-312. [PMID: 32455344 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-084950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 336] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An extensive literature on childhood adversity and neurodevelopment has emerged over the past decade. We evaluate two conceptual models of adversity and neurodevelopment-the dimensional model of adversity and stress acceleration model-in a systematic review of 109 studies using MRI-based measures of neural structure and function in children and adolescents. Consistent with the dimensional model, children exposed to threat had reduced amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and hippocampal volume and heightened amygdala activation to threat in a majority of studies; these patterns were not observed consistently in children exposed to deprivation. In contrast, reduced volume and altered function in frontoparietal regions were observed consistently in children exposed to deprivation but not children exposed to threat. Evidence for accelerated development in amygdala-mPFC circuits was limited but emerged in other metrics of neurodevelopment. Progress in charting neurodevelopmental consequences of adversity requires larger samples, longitudinal designs, and more precise assessments of adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - David Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Debbie Bitrán
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
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43
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Rosen ML, Meltzoff AN, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Distinct aspects of the early environment contribute to associative memory, cued attention, and memory-guided attention: Implications for academic achievement. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 40:100731. [PMID: 31766007 PMCID: PMC6917893 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with numerous aspects of cognitive development and disparities in academic achievement. The specific environmental factors that contribute to these disparities remain poorly understood. We used observational methods to characterize three aspects of the early environment that may contribute to SES-related differences in cognitive development: violence exposure, cognitive stimulation, and quality of the physical environment. We evaluated the associations of these environmental characteristics with associative memory, cued attention, and memory-guided attention in a sample of 101 children aged 60-75 months. We further investigated whether these specific cognitive abilities mediated the association between SES and academic achievement 18 months later. Violence exposure was specifically associated with poor associative memory, but not cued attention or memory-guided attention. Cognitive stimulation and higher quality physical environment were positively associated with cued attention accuracy, but not after adjusting for all other environmental variables. The quality of the physical environment was associated with memory-guided attention accuracy. Of the cognitive abilities examined, only memory-guided attention contributed to SES-related differences in academic achievement. These findings suggest specificity in how particular aspects of early environmental experience scaffold different types of attention and memory subserved by distinct neural circuits and shed light on a novel cognitive-developmental mechanism underlying SES-related disparities in academic achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Rosen
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University of Washington, United States.
| | - Andrew N Meltzoff
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, United States
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
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44
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Lambert HK, McLaughlin KA. Impaired hippocampus-dependent associative learning as a mechanism underlying PTSD: A meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:729-749. [PMID: 31545990 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Smaller hippocampal volume is associated with increased risk for PTSD following trauma, but the hippocampal functions involved remain unknown. We propose a conceptual model that identifies broad impairment in hippocampus-dependent associative learning as a vulnerability factor for PTSD. Associative learning of foreground cues and background context is required to form an integrated representation of an event. People with poor associative learning may have difficulty remembering who or what was present during a trauma, where the trauma occurred, or the sequence of events, which may contribute to PTSD symptoms. We argue that associative learning difficulties in PTSD exist for cues and context, regardless of the emotional nature of the information. This contrasts with PTSD models that focus exclusively on threat-processing or contextual-processing. In a meta-analysis, people with PTSD exhibited poor associative learning of multiple information types compared to those without PTSD. Differences were of medium effect size and similar magnitude for neutral and negative/trauma-related stimuli. We provide evidence for associative learning difficulties as a neurocognitive pathway that may contribute to PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary K Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 119A Guthrie Hall, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA.
| | - Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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45
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Lambert HK, Peverill M, Sambrook KA, Rosen ML, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Altered development of hippocampus-dependent associative learning following early-life adversity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 38:100666. [PMID: 31276941 PMCID: PMC6684815 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how childhood adversity influences the development of learning and memory and underlying neural circuits. We examined whether violence exposure in childhood influenced hippocampus-dependent associative learning and whether differences: a) were broad or specific to threat cues, and b) exhibited developmental variation. Children (n = 59; 8-19 years, 24 violence-exposed) completed an associative learning task with angry, happy, and neutral faces paired with objects during fMRI scanning. Outside the scanner, participants completed an associative memory test for face-object pairings. Violence-exposed children exhibited broad associative memory difficulties that became more pronounced with age, along with reduced recruitment of the hippocampus and atypical recruitment of fronto-parietal regions during encoding. Violence-exposed children also showed selective disruption of associative memory for threat cues regardless of age, along with reduced recruitment of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) during encoding in the presence of threat. Broad associative learning difficulties may be a functional consequence of the toxic effects of early-life stress on hippocampal and fronto-parietal cortical development. Difficulties in the presence of threat cues may result from enhanced threat processing that disrupts encoding and short-term storage of associative information in the IPS. These associative learning difficulties may contribute to poor life outcomes following childhood violence exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary K. Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 119A Guthrie Hall, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Matthew Peverill
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 119A Guthrie Hall, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA.
| | - Kelly A. Sambrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 119A Guthrie Hall, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA
| | - Maya L. Rosen
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 119A Guthrie Hall, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA
| | - Margaret A. Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA
| | - Katie A. McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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46
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McLaughlin KA, DeCross SN, Jovanovic T, Tottenham N. Mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology: Learning as an intervention target. Behav Res Ther 2019; 118:101-109. [PMID: 31030002 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to childhood adversity is common and a powerful risk factor for many forms of psychopathology. In this opinion piece, we argue for greater translation of knowledge about the developmental processes that are influenced by childhood adversity into targeted interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology. Existing evidence has consistently identified several neurodevelopmental pathways that serve as mechanisms linking adversity with psychopathology. We highlight three domains in which these mechanisms are well-established and point to clear targets for intervention: 1) threat-related social information processing biases; 2) heightened emotional reactivity and difficulties with emotion regulation; and 3) disruptions in reward processing. In contrast to these established pathways, knowledge of how childhood adversity influences emotional learning mechanisms, including fear and reward learning, is remarkably limited. We see the investigation of these mechanisms as a critical next step for the field that will not only advance understanding of developmental pathways linking childhood adversity with psychopathology, but also provide clear targets for behavioral interventions. Knowledge of the mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology has advanced rapidly, and the time has come to translate that knowledge into clinical interventions to prevent the onset of mental health problems in children who have experienced adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Stephanie N DeCross
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, 3901 Chrysler Dr, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, 5501 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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47
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Callaghan B, Meyer H, Opendak M, Van Tieghem M, Harmon C, Li A, Lee FS, Sullivan RM, Tottenham N. Using a Developmental Ecology Framework to Align Fear Neurobiology Across Species. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2019; 15:345-369. [PMID: 30786246 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Children's development is largely dependent on caregiving; when caregiving is disrupted, children are at increased risk for numerous poor outcomes, in particular psychopathology. Therefore, determining how caregivers regulate children's affective neurobiology is essential for understanding psychopathology etiology and prevention. Much of the research on affective functioning uses fear learning to map maturation trajectories, with both rodent and human studies contributing knowledge. Nonetheless, as no standard framework exists through which to interpret developmental effects across species, research often remains siloed, thus contributing to the current therapeutic impasse. Here, we propose a developmental ecology framework that attempts to understand fear in the ecological context of the child: their relationship with their parent. By referring to developmental goals that are shared across species (to attach to, then, ultimately, separate from the parent), this framework provides a common grounding from which fear systems and their dysfunction can be understood, thus advancing research on psychopathologies and their treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Callaghan
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; , , , .,Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne University, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Heidi Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; , ,
| | - Maya Opendak
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University, Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Nathan S. Klein Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA;
| | | | - Chelsea Harmon
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; , , ,
| | - Anfei Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; , ,
| | - Francis S Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA; , ,
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University, Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Nathan S. Klein Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA;
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; , , ,
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48
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Abstract
Defensive motivation, broadly defined as the orchestrated optimization of defensive functions, encapsulates core components of threat-related psychopathology. The exact relationship between defensive functions and stress-induced symptoms, however, is not entirely clear. Here we review how some of the most important behavioral and neurological findings related to threat-related disorders -- lowering response threshold to threats, facilitated learning and generalization to new threatening cues, reduced appetitive sensitivity, and resistance to extinction of the defensive state -- map onto defensive motivational states, highlighting evidence that supports conjecturing threat-related disorders as persistent motivational states. We propose a mechanism for the perpetuation of the motivational state, progressively converting temporary defensive functions into persistent defensive states associated with distress and impairment.
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49
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Jenness JL, Rosen ML, Sambrook KA, Dennison MJ, Lambert HK, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Violence exposure and neural systems underlying working memory for emotional stimuli in youth. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1517-1528. [PMID: 29144224 PMCID: PMC6357952 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Violence exposure during childhood is common and associated with poor cognitive and academic functioning. However, little is known about how violence exposure influences cognitive processes that might contribute to these disparities, such as working memory, or their neural underpinnings, particularly for cognitive processes that occur in emotionally salient contexts. We address this gap in a sample of 54 participants aged 8 to 19 years (50% female), half with exposure to interpersonal violence. Participants completed a delayed match to sample task for emotional faces while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Violence-exposed youth performed worse than controls on happy and neutral, but not angry, trials. In whole-brain analysis, violence-exposed youth had reduced activation in the left middle frontal gyrus and right intraparietal sulcus during encoding and the left superior temporal sulcus and temporal-parietal junction during retrieval compared to control youth. Reduced activation in the left middle frontal gyrus during encoding and the left superior temporal sulcus during retrieval mediated the association between violence exposure and task performance. Violence exposure influences the frontoparietal network that supports working memory as well as regions involved in facial processing during working memory for emotional stimuli. Reduced neural recruitment in these regions may explain atypical patterns of cognitive processing seen among violence-exposed youth, particularly within emotional contexts.
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50
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Duffy KA, McLaughlin KA, Green PA. Early life adversity and health-risk behaviors: proposed psychological and neural mechanisms. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1428:151-169. [PMID: 30011075 PMCID: PMC6158062 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with poorer health in adulthood, an association explained, at least in part, by increased engagement in health-risk behaviors (HRBs). In this review, we make the case that ELA influences brain development in ways that increase the likelihood of engaging in HRBs. We argue that ELA alters neural circuitry underpinning cognitive control as well as emotional processing, including networks involved in processing threat and reward. These neural changes are associated psychologically and behaviorally with heightened emotional reactivity, blunted reward responsivity, poorer emotion regulation, and greater delay discounting. We then demonstrate that these adaptations to ELA are associated with an increased risk of smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and eating high-fat, high-sugar foods. Furthermore, we explore how HRBs affect the brain in ways that reinforce addiction and further explain clustering of HRBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korrina A. Duffy
- Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch, Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Paige A. Green
- Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch, Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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