Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with child-parent neural synchrony during competition

Interpersonal neural synchrony (INS) occurs when neural electrical activity temporally aligns between individuals during social interactions. It has been used as a metric for interpersonal closeness, often during naturalistic child-parent interactions. This study evaluated whether other biological correlates of social processing predicted the prevalence of INS during child-parent interactions, and whether their observed cooperativity modulated this association. Child-parent dyads (n = 27) performed a visuospatial tower-building task in cooperative and competitive conditions. Neural activity was recorded using mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, and experimenters coded video-recordings post-hoc for behavioral attunement. DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) was measured, an epigenetic modification associated with reduced oxytocin activity and socioemotional functioning. Greater INS during competition was associated with lower child OXTRm, while greater behavioral attunement during competition and cooperation was associated with higher parent OXTRm. These differential relationships suggest that interpersonal dynamics as measured by INS may be similarly reflected by other biological markers of social functioning, irrespective of observed behavior. Children's self-perceived communication skill also showed opposite associations with parent and child OXTRm, suggesting complex relationships between children's and their parents' social functioning. Our findings have implications for ongoing developmental research, supporting the utility of biological metrics in characterizing interpersonal relationships.

P5294Metabolically healthy obese is associated with better left atrial function and lower risk of adverse cardiovascular events including atrial fibrillation

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity are both crucial risk factors for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the prognostic value of utilizing left atrial (LA) deformation imaging in metabolically healthy obese (MHO) or metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW) subjects remains largely unexplored.

Methods

Speckle-tracking echocardiography was used to evaluate LA strain and strain rate among 3,915 subjects free from clinical heart failure (mean age: 50.0±10.6 years, 66.2% male) undergoing annual cardiovascular health survey. Metabolically unhealthy was defined by the presence of at least one MetS component or history of cardiovascular disease. Participants were categorized as: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy overweight/obese (MUO).

Results

Markedly decreased LA strain, early-diastolic LA strain rate and increased LA stiffness were observed with metabolic disorders (all trend p: <0.05). During a median follow-up period of 3.68 years, significantly higher risk of primary endpoints (death, heart failure, major cardiovascular events) was observed in MUO vs. MHO (HR=1.87, p=0.005) and MUNW vs. MHNW (HR=2.82, p=0.004). Similar patterns with incident AF (MUO vs MHO: HR=3.05, p=0.001, MUNW vs MHNW: HR=4.04, p=0.002) were also observed. After multivariate adjustment, risk of AF remained associated with low LA strain (β=−0.07, p<0.001), systolic LA strain rate (β:−0.05, p=0.007) and high LA stiffness (β=0.18, p<0.001).

Comparison between metabolic groups MHNW (N=1107) MUNW (N=255) p (MUNW vs MHNW) MHO (N=1859) MUO (N=694) p (MUO vs MHO) Age 48±10.57 54.29±11.52 <0.001 49±10.02 54.21±10.49 <0.001 LA GLS (%) 40.6±7.68 37.16±7.5 <0.001 36.77±7.66* 33.58±8.01‡ <0.001 LA SRs 1.79±0.41 1.76±0.48 NS 1.63±0.39* 1.55±0.41‡ <0.001 LA SRe 2.11±0.62 1.8±0.63 <0.001 1.68±0.55* 1.48±0.52‡ <0.001 LA stiffness 0.17±0.08 0.22±0.12 <0.001 0.21±0.11* 0.25±0.13‡ <0.001 *p<0.001 for MHO vs MHNW, ‡p<0.001 for MUO vs MUNW. LA GLS = left atrial global longitudinal strain, LA SRs = left atrial systolic strain rate, LA SRe = left atrial early-diastolic strain rate, NS = non-significant.

Kaplan-Meier curves of adverse events

Conclusion

Metabolic abnormality may contribute to certain aspects of mechanistic LA dysfunction tightly linked to clinical events, even with normal lean body mass. Our observations may be insightful for targeted interventions in higher-risk patients with subclinical atrial dysfunction.

P4414Effects of lorcaserin on the cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight or obese patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Lorcaserin is a selective serotonin 2c receptor agonist approved as an anti-obesity agent. The additional cardiometabolic benefits associated with lorcaserin have not been conclusively established.

Purpose

To examine the effects of lorcaserin on blood pressure, heart rate and other metabolic parameters in overweight or obese patients from randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs).

Methods

A literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central using search terms: “lorcaserin”, “Belviq”, and “randomized controlled trials” without language restrictions. RCTs with a follow-up period of at least 24 weeks were included for the meta-analysis.

Results

Five studies with 9349 patients in the lorcaserin group and 9370 patients in the placebo group were included. Compared with placebo, lorcaserin not only reduced weight (mean difference [MD] = −3.03 kg, 95% CI: −3.42, −2.63, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2 =68%), waist circumference (MD=−2.27 cm, 95% CI: −2.71, −1.83, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2=57%) and BMI (MD=−1.11 kg/m2, 95% CI: −1.27, −0.96, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2=68%), but also improved SBP (MD=−0.75 mmHg, 95% CI: −1.12, −0.38, P<0.0001, I2=0%), DBP (MD=−0.70 mmHg, 95% CI: −0.93, −0.48, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2=0%), heart rate (MD=−0.94 bpm, 95% CI: −1.28, −0.60, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2=0%), LDL (MD=−1.47 mg/dL, 95% CI: −2.21, −0.74, P<0.0001, I2=0%), HDL (MD=0.55 mg/dL, 95% CI: 0.08, 1.01, P=0.02, I2=18%), triglycerides (MD=−8.71 mg/dL, 95% CI: −12.14, −5.28, P<0.ehz745.08171, I2=71%), and fasting plasma glucose (MD=−5.69 mg/L, 95% CI: −9.5, −1.87, P=0.003, I2=93%). Our findings support that lorcaserin has consistent and favourable effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and all criteria of metabolic syndrome.

Summary of lorcaserin effects

Conclusion

Lorcaserin improved all cardiometabolic parameters modestly in addition to its weight loss effect in overweight or obese patients. More research is needed to determine its long-term cardiovascular benefits.