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Timmons AC, Han SC, Chaspari T, Kim Y, Narayanan S, Duong JB, Fiallo NS, Margolin G. Relationship satisfaction, feelings of closeness and annoyance, and linkage in electrodermal activity. Emotion 2023; 23:1815-1828. [PMID: 36649159 PMCID: PMC10349898 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Physiological linkage refers to moment-to-moment, time-linked coordination in physiological responses among people in close relationships. Although people in romantic relationships have been shown to evidence linkage in their physiological responses over time, it is still unclear how patterns of covariation relate to in-the-moment, as well as general levels of, relationship functioning. In the present study with data collected between 2014 and 2017, we capture linkage in electrodermal activity (EDA) in a diverse sample of young-adult couples, generally representative and generalizable to the Los Angeles community from which we sampled. We test how naturally occurring, shifting feelings of closeness with and annoyance toward one's partner relate to concurrent changes in levels of physiological linkage over the course of 1 day. Additionally, we examine how linkage relates to overall relationship satisfaction. Results showed that couples evidenced significant covariation in their levels of physiological arousal in daily life. Further, physiological linkage increased during hours that participants felt close to their romantic partners but not during hours that participants felt annoyed with their partners. Finally, those participants with overall higher levels of relationship satisfaction showed lower levels of linkage over the day of data collection. These findings highlight how individuals respond in sync with their romantic partners and how this process ebbs and flows in conjunction with the shifting emotional tone of their relationships. The discussion focuses on how linkage might enhance closeness or, alternatively, contribute to conflict escalation and the potential of linkage processes to promote positive interpersonal relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Pfaus JG, Safron A, Zakreski E. From distal to proximal to interactive: behavioral and brain synchrony during attraction, courtship, and sexual interaction-implications for clinical assessments of relationship style and quality. Sex Med Rev 2023; 11:312-322. [PMID: 37544764 DOI: 10.1093/sxmrev/qead034] [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] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Synchronous behaviors between individuals are nonverbal signs of closeness and common purpose. In the flow from initial attraction to intimate sexual interaction, attention and synchrony move from distal to proximal to interactive and are mediated by sensitized activation of neural systems for sexual motivation, arousal, and desire and those that recognize and mimic common facial and body movements between individuals. When reinforced by sexual pleasure and other relationship rewards, this results in the strengthening of attraction and bonding and the display of more common motor patterns. As relationships falter, nonverbal behaviors likely become asynchronous. OBJECTIVES To define behavioral, romantic, and sexual synchrony during phases of attraction and how their disruption can be observed and utilized by clinicians to assess individual relationship styles and quality. METHODS We review the literature on behavioral and attentional synchrony in humans and animals in an effort to understand experiential and innate mechanisms of synchrony and asynchrony and how they develop, as well as implications for attraction, relationship initiation, maintenance of romantic and sexual closeness, and relationship disintegration. RESULTS Evidence is presented that behavioral synchrony and the neural mechanisms that underlie it are vital to relationship formation and satisfaction. CONCLUSION Behavioral synchrony helps to create feelings of sexual and romantic synergy, cohesion, and arousal among individuals. Asynchrony is aversive and can spark feelings of discontent, aversion, and jealousy. Thus, observing patterns of nonverbal sexual and romantic synchrony between individuals offers insights into the potential quality of their relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Pfaus
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, 18200, Czech Republic
- Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, 25067, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Safron
- Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
| | - Ellen Zakreski
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, 18200, Czech Republic
- Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, 25067, Czech Republic
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Cantave CY, Brendgen M, Paquin S, Lupien S, Dionne G, Vitaro F, Boivin M, Ouellet-Morin I. The phenotypic associations and gene-environment underpinnings of socioeconomic status and diurnal cortisol secretion in adolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1119-1129. [PMID: 34698624 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
While converging evidence suggests that both environmental and genetic factors underlie variations in diurnal cortisol, the extent to which these sources of influence vary according to socioeconomic status (SES) has seldom been investigated, particularly in adolescence. To investigate whether a distinct genetic and environmental contribution to youth's diurnal cortisol secretion emerges according to family SES and whether the timing of these experiences matters. Participants were 592 twin pairs, who mostly came from middle-income and intact families and for whom SES was measured in childhood and adolescence. Diurnal cortisol was assessed at age 14 at awakening, 30 min later, in the afternoon and evening over four nonconsecutive days. SES-cortisol phenotypic associations were specific to the adolescence period. Specifically, higher awakening cortisol levels were detected in wealthier backgrounds, whereas higher cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal changes were present at both ends of the SES continuum. Moreover, smaller genetic contributions emerged for awakening cortisol in youth from poorer compared to wealthier backgrounds. The results suggest that the relative contribution of inherited factors to awakening cortisol secretion may be enhanced or suppressed depending on the socio-family context, which may help to decipher the mechanisms underlying later adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada
| | - Stéphane Paquin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada
- Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ginette Dionne
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada
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Tkaczynski PJ, Mafessoni F, Girard-Buttoz C, Samuni L, Ackermann CY, Fedurek P, Gomes C, Hobaiter C, Löhrich T, Manin V, Preis A, Valé PD, Wessling EG, Wittiger L, Zommers Z, Zuberbuehler K, Vigilant L, Deschner T, Wittig RM, Crockford C. Shared community effects and the non-genetic maternal environment shape cortisol levels in wild chimpanzees. Commun Biol 2023; 6:565. [PMID: 37237178 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04909-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of inheritance remain poorly defined for many fitness-mediating traits, especially in long-lived animals with protracted development. Using 6,123 urinary samples from 170 wild chimpanzees, we examined the contributions of genetics, non-genetic maternal effects, and shared community effects on variation in cortisol levels, an established predictor of survival in long-lived primates. Despite evidence for consistent individual variation in cortisol levels across years, between-group effects were more influential and made an overwhelming contribution to variation in this trait. Focusing on within-group variation, non-genetic maternal effects accounted for 8% of the individual differences in average cortisol levels, significantly more than that attributable to genetic factors, which was indistinguishable from zero. These maternal effects are consistent with a primary role of a shared environment in shaping physiology. For chimpanzees, and perhaps other species with long life histories, community and maternal effects appear more relevant than genetic inheritance in shaping key physiological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Tkaczynski
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Fabrizio Mafessoni
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives, CNRS UMR 5229, Lyon, France
| | - Liran Samuni
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Corinne Y Ackermann
- Universite de Neuchatel, Institut de Biologie, Cognition Compare, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Pawel Fedurek
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Cristina Gomes
- Tropical Conservation Institute, Institute of Environment, College of Arts, Science and Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Therese Löhrich
- World Wide Fund for Nature, Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, BP 1053, Bangui, Central African Republic
- Robert Koch Institute, Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Berlin, Germany
| | - Virgile Manin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Anna Preis
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Prince D Valé
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Unité de Formation et de Recherche Agroferesterie, Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Erin G Wessling
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Zinta Zommers
- Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Klaus Zuberbuehler
- Universite de Neuchatel, Institut de Biologie, Cognition Compare, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Comparative BioCognition, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives, CNRS UMR 5229, Lyon, France
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives, CNRS UMR 5229, Lyon, France
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Cortisol trajectories measured prospectively across thirty years of female development following exposure to childhood sexual abuse: Moderation by epigenetic age acceleration at midlife. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 136:105606. [PMID: 34896740 PMCID: PMC8724404 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Lasting changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are a potential indication of the biological embedding of early life adversity, yet, prospective and repeatedly collected data are needed to confirm this relation. Likewise, integrating information from multiple biological systems, such as the HPA axis and the epigenome, has the potential to identify individuals with enhanced embedding of early life adversity. The current study reports results from the Female Growth and Development Study, a 30-year prospective cohort study of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Females exposed to substantiated CSA and a demographically-similar comparison condition were enrolled and resting state cortisol concentrations were sampled on seven subsequent occasions across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Differences in participants' cortisol trajectories were examined in relation to prior CSA exposure and DNA methylation-derived epigenetic age acceleration at midlife. Bilinear spline growth models revealed a trajectory where cortisol secretion increased until approximately age twenty and then declined into mid-life, consistent with normative trends. However, cortisol concentrations peaked at a lower level and transitioned to the decline phase at an earlier age for females in the CSA condition with increased epigenetic age acceleration. Robustness tests across three independent measures of epigenetic age acceleration demonstrated similar results for lower peak cortisol levels and earlier ages at transition. Results suggest that CSA is associated with significant changes in HPA-axis activity over extended periods of time with these changes most pronounced in females with accelerated epigenetic aging in mid-life. Implications for biological embedding models of early life adversity and adulthood health are discussed.
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Klimes-Dougan B, Papke V, Carosella KA, Wiglesworth A, Mirza SA, Espensen-Sturges TD, Meester C. Basal and reactive cortisol: A systematic literature review of offspring of parents with depressive and bipolar disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104528. [PMID: 35031342 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104528] [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] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
One of the most consistent biological findings in the study of affective disorders is that those with depression commonly show abnormal cortisol response, which suggests dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Children of parents with mood disorders offer the opportunity to explore the biological pathways that may confer risk for psychopathology. This review explores basal and reactive cortisol in the offspring of parents who are currently depressed or have had a history of a depressive or bipolar disorder. Using PRISMA guidelines, search terms yielded 2002 manuscripts. After screening, 87 of these manuscripts were included. Results from the literature suggest that while the degree and direction of dysregulation varies, offspring of a parent with depression tend to show elevations in both basal (particularly morning and evening) and reactive (tentatively for social stressors) cortisol levels. There were few studies focused on offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. This review also discusses implications and recommendations for future research regarding the HPA axis in the intergenerational transmission of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Klimes-Dougan
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Victoria Papke
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Katherine A Carosella
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Andrea Wiglesworth
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Salahudeen A Mirza
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Tori D Espensen-Sturges
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Christina Meester
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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7
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Paré-Ruel MP, Brendgen M, Ouellet-Morin I, Lupien S, Vitaro F, Dionne G, Boivin M. Unique and interactive associations of proactive and reactive aggression with cortisol secretion. Horm Behav 2022; 137:105100. [PMID: 34883328 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105100] [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: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The association between aggressive behaviors and diurnal cortisol levels has been debated over the past two decades, as some studies found a negative link between the two, whereas others reported no or a positive association. One possible explanation for these contradictory results is that past studies failed to distinguish between proactive (PROA) and reactive (REA) aggression. The present study examined the unique and joint associations of PROA and REA with three diurnal cortisol indicators: awakening levels, awakening response, and diurnal change. Participants were 542 youths (55.4% girls) followed longitudinally. Teachers evaluated aggressive behaviors when participants were in Grades 4 and 6. In Grade 8, participants provided four saliva samples (i.e., awakening, 30 min thereafter, late afternoon, and bedtime) on four collection days. Controlling for several confounders, multilevel regression analyses revealed an inverse relation between PROA and the CAR in boys who displayed lower or moderate levels of REA, but not in those who exhibited higher levels of REA. No associations emerged with other cortisol indicators. These results are consistent with reports of lower physiological activity in individuals with PROA and underscore the confounding influence of REA in the association between the CAR and proactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montréal, Canada; Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; School of Psycho-Education, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ginette Dionne
- Department of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- Department of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
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8
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Shi X, Nie X, Wu J. The cortisol awakening response and the late positive potentials evoked by unpleasant emotional pictures in healthy adults. Stress 2022; 25:40-47. [PMID: 34882046 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.2008902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) refers to a sharp rise in cortisol concentrations within the 45 min following morning awakening. Alterations in CAR have been associated with various internalizing symptoms and brain function. The current study aimed to investigate the association between CAR and neural activity in response to unpleasant emotional pictures. A total of 46 healthy adults (22.55 years ± 1.69) collected saliva samples at 0, 30, and 45 min post-awakening on two days to assess the CAR. In the afternoon after CAR measurement on the first day, electroencephalograms were recorded when the participants completed a passive viewing task. The results showed that a greater CAR was associated with a decreased late positive potential difference score between unpleasant and neutral stimuli. This finding indicates that a larger CAR may be associated with decreased attentional engagement to unpleasant emotional information in healthy adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Shi
- Department of Psychology, Tianjin University of Technology and Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Nie
- Department of Psychology, Tianjin University of Technology and Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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The effects of Animal Assisted Therapy on autonomic and endocrine activity in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2021; 72:36-44. [PMID: 34237553 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Stress and its sequelae are very common in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without an intellectual disability (ID). Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has shown physiological stress-reductive effects in children with ASD. The aim of the current study was to examine the acute psychophysiological response to an AAT session, and to examine the longer-term stress-physiological effects of the intervention, up until 10 weeks post-treatment, in comparison to waiting-list controls. METHOD A randomized controlled trial with pre-intervention (T0), post-intervention (T1: 10 weeks) and follow-up (T2: 20 weeks) measurements of neuroendocrine and cardiovascular measures, was conducted in 53 adults with ASD (N = 27 in intervention arm; N = 26 in control arm). Within the intervention group, stress-physiological data were collected during the 5th therapy session (acute effects). Data were analyzed with mixed models for outcome measures cortisol, alpha-amylase, heart rate variability and sympathetic activity. RESULTS The AAT interventional session was significantly associated with reduced cortisol levels (β = -0.41, p = .010), while parasympathetic and sympathetic cardiovascular activity remained unaltered. No significant changes were found for stress-physiological measures at post-treatment time points. CONCLUSIONS Acute stress reduction, reflected in significant reduction in cortisol levels, was found during an AAT session in adults with ASD, without ID. More research is needed to explore to what extent the specific factors of AAT have contributed to the decrease in cortisol and whether stress reduction is possible for the longer-term.
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Elevated infant cortisol is necessary but not sufficient for transmission of environmental risk to infant social development: Cross-species evidence of mother-infant physiological social transmission. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1696-1714. [PMID: 33427190 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental adversity increases child susceptibility to disrupted developmental outcomes, but the mechanisms by which adversity can shape development remain unclear. A translational cross-species approach was used to examine stress-mediated pathways by which poverty-related adversity can influence infant social development. Findings from a longitudinal sample of low-income mother-infant dyads indicated that infant cortisol (CORT) on its own did not mediate relations between early-life scarcity-adversity exposure and later infant behavior in a mother-child interaction task. However, maternal CORT through infant CORT served as a mediating pathway, even when controlling for parenting behavior. Findings using a rodent "scarcity-adversity" model indicated that pharmacologically blocking pup corticosterone (CORT, rodent equivalent to cortisol) in the presence of a stressed mother causally prevented social transmission of scarcity-adversity effects on pup social behavior. Furthermore, pharmacologically increasing pup CORT without the mother present was not sufficient to disrupt pup social behavior. Integration of our cross-species results suggests that elevated infant CORT may be necessary, but without elevated caregiver CORT, may not be sufficient in mediating the effects of environmental adversity on development. These findings underscore the importance of considering infant stress physiology in relation to the broader social context, including caregiver stress physiology, in research and interventional efforts.
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Doan SN, Venkatesh S, Predroza M, Tarullo A, Meyer JS. Maternal expressive suppression moderates the relations between maternal and child hair cortisol. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:1150-1157. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Phan JM, Van Hulle CA, Shirtcliff EA, Schmidt NL, Goldsmith HH. Longitudinal effects of family psychopathology and stress on pubertal maturation and hormone coupling in adolescent twins. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:512-528. [PMID: 32862448 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22028] [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: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents experience profound neuroendocrine changes, including hormone "coupling" between cortisol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Emerging research has only begun to elucidate the role of hormone coupling, its genetic and environmental etiology, and the extent to which coupling is impacted by gender, puberty, and family context. We included measures on parent and child mental health, parenting stress, and family conflict of 444 twin pairs and their parents across two timepoints, when youth were on average 8 and 13 years old, respectively. Structural equation models examined the impact of family context effects on coupling during adolescence. Biometric twin models were then used to probe additive genetic, shared, and non-shared environmental effects on hormone coupling. Hormones were more tightly coupled for females than males, and coupling was sensitive to parental depression and co-twin psychopathology symptoms and stress exposure in females. The association between family context and coupling varied across specific neuroendocrine measures and was largely distinct from pubertal maturation. Biometric models revealed robust shared and non-shared environmental influences on coupling. We found that family antecedents modify the strength of coupling. Environmental influences account for much of the variation on coupling during puberty. Gender differences were found in genetic influences on coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny M Phan
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth A Shirtcliff
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Nicole L Schmidt
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - H Hill Goldsmith
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Caregiver depression is associated with hair cortisol in a low-income sample of preschool-aged children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 117:104675. [PMID: 32402926 PMCID: PMC7798357 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caregiver depression and child temperamental characteristics such as effortful control have been associated with child dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) has been increasingly adopted as an integrated marker of HPA axis activity. This study examined the associations between caregiver depressive symptoms, caregiver social support, child effortful control, and child HCC in a sample of a high-risk, low-income preschool-aged children. METHODS 154 caregivers comprised mostly of mothers and their children (2-to-5 years) who were enrolled in a birth cohort study conducted in poor urban neighborhoods of São Paulo, Brazil. Through personal interviews at their homes, caregivers provided ratings of their psychosocial experiences and of their child's behavior. Hair was sampled from children with at least a 3-cm hair length. RESULTS In a multivariable regression analysis, an unadjusted model showed child age to be negatively associated with HCC (β = -0.32, p < .001). The adjusted model, which accounted for child age and sex, showed a positive relationship between caregiver depressive symptoms and HCC (β = 0.22, p < .01). Caregiver social support and child effortful control were not associated with HCC. CONCLUSIONS The elevated HCC among children with caregivers reporting greater depression risk is consistent with prior findings showing elevated HCC among children exposed to persistent stress. Stabilization of child HCC may be occurring within preschool children given the negative association between HCC and age. Greater research is needed to determine whether the effects of caregiver social support and effortful control can be captured through HCC.
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Almanza-Sepulveda ML, Fleming AS, Jonas W. Mothering revisited: A role for cortisol? Horm Behav 2020; 121:104679. [PMID: 31927022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This selective review first describes the involvement of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the relation between peripartum HPA axis function and maternal behavior, stress reactivity and emotional dysregulation in human mothers. To provide experimental background to this correlational work, where helpful, animal studies are also described. It then explores the association between HPA axis function in mothers and their infants, under ongoing non-stressful conditions and during stressful challenges, the moderating role of mothers' sensitivity and behavior in the mother-child co-regulation and the effects of more traumatic risk factors on these relations. The overarching theme being explored is that the HPA axis - albeit a system designed to function during periods of high stress and challenge - also functions to promote adaptation to more normative processes, shown in the new mother who experiences both high cortisol and enhanced attraction and attention to and recognition of, their infants and their cues. Hence the same HPA system shows positive relations with behavior at some time points and inverse ones at others. However, the literature is not uniform and results vary widely depending on the number, timing, place, and type of samplings and assessments, and, of course, the population being studied and, in the present context, the state, the stage, and the stress levels of mother and infant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra L Almanza-Sepulveda
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Wibke Jonas
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Widerströmska Huset, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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15
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O'Brien JR, Lewis JK, Zalewski M. Maternal emotion dysregulation and physiological concordance in mother‐preschooler dyads. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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16
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van Keulen BJ, Dolan CV, Andrew R, Walker BR, Hulshoff Pol HE, Boomsma DI, Rotteveel J, Finken MJJ. Heritability of Cortisol Production and Metabolism Throughout Adolescence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:5586817. [PMID: 31608377 PMCID: PMC7046020 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Inter-individual differences in cortisol production and metabolism emerge with age and may be explained by genetic factors. OBJECTIVE To estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to inter-individual differences in cortisol production and metabolism throughout adolescence. DESIGN Prospective follow-up study of twins. SETTING Nationwide register. PARTICIPANTS 218 mono- and dizygotic twins (N = 109 pairs) born between 1995 amd 1996, recruited from the Netherlands Twin Register. Cortisol metabolites were determined in 213, 169, and 160 urine samples at the ages of 9, 12, and 17, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The total contribution of genetic factors (broad-sense heritability) and shared and unshared environmental influences to inter-individual differences in cortisol production and activities of 5α-reductase, 5β-reductase, and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and cytochrome P450 3A4. RESULTS For cortisol production rate at the ages of 9, 12, and 17, broad-sense heritability was estimated as 42%, 30%, and 0%, respectively, and the remainder of the variance was explained by unshared environmental factors. For cortisol metabolism indices, the following heritability was observed: for the A-ring reductases (5α-and 5β-reductases), broad-sense heritability increased with age (to >50%), while for the other indices (renal 11β-HSD2, global 11β-HSD, and CYP3A4), the contribution of genetic factors was highest (68%, 18%, and 67%, respectively) at age 12. CONCLUSIONS The contribution of genetic factors to inter-individual differences in cortisol production decreased between 12 and 17y, indicative of a predominant role of individual circumstances. For cortisol metabolism, distinct patterns of genetic and environmental influences were observed, with heritability that either increased with age or peaked at age 12y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britt J van Keulen
- Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pediatric Endocrinology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence and Requests: Britt J van Keulen, MD, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pediatric endocrinology, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail:
| | - Conor V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruth Andrew
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Brian R Walker
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol
- Department of Psychiatry, Brian Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Rotteveel
- Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pediatric Endocrinology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn J J Finken
- Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pediatric Endocrinology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Hibel LC, Mercado E, Valentino K. Child Maltreatment and Mother-Child Transmission of Stress Physiology. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2019; 24:340-352. [PMID: 30700154 PMCID: PMC6710153 DOI: 10.1177/1077559519826295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined the attunement and transmission of mother-child diurnal cortisol among maltreating (N = 165) and nonmaltreating (N = 83) mothers and their preschool-aged children. Over half of the families had a substantiated child maltreatment case with the mother as the perpetrator. Mothers collected three saliva samples (waking, midday, and bedtime) on themselves and their child on two consecutive days, which were later assayed for cortisol. This design allows for the examination of concurrent attunement, as well as cross-lagged transmission, across the day. Results from actor-partner interdependence models revealed significant differences in mother-child cortisol attunement and transmission between the maltreating and nonmaltreating groups. Specifically, only maltreating mothers transmitted cortisol to their children and were attuned at first waking; only nonmaltreating dyads were attuned at midday. Implications of these results for sociocultural models of stress physiology and for our understanding of how child maltreatment affects diurnal cortisol regulation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah C. Hibel
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616
- Corresponding author:
| | - Evelyn Mercado
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Kristin Valentino
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, 46556
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18
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Phan JM, R Dismukes A, Barnett N, Miocevic O, L Ruttle P, Shirtcliff EA. Adrenocortical and autonomic attunement between romantic partners in emerging adulthood. Stress 2019; 22:461-471. [PMID: 31006325 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1600502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Parent-child physiological attunement, particularly during stressful situations, appears adaptive as shared stress reactivity may promote dyadic engagement. Romantic partners eventually replace parents as the primary support figure, yet it remains unclear whether romantic partners buffer physiological stress or display physiological attunement as most studies on adults examine attunement during conflict paradigms. The present study examined physiological attunement in 63 emerging adult romantic partner dyads (one partner was the active participant, the other the observer) during the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST). Heart rate (HR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were continuously monitored across the visit. Repeated saliva samples were assayed for cortisol. Physiological attunement was operationalized as a correlation in biomarkers between the TSST participant and their partner; sex, social support, and physical proximity were examined as moderators. We then compared the biomarker profiles of partnered-TSST participants to individuals who participated in the TSST solo (n = 63) to determine if partner presence buffered stress biomarker reactivity during the TSST. RSA attunement between partners was found but was not further moderated by social support or sex. Adrenocortical attunement was moderated, such that lower social support and increased proximity resulted in higher attunement. HR attunement was higher when the participant was male and when partners were in close physical proximity. Compared to TSST solo, romantic partner presence increased participant cortisol levels and altered HR reactivity, suggesting that emerging adult romantic partners do not buffer physiological stress reactivity. Future research should examine whether physiological attunement and partner presence is protective in more established relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny M Phan
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA
| | - Andrew R Dismukes
- b Department of Psychology , Pennsylvania State University, University Park , TX , USA
| | - Neil Barnett
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA
| | - Olga Miocevic
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA
| | - Paula L Ruttle
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA
| | - Elizabeth A Shirtcliff
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA
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19
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Disaggregating physiological components of cortisol output: A novel approach to cortisol analysis in a clinical sample - A proof-of-principle study. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100153. [PMID: 31193494 PMCID: PMC6535687 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although childhood adversity (CA) increases risk for subsequent mental illnesses, developmental mechanisms underpinning this association remain unclear. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) is one candidate system potentially linking CA with psychopathology. However, determining developmental effects of CA on HPAA output and differentiating these from effects of current illness has proven difficult. Different aspects of HPAA output are governed by differentiable physiological mechanisms. Disaggregating HPAA output according to its biological components (baseline tonic cortisol, background diurnal variation, phasic stress response) may improve precision of associations with CA and/or psychopathology. In a novel proof-of-principle investigation we test whether different predictors, CA (distal risk factor) and current depressive symptoms, show distinct associations with dissociable HPAA components. A clinical group (aged 16-25) at high-risk for developing severe psychopathology (n = 20) were compared to age and sex matched healthy controls (n = 21). Cortisol was measured at waking (x4), following stress induction (x8), and during a time-environment-matched non-stress condition. Using piecewise multilevel modeling, stress responses were disaggregated into increase and decrease, while controlling for waking cortisol, background diurnal output and confounding variables. Elevated waking cortisol was specifically associated with higher CA scores. Higher non-stress cortisol was specifically associated with higher depressive scores. Following stress induction, depressive symptoms attenuated cortisol increase, whilst CA attenuated cortisol decrease. The results support a differential HPAA dysregulation hypothesis where physiologically dissociable components of HPAA output are differentially associated with distal (CA) or proximal (depressive symptoms) predictors. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates that future cortisol analyses need to disaggregate biologically independent mechanisms of HPAA output.
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20
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Braren SH, Perry RE, Ursache A, Blair C. Socioeconomic risk moderates the association between caregiver cortisol levels and infant cortisol reactivity to emotion induction at 24 months. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:573-591. [PMID: 30820941 PMCID: PMC6488391 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Relations between maternal baseline cortisol and infant cortisol reactivity to an emotion induction procedure at child ages 7, 15, and 24 months were analyzed using data from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). The emotion induction consisted of a series of standardized and validated tasks, including an arm restraint, toy removal, and mask presentation, intended to elicit responses of fear and frustration. Results revealed that at 7 and 15 months, maternal baseline cortisol was negatively related to child cortisol reactivity, such that children of mothers with lower cortisol exhibited steeper cortisol increases in response to the emotion induction. At 24 months, the association between mother and infant cortisol was moderated by socioeconomic risk, such that maternal baseline cortisol was associated with child cortisol reactivity only in dyads characterized by low socioeconomic risk. Furthermore, at 24 months, children of mothers with low baseline cortisol and low socioeconomic risk exhibited decreasing cortisol responses, whereas children of mothers with low baseline cortisol but high risk exhibited flat cortisol responses. Children in dyads characterized by high baseline maternal cortisol also exhibited flat cortisol responses regardless of socioeconomic risk. The role of caregiver physiology in the regulation of the child's stress response in the context of adversity is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen H. Braren
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
| | - Rosemarie E. Perry
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
| | - Alexandra Ursache
- Department of Population Health, 227 East 30th Street, 7 Floor, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States
| | - Clancy Blair
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
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21
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Borelli JL, Shai D, Smiley PA, Boparai S, Goldstein A, Rasmussen HF, Granger DA. Mother-child adrenocortical synchrony: Roles of maternal overcontrol and child developmental phase. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:1120-1134. [PMID: 30868558 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
An increasing amount of empirical attention is focused on adrenocortical synchrony as an index of biobehavioral co-regulation between parent and child in the context of early child development. Working with an ethnically diverse community sample of children (N = 99, 50.5% male, ages 9-12), we collected saliva samples from mother-child dyads prior to and after a laboratory-based performance challenge task, and tested whether maternal overcontrol and child age moderated dyadic synchrony in cortisol. Results revealed that cortisol levels between mothers and children were significantly positively correlated at pretask for dyads with mean age and older children only, at 25-min post-task for all dyads, and at 45-min post-task for all dyads. Higher overcontrol/older child dyads exhibited a unique pattern of cortisol synchrony wherein at pretask, mother-child levels had the strongest positive correlation, whereas at 25 and 45 min, mother-child cortisol levels were significantly inversely correlated. These findings contribute to theory and research on parent-child relationships by examining parenting behavior, developmental stage, and adrenocortical synchrony in tandem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dana Shai
- School of Behavioral Studies, The Academic College of Tel Aviv Yaffo, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Sameen Boparai
- Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Alison Goldstein
- Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Hannah F Rasmussen
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, California.,Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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22
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Chronic stress exposure, diurnal cortisol slope, and implications for mood and fatigue: Moderation by multilocus HPA-Axis genetic variation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 100:156-163. [PMID: 30340064 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress exposure has been shown to alter hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, which may mediate its effects on psychopathology and negative health outcomes. The nature of the chronic stress-HPA axis dysregulation is unclear and individuals likely vary in the extent to and manner in which indices of HPA axis regulation, such as diurnal cortisol slope, are influenced by chronic stress. We examined whether HPA-axis-linked genetic variation moderates the association between chronic stress and diurnal cortisol slope, and potential implications for mood and fatigue (possible manifestations of negative clinical outcomes). 211 adolescents (M age 15.89, 54.5% female) completed chronic stress interviews and provided DNA samples. Participants then provided saliva samples at waking and 12 h post-waking for two consecutive weekdays. HPA-axis genetic variation was calculated using a multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) approach, using ten SNPs from CRHR1, NR3C1, NR3C2, and FKBP5 to generate an additive score of HPA-axis-linked genetic risk. Neither chronic stress nor MGPS directly predicted diurnal slope, but MGPS moderated the association between chronic stress and diurnal slope, with stress predicting a high waking cortisol followed by steep slope among youth with low but not high MGPS scores. MGPS also interacted with chronic stress to predict both negative affect and fatigue, and moderated the indirect effect of chronic stress on mood and fatigue via diurnal slope. Results suggest that diurnal cortisol regulation may be one mechanism by which genetic risk intensifies the association between chronic stress and negative outcomes.
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23
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Roberts AG, Lopez-Duran NL. Developmental influences on stress response systems: Implications for psychopathology vulnerability in adolescence. Compr Psychiatry 2019; 88:9-21. [PMID: 30466015 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The adolescent transition is marked by increases in stress exposure and significant maturation of neural and hormonal stress processing systems. Variability in the development of these systems during adolescence may influence the risk for stress-related psychopathology. This paper aims to review the developmental maturation of the HPA axis and related stress regulation systems, and demonstrate how interference in this adaptive developmental process may increase the risk for negative outcomes. We argue that the developmental maturation of the HPA axis aims to improve the regulatory capacity of the axis in order to more adaptively respond to these increases in stress reactivity. Additionally, we review evidence that sex differences in the development of the HPA and related axes may contribute to sex differences in the risk for stress-related psychopathology. Finally, we discuss how contextual factors, such as early trauma and obesity may alter the development of HPA axis during the adolescence transition and how alterations of normative development increase the risk for stress-related disorders.
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24
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Davis M, West K, Bilms J, Morelen D, Suveg C. A systematic review of parent-child synchrony: It is more than skin deep. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 60:674-691. [PMID: 29900545 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
This manuscript provides a critical review of the literature on parent-child physiological synchrony-the matching of biological states between parents and children. All eligible studies found some evidence of physiological synchrony, though the magnitude and direction of synchrony varied according to methodological factors, including the physiological system examined (i.e., parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system activity, adrenocortical functioning) and the statistical approach used (e.g., multilevel modeling, correlation). The review underscores the need to consider the context in which physiological synchrony occurs (e.g., family risk) to best understand its significance. Furthermore, the review delineates vital avenues for future research, including the need to assess synchrony across multiple physiological systems and the importance of documenting continuity/change in physiological synchrony across developmental periods. Such research is crucial for understanding how the parent-child relationship unfolds at a physiological level and, in turn, how this relationship can facilitate or hinder parent, child, and family adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Kara West
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Joanie Bilms
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Diana Morelen
- Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
| | - Cynthia Suveg
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
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25
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Angelhoff C, Blomqvist YT, Sahlén Helmer C, Olsson E, Shorey S, Frostell A, Mörelius E. Effect of skin-to-skin contact on parents' sleep quality, mood, parent-infant interaction and cortisol concentrations in neonatal care units: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e021606. [PMID: 30068615 PMCID: PMC6074633 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Separation after preterm birth is a major stressor for infants and parents. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is a method of care suitable to use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to minimise separation between parents and infants. Less separation leads to increased possibilities for parent-infant interaction, provided that the parents' sleep quality is satisfactory. We aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous SSC on sleep quality and mood in parents of preterm infants born <33 weeks of gestation as well as the quality of parent-infant interaction and salivary cortisol concentrations at the time of discharge. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A randomised intervention study with two arms-intervention versus standard care. Data will be collected from 50 families. Eligible families will be randomly allocated to intervention or standard care when transferred from the intensive care room to the family-room in the NICU. The intervention consists of continuous SSC for four consecutive days and nights in the family-room. Data will be collected every day during the intervention and again at the time of discharge from the hospital. Outcome measures comprise activity tracker (Actigraph); validated self-rated questionnaires concerning sleep, mood and bonding; observed scorings of parental sensitivity and emotional availability and salivary cortisol. Data will be analysed with pairwise, repeated measures, Mann Whitney U-test will be used to compare groups and analysis of variance will be used to adjust for different hospitals and parents' gender. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study is approved by the Regional Research Ethics Board at an appropriate university (2016/89-31). The results will be published in scientific journals. We will also use conferences and social media to disseminate our findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03004677.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Angelhoff
- Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Department of Paediatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Charlotte Sahlén Helmer
- Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Department of Paediatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Emma Olsson
- Department of Pediatrics and Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Shefaly Shorey
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anneli Frostell
- Division of Psychology, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Evalotte Mörelius
- Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Division of Nursing Science, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
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Jonas W, Bisceglia R, Meaney MJ, Dudin A, Fleming AS, Steiner M. The role of breastfeeding in the association between maternal and infant cortisol attunement in the first postpartum year. Acta Paediatr 2018; 107:1205-1217. [PMID: 29405436 DOI: 10.1111/apa.14256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To explore the role of breastfeeding as a possible link between maternal and infant cortisol attunement across the first postpartum year. METHODS Mothers (n = 93) provided salivary samples for cortisol levels over a two-day period during mid-pregnancy and at three, six and 12 months and infants at six and 12 months postpartum. Breastfeeding status was established at these same time points. RESULTS Among breastfeeding mothers, positive correlations were found between maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy and at three months postpartum and infant cortisol at six or 12 months postpartum. Among nonbreastfeeding mothers, these same maternal and infant cortisol relations were inverse and less pronounced. Further, in breastfeeding mothers, the relationship between maternal prenatal cortisol and infant cortisol at 12 months was mediated through maternal cortisol at three months postpartum. CONCLUSION These results suggest that maternal cortisol levels are positively associated with cortisol levels of the infant, among mothers who breastfeed. This relationship persists over a one-year period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wibke Jonas
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; Mississauga ON Canada
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic; St. Joseph's Healthcare; Hamilton ON Canada
- Department of Women's and Children's Health; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
| | - Rossana Bisceglia
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; Mississauga ON Canada
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health; Douglas Institute; McGill University; Montreal QC Canada
| | - Aya Dudin
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; Mississauga ON Canada
| | - Alison S. Fleming
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; Mississauga ON Canada
| | - Meir Steiner
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic; St. Joseph's Healthcare; Hamilton ON Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry, Behavioral Neurosciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology; McMaster University; Hamilton ON Canada
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Thompson SF, Zalewski M, Kiff CJ, Lengua LJ. A state-trait model of cortisol in early childhood: Contextual and parental predictors of stable and time-varying effects. Horm Behav 2018; 98:198-209. [PMID: 29305885 PMCID: PMC5829009 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This study examined state-trait models of diurnal cortisol (morning level and diurnal slope), and whether income, cumulative risk and parenting behaviors predicted variance in trait and state levels of cortisol. The sample of 306 mothers and their preschool children included 29% families at or near poverty, 27% families below the median income, and the remaining families at middle and upper income. Diurnal cortisol, income, cumulative risk, and parenting were measured at 4 time points, once every 9months, starting when children were 36-40months. State-trait models fit the data, suggesting significant state but not trait variance in cortisol. Low income and cumulative risk were related to trait levels of diurnal cortisol with little evidence of time-varying or state effects. Stable levels of parenting predicted trait levels of diurnal cortisol and time-varying levels of parenting predicted time-varying state levels of diurnal cortisol. Findings highlight the allostatic process of adaptation to risk as well as time-specific reactivity to variability in experience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cara J Kiff
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, United States
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Wilson MC, Lorenz TK, Heiman JR. Salivary Afternoon Cortisol and Relationship Status in Healthy Women with Regular Menstrual Cycles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 5:170-182. [PMID: 31355299 DOI: 10.1080/23293691.2018.1490079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Although ovarian hormones and social relationships are known to interact with HPA axis regulation, evidence for systematic covariation with basal salivary cortisol levels remains mixed. As part of a larger study, in this analysis we pursued two questions. First, do baseline cortisol concentrations consistently vary across the menstrual cycle? Second, do cortisol levels differ by relationship status? We collected afternoon saliva samples at four points across the menstrual cycle from 14 single and 18 monogamously partnered women, ages 18 to 48, who were not taking hormonal medications. Samples taken in the lab yielded significantly higher cortisol concentrations than samples provided at home; the two were thus considered separately. No significant differences were observed across lab-session (menses vs. ovulation) or at-home (follicular vs. luteal) levels. This finding converges with studies of awakening salivary, urinary, and plasma cortisol, which suggest that, in healthy women, menstrual schedules do not affect systematic shifts in basal cortisol. Contrary to expectations, single and partnered women did not differ in overall cortisol levels. Future research would benefit from examining potential links between cortisol, relationship status, and sexual activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Claire Wilson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington
| | - Tierney K Lorenz
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.,Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington.,Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington
| | - Julia R Heiman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington.,Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington.,Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington
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St. John AM, Kao K, Liederman J, Grieve PG, Tarullo AR. Maternal cortisol slope at 6 months predicts infant cortisol slope and EEG power at 12 months. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:787-801. [PMID: 28686284 PMCID: PMC6076989 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Physiological stress systems and the brain rapidly develop through infancy. While the roles of caregiving and environmental factors have been studied, implications of maternal physiological stress are unclear. We assessed maternal and infant diurnal cortisol when infants were 6 and 12 months. We measured 12-month infant electroencephalography (EEG) 6-9 Hz power during a social interaction. Steeper 6-month maternal slope predicted steeper 12-month infant slope controlling for 6-month infant slope and breastfeeding. Steeper 6-month maternal slope predicted lower 6-9 Hz power. Six-month maternal area under the cuve (AUCg) was unrelated to 12-month infant AUCg and 6-9 Hz power. Psychosocial, caregiving, and breastfeeding variables did not explain results. At 6 months, maternal and infant slopes correlated, as did maternal and infant AUCg. Twelve-month maternal and infant cortisol were unrelated. Results indicate maternal slope is an informative predictor of infant physiology and suggest the importance of maternal physiological stress in this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. St. John
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Katie Kao
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Jacqueline Liederman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Philip G. Grieve
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032,
| | - Amanda R. Tarullo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
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Gordon I, Pratt M, Bergunde K, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. Testosterone, oxytocin, and the development of human parental care. Horm Behav 2017; 93:184-192. [PMID: 28576647 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The steroid testosterone (T) and neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) have each been implicated in the development of parental care in humans and animals, yet very little research addressed the interaction between these hormones at the transition to parenthood in mothers and fathers. One hundred and sixty mothers and fathers (80 couples) were visited 1 and 6months after the birth of their first child, plasma OT and T were assayed at each time-point, and interactions between each parent and the infant were observed and micro-coded for two key parental behaviors; affectionate touch and parent-infant synchrony. T showed gender-specific effects. While paternal T was individually stable across the first six months of parenting and predicted lower father-infant synchrony, maternal T was neither stable nor predictive of maternal behavior. An interaction of OT and T showed that T has complex modulatory effects on the relations of OT and parenting. Slope analysis revealed that among fathers, only when T was high (+1SD), negative associations emerged between OT and father affectionate touch. In contrast, among mothers, the context of high T was related to a positive association between OT and maternal touch. Our findings, the first to test the interaction of OT and T in relation to observed maternal behavior, underscore the need for much further research on the complex bidirectional effects of steroid and neuropeptide systems on human mothering and fathering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilanit Gordon
- Bar Ilan University, Israel; Yale University, United States.
| | | | | | | | - Ruth Feldman
- Bar Ilan University, Israel; Yale University, United States
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Pratt M, Apter-Levi Y, Vakart A, Kanat-Maymon Y, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. Mother-child adrenocortical synchrony; Moderation by dyadic relational behavior. Horm Behav 2017; 89:167-175. [PMID: 28131596 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Mother-child adrenocortical synchrony, the coupling of cortisol (CT) secretion in mother and child, has been associated with shared parent-child experiences and maladaptive familial contexts. Yet, few studies tested adrenocortical synchrony in diurnal CT patterns. Guided by the bio-behavioral synchrony model, we examined whether mother-child relational behavior and maternal psychopathology may moderate the degree of concordance between mother and child's diurnal CT. Ninety-seven mothers and their six-year old children participated in two groups; mothers diagnosed with major depression disorder (N=28) and non-depressed controls (N=69). Mother-child interactions were observed and coded for dyadic reciprocity and dyadic tension and diurnal cortisol was collected from mother and child over two consecutive weekend days. Concordance between maternal and child's diurnal CT was found, significant above and beyond time of measurement. Maternal depression, while associated with attenuated child diurnal CT variability, was unrelated to adrenocortical synchrony. Higher child diurnal CT production predicted a stronger linkage between maternal and child's diurnal CT, suggesting that greater child physiological stress is associated with increased susceptibility to the influences of maternal stress physiology. Mother-child reciprocity was related to lower adrenocortical synchrony. Findings suggest that higher adrenocortical synchrony is associated with greater physiological stress and less adaptive dyadic relational patterns. Results raise the possibility that diurnal adrenocortical synchrony taps a unique aspect of HPA-axis functioning whose role in the cross-generational transfer of stress physiology requires further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Pratt
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yael Apter-Levi
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Adam Vakart
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yaniv Kanat-Maymon
- Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Orna Zagoory-Sharon
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Ruth Feldman
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Yale University, Child Study Center, United States.
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Dierolf AM, Fechtner J, Böhnke R, Wolf OT, Naumann E. Influence of acute stress on response inhibition in healthy men: An ERP study. Psychophysiology 2017; 54:684-695. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia Fechtner
- Department of Psychology; University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Robina Böhnke
- Department of Psychology; University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Oliver T. Wolf
- Department of Cognitive Psychology; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum; Bochum Germany
| | - Ewald Naumann
- Department of Psychology; University of Trier; Trier Germany
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Gonul AS, Cetinkalp S, Tunay S, Polat I, Simsek F, Aksoy B, Kizilates G, Erdogan Y, Coburn KL. Cortisol response patterns in depressed women and their healthy daughters at risk: Comparison with healthy women and their daughters. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 85:66-74. [PMID: 27837659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
A dysfunctional hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is widely accepted as a significant pathophysiological aspect of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Despite studies suggesting that a dysfunctional HPA axis might be present before the clinical syndrome becomes apparent, the functioning of the HPA axis in high-risk populations has not been well defined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the HPA axis functioning of mothers suffering from MDD and their healthy daughters compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. This design allowed a comparison of HPA axis functional differences among daughter and mother groups. HPA axis function was evaluated with a modified dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test, which was performed after obtaining the diurnal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol values at 8:00, 16:00, and 23:00 h. We found that MDD mothers and their daughters had low morning cortisol and the MDD mothers additionally had low-morning ACTH compared with controls. Dexamethasone suppressed both cortisol and ACTH in all groups and subsequent HPA axis stimulation by CRH-evoked a lower cortisol response but a higher ACTH response among subjects with MDD mothers. Although high-risk daughters had comparable cortisol levels after CRH infusion, the AUC for ACTH was greater than those of controls. These patterns of results suggest that multiple level HPA dysfunctions are present in both MDD patients and their high-risk carrying daughters. However, insufficient cortisol secretion was only present in MDD mothers, while the daughters could compensate cortisol levels during CRH challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Saffet Gonul
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey; Mercer University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Macon, GA, USA.
| | - Sevki Cetinkalp
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Sebnem Tunay
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Irmak Polat
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Fatma Simsek
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Burcu Aksoy
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gozde Kizilates
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yigit Erdogan
- Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, SoCAT LAB, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey; Ege University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Kerry L Coburn
- Mercer University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Macon, GA, USA
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Experience-Driven Differences in Childhood Cortisol Predict Affect-Relevant Brain Function and Coping in Adolescent Monozygotic Twins. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37081. [PMID: 27872489 PMCID: PMC5181835 DOI: 10.1038/srep37081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress and emotion involve diverse developmental and individual differences. Partially attributed to the development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the amygdala, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the precise genetic and experiential contributions remain unknown. In previous work, childhood basal cortisol function predicted adolescent resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) and psychopathology. To parse experience-driven (non-genetic) contributions, we investigated these relations with a monozygotic (MZ) twin design. Specifically, we examined whether intrapair differences in childhood afternoon cortisol levels predicted cotwin differences in adolescent brain function and coping. As expected, intrapair differences in childhood cortisol forecast amygdala-perigenual PFC rs-FC (R2 = 0.84, FWE-corrected p = 0.01), and amygdala recovery following unpleasant images (R2 = 0.40, FWE-corrected p < 0.05), such that the cotwin with higher childhood cortisol evinced relatively lower rs-FC and poorer amygdala recovery in adolescence. Cotwin differences in amygdala recovery also predicted coping styles. These data highlight experience-dependent change in childhood and adolescence.
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Dierolf AM, Arlt LE, Roelofs K, Kölsch M, Hülsemann MJ, Schächinger H, Naumann E. Effects of basal and acute cortisol on cognitive flexibility in an emotional task switching paradigm in men. Horm Behav 2016; 81:12-9. [PMID: 26944609 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The stress hormone cortisol is assumed to influence cognitive functions. While cortisol-induced alterations of declarative memory in particular are well-investigated, considerably less is known about its influence on executive functions. Moreover, most research has been focused on slow effects, and rapid non-genomic effects have not been studied. The present study sought to investigate the impact of acute cortisol administration as well as basal cortisol levels on cognitive flexibility, a core executive function, within the non-genomic time frame. Thirty-eight healthy male participants were randomly assigned to intravenously receive either cortisol or a placebo before performing a task switching paradigm with happy and angry faces as stimuli. Cortisol levels were measured at six points during the experiment. Additionally, before the experiment, basal cortisol measures for the cortisol awakening response were collected on three consecutive weekdays immediately following awakening and 30, 45, and 60min after. First and foremost, results showed a pronounced impact of acute and basal cortisol on reaction time switch costs, particularly for angry faces. In the placebo group, low basal cortisol was associated with minimal switch costs, whereas high basal cortisol was related to maximal switch costs. In contrast, after cortisol injection, basal cortisol levels showed no impact. These results show that cognitive flexibility-enhancing effects of acute cortisol administration are only seen in men with high basal cortisol levels. This result supports the context dependency of cortisol administration and shows the relevance of taking basal cortisol levels into account.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lea Esther Arlt
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Universitätsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany.
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Postbus 9104, 65000 HE Nijmegen, Netherlands.
| | - Monika Kölsch
- Division of Clinical Psychophysiology, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier , Johanniterufer 15, 54290 Trier, Germany.
| | | | - Hartmut Schächinger
- Division of Clinical Psychophysiology, Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier , Johanniterufer 15, 54290 Trier, Germany.
| | - Ewald Naumann
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Universitätsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany.
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Ouellet-Morin I, Brendgen M, Girard A, Lupien SJ, Dionne G, Vitaro F, Boivin M. Evidence of a unique and common genetic etiology between the CAR and the remaining part of the diurnal cycle: A study of 14 year-old twins. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 66:91-100. [PMID: 26799852 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION By and large, studies have reported moderate contributions of genetic factors to cortisol secreted in the early morning and even smaller estimates later in the day. In contrast, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) has shown much stronger heritability estimates, which prompted the hypothesis that the etiology of cortisol secretion may vary according to the time of day. A direct test of this possibility has, however, not yet been performed. OBJECTIVE To describe the specific and common etiology of the CAR, awakening level and cortisol change from morning to evening in an age-homogenous sample of twin adolescents. METHODS A total of 592 participants of the Québec Newborn Twin Study, a population-based 1995-1998 cohort of families with twins in Canada, have collected saliva at awakening, 30 min later, at the end of afternoon and in the evening over four collection days. RESULTS Multivariate Cholesky models showed both specific and common sources of variance between the CAR, awakening and cortisol diurnal change. The CAR had the strongest heritability estimates, which, for the most part, did not overlap with the other indicators. Conversely, similar magnitudes of genetic and environmental contributions were detected at awakening and for diurnal change, which partially overlapped. CONCLUSION Our study unraveled differences between the latent etiologies of the CAR and the rest of the diurnal cycle, which may contribute to identify regulatory genes and environments and detangle how these indicators each relate to physical and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec a Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Alain Girard
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sonia J Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada; Department Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ginette Dionne
- Department of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada; School of Psychoéducation, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- Department of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Russian Federation
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Kornienko O, Schaefer DR, Weren S, Hill GW, Granger DA. Cortisol and testosterone associations with social network dynamics. Horm Behav 2016; 80:92-102. [PMID: 26836773 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This study integrates behavioral endocrinology and network science to explore links between hormones and social network dynamics. Specifically, we examine how cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) are associated with creation of new friendships and maintenance of existing friendships. A collegiate marching band was used as a model system of a mixed-sex social organization. Participants (n=193; 53% female; M age=19.4years, 62.1% European-American) provided friendship nominations at time 1 and two months later at time 2. At time 1, participants donated saliva before and after rehearsal (later assayed for C and T). Stochastic actor-based models revealed that individuals with higher C levels were less likely to maintain their social relationships and more likely to create new friendships. In contrast, individuals with higher T levels were more likely to maintain friendships and less likely to create new relationships. Findings suggest that individual differences in C and T are associated with the initiation and maintenance of friendships and have several noteworthy theoretical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kornienko
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, United States; Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States.
| | - David R Schaefer
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, United States
| | - Serena Weren
- School of Music, Loyola University New Orleans, United States
| | - Gary W Hill
- Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University, United States
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, United States; Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, United States; Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, United States; Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States.
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Sharpley CF, Bitsika V, Andronicos NM, Agnew LL. Is afternoon cortisol more reliable than waking cortisol in association studies of children with an ASD? Physiol Behav 2016; 155:218-23. [PMID: 26717863 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Salivary cortisol may be used as a biomarker of stress and anxiety in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is particularly valuable in studies of the association between stress-related cortisol concentrations and other factors such as comorbid disorders or aspects of the ASD phenotype. Although protocols for the collection of cortisol shortly after waking are often based on the assumption of the presence of a diurnal rhythm in cortisol, that rhythm may not be as reliable in children with an ASD as in non-ASD children. Alternatively, collecting cortisol during the afternoon may represent a more reliable procedure with less inter-participant variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F Sharpley
- Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia; Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Vicki Bitsika
- Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicholas M Andronicos
- Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Linda L Agnew
- Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
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Sex-specific differences in adrenocortical attunement in mothers with a history of childhood abuse and their 5-month-old boys and girls. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2016; 123:1085-94. [DOI: 10.1007/s00702-016-1525-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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40
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Ji J, Negriff S, Kim H, Susman EJ. A study of cortisol reactivity and recovery among young adolescents: Heterogeneity and longitudinal stability and change. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 58:283-302. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juye Ji
- Department of Social Work (EC-207); California State University; Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd Fullerton CA 92831
| | - Sonya Negriff
- School of Social Work; University of Southern California; Los Angeles CA
| | - Hansung Kim
- Department of Sociology; Hanyang University; Seoul South Korea
| | - Elizabeth J. Susman
- Department of Biobehavioral Health; The Pennsylvania State University; University Park PA
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Timmons AC, Margolin G, Saxbe DE. Physiological linkage in couples and its implications for individual and interpersonal functioning: A literature review. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY : JFP : JOURNAL OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (DIVISION 43) 2015; 29:720-31. [PMID: 26147932 PMCID: PMC4593729 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Do partners' levels of physiological arousal become linked in close relationships? The term physiological linkage describes covariation between people in their moment-to-moment physiological states. The current review presents a conceptual framework to guide research on linkage in romantic relationships and discusses the potential implications of being linked. Evidence of linkage was found across a broad range of physiological indices and in a variety of contexts, including during laboratory-based conflict and in daily life. Four hypotheses regarding how linkage relates to individual and interpersonal functioning are evaluated: (a) coactivation of the sympathetic nervous system or the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis is "bad," (b) moderate physiological linkage is "just right," (c) physiological linkage is problematic if the individual or couple is overloaded, and (d) the implications of physiological linkage depend on the emotional context. We found partial support for the first hypothesis and determined that more research is needed to evaluate the remaining hypotheses. Linkage in cortisol was negatively associated with relationship satisfaction; but, at the same time, linkage in multiple systems was positively associated with indices of relationship connectedness, such as the amount of time spent together and the ability to identify the emotions of one's partner. These results suggest that linkage may confer benefits but also may put couples at risk if they become entrenched in patterns of conflict or stress. With research in this area burgeoning in recent years, this review indicates that linkage is a promising construct with applications for interventions targeting individual health and couple functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gayla Margolin
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
| | - Darby E Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
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Saxbe D, Del Piero L, Margolin G. Neural correlates of parent-child HPA axis coregulation. Horm Behav 2015; 75:25-32. [PMID: 26188122 PMCID: PMC4648661 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Parents and children have been found to show coordination or coregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This coordination may be reflected in adolescents' neural activation to parent stimuli, particularly in regions of the brain associated with social information processing. This study reports on 22 adolescents (13 males, mean age 17years), recruited from a longitudinal study to participate in a functional MRI (fMRI) scanning protocol. Approximately 1.5years before the scan, these same adolescents participated in a family conflict discussion in the lab with both parents, and all three family members provided samples of salivary cortisol five times, before and after the discussion. Multilevel models found positive cross-sectional and time-lagged associations between parents' and youth cortisol. Empirical Bayes (EB) coefficients, extracted from these models to reflect the strength of the relationship between parent and adolescent cortisol, were tested in conjunction with adolescents' neural activation to video clips of their parents taken from the conflict discussion. For both mothers and fathers, youth who showed stronger cortisol coregulation with each parent (both in cross-sectional and time-lagged analyses) showed more activation to that same parent in posteromedial regions (precuneus, posterior cingulate, and retrosplenial cortex) that have been linked with social cognition, e.g. mentalizing about others' emotions. Youths' adrenocortical coregulation with their parents may be reflected in their neural processing of stimuli featuring those same parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darby Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, United States.
| | - Larissa Del Piero
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Gayla Margolin
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, United States
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43
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Ruttle PL, Shirtcliff EA, Armstrong JM, Klein MH, Essex MJ. Neuroendocrine coupling across adolescence and the longitudinal influence of early life stress. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 57:688-704. [PMID: 23775330 PMCID: PMC6585402 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Drawing on conceptual models illustrating the advantages of a multisystemic, interactive, developmental approach to understanding development, the present study examines the covariation of stress and sex hormones across the adolescent transition and the effect of early life stress (ELS) on neuroendocrine coupling to gain insight into atypical development. Morning levels of cortisol, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were assessed at ages 11, 13, and 15; ELS was assessed during the infancy and preschool periods. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that cortisol-DHEA coupling patterns progressed to tight, positive coupling across adolescence. Cortisol-testosterone coupling was positive at age 11 but became more negative at ages 13 and 15. Exposure to ELS resulted in more adultlike neuroendocrine coupling patterns earlier in life than non-exposed youth; however the effect of ELS on cortisol-testosterone coupling was unique to girls. Results illustrate trajectories of neuroendocrine coupling that may be unique to adolescence. Moderation by ELS suggests that early stress exposure may prompt earlier adultlike neuroendocrine coupling, particularly within girls, which may contribute to early pubertal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula L Ruttle
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176.
| | | | - Jeffrey M Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
| | - Marjorie H Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
| | - Marilyn J Essex
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176
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Adolescent internalizing symptoms and negative life events: the sensitizing effects of earlier life stress and cortisol. Dev Psychopathol 2015; 26:1411-22. [PMID: 25422970 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579414001114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although adolescence is marked by increased negative life events and internalizing problems, few studies investigate this association as an ongoing longitudinal process. Moreover, while there are considerable individual differences in the degree to which these phenomena are linked, little is known about the origins of these differences. The present study examines early life stress (ELS) exposure and early-adolescent longitudinal afternoon cortisol level as predictors of the covariation between internalizing symptoms and negative life events across high school. ELS was assessed by maternal report during infancy, and the measure of cortisol was derived from assessments at ages 11, 13, and 15 years. Life events and internalizing symptoms were assessed at ages 15, 17, and 18 years. A two-level hierarchical linear model revealed that ELS and cortisol were independent predictors of the covariation of internalizing symptoms and negative life events. Compared to those with lower levels of ELS, ELS-exposed adolescents displayed tighter covariation between internalizing symptoms and negative life events. Adolescents with lower longitudinal afternoon cortisol displayed tighter covariation between negative life events and internalizing symptoms, while those with higher cortisol demonstrated weaker covariation, partially due to increased levels of internalizing symptoms when faced with fewer negative life events.
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45
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Relational victimization, friendship, and adolescents' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to an in vivo social stressor. Dev Psychopathol 2015; 26:605-18. [PMID: 25047287 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579414000261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents' peer experiences may have significant associations with biological stress-response systems, adding to or reducing allostatic load. This study examined relational victimization as a unique contributor to reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses as well as friendship quality and behavior as factors that may promote HPA recovery following a stressor. A total of 62 adolescents (ages 12-16; 73% female) presenting with a wide range of life stressors and adjustment difficulties completed survey measures of peer victimization and friendship quality. Cortisol samples were collected before and after a lab-based interpersonally themed social stressor task to provide measures of HPA baseline, reactivity, and recovery. Following the stressor task, adolescents discussed their performance with a close friend; observational coding yielded measures of friends' responsiveness. Adolescents also reported positive and negative friendship qualities. Results suggested that higher levels of adolescents' relational victimization were associated with blunted cortisol reactivity, even after controlling for physical forms of victimization and other known predictors of HPA functioning (i.e., life stress or depressive symptoms). Friendship qualities (i.e., low negative qualities) and specific friendship behaviors (i.e., high levels of responsiveness) contributed to greater HPA regulation; however, consistent with theories of rumination, high friend responsiveness in the context of high levels of positive friendship quality contributed to less cortisol recovery. Findings extend prior work on the importance of relational victimization and dyadic peer relations as unique and salient correlates of adaptation in adolescence.
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LeMoult J, Chen MC, Foland-Ross LC, Burley HW, Gotlib IH. Concordance of mother-daughter diurnal cortisol production: Understanding the intergenerational transmission of risk for depression. Biol Psychol 2015; 108:98-104. [PMID: 25862380 PMCID: PMC4426075 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 02/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research is demonstrating concordance between mother and child diurnal cortisol production. In the context of maternal history of depression, intergenerational concordance of cortisol production could contribute to hypercortisolemia in children of depressed mothers, which has been shown to increase risk for MDD. The current study is the first to examine concordance in diurnal cortisol production between mothers with a history of depression and their never-depressed, but high-risk, children. We collected salivary cortisol across 2 days from mothers with (remitted; RMD) and without (CTL) a history of recurrent episodes of depression and their never-depressed daughters. As expected, RMD mothers and their daughters both exhibited higher cortisol production than did their CTL counterparts. Moreover, both across and within groups, mothers' and daughters' cortisol production were directly coupled. These findings suggest that there is an intergenerational concordance in cortisol dysregulation that may contribute to hypercortisolemia in girls at familial risk for depression.
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Meyer VJ, Lee Y, Böttger C, Leonbacher U, Allison AL, Shirtcliff EA. Experience, cortisol reactivity, and the coordination of emotional responses to skydiving. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:138. [PMID: 25859199 PMCID: PMC4373275 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological habituation to laboratory stressors has previously been demonstrated, although the literature remains equivocal. Previous studies have found skydiving to be a salient naturalistic stressor that elicits a robust subjective and physiological stress response. However, it is uncertain whether (or how) stress reactivity habituates to this stressor given that skydiving remains a risky, life-threatening challenge with every jump despite experience. While multiple components of the stress response have been documented, it is unclear whether an individual’s subjective emotions are related to their physiological responses. Documenting coordinated responsivity would lend insight into shared underlying mechanisms for the nature of habituation of both subjective (emotion) and objective (cortisol) stress responses. Therefore, we examined subjective emotion and cortisol responses in first-time compared to experienced skydivers in a predominantly male sample (total n = 44; males = 32, females = 12). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that experienced skydivers showed less reactivity and faster recovery compared to first-time skydivers. Subjective emotions were coordinated with physiological responses primarily within first-time skydivers. Pre-jump anxiety predicted cortisol reactivity within first-time, but not experienced, skydivers. Higher post-jump happiness predicted faster cortisol recovery after jumping although this effect overlapped somewhat with the effect of experience. Results suggest that experience may modulate the coordination of emotional response with cortisol reactivity to skydiving. Prior experience does not appear to extinguish the stress response but rather alters the individual’s engagement of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa J Meyer
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University Ames, IA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Yoojin Lee
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University Ames, IA, USA
| | - Christian Böttger
- Department of Social Psychology, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria ; Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Uwe Leonbacher
- Department of Social Psychology, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria ; Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Amber L Allison
- Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA, USA
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Mörelius E, Örtenstrand A, Theodorsson E, Frostell A. A randomised trial of continuous skin-to-skin contact after preterm birth and the effects on salivary cortisol, parental stress, depression, and breastfeeding. Early Hum Dev 2015; 91:63-70. [PMID: 25545453 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Revised: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the effects of almost continuous skin-to-skin contact (SSC) on salivary cortisol, parental stress, parental depression, and breastfeeding. STUDY DESIGN This is a randomised study engaging families of late preterm infants (32-35 weeks gestation). Salivary cortisol reactivity was measured in infants during a nappy change at one month corrected age, and in infants and mothers during still-face at four month corrected age. Both parents completed the Swedish Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ) at one month and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at one and four months. Ainsworth's sensitivity scale was used to control for parental sensitivity. SUBJECTS Thirty-seven families from two different neonatal care units in Sweden, randomised to either almost continuous SSC or standard care (SC). RESULTS Infants randomised to SSC had a lower salivary cortisol reactivity at one month (p=0.01). There was a correlation between the mothers' and the preterm infants' salivary cortisol levels at four months in the SSC group (ρ=0.65, p=0.005), but not in the SC group (ρ=0.14, p=0.63). Fathers in SSC scored lower on the SPSQ sub-scale spouse relationship problems compared to fathers in SC (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Almost continuous SSC decreases infants' cortisol reactivity in response to handling, improves the concordance between mothers' and infants' salivary cortisol levels, and decreases fathers' experiences of spouse relationship problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evalotte Mörelius
- Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Division of Health, Activity and Care, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden; Department of Pediatrics, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Annika Örtenstrand
- Department of Woman and Child Health, Division of Neonatology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anneli Frostell
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Division of Psychology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Kornienko O, Clemans KH, Out D, Granger DA. Hormones, behavior, and social network analysis: exploring associations between cortisol, testosterone, and network structure. Horm Behav 2014; 66:534-44. [PMID: 25072982 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We used a new interdisciplinary paradigm of social network analysis (SNA) to investigate associations between hormones and social network structures. We examine these biobehavioral processes and test hypotheses about how hormones are associated with social network structures using exponential random graph modeling (ERGM) in a cohort of first-year students (n=74; 93% female; M age=27 years) from a highly competitive, accelerated nursing program. Participants completed friendship nominations and as a group simultaneously donated saliva (later assayed for cortisol and testosterone). ERGM analyses revealed that salivary cortisol levels were inversely associated with the number of outgoing ties (i.e., network activity). By contrast, testosterone was not related to friendship network structure. Integration of SNA and salivary bioscience creates a novel approach to understanding hormone-behavior relationships within the context of human social ecologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Kornienko
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, USA; Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, USA.
| | | | - Dorothée Out
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, USA; Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, USA; School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, USA; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
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50
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Gostisha AJ, Vitacco MJ, Dismukes AR, Brieman C, Merz J, Shirtcliff EA. Beyond physiological hypoarousal: the role of life stress and callous-unemotional traits in incarcerated adolescent males. Horm Behav 2014; 65:469-79. [PMID: 24726789 PMCID: PMC4580972 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2013] [Revised: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of antisocial behavior in youth has been examined with neurobiological theories that suggest that adolescents who are less responsive to their environments are less likely to develop empathy in the absence of extant physiological arousal. However, little attention is paid to these individuals' social context. Individuals with adverse early experiences can also exhibit attenuated physiological arousal. The current investigation examines whether psychopathic symptoms or life stress exposure is associated with cortisol and its diurnal rhythm within 50 incarcerated adolescent boys (14-18years old). Ten saliva cortisol samples were collected 1-2weeks after admission to a maximum-security juvenile facility. Hierarchical Linear Modeling distinguished waking cortisol levels, the awakening response (CAR) and the diurnal rhythm. Multiple interviews and self-report measures of CU traits and stressor exposure were collected. Boys with higher levels of CU traits or greater life stress exposure had flat diurnal rhythms and a steeper awakening response in analyses with lifetime stress exposure specifically. Nonetheless, boys who were elevated on both CU traits and prior stress exposure had steeper diurnal rhythms. These results extend neurobiological theories of cortisol and illustrate that boys with the combination of severe stress with CU traits have a unique physiological profile.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jenna Merz
- University of Chicago-School of Social Work, USA
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