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Holley D, Campos LJ, Drzewiecki CM, Zhang Y, Capitanio JP, Fox AS. Rhesus infant nervous temperament predicts peri-adolescent central amygdala metabolism & behavioral inhibition measured by a machine-learning approach. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:148. [PMID: 38490997 PMCID: PMC10943234 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02858-3] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders affect millions of people worldwide and impair health, happiness, and productivity on a massive scale. Developmental research points to a connection between early-life behavioral inhibition and the eventual development of these disorders. Our group has previously shown that measures of behavioral inhibition in young rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) predict anxiety-like behavior later in life. In recent years, clinical and basic researchers have implicated the central extended amygdala (EAc)-a neuroanatomical concept that includes the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST)-as a key neural substrate for the expression of anxious and inhibited behavior. An improved understanding of how early-life behavioral inhibition relates to an increased lifetime risk of anxiety disorders-and how this relationship is mediated by alterations in the EAc-could lead to improved treatments and preventive strategies. In this study, we explored the relationships between infant behavioral inhibition and peri-adolescent defensive behavior and brain metabolism in 18 female rhesus monkeys. We coupled a mildly threatening behavioral assay with concurrent multimodal neuroimaging, and related those findings to various measures of infant temperament. To score the behavioral assay, we developed and validated UC-Freeze, a semi-automated machine-learning (ML) tool that uses unsupervised clustering to quantify freezing. Consistent with previous work, we found that heightened Ce metabolism predicted elevated defensive behavior (i.e., more freezing) in the presence of an unfamiliar human intruder. Although we found no link between infant-inhibited temperament and peri-adolescent EAc metabolism or defensive behavior, we did identify infant nervous temperament as a significant predictor of peri-adolescent defensive behavior. Our findings suggest a connection between infant nervous temperament and the eventual development of anxiety and depressive disorders. Moreover, our approach highlights the potential for ML tools to augment existing behavioral neuroscience methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Holley
- University of California, Department of Psychology, Davis, CA, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - L J Campos
- University of California, Department of Psychology, Davis, CA, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - C M Drzewiecki
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Y Zhang
- Columbia University, Department of Statistics, New York, NY, USA
| | - J P Capitanio
- University of California, Department of Psychology, Davis, CA, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A S Fox
- University of California, Department of Psychology, Davis, CA, USA.
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA.
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2
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Dettmer AM, Chusyd DE. Early life adversities and lifelong health outcomes: A review of the literature on large, social, long-lived nonhuman mammals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105297. [PMID: 37391110 PMCID: PMC10529948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Social nonhuman animals are powerful models for studying underlying factors related to lifelong health outcomes following early life adversities (ELAs). ELAs can be linked to lifelong health outcomes depending on the species, system, sensitive developmental periods, and biological pathways. This review focuses on the literature surrounding ELAs and lifelong health outcomes in large, social, relatively long-lived nonhuman mammals including nonhuman primates, canids, hyenas, elephants, ungulates, and cetaceans. These mammals, like humans but unlike the most-studied rodent models, have longer life histories, complex social structures, larger brains, and comparable stress and reproductive physiology. Collectively, these features make them compelling models for comparative aging research. We review studies of caregiver, social, and ecological ELAs, often in tandem, in these mammals. We consider experimental and observational studies and what each has contributed to our knowledge of health across the lifespan. We demonstrate the continued and expanded need for comparative research to inform about the social determinants of health and aging in both humans and nonhuman animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Dettmer
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 S. Frontage Rd., New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Daniella E Chusyd
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Health and Wellness Design, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA
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3
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Capitanio JP, Sommet N, Del Rosso L. The relationship of maternal rank, 5-HTTLPR genotype, and MAOA-LPR genotype to temperament in infant rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23374. [PMID: 35322905 PMCID: PMC10461592 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Temperament is a construct whose manifestations are quantifiable from an early age, and whose origins have been proposed as "biological." Our goal was to determine whether maternal rank and infant genotype are associated with five measures of temperament in 3- to 4-month old rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), all of whom were born and reared by their mothers in large, outdoor, half-acre cages. Maternal rank was defined as the proportion of animals outranked by each female, and the two genes of interest to us were monoamine oxidase and serotonin transporter, both of which are polymorphic in their promoter regions (MAOA-LPR and 5-HTTLPR, respectively), with one allele of each gene considered a "plasticity" allele, conferring increased sensitivity to environmental events. Our large sample size (n = 2014-3140) enabled us to examine the effects of individual genotypes rather than combining genotypes as is often done. Rank was positively associated with Confident temperament, but only for animals with the 5-repeat allele for MAOA-LPR. Rank had no other effect on temperament. In contrast, genotype had many different effects, with 5-HTTLPR associated with behavioral inhibition, and MAOA-LPR associated with ratings-based measures of temperament. We also examined the joint effect of the two genotypes and found some evidence for a dose-response: animals with the plasticity alleles for both genes were more likely to be behaviorally inhibited. Our results suggest phenotypic differences between animals possessing alleles for MAOA-LPR that show functional equivalence based on in vitro tests, and our data for 5-HTTLPR revealed differences between short/short homozygotes and long/short heterozygotes, strongly suggesting that combining genotypes for statistical analysis should be avoided if possible. Our analysis also provides evidence of sex differences in temperament, and, to our knowledge, the only evidence of differences in temperament based on specific pathogen-free status. We suggest several directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P. Capitanio
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nicolas Sommet
- LIVES Center, Faculty of Social and Political SciencesUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Laura Del Rosso
- Neuroscience and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
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Hunter JN, Wood EK, Roberg BL, Neville L, Schwandt ML, Fairbanks LA, Barr C, Lindell SG, Goldman D, Suomi SJ, Higley JD. Mismatches in resident and stranger serotonin transporter genotypes lead to escalated aggression, and the target for aggression is mediated by sex differences in male and female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Horm Behav 2022; 140:105104. [PMID: 35180497 PMCID: PMC9380749 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105104] [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: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A variety of studies show that the s-allele of the serotonin transporter genotype (5-HTT) is related to aggression. However, influences of sex and 5-HTT genotype of both subject and opponent have not received as much attention in aggression research. Using a nonhuman primate model, the present study explores differences in rates of aggression exhibited by 201 group-housed male and female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta; 122 females; 79 males) exposed to an unfamiliar age- and sex-matched stranger while in the presence of other same-sex members of their social group. The study also assesses whether the rates of aggression increase when the home-cage resident, the unfamiliar stimulus animal, or both possess the short (s) allele of the 5-HTT. Results showed that, when compared to females, males exhibited higher rates of physical aggression toward the stranger, and when both the male resident and the male stranger possessed the s-allele, rates of physical aggression toward the stranger increased five-fold. Resident females also engaged in higher rates of physical aggression when they possessed the s-allele, although unlike the males, their physical aggression was directed toward familiar same-sex members of their social group. The findings of this study indicate that rates of physical aggression are modulated by 5-HTT resident and stranger suggest a role of sexual competition in the phenotype of the 5-HTT genotype. Importantly, when two males with impulse deficits, as a function of the s-allele, are placed together, rates of violence exhibited by the dyad escalate substantially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob N Hunter
- Neuroscience Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
| | - Elizabeth K Wood
- Psychology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
| | | | - Leslie Neville
- Neuroscience Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
| | - Melanie L Schwandt
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA), Poolesville, MD, USA.
| | - Lynn A Fairbanks
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Christina Barr
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA), Poolesville, MD, USA.
| | - Stephen G Lindell
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA), Poolesville, MD, USA.
| | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA), Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Stephen J Suomi
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, NIH, National Institute of Child Health and Development, Poolesville, MD, USA.
| | - J Dee Higley
- Neuroscience Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA; Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC, USA.
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Lax E. DNA Methylation as a Therapeutic and Diagnostic Target in Major Depressive Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:759052. [PMID: 35431832 PMCID: PMC9006940 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.759052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elad Lax
- *Correspondence: Elad Lax ; orcid.org/0000-0002-0310-0520
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6
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Campbell KA. The neurobiology of childhood trauma, from early physical pain onwards: as relevant as ever in today's fractured world. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2131969. [PMID: 36276555 PMCID: PMC9586666 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2131969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The situation in the world today, encompassing multiple armed conflicts, notably in Ukraine, the Coronavirus pandemic and the effects of climate change, increases the likelihood of childhood exposure to physical injury and pain. Other effects of these worldwide hardships include poverty, malnutrition and starvation, also bringing with them other forms of trauma, including emotional harm, neglect and deliberate maltreatment. Objective: To review the neurobiology of the systems in the developing brain that are most affected by physical and emotional trauma and neglect. Method: The review begins with those that mature first, such as the somatosensory system, progressing to structures that have a more protracted development, including those involved in cognition and emotional regulation. Explored next are developing stress response systems, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and its central regulator, corticotropin-releasing hormone. Also examined are reward and anti-reward systems and genetic versus environmental influences. The behavioural consequences of interpersonal childhood trauma, focusing on self-harm and suicide, are also surveyed briefly. Finally, pointers to effective treatment are proffered. Results: The low-threshold nature of circuitry in the developing brain and lack of inhibitory connections therein result in heightened excitability, making the consequences of both physical and emotional trauma more intense. Sensitive and critical periods in the development of structures such as the amygdala render the nervous system more vulnerable to insults occurring at those points, increasing the likelihood of psychiatric disorders, culminating in self-harm and even suicide. Conclusion: In view of the greater excitability of the developing nervous system, and its vulnerability to physical and psychological injuries, the review ends with an exhortation to consider the long-term consequences of childhood trauma, often underestimated or missed altogether when faced with adults suffering mental health problems.
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The Effects of At-Birth Adoption on Atypical Behavior and Anxiety: A Nonhuman Primate Model. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:1382-1393. [PMID: 34116166 PMCID: PMC9383052 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Adopted children tend to show an increased risk for a variety of psychopathological outcomes, even when adoption occurs at birth, which some suggest is a result of nonrandom assignment of adoptees and parents. This study uses a nonhuman primate model, in which adoptions were randomly assigned, to investigate the behavioral and physiological outcomes associated with at-birth adoption. METHOD Immediately following birth, rhesus monkey infants were randomly assigned to be reared by either their biological mother (n = 113) or by an unrelated, lactating, adoptive mother (n = 34). At 6 months of age, infant behavior and physiology were assessed during a stressful series of mother-infant separations. Four years later, stress-related behaviors were measured following confrontation by an unfamiliar intruder, an ecologically meaningful stressor. RESULTS When compared to infants reared by their biological mothers, adopted infants exhibited more behavioral withdrawal and higher plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations in response to separation. These behavioral differences persisted 4 years later during a stressful intruder challenge, with adoptees exhibiting more behavioral withdrawal, stereotypies, and impulsive approaches of the potentially aggressive intruder. CONCLUSION Compared to infants reared by their biological mothers, adopted infants exhibited more behavioral inhibition, impulsivity, and higher ACTH concentrations, even when subjects were randomly assigned to be adopted or to remain with their biological mother. To the extent that these findings generalize to humans, they suggest that the overall risk for psychopathology in adopted individuals persists even after random assignment to adoption conditions.
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Capitanio JP. Knowledge of Biobehavioral Organization Can Facilitate Better Science: A Review of the BioBehavioral Assessment Program at the California National Primate Research Center. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2445. [PMID: 34438902 PMCID: PMC8388628 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals vary on intrinsic characteristics such as temperament and stress responsiveness, and this information can be useful to experimentalists for identifying more homogeneous subsets of animals that show consistency in risk for a particular research outcome. Such information can also be useful for balancing experimental groups, ensuring animals within an experiment have similar characteristics. In this review, we describe the BioBehavioral Assessment Program at the California National Primate Research Center, which, since its inception in 2001, has been providing quantitative information on intrinsic characteristics to scientists for subject selection and balancing, and to colony management staff for management purposes. We describe the program and review studies relating to asthma, autism, behavioral inhibition, etc., where the BBA Program was used to select animals. We also review our work, showing that factors such as rearing, ketamine exposure, and prenatal experience can affect biobehavioral organization in ways that some investigators might want to control for in their studies. Attention to intrinsic characteristics of subject populations is consistent with the growing interest in precision medicine and can lead to a reduction in animal numbers, savings in time and money for investigators, and reduced distress for the animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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9
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Ikegame T, Bundo M, Okada N, Murata Y, Koike S, Sugawara H, Saito T, Ikeda M, Owada K, Fukunaga M, Yamashita F, Koshiyama D, Natsubori T, Iwashiro N, Asai T, Yoshikawa A, Nishimura F, Kawamura Y, Ishigooka J, Kakiuchi C, Sasaki T, Abe O, Hashimoto R, Iwata N, Yamasue H, Kato T, Kasai K, Iwamoto K. Promoter Activity-Based Case-Control Association Study on SLC6A4 Highlighting Hypermethylation and Altered Amygdala Volume in Male Patients With Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2020; 46:1577-1586. [PMID: 32556264 PMCID: PMC7846196 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Associations between altered DNA methylation of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT)-encoding gene SLC6A4 and early life adversity, mood and anxiety disorders, and amygdala reactivity have been reported. However, few studies have examined epigenetic alterations of SLC6A4 in schizophrenia (SZ). We examined CpG sites of SLC6A4, whose DNA methylation levels have been reported to be altered in bipolar disorder, using 3 independent cohorts of patients with SZ and age-matched controls. We found significant hypermethylation of a CpG site in SLC6A4 in male patients with SZ in all 3 cohorts. We showed that chronic administration of risperidone did not affect the DNA methylation status at this CpG site using common marmosets, and that in vitro DNA methylation at this CpG site diminished the promoter activity of SLC6A4. We then genotyped the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and investigated the relationship among 5-HTTLPR, DNA methylation, and amygdala volume using brain imaging data. We found that patients harboring low-activity 5-HTTLPR alleles showed hypermethylation and they showed a negative correlation between DNA methylation levels and left amygdala volumes. These results suggest that hypermethylation of the CpG site in SLC6A4 is involved in the pathophysiology of SZ, especially in male patients harboring low-activity 5-HTTLPR alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tempei Ikegame
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yui Murata
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,UTokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Sugawara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takeo Saito
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masashi Ikeda
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Keiho Owada
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Division of Cerebral Integration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fumio Yamashita
- Division of Ultrahigh Field MRI, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koshiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsunobu Natsubori
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norichika Iwashiro
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuro Asai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akane Yoshikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,Schizophrenia Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumichika Nishimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Chihiro Kakiuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Sasaki
- Laboratory of Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryota Hashimoto
- Department of Pathology of Mental Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan,Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nakao Iwata
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan,Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tadafumi Kato
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN CBS, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; tel: +81-96-373-5062, fax: +81-96-373-5062, e-mail:
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10
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Paukner A, Capitanio JP, Blozis SA. A new look at neurobehavioral development in rhesus monkey neonates (Macaca mulatta). Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23122. [PMID: 32187719 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) evaluates a newborn infant's autonomic, motor, state, temperament, and social-attentional systems, which can help to identify infants at risk of developmental problems. Given the prevalence of rhesus monkeys being used as an animal model for human development, here we aimed to validate a standardized test battery modeled after the NBAS for use with nonhuman primates called the Infant Behavioral Assessment Scale (IBAS), employing exploratory structural equation modeling using a large sample of rhesus macaque neonates (n = 1,056). Furthermore, we examined the repeated assessments of the common factors within the same infants to describe any changes in performance over time, taking into account two independent variables (infant sex and rearing condition) that can potentially affect developmental outcomes. Results revealed three factors (Orientation, State Control, and Motor Activity) that all increased over the 1st month of life. While infant sex did not have an effect on any factor, nursery-rearing led to higher scores on Orientation but lower scores on State Control and Motor Activity. These results validate the IBAS as a reliable and valuable research tool for use with rhesus macaque infants and suggest that differences in rearing conditions can affect developmental trajectories and potentially pre-expose infants to heightened levels of cognitive and emotional deficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Paukner
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland.,Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center and Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Shelley A Blozis
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, California
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11
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Staes N, Sherwood CC, Freeman H, Brosnan SF, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD, Bradley BJ. Serotonin Receptor 1A Variation Is Associated with Anxiety and Agonistic Behavior in Chimpanzees. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:1418-1429. [PMID: 31045220 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating behavior and personality in humans and other mammals. Polymorphisms in genes coding for the serotonin receptor subtype 1A (HTR1A), the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), and the serotonin degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) are associated with anxiety, impulsivity, and neurotic personality in humans. In primates, previous research has largely focused on SLC6A4 and MAOA, with few studies investigating the role of HTR1A polymorphic variation on behavior. Here, we examined variation in the coding region of HTR1A across apes, and genotyped polymorphic coding variation in a sample of 214 chimpanzees with matched measures of personality and behavior. We found evidence for positive selection at three amino acid substitution sites, one in chimpanzees-bonobos (Thr26Ser), one in humans (Phe33Val), and one in orangutans (Ala274Gly). Investigation of the HTR1A coding region in chimpanzees revealed a polymorphic site, where a C/A single nucleotide polymorphism changes a proline to a glutamine in the amino acid sequence (Pro248Gln). The substitution is located in the third intracellular loop of the receptor, a region important for serotonin signal transduction. The derived variant is the major allele in this population (frequency 0.67), and is associated with a reduction in anxiety, decreased rates of male agonistic behavior, and an increase in socio-positive behavior. These results are the first evidence that the HTR1A gene may be involved in regulating social behavior in chimpanzees and encourage further systematic investigation of polymorphic variation in other primate populations with corresponding data on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Staes
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC.,Department of Biology, Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Hani Freeman
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - Sarah F Brosnan
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX.,Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, IA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
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12
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The association between childhood maltreatment and empathic perspective taking is moderated by the 5-HTT linked polymorphic region: Another example of "differential susceptibility". PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226737. [PMID: 31856211 PMCID: PMC6922468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that the short (S)-allele of the 5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) may confer “differential susceptibility” to environmental impact with regard to the expression of personality traits, depressivity and impulsivity. However, little is known about the role of 5-HTTLPR concerning the association between childhood adversity and empathy. Here, we analyzed samples of 137 healthy participants and 142 individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) focusing on the 5-HTTLPR genotype (S/L-carrier) and A/G SNP (rs25531), in relation to childhood maltreatment and empathy traits. Whereas no between-group difference in 5-HTTLPR genotype distribution emerged, the S-allele selectively moderated the impact of childhood maltreatment on empathic perspective taking, whereby low scores in childhood trauma were associated with superior perspective taking. In contrast, L-homozygotes seemed to be largely unresponsive to variation in environmental conditions in relation to empathy, suggesting that the S-allele confers “differential susceptibility”. Moreover, a moderation analysis and tests for differential susceptibility yielded similar results when transcriptional activity of the serotonin transporter gene was taken into account. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the S-allele of the 5-HTTLPR is responsive to early developmental contingencies for “better and worse”, i.e. conferring genetic plasticity, especially with regard to processes involving emotional resonance.
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13
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Blaszczyk MB. Primates got personality, too: Toward an integrative primatology of consistent individual differences in behavior. Evol Anthropol 2019; 29:56-67. [PMID: 31721372 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, research on animal personality has exploded within the field of behavioral ecology. Consistent individual differences in behavior exist in a wide range of species, and these differences can have fitness consequences and influence several aspects of a species' ecology. In comparison to studies of other animals, however, there has been relatively little research on the behavioral ecology of primate personality. This is surprising given the large body of research within psychology and biomedicine showing that primate personality traits are heritable and linked to health and life history outcomes. In this article, I bring together theoretical perspectives on the ecology and evolution of animal personality with an integrative review of what we know about primate personality from studies conducted on captive, free-ranging, and wild primates. Incorporating frameworks that emphasize consistency in behavior into primate behavioral ecology research holds promise for improving our understanding of primate behavioral evolution.
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Murphy AM, Dettmer AM. Impacts of early social experience on cognitive development in infant rhesus macaques. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 62:895-908. [PMID: 31531855 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Although much is known about the influences of early life experiences on the neurobiology and behavior of macaque models of child development, there is scant literature on cognitive development with respect to early rearing. Here, we examined the effects of rearing condition on affective reactivity and cognitive development in infant rhesus macaques. Infants were pseudo-randomly assigned to one of the two rearing conditions: nursery reared (NR, N = 32; 16 peer-reared, 16 surrogate-peer-reared) or mother-peer-reared (MPR, N = 7). During the first month of life, infants were administered the Primate Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment (PNNA). Beginning at 4 months old, infants were tested on cognitive tasks that assessed reward association, cognitive flexibility, and impulsivity. We found no gross cognitive differences between MPR and NR infants. However, MPR infants were more reactive than NR infants on the PNNA. Additionally, reactivity on the PNNA correlated with impulsivity, such that infants who were more reactive at 1 month of age completed fewer trials correctly on this task at 8-10 months. These findings are the first to directly compare cognitive development in MPR and NR infants, and add to the existing literature elucidating the influences of early social experience on temperament and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Murphy
- Neuroscience and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, MD, USA
| | - Amanda M Dettmer
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Poolesville, MD, USA.,Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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15
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Wood EK, Champoux M, Lindell SG, Barr CS, Suomi SJ, Higley JD. Neonatal temperament and neuromotor differences are predictive of adolescent alcohol intake in rhesus monkeys (
Macaca mulatta
). Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23043. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maribeth Champoux
- Center for Scientific Review, Division of AIDS, Behavior and Population Sciences NIH Bethesda Maryland
| | - Stephen G. Lindell
- Laboratory of Clinical Studies National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Bethesda Maryland
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Rockville Maryland
| | - Christina S. Barr
- Laboratory of Clinical Studies National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Bethesda Maryland
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH Rockville Maryland
| | - Stephen J. Suomi
- Section of Comparative Ethology Eunice Shriver Kennedy National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH Poolesville Maryland
| | - J. Dee Higley
- Department of Psychology Brigham Young University Provo Utah
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16
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Weidner MT, Lardenoije R, Eijssen L, Mogavero F, De Groodt LPMT, Popp S, Palme R, Förstner KU, Strekalova T, Steinbusch HWM, Schmitt-Böhrer AG, Glennon JC, Waider J, van den Hove DLA, Lesch KP. Identification of Cholecystokinin by Genome-Wide Profiling as Potential Mediator of Serotonin-Dependent Behavioral Effects of Maternal Separation in the Amygdala. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:460. [PMID: 31133792 PMCID: PMC6524554 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence suggests a role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis in the brain, in modulating long-term, neurobiological effects of early-life adversity. Here, we aimed at further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction, and its consequences for socio-emotional behaviors, with a focus on anxiety and social interaction. In this study, adult, male Tph2 null mutant (Tph2 -/-) and heterozygous (Tph2 +/-) mice, and their wildtype littermates (Tph2 +/+) were exposed to neonatal, maternal separation (MS) and screened for behavioral changes, followed by genome-wide RNA expression and DNA methylation profiling. In Tph2 -/- mice, brain 5-HT deficiency profoundly affected socio-emotional behaviors, i.e., decreased avoidance of the aversive open arms in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) as well as decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Tph2 +/- mice showed an ambiguous profile with context-dependent, behavioral responses. In the EPM they showed similar avoidance of the open arm but decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Notably, MS effects on behavior were subtle and depended on the Tph2 genotype, in particular increasing the observed avoidance of EPM open arms in wildtype and Tph2 +/- mice when compared to their Tph2 -/- littermates. On the genomic level, the interaction of Tph2 genotype with MS differentially affected the expression of numerous genes, of which a subset showed an overlap with DNA methylation profiles at corresponding loci. Remarkably, changes in methylation nearby and expression of the gene encoding cholecystokinin, which were inversely correlated to each other, were associated with variations in anxiety-related phenotypes. In conclusion, next to various behavioral alterations, we identified gene expression and DNA methylation profiles to be associated with TPH2 inactivation and its interaction with MS, suggesting a gene-by-environment interaction-dependent, modulatory function of brain 5-HT availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena T. Weidner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roy Lardenoije
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Lars Eijssen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Departments of Bioinformatics, Psychiatry & Neuro Psychology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Floriana Mogavero
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Sandy Popp
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad U. Förstner
- Core Unit Systems Medicine, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany
- TH Köln, Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Harry W. M. Steinbusch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Angelika G. Schmitt-Böhrer
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jeffrey C. Glennon
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel L. A. van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
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17
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Madrid JE, Mandalaywala TM, Coyne SP, Ahloy-Dallaire J, Garner JP, Barr CS, Maestripieri D, Parker KJ. Adaptive developmental plasticity in rhesus macaques: the serotonin transporter gene interacts with maternal care to affect juvenile social behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2018.0541. [PMID: 29925616 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Research has increasingly highlighted the role that developmental plasticity-the ability of a particular genotype to produce variable phenotypes in response to different early environments-plays as an adaptive mechanism. One of the most widely studied genetic contributors to developmental plasticity in humans and rhesus macaques is a serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), which determines transcriptional efficiency of the serotonin transporter gene in vitro and modifies the availability of synaptic serotonin in these species. A majority of studies to date have shown that carriers of a loss-of-function variant of the 5-HTTLPR, the short (s) allele, develop a stress-reactive phenotype in response to adverse early environments compared with long (l) allele homozygotes, leading to the prevalent conceptualization of the s-allele as a vulnerability allele. However, this framework fails to address the independent evolution of these loss-of-function mutations in both humans and macaques as well as the high population prevalence of s-alleles in both species. Here we show in free-ranging rhesus macaques that s-allele carriers benefit more from supportive early social environments than l-allele homozygotes, such that s-allele carriers which receive higher levels of maternal protection during infancy demonstrate greater social competence later in life. These findings provide, to our knowledge, the first empirical support for the assertion that the s-allele grants high undirected biological sensitivity to context in primates and suggest a mechanism through which the 5-HTTLPR s-allele is maintained in primate populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus E Madrid
- Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA .,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tara M Mandalaywala
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Sean P Coyne
- Department of Psychology, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA
| | - Jamie Ahloy-Dallaire
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joseph P Garner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Christina S Barr
- National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dario Maestripieri
- Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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18
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Chistiakov DA, Chekhonin VP. Early-life adversity-induced long-term epigenetic programming associated with early onset of chronic physical aggression: Studies in humans and animals. World J Biol Psychiatry 2019; 20:258-277. [PMID: 28441915 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2017.1322714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: To examine whether chronic physical aggression (CPA) in adulthood can be epigenetically programmed early in life due to exposure to early-life adversity. Methods: Literature search of public databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. Results: Children/adolescents susceptible for CPA and exposed to early-life abuse fail to efficiently cope with stress that in turn results in the development of CPA later in life. This phenomenon was observed in humans and animal models of aggression. The susceptibility to aggression is a complex trait that is regulated by the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetic mechanisms mediate this interaction. Subjects exposed to stress early in life exhibited long-term epigenetic programming that can influence their behaviour in adulthood. This programming affects expression of many genes not only in the brain but also in other systems such as neuroendocrine and immune. Conclusions: The propensity to adult CPA behaviour in subjects experienced to early-life adversity is mediated by epigenetic programming that involves long-term systemic epigenetic alterations in a whole genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitry A Chistiakov
- a Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology , Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology , Moscow , Russia
| | - Vladimir P Chekhonin
- a Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology , Serbsky Federal Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology , Moscow , Russia.,b Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology , Pirogov Russian State Medical University (RSMU) , Moscow , Russia
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19
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Bearer EL, Mulligan BS. Epigenetic Changes Associated with Early Life Experiences: Saliva, A Biospecimen for DNA Methylation Signatures. Curr Genomics 2018; 19:676-698. [PMID: 30532647 PMCID: PMC6225450 DOI: 10.2174/1389202919666180307150508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which include traumatic injury, are associated with poor health outcomes in later life, yet the biological mechanisms mediating this association are unknown. Neurocircuitry, immune system and hormone regulation differ from normal in adults reporting ACEs. These systems could be affected by epigenetic changes, including methylation of cytosine (5mC) in genomic DNA, activated by ACEs. Since 5mC levels influence gene expression and can be long-lasting, altered 5mC status at specific sites or throughout the genome is hypothesized to influence mental and physical outcomes after ACE(s). Human and animal studies support this, with animal models allowing experiments for attributing causality. Here we provide a lengthy introduction and background on 5mC and the impact of early life adversity. OBJECTIVE Next we address the issue of a mixture of cell types in saliva, the most accessible biospecimen for 5mC analysis. Typical human bio-specimens for 5mC analysis include saliva or buccal swabs, whole blood or types of blood cells, tumors and post-mortem brain. In children saliva is the most accessible biospecimen, but contains a mixture of keratinocytes and white blood cells, as do buccal swabs. Even in saliva from the same individual at different time points, cell composition may differ widely. Similar issues affect analysis in blood, where nucleated cells represent a wide array of white blood cell types. Unless variations in ratios of these cells between each sample are included in the analysis, results can be unreliable. METHODS Several different biochemical assays are available to test for site-specific methylation levels genome-wide, each producing different information, with high-density arrays being the easiest to use, and bisulfite whole genome sequencing the most comprehensive. We compare results from different assays and use high-throughput computational processing to deconvolve cell composition in saliva samples. RESULTS Here we present examples demonstrating the critical importance of determining the relative contribution of blood cells versus keratinocytes to the 5mC profile found in saliva. We further describe a strategy to perform a reference-based computational correction for cell composition, and therefore to identify differential methylation patterns due to experience, or for the diagnosis of phenotypes that correlate between traits, such as hormone levels, trauma status and various mental health outcomes. CONCLUSION Specific sites that respond to adversity with altered methylation levels in either blood cells, keratinocytes or both can be identified by this rigorous approach, which will then be useful as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine L. Bearer
- Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Pathology MSC 08-4640, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA; Tel: 505-272-2404; Fax: 505-272-8084; E-mails: ;
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20
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Genetic and plastic variation in opsin gene expression, light sensitivity, and female response to visual signals in the guppy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:12247-12252. [PMID: 30420507 PMCID: PMC6275514 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706730115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High diversity in sexual color signaling in animals has attracted considerable and sustained interest from evolution researchers. It has been suggested that variations in visual properties in guppies result in diverse female preference for sexual color signals, leading to genetic variation based on male body colors. Here, we report that opsin expression varies because of allelic differences as well as the different rearing light environments. The variation in opsin expression influences the diversity in visual light sensitivity. Moreover, the expression of multiple opsin genes influences female responsiveness to the luminous orange colors. Consequently, genetic and environmental variation in opsin gene expression could affect female responsiveness and preference for male sexual colors, facilitating male color polymorphisms. According to the sensory drive model, variation in visual properties can lead to diverse female preferences, which in turn results in a range of male nuptial colors by way of sexual selection. However, the cause of variation in visual properties and the mechanism by which variation drives female response to visual signals remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that both differences in the long-wavelength–sensitive 1 (LWS-1) opsin genotype and the light environment during rearing lead to variation in opsin gene expression. Opsin expression variation affects the visual sensitivity threshold to long wavelengths of light. Moreover, a behavioral assay using digitally modified video images showed that the expression of multiple opsin genes is positively correlated with the female responsiveness to images of males with luminous orange spots. The findings suggest that genetic polymorphisms and light environment in habitats induce variations in opsin gene expression levels. The variations may facilitate variations in visual sensitivity and female responsiveness to male body colors within and among populations.
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Abstract
Two sets of evidence reviewed herein, one indicating that prenatal stress is associated with elevated behavioral and physiological dysregulation and the other that such phenotypic functioning is itself associated with heightened susceptibility to positive and negative environmental influences postnatally, raises the intriguing hypothesis first advanced by Pluess and Belsky (2011) that prenatal stress fosters, promotes, or "programs" postnatal developmental plasticity. Here we review further evidence consistent with this proposition, including new experimental research systematically manipulating both prenatal stress and postnatal rearing. Collectively this work would seem to explain why prenatal stress has so consistently been linked to problematic development: stresses encountered prenatally are likely to continue postnatally, thereby adversely affecting the development of children programmed (by prenatal stress) to be especially susceptible to environmental effects. Less investigated are the potential benefits prenatal stress may promote, due to increased plasticity, when the postnatal environment proves to be favorable. Future directions of research pertaining to potential mechanisms instantiating postnatal plasticity and moderators of such prenatal-programming effects are outlined.
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Hartman S, Belsky J. Prenatal stress and enhanced developmental plasticity. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:1759-1779. [PMID: 30206701 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1926-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Two separate lines of inquiry indicate (a) that prenatal stress is associated with heightened behavioral and physiological reactivity, and (b) that these postnatal phenotypes are associated with increased susceptibility to both positive and negative developmental experiences and environmental exposures. This research considered together raises the intriguing hypothesis first advanced by Pluess and Belsky (Dev Psychopathol 23:29-38, 2011) that prenatal-stress fosters, promotes or "programs" postnatal developmental plasticity. In this paper, we review further evidence consistent with this proposition, including a novel animal study which experimentally manipulated both prenatal stress and postnatal rearing. Directions for future work focused on mechanisms mediating the plasticity-inducing effects of prenatal stress and the moderators of such effects are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hartman
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of California, One Shields Avenue, 3321 Hart Hall, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Jay Belsky
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of California, One Shields Avenue, 3321 Hart Hall, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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24
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Timm K, Van Oers K, Tilgar V. SERT gene polymorphisms are associated with risk-taking behaviour and breeding parameters in wild great tits. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.171595. [PMID: 29361593 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.171595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Individual differences in coping with potentially dangerous situations are affected by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. How genetic polymorphisms and behavioural variations are related to fitness is unknown. One of the candidate genes affecting a variety of behavioural processes, including impulsivity, anxiety and mood fluctuations in both humans and other vertebrates, is the serotonin transporter gene (SERT/SLC6A). The aim of this study was to assess an association between SERT genotypes and novelty-seeking and risk-taking behaviours as well as breeding parameters of great tits (Parus major) in a natural environment. We associated polymorphisms in the promoter exonic regions of the SERT gene with parental risk-taking-related behaviour and fitness traits. Our results show that: (1) risk-taking behaviour in our great tit population is linked to single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SERT gene exon 3 and exon 8; (2) the genotype-behaviour associations are consistent with the presence of different stressors; and (3) polymorphisms in exon 8 could be associated with fitness-related traits, such as the start of egg-laying and hatching success. We showed for the first time that genetic variability of SERT plays an important role in shaping individual decision-making that affects fitness in a wild population. However, the results are based on one population and on the polymorphisms that are in a single gene. Therefore, replication studies are needed in order to confirm these preliminary results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killu Timm
- University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51101, Estonia
| | - Kees Van Oers
- University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51101, Estonia
| | - Vallo Tilgar
- University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51101, Estonia
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25
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Neural and psychological characteristics of college students with alcoholic parents differ depending on current alcohol use. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 81:284-296. [PMID: 28939188 PMCID: PMC5690848 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A significant proportion of college students are adult children of an alcoholic parent (ACoA), which can confer greater risk of depression, poor self-esteem, alcohol and drug problems, and greater levels of college attrition. However, some ACoA are resilient to these negative outcomes. The goal of this study was to better understand the psychobiological factors that distinguish resilient and vulnerable college-aged ACoAs. To do so, scholastic performance and psychological health were measured in ACoA college students not engaged in hazardous alcohol use (resilient) and those currently engaged in hazardous alcohol use (vulnerable). Neural activity (as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging) in response to performing working memory and emotion-based tasks were assessed. Furthermore, the frequency of polymorphisms in candidate genes associated with substance use, risk taking and stress reactivity were compared between the two ACoA groups. College ACoAs currently engaged in hazardous alcohol use reported more anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms, and increased risky nicotine and marijuana use as compared to ACoAs resistant to problem alcohol use. ACoA college students with current problem alcohol showed greater activity of the middle frontal gyrus and reduced activation of the posterior cingulate in response to visual working memory and emotional processing tasks, which may relate to increased anxiety and problem alcohol and drug behaviors. Furthermore, polymorphisms of cholinergic receptor and the serotonin transporter genes also appear to contribute a role in problem alcohol use in ACoAs. Overall, findings point to several important psychobiological variables that distinguish ACoAs based on their current alcohol use that may be used in the future for early intervention.
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Tulip J, Zimmermann JB, Farningham D, Jackson A. An automated system for positive reinforcement training of group-housed macaque monkeys at breeding and research facilities. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 285:6-18. [PMID: 28472677 PMCID: PMC5473526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Behavioural training through positive reinforcement techniques is a well-recognised refinement to laboratory animal welfare. Behavioural neuroscience research requires subjects to be trained to perform repetitions of specific behaviours for food/fluid reward. Some animals fail to perform at a sufficient level, limiting the amount of data that can be collected and increasing the number of animals required for each study. NEW METHOD We have implemented automated positive reinforcement training systems (comprising a button press task with variable levels of difficulty using LED cues and a fluid reward) at the breeding facility and research facility, to compare performance across these different settings, to pre-screen animals for selection and refine training protocols. RESULTS Animals learned 1- and 4-choice button tasks within weeks of home enclosure training, with some inter-individual differences. High performance levels (∼200-300 trials per 60min session at ∼80% correct) were obtained without food or fluid restriction. Moreover, training quickly transferred to a laboratory version of the task. Animals that acquired the task at the breeding facility subsequently performed better both in early home enclosure sessions upon arrival at the research facility, and also in laboratory sessions. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) Automated systems at the breeding facility may be used to pre-screen animals for suitability for behavioural neuroscience research. In combination with conventional training, both the breeding and research facility systems facilitate acquisition and transference of learning. CONCLUSIONS Automated systems have the potential to refine training protocols and minimise requirements for food/fluid control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Tulip
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE2 4HH, UK
| | | | | | - Andrew Jackson
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE2 4HH, UK.
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27
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Noroña AN, Tung I, Lee SS, Blacher J, Crnic KA, Baker BL. Developmental Patterns of Child Emotion Dysregulation as Predicted by Serotonin Transporter Genotype and Parenting. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 47:S354-S368. [PMID: 28617048 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2017.1326120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in emotion regulation are central to social, academic, occupational, and psychological development, and emotion dysregulation (ED) in childhood is a risk factor for numerous developmental outcomes. The present study aimed to (a) describe the developmental trajectory of ED across early childhood (3-6 years) and (b) examine its sensitivity to youth serotonin transporter genotype, positive and negative parenting behaviors, and their interaction. Participants were 99 families in the Collaborative Family Study, a longitudinal study of children with or without developmental delays. Child ED and early parenting were coded from parent-child interactions. To examine serotonin transporter genotype as a moderator between parenting and child emotion dysregulation (ED), children with the homozygous short (SS) genotype were compared to children with the homozygous long (LL) or heterozygous (SL) genotype. We used latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) to model yearly change in ED from child age 3 to 6 years. LGCM revealed that ED decreased overall across early childhood. In addition, we observed separate Genotype × Positive and Genotype × Negative parenting behavior interactions in predictions of ED growth curves. Children with the SL/LL genotype had ED trajectories that were minimally related to positive and negative parenting behavior, whereas ED decreased more precipitously among children with the SS genotype when exposed to low negative parenting or high positive parenting. These findings provide evidence for Gene × Environment interactions (G×Es) in the development of ED in a manner that is conceptually consistent with vantage sensitivity, and they improve inferences afforded by prospective designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda N Noroña
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , Los Angeles
| | - Irene Tung
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , Los Angeles
| | - Steve S Lee
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , Los Angeles
| | - Jan Blacher
- b School of Education , University of California , Riverside
| | - Keith A Crnic
- c Department of Psychology , Arizona State University
| | - Bruce L Baker
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , Los Angeles
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28
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Responses to familiar and unfamiliar objects by belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). Anim Cogn 2017; 20:823-827. [PMID: 28600681 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1103-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Previous research with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) demonstrated their ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar stimuli. Dolphins gazed longer at unfamiliar stimuli. The current study attempted to extend this original research by examining the responses of three species of cetaceans to objects that differed in familiarity. Eleven belugas from two facilities, five bottlenose dolphins and five Pacific white-sided dolphins housed at one facility were presented different objects in a free-swim scenario. The results indicated that the animals gazed the longest at unfamiliar objects, but these gaze durations did not significantly differ from gaze durations when viewing familiar objects. Rather, the animals gazed longer at unfamiliar objects when compared to the apparatus alone. Species differences emerged with longer gaze durations exhibited by belugas and bottlenose dolphins and significantly shorter gaze durations for Pacific white-sided dolphins. It is likely that the animals categorized objects into familiar and unfamiliar categories, but the free-swim paradigm in naturalistic social groupings did not elicit clear responses. Rather this procedure emphasized the importance of attention and individual preferences when investigating familiar and unfamiliar objects, which has implications for cognitive research and enrichment use.
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29
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Houwing DJ, Buwalda B, van der Zee EA, de Boer SF, Olivier JDA. The Serotonin Transporter and Early Life Stress: Translational Perspectives. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:117. [PMID: 28491024 PMCID: PMC5405142 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the serotonin transporter (SERT) linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and adverse early life stressing (ELS) events is associated with enhanced stress susceptibility and risk to develop mental disorders like major depression, anxiety, and aggressiveness. In particular, human short allele carriers are at increased risk. This 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is absent in the rodent SERT gene, but heterozygous SERT knockout rodents (SERT+/−) show several similarities to the human S-allele carrier, therefore creating an animal model of the human situation. Many rodent studies investigated ELS interactions in SERT knockout rodents combined with ELS. However, underlying neuromolecular mechanisms of the (mal)adaptive responses to adversity displayed by SERT rodents remain to be elucidated. Here, we provide a comprehensive review including studies describing mechanisms underlying SERT variation × ELS interactions in rodents. Alterations at the level of translation and transcription but also epigenetic alterations considerably contribute to underlying mechanisms of SERT variation × ELS interactions. In particular, SERT+/− rodents exposed to adverse early rearing environment may be of high translational and predictive value to the more stress sensitive human short-allele carrier, considering the similarity in neurochemical alterations. Therefore, SERT+/− rodents are highly relevant in research that aims to unravel the complex psychopathology of mental disorders. So far, most studies fail to show solid evidence for increased vulnerability to develop affective-like behavior after ELS in SERT+/− rodents. Several reasons may underlie these failures, e.g., (1) stressors used might not be optimal or severe enough to induce maladaptations, (2) effects in females are not sufficiently studied, and (3) few studies include both behavioral manifestations and molecular correlates of ELS-induced effects in SERT+/− rodents. Of course, one should not exclude the (although unlikely) possibility of SERT+/− rodents not being sensitive to ELS. In conclusion, future studies addressing ELS-induced effects in the SERT+/− rodents should extensively study both long-term behavioral and (epi)genetic aspects in both sexes. Finally, further research is warranted using more severe stressors in animal models. From there on, we should be able to draw solid conclusions whether the SERT+/− exposed to ELS is a suitable translational animal model for studying 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and stress interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Houwing
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Bauke Buwalda
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Eddy A van der Zee
- Unit Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Sietse F de Boer
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Jocelien D A Olivier
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
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30
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Bliss-Moreau E, Moadab G, Capitanio JP. Maternal rearing environment impacts autonomic nervous system activity. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:551-556. [PMID: 28369889 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
While it is now well known that social deprivation during early development permanently perturbs affective responding, accumulating evidence suggests that less severe restriction of the early social environment may also have deleterious effects. In the present report, we evaluate the affective responding of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) infants raised by their mothers in restricted social environments or by their mothers in large social groups by indexing autonomic nervous system activity. Following a 25-hr evaluation of biobehavioral organization, electrocardiogram, and an index of respiration were recorded for 10 min. This allowed for an evaluation of both heart rate and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an index of parasympathetic activity, during a challenging situation. Three- to four-month-old infants raised in restricted social environments had significantly higher heart rates and lower RSA as compared to infants raised in unrestricted social environments, consistent with a more potent stress response to the procedure. These results are consistent with mounting evidence that the environment in which individuals are raised has important consequences for affective processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, California.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Gilda Moadab
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, California.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
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31
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Xue C, Raveendran M, Harris RA, Fawcett GL, Liu X, White S, Dahdouli M, Rio Deiros D, Below JE, Salerno W, Cox L, Fan G, Ferguson B, Horvath J, Johnson Z, Kanthaswamy S, Kubisch HM, Liu D, Platt M, Smith DG, Sun B, Vallender EJ, Wang F, Wiseman RW, Chen R, Muzny DM, Gibbs RA, Yu F, Rogers J. The population genomics of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) based on whole-genome sequences. Genome Res 2016; 26:1651-1662. [PMID: 27934697 PMCID: PMC5131817 DOI: 10.1101/gr.204255.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are the most widely used nonhuman primate in biomedical research, have the largest natural geographic distribution of any nonhuman primate, and have been the focus of much evolutionary and behavioral investigation. Consequently, rhesus macaques are one of the most thoroughly studied nonhuman primate species. However, little is known about genome-wide genetic variation in this species. A detailed understanding of extant genomic variation among rhesus macaques has implications for the use of this species as a model for studies of human health and disease, as well as for evolutionary population genomics. Whole-genome sequencing analysis of 133 rhesus macaques revealed more than 43.7 million single-nucleotide variants, including thousands predicted to alter protein sequences, transcript splicing, and transcription factor binding sites. Rhesus macaques exhibit 2.5-fold higher overall nucleotide diversity and slightly elevated putative functional variation compared with humans. This functional variation in macaques provides opportunities for analyses of coding and noncoding variation, and its cellular consequences. Despite modestly higher levels of nonsynonymous variation in the macaques, the estimated distribution of fitness effects and the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous variants suggest that purifying selection has had stronger effects in rhesus macaques than in humans. Demographic reconstructions indicate this species has experienced a consistently large but fluctuating population size. Overall, the results presented here provide new insights into the population genomics of nonhuman primates and expand genomic information directly relevant to primate models of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Xue
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Muthuswamy Raveendran
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Gloria L Fawcett
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Simon White
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Mahmoud Dahdouli
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - David Rio Deiros
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer E Below
- University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - William Salerno
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Laura Cox
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, Texas 78227, USA
| | - Guoping Fan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Betsy Ferguson
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon 97006, USA
| | - Julie Horvath
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601, USA.,Biological and Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina 27707, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Zach Johnson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Sree Kanthaswamy
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California 95616, USA.,School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, USA
| | - H Michael Kubisch
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana 70433, USA
| | - Dahai Liu
- Center for Stem Cell and Translational Medicine, Anhui University, Anhui, China 230601
| | - Michael Platt
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - David G Smith
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Binghua Sun
- Center for Stem Cell and Translational Medicine, Anhui University, Anhui, China 230601
| | - Eric J Vallender
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana 70433, USA.,New England National Primate Research Center, Southborough, Massachusetts 01772, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Roger W Wiseman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA
| | - Rui Chen
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Donna M Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Richard A Gibbs
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Fuli Yu
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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32
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Early life adversity alters normal sex-dependent developmental dynamics of DNA methylation. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 28:1259-1272. [PMID: 27687908 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Studies in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans suggest that epigenetic processes mediate between early life experiences and adult phenotype. However, the normal evolution of epigenetic programs during child development, the effect of sex, and the impact of early life adversity on these trajectories are not well understood. This study mapped the genome-wide DNA methylation changes in CD3+ T lymphocytes from rhesus monkeys from postnatal day 14 through 2 years of age in both males and females and determined the impact of maternal deprivation on the DNA methylation profile. We show here that DNA methylation profiles evolve from birth to adolescence and are sex dependent. DNA methylation changes accompany imposed weaning, attenuating the difference between males and females. Maternal separation at birth alters the normal evolution of DNA methylation profiles and targets genes that are also affected by a later stage maternal separation, that is, weaning. Our results suggest that early life events dynamically interfere with the normal developmental evolution of the DNA methylation profile and that these changes are highly effected by sex.
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33
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Trumble BC, Jaeggi AV, Gurven M. Evolving the neuroendocrine physiology of human and primate cooperation and collective action. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:20150014. [PMID: 26503687 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While many hormones play vital roles in facilitating or reinforcing cooperative behaviour, the neurohormones underlying competitive and cooperative behaviours are largely conserved across all mammals. This raises the question of how endocrine mechanisms have been shaped by selection to produce different levels of cooperation in different species. Multiple components of endocrine physiology--from baseline hormone concentrations, to binding proteins, to the receptor sensitivity and specificity--can evolve independently and be impacted by current socio-ecological conditions or individual status, thus potentially generating a wide range of variation within and between species. Here, we highlight several neurohormones and variation in hormone receptor genes associated with cooperation, focusing on the role of oxytocin and testosterone in contexts ranging from parenting and pair-bonding to reciprocity and territorial defence. While the studies reviewed herein describe the current state of the literature with regard to hormonal modulators of cooperation and collective action, there is still a paucity of research on hormonal mechanisms that help facilitate large-scale collective action. We end by discussing several potential areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C Trumble
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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34
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Tielbeek JJ, Karlsson Linnér R, Beers K, Posthuma D, Popma A, Polderman TJC. Meta-analysis of the serotonin transporter promoter variant (5-HTTLPR) in relation to adverse environment and antisocial behavior. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:748-60. [PMID: 26990155 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have suggested an association between antisocial, aggressive, and delinquent behavior and the short variant of the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). Yet, genome wide and candidate gene studies in humans have not convincingly shown an association between these behaviors and 5-HTTLPR. Moreover, individual studies examining the effect of 5-HTTLPR in the presence or absence of adverse environmental factors revealed inconsistent results. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to test for the robustness of the potential interaction effect of the "long-short" variant of the 5-HTTLPR genotype and environmental adversities, on antisocial behavior. Eight studies, comprising of 12 reasonably independent samples, totaling 7,680 subjects with an effective sample size of 6,724, were included in the meta-analysis. Although our extensive meta-analysis resulted in a significant interaction effect between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and environmental adversities on antisocial behavior, the methodological constraints of the included studies hampered a confident interpretation of our results, and firm conclusions regarding the direction of effect. Future studies that aim to examine biosocial mechanisms that influence the etiology of antisocial behavior should make use of larger samples, extend to genome-wide genetic risk scores and properly control for covariate interaction terms, ensuring valid and well-powered research designs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorim J Tielbeek
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Richard Karlsson Linnér
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koko Beers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Danielle Posthuma
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Section Complex Trait Genetics, Department of Clinical Genetics, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Law, Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tinca J C Polderman
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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35
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Gettler LT. Becoming DADS: Considering the Role of Cultural Context and Developmental Plasticity for Paternal Socioendocrinology. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1086/686149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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36
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Goto Y, Lee YA, Yamaguchi Y, Jas E. Biological mechanisms underlying evolutionary origins of psychotic and mood disorders. Neurosci Res 2016; 111:13-24. [PMID: 27230505 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Psychotic and mood disorders are brain dysfunctions that are caused by gene environment interactions. Although these disorders are disadvantageous and involve behavioral phenotypes that decrease the reproductive success of afflicted individuals in the modern human society, the prevalence of these disorders have remained constant in the population. Here, we propose several biological mechanisms by which the genes associated with psychotic and mood disorders could be selected for in specific environmental conditions that provide evolutionary bases for explanations of when, why, and where these disorders emerged and have been maintained in humans. We discuss the evolutionary origins of psychotic and mood disorders with specific focuses on the roles of dopamine and serotonin in the conditions of social competitiveness/hierarchy and maternal care and other potential mechanisms, such as social network homophily and symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiori Goto
- Cognition and Learning Section, Department of Cognitive Science, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
| | - Young-A Lee
- Department of Food Science & Nutrition, Catholic University of Daegu, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 712-702, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoshie Yamaguchi
- Cognition and Learning Section, Department of Cognitive Science, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Emanuel Jas
- Graduate School of Natural Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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37
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Serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype moderates the longitudinal impact of early caregiving on externalizing behavior. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 27:7-18. [PMID: 25640827 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579414001266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We examined caregiver report of externalizing behavior from 12 to 54 months of age in 102 children randomized to care as usual in institutions or to newly created high-quality foster care. At baseline no differences by group or genotype in externalizing were found. However, changes in externalizing from baseline to 42 months of age were moderated by the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genotype and intervention group, where the slope for short-short (S/S) individuals differed as a function of intervention group. The slope for individuals carrying the long allele did not significantly differ between groups. At 54 months of age, S/S children in the foster care group had the lowest levels of externalizing behavior, while children with the S/S genotype in the care as usual group demonstrated the highest rates of externalizing behavior. No intervention group differences were found in externalizing behavior among children who carried the long allele. These findings, within a randomized controlled trial of foster care compared to continued care as usual, indicate that the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genotype moderates the relation between early caregiving environments to predict externalizing behavior in children exposed to early institutional care in a manner most consistent with differential susceptibility.
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38
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Latent trajectories of adolescent antisocial behavior: Serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype influences sensitivity to perceived parental support. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 29:185-201. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAlthough prevailing theories of antisocial behavior (ASB) emphasize distinct developmental trajectories, few studies have explored gene–environment interplay underlying membership in empirically derived trajectories. To improve knowledge about the development of overt (e.g., aggression) and covert (e.g., delinquency) ASB, we tested the association of the 44-base pair promoter polymorphism in the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region gene (5-HTTLPR), perceived parental support (e.g., closeness and warmth), and their interaction with ASB trajectories derived using latent class growth analysis in 2,558 adolescents followed prospectively into adulthood from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Three distinct trajectories emerged for overt (low desisting, adolescent peak, and late onset) and covert ASB (high stable, low stable, and nonoffending). Controlling for sex, parental support inversely predicted membership in the adolescent-peak overt ASB trajectory (vs. low desisting), but was unrelated to class membership for covert ASB. Furthermore, the 5-HTTLPR genotype significantly moderated the association of parental support on overt ASB trajectory membership. It is interesting that the pattern of Gene × Environment interaction differed by trajectory class: whereas short allele carriers were more sensitive to parental support in predicting the late-onset trajectory, the long/long genotype functioned as a potential “plasticity genotype” for the adolescent-peak trajectory group. We discuss these preliminary findings in the context of the differential susceptibility hypothesis and discuss the need for future studies to integrate gene–environment interplay and prospective longitudinal designs.
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39
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French JA, Carp SB. Early-life Social Adversity and Developmental Processes in Nonhuman Primates. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2016; 7:40-46. [PMID: 26858971 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Most primate species produce offspring that are altricial and highly dependent upon caregivers. As a consequence, a host of developmental trajectories can be dramatically altered by variation in early experiences. We review the impact of early social experiences (in both experimental models and natural contexts) on developmental profiles in three species of nonhuman primates: marmosets, squirrel monkeys, and macaques. Graded exposure to early-life social adversity (ELSA) produces short- to long-term effects on multiple developmental outcomes, including affect, social behavior, cognitive and attentional processes, and in the neural substrates that underlie these sociobehavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A French
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sarah B Carp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
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Bethell EJ, Holmes A, MacLarnon A, Semple S. Emotion Evaluation and Response Slowing in a Non-Human Primate: New Directions for Cognitive Bias Measures of Animal Emotion? Behav Sci (Basel) 2016; 6:bs6010002. [PMID: 26761035 PMCID: PMC4810036 DOI: 10.3390/bs6010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The cognitive bias model of animal welfare assessment is informed by studies with humans demonstrating that the interaction between emotion and cognition can be detected using laboratory tasks. A limitation of cognitive bias tasks is the amount of training required by animals prior to testing. A potential solution is to use biologically relevant stimuli that trigger innate emotional responses. Here; we develop a new method to assess emotion in rhesus macaques; informed by paradigms used with humans: emotional Stroop; visual cueing and; in particular; response slowing. In humans; performance on a simple cognitive task can become impaired when emotional distractor content is displayed. Importantly; responses become slower in anxious individuals in the presence of mild threat; a pattern not seen in non-anxious individuals; who are able to effectively process and disengage from the distractor. Here; we present a proof-of-concept study; demonstrating that rhesus macaques show slowing of responses in a simple touch-screen task when emotional content is introduced; but only when they had recently experienced a presumably stressful veterinary inspection. Our results indicate the presence of a subtle “cognitive freeze” response; the measurement of which may provide a means of identifying negative shifts in emotion in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Bethell
- Research Centre in Brain and Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, James Parsons Building, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
| | - Amanda Holmes
- Centre for Research in Cognition, Emotion and Interaction, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
| | - Ann MacLarnon
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
| | - Stuart Semple
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK.
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Smoller JW. The Genetics of Stress-Related Disorders: PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety Disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:297-319. [PMID: 26321314 PMCID: PMC4677147 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Research into the causes of psychopathology has largely focused on two broad etiologic factors: genetic vulnerability and environmental stressors. An important role for familial/heritable factors in the etiology of a broad range of psychiatric disorders was established well before the modern era of genomic research. This review focuses on the genetic basis of three disorder categories-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and the anxiety disorders-for which environmental stressors and stress responses are understood to be central to pathogenesis. Each of these disorders aggregates in families and is moderately heritable. More recently, molecular genetic approaches, including genome-wide studies of genetic variation, have been applied to identify specific risk variants. In this review, I summarize evidence for genetic contributions to PTSD, MDD, and the anxiety disorders including genetic epidemiology, the role of common genetic variation, the role of rare and structural variation, and the role of gene-environment interaction. Available data suggest that stress-related disorders are highly complex and polygenic and, despite substantial progress in other areas of psychiatric genetics, few risk loci have been identified for these disorders. Progress in this area will likely require analysis of much larger sample sizes than have been reported to date. The phenotypic complexity and genetic overlap among these disorders present further challenges. The review concludes with a discussion of prospects for clinical translation of genetic findings and future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan W Smoller
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Lomanowska AM, Boivin M, Hertzman C, Fleming AS. Parenting begets parenting: A neurobiological perspective on early adversity and the transmission of parenting styles across generations. Neuroscience 2015; 342:120-139. [PMID: 26386294 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The developing brains of young children are highly sensitive to input from their social environment. Nurturing social experience during this time promotes the acquisition of social and cognitive skills and emotional competencies. However, many young children are confronted with obstacles to healthy development, including poverty, inappropriate care, and violence, and their enhanced sensitivity to the social environment means that they are highly susceptible to these adverse childhood experiences. One source of social adversity in early life can stem from parenting that is harsh, inconsistent, non-sensitive or hostile. Parenting is considered to be the cornerstone of early socio-emotional development and an adverse parenting style is associated with adjustment problems and a higher risk of developing mood and behavioral disorders. Importantly, there is a growing literature showing that an important predictor of parenting behavior is how parents, especially mothers, were parented themselves. In this review, we examine how adversity in early-life affects mothering behavior in later-life and how these effects may be perpetuated inter-generationally. Relying on studies in humans and animal models, we consider evidence for the intergenerational transmission of mothering styles. We then describe the psychological underpinnings of mothering, including responsiveness to young, executive function and affect, as well as the physiological mediators of mothering behavior, including hormones, brain regions and neurotransmitters, and we consider how development in these relevant domains may be affected by adversity experienced in early life. Finally, we explore how genes and early experience interact to predict mothering behavior, including the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding how adverse parenting begets adverse parenting in the next generation is critical for designing interventions aimed at preventing this intergenerational cycle of early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Lomanowska
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, QC G1J 2G3, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - M Boivin
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation
| | - C Hertzman
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z9, Canada
| | - A S Fleming
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1V6, Canada.
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Provençal N, Booij L, Tremblay RE. The developmental origins of chronic physical aggression: biological pathways triggered by early life adversity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:123-33. [PMID: 25568459 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.111401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Longitudinal epidemiological studies with birth cohorts have shown that physical aggression in humans does not appear suddenly in adolescence as commonly thought. In fact, physically aggressive behaviour is observed as early as 12 months after birth, its frequency peaks around 2-4 years of age and decreases in frequency until early adulthood. However, a minority of children (3-7%) maintain a high frequency of physical aggression from childhood to adolescence and develop serious social adjustment problems during adulthood. Genetic factors and early social experiences, as well as their interaction, have been shown to play an important role in the development of chronic aggressive behaviour. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these associations are just beginning to be uncovered. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms are responsive to adverse environments and could be involved in the development of chronic aggression. Using both gene candidate and genomic approaches, recent studies have identified epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation alterations in genes involved in the stress response and the serotonin and immune systems to be partly responsible for the long-lasting effects of early adversity. Further longitudinal studies with biological, environmental and behavioural assessments from birth onwards are needed to elucidate the sequence of events that leads to these long-lasting epigenetic marks associated with early adversity and aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Provençal
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Linda Booij
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation
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Frazer S, Otomo K, Dayer A. Early-life serotonin dysregulation affects the migration and positioning of cortical interneuron subtypes. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e644. [PMID: 26393490 PMCID: PMC5068808 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life deficiency of the serotonin transporter (SERT) gives rise to a wide range of psychiatric-relevant phenotypes; however, the molecular and cellular targets of serotonin dyregulation during neural circuit formation remain to be identified. Interestingly, migrating cortical interneurons (INs) derived from the caudal ganglionic eminence (CGE) have been shown to be more responsive to serotonin-mediated signalling compared with INs derived from the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). Here we investigated the impact of early-life SERT deficiency on the migration and positioning of CGE-derived cortical INs in SERT-ko mice and in mice exposed to the SERT inhibitor fluoxetine during the late embryonic period. Using confocal time-lapse imaging and microarray-based expression analysis we found that genetic and pharmacological SERT deficiency significantly increased the migratory speed of CGE-derived INs and affected transcriptional programmes regulating neuronal migration. Postnatal studies revealed that SERT deficiency altered the cortical laminar distribution of subtypes of CGE-derived INs but not MGE-derived INs. More specifically, we found that the distribution of vasointestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing INs in layer 2/3 was abnormal in both genetic and pharmacological SERT-deficiency models. Collectively, these data indicate that early-life SERT deficiency has an impact on the migration and molecular programmes of CGE-derived INs, thus leading to specific alterations in the positioning of VIP-expressing INs. These data add to the growing evidence that early-life serotonin dysregulation affects cortical microcircuit formation and contributes to the emergence of psychiatric-relevant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Frazer
- Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Psychiatry and Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - K Otomo
- Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Psychiatry and Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - A Dayer
- Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Psychiatry and Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Psychiatry and Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School (CMU), Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Genève 4, Geneva 1211, Switzerland. E-mail:
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Driscoll CA, Barr CS. Studying longitudinal trajectories in animal models of psychiatric illness and their translation to the human condition. Neurosci Res 2015; 102:67-77. [PMID: 26276350 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Many forms of psychopathology and/or psychiatric illness can occur through the pathways of altered environmental sensitivity, impulsivity, social functioning, and anxious responding. While these traits are also heritable, environmental conditions are known to play a critical role. The genetic factors that contribute to these traits may be adaptive in certain contexts, but can - under the environmental conditions commonly faced among modern humans - also be key moderators of risk for psychopathological outcomes. This article will discuss how animal studies inform us of the various environmental mechanisms through which prenatal or early postnatal environmental challenge can produce long-term effects on behavior and will briefly address how pre-copulatory, pre-natal and early postnatal epigenetic effects can contribute to persistent alterations in offspring behavior. Its main focus will be how nonhuman primate studies have helped us to understand how genetic vulnerability factors can moderate responses to early environmental factors, suggesting pathways through which early stress might produce long-term effects, thus pointing to systems that might moderate risk for psychiatric illnesses in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Driscoll
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, 5625 Fishers Lane, 3S-32, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
| | - Christina S Barr
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, 5625 Fishers Lane, 3S-32, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA.
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Kochanska G, Boldt LJ, Kim S, Yoon JE, Philibert RA. Developmental interplay between children's biobehavioral risk and the parenting environment from toddler to early school age: Prediction of socialization outcomes in preadolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2015; 27:775-90. [PMID: 25154427 PMCID: PMC4342335 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579414000777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We followed 100 community families from toddler age to preadolescence. Each mother- and father-child dyad was observed at 25, 38, 52, 67, and 80 months (10 hr/child) to assess positive and power-assertive parenting. At age 10 (N = 82), we obtained parent- and child-reported outcome measures of children's acceptance of parental socialization: cooperation with parental monitoring, negative attitude toward substance use, internalization of adult values, and callous-unemotional tendencies. Children who carried a short serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region gene (5-HTTLPR) allele and were highly anger prone, based on anger observed in laboratory from 25 to 80 months, were classified as high in biobehavioral risk. The remaining children were classified as low in biobehavioral risk. Biobehavioral risk moderated links between parenting history and outcomes. For low-risk children, parenting measures were unrelated to outcomes. For children high in biobehavioral risk, variations in positive parenting predicted cooperation with monitoring and negative attitude toward substance use, and variations in power-assertive parenting predicted internalization of adult values and callous-unemotional tendencies. Suboptimal parenting combined with high biobehavioral risk resulted in the poorest outcomes. The effect for attitude toward substance use supported differential susceptibility: children high in biobehavioral risk who received optimal parenting had a more adaptive outcome than their low-risk peers. The remaining effects were consistent with diathesis-stress.
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Watson KK, Li D, Brent LJN, Horvath JE, Gonzalez-Martinez J, Lambides RA, Robinson AG, Skene JHP, Platt ML. Genetic influences on social attention in free-ranging rhesus macaques. Anim Behav 2015; 103:267-275. [PMID: 26034313 PMCID: PMC4448754 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
An ethological approach to attention predicts that organisms orient preferentially to valuable sources of information in the environment. For many gregarious species, orienting to other individuals provides valuable social information but competes with food acquisition, water consumption and predator avoidance. Individual variation in vigilance behaviour in humans spans a continuum from inattentive to pathological levels of interest in others. To assess the comparative biology of this behavioural variation, we probed vigilance rates in free-ranging macaques during water drinking, a behaviour incompatible with the gaze and postural demands of vigilance. Males were significantly more vigilant than females. Moreover, vigilance showed a clear genetic component, with an estimated heritability of 12%. Monkeys carrying a relatively infrequent 'long' allele of TPH2, a regulatory gene that influences serotonin production in the brain, were significantly less vigilant compared to monkeys that did not carry the allele. These findings resonate with the hypothesis that the serotonin pathway regulates vigilance in primates and by extension provoke the idea that individual variation in vigilance and its underlying biology may be adaptive rather than pathological.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. K. Watson
- Institute for Cognitive Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, U.S.A
| | - D. Li
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
| | - L. J. N. Brent
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, U.K
| | - J. E. Horvath
- Nature Research Center, Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
| | - J. Gonzalez-Martinez
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, PR, U.S.A
| | - Ruiz- A. Lambides
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, Punta Santiago, PR, U.S.A
| | - A. G. Robinson
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Research Drive, Durham, NC, U.S.A
| | - J. H. P Skene
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Research Drive, Durham, NC, U.S.A
| | - M. L. Platt
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Research Drive, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
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Brett ZH, Humphreys KL, Fleming AS, Kraemer GW, Drury SS. Using cross-species comparisons and a neurobiological framework to understand early social deprivation effects on behavioral development. Dev Psychopathol 2015; 27:347-67. [PMID: 25997759 PMCID: PMC5299387 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579415000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Building upon the transactional model of brain development, we explore the impact of early maternal deprivation on neural development and plasticity in three neural systems: hyperactivity/impulsivity, executive function, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning across rodent, nonhuman primate, and human studies. Recognizing the complexity of early maternal-infant interactions, we limit our cross-species comparisons to data from rodent models of artificial rearing, nonhuman primate studies of peer rearing, and the relations between these two experimental approaches and human studies of children exposed to the early severe psychosocial deprivation associated with institutional care. In addition to discussing the strengths and limitations of these paradigms, we present the current state of research on the neurobiological impact of early maternal deprivation and the evidence of sensitive periods, noting methodological challenges. Integrating data across preclinical animal models and human studies, we speculate about the underlying biological mechanisms; the differential impact of deprivation due to temporal factors including onset, offset, and duration of the exposure; and the possibility and consequences of reopening of sensitive periods during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Tabery
- Department of Philosophy, 215 South Central Campus, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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50
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Juhasz G, Gonda X, Hullam G, Eszlari N, Kovacs D, Lazary J, Pap D, Petschner P, Elliott R, Deakin JFW, Anderson IM, Antal P, Lesch KP, Bagdy G. Variability in the effect of 5-HTTLPR on depression in a large European population: the role of age, symptom profile, type and intensity of life stressors. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116316. [PMID: 25747798 PMCID: PMC4351953 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although 5-HTTLPR has been shown to influence the risk of life stress-induced depression in the majority of studies, others have produced contradictory results, possibly due to weak effects and/or sample heterogeneity. Methods In the present study we investigated how age, type and intensity of life-stressors modulate the effect of 5-HTTLPR on depression and anxiety in a European population cohort of over 2300 subjects. Recent negative life events (RLE), childhood adversity (CHA), lifetime depression, Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI) depression and anxiety scores were determined in each subject. Besides traditional statistical analysis we calculated Bayesian effect strength and relevance of 5-HTTLPR genotypes in specified models. Results The short (s) low expressing allele showed association with increased risk of depression related phenotypes, but all nominally significant effects would turn to non-significant after correction for multiple testing in the traditional analysis. Bayesian effect strength and relevance analysis, however, confirmed the role of 5-HTTLPR. Regarding current (BSI) and lifetime depression 5-HTTLPR-by-RLE interactions were confirmed. Main effect, with other words direct association, was supported with BSI anxiety. With more frequent RLE the prevalence or symptoms of depression increased in ss carriers. Although CHA failed to show an interaction with 5-HTTLPR, in young subjects CHA sensitized towards the depression promoting effect of even mild RLE. Furthermore, the direct association of anxiety with the s allele was driven by young (≤30) individuals. Limitations Our study is cross-sectional and applies self-report questionnaires. Conclusions Albeit 5-HTTLPR has only weak/moderate effects, the s allele is directly associated with anxiety and modulates development of depression in homogeneous subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Juhasz
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, School of Community Based Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Xenia Gonda
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Kutvolgyi Clinical Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gabor Hullam
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Measurement and Information Systems, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nora Eszlari
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - David Kovacs
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Lazary
- Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Kutvolgyi Clinical Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Pap
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Peter Petschner
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rebecca Elliott
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, School of Community Based Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - John Francis William Deakin
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, School of Community Based Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Muir Anderson
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, School of Community Based Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, and Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Antal
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Measurement and Information Systems, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany, and Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHENS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Gyorgy Bagdy
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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