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Demori I, Losacco S, Giordano G, Mucci V, Blanchini F, Burlando B. Fibromyalgia pathogenesis explained by a neuroendocrine multistable model. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303573. [PMID: 38990866 PMCID: PMC11238986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a central disorder characterized by chronic pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, and other minor symptoms. Knowledge about pathogenesis is lacking, diagnosis difficult, clinical approach puzzling, and patient management disappointing. We conducted a theoretical study based on literature data and computational analysis, aimed at developing a comprehensive model of FM pathogenesis and addressing suitable therapeutic targets. We started from the evidence that FM must involve a dysregulation of central pain processing, is female prevalent, suggesting a role for the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and is stress-related, suggesting a role for the HP-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Central pathogenesis was supposed to involve a pain processing loop system including the thalamic ventroposterolateral nucleus (VPL), the primary somatosensory cortex (SSC), and the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). For decreasing GABAergic and/or increasing glutamatergic transmission, the loop system crosses a bifurcation point, switching from monostable to bistable, and converging on a high-firing-rate steady state supposed to be the pathogenic condition. Thereafter, we showed that GABAergic transmission is positively correlated with gonadal-hormone-derived neurosteroids, notably allopregnanolone, whereas glutamatergic transmission is positively correlated with stress-induced glucocorticoids, notably cortisol. Finally, we built a dynamic model describing a multistable, double-inhibitory loop between HPG and HPA axes. This system has a high-HPA/low-HPG steady state, allegedly reached in females under combined premenstrual/postpartum brain allopregnanolone withdrawal and stress condition, driving the thalamocortical loop to the high-firing-rate steady state, and explaining the connection between endocrine and neural mechanisms in FM pathogenesis. Our model accounts for FM female prevalence and stress correlation, suggesting the use of neurosteroid drugs as a possible solution to currently unsolved problems in the clinical treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Demori
- Department of Pharmacy, DIFAR, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Serena Losacco
- Department of Pharmacy, DIFAR, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Giulia Giordano
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, (TN), Italy
- Delft Center for Systems and Control, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Mucci
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Franco Blanchini
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Bruno Burlando
- Department of Pharmacy, DIFAR, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
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2
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Garfield L, Watson-Singleton NN, Mathews HL, Witek Janusek L. Protocol for a pilot study assessing a virtual mindfulness intervention for postpartum African American women. BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY INTEGRATIVE 2024; 6:100060. [PMID: 39036323 PMCID: PMC11258811 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbii.2024.100060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Elevated perinatal depressive symptoms are more common among disadvantaged African American women, and they are almost four times as likely to have postpartum posttraumatic stress compared to white women. For new mothers, depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress can lead to negative parenting, poor mother-infant bonding, and delayed infant development. For African American women, a culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention offers great potential as an acceptable approach to reduce psycho-behavioral symptoms and improve mother-infant interactions (i.e., bonding). Additionally, it is critical that mindfulness interventions consider time constraints of new mothers, provide accessible intervention delivery, address parenting, and consider the challenges of caring for an infant. Given these considerations, we describe a pilot research protocol in which we evaluate a culturally adapted mindfulness program: Mindfulness for African Americans Postpartum (MAAP). The intervention is based upon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, but is adapted to include culturally relevant concepts of spirituality, inter-dependence, self-empowerment, and storytelling, which are salient to African American culture. To accommodate the needs of new mothers, a certified mindfulness interventionist delivers each session virtually using Zoom. The investigation uses a randomized controlled design in which African American women within 12 months of giving birth are randomized either to the MAAP intervention or to an Education Program. The primary aim is to determine the extent to which the MAAP intervention decreases maternal psycho-behavioral symptoms (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, poor sleep, posttraumatic stress, and fatigue) and improves mother-infant bonding. A secondary aim is to explore the effects of MAAP on proinflammatory cytokines and oxytocin. Culturally adapted mindfulness interventions delivered virtually will make mindfulness more accessible and meaningful to populations, like African American new mothers, who are at higher risk for postpartum mood disorders and poor infant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Garfield
- Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, 2160 S. First Ave, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Natalie N. Watson-Singleton
- Spelman College, Department of Psychology, 350 Spelman Lane, Box 1657 Giles Hall 317, Atlanta, GA 30314, United States
| | - Herbert L. Mathews
- Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, United States
| | - Linda Witek Janusek
- Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, United States
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3
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Batallas D, Rodriguez-Hernandez V, Hidalgo V, Salvador A. Loneliness during the post-confinement period: The significance of social living conditions for stress biomarkers and memory. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114771. [PMID: 38000531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown, concerns about the impact of loneliness and reduced social interactions on mental health have arisen. This study explored the repercussions of post-lockdown social restrictions across psychological (loneliness, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms), biological (hair cortisol and cardiovascular activity), and cognitive dimensions (subjective memory complaints and working, declarative, and prospective memory), with a specific emphasis on perceived loneliness and the living situation. The study included 45 students: 23 (mean age = 25.69 years) in the Alone Group (AG), who experienced significant family changes and international relocation, and 22 (mean age = 25.50 years) in the Not Alone Group (NAG), who maintained their nuclear family and did not move from their home country. We assessed heart rate variability (HRV) before, during, and after immediate memory evaluations using time-domain (the square root of the mean, RMSSD) measures. The analysis revealed no significant group differences in telematic contact with family and friends, perceived stress, or depression. However, the AG participants reported fewer face-to-face interactions and greater perceived loneliness compared to the NAG. Additionally, the AG group exhibited slightly higher hair cortisol levels and worse working memory (WM) and prospective memory (PM) performance. Importantly, no significant associations were observed between memory outcomes and stress biomarkers. However, a significant interaction effect of loneliness in the relationship between hair cortisol levels and PM was found. That is, hair cortisol concentrations were negatively related to PM when participants perceived high and moderate loneliness. This interaction was absent in the working and declarative memory domains. In summary, these findings underscore the intricate interplay between loneliness, cortisol, and memory, emphasizing the need for comprehensive research on the complex mechanisms governing these multifaceted relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Batallas
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Valerie Rodriguez-Hernandez
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology and IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
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4
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Howland MA. Recalibration of the stress response system over adult development: Is there a perinatal recalibration period? Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:2315-2337. [PMID: 37641984 PMCID: PMC10901284 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
During early life-sensitive periods (i.e., fetal, infancy), the developing stress response system adaptively calibrates to match environmental conditions, whether harsh or supportive. Recent evidence suggests that puberty is another window when the stress system is open to recalibration if environmental conditions have shifted significantly. Whether additional periods of recalibration exist in adulthood remains to be established. The present paper draws parallels between childhood (re)calibration periods and the perinatal period to hypothesize that this phase may be an additional window of stress recalibration in adult life. Specifically, the perinatal period (defined here to include pregnancy, lactation, and early parenthood) is also a developmental switch point characterized by heightened neural plasticity and marked changes in stress system function. After discussing these similarities, lines of empirical evidence needed to substantiate the perinatal stress recalibration hypothesis are proposed, and existing research support is reviewed. Complexities and challenges related to delineating the boundaries of perinatal stress recalibration and empirically testing this hypothesis are discussed, as well as possibilities for future multidisciplinary research. In the theme of this special issue, perinatal stress recalibration may be a mechanism of multilevel, multisystem risk, and resilience, both intra-individually and intergenerationally, with implications for optimizing interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariann A Howland
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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5
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Neumann ID. Monitoring oxytocin signaling in the brain: More than a love story. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100206. [PMID: 38108033 PMCID: PMC10724740 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
More than any other neuropeptide, oxytocin (OXT) is attracting the attention of neurobiologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, evolutionary biologists and even economists. It is often called a "love hormone" due to its many prosocial functions described in vertebrates including mammals and humans, especially its ability to support "bonding behaviour". Oxytocin plays an important role in female reproduction, as it promotes labour during parturition, enables milk ejection in lactation and is essential for related reproductive behaviours. Therefore, it particularly attracts the interest of many female researchers. In this short narrative review I was invited to provide a personal overview on my scientific journey closely linked to my research on the brain OXT system and the adventures associated with starting my research career behind the Iron Curtain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Centre of Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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6
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Carter CS. Close encounters with oxytocin. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 15:100189. [PMID: 37577297 PMCID: PMC10422098 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative review is to use a personal perspective to describe unanticipated and pivotal findings that drew the author into the study oxytocin. Oxytocin was originally described as a "female reproductive hormone." However, supporting reproduction is only one of a myriad of functions now attributed to oxytocin. Oxytocin promotes survival and resilience in both sexes and across the lifespan, especially in the context of stress or trauma and helps to explain the health benefits of relationships. Oxytocin works in the context of individual histories and in conjunction with other molecules, as well as the autonomic nervous system and immune factors. The chemical properties of oxytocin make it biologically active, but difficult to measure. As a deeper understanding of the biology of oxytocin is emerging, we may use knowledge of the properties of oxytocin to uncover adaptive strategies that protect and heal in the face of stress and adversity in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlotteville, VA, USA
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7
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Beery AK, Jackson B, Halstead E, Windorski SM, Nnodim-Amadi C, Upin E. Acute decrease in mothers' cortisol following nursing and milk expression. Horm Behav 2023; 153:105387. [PMID: 37307679 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid hormone cortisol is an integral component of signaling pathways related to stress reactivity, energy balance, immune function, and other processes. In animal models, lactation is robustly associated with alterations in glucocorticoid signaling, and limited data suggest that similar changes may occur across human lactation. We asked whether milk letdown/secretion in breastfeeding mothers was associated with changes in cortisol, and whether such effects required presence of an infant. We measured changes in maternal salivary cortisol concentrations before and after nursing, the expression of breastmilk with an electric pump, or control activities. Participants conducted pre-session and post-session sampling (at 30 min) for all conditions, and provided a sample of pumped milk from one session. Both nursing and mechanical expression of breastmilk but not control were associated with equivalent declines in maternal cortisol concentration from pre-session values, indicating an effect of milk letdown on circulating cortisol independent of infant contact. Pre-session maternal salivary cortisol concentration was strongly and positively correlated with cortisol concentration in pumped milk samples, indicating that cortisol ingested by offspring provides a signal of maternal cortisol levels. Self-reported maternal stress was associated with higher pre-session cortisol concentrations, as well as with a larger drop in cortisol following nursing or pumping. These findings demonstrate that milk release-in the presence or absence of a suckling infant-regulates cortisol in mothers, and supports the potential for maternal signaling through breastmilk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaliese K Beery
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America; Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Department of Biology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Neuroscience, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Culture, Health, and Science, Five College Consortium, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America; Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America.
| | - Benita Jackson
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Culture, Health, and Science, Five College Consortium, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America
| | - Emily Halstead
- Program in Neuroscience, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
| | - Sunny M Windorski
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
| | | | - Emily Upin
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
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8
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Tabak BA, Leng G, Szeto A, Parker KJ, Verbalis JG, Ziegler TE, Lee MR, Neumann ID, Mendez AJ. Advances in human oxytocin measurement: challenges and proposed solutions. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:127-140. [PMID: 35999276 PMCID: PMC9812775 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in reproduction and socioemotional processes, may hold promise as a therapeutic agent in treating social impairments in patient populations. However, research has yet to uncover precisely how to manipulate this system for clinical benefit. Moreover, inconsistent use of standardized and validated oxytocin measurement methodologies-including the design and study of hormone secretion and biochemical assays-present unresolved challenges. Human studies measuring peripheral (i.e., in plasma, saliva, or urine) or central (i.e., in cerebrospinal fluid) oxytocin concentrations have involved very diverse methods, including the use of different assay techniques, further compounding this problem. In the present review, we describe the scientific value in measuring human endogenous oxytocin concentrations, common issues in biochemical analysis and study design that researchers face when doing so, and our recommendations for improving studies using valid and reliable methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Gareth Leng
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Angela Szeto
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph G Verbalis
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Toni E Ziegler
- Assay Services Unit and Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Core Laboratory, National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mary R Lee
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behaviour and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Armando J Mendez
- Diabetes Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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9
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Carter CS. Sex, love and oxytocin: Two metaphors and a molecule. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104948. [PMID: 36347382 PMCID: PMC9759207 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Dozens of studies, most conducted in the last four decades, have implicated oxytocin, as well as vasopressin and their receptors, in processes that mediate selective sociality and the consequences of early experience. Oxytocin is critical for the capacity to experience emotional safety and healthy sexuality. Oxytocin also plays a central role in almost every aspect of physical and mental health, including the coordination of sociality and loving relationships with physiological reactions to challenges across the lifespan. Species, including prairie voles, that share with humans the capacity for selective social bonds have been a particularly rich source of insights into the behavioral importance of peptides. The purpose of this historical review is to describe the discovery of a central role for oxytocin in behavioral interactions associated with love, and in the capacity to use sociality to anticipate and cope with challenges across the lifespan - a process that here is called "sociostasis."
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sue Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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10
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Pisu MG, Concas L, Siddi C, Serra M, Porcu P. The Allopregnanolone Response to Acute Stress in Females: Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12091262. [PMID: 36139100 PMCID: PMC9496329 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone ((3α,5α)-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one or 3α,5α-THP) plays a key role in the response to stress, by normalizing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function to restore homeostasis. Most studies have been conducted on male rats, and little is known about the allopregnanolone response to stress in females, despite that women are more susceptible than men to develop emotional and stress-related disorders. Here, we provide an overview of animal and human studies examining the allopregnanolone responses to acute stress in females in the context of stress-related neuropsychiatric diseases and under the different conditions that characterize the female lifespan associated with the reproductive function. The blunted allopregnanolone response to acute stress, often observed in female rats and women, may represent one of the mechanisms that contribute to the increased vulnerability to stress and affective disorders in women under the different hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout their lifespan. These studies highlight the importance of targeting neuroactive steroids as a therapeutic approach for stress-related disorders in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giuseppina Pisu
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 09042 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luca Concas
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Carlotta Siddi
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mariangela Serra
- Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Porcu
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 09042 Cagliari, Italy
- Correspondence:
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11
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Glier S, Campbell A, Corr R, Pelletier‐Baldelli A, Yefimov M, Guerra C, Scott K, Murphy L, Bizzell J, Belger A. Coordination of autonomic and endocrine stress responses to the Trier Social Stress Test in adolescence. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14056. [PMID: 35353921 PMCID: PMC9339460 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulations in autonomic and endocrine stress responses are linked to the emergence of psychopathology in adolescence. However, most studies fail to consider the interplay between these systems giving rise to conflicting findings and a gap in understanding adolescent stress response regulation. A multisystem framework-investigation of parasympathetic (PNS), sympathetic (SNS), and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis components and their coordination-is necessary to understand individual differences in stress response coordination which contribute to stress vulnerabilities. As the first investigation to comprehensively evaluate these three systems in adolescence, the current study employed the Trier Social Stress Test in 72 typically developing adolescents (mean age = 13) to address how PNS, SNS, and HPA stress responses are coordinated in adolescence. Hypotheses tested key predictions of the Adaptive Calibration Model (ACM) of stress response coordination. PNS and SNS responses were assessed via heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary alpha amylase (sAA) respectively. HPA responses were indexed by salivary cortisol. Analyses utilized piecewise growth curve modeling to investigate these aims. Supporting the ACM theory, there was significant hierarchical coordination between the systems such that those with low HRV had higher sAA and cortisol reactivity and those with high HRV had low-to-moderate sAA and cortisol responsivity. Our novel results reveal the necessity of studying multisystem dynamics in an integrative fashion to uncover the true mechanisms of stress response and regulation during development. Additionally, our findings support the existence of characteristic stress response profiles as predicted by the ACM model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Glier
- School of MedicineUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Alana Campbell
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Rachel Corr
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Andrea Pelletier‐Baldelli
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Mae Yefimov
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Carina Guerra
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Kathryn Scott
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Louis Murphy
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Joshua Bizzell
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Aysenil Belger
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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12
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Trait coping styles and the maternal neural and behavioral sensitivity to an infant. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14373. [PMID: 35999360 PMCID: PMC9399102 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18339-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
During the postpartum period, new mothers experience drastic changes in their body, brain, and life circumstances. Stress from the emotional and physical demands of caring for an infant is associated with negative mood and parenting outcomes. The use of active coping strategies can increase mothers’ resilience during the postpartum period. However, little is known about the association between coping styles and maternal brain responses to infant cues. In the current study, we examined the associations among trait coping style, maternal brain responses, and behavioral sensitivity in a socioeconomically diverse sample of first-time mothers (N = 59). The use of more active trait coping strategies compared to passive coping strategies was associated with increased brain responses to infant cry sounds in brain regions that are critically involved in motivation and emotion regulation—substantia nigra, anterior cingulate gyrus, and inferior frontal gyrus. Increased brain activations in the midbrain and anterior cingulate gyrus were further associated with higher levels of maternal sensitivity observed during interactions with the infant. Thus, the findings provide support for mothers’ use of more active coping styles to promote neural and behavioral resilience for a positive transition to parenthood.
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13
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Lan Q, Li H, Wang L, Chang S. Breastfeeding duration and vagal regulation of infants and mothers. Early Hum Dev 2022; 171:105620. [PMID: 35785691 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vagal regulation within the parasympathetic nervous system supports self-regulation and social engagement. Research has suggested that early feeding practices may influence mother-infant vagal functioning. AIM We aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding duration and mother-infant vagal regulation during an interaction. We hypothesized that breastfeeding duration would be positively associated with adaptive vagal regulation in infants and mothers. METHOD 204 mother-infant dyads (infant mean age 6 months) completed the face-to-face still-face (FFSF) task. During the task, vagal regulation indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, a component of heart rate variability) was calculated through continuously recorded electrocardiogram signals. Breastfeeding duration and demographic information were reported by mothers. Linear mixed models were adopted to estimate the associations between breastfeeding duration and repeated measures of RSA in infants and mothers throughout the FFSF. RESULTS Infants breastfed for a longer duration demonstrated lower RSA throughout the FFSF (B = -0.06, 95 % CI: -0.09 to -0.03), suggesting active physiological mobilization to engage in interaction and regulate distress. Mothers with longer breastfeeding duration displayed higher baseline RSA and higher overall RSA levels (higher vagal control) during the FFSF (B = 0.06, 95 % CI: 0.02 to 0.09), indicating a calmer and regulated state. CONCLUSION Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with more adaptive mother-infant vagal regulation during the interaction, indicating a positive dose-response association. This finding reveals breastfeeding practice as a factor contributing to infant effective vagal regulation and further supports WHO recommendation on exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continuing breastfeeding to 24 months and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qili Lan
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Suying Chang
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Office for China, Beijing, China.
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14
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Moscovice LR, Gimsa U, Otten W, Eggert A. Salivary Cortisol, but Not Oxytocin, Varies With Social Challenges in Domestic Pigs: Implications for Measuring Emotions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:899397. [PMID: 35677575 PMCID: PMC9169876 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.899397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals respond to inherently rewarding or punishing stimuli with changes in core affective states, which can be investigated with the aid of appropriate biomarkers. In this study we evaluate salivary cortisol (sCORT) and salivary oxytocin (sOXT) concentrations under baseline conditions and in response to two negatively- and two positively-valenced social challenges in 75 young pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), housed and tested in eight social groups. We predicted that: (1) Relative to baseline, weaning and brief social isolation would be associated with increases in sCORT, due to psychosocial stress, and reductions in sOXT, due to a lack of opportunities for social support; and (2) Opportunities for social play, and reunions with group members after a separation would be associated with weaker sCORT responses, and increases in sOXT concentrations compared to baseline and to negative social challenges. Testing and sample collection occurred between 28 and 65 days of age and involved a within-subject design, in which every subject was sampled multiple times in neutral (baseline), negative and positive social contexts. We also recorded behavioral data and measured rates of agonism, play and affiliative interactions in the different contexts, prior to saliva sampling. As expected, negative social challenges were associated with robust cortisol responses. Relative to baseline, pigs also had higher sCORT responses to positive social challenges, although these differences were only significant during reunions. Salivary oxytocin concentrations did not differ between the different social conditions, although sOXT was lowest during the brief social isolation. Behavioral analyses confirmed predictions about the expected changes in social interactions in different social contexts, with increases in agonism following weaning, increases in coordinated locomotor play in the play context and high rates of affiliative interactions during reunions. Relative sCORT reactivity to different contexts may reflect the intensity of emotional responses, with greater increases occurring in response to challenges that involve more psychosocial stress. Our results suggest that sOXT is not a reliable indicator of emotional valence in pigs, although more research is needed to characterize sOXT responses to various challenges with and without access to social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza R. Moscovice
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
- *Correspondence: Liza R. Moscovice
| | - Ulrike Gimsa
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Winfried Otten
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Anja Eggert
- Service Group Statistical Consulting, Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
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15
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Savić B, Murphy D, Japundžić-Žigon N. The Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus in Control of Blood Pressure and Blood Pressure Variability. Front Physiol 2022; 13:858941. [PMID: 35370790 PMCID: PMC8966844 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.858941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a highly organized structure of the hypothalamus that has a key role in regulating cardiovascular and osmotic homeostasis. Functionally, the PVN is divided into autonomic and neuroendocrine (neurosecretory) compartments, both equally important for maintaining blood pressure (BP) and body fluids in the physiological range. Neurosecretory magnocellular neurons (MCNs) of the PVN are the main source of the hormones vasopressin (VP), responsible for water conservation and hydromineral balance, and oxytocin (OT), involved in parturition and milk ejection during lactation. Further, neurosecretory parvocellular neurons (PCNs) take part in modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and stress responses. Additionally, the PVN takes central place in autonomic adjustment of BP to environmental challenges and contributes to its variability (BPV), underpinning the PVN as an autonomic master controller of cardiovascular function. Autonomic PCNs of the PVN modulate sympathetic outflow toward heart, blood vessels and kidneys. These pre-autonomic neurons send projections to the vasomotor nucleus of rostral ventrolateral medulla and to intermediolateral column of the spinal cord, where postganglionic fibers toward target organs arise. Also, PVN PCNs synapse with NTS neurons which are the end-point of baroreceptor primary afferents, thus, enabling the PVN to modify the function of baroreflex. Neuroendocrine and autonomic parts of the PVN are segregated morphologically but they work in concert when the organism is exposed to environmental challenges via somatodendritically released VP and OT by MCNs. The purpose of this overview is to address both neuroendocrine and autonomic PVN roles in BP and BPV regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Savić
- Laboratory for Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - David Murphy
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School, Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Nina Japundžić-Žigon
- Laboratory for Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- *Correspondence: Nina Japundžić-Žigon,
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16
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Carter CS. Oxytocin and love: Myths, metaphors and mysteries. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 9:100107. [PMID: 35755926 PMCID: PMC9216351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a peptide molecule with a multitude of physiological and behavioral functions. Based on its association with reproduction - including social bonding, sexual behavior, birth and maternal behavior - oxytocin also has been called "the love hormone." This essay specifically examines association and parallels between oxytocin and love. However, many myths and gaps in knowledge remain concerning both. A few of these are described here and we hypothesize that the potential benefits of both love and oxytocin may be better understood in light of interactions with more ancient systems, including specifically vasopressin and the immune system. Oxytocin is anti-inflammatory and is associated with recently evolved, social solutions to a variety of challenges necessary for mammalian survival and reproduction. The shared functions of oxytocin and love have profound implications for health and longevity, including the prevention and treatment of excess inflammation and related disorders, especially those occurring in early life and during periods of chronic threat or disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
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17
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Takayanagi Y, Onaka T. Roles of Oxytocin in Stress Responses, Allostasis and Resilience. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010150. [PMID: 35008574 PMCID: PMC8745417 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin has been revealed to work for anxiety suppression and anti-stress as well as for psychosocial behavior and reproductive functions. Oxytocin neurons are activated by various stressful stimuli. The oxytocin receptor is widely distributed within the brain, and oxytocin that is released or diffused affects behavioral and neuroendocrine stress responses. On the other hand, there has been an increasing number of reports on the role of oxytocin in allostasis and resilience. It has been shown that oxytocin maintains homeostasis, shifts the set point for adaptation to a changing environment (allostasis) and contributes to recovery from the shifted set point by inducing active coping responses to stressful stimuli (resilience). Recent studies have suggested that oxytocin is also involved in stress-related disorders, and it has been shown in clinical trials that oxytocin provides therapeutic benefits for patients diagnosed with stress-related disorders. This review includes the latest information on the role of oxytocin in stress responses and adaptation.
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18
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Bibi S, Shah M, Malik MO, Goosens KA. T3 is linked to stress-associated reduction of prolactin in lactating women. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13003. [PMID: 34241933 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between stress responses and lactation is bidirectional. Breastfeeding confers many benefits to maternal health, including attenuated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsiveness to stress. However, increased stress burden can impair lactation. The mechanisms that underlie these relationships are poorly understood. The present study aimed to compare breastfeeding habits, as well as subjective and objective measures of stress, in employed and non-employed lactating women and assess the relationships between these measures and prolactin (PRL), thyroid hormones (thyroid-stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine [T3] and thyroxine), vasopressin and cortisol levels. A dexamethasone suppression test was also administered to determine the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to negative-feedback. We report that lactating employed women had lower breastfeeding rates and lower PRL than lactating non-employed women. They also had a significantly higher stress burden, indicated by elevations in blood pressure and evening cortisol, relative to lactating non-employed women. In regression analyses that controlled for feeding modality and breastfeeding duration, we found these factors differentially affected PRL in the two groups and there were significant differences in PRL across groups that were not accounted for by these factors. A mediation regression analysis suggested that group differences in PRL were best explained by differences in T3 and income levels, rather than breastfeeding duration or other variables. Our data fit a speculative model in which elevated maternal stress increases cortisol, which suppresses T3, leading to decreased PRL. The decreases in PRL are associated with higher rates of bottlefeeding, which may further contribute to decreased PRL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safia Bibi
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Mohsin Shah
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Omar Malik
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Ki Ann Goosens
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Kim P. How stress can influence brain adaptations to motherhood. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100875. [PMID: 33038383 PMCID: PMC7539902 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Research shows that a woman's brain and body undergo drastic changes to support her transition to parenthood during the perinatal period. The presence of this plasticity suggests that mothers' brains may be changed by their experiences. Exposure to severe stress may disrupt adaptive changes in the maternal brain and further impact the neural circuits of stress regulation and maternal motivation. Emerging literature of human mothers provides evidence that stressful experience, whether from the past or present environment, is associated with altered responses to infant cues in brain circuits that support maternal motivation, emotion regulation, and empathy. Interventions that reduce stress levels in mothers may reverse the negative impact of stress exposure on the maternal brain. Finally, outstanding questions regarding the timing, chronicity, types, and severity of stress exposure, as well as study design to identify the causal impact of stress, and the role of race/ethnicity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States.
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20
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Nepomnaschy PA, Rowlands A, Prescivalli Costa AP, Salvante KG. Socio-Ecological Challenges as Modulators of Women's Reproductive Trajectories. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anthro-102317-045930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Amenorrhea, anovulatory cycles, miscarriages, and other reproductive outcomes are often seen as pathological. Life history theory, in contrast, treats those outcomes as adaptations that helped women optimize the timing of reproductive ventures across our evolutionary history. Women's bodies adjust their reproductive strategies in response to socio-ecological conditions, a process mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). Here, we review the links between socio-ecological conditions, HPAA activity, and the pace of women's reproductive transitions such as puberty, age at first birth, interbirth interval, and perimenopause. We also discuss the HPAA's role as a modulator of reproductive function: It not only suppresses it but may also prime women's bodies for future reproductive ventures. We conclude by reviewing challenges and opportunities within our subfield, including the need for transdisciplinary teams to develop longitudinal studies to improve our understanding of women's reproductive trajectories and outcomes from the moment they are conceived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A. Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Amanda Rowlands
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Ana Paula Prescivalli Costa
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Katrina G. Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
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21
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Egito JH, Nevat M, Shamay-Tsoory SG, Osório AAC. Oxytocin increases the social salience of the outgroup in potential threat contexts. Horm Behav 2020; 122:104733. [PMID: 32179059 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that OT administration may affect not only prosocial outcomes, but also regulate adversarial responses in the context of intergroup relations. However, recent reports have challenged the view of a fixed role of OT in enhancing ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation. Studying the potential effects of OT in modulating threat perception in a context characterized by racial miscegenation (Brazil) may thus afford additional clarification on the matter. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, White Brazilian participants completed a first-person shooter task to assess their responses towards potential threat from racial ingroup (White) or outgroup (Black) members. OT administration enhanced the social salience of the outgroup, by both increasing the rate at which participants refrained from shooting unarmed Black targets to levels similar to White targets, and by further increasing the rate of correct decisions to shoot armed Black targets (versus White armed targets). In summary, our results indicate that a single dose of OT may promote accurate behavioral responses to potential threat from members of a racial outgroup, thus offering support to the social salience hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia H Egito
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Graduate Program, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michael Nevat
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR) and Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Simone G Shamay-Tsoory
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR) and Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Ana Alexandra C Osório
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Graduate Program, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil.
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22
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Witteveen AB, Stramrood CAI, Henrichs J, Flanagan JC, van Pampus MG, Olff M. The oxytocinergic system in PTSD following traumatic childbirth: endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in the peripartum period. Arch Womens Ment Health 2020; 23:317-329. [PMID: 31385103 PMCID: PMC7244459 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-019-00994-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Birth experiences can be traumatic and may give rise to PTSD following childbirth (PTSD-FC). Peripartum neurobiological alterations in the oxytocinergic system are highly relevant for postpartum maternal behavioral and affective adaptions like bonding and lactation but are also implicated in the response to traumatic events. Animal models demonstrated that peripartum stress impairs beneficial maternal postpartum behavior. Early postpartum activation of the oxytocinergic system may, however, reverse these effects and thereby prevent adverse long-term consequences for both mother and infant. In this narrative review, we discuss the impact of trauma and PTSD-FC on normal endogenous oxytocinergic system fluctuations in the peripartum period. We also specifically focus on the potential of exogenous oxytocin (OT) to prevent and treat PTSD-FC. No trials of exogenous OT after traumatic childbirth and PTSD-FC were available. Evidence from non-obstetric PTSD samples and from postpartum healthy or depressed samples implies restorative functional neuroanatomic and psychological effects of exogenous OT such as improved PTSD symptoms and better mother-to-infant bonding, decreased limbic activation, and restored responsiveness in dopaminergic reward regions. Adverse effects of intranasal OT on mood and the increased fear processing and reduced top-down control over amygdala activation in women with acute trauma exposure or postpartum depression, however, warrant cautionary use of intranasal OT. Observational and experimental studies into the role of the endogenous and exogenous oxytocinergic system in PTSD-FC are needed and should explore individual and situational circumstances, including level of acute distress, intrapartum exogenous OT exposure, or history of childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. B. Witteveen
- Department of Midwifery Science/AVAG, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Van der Boechorststraat 7, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C. A. I. Stramrood
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ The Netherlands
| | - J. Henrichs
- Department of Midwifery Science/AVAG, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Van der Boechorststraat 7, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J. C. Flanagan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President St., Charleston, 29425 SC USA
| | - M. G. van Pampus
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, OLVG, Oosterpark 9, Amsterdam, 1091 AC The Netherlands
| | - M. Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ The Netherlands
- Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, Nienoord 5, Diemen, 1112 XE The Netherlands
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23
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Japundžić-Žigon N, Lozić M, Šarenac O, Murphy D. Vasopressin & Oxytocin in Control of the Cardiovascular System: An Updated Review. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 18:14-33. [PMID: 31544693 PMCID: PMC7327933 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x17666190717150501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) in 1953, considerable knowledge has been gathered about their roles in cardiovascular homeostasis. Unraveling VP vasoconstrictor properties and V1a receptors in blood vessels generated powerful hemostatic drugs and drugs effective in the treatment of certain forms of circulatory collapse (shock). Recognition of the key role of VP in water balance via renal V2 receptors gave birth to aquaretic drugs found to be useful in advanced stages of congestive heart failure. There are still unexplored actions of VP and OT on the cardiovascular system, both at the periphery and in the brain that may open new venues in treatment of cardiovascular diseases. After a brief overview on VP, OT and their peripheral action on the cardiovascular system, this review focuses on newly discovered hypothalamic mechanisms involved in neurogenic control of the circulation in stress and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maja Lozić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Olivera Šarenac
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - David Murphy
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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24
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Almanza-Sepulveda ML, Fleming AS, Jonas W. Mothering revisited: A role for cortisol? Horm Behav 2020; 121:104679. [PMID: 31927022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This selective review first describes the involvement of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the relation between peripartum HPA axis function and maternal behavior, stress reactivity and emotional dysregulation in human mothers. To provide experimental background to this correlational work, where helpful, animal studies are also described. It then explores the association between HPA axis function in mothers and their infants, under ongoing non-stressful conditions and during stressful challenges, the moderating role of mothers' sensitivity and behavior in the mother-child co-regulation and the effects of more traumatic risk factors on these relations. The overarching theme being explored is that the HPA axis - albeit a system designed to function during periods of high stress and challenge - also functions to promote adaptation to more normative processes, shown in the new mother who experiences both high cortisol and enhanced attraction and attention to and recognition of, their infants and their cues. Hence the same HPA system shows positive relations with behavior at some time points and inverse ones at others. However, the literature is not uniform and results vary widely depending on the number, timing, place, and type of samplings and assessments, and, of course, the population being studied and, in the present context, the state, the stage, and the stress levels of mother and infant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra L Almanza-Sepulveda
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Wibke Jonas
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Widerströmska Huset, Tomtebodavägen 18a, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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25
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Hillerer KM, Slattery DA, Pletzer B. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in stress-related disorders: Effects of neuroactive steroids on the hippocampus. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100796. [PMID: 31580837 PMCID: PMC7115954 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their vulnerability to a variety of stress-related illnesses, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. This is likely due to a comparative dearth of neurobiological studies that assess male and female rodents at the same time, while human neuroimaging studies often don't model sex as a variable of interest. These sex differences are often attributed to the actions of sex hormones, i.e. estrogens, progestogens and androgens. In this review, we summarize the results on sex hormone actions in the hippocampus and seek to bridge the gap between animal models and findings in humans. However, while effects of sex hormones on the hippocampus are largely consistent in animals and humans, methodological differences challenge the comparability of animal and human studies on stress effects. We summarise our current understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie sex-related differences in behavior and discuss implications for stress-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Salzburger Landeskrankenhaus (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Clinical Research Center Salzburg (CRCS), Salzburg, Austria.
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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26
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Lara-Cinisomo S, D'Anna-Hernandez K, Fujimoto EM, Pedersen CA. Exploring associations between perinatal depression, anxiety, and urinary oxytocin levels in Latinas. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:447-455. [PMID: 30191332 PMCID: PMC7141787 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal depression has been associated with lower oxytocin (OT) levels. However, few studies have explored this topic in relation to Latinas who are at high risk of perinatal depression. The objective of this study was to explore these associations in Latinas. A total of 108 Latinas in the third trimester of pregnancy participated in the study. Depression and urinary OT levels were assessed in pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum. Nonparametric tests were implemented to test the proposed associations. Results revealed that 28% of the participants had probable depression in pregnancy, and 23% at 6 weeks postpartum. OT levels significantly decreased from prenatal to postpartum in the whole sample; however, participants with probable prenatal depression did not exhibit a significant change in OT levels. Participants who were depressed or anxious at 6 weeks postpartum exhibited persistently higher mean OT levels over time. A distinct pattern of higher levels of OT in depressed Latinas suggests that OT levels may be an important neuroendocrine factor contributing to depressive and anxious symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo
- College of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 S. Fourth Street, Champaign, IL, USA.
| | - Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos, CA, 92096, USA
| | - Elinor M Fujimoto
- College of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 S. Fourth Street, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Cort A Pedersen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Hospitals, 101 Manning Dr., Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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27
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Alley J, Diamond LM, Lipschitz DL, Grewen K. Associations between oxytocin and cortisol reactivity and recovery in response to psychological stress and sexual arousal. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:47-56. [PMID: 30954918 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous research suggests a dynamic regulatory relationship between oxytocin and cortisol, but the specific nature of this relationship and its context-specificity have not been fully specified. In the present study, we repeatedly assessed both salivary oxytocin and salivary cortisol during two experimental sessions (one inducing sexual arousal and one inducing psychological stress), conducted two weeks apart with the same group of 63 female participants. Baseline cortisol and baseline oxytocin were significantly correlated in both sessions. Cortisol levels showed significantly different patterns of change during the stress assessment than during the sexual arousal assessment, but oxytocin showed similar patterns of change across both assessments. Greater cortisol stress reactivity predicted higher oxytocin levels immediately after the stressor, but a different pattern emerged during the arousal assessment: Greater oxytocin arousal reactivity predicted attenuated post-arousal reductions in cortisol. For both cortisol and oxytocin, individual differences in women's reactivity to sexual arousal did not predict their reactivity to psychological stress. These findings contribute new insights regarding associations between cortisol and oxytocin reactivity and recovery in different psychological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Karen Grewen
- Karen Grewen, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
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28
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Abstract
Women undergo developmental and cyclic changes in hormonal exposures that affect brain function and mental health. Some women are more vulnerable to the effects of these hormonal exposures, for reasons that remain to be determined. Evidence to date indicates that anxiety and mood disorders are the most sensitive to hormonal fluctuations in women but there is also growing evidence for a protective effect of female reproductive hormones on schizophrenia. The hormonal exposures of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the postpartum period, lactation, and menopause are quite different and may be associated with at least partially distinct symptom profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Altemus
- VA Connecticut Health Care System, Women's Clinic, Building 2, Room 7-165, 950 Campbell Avenue, New Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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29
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Zänkert S, Bellingrath S, Wüst S, Kudielka BM. HPA axis responses to psychological challenge linking stress and disease: What do we know on sources of intra- and interindividual variability? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 105:86-97. [PMID: 30390966 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Stress is an ubiquitous phenomenon with significant impact on human physiology when it lasts too long, when it is too intense, or when it hits vulnerable individuals. Examining the mechanisms linking stress exposure with health and disease is an important endeavor in psychoneuroendocrine research. Empirical evidence so far revealed large intra- as well as inter-individual variability in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to acute psychosocial stress, showing that the HPA axis is a highly adaptive system. Thus, the characterization of intra- und inter-individual patterns of HPA axis reactivity is of high scientific interest and forms the basis on which mechanistic links between stress response (dys)regulation and health impairments can be examined. To date, basic knowledge has been, and still is, accumulated on demographic, biological (including genetic and epigenetic) factors, lifestyle behavioral variables, consumption of substances and medication, psychological and personality factors, as well as on methodological aspects. Besides this, there is also very recent progress in respect to the development of laboratory stress paradigms that can be applied in virtual reality or inside an MRI-scanner. In sum, the present review updates our current knowledge on moderating and intervening factors as sources of intra- und inter-individual variability in human cortisol stress responses and offers recommendations for future research designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Zänkert
- Department of Medical Psychology, Psychological Diagnostics and Research Methodology, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Silja Bellingrath
- Department of Work- and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
| | - Stefan Wüst
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Brigitte M Kudielka
- Department of Medical Psychology, Psychological Diagnostics and Research Methodology, University of Regensburg, Germany.
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30
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Pulopulos MM, Vanderhasselt MA, De Raedt R. Association between changes in heart rate variability during the anticipation of a stressful situation and the stress-induced cortisol response. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 94:63-71. [PMID: 29758470 PMCID: PMC5967249 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Vagal activity - reflecting the activation of stress regulatory mechanisms and prefrontal cortex activation - is thought to play an inhibitory role in the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, most studies investigating the association between stress-induced changes in heart rate variability (HRV, an index of cardiac vagal tone) and cortisol have shown a non-significant relationship. It has been proposed that physiological changes observed during anticipation of a stressor allow individuals to make behavioral, cognitive, and physiological adjustments that are necessary to deal with the upcoming actual stressor. In this study, in a large sample of 171 healthy adults (96 men and 75 women; mean age = 29.98, SD = 11.07), we investigated whether the cortisol response to a laboratory-based stress task was related to anticipation-induced or stress task-induced changes in HRV. As expected, regression analyses showed that a larger decrease in HRV during the anticipation of a stress task was related to higher stress task-induced cortisol increase, but not cortisol recovery. In line with prior research, the stress task-induced change in HRV was not significantly related to cortisol increase or recovery. Our results show for the first time that anticipatory HRV (reflecting differences in stress regulation and prefrontal activity before the encounter with the stressor) is important to understand the stress-induced cortisol increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias M Pulopulos
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Rudi De Raedt
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
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31
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Hillerer KM, Woodside B, Parkinson E, Long H, Verlezza S, Walker CD. Gating of the neuroendocrine stress responses by stressor salience in early lactating female rats is independent of infralimbic cortex activation and plasticity. Stress 2018; 21:217-228. [PMID: 29397787 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1434618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In early lactation (EL), stressor salience modulates neuroendocrine stress responses, but it is unclear whether this persists throughout lactation and which neural structures are implicated. We hypothesized that this process is specific to EL and that the infralimbic (IL) medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) might provide a critical link between assessment of threat and activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in EL. We measured neuroendocrine responses and neuronal Fos induction to a salient (predator odor) or non-salient (tail pinch) psychogenic stressor in EL and late lactation (LL) females. We found that EL females exhibited a large response to predator stress only in the presence of pups, while responses to tail pinch were reduced independently of pup presence. In LL, HPA axis responses were independent of pup presence for both stressors and only responses to tail pinch were modestly reduced compared to virgins. Intracerebral injection of the local anesthetic bupivacaine (BUP) (0.75%; 0.5 µl/side) in the IL mPFC did not differentially affect neuroendocrine responses to predator odor in virgin and EL females, suggesting that lactation-induced changes in this structure might not regulate stressor salience for the HPA axis. However, the IL mPFC displayed morphological changes in lactation, with significant increases in dendritic spine numbers and density in EL compared to LL and virgin females. EL females also showed improved performance in the attention set-shifting task (AST), which could reflect early plasticity in the IL mPFC at a time when rapid adaptation of the maternal brain is necessary for pup survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute , Montreal , Canada
- b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Paracelsus Medical University , Salzburg , Austria
| | - Barbara Woodside
- c Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University , Montreal , Canada
| | - Emily Parkinson
- a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute , Montreal , Canada
| | - Hong Long
- a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute , Montreal , Canada
| | - Silvanna Verlezza
- a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute , Montreal , Canada
| | - Claire-Dominique Walker
- a Department of Psychiatry , McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute , Montreal , Canada
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Hasiec M, Misztal T. Adaptive Modifications of Maternal Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity during Lactation and Salsolinol as a New Player in this Phenomenon. Int J Endocrinol 2018; 2018:3786038. [PMID: 29849616 PMCID: PMC5914094 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3786038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Both basal and stress-induced secretory activities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are distinctly modified in lactating females. On the one hand, it aims to meet the physiological demands of the mother, and on the other hand, the appropriate and stable plasma cortisol level is one of the essential factors for the proper offspring development. Specific adaptations of HPA axis activity to lactation have been extensively studied in several animal species and humans, providing interesting data on the HPA axis plasticity mechanism. However, most of the data related to this phenomenon are derived from studies in rats. The purpose of this review is to highlight these adaptations, with a particular emphasis on stress reaction and differences that occur between species. Existing data on breastfeeding women are also included in several aspects. Finally, data from the experiments in sheep are presented, indicating a new regulatory factor of the HPA axis-salsolinol-which typical role was revealed in lactation. It is suggested that this dopamine derivative is involved in both maintaining basal and suppressing stress-induced HPA axis activities in lactating dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Hasiec
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
| | - Tomasz Misztal
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
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33
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Mitra S, Mucha M, Owen S, Bult-Ito A. Postpartum Lactation-Mediated Behavioral Outcomes and Drug Responses in a Spontaneous Mouse Model of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. ACS Chem Neurosci 2017; 8:2683-2697. [PMID: 28945961 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00231] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a spontaneous mouse model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the current study evaluated the influence of postpartum lactation on the expression of compulsive-like behaviors, SSRI effectiveness, and the putative role of oxytocin and dopamine in mediating these lactation specific behavioral outcomes. Compulsive-like lactating mice were less compulsive-like in nest building and marble burying and showed enhanced responsiveness to fluoxetine (50 mg/kg) in comparison to compulsive-like nonlactating and nulliparous females. Lactating mice exhibited more anxiety-like behavior in the open field test compared to the nulliparous females, while chronic fluoxetine reduced anxiety-like behaviors. Blocking the oxytocin receptor with L368-899 (5 mg/kg) in the lactating mice exacerbated the compulsive-like and depression-like behaviors. The dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) agonist bromocriptine (10 mg/kg) suppressed marble burying, nest building, and central entries in the open field, but because it also suppressed overall locomotion in the open field, activation of the D2R receptor may have inhibited overall activity nonspecifically. Lactation- and fluoxetine-mediated behavioral outcomes in compulsive-like mice, therefore, appear to be partly regulated by oxytocinergic mechanisms. Serotonin immunoreactivity and serum levels were higher in lactating compulsive-like mice compared to nonlactating and nulliparous compulsive-like females. Together, these results suggest behavioral modulation, serotonergic alterations, and changes in SSRI effectiveness during lactation in compulsive-like mice. This warrants further investigation of postpartum events in OCD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarup Mitra
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
- IDeA
Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - McKenzie Mucha
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - Savanah Owen
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - Abel Bult-Ito
- Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
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Abstract
Women undergo developmental and cyclic changes in hormonal exposures that affect brain function and mental health. Some women are more vulnerable to the effects of these hormonal exposures, for reasons that remain to be determined. Evidence to date indicates that anxiety and mood disorders are the most sensitive to hormonal fluctuations in women but there is also growing evidence for a protective effect of female reproductive hormones on schizophrenia. The hormonal exposures of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the postpartum period, lactation, and menopause are quite different and may be associated with at least partially distinct symptom profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Altemus
- VA Connecticut Health Care System, Women's Clinic, Building 2, Room 7-165, 950 Campbell Avenue, New Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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35
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Gangestad SW, Grebe NM. Hormonal systems, human social bonding, and affiliation. Horm Behav 2017; 91:122-135. [PMID: 27530218 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Which hormones are implicated in human social bonding and affiliation? And how does field research speak to this issue? We begin by laying out a broad view of how endocrine hormones in general modulate life history allocations of energy and other resources, and the ways in which their neuromodulatory functions must be understood within a broader conceptualization of how they have been shaped to affect allocations. We then turn to four specific hormones or hormone families that have received much attention: oxytocin, opioids, prolactin, and progesterone. Each plays a role in regulating psychological capacities and propensities that underlie individuals' interactions with important social targets. Yet in no case is it clear exactly what regulatory roles these hormones play. We suggest several directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W Gangestad
- Department of Psychology, University of New, Albuquerque, NM 87111, Mexico.
| | - Nicholas M Grebe
- Department of Psychology, University of New, Albuquerque, NM 87111, Mexico
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36
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Krause S, Pokorny D, Schury K, Doyen-Waldecker C, Hulbert AL, Karabatsiakis A, Kolassa IT, Gündel H, Waller C, Buchheim A. Effects of the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System on Oxytocin and Cortisol Blood Levels in Mothers. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:627. [PMID: 28008313 PMCID: PMC5143683 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin, a small neuropeptide of nine amino acids, has been characterized as the “hormone of affiliation” and is stimulated, for instance, in mothers when interacting with their offspring. Variations in maternal oxytocin levels were reported to predict differences in the quality of care provided by mothers. In this study, the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) as a valid measure to assess attachment representations was used as an activating attachment-related stimulus. We investigated whether the AAP induces a release of oxytocin in mothers with a secure attachment representation and a stress-related cortisol response in mothers with an insecure attachment representation. Therefore, pre-post effects of AAP administration on plasma oxytocin and serum cortisol levels were investigated in n = 44 mothers 3 months after parturition. Oxytocin levels increased from pre to post in the significant majority of 73% participants (p = 0.004) and cortisol decreased in the significant majority of 73% participants (p = 0.004). Interestingly, no association between alterations in oxytocin and cortisol were found; this suggests taking a model of two independent processes into considerations. These results show that the AAP test procedure induces an oxytocin response. Concerning the results within the four AAP representation subgroups, our hypothesis of a particularly strong increase in oxytocin in secure mothers was not confirmed; however, in secure mothers we observed a particularly strong decrease in cortisol. Effect sizes are reported, allowing the replication of results in a larger study with sufficient sample size to draw final conclusions with respect to differences in OT and cortisol alterations depending on attachment representation. When interpreting the results, one should keep in mind that this study investigated lactating mothers. Thus, the generalizability of results is limited and future studies should investigate non-lactating healthy females as well as males and include a control stimulus condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Krause
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Dan Pokorny
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Katharina Schury
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Anna-Lena Hulbert
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexander Karabatsiakis
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Iris-Tatjana Kolassa
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Ulm, Germany
| | - Anna Buchheim
- Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
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37
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Engert V, Koester AM, Riepenhausen A, Singer T. Boosting recovery rather than buffering reactivity: Higher stress-induced oxytocin secretion is associated with increased cortisol reactivity and faster vagal recovery after acute psychosocial stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:111-120. [PMID: 27608360 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Animal models and human studies using paradigms designed to stimulate endogenous oxytocin release suggest a stress-buffering role of oxytocin. We here examined the involvement of stress-induced peripheral oxytocin secretion in reactivity and recovery phases of the human psychosocial stress response. Healthy male and female participants (N=114) were subjected to a standardized laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. In addition to plasma oxytocin, cortisol was assessed as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA-) axis activity, alpha-amylase and heart rate as markers of sympathetic activity, high frequency heart rate variability as a marker of vagal tone and self-rated anxiety as an indicator of subjective stress experience. On average, oxytocin levels increased by 51% following psychosocial stress. The stress-induced oxytocin secretion, however, did not reduce stress reactivity. To the contrary, higher oxytocin secretion was associated with greater cortisol reactivity and peak cortisol levels in both sexes. In the second phase of the stress response the opposite pattern was observed, with higher oxytocin secretion associated with faster vagal recovery. We suggest that after an early stage of oxytocin and HPA-axis co-activation, the stress-reducing action of oxytocin unfolds. Due to the time lag it manifests as a recovery-boosting rather than a reactivity-buffering effect. By reinforcing parasympathetic autonomic activity, specifically during stress recovery, oxytocin may provide an important protective function against the health-compromising effects of sustained stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Engert
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Social Neuroscience, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Anna M Koester
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Social Neuroscience, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antje Riepenhausen
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Social Neuroscience, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Social Neuroscience, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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38
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Quigley KM, Moore GA, Propper CB, Goldman BD, Cox MJ. Vagal Regulation in Breastfeeding Infants and Their Mothers. Child Dev 2016; 88:919-933. [DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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39
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Hill PD, Chatterton RT, Aldag JC. Neuroendocrine Responses to Stressors in Lactating and Nonlactating Mammals: A Literature Review. Biol Res Nurs 2016; 5:79-86. [PMID: 14531212 DOI: 10.1177/1099800403256494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although stress research is a popular topic of study, little is known about the neuroendocrine responses to a stressor in lactating and nonlactating humans. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to examine the neuroendocrine responses, specifically the glucocorticoids and catecholamines, in lactating and nonlactating animals and humans to an acute stressor. A brief overview of the physiological stress response in the human is included. Animal studies strongly suggest that lactation is associated with major changes in neuroendocrine responses to a variety of acute stressors. Neuroendocrine responses in humans to stressors are less clear due to the limited research. Future research is needed involving these responses in humans generally, as well as specifically in the patterns of neuroendocrine responses to chronic stressors in lactating and nonlactating women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela D Hill
- College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1515 5th Avenue, Suite 400, Moline, IL 61265, USA.
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40
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Abstract
Successfully rearing young places multiple demands on the mammalian female. These are met by a wide array of alterations in maternal physiology and behavior that are coordinated with the needs of the developing young, and include adaptations in neuroendocrine systems not directly involved in maternal behavior or lactation. In this article, attenuations in the behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stressors, the alterations in metabolic pathways facilitating both increased food intake and conservation of energy, and the changes in fertility that occur postpartum are described. The mechanisms underlying these processes as well as the factors that contribute to them and the relative contributions of these stimuli at different times postpartum are also reviewed. The induction and maintenance of the adaptations observed in the postpartum maternal brain are dependent on mother-young interaction and, in most cases, on suckling stimulation and its consequences for the hormonal profile of the mother. The peptide hormone prolactin acting on receptors within the brain makes a major contribution to changes in metabolic pathways, suppression of fertility and the attenuation of the neuroendocrine response to stress during lactation. Oxytocin is also released, both into the circulation and in some hypothalamic nuclei, in response to suckling stimulation and this hormone has been implicated in the decrease in anxiety behavior seen in the early postpartum period. The relative importance of these hormones changes across lactation and it is becoming increasingly clear that many of the adaptations to motherhood reviewed here reflect the outcome of multiple influences. © 2016 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 6:1493-1518, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Woodside
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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41
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Bhaskara B, Dayananda VP, Kannan S, Raghavendra Rao RS, Ramachandraiah R. Effect of breastfeeding on haemodynamics and consumption of propofol and sevoflurane: A state entropy guided comparative study. Indian J Anaesth 2016; 60:180-6. [PMID: 27053781 PMCID: PMC4800934 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5049.177865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims: Unique post-partum endocrine hormone oxytocin secreted during breastfeeding (BF) has amnestic, sedative properties and down-regulates stress responses. This study was done to assess the effect of BF on consumption of propofol, sevoflurane and haemodynamic stability in women. Methods: Study was conducted on 120 women aged 20–30 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II physical status scheduled for tubectomy under general anaesthesia who were randomly allocated to three groups 40 of each; BF, withhold feeding (WF), and non-feeding (NF) groups. All received standard premedication. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and state entropy (SE) values were recorded at regular intervals. All patients were induced with intravenous propofol until the SE levels dropped to 45, and dose of propofol recorded. Airway was secured with laryngeal mask airway and anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in 60% N2O and O2. Sevoflurane concentration was adjusted to maintain SE between 40 and 60. End tidal concentration of sevoflurane and consumption of sevoflurane (ml) was recorded by GE Datex-Ohmeda S/5™ System. Results were analysed by analysis of variance and Chi-square test. Results: Demographic parameters were comparable. Dose of propofol and sevoflurane consumption in group BF was significantly reduced by 20% and 35%, respectively (P < 0.05) compared to group NF. Intra-operative HR and MAP were persistently low in group BF and elevated in group WF (P < 0.05). Conclusion: BF before induction of anaesthesia decreases the consumption of propofol, sevoflurane and maintains the intra-operative haemodynamic stability, whereas withholding BF increases propofol and sevoflurane consumption with intra-operative higher HR and MAP, compared to control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Bhaskara
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - V P Dayananda
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sudheesh Kannan
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - R S Raghavendra Rao
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - R Ramachandraiah
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Stephens MAC, Mahon PB, McCaul ME, Wand GS. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to acute psychosocial stress: Effects of biological sex and circulating sex hormones. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 66:47-55. [PMID: 26773400 PMCID: PMC4788592 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis influences the risk for developing stress-related disorders. Sex-dependent differences in the HPA axis stress response are believed to contribute to the different prevalence rates of stress-related disorders found in men and women. However, studies examining the HPA axis stress response have shown mixed support for sex differences, and the role of endogenous sex hormones on HPA axis response has not been adequately examined in humans. This study utilized the largest sample size to date to analyze the effects of biological sex and sex hormones on HPA axis social stress responses. Healthy, 18- to 30- year-old community volunteers (N=282) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a widely used and well-validated stress-induction laboratory procedure. All women (n=135) were tested during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (when progesterone levels are most similar to men). Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol measures were collected at multiple points throughout pre- and post-TSST. Testosterone and progesterone (in men) and progesterone and estradiol (in women) were determined pre-TSST. Following the TSST, men had greater ACTH and cortisol levels than women. Men had steeper baseline-to-peak and peak-to-end ACTH and cortisol response slopes than women; there was a trend for more cortisol responders among men than women. Testosterone negatively correlated with salivary cortisol response in men, while progesterone negatively correlated with ACTH and cortisol responses in women. These data confirm that men show more robust activation of the HPA axis response to the TSST than do women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Testosterone results suggest an inhibitory effect on HPA axis reactivity in men. Progesterone results suggest an inhibitory effect on HPA axis reactivity in women. Future work is needed to explain why men mount a greater ACTH and cortisol response to the TSST than do women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann C Stephens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Pamela B Mahon
- Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St, Phipps 300, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
| | - Mary E McCaul
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Gary S Wand
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Ross Building, Rm 863, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Romano A, Tempesta B, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Gaetani S. From Autism to Eating Disorders and More: The Role of Oxytocin in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neurosci 2016; 9:497. [PMID: 26793046 PMCID: PMC4709851 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (oxy) is a pituitary neuropeptide hormone synthesized from the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei within the hypothalamus. Like other neuropeptides, oxy can modulate a wide range of neurotransmitter and neuromodulator activities. Additionally, through the neurohypophysis, oxy is secreted into the systemic circulation to act as a hormone, thereby influencing several body functions. Oxy plays a pivotal role in parturition, milk let-down and maternal behavior and has been demonstrated to be important in the formation of pair bonding between mother and infants as well as in mating pairs. Furthermore, oxy has been proven to play a key role in the regulation of several behaviors associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, including social interactions, social memory response to social stimuli, decision-making in the context of social interactions, feeding behavior, emotional reactivity, etc. An increasing body of evidence suggests that deregulations of the oxytocinergic system might be involved in the pathophysiology of certain neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, eating disorders, schizophrenia, mood, and anxiety disorders. The potential use of oxy in these mental health disorders is attracting growing interest since numerous beneficial properties are ascribed to this neuropeptide. The present manuscript will review the existing findings on the role played by oxy in a variety of distinct physiological and behavioral functions (Figure 1) and on its role and impact in different psychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to highlight the need of further investigations on this target that might contribute to the development of novel more efficacious therapies.
Oxytocin regulatory control of different and complex processes. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Romano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | - Bianca Tempesta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvana Gaetani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
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Stuebe A. Associations Among Lactation, Maternal Carbohydrate Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Health. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2015; 58:827-39. [PMID: 26457850 PMCID: PMC4968698 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In mammalian reproductive physiology, lactation follows pregnancy; growing evidence suggests that disruption of this physiology affects a woman's lifetime risk of metabolic disease. These differences may reflect lactation-induced mobilization of fat stores and modulation of maternal stress reactivity. In addition, confounders may play a role: women who breastfeed for long durations are more likely to engage in other healthy behaviors, and obesity and insulin resistance may interfere with breastfeeding physiology. These findings underscore the importance of evidenced-based care to enable women to achieve their infant feeding goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Stuebe
- *Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine †Maternal and Child Health, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Reproductive experiential regulation of cognitive and emotional resilience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 58:92-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Nepomnaschy PA, Salvante KG, Zeng L, Pyles C, Ma H, Blais JC, Wen L, Barha CK. Variation in maternal urinary cortisol profiles across the peri-conceptional period: a longitudinal description and evaluation of potential functions. Hum Reprod 2015; 30:1460-72. [PMID: 25904636 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION How do women's first morning urinary cortisol levels, a marker of stress axis activity, vary during the peri-conceptional period (the 12 weeks around conception)? SUMMARY ANSWER First morning urinary cortisol follows an overall increasing trajectory across the peri-conceptional period, interrupted by 2 week-long decreases during the week preceding conception and the fifth week following conception. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Later gestational stages (i.e. second and third trimesters) are characterized by increasing levels of circulating cortisol. This increase is hypothesized to constitute a response to the energy demands imposed by fetal growth, and the development of energy reserves in preparation for nursing and performing regular activities while carrying pregnancy's extra weight and volume. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This study is based on a data set collected as part of a longitudinal, naturalistic investigation into the interactions between the stress (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA)) and reproductive (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA)) axes. Biomarkers of HPAA and HPGA function were quantified in first morning urinary specimens collected every other day from 22 healthy women who conceived a pregnancy during the study. We analyzed the longitudinal within- and between-individual variation in first morning urinary cortisol levels across the 12-week peri-conceptional period. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Participants were recruited from two rural, aboriginal, neighboring communities in Guatemala. Cortisol, estradiol and progesterone metabolites (estrone-3-glucuronide and pregnanediol glucuronide, respectively) and hCG levels were quantified in first morning urinary specimens using immunoassays to determine time of conception and confirm pregnancy maintenance. Linear mixed-effects models with regression splines were used to evaluate the magnitude and significance of changes in cortisol trajectories. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Overall, maternal first morning urinary cortisol increased from 6 weeks prior to conception (geometric mean ± SD = 58.14 ± 36.00 ng/ml) to 6 weeks post-conception (89.29 ± 46.76 ng/ml). The magnitude of the increase between the pre- and post-conception periods varied significantly between women (likelihood ratio test statistic = 8.0017, P = 0.005). The peri-conceptional period is characterized by an increasing cortisol trajectory (+1.36% per day; P = 0.007) interrupted by a week-long decline immediately prior to conception (-4.02% per day; P = 0.0013). After conception cortisol increased again (+1.73% per day; P = 0.0008) for 4 weeks, fell in the fifth week (-6.60% per day; P = 0.0002) and increased again in post-conceptional week 6 (+8.86% per day; P = 0.002). Maternal urinary cortisol levels varied with sex of the gestating embryo. During gestational week 2, mothers carrying female embryos (N = 10) had higher mean cortisol levels than those carrying male embryos (N = 9) (t(17) = 2.28, P = 0.04). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our results are based on a relatively small sample (n = 22) of women. However, our repeated-measures design with an average of 27 ± 8 (mean ± SD) data points per woman strengthens the precision of estimates resulting in high statistical power. Additionally, our study population's high degree of ethnic and cultural homogeneity reduces the effects of confounders compared with those found in industrialized populations. This higher level of homogeneity also increases our statistical power. However, since there may be small differences in absolute cortisol values among ethnic groups, the social and biological background of our sample may affect the generalizability of our results. General patterns of HPAA activity, however, are expected to be universal across women. Finally, as there is, to the best of our knowledge, no evidence to the contrary, we assumed that urinary cortisol levels reflect HPAA activity and that changes in gonadal steroids across the menstrual cycle do not affect the levels of free cortisol measured in urine. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal profile of basal maternal HPAA activity across the peri-conceptional period. A basic understanding of the normative (basal as opposed to stress-induced) changes in HPAA activity across this period is needed to accurately assess women's stress at this juncture. Importantly, changes in HPAA activity are likely to play a critical role in ovulation, fertilization, implantation, placentation and embryonic programing. Thus, this novel information should aid in the development of interventions aimed at preventing or moderating undesired effects of maternal physiological stress during the peri-conceptional period on reproductive outcomes as well as embryonic development. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This research was funded by a CIHR IGH Open Operating grant (CIHR 106705) to P.A.N. and L.Z.; a Simon Fraser University (SFU) President's Start-up grant, a Community Trust Endowment Fund grant through SFU's Human Evolutionary Studies Program and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Career Investigator Scholar Award to P.A.N.; an NSERC Discovery grant to L.Z.; a CIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship to C.K.B. and an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award to H.M. and J.C.B. The funding agencies had no role in the design, analysis, interpretation or reporting of the findings. There are no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - K G Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - L Zeng
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - C Pyles
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - H Ma
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - J C Blais
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - L Wen
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - C K Barha
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6
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Goel N, Workman JL, Lee TT, Innala L, Viau V. Sex differences in the HPA axis. Compr Physiol 2015; 4:1121-55. [PMID: 24944032 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c130054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a major component of the systems that respond to stress, by coordinating the neuroendocrine and autonomic responses. Tightly controlled regulation of HPA responses is critical for maintaining mental and physical health, as hyper- and hypo-activity have been linked to disease states. A long history of research has revealed sex differences in numerous components of the HPA stress system and its responses, which may partially form the basis for sex disparities in disease development. Despite this, many studies use male subjects exclusively, while fewer reports involve females or provide direct sex comparisons. The purpose of this article is to present sex comparisons in the functional and molecular aspects of the HPA axis, through various phases of activity, including basal, acute stress, and chronic stress conditions. The HPA axis in females initiates more rapidly and produces a greater output of stress hormones. This review focuses on the interactions between the gonadal hormone system and the HPA axis as the key mediators of these sex differences, whereby androgens increase and estrogens decrease HPA activity in adulthood. In addition to the effects of gonadal hormones on the adult response, morphological impacts of hormone exposure during development are also involved in mediating sex differences. Additional systems impinging on the HPA axis that contribute to sex differences include the monoamine neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin. Diverse signals originating from the brain and periphery are integrated to determine the level of HPA axis activity, and these signals are, in many cases, sex-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirupa Goel
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Long-term exposure to intranasal oxytocin in a mouse autism model. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e480. [PMID: 25386957 PMCID: PMC4259989 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide involved in mammalian social behavior. It is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies in healthy rodents (prairie voles and C57BL/6J mice) have shown that there may be detrimental effects of long-term intranasal administration, raising the questions about safety and efficacy. To investigate the effects of OT on the aspects of ASD phenotype, we conducted the first study of chronic intranasal OT in a well-validated mouse model of autism, the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J inbred strain (BTBR), which displays low sociability and high repetitive behaviors. BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) mice (N=94) were administered 0.8 IU/kg of OT intranasally, daily for 30 days, starting on day 21. We ran a well-characterized set of behavioral tasks relevant to diagnostic and associated symptoms of autism, including juvenile reciprocal social interactions, three-chambered social approach, open-field exploratory activity, repetitive self-grooming and fear-conditioned learning and memory, some during and some post treatment. Intranasal OT did not improve autism-relevant behaviors in BTBR, except for female sniffing in the three-chambered social interaction test. Male saline-treated BTBR mice showed increased interest in a novel mouse, both in chamber time and sniffing time, whereas OT-treated male BTBR mice showed a preference for the novel mouse in sniffing time only. No deleterious effects of OT were detected in either B6 or BTBR mice, except possibly for the lack of a preference for the novel mouse's chamber in OT-treated male BTBR mice. These results highlight the complexity inherent in understanding the effects of OT on behavior. Future investigations of chronic intranasal OT should include a wider dose range and early developmental time points in both healthy rodents and ASD models to affirm the efficacy and safety of OT.
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Lozić M, Greenwood M, Šarenac O, Martin A, Hindmarch C, Tasić T, Paton J, Murphy D, Japundžić-Žigon N. Overexpression of oxytocin receptors in the hypothalamic PVN increases baroreceptor reflex sensitivity and buffers BP variability in conscious rats. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:4385-98. [PMID: 24834854 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus is an important integrative site for neuroendocrine control of the circulation. We investigated the role of oxytocin receptors (OT receptors) in PVN in cardiovascular homeostasis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Experiments were performed in conscious male Wistar rats equipped with a radiotelemetric device. The PVN was unilaterally co-transfected with an adenoviral vector (Ad), engineered to overexpress OT receptors, and an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) tag. Control groups: PVN was transfected with an Ad expressing eGFP alone or untransfected, sham rats (Wt). Recordings were obtained without and with selective blockade of OT receptors (OTX), during both baseline and stressful conditions. Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS) and cardiovascular short-term variability were evaluated using the sequence method and spectral methodology respectively. KEY RESULTS Under baseline conditions, rats overexpressing OT receptors (OTR) exhibited enhanced BRS and reduced BP variability compared to control groups. Exposure to stress increased BP, BP variability and HR in all rats. In control groups, but not in OTR rats, BRS decreased during stress. Pretreatment of OTR rats with OTX reduced BRS and enhanced BP and HR variability under baseline and stressful conditions. Pretreatment of Wt rats with OTX, reduced BRS and increased BP variability under baseline and stressful conditions, but only increased HR variability during stress. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OT receptors in PVN are involved in tonic neural control of BRS and cardiovascular short-term variability. The failure of this mechanism could critically contribute to the loss of autonomic control in cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Lozić
- Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Neurosteroid, GABAergic and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis regulation: what is the current state of knowledge in humans? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:3619-34. [PMID: 24756763 PMCID: PMC4135030 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3572-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE A robust epidemiological literature suggests an association between chronic stress and the development of affective disorders. However, the precise biological underpinnings of this relationship remain elusive. Central to the human response and adaptation to stress, activation and inhibition of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis involves a multi-level, multi-system, neurobiological stress response which is as comprehensive in its complexity as it is precarious. Dysregulation in this complex system has implications for human stress related illness. OBJECTIVES The pioneering research of Robert Purdy and colleagues has laid the groundwork for advancing our understanding of HPA axis regulation by stress-derived steroid hormones and their neuroactive metabolites (termed neurosteroids), which are potent allosteric modulators of GABAA receptor function in the central nervous system. This review will describe what is known about neurosteroid modulation of the HPA axis in response to both acute and chronic stress, particularly with respect to the current state of our knowledge of this process in humans. RESULTS Implications of this research to the development of human stress-related illness are discussed in the context of two human stress-related psychiatric disorders - major depressive disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. CONCLUSIONS Neurosteroid-mediated HPA axis dysregulation is a potential pathophysiologic mechanism which may cross traditional psychiatric diagnostic classifications. Future research directions are identified.
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