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Pan T, Gallo ME, Donald KA, Webb K, Bath KG. Elevated risk for psychiatric outcomes in pediatric patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C): A review of neuroinflammatory and psychosocial stressors. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 38:100760. [PMID: 38586284 PMCID: PMC10992702 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a secondary immune manifestation of COVID-19 involving multiple organ systems in the body, resulting in fever, skin rash, abdominal pain, nausea, shock, and cardiac dysfunction that often lead to hospitalization. Although many of these symptoms resolve following anti-inflammatory treatment, the long-term neurological and psychiatric sequelae of MIS-C are unknown. In this review, we will summarize two domains of the MIS-C disease course, 1) Neuroinflammation in the MIS-C brain and 2) Psychosocial disruptions resulting from stress and hospitalization. In both domains, we present existing clinical findings and hypothesize potential connections to psychiatric outcomes. This is the first review to conceptualize a holistic framework of psychiatric risk in MIS-C patients that includes neuroinflammatory and psychosocial risk factors. As cases of severe COVID-19 and MIS-C subside, it is important for clinicians to monitor outcomes in this vulnerable patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Pan
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 029112, USA
- The Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Meghan E. Gallo
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 029112, USA
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical College, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Kirsten A. Donald
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- The Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kate Webb
- Division of Paediatric Rheumatology, School of Child and Adolescent Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
- Crick African Network, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Kevin G. Bath
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical College, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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Parks BJ, Salazar P, Morrison L, McGraw MK, Gunnell M, Tobacyk J, Brents LK, Berquist MD. Limited bedding and nesting increases ethanol drinking in female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 239:173756. [PMID: 38555037 PMCID: PMC11088506 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) and postnatal adverse experiences are early life adversities (ELA) that often co-occur and increase problematic alcohol (EtOH) drinking during adolescence. We investigated the relationship between POE, postnatal adversity, and adolescent EtOH drinking in rats. We also sought to determine whether ELAs affect alpha-adrenoceptor density in the brain because the noradrenergic system is involved in problematic alcohol drinking and its treatment. We hypothesized that the combination of POE and postnatal adversity will increase alcohol drinking in rats compared to rats with exposure to either adversity alone or to control. We also predicted that POE and postnatal adversity would increase α1-adrenoceptor density and decrease α2-adrenoceptor density in brain to confer a stress-responsive phenotype. Pregnant rats received morphine (15 mg/kg/day) or saline via subcutaneous minipumps from gestational day 9 until birth. Limited bedding and nesting (LBN) procedures were introduced from postnatal day (PD) 3-11 to mimic early life adversity-scarcity. Offspring rats (PD 31-33) were given opportunities to drink EtOH (20 %, v/v) using intermittent-access, two-bottle choice (with water) procedures. Rats given access to EtOH were assigned into sub-groups that were injected with either yohimbine (1 mg/kg, ip) or vehicle (2 % DMSO, ip) 30 min prior to each EtOH access session to determine the effects of α2-adrenoceptor inhibition on alcohol drinking. We harvested cortices, brainstems, and hypothalami from EtOH-naïve littermates on either PD 30 or PD 70 and conducted radioligand receptor binding assays to quantify α1- and α2-adrenoceptor densities. Contrary to our hypothesis, only LBN alone increased EtOH intake in female adolescent rats compared to female rats with POE. Neither POE nor LBN affected α1- or α2-adrenoceptor densities in the cortex, brainstem, or hypothalamus of early- or late-aged adolescent rats. These results suggest a complex interaction between ELA type and sex on alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- B J Parks
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - P Salazar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - L Morrison
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - M K McGraw
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - M Gunnell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - J Tobacyk
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - L K Brents
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America
| | - M D Berquist
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Mail Slot 611, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States of America.
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Alon N, Macrynikola N, Jester DJ, Keshavan M, Reynolds CF, Saxena S, Thomas ML, Torous J, Jeste DV. Social determinants of mental health in major depressive disorder: Umbrella review of 26 meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Psychiatry Res 2024; 335:115854. [PMID: 38554496 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
There is a growing recognition of the impact of social determinants of mental health (SDoMHs) on people with, or at risk of, developing serious mental illnesses. Yet it is not known how associations of individual SDoMHs with risk for major depressive disorder (MDD) vary and roughly compare with one another. Following PRISMA guidelines, this umbrella review included 26 meta-analyses and systematic reviews that reported odds ratios, effect sizes, and/or pooled prevalence rates of MDD in samples with versus without specified SDoMHs. Childhood emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and neglect; intimate partner violence in females; and food insecurity were significantly associated with increased risk of MDD, with medium effect sizes. Natural disasters, terrorist acts, and military combat during deployment had small-size adverse effects, and homelessness, incarceration, and migration were associated with significantly elevated prevalence of MDD. Conversely, higher levels of parental care were significantly associated with reduced risk of MDD with medium effect sizes. Evidence supports the use of certain interventions at the individual and community level that can reduce the impact of these factors and promote health, although much more research is warranted in this area along with meaningful healthcare and societal policies to accomplish this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noy Alon
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Natalia Macrynikola
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dylan J Jester
- Women's Operational Military Exposure Network Center of Excellence (WOMEN CoE), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Shekhar Saxena
- Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael L Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - John Torous
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dilip V Jeste
- Global Research Network on Social Determinants of Health, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Rogerson O, O'Connor RC, O'Connor DB. The effects of childhood trauma on stress-related vulnerability factors and indicators of suicide risk: An ecological momentary assessment study. J Affect Disord 2024; 352:479-489. [PMID: 38342320 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood trauma is experienced by approximately one third of young people in the United Kingdom and has been shown to confer an increased risk for mental health difficulties in adulthood. Understanding the associations between these factors before negative health outcomes manifest in adulthood is imperative to help inform the development of interventions. The aims of this study were two-fold; first, to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on daily stress-related vulnerability factors over a period of 7 days and to test whether any observed relationships were moderated by protective or risk factors. Second, to explore the indirect effects of childhood trauma on reasons for living, optimism, daily suicide ideation, defeat and entrapment through the daily stress-related vulnerability factors. METHODS 212 participants were recruited to an ecological momentary assessment study to complete three diaries per day for a 7-day period. Participants completed daily measures of stress, hassles, executive functioning, impulsivity, sleep quality (stress-related vulnerability factors) as well as measures of reasons for living, optimism, daily thoughts of suicide, defeat and entrapment. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was also completed at baseline. RESULTS Analyses found that childhood trauma was significantly associated with higher scores on the daily stress-related vulnerability factors and positively related to each of the daily indicators of suicide risk. The study also uncovered key pathways whereby trauma had indirect effects on reasons for living, optimism, daily thoughts of suicide, defeat and entrapment through executive functioning, impulsivity, sleep quality and stress. LIMITATIONS The measures of executive function and sleep were self-reported and future research ought to replicate the current findings using more objective methods. DISCUSSION The findings from this study highlight the complexity of childhood trauma and its damaging effects on stress-related vulnerability factors and poorer mental health outcomes. Greater understanding of pathways by which trauma may impact later health outcomes is essential for development of interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rory C O'Connor
- Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Etzel L, Apsley AT, Hastings WJ, Ye Q, Shalev I. Early life adversity is associated with differential gene expression in immune cells: A cluster-based analysis across an acute psychosocial stressor. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:724-733. [PMID: 38663776 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating mechanisms by which early-life adversity (ELA) contributes to increased disease risk is important for mitigating adverse health outcomes. Prior work has found differences in immune cell gene expression related to inflammation and mitochondrial activity. Using a within-person between-group experimental design, we investigated differences in gene expression clusters across acute psychosocial stress and no-stress conditions. Participants were young adults (N = 29, aged 18 - 25 years, 62 % female, 47 % with a history of ELA). Gene expression was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected at 8 blood draws spanning two 5-hour sessions (stress vs. no-stress) separated by a week, 4 across each session (number of observations = 221). We applied two unsupervised gene clustering methods - latent profile analysis (LPA) and weighted gene co-expression analysis (WGCNA) - to cluster genes with similar expression patterns across participants. LPA identified 11 clusters, 7 of which were significantly associated with ELA-status. WGCNA identified 5 clusters, 3 of which were significantly associated with ELA-status. LPA- and WGCNA-identified clusters were correlated, and all clusters were highly preserved across sessions and time. There was no significant effect of acute stress on cluster gene expression, but there was a significant effect of time, and significant differences by ELA-status. ELA-associated clusters related to RNA splicing/processing, inflammation, leukocyte differentiation and division, and mitochondrial activity were differentially expressed across time: ELA-exposed individuals showed decreased expression of these clusters at 90-minutes while controls showed increased expression. Our findings replicate previous work in this area and highlight additional mechanisms by which ELA may contribute to disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Tromp DPM, Fox AS, Riedel MK, Oler JA, Zhou X, Roseboom PH, Alexander AL, Kalin NH. Early life adversity in primates: Behavioral, endocrine, and neural effects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 162:106953. [PMID: 38232531 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that early life adversity is associated with maladaptive behaviors and is commonly an antecedent of stress-related psychopathology. This is particularly relevant to rearing in primate species as infant primates depend on prolonged, nurturant rearing by caregivers for normal development. To further understand the consequences of early life rearing adversity, and the relation among alterations in behavior, physiology and brain function, we assessed young monkeys that had experienced maternal separation followed by peer rearing with behavioral, endocrine and multimodal neuroimaging measures. METHODS 50 young rhesus monkeys were studied, half of which were rejected by their mothers and peer reared, and the other half were reared by their mothers. Assessments were performed at approximately 1.8 years of age and included: threat related behavioral and cortisol responses, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measurements of oxytocin and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), and multimodal neuroimaging measures (anatomical scans, resting functional connectivity, diffusion tensor imaging, and threat-related regional glucose metabolism). RESULTS The results demonstrated alterations across behavioral, endocrine, and neuroimaging measures in young monkeys that were reared without their mothers. At a behavioral level in response to a potential threat, peer reared animals engaged in significantly less freezing behavior (p = 0.022) along with increased self-directed behaviors (p < 0.012). Levels of oxytocin in the CSF, but not plasma, were significantly reduced in the peer reared animals (p = 0.019). No differences in plasma cortisol or CSF CRH were observed. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed significantly decreased white matter density across the brain. Exploratory correlational and permutation analyses suggest that the impact of peer rearing on behavior, endocrine and brain structural alterations are mediated by separate parallel mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results demonstrate in NHPs the importance of maternal rearing on the development of brain, behavior and hormonal systems that are linked to social functioning and adaptive responses. The findings suggest that the effects of maternal deprivation are mediated via multiple independent pathways which may account for the heterogeneity in behavioral and biological alterations observed in individuals that have experienced this early life adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do P M Tromp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Marissa K Riedel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan A Oler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xiaojue Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Patrick H Roseboom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrew L Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; HealthEmotion Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
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Merz MP, Seal SV, Grova N, Mériaux S, Guebels P, Kanli G, Mommaerts E, Nicot N, Kaoma T, Keunen O, Nazarov PV, Turner JD. Early-life influenza A (H1N1) infection independently programs brain connectivity, HPA AXIS and tissue-specific gene expression profiles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5898. [PMID: 38467724 PMCID: PMC10928197 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56601-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Early-life adversity covers a range of physical, social and environmental stressors. Acute viral infections in early life are a major source of such adversity and have been associated with a broad spectrum of later-life effects outside the immune system or "off-target". These include an altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and metabolic reactions. Here, we used a murine post-natal day 14 (PND 14) Influenza A (H1N1) infection model and applied a semi-holistic approach including phenotypic measurements, gene expression arrays and diffusion neuroimaging techniques to investigate HPA axis dysregulation, energy metabolism and brain connectivity. By PND 56 the H1N1 infection had been resolved, and there was no residual gene expression signature of immune cell infiltration into the liver, adrenal gland or brain tissues examined nor of immune-related signalling. A resolved early-life H1N1 infection had sex-specific effects. We observed retarded growth of males and altered pre-stress (baseline) blood glucose and corticosterone levels at PND42 after the infection was resolved. Cerebral MRI scans identified reduced connectivity in the cortex, midbrain and cerebellum that were accompanied by tissue-specific gene expression signatures. Gene set enrichment analysis confirmed that these were tissue-specific changes with few common pathways. Early-life infection independently affected each of the systems and this was independent of HPA axis or immune perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam P Merz
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 Avenue de Université, L-4365, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Central Biobank Charité, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Snehaa V Seal
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 Avenue de Université, L-4365, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Nathalie Grova
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Inserm U1256, NGERE, Nutrition-Génétique Et Exposition Aux Risques Environnementaux, Université de Lorraine, 54000, Nancy, France
| | - Sophie Mériaux
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Pauline Guebels
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Georgia Kanli
- In Vivo Imaging Platform, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Translational Radiomics, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1526, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Elise Mommaerts
- LuxGen Genome Center, Laboratoire National de Santé, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 3555, Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Nathalie Nicot
- LuxGen Genome Center, Laboratoire National de Santé, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 3555, Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Tony Kaoma
- Bioinformatics Platform, Data Integration and Analysis Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Olivier Keunen
- In Vivo Imaging Platform, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Translational Radiomics, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1526, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Petr V Nazarov
- Bioinformatics Platform, Data Integration and Analysis Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Multiomics Data Science Research Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 Rue Henri Koch, 4354, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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Ahmed S, Polis B, Jamwal S, Sanganahalli BG, Kaswan ZM, Islam R, Kim D, Bowers C, Giuliano L, Biederer T, Hyder F, Kaffman A. Transient Impairment in Microglial Function Causes Sex-Specific Deficits in Synaptic and Hippocampal Function in Mice Exposed to Early Adversity. bioRxiv 2024:2024.02.14.580284. [PMID: 38405887 PMCID: PMC10888912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Abnormal development and function of the hippocampus are two of the most consistent findings in humans and rodents exposed to early life adversity, with males often being more affected than females. Using the limited bedding (LB) paradigm as a rodent model of early life adversity, we found that male adolescent mice that had been exposed to LB exhibit significant deficits in contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in the hippocampus, which are not observed in females. This is linked to altered developmental refinement of connectivity, with LB severely impairing microglial-mediated synaptic pruning in the hippocampus of male and female pups on postnatal day 17 (P17), but not in adolescent P33 mice when levels of synaptic engulfment by microglia are substantially lower. Since the hippocampus undergoes intense synaptic pruning during the second and third weeks of life, we investigated whether microglia are required for the synaptic and behavioral aberrations observed in adolescent LB mice. Indeed, transient ablation of microglia from P13-21, in normally developing mice caused sex-specific behavioral and synaptic abnormalities similar to those observed in adolescent LB mice. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of microglia during the same period reversed the microglial-mediated phagocytic deficits at P17 and restored normal contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in adolescent LB male mice. Our data support an additional contribution of astrocytes in the sex-specific effects of LB, with increased expression of the membrane receptor MEGF10 and enhanced synaptic engulfment in hippocampal astrocytes of 17-day-old LB females, but not in LB male littermates. This finding suggests a potential compensatory mechanism that may explain the relative resilience of LB females. Collectively, these studies highlight a novel role for glial cells in mediating sex-specific hippocampal deficits in a mouse model of early-life adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahabuddin Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Baruh Polis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sumit Jamwal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Basavaraju G. Sanganahalli
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Zoe MacDowell Kaswan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Rafiad Islam
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Dana Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Christian Bowers
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Lauryn Giuliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 100 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
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Breton JM, Cort Z, Demaestri C, Critz M, Nevins S, Downend K, Ofray D, Romeo RD, Bath KG. Early life adversity reduces affiliative behavior with a stressed cagemate and leads to sex-specific alterations in corticosterone responses in adult mice. Horm Behav 2024; 158:105464. [PMID: 38070354 PMCID: PMC10872397 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Experiencing early life adversity (ELA) alters stress physiology and increases the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. The social environment can influence dynamics of stress responding and buffer and/or transfer stress across individuals. Yet, the impact of ELA on sensitivity to the stress of others and social behavior following stress is unknown. Here, to test the impact of ELA on social and physiological responses to stress, circulating blood corticosterone (CORT) and social behaviors were assessed in adult male and female mice reared under limited bedding and nesting (LBN) or control conditions. To induce stress, one cagemate of a pair-housed cage underwent a footshock paradigm and was then returned to their unshocked partner. CORT was measured in both groups of mice 20 or 90 min after stress exposure, and social behaviors were recorded and analyzed. ELA rearing influenced the CORT response to stress in a sex-specific manner. In males, both control and ELA-reared mice exhibited similar stress transfer to unshocked cagemates and similar CORT dynamics. In contrast, ELA females showed a heightened stress transfer to unshocked cagemates, and sustained elevation of CORT relative to controls, indicating enhanced stress contagion and a failure to terminate the stress response. Behaviorally, ELA females displayed decreased allogrooming and increased investigative behaviors, while ELA males showed reduced huddling. Together, these findings demonstrate that ELA influenced HPA axis dynamics, social stress contagion and social behavior. Further research is needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms and long-term consequences of ELA on stress systems and their impact on behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn M Breton
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Zoey Cort
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Camila Demaestri
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Madalyn Critz
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Samuel Nevins
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kendall Downend
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayshalis Ofray
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Russell D Romeo
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin G Bath
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Kuhlman KR. Pitfalls and potential: Translating the two-hit model of early life stress from pre-clinical non-human experiments to human samples. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 35:100711. [PMID: 38169793 PMCID: PMC10758720 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to early life stress (ELS) has been linked to at least double the risk of psychopathology as well as higher morbidity and earlier mortality across the lifespan. For this reason, the field of developmental psychopathology has spent decades identifying factors that explain which individuals are at risk for negative health outcomes. Preclinical experiments in this field commonly test the "two-hit hypothesis", which explores how ELS potentiates vulnerability to pathogenic physiological and behavioral outcomes when an individual is exposed to a stressor later in development. Yet, translation of the two-hit hypothesis to humans is conceptually and practically challenging, thus impeding progress in the field. This review summarizes the two-hit hypothesis used in preclinical experiments as it pertains to two putative pathways linking ELS to psychopathology: the innate immune and neuroendocrine systems. This review also identifies important considerations when translating this model to humans and provides several recommendations. Specifically, attention to the "biological salience" of different forms of ELA and the concordance of that salience with later probes of the system are needed. Further, the consequences of ELS may be context-specific rather than ubiquitous, at least among young people. Within this conceptualization, "second hits" may be best operationalized using standardized acute challenges to the innate immune and neuroendocrine systems (e.g., psychosocial stress). Third, more explicit reporting of sex differences in the human literature is needed. Finally, preclinical experimental designs that more accurately reflect the natural occurrence of ELS in community samples will more effectively advance the understanding of developmental mechanisms that occur as a consequence of ELS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Ryan Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California Irvine, USA
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, USA
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11
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Harhen NC, Bornstein AM. Interval Timing as a Computational Pathway From Early Life Adversity to Affective Disorders. Top Cogn Sci 2024; 16:92-112. [PMID: 37824831 PMCID: PMC10842617 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Adverse early life experiences can have remarkably enduring negative consequences on mental health, with numerous, varied psychiatric conditions sharing this developmental origin. Yet, the mechanisms linking adverse experiences to these conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we draw on a principled model of interval timing to propose that statistically optimal adaptation of temporal representations to an unpredictable early life environment can produce key characteristics of anhedonia, a transdiagnostic symptom associated with affective disorders like depression and anxiety. The core observation is that early temporal unpredictability produces broader, more imprecise temporal expectations. As a result, reward anticipation is diminished, and associative learning is slowed. When agents with such representations are later introduced to more stable environments, they demonstrate a negativity bias, responding more to the omission of reward than its receipt. Increased encoding of negative events has been proposed to contribute to disorders with anhedonia as a symptom. We then examined how unpredictability interacts with another form of adversity, low reward availability. We found that unpredictability's effect was most strongly felt in richer environments, potentially leading to categorically different phenotypic expressions. In sum, our formalization suggests a single mechanism can help to link early life adversity to a range of behaviors associated with anhedonia, and offers novel insights into the interactive impacts of multiple adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora C. Harhen
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine
| | - Aaron M. Bornstein
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine
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12
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Gruhn M, Miller AB, Eisenlohr-Moul TA, Martin S, Clayton MG, Giletta M, Hastings PD, Nock MK, Rudolph KD, Slavich GM, Prinstein MJ, Sheridan MA. Threat exposure moderates associations between neural and physiological indices of emotion reactivity in adolescent females. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 159:106405. [PMID: 37812939 PMCID: PMC11034839 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) characterized by threat (e.g., abuse, witnessing violence) impacts neural and physiologic systems involved in emotion reactivity; however, research on how threat exposure impacts the interplay between these systems is limited. This study investigates ELA characterized by threat as a potential moderator of the association between (a) neural activity during a negative image processing fMRI task and (b) cortisol production following a modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The sample is comprised of 117 young adolescent females (Mage = 11.90 years, SD = 1.69) at elevated risk for internalizing problems. Whole-brain analyses revealed a positive association between cortisol production and increased right lateral orbitofrontal cortex activity during the emotion reactivity task. In moderation models, threat exposure interacted with bilateral amygdala activation (b = -3.34, p = 0.021) and bilateral hippocampal activation (b = -4.14, p = 0.047) to predict cortisol response to the TSST. Specifically, participants with low, but not high, levels of threat exposure demonstrated a positive association between cortisol production and neural activity in these regions, while no significant association emerged for participants with high threat exposure. Findings contribute to the growing field of research connecting physiological and neural emotion processing and response systems, suggesting that dimensions of ELA may uniquely disrupt associations between neural activation and cortisol production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Bryant Miller
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; RTI International, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matteo Giletta
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, USA
| | | | | | - Karen D Rudolph
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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Barclay ME, Rinne GR, Somers JA, Lee SS, Coussons-Read M, Dunkel Schetter C. Maternal Early Life Adversity and Infant Stress Regulation: Intergenerational Associations and Mediation by Maternal Prenatal Mental Health. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1839-1855. [PMID: 36508054 PMCID: PMC10258218 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-01006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversity is a potent risk factor for poor mental health outcomes across the lifespan, including offspring vulnerability to psychopathology. Developmentally, the prenatal period is a sensitive window in which maternal early life experiences may influence offspring outcomes and demarcates a time when expectant mothers and offspring are more susceptible to stressful and salutary influences. This prenatal plasticity constituted the focus of the current study where we tested the association of maternal early life adversity with infant stress regulation through maternal prenatal internalizing symptoms and moderation by prenatal social support. Mother-infant dyads (n = 162) were followed prospectively and mothers completed assessments of social support and depressive and anxiety symptoms across pregnancy. Infants completed standardized stress paradigms at one month and six months. There were several key findings. First, maternal prenatal depressive symptoms significantly mediated predictions of infant cortisol reactivity to the heel stick at one month from maternal early life adversity: specifically, maternal early life adversity positively predicted depressive symptoms in pregnancy, which in turn predicted dampened infant cortisol reactivity. Second, prenatal social support did not significantly moderate predictions of depressive or anxiety symptoms in pregnancy from maternal early life adversity nor did it alter the associations of maternal depressive or anxiety symptoms with infant stress regulation. These results suggest that maternal prenatal mental health is a key mechanism by which maternal early life adverse experiences affect offspring risk for psychopathology. We discuss potential clinical and health implications of dysregulated infant cortisol reactivity with respect to lifespan development.
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Cecil CAM, Schuurmans IK. On Navigating Analytical Choices in Research on Early Life Adversity: A Commentary on Sisitsky et al. (2023). Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1805-1808. [PMID: 37535226 PMCID: PMC10661763 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01103-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Early life adversities (ELA), including exposure to childhood maltreatment, deprivation or community violence, rarely occur in isolation. This co-occurrence poses several conceptual and methodological challenges for researchers, who must decide how best to model ELA and its association with outcomes. In this commentary, we discuss how different analytical choices come with their own - often complementary - sets of assumptions, strengths and limitations, which should be carefully considered when designing research on ELA. We then summarize work published in this issue by Sisitsky et al. (Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 2023), which serves as an important example of how different approaches can be incorporated in research in order to capture ELA as a complex phenomenon, while generating actionable results. Ultimately, such integration can enhance the quality and relevance of research, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of ELA and its effects on health outcomes, paving the way for more targeted prevention and intervention strategies to promote children's wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Isabel K Schuurmans
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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15
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Dickman KD, Votruba-Drzal E, Matthews KA, Kamarck TW. Early Life SES, Childhood Trauma Exposures, and Cardiovascular Responses to Daily Life Stressors in Middle-aged Adults. Int J Behav Med 2023; 30:801-813. [PMID: 36417173 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-022-10141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysregulation in physiological responses to stress may provide a mechanism through which low socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood negatively impacts health. Evidence linking early life SES to physiological stress responses is inconsistent. Exposure to childhood trauma may be an important source of heterogeneity accounting for mixed findings. Guided by the adaptive calibration model, we examined whether childhood SES and childhood trauma jointly predict ambulatory measures of cardiovascular responses to daily life stressors. METHOD A sample of 377 healthy, middle-aged adults (62% female, 80% White, 64% college-educated, Mage = 52.59 ± 7.16) completed a 4-day ecological momentary assessment protocol that measured task strain, social conflict, and ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) at hourly intervals throughout the day. Average ambulatory blood pressure responses to stress were calculated by regressing momentary SBP and DBP on momentary measures of stress within the multilevel models. Early life SES and childhood trauma were measured retrospectively by self-report questionnaire. RESULTS Multilevel models controlling for momentary influences on blood pressure and age, sex, and race showed no main effects of early life SES or childhood trauma on ambulatory measures of cardiovascular responses to daily life stress. An interaction emerged for DBP responses to social conflict, where individuals raised in middle SES families who experienced trauma showed a blunted response relative to those who did not ([Formula: see text]-0.93, 95% CI: [-1.62, -0.24], p = .008). There was no significant SES-trauma interaction in predicting SBP responses to social conflict or blood pressure responses to task strain. CONCLUSION Results do not provide support for our predictions that were derived from the adaptive calibration model, but do suggest that the impacts of early childhood experiences on cardiovascular responses may vary by type of daily stress experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina D Dickman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | | | - Karen A Matthews
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Thomas W Kamarck
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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16
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Maxwell MY, Taylor RL, Barch DM. Relationship Between Neighborhood Poverty and Externalizing Symptoms in Children: Mediation and Moderation by Environmental Factors and Brain Structure. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023; 54:1710-1722. [PMID: 35596841 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01369-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Children living in poverty exhibit worse mental health outcomes, and various environmental and neurological risk factors may contribute to or mitigate this relationship. However, previous research has not examined the interplay of neighborhood SES, mental health, and relevant mechanisms. We examined the extent to which neighborhood poverty uniquely contributes to children's internalizing/externalizing disorder symptoms, as well as identified whether brain measures, toxin levels, and neighborhood threat mediated this relationship and whether socioemotional support moderated it. Data were collected from 8623 9-10 year olds as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Using a secondary data analysis, we found that neighborhood poverty was positively associated with externalizing symptoms and mediated by reduced intracranial volume and parents/children reporting feeling less safe. Parental support (i.e., Parental Monitoring Survey) attenuated this link, but only for children lower in poverty. Consideration of these risk factors for psychopathology could improve the outcome of holistic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Y Maxwell
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| | - Rita L Taylor
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry at, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Radiology at, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
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17
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Stupart O, Robbins TW, Dalley JW. "The wrong tools for the right job": a critical meta-analysis of traditional tests to assess behavioural impacts of maternal separation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2239-2256. [PMID: 36418564 PMCID: PMC10593619 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06275-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Unconditioned tasks in rodents have been the mainstay of behavioural assessment for decades, but their validity and sensitivity to detect the behavioural consequences of early life stress (ELS) remains contentious and highly variable. OBJECTIVES In the present study, we carried out a meta-analysis to investigate whether persistent behavioural effects, as assessed using unconditioned procedures in rats, are a reliable consequence of early repeated maternal separation, a commonly used procedure in rodents to study ELS. METHODS A literature search identified 100 studies involving maternally separated rats and the following unconditioned procedures: the elevated plus maze (EPM); open field test (OFT); sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swim task (FST). Studies were included for analysis if the separation of offspring from the dam was at least 60 min every day during the pre-weaning period prior to the start of adolescence. RESULTS Our findings show that unconditioned tasks are generally poor at consistently demonstrating differences between control and separated groups with pooled effect sizes that were either small or non-existent (EPM: Hedge's g = - 0.35, p = 0.01, OFT: Hedge's g = - 0.32, p = 0.05, SPT: Hedge's g = - 0.33, p = 0.21, FST: Hedge's g = 0.99, p = 0.0001). Despite considerable procedural variability between studies, heterogeneity statistics were low; indicating the lack of standardization in the maternal separation protocol was the not the cause of these inconsistent effects. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that in general, unconditioned tests of depression and anxiety are not sufficient to reveal the full behavioural repertoire of maternal separation stress should not be relied upon in isolation. We argue that more objective tasks that sensitively detect specific cognitive processes are better suited for translational research on stress-related disorders such as depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Stupart
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, Hershel Smith Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, Cambridge, CB2 OSZ, UK.
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
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18
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Felt JM, Yusupov N, Harrington KD, Fietz J, Zhang Z“Z, Sliwinski MJ, Ram N, O'Donnell KJ, Meaney MJ, Putnam FW, Noll JG, Binder EB, Shenk CE. Epigenetic age acceleration as a biomarker for impaired cognitive abilities in adulthood following early life adversity and psychiatric disorders. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 27:100577. [PMID: 37885906 PMCID: PMC10597797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Early life adversity and psychiatric disorders are associated with earlier declines in neurocognitive abilities during adulthood. These declines may be preceded by changes in biological aging, specifically epigenetic age acceleration, providing an opportunity to uncover genome-wide biomarkers that identify individuals most likely to benefit from early screening and prevention. Methods Five unique epigenetic age acceleration clocks derived from peripheral blood were examined in relation to latent variables of general and speeded cognitive abilities across two independent cohorts: 1) the Female Growth and Development Study (FGDS; n = 86), a 30-year prospective cohort study of substantiated child sexual abuse and non-abused controls, and 2) the Biological Classification of Mental Disorders study (BeCOME; n = 313), an adult community cohort established based on psychiatric disorders. Results A faster pace of biological aging (DunedinPoAm) was associated with lower general cognitive abilities in both cohorts and slower speeded abilities in the BeCOME cohort. Acceleration in the Horvath clock was significantly associated with slower speeded abilities in the BeCOME cohort but not the FGDS. Acceleration in the Hannum clock and the GrimAge clock were not significantly associated with either cognitive ability. Accelerated PhenoAge was associated with slower speeded abilities in the FGDS but not the BeCOME cohort. Conclusions The present results suggest that epigenetic age acceleration has the potential to serve as a biomarker for neurocognitive decline in adults with a history of early life adversity or psychiatric disorders. Estimates of epigenetic aging may identify adults at risk of cognitive decline that could benefit from early neurocognitive screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. Felt
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Natan Yusupov
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry - Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Germany
| | | | - Julia Fietz
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry - Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Germany
| | | | - Martin J. Sliwinski
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Nilam Ram
- Department of Communications, Stanford University, United States
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, United States
| | - Kieran J. O'Donnell
- Child Study Center, Yale University, United States
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, United States
- The Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Canada
| | - BeCOME Working Group
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry - Munich, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- The Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Canada
- Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Frank W. Putnam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, United States
| | - Jennie G. Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry - Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Chad E. Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, United States
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Jimeno B, Gerritsma Y, Mulder E, Verhulst S. Glucocorticoid receptor expression in blood, but not across brain regions, reveals long-term effects of early life adversity in zebra finches. Physiol Behav 2023; 271:114310. [PMID: 37543106 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Early-life environment can affect organisms for life on many levels. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene has a pivotal role mediating organismal physiological and behavioral responses to environmental change, and is sensitive to early-life environmental conditions and epigenetic programming. Longitudinal studies require non-lethal sampling of peripheral tissues (e.g. blood), but this approach is dependent on the extent to which GR expression in peripheral tissues covaries with GR expression in central tissues. To test for the long-term effects of early life adversity on GR expression across brain and peripheral tissues, we manipulated developmental conditions of captive zebra finches (n = 45), rearing them in either benign or harsh conditions through manipulation of parental foraging costs. We measured relative GR mRNA expression in blood and five brain regions in adulthood: hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, ventral striatum, and the nidopallium caudolaterale (analogous to the mammalian prefrontal cortex), using qPCR. We further tested whether GR expression was modulated by natal brood size (which affected growth), age at sampling, and sex. GR expression correlations among tissues varied widely in magnitude and direction, ranging from -0.27 to +0.80, indicating that our understanding of developmental effects on GR expression and associated phenotypes needs to be region specific rather than organism wide. A more consistent pattern was that GR expression increased with age in blood, ventral striatum and hippocampus; GR expression was independent of age in other tissues. Developmental treatment did not affect GR expression in any of the tissues measured directly, but in blood and ventral striatum of adult females we found a positive correlation between nestling mass and GR expression. Thus, GR expression in blood was affected by early life conditions as reflected in growth in adult females, a pattern also found in one brain tissue, but not ubiquitous across brain regions. These results point at sex-dependent physiological constraints during development, shaping early life effects on GR expression in females only. Further study is required to investigate whether these tissue-dependent effects more generally reflect tissue-dependent long-term effects of early life adversity. This, together with investigating the physiological consequences of GR expression levels on individual performance and coping abilities, will be fundamental towards understanding the mechanisms mediating long-term impacts of early life, and the extent to which these can be quantified through non-lethal sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Jimeno
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real; Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia (IPE), CSIC, Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, 16, Jaca, Spain.
| | - Yoran Gerritsma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ellis Mulder
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
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Bürgin D, Clemens V, Witt A, Sachser C, Jud A, Brähler E, Strauß B, Petrowski K, Schmid M, Fegert JM. Adverse childhood experiences increase the risk for low perceived social participation and health-related quality of life in a large-scale population-based study in Germany. Child Abuse Negl 2023; 144:106382. [PMID: 37527561 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are highly prevalent and increase the risk for long-term adverse health outcomes. Next to well-known ACE-associated risks for morbidity, recent research is increasingly invested in exploring pathways towards health, overall functioning, and partaking in society following early adversity. OBJECTIVES Thus, this study aims to assess the association between latent classes of ACEs with perceived social participation and health-related Quality of Life (QoL) in a large population-based sample and to explore potential moderators of these associations. METHOD A representative sample of the German population (N = 2531; Mage = 48.7; 51 % women) was cross-sectionally investigated for ACEs, social participation (KsT-5), and health-related QoL (EuroQol-5D-5L). Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to derive groups with similar ACE patterns. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the association of latent classes of ACEs with social participation and health-related QoL and to explore potential moderators. RESULTS Four distinct latent classes of ACEs were identified; "no/low ACEs" (N = 1968, 77.8 %); "household-dysfunction" (N = 259, 10.2 %), "child abuse and neglect" (N = 188, 7.4 %), and "polyadversity" (N = 116, 4.6 %). Compared to participants in the no/low ACE class, those in the ACE-exposed classes showed overall lower levels of perceived social participation and health-related QoL. The polyadversity class showed lower levels of social participation compared to the two other ACE-exposed classes. Chronic stress, living with a partner, education, current job/educational involvement, and gender were found to moderate these associations in exploratory analyses. CONCLUSIONS This study shows people exposed to ACEs to have a higher risk for lower perceived social participation and lower health-related QoL - an increased risk, however, is not a deterministic uninventable fortune. Reduction of chronic stress, fostering of social support, and educational and vocational paths as interventional targets are discussed to enable those with precarious starting conditions to partake in society.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bürgin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany; University Psychiatric Hospitals, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department (UPKKJ), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Vera Clemens
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas Witt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cedric Sachser
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas Jud
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Competence Center Child Abuse and Neglect in Medicine Baden-Wurttemberg com.can, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elmar Brähler
- Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany; Integrated Research and Treatment Center (IFB) Adiposity Diseases-Behavioral Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bernhard Strauß
- Institute of Psychosocial Medicine, Psychotherapy and Psychooncology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Katja Petrowski
- Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Marc Schmid
- University Psychiatric Hospitals, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department (UPKKJ), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg M Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Competence Center Child Abuse and Neglect in Medicine Baden-Wurttemberg com.can, Ulm, Germany
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21
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Tung J, Lange EC, Alberts SC, Archie EA. Social and early life determinants of survival from cradle to grave: A case study in wild baboons. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105282. [PMID: 37321362 PMCID: PMC10529797 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Field studies of natural mammal populations present powerful opportunities to investigate the determinants of health and aging using fine-grained observations of known individuals across the life course. Here, we synthesize five decades of findings from one such study: the wild baboons of the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. First, we discuss the profound associations between early life adversity, adult social conditions, and key aging outcomes in this population, especially survival. Second, we review potential mediators of the relationship between early life adversity and survival in our population. Notably, our tests of two leading candidate mediators-social isolation and glucocorticoid levels-fail to identify a single, strong mediator of early life effects on adult survival. Instead, early adversity, social isolation, and glucocorticoids are independently linked to adult lifespans, suggesting considerable scope for mitigating the negative consequences of early life adversity. Third, we review our work on the evolutionary rationale for early life effects on mortality, which currently argues against clear predictive adaptive responses. Finally, we end by highlighting major themes emerging from the study of sociality, development, and aging in the Amboseli baboons, as well as important open questions for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Tung
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham NC, USA; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada; Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Elizabeth C Lange
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham NC, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham NC, USA; Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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22
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Wolf SE, Shalev I. The shelterin protein expansion of telomere dynamics: Linking early life adversity, life history, and the hallmarks of aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105261. [PMID: 37268182 PMCID: PMC10527177 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by functional decline occurring alongside changes to several hallmarks of aging. One of the hallmarks includes attrition of repeated DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. While telomere attrition is linked to morbidity and mortality, whether and how it causally contributes to lifelong rates of functional decline is unclear. In this review, we propose the shelterin-telomere hypothesis of life history, in which telomere-binding shelterin proteins translate telomere attrition into a range of physiological outcomes, the extent of which may be modulated by currently understudied variation in shelterin protein levels. Shelterin proteins may expand the breadth and timing of consequences of telomere attrition, e.g., by translating early life adversity into acceleration of the aging process. We consider how the pleiotropic roles of shelterin proteins provide novel insights into natural variation in physiology, life history, and lifespan. We highlight key open questions that encourage the integrative, organismal study of shelterin proteins that enhances our understanding of the contribution of the telomere system to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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23
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Breton JM, Cort Z, Demaestri C, Critz M, Nevins S, Downend K, Ofray D, Romeo RD, Bath KG. Early life adversity reduces affiliative behavior towards a distressed cagemate and leads to sex-specific alterations in corticosterone responses. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.20.549876. [PMID: 37502995 PMCID: PMC10370200 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.20.549876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Experiencing early life adversity (ELA) alters stress physiology and increases the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. The social environment can influence dynamics of stress responding and buffer and/or transfer stress across individuals. Yet, the impact of ELA on sensitivity to the stress of others and social behavior following stress is unknown. Here, to test the impact of ELA on social and physiological responses to stress, circulating blood corticosterone (CORT) and social behaviors were assessed in adult male and female mice reared under limited bedding and nesting (LBN) or control conditions. To induce stress, one cagemate of a pair-housed cage underwent a footshock paradigm and was then returned to their unshocked partner. CORT was measured in both mice 20 or 90 minutes after stress exposure, and social behaviors were recorded and analyzed. ELA rearing influenced the CORT response to stress in a sex-specific manner. In males, both control and ELA-reared mice exhibited similar stress transfer to unshocked cagemates and similar CORT dynamics. In contrast, ELA females showed a heightened stress transfer to unshocked cagemates, and sustained elevation of CORT relative to controls, indicating enhanced stress contagion and a failure to terminate the stress response. Behaviorally, ELA females displayed decreased allogrooming and increased investigative behaviors, while ELA males showed reduced huddling. Together, these findings demonstrate that ELA influenced HPA axis dynamics, social stress contagion and social behavior. Further research is needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms and long-term consequences of ELA on stress systems and their impact on behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn M Breton
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zoey Cort
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Camila Demaestri
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Madalyn Critz
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel Nevins
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kendall Downend
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayshalis Ofray
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Russell D Romeo
- Barnard College of Columbia University, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin G Bath
- Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
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24
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Pantazatos SP, Ogden T, Melhem NM, Brent DA, Lesanpezeshki M, Burke A, Keilp JG, Miller JM, Mann JJ. Smaller cornu ammonis (CA3) as a potential risk factor for suicidal behavior in mood disorders. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 163:262-269. [PMID: 37244064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Mood disorders and suicidal behavior have moderate heritability and familial transmission, and are associated with smaller hippocampal volumes. However, it is unclear whether hippocampal alterations reflect heritable risk or epigenetic effects of childhood adversity, compensatory mechanisms, illness-related changes, or treatment effects. We sought to separate the relationships of hippocampal substructure volumes to mood disorder, suicidal behavior, and risk and resilience to both by examining high familial risk individuals (HR) who have passed the age of greatest risk for psychopathology onset. Structural brain imaging and hippocampal substructure segmentation quantified Cornu Ammonis (CA1-4), dentate gyrus, and subiculum gray matter volumes in healthy volunteers (HV, N = 25) and three groups with one or more relatives reporting early-onset mood disorder and suicide attempt: 1. Unaffected HR (N = 20); 2. HR with lifetime mood disorder and no suicide attempt (HR-MOOD, N = 25); and 3. HR with lifetime mood disorder and a previous suicide attempt (HR-MOOD + SA, N = 18). Findings were tested in an independent cohort not selected for family history (HV, N = 47; MOOD, N = 44; and MOOD + SA, N = 21). Lower CA3 volume was found in HR (vs. HV), consistent with the direction of previously published findings in MOOD+SA (vs. HV and MOOD), suggesting the finding reflects a familial biological risk marker, not illness or treatment-related sequelae, of suicidal behavior and mood disorder. Familial suicide risk may be mediated in part by smaller CA3 volume. The structure may serve as a risk indicator and therapeutic target for suicide prevention strategies in high-risk families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spiro P Pantazatos
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Todd Ogden
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Nadine M Melhem
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David A Brent
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mohammad Lesanpezeshki
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ainsley Burke
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - John G Keilp
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Miller
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - J John Mann
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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25
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Lutgendorf SK, Zia S, Luo Y, O'Donnell M, van Bokhoven A, Bradley CS, Gallup R, Pierce J, Taple BJ, Naliboff BD, Quentin Clemens J, Kreder KJ, Schrepf A. Early and recent exposure to adversity, TLR-4 stimulated inflammation, and diurnal cortisol in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: A MAPP research network study. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 111:116-123. [PMID: 37001828 PMCID: PMC10474614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Both early (ELA) and recent life adversity (RLA) have been linked with chronic pain conditions and persistent alterations of neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses. Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic urologic disorder characterized by bladder and/or pelvic pain, and excessive urinary frequency and/or urgency. IC/BPS has been associated with high levels of ELA as well as a distinct inflammatory signature. However, associations between ELA and RLA with inflammatory mechanisms in IC/BPS that might underlie the link between adversity and symptoms have not been examined. Here we investigated ELA and RLA in women with IC/BPS as potential risk factors for inflammatory processes and hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) abnormalities using data from the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network. Women with IC/BPS and healthy controls (n = 154 and 32, respectively) completed surveys, collected salivary cortisol at awakening and bedtime for 3 days, and gave a blood sample which was analyzed for 7 LPS-stimulated cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β, MIP1α, MCP1, IL-8, and IL-10). Two cytokine/chemokine composites were identified using principal components analysis. Patients with greater exposure to RLA or cumulative ELA and RLA of at least moderate severity showed elevated levels of a composite of all cytokines, adjusting for age, body mass index, and study site. Furthermore, there was a trending relationship between ELA and the pro-inflammatory composite score. Nocturnal cortisol and cortisol slope were not associated with ELA, RLA, or inflammation. The present findings support the importance of adverse events in IC/BPS via a biological mechanism and suggest that ELA and RLA should be assessed as risk factors for inflammation as part of a clinical workup for IC/BPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan K Lutgendorf
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Urology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Sharaf Zia
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Urology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Adrie van Bokhoven
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Catherine S Bradley
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Robert Gallup
- Department of Mathematics, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Pierce
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Bayley J Taple
- Department of Preventative Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bruce D Naliboff
- Department of Medicine David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Karl J Kreder
- Department of Urology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Andrew Schrepf
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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26
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Winter JJ, Rodríguez-Acevedo KL, Dittrich M, Heller EA. Early life adversity: Epigenetic regulation underlying drug addiction susceptibility. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103825. [PMID: 36842544 PMCID: PMC10247461 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug addiction is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with more than 70,000 Americans dying from drug overdose in 2019 alone. While only a small percentage of chronic drug users escalate to drug addiction, little is understood on the precise mechanisms of this susceptibility. Early life adversity is causally relevant to adult psychiatric disease and may contribute to the risk of addiction. Here we review recent pre-clinical evidence showing that early life exposure to stress and/or drugs regulates changes in behavior, gene expression, and the epigenome that persist into adulthood. We summarize the major findings and gaps in the preclinical literature, highlighting studies that demonstrate the often profound differences between female and male subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mia Dittrich
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
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27
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Huang Z, Jordan JD, Zhang Q. Early life adversity as a risk factor for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:25. [PMID: 37173751 PMCID: PMC10182702 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00355-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological conditions, including cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD), impose a huge burden on society, affecting millions of people globally. In addition to genetic factors, recent studies indicate that environmental and experiential factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases. Early life adversity (ELA) has a profound impact on brain function and health later in life. In rodent models, exposure to ELA results in specific cognitive deficits and aggravated AD pathology. Extensive concerns have been raised regarding the higher risk of developing cognitive impairments in people with a history of ELA. In this review, we scrutinize findings from human and animal studies focusing on the connection of ELA with cognitive impairment and AD. These discoveries suggest that ELA, especially at early postnatal stages, increases susceptibility to cognitive impairment and AD later in life. In terms of mechanisms, ELA could lead to dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, altered gut microbiome, persistent inflammation, oligodendrocyte dysfunction, hypomyelination, and aberrant adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Crosstalks among these events may synergistically contribute to cognitive impairment later in life. Additionally, we discuss several interventions that may alleviate adverse consequences of ELA. Further investigation into this crucial area will help improve ELA management and reduce the burden of related neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihai Huang
- Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - J Dedrick Jordan
- Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Quanguang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
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28
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Guez-Barber D, Eisch AJ, Cristancho AG. Developmental Brain Injury and Social Determinants of Health: Opportunities to Combine Preclinical Models for Mechanistic Insights into Recovery. Dev Neurosci 2023; 45:255-267. [PMID: 37080174 PMCID: PMC10614252 DOI: 10.1159/000530745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies show that social determinants of health are among the strongest factors associated with developmental outcomes after prenatal and perinatal brain injuries, even when controlling for the severity of the initial injury. Elevated socioeconomic status and a higher level of parental education correlate with improved neurologic function after premature birth. Conversely, children experiencing early life adversity have worse outcomes after developmental brain injuries. Animal models have provided vital insight into mechanisms perturbed by developmental brain injuries, which have indicated directions for novel therapeutics or interventions. Animal models have also been used to learn how social environments affect brain maturation through enriched environments and early adverse conditions. We recognize animal models cannot fully recapitulate human social circumstances. However, we posit that mechanistic studies combining models of developmental brain injuries and early life social environments will provide insight into pathways important for recovery. Some studies combining enriched environments with neonatal hypoxic injury models have shown improvements in developmental outcomes, but further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these improvements. By contrast, there have been more limited studies of the effects of adverse conditions on developmental brain injury extent and recovery. Uncovering the biological underpinnings for early life social experiences has translational relevance, enabling the development of novel strategies to improve outcomes through lifelong treatment. With the emergence of new technologies to analyze subtle molecular and behavioral phenotypes, here we discuss the opportunities for combining animal models of developmental brain injury with social construct models to deconvolute the complex interactions between injury, recovery, and social inequity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Guez-Barber
- Division of Child Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amelia J. Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ana G. Cristancho
- Division of Child Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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29
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Felt J, Harrington K, Ram N, O’Donnell K, Sliwinski M, Benson L, Zhang Z, Meaney M, Putnam F, Noll J, Shenk C. Receptive Language Abilities for Females Exposed to Early Life Adversity: Modification by Epigenetic Age Acceleration at Midlife in a 30-Year Prospective Cohort Study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:585-595. [PMID: 36190812 PMCID: PMC10066744 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Deviations from normative trajectories of receptive language abilities following early life adversity (ELA) may indicate an elevated risk for advanced cognitive aging and related morbidities. Accelerated epigenetic aging at midlife may further identify those at greatest risk for advanced cognitive aging following ELA. We examined whether accelerations in epigenetic aging at midlife can identify those individuals who demonstrated the greatest change in receptive language abilities following ELA. METHODS Data were drawn from the Female Growth and Development Study (n = 86), a 30-year prospective cohort study of females exposed to substantiated child sexual abuse (CSA), a severe ELA, and a non-CSA comparison condition. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) measured receptive language abilities on 6 occasions from childhood to mid-life. Interindividual differences in PPVT-R trajectories were examined in relation to CSA exposure and across 5 independent measures of epigenetic age acceleration derived from first (Horvath DNAmAge, Hannum DNAmAge) and second (GrimAge, PhenoAge, Dunedin Pace of Aging) generation epigenetic clocks. RESULTS Quadratic growth models revealed that PPVT-R scores were significantly lower at age 25 for females exposed to CSA. Specifically, CSA exposed females had lower intercepts when GrimAge was accelerated and a smaller quadratic trend when PhenoAge was accelerated. DISCUSSION ELA is associated with significant differences in development of receptive language abilities with the most pronounced differences observed for females with accelerated epigenetic ages at mid-life. These findings suggest that epigenetic age acceleration could serve as an indicator of differences in cognitive aging and portend to later adulthood cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Felt
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Karra D Harrington
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nilam Ram
- Department of Communications, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kieran J O’Donnell
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- The Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Child and Brain Developmental Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Martin J Sliwinski
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lizbeth Benson
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael J Meaney
- The Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Child and Brain Developmental Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Frank W Putnam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Thomas JL, Colich NL, McLaughlin KA, Sumner JA. Dimensions of Early Adversity and Sexual Behavior in a US Population-Based Adolescent Sample. J Adolesc Health 2023; 72:560-567. [PMID: 36529620 PMCID: PMC11107430 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with sexual risk, but ELA dimensions-and potential mechanisms-have been less examined. We evaluated associations between threat and deprivation-two key ELA dimensions-and sexual behaviors in adolescents. Secondary analyses investigated age at menarche as a mechanism linking ELA with sexual outcomes in girls. We predicted associations between threat and sexual behaviors, with younger age at menarche as a pathway. METHODS Data were from the National Comorbidity Survey, Adolescent Supplement. Adolescents and caregivers reported on youths' ELA experiences, which were categorized as threat- or deprivation-related. Adolescents reported if they engaged in sex (N = 9,937) and on specific sexual risk indicators, including age at first sex, number of past-year sexual partners, and condom use consistency ("always" vs. "not always" used). Girls reported age at menarche. RESULTS Threat (odds ratio [OR] = 1.76 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-1.92]) and deprivation (OR = 1.51 [95% CI, 1.24-1.83]) were each linked with engagement in sex, ps<.05. Threat-related experiences were associated with multiple sexual risk markers, even when accounting for deprivation: earlier age at first sex (b = -0.20 [95% CI, -0.27 to 0.13]), greater number of partners (b = 0.17 [95% CI, 0.10-0.25]), and inconsistent condom use (OR = 0.72 [95% CI, 0.64-0.80]), ps <.001. Deprivation was not associated with sexual risk when adjusting for threat. We observed no significant indirect effects through age at menarche. DISCUSSION Although threat and deprivation were related to engagement in sexual activity, threat-related experiences were uniquely associated with sexual risk. Screening for threat-related ELA may identify adolescents at-risk for poor sexual health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Thomas
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California.
| | - Natalie L Colich
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Jennifer A Sumner
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
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Lü W, Ji H, Li Y. Early life adversity and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress among adolescents: Moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 150:106029. [PMID: 36702041 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity (ELA) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases through dysregulation of cardiovascular stress responses manifested by either exaggerated or blunted reactivity. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene rs4680 polymorphism has been identified in gene-environment interaction (G×E) studies to explain individual differences in the effects of ELA on physiological stress responses. However, little is known about whether ELA interacts with COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism to affect cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures. OBJECTIVE The current study examined the associations between ELA and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures, and the moderating role of COMT rs4680 polymorphism in these associations. METHODS The childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) was administered to 359 junior school students who underwent a two-successive stress exposures protocol with continuous cardiovascular monitoring [heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP)] across four laboratory phases, and their saliva samples for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genotyping were collected. RESULTS ELA was associated with blunted HR reactivity to the first and second stress exposures, blunted SBP reactivity to the first stress exposure, and attenuated SBP habituation to repeated stress exposures. Moreover, COMT rs4680 moderated these associations, such that the associations between ELA and blunted HR, SBP, and DBP reactivity to the first stress and disrupted DBP habituation to repeated stress exposures only existed in GA/AA genotype carriers but not in GG genotype carriers. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the A allele of COMT rs4680 is vulnerable to the negative effects of ELA on the developmental dysregulation of stress physiological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lü
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China.
| | - Huayu Ji
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China
| | - Yushan Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China
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32
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Li J, Yu Y, Yuan J, Liu D, Fang J, Wu P, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Sun Y. Association between early life adversity and allostatic load in girls with precocious puberty. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 152:106101. [PMID: 37004468 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The mechanisms underlying the elevated long-term health risk in girls with precocious puberty remain unclear, but might result from physiological wear and tear associated with greater exposure to early life adversity. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore early life adversity in girls with precocious puberty and its association with allostatic load. METHODS Early life adversity and hair cortisol concentration were measured among 213 girls with precocious puberty (8.21 ± 1.07). Allostatic load score is constructed by using 13 physiological biomarkers representing four systems and hair cortisol concentration. Multivariate linear regression models have estimated the associations between cumulative early life adversity exposure with total and system-specific allostatic load scores. Associations between cumulative early life adversity and the risk of high allostatic load (3 + high-risk biomarkers) were tested using binary logistics regression. RESULTS More than two-thirds (67.6%) of girls with central precocious puberty reported two or more early life adversity exposure. Compared to those with no early life adversity exposure, girls who reported early life adversity score ≥ 2 had significantly higher total allostatic load score (β: 1.20-1.64, P < 0.001). Metabolic system was more sensitive to cumulative early life adversity exposure, each form of early life adversity exposure was associated with 0.48-unit increases in metabolic allostatic load score (95%CI: 0.06, 0.90, P = 0.026). Girls reported early life adversity score ≥ 3 were three times more likely to have a high allostatic load compared with those without early life adversity exposure in both unadjusted and adjusted models (ORadjusted=3.83, 95%CI: 1.17, 12.55, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Multisystem physiological dysregulation is observed in girls with central precocious puberty, which might result from cumulative wear-and-tear associated with early life adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jingyi Yuan
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Deyun Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jiao Fang
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Peipei Wu
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Department of Child Health Care, Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health&Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui Province, China; Stomatologic Hospital & College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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Rodgers EL, Kuhlman KR. Early life adversity is associated with attenuated testosterone reactivity to acute stress among adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 153:106087. [PMID: 37019055 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how testosterone responds to stress or challenge may be integral to uncovering biological pathways to potentially harmful behaviors like aggression. Yet, studies investigating patterns of testosterone reactivity under stress within adolescent populations are limited. Among those conducted, even fewer have investigated environmental factors which may shape such patterns. Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) has been shown to influence other biological markers of stress reactivity, though how it may be associated with alterations in testosterone reactivity remains underexplored. The current study addresses these gaps by examining salivary testosterone concentrations across the administration of a Trier Social Stress Test for Children in a sample of 87 adolescents (46.4% female, Mage = 13.91 years, SDage = 1.57). The current study tested two central hypotheses: (1) that testosterone would rise in response to a standardized laboratory stressor, and (2) that greater ELA would be associated with higher baseline (or, pre-stress) testosterone scores and a dampened testosterone response to stress. Adolescents in the current sample showed a robust increase in testosterone following administration of the TSST-C, supporting the limited previous findings which indicate testosterone does mount an acute stress response in adolescents. Contrary to hypotheses, ELA was not associated with significant elevations in baseline testosterone scores. However, ELA was associated with dampened testosterone reactivity, even after controlling for important demographic and biological factors. Methodological implications, including considerations for researchers aiming to capture an acute testosterone response, as well as how our understanding of ELA's role in adolescent biological functioning is extended by our findings regarding testosterone, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Louise Rodgers
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, United States.
| | - Kate Ryan Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, United States; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, United States; Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, United States
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34
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Bennett EM, Gray P, Lau JYF. Early Life Maltreatment and Adolescent Interpretations of Ambiguous Social Situations: Investigating Interpersonal Cognitions and Emotional Symptoms. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2023; 16:1-8. [PMID: 36883186 PMCID: PMC9908788 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00469-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In the general population, negative interpretations of social situations have been associated with risk of developing emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. Given that childhood maltreatment poses risk for later emotional disorders, this study examined whether interpersonal cognitive style differentiated maltreated adolescents from their non-maltreated peers and correlated with emotional symptoms across each group. Forty-seven maltreated and 28 non-maltreated adolescents were recruited from New South Wales, Australia to complete a battery of questionnaires that assessed interpersonal cognitions and levels of anxiety and depression. Comparable endorsement of threatening interpretations of social situations between maltreated adolescents and their non-maltreated peers across measures was found. Furthermore, an association between anxiety and depressive symptoms and interpretation bias was found within the non-maltreatment group but not the maltreated group. Unlike general population samples, negative cognitions do not associate with emotional symptoms in victims of early maltreatment. More research is needed to investigate the cognitive factors maintaining emotional symptoms in adolescent victims of maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Gray
- NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Liverpool, NSW Australia
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35
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Warhaftig G, Almeida D, Turecki G. Early life adversity across different cell- types in the brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 148:105113. [PMID: 36863603 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA)- which includes physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse is one of the most common predictors to diverse psychopathologies later in adulthood. As ELA has a lasting impact on the brain at a developmental stage, recent findings from the field highlighted the specific contributions of different cell types to ELA and their association with long lasting consequences. In this review we will gather recent findings describing morphological, transcriptional and epigenetic alterations within neurons, glia and perineuronal nets and their associated cellular subpopulation. The findings reviewed and summarized here highlight important mechanisms underlying ELA and point to therapeutic approaches for ELA and related psychopathologies later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Warhaftig
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Daniel Almeida
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 1A1, Canada.
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Salberg S, Yamakawa GR, Beveridge JK, Noel M, Mychasiuk R. A high-fat high-sugar diet and adversity early in life modulate pain outcomes at the behavioural and molecular level in adolescent rats: The role of sex. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 108:57-79. [PMID: 36403882 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Given that adolescence is a significant period of brain plasticity and development, early life factors have the potential to alter long term outcomes. For instance, adversities such as consumption of a high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., neglect), and their resulting inflammation and microglial activation can influence pain outcomes by priming the neuroimmune system to overrespond to stressors. Chronic pain is highly prevalent amongst the adolescent population, with the prevalence and manifestation being sexually dimorphic. Although clinical studies show that females are twice as likely to report pain problems compared to males, the majority of pre-clinical work uses male rodents. Therefore, our aim was to examine the effects of sex, a HFHS diet, and an ACE on chronic pain outcomes following a stressor in adolescence. Rat dams were randomly assigned to a Standard or HFHS diet, with pups maintained on their respective diets then randomly allocated to a No Stress or ACE paradigm, and a Sham or Injury condition as a stressor. Results showed that early life adversities increased nociceptive sensitivity, inflammation, and microglial activation systemically and within the brain. Behaviourally, pain outcomes were more prominent in females, however the neuroimmune response was exacerbated in males. These results demonstrate the sexual dimorphism of chronic pain outcomes following early life adversities and provide insight into the mechanisms driving these changes, which will inform more targeted and effective treatment strategies for youth living with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Glenn R Yamakawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jaimie K Beveridge
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Tang Z, Huang C, Li Y, Sun Y, Chen X. Early-life adversity and edentulism among Chinese older adults. BMC Oral Health 2022; 22:542. [PMID: 36434640 PMCID: PMC9700936 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-022-02595-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence indicate the relationship between ELA with oral health problems. However, most focus on single types of adversity. The association of cumulative ELA with edentulism, the final marker of disease burden for oral health, remains unclear. METHODS Data came from 17,610 elderly participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). In 2014, the Life History Survey Questionnaire was utilized to evaluate the experience of threat and deprivation. Information on edentulism was evaluated through self-report from the follow-up in 2013, 2015, and 2018. By controlling for age, education, hukou residence, marital status, and disease history, logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between distinct dimensions of ELA and risk of edentulism. RESULTS Nearly half (49.8%) of the 17,610 older persons (mean [SD] age at baseline: 63.6 [9.4] years) reported experiencing early adversity due to threat-related ELA, and 77.9% reported having deprivation-related ELA. ELA characterised by threat was associated with edentulism in both male and female participants. Two forms of threat-related ELA exposure were linked to a 1.65-fold and 1.73-fold higher risk for edentulism in both male (95% CI 1.23, 2.21) and female participants (95% CI 1.31, 2.29), compared to no threat-related ELA exposure. Both male (95% CI 2.34, 4.24) and female participants (95% CI 2.49, 4.56) had a 3.15-fold and 3.37-fold higher risk for edentulism when exposed to three or more threat-related ELAs. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that ELA marked by threat is linked to an increased risk of edentulism. The biological pathways between different dimensions of ELA and teeth loss should be clarified by future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing Tang
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XStomatologic Hospital and College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chuanlong Huang
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XStomatologic Hospital and College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Li
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XStomatologic Hospital and College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ying Sun
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XStomatologic Hospital and College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XSchool of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xin Chen
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XStomatologic Hospital and College, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Research of Anhui Province, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Lloyd S, Larivée A, Lutz PE. Homeorhesis: envisaging the logic of life trajectories in molecular research on trauma and its effects. Hist Philos Life Sci 2022; 44:65. [PMID: 36417009 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-022-00542-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
What sets someone on a life trajectory? This question is at the heart of studies of 21st-century neurosciences that build on scientific models developed over the last 150 years that attempt to link psychopathology risk and human development. Historically, this research has documented persistent effects of singular, negative life experiences on people's subsequent development. More recently, studies have documented neuromolecular effects of early life adversity on life trajectories, resulting in models that frame lives as disproportionately affected by early negative experiences. This view is dominant, despite little evidence of the stability of the presumably early-developed molecular traits and their potential effects on phenotypes. We argue that in the context of gaps in knowledge and the need for scientists to reason across molecular and phenotypic scales, as well as time spans that can extend beyond an individual's life, specific interpretative frameworks shape the ways in which individual scientific findings are assessed. In the process, scientific reasoning oscillates between understandings of cellular homeostasis and organisms' homeorhesis, or life trajectory. Biologist and historian François Jacob described this framework as the "attitude" that researchers bring to bear on their "objects" of study. Through an analysis of, first, historical and contemporary scientific literature and then ethnographic research with neuroscientists, we consider how early life trauma came to be associated with specific psychological and neurobiological effects grounded in understandings of life trajectories. We conclude with a consideration of the conceptual, ontological, and ethical implications of interpreting life trajectories as the result of the persistence of long-embodied biological traits, persistent life environments, or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lloyd
- Department of Anthropology, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
| | - Alexandre Larivée
- Department of Anthropology, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre-Eric Lutz
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives UPR3212, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
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Demaestri C, Gallo M, Mazenod E, Hong AT, Arora H, Short AK, Stern H, Baram TZ, Bath KG. Resource scarcity but not maternal separation provokes unpredictable maternal care sequences in mice and both upregulate Crh-associated gene expression in the amygdala. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 20:100484. [PMID: 36120094 PMCID: PMC9475315 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for the development of pathology, including anxiety disorders. Neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes following ELA are multifaceted and are influenced heavily by the type of adversity experienced and sex of the individual experiencing ELA. It remains unclear what properties of ELA portend differential neurobiological risk and the basis of sex-differences for negative outcomes. Predictability of the postnatal environment has emerged as being a core feature supporting development, with the most salient signals deriving from parental care. Predictability of parental care may be a distinguishing feature of different forms of ELA, and the degree of predictability afforded by these manipulations may contribute to the diversity of outcomes observed across models. Further, questions remain as to whether differing levels of predictability may contribute to differential effects on neurodevelopment and expression of genes associated with risk for pathology. Here, we tested the hypothesis that changes in maternal behavior in mice would be contingent on the type of ELA experienced, directly comparing predictability of care in the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) and maternal separation (MS) paradigms. We then tested whether the predictability of the ELA environment altered the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh), a sexually-dimorphic neuropeptide that regulates threat-related learning, in the amygdala of male and female mice. The LBN manipulation reliably increased the entropy of maternal care, a measure that indicates lower predictability between sequences of dam behavior. LBN and MS rearing similarly increased the frequency of nest sorties and licking of pups but had mixed effects on other aspects of dam-, pup-, and nest-related behaviors. Increased expression of Crh-related genes was observed in pups that experienced ELA, with gene expression measures showing a significant interaction with sex and type of ELA manipulation. Specifically, MS was associated with increased expression of Crh-related genes in males, but not females, and LBN primarily increased expression of these genes in females, but not males. The present study provides evidence for predictability as a distinguishing feature of models of ELA and demonstrates robust consequences of these differing experience on sex-differences in gene expression critically associated with stress responding and sex differences in risk for pathology. Type of early life adversity differentially altered quantity of maternal behavior. Limited bedding and nesting increased unpredictable dam behavior. Amygdalar Crh expression in male and female pups were dependent on the type rearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Demaestri
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meghan Gallo
- Doctoral Program in Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc./ New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elisa Mazenod
- Doctoral Program in Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Alexander T Hong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Hina Arora
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Annabel K Short
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Hal Stern
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kevin G Bath
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc./ New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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40
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Brodzinsky D, Gunnar M, Palacios J. Adoption and trauma: Risks, recovery, and the lived experience of adoption. Child Abuse Negl 2022; 130:105309. [PMID: 34544593 PMCID: PMC8926933 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although a very heterogeneous group, adopted persons may present developmental and mental health problems of varying severity. Pre-placement adversity and trauma have often been linked to these problems. It has been also suggested that adoption itself is a psychological trauma, predisposing the individual to emotional difficulties. OBJECTIVES This article examines the links between early adversity, trauma, and adoption. We begin by defining trauma and then describe the way in which pre-placement adversity can undermine neurobehavioral and interpersonal functioning, increasing the risk for long-term psychological difficulties. Next, we examine children's recovery when placed in a stable adoptive home. Finally, we explore adoption as a lived experience, highlighting contextual and developmental factors that facilitate the person's positive or negative attributions about being adopted, leading to varying patterns of emotional adjustment. CONCLUSIONS Although pre-placement adversity increases adopted individuals' risk for maladjustment, the human brain and behavior are malleable, and placement in a nurturing adoptive home often facilitates recovery from early adversity, with significant heterogeneity in the extent of recovery within and across domains of functioning. While there is no evidence that early adoption is a trauma for the individual, ongoing negative life circumstances, attachment difficulties, and developmentally-mediated attributions about adoption can undermine the person's self-esteem, identity, relationships, and sense of well-being. Conclusions and suggestions for future research are offered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan Gunnar
- University of Minnesota, United States of America
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Duque-Wilckens N, Teis R, Sarno E, Stoelting F, Khalid S, Dairi Z, Douma A, Maradiaga N, Hench S, Dharshika CD, Thelen KM, Gulbransen B, Robison AJ, Moeser AJ. Early life adversity drives sex-specific anhedonia and meningeal immune gene expression through mast cell activation. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 103:73-84. [PMID: 35339629 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) in the form of physical and/or psychological abuse or neglect increases the risk of developing psychiatric and inflammatory disorders later in life. It has been hypothesized that exposure to ELA results in persistent, low grade inflammation that leads to increased disease susceptibility by amplifying the crosstalk between stress-processing brain networks and the immune system, but the mechanisms remain largely unexplored. The meninges, a layer of three overlapping membranes that surround the central nervous system (CNS)- dura mater, arachnoid, and piamater - possess unique features that allow them to play a key role in coordinating immune trafficking between the brain and the peripheral immune system. These include a network of lymphatic vessels that carry cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the deep cervical lymph nodes, fenestrated blood vessels that allow the passage of molecules from blood to the CNS, and a rich population of resident mast cells, master regulators of the immune system. Using a mouse model of ELA consisting of neonatal maternal separation plus early weaning (NMSEW), we sought to explore the effects of ELA on sucrose preference behavior, dura mater expression of inflammatory markers and mast cell histology in adult male and female C57Bl/6 mice. We found that NMSEW alone does not affect sucrose preference behavior in males or females, but it increases the dura mater expression of the genes coding for mast cell protease CMA1 (cma1) and the inflammatory cytokine TNF alpha (tnf alpha) in females. When NMSEW is combined with an adult mild stress (that does not affect behavior or gene expression in NH animals) females show reduced sucrose preference and even greater increases in meningeal cma1 levels. Interestingly, systemic administration of the mast cell stabilizer Ketotifen before exposure to adult stress prevents both, reduction in sucrose preference an increases in cma1 expression in NMSEW females, but facilitates stress-induced sucrose anhedonia in NMSEW males and NH females. Finally, histological analyses showed that, compared to males, females have increased baseline activation levels of mast cells located in the transverse sinus of the dura mater, where the meningeal lymphatics run along, and that, in males and females exposed to adult stress, NMSEW increases the number of mast cells in the interparietal region of the dura mater and the levels of mast cell activation in the sagittal sinus regions of the dura mater. Together, our results indicate that ELA induces long-term meningeal immune gene changes and heightened sensitivity to adult stress-induced behavioral and meningeal immune responses and that these effects could mediated via mast cells.
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Thomas Tobin CS, Gutiérrez Á, Bell CN, Thorpe RJ. Early Life Racial Discrimination, Racial Centrality, and Allostatic Load Among African American Older Adults. Gerontologist 2022; 62:721-731. [PMID: 34922345 PMCID: PMC9154246 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnab185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prior research documents accelerated physiological aging among African Americans due to their greater lifetime exposure to social and economic adversity. Yet, less is known about the mechanisms through which early life stressors, such as early life racial discrimination (ELRD), and later life psychosocial resources, such as racial centrality (i.e., importance of Black identity to one's sense of self), interact to shape allostatic load (AL) in adulthood. We evaluate the life course processes linking ELRD, adult racial centrality, and adult AL among older African Americans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study included African Americans aged 50 and older (N = 260). Poisson regression models assessed the links between ELRD, adult centrality, and adult AL. Interactions determined whether ELRD conditions the centrality-AL association in adulthood. RESULTS Adolescent ELRD conferred significantly higher levels of adult centrality and 32% increased risk of high adult AL. Greater adult centrality was linked to high adult AL, but the ELRD-adult AL association was not explained by centrality. However, ELRD and centrality interact to shape adult AL, such that racial centrality was protective against high adult AL for those who experienced racial discrimination as children or adolescents. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Findings highlight the multiple pathways through which racism-related stressors and psychosocial resources interact to shape physiological dysregulation in later life and underscore the health significance of racial identity for older African Americans. Clinicians and public health professionals should assess early life stressors and foster psychosocial resilience to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney S Thomas Tobin
- Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ángela Gutiérrez
- Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Caryn N Bell
- Department of Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Roland J Thorpe
- Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Buechel C, Nehring I, Seifert C, Eber S, Behrends U, Mall V, Friedmann A. A cross-sectional investigation of psychosocial stress factors in German families with children aged 0-3 years during the COVID-19 pandemic: initial results of the CoronabaBY study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:37. [PMID: 35581664 PMCID: PMC9113073 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00464-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosocial stress during the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing particularly in parents. Although being specifically vulnerable to negative environmental exposures, research on psychosocial stress factors in infants' and toddlers' families during the pandemic is so far sparse. The CoronabaBY study investigates the perceived pandemic burden, parenting stress and parent and child mental health problems in families with children aged 0-3 years in Bavaria, Southern Germany. Further, the relationships between these psychosocial stressors are examined and sociodemographic characteristics that may be predictive of these factors will be explored. METHODS Participants were cross-sectionally surveyed via smartphone app. Standardized questionnaires on perceived pandemic burden, parenting stress, parental symptoms of depression and anxiety, infants' crying, sleeping and feeding problems or toddlers' emotional and behavioral problems were applied. RESULTS N = 991 parents (Mage = 33.7 years, SD = 4.5; 93.7% mothers, 91.5% born in Germany) with infants (n = 554; Mage = 5.9 months, SD = 3.0) or toddlers (n = 435; Mage = 25.9 months, SD = 6.5) participated in the first half-year of 2021. Sixty-five percent of the parents perceived a high pandemic burden, 37.7% experienced parenting stress and 24.1% showed affective symptoms (anxiety: 30.1%, depression: 18.5%). Feeding problems, crying/ sleeping problems and multiple regulatory problems were found in 34.8%, 26.2% and 13.5% of the infants, respectively. Amongst toddlers, 8.5% showed noticeable behavior and emotional problems. Children`s mental health problems correlated moderately with parenting stress and parental affective symptoms and weakly with perceived pandemic burden. A lower financial status, higher parental education and increasing child age were significant but weak predictors for higher parenting stress, affective symptoms and higher psychological problems in children. CONCLUSIONS A majority of the surveyed families with infants and toddlers experience the pandemic as stressful. The main challenges are parental affective symptoms and limited resources for childcare due to parenting stress. Overall, infants and toddlers show similar levels of mental health problems when being compared to pre-pandemic studies, but staggered detrimental effects on children`s mental health might occur if the stressful conditions persist. This is already indicated by correlations between parental and child psychosocial stress factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Buechel
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Chair of Social Pediatrics, Munich, Germany. .,, Heiglhofstraße 65, 81377, München, Germany.
| | - Ina Nehring
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Chair of Social Pediatrics, Munich, Germany
| | - Clara Seifert
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Chair of Social Pediatrics, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Eber
- Professional Association of Pediatricians in Bavaria and PaedNetz Bayern, Munich, Germany
| | - Uta Behrends
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Pediatrics, Kinderklinik München Schwabing, StKM GmbH and Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Volker Mall
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Chair of Social Pediatrics, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Friedmann
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine, Chair of Social Pediatrics, Munich, Germany
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Keogh TM, Howard S, Gallagher S, Ginty AT. Cluster analysis reveals distinct patterns of childhood adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression that predict blunted heart rate reactivity to acute psychological stress. Ann Behav Med 2022; 57:61-73. [PMID: 35568985 PMCID: PMC9773378 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is considerable evidence documenting associations between early life adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression with blunted cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress. However, while often examined as independent predictors, it is also likely that a combination of these factors uniquely relate to cardiovascular reactivity. PURPOSE The present study employed multivariate cluster analysis to examine if distinct combinations of these outcomes relate to cardiovascular stress reactivity. METHODS Participants (N = 467) were predominantly female (60.6%) with a mean age of 19.30 years (SD = 0.82). Measures of early life adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression were completed; in addition, participants had their blood pressure and heart rate monitored throughout a standardized stress testing session. Cardiovascular reactivity was calculated as the difference between mean stress and mean baseline cardiovascular values. RESULTS Analyses revealed two clusters with distinct patterns of exposure to early life adversity, levels of behavioral disengagement and depression, uniquely related to cardiovascular reactivity. In unadjusted models, Cluster 1 that was characterized by greater exposure to early life adversity, higher levels of behavioral disengagement and depression, was associated with lower systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) reactivity. Cluster 2 was characterized by reactivity values similar to the sample means. In fully adjusted models, Cluster 1 predicted heart rate reactivity to stress. CONCLUSIONS The present study identifies a behavioral cluster that is characteristic of a blunted heart rate reactivity profile, significantly extending the research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siobhán Howard
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Stephen Gallagher
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Annie T Ginty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
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Back SN, Schmitz M, Koenig J, Zettl M, Kleindienst N, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K. Reduced vagal activity in borderline personality disorder is unaffected by intranasal oxytocin administration, but predicted by the interaction between childhood trauma and attachment insecurity. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2022; 129:409-419. [PMID: 35275249 PMCID: PMC9007810 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-022-02482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show self-regulatory deficits, associated with reduced heart-rate variability (HRV). However, results on reduced HRV in BPD remain heterogeneous, thus encouraging the search for developmental constructs explaining this heterogeneity. The present study first examined predictors of reduced resting-state HRV in BPD, namely the interaction between self-reported adult attachment insecurity and childhood trauma. Second, we investigated if alterations in resting-state HRV are modified by intranasal oxytocin administration, as oxytocin may enhance HRV and is implicated in the interaction between childhood trauma and disturbed attachment for the pathogenesis of BPD. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 53 unmedicated women with BPD and 60 healthy controls (HC) self-administered either 24 I.U. of oxytocin or placebo and underwent a 4-min electrocardiogram. Our results replicate significantly reduced HRV in women with BPD, explained up to 16% by variations in childhood trauma and attachment insecurity. At high levels of acute attachment insecurity, higher levels of childhood trauma significantly predicted reduced HRV in BPD. However, our results do not support a significant effect of oxytocin on mean HRV, and no interaction effect emerged including childhood trauma and attachment insecurity. Our findings highlight a complex interaction between reduced vagal activity and developmental factors in BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Back
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany.
| | - Marius Schmitz
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julian Koenig
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Max Zettl
- Institute of Psychosocial Prevention, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kleindienst
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Institute of Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Bertsch
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Leopoldstraße 13, 80802, Munich, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract
Macrophages are central elements of all organs, where they have a multitude of physiological and pathological functions. The first macrophages are produced during fetal development, and most adult organs retain populations of fetal-derived macrophages that self-maintain without major input of hematopoietic stem cell-derived monocytes. Their developmental origins make macrophages highly susceptible to environmental perturbations experienced in early life, in particular the fetal period. It is now well recognized that such adverse developmental conditions contribute to a wide range of diseases later in life. This chapter explores the notion that macrophages are key targets of environmental adversities during development, and mediators of their long-term impact on health and disease. We first briefly summarize our current understanding of macrophage ontogeny and their biology in tissues and consider potential mechanisms by which environmental stressors may mediate fetal programming. We then review evidence for programming of macrophages by adversities ranging from maternal immune activation and diet to environmental pollutants and toxins, which have disease relevance for different organ systems. Throughout this chapter, we contemplate appropriate experimental strategies to study macrophage programming. We conclude by discussing how our current knowledge of macrophage programming could be conceptualized, and finally highlight open questions in the field and approaches to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene S Magalhaes
- Centre for Inflammation Research & Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Harry G Potter
- Centre for Inflammation Research & Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Ahlback
- Centre for Inflammation Research & Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Gentek
- Centre for Inflammation Research & Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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McCrory C, Fiorito G, O'Halloran AM, Polidoro S, Vineis P, Kenny RA. Early life adversity and age acceleration at mid-life and older ages indexed using the next-generation GrimAge and Pace of Aging epigenetic clocks. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 137:105643. [PMID: 34999481 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This retrospective cross-sectional study was designed to explore whether the experience of childhood adversity was associated with epigenetic age acceleration in mid-life and older ages using the next generation GrimAge and Pace of Aging DNA methylation clocks. METHOD The study involved a sub-sample of 490 individuals aged 50-87 years of age participating in the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA); a large nationally representative prospective cohort study of aging in Ireland. Childhood adversity was ascertained via self-report using 5-items that were deemed to indicate potentially nefarious childhood exposures, including growing up poor, death of a parent, parental substance abuse in the family, childhood physical abuse, and childhood sexual abuse. RESULTS Only childhood poverty was associated with significant epigenetic age acceleration according to the GrimAge and Pace of Aging clocks, hastening biological aging by 2.04 years [CI= 1.07, 3.00; p < 0.001] and 1.16 years [CI= 0.11, 2.21; p = 0.030] respectively. Analysis of the dose-response pattern revealed each additional adversity was associated with 0.69 years of age acceleration [CI= 0.23, 1.15; p = 0.004] according to the GrimAge clock. Mediation analysis suggested that lifetime smoking explains a substantial portion (>50%) of the excess risk of age acceleration amongst those who experienced childhood poverty. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to the growing body of evidence which implicates early life adversity, particularly deprivation as a potential precipitant of earlier biological aging, and implicates smoking-related changes to DNA methylation processes as a candidate pathway and mechanism through which the social environment gets transduced at a biological level to hasten the aging process.
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Sun S, Sheridan M, Tyrka A, Donofry SD, Erickson K, Loucks E. Addressing the biological embedding of early life adversities (ELA) among adults through mindfulness: Proposed mechanisms and review of converging evidence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104526. [PMID: 34998833 PMCID: PMC8844271 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversities (ELA) are prevalent and have a profound and adverse impact across the lifespan, including on age-related health outcomes, yet interventions to remediate its adverse impact are scarce. This paper presents evidence for mindfulness training to reduce the elevated mental and physical health risks linked to ELA among adults by targeting biological mechanisms of ELA leading to these adverse health outcomes. We first provide a brief overview of ELA, its adverse health impacts, and mechanisms that might be responsible. Next, we review converging evidence that demonstrates that mindfulness training influences key biological pathways involved in ELA-linked negative health consequences, including (a) brain networks involved in self-regulation, (b) immunity and inflammation, (c) telomere biology, and (d) epigenetic modifications. Further, we review preliminary evidence from mindfulness-based trials that focused on populations impacted by ELA. We discuss limitations of this review and provide recommendations for future research. If effective, a mindfulness-based approach could be an important public health strategy for remediating the adverse mental and physical health consequences of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufang Sun
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, United States; Mindfulness Center at Brown University, United States.
| | - Margaret Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Audrey Tyrka
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Alpert Medical School
| | | | - Kirk Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Eric Loucks
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health,Mindfulness Center at Brown University
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Etzel L, Apsley AT, Mattern BC, Hastings WJ, Heller T, Ram N, Siegel SR, Shalev I. Immune cell dynamics in response to an acute laboratory stressor: a within-person between-group analysis of the biological impact of early life adversity. Stress 2022; 25:347-356. [PMID: 36404775 PMCID: PMC9704543 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2022.2148100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a risk factor for early onset morbidities and mortality, a relationship that may be driven in part by immune system dysregulation. One mechanism of dysregulation that has yet to be fully examined in the context of ELA is alterations to immune cell dynamics in response to acute stress. Using a within-person between-group experimental design, we investigated stress-induced changes in immune cell populations, and how these changes may be altered in individuals with a history of ELA. Participants were young adults (N = 34, aged 18-25 years, 53% female, 47% with a history of ELA). Complete immune cell counts were measured at four time-points over a 5-hour window across two sessions (Trier Social Stress Test [TSST] vs. no-stress) separated by a week. Across all participants, total white blood cells increased over time (F(3,84)=38.97, p < .001) with a greater increase in response to the TSST compared to the no-stress condition at 240 minutes post-test (b = 0.43±.19; t(179)=2.22, p = .027). This pattern was mirrored by neutrophil counts. Lymphocyte counts were initially depressed by TSST exposure (b =-205±.67; t(184)=-3.07, p = .002) but recovered above baseline. ELA status was associated with higher stress-induced immune cell counts, a difference likely driven by increases in neutrophils (F(1,22)=4.45, p = .046). Overall, these results indicate differential immune cell dynamics in response to acute stress in individuals with a history of ELA. This points to altered immune system functioning in the context of stress, a finding that may be driving increased morbidity and mortality risk for ELA-exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Abner T. Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Brooke C. Mattern
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Heller
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nilam Ram
- Department of Psychology and Department of Communication, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sue Rutherford Siegel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Donofry SD, Stillman CM, Hanson JL, Sheridan M, Sun S, Loucks EB, Erickson KI. Promoting brain health through physical activity among adults exposed to early life adversity: Potential mechanisms and theoretical framework. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:688-703. [PMID: 34624365 PMCID: PMC8642290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, and poverty, profoundly alter neurobehavioral development in a manner that negatively impacts health across the lifespan. Adults who have been exposed to such adversities exhibit premature and more severe age-related declines in brain health. Unfortunately, it remains unclear whether the negative effects of early life adversity (ELA) on brain health can be remediated through intervention in adulthood. Physical activity may represent a low-cost behavioral approach to address the long-term consequences of ELA on brain health. However, there has been limited research examining the impact of physical activity on brain health among adults with a history of ELA. Accordingly, the purpose of this review is to (1) review the influence of ELA on brain health in adulthood and (2) highlight evidence for the role of neurotrophic factors, hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis regulation, inflammatory processes, and epigenetic modifications in mediating the effects of both ELA and physical activity on brain health outcomes in adulthood. We then propose a theoretical framework to guide future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon D Donofry
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Institute, Allegheny Health Network Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| | - Chelsea M Stillman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jamie L Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Margaret Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Shufang Sun
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Mindfulness Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Eric B Loucks
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Mindfulness Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Kirk I Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Murdoch University, College of Science, Health, Engineering, and Education, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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