Article
Environmental Sciences
Jieyu Liu, Di Gao, Yanhui Li, Xinli Song, Manman Chen, Qi Ma, Xinxin Wang, Mengjie Cui, Tongjun Guo, Li Chen, Yi Zhang, Wen Yuan, Tao Ma, Jianuo Jiang, Yanhui Dong, Zhiyong Zou, Jun Ma
Summary: This study investigated the effects of phthalate esters (PAEs) and sex hormone disruption on early onset of puberty in children. The findings suggest that long-term exposure to PAEs may increase the risk of early puberty onset, working in synergy with estradiol (E2) and in antagonism with testosterone (TT) in boys. Reducing PAEs exposure may promote pubertal health.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Madison H. Fung, Elizabeth Heinrichs-Graham, Brittany K. Taylor, Michaela R. Frenzel, Jacob A. Eastman, Yu-Ping Wang, Vince D. Calhoun, Julia M. Stephen, Tony W. Wilson
Summary: Puberty is a period of significant hormonal fluctuations that can influence the structural and functional changes in the developing brain. This study used MEG technology to investigate the impact of pubertal hormones on motor-related oscillations in 69 youths. The findings revealed that pubertal hormones have complex effects on beta event-related desynchronization and highlight the continued development of motor cortical dynamics during puberty.
Article
Neurosciences
Mitchell G. Spring, Aaron Caccamise, Elizabeth A. Panther, Bethany M. Windsor, Karan R. Soni, Jayme R. McReynolds, Daniel S. Wheeler, John R. Mantsch, Robert A. Wheeler
Summary: Chronic stress diminishes task-related activity of brain pathways regulating approach behavior, reducing cue-directed behavior and impairing associated cortical activity. Stress disrupts reward processing by altering the incentive value of associated cues.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Madison H. Fung, Raeef L. Rahman, Brittany K. Taylor, Michaela R. Frenzel, Jacob A. Eastman, Yu-Ping Wang, Vince D. Calhoun, Julia M. Stephen, Tony W. Wilson
Summary: The adolescent brain undergoes significant changes in structure and function. This study found that pubertal hormones may modulate the development of neural oscillatory activity, especially in visuospatial processing and attention functions during puberty.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yun Liu, Antonia M. Calafat, Aimin Chen, Bruce P. Lanphear, Nana-Hawa Yayah Jones, Kim M. Cecil, Susan R. Rose, Kimberly Yolton, Jessie P. Buckley, Joseph M. Braun
Summary: This study examined the associations of prenatal and childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with pubertal development and reproductive hormones. The results showed that adolescent PFAS concentrations were associated with later pubic hair growth, breast maturation, and age at menarche in females, but there was no pattern for prenatal or other postnatal concentrations. No associations were observed between PFAS concentrations and pubic hair growth or reproductive hormones in males.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Rajpreet Chahal, Kristen Delevich, Jaclyn S. Kirshenbaum, Lauren R. Borchers, Tiffany C. Ho, Ian H. Gotlib
Summary: Researchers have found sex differences in white matter maturation during puberty, with males showing a positive association between pubertal stage and fronto-accumbal fiber density, while females did not exhibit this relationship. Additionally, males reported higher reward sensitivity than females, and only males showed a negative association between fronto-accumbal tract FDC and sensitivity to punishment. These findings suggest that there are sex differences in the maturation of the fronto-accumbal tract during puberty, and this may relate to lower punishment sensitivity in adolescent males compared to females.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Suzuka Narukawa, Momoka Nishimura, Izumi Kuze, Ibuki Ohno, Masaki Fukunaga, Kohta I. Kobayasi, Shota A. Murai
Summary: This study investigated the neural correlates of rotating fidget spinners using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results showed that several brain regions associated with motor control were activated during the rotation of spinners. Furthermore, easier-to-rotate spinners elicited stronger neural activity. The analysis also revealed increased functional connectivity between the cortex and striatum during spinner rotation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Patrick A. F. Laing, Trevor Steward, Christopher G. Davey, Kim L. Felmingham, Miguel Angel Fullana, Bram Vervliet, Matthew D. Greaves, Bradford Moffat, Rebecca K. Glarin, Ben J. Harrison
Summary: This study investigates the neural basis of safety learning using advanced fMRI technology, and finds that safety learning is mediated through a cortico-striatal circuitry separate from broader cortical regions involved in processing standard safety signals.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Tiago Bortolini, Bruno Melo, Rodrigo Basilio, Ronald Fischer, Roland Zahn, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Brian Knutson, Jorge Moll
Summary: This study explores the intrinsic motivation of humans to bond with others and the role of reward circuitry in the anticipation and response to affiliative rewards. The findings suggest a general appetitive response in the Nucleus Accumbens to different types of rewards, while a more specific response is seen in the septo-hypothalamic region to affiliative rewards. The new task presented in this work allows for distinguishing between neural responses to affiliative and non-affiliative rewards.
Article
Neurosciences
Zhijie Liao, Steven Tilley, Andrei Mouraviev, Ammar Khairullah, Tomas Paus
Summary: The study found that testosterone exposure during adolescence moderates the relationship between adult testosterone and brain response to faces. People with lower exposure to testosterone during puberty showed a positive relationship between current testosterone and brain response to faces.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Yanyun Zhu, Jing Ye, Ping Qin, Xu Yan, Xinbao Gong, Xiaoqian Li, Ya Liu, Yunsheng Li, Tong Yu, Yunhai Zhang, Yinghui Ling, Juhua Wang, Hongguo Cao, Fugui Fang
Summary: In this study, the changes in serum hormone levels and ovarian gene expression between prepubertal and pubertal goats were analyzed. It was found that hormone levels, including estradiol and cortisol, increased during puberty, while progesterone levels decreased. Analysis of gene expression profiles identified several genes that were significantly differentially expressed during puberty, involving processes such as metabolism, signaling, reproduction, and growth. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying goat puberty.
JOURNAL OF OVARIAN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Laurie Hamel, Bilgehan Cavdaroglu, Dylan Yeates, David Nguyen, Sadia Riaz, Dylan Patterson, Nisma Khan, Nardin Kirolos, Katherine Roper, Quynh An Ha, Rutsuko Ito
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the role of the mPFC and NAc in cue-elicited adaptive responding, finding that the mPFC plays a crucial role in regulating nonreinforced cue responding.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Kevin B. Smith, Emma Murray, Rajini Chandrasegaram, Jacky Liang, Jean-Francois Mallet, Chantal Matar, Jeffrey D. Blaustein, Nafissa Ismail
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the sex-specific consequences of a pubertal immune challenge on specific components of the HPG axis. The results showed that pubertal immune challenge suppresses the HPG axis by inhibiting Kissl production and decreasing serum gonadotropin concentrations in pubertal males, but points to a different mechanism in pubertal females.
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yingying Wang, Dandan He, Chaowei Fu, Xiaolian Dong, Feng Jiang, Meifang Su, Qian Xu, Peixin Huang, Na Wang, Yue Chen, Qingwu Jiang
Summary: During puberty, serum TSH and FT3 levels decrease while serum FT4 levels increase among girls. The fluctuations of thyroid hormones are associated with both the initial stage and the velocity of pubertal development.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Maria Bretzke, Hannes Wahl, Michael M. Plichta, Nicole Wolff, Veit Roessner, Nora C. Vetter, Judith Buse
Summary: Adolescents and adults show differences in their response to rewards and handling uncertainty, possibly influenced by different reward probabilities. Adolescents exhibit faster reaction times under lower reward probabilities in experiments, but overall slower response speed compared to adults.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Jenny M. Phan, Carol A. Van Hulle, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Nicole L. Schmidt, H. Hill Goldsmith
Summary: Research focused on the impact of family context on hormone coupling during adolescence found that hormones were more tightly coupled in females compared to males, and this coupling was sensitive to parental depression and stress exposure in females. The association between family context and coupling varied across specific neuroendocrine measures and was largely distinct from pubertal maturation. Biometric twin models revealed strong shared and non-shared environmental influences on hormone coupling during puberty.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Jamie L. Hanson, Jenny M. Phan, Paula L. Ruttle, Seth D. Pollak
Summary: Research shows that post-institutionalized youth have lower morning cortisol levels and flatter diurnal rhythms in the lab, but higher morning cortisol levels at home. Those who have endured the most severe early adversity exhibit lower cortisol levels at home. This highlights the impact of early adversity on HPA axis activity and the importance of considering context when studying post-institutionalized youth.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Julianna Deardorff, Jonathan W. Reeves, Carly Hyland, Sasha Tilles, Stephen Rauch, Katherine Kogut, Louise C. Greenspan, Elizabeth Shirtcliff, Robert H. Lustig, Brenda Eskenazi, Kim Harley
Summary: The study found a secular trend in earlier puberty initiation among Latino adolescents, with increases in adiposity as a risk factor. Among Mexican Americans in Salinas, overweight and obese girls showed significantly earlier breast development, menarche, and pubic hair growth, compared to normal-weight girls, while no associations were observed among boys.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebecca Kerestes, Shuo Han, Srinivas Balachander, Carlos Hernandez-Castillo, Jerry L. Prince, Jorn Diedrichsen, Ian H. Harding
Summary: Multiple lines of research support the role of the cerebellum in cognitive and affective functions beyond motor control. This paper presents a standardized pipeline for examining cerebellar structural changes and applies it to a cohort with Friedreich ataxia.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Lotte van Dammen, Tor T. Finseth, Bethany H. McCurdy, Neil P. Barnett, Roselynn A. Conrady, Alexis G. Leach, Andrew F. Deick, Allissa L. Van Steenis, Reece Gardner, Brandon L. Smith, Anita Kay, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that VR stress tasks can elicit varying levels of physiological stress reactivity. VR may be an effective tool in stress research.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shannin N. Moody, Lotte van Dammen, Wen Wang, Kimberly A. Greder, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, Patience A. Afulani, Auriel Willette, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff
Summary: This study examines the impact of factors such as hair type, race, and outdoor exposure on cumulative hair cortisol concentrations. The results demonstrate the influence of hair sample weight, external exposure, and hair type on cortisol levels. Additionally, differences in cumulative cortisol were found between different racial groups and various hair types. These findings highlight the importance of considering hair type and race when measuring hair cortisol in future studies.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Applied
Danny Rahal, Abbey Alkon, Elizabeth Shirtcliff, Nancy Gonzales, Andrew Fuligni, Brenda Eskenazi, Julianna Deardorff
Summary: This study examined the relationship between parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system responses to social-evaluative threat at age 14 and the number of substances used between ages 14 and 16 among Mexican-origin adolescents. The results showed that dampened autonomic nervous system responses were associated with substance use at age 16. Additionally, exaggerated sympathetic nervous system responses were related to using more substances by age 16 among adolescents who had already used substances by age 14.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Olivia C. Robertson, Kristine Marceau, Roberti J. Duncan, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Leslie D. Leve, Daniel S. Shaw, Misaki Natsuaki, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, Jody M. Ganiban
Summary: The thrifty phenotype hypothesis and fetal overnutrition hypothesis explore the effects of prenatal and early life experiences on health outcomes, particularly in terms of obesity risk and early pubertal timing. The thrifty phenotype hypothesis was partially supported for boys' childhood BMI (ages 4-7), while both hypotheses were partially supported for girls' childhood BMI but not pubertal timing.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Sarah R. Black, Matthew D. Scalco, Daniel Mackin, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Daniel N. Klein
Summary: Recent study on the neuroendocrine coupling in youth found that there are sex differences in the cortisol-DHEA coupling over time, with males showing a decrease and females showing an increase. However, morning cortisol-testosterone coupling remained steady across sexes and pubertal status between ages 9 and 12.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Natalie L. Colich, Lindsay C. Hanford, David G. Weissman, Nicholas B. Allen, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Liliana J. Lengua, Margaret A. Sheridan, Katie A. McLaughlin
Summary: Earlier pubertal development is a pathway linking childhood trauma and adolescent psychopathology, potentially through changes in emotion processing neural networks. This study found that earlier pubertal development was associated with childhood trauma and increased externalizing symptoms in boys. It also showed that earlier pubertal timing in males and females was related to decreased activation in brain regions involved in processing fearful and calm faces.
DEVELOPMENTAL COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Ashley G. Eng, Jenny M. Phan, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul, Patrick K. Goh, Michelle M. Martel
Summary: The reproductive neuroendocrine system may explain why some ADHD youths experience worsened symptoms during adolescence. This study found that males with ADHD had higher levels of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, while females had higher levels of impairment. As youth aged, hyperactivity and impulsivity declined, while impairment and depressive symptoms increased, especially amongst those at later pubertal stages.
RESEARCH ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Rebecca Kerestes, Hannah Cummins, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Louisa P. P. Selvadurai, Louise A. A. Corben, Martin B. B. Delatycki, Gary F. F. Egan, Ian H. H. Harding
Summary: In this study, we investigated the changes in functional connectivity between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex in individuals with Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). We found that altered connectivity in motor circuits was associated with disease severity and white matter damage in these patients.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Marjolein E. A. Barendse, Michelle L. Byrne, John C. Flournoy, Elizabeth A. McNeilly, Victoria Guazzelli Williamson, Ann-Marie Y. Barrett, Samantha J. Chavez, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Nicholas B. Allen, Jennifer H. Pfeifer
Summary: The earlier timing of puberty in adolescent girls is associated with increased internalizing psychopathology, especially in later stages of development. The measurement of pubertal development characteristics, type of internalizing psychopathology, and timing points all influence the strength of the association, with psychosocial mechanisms potentially playing a more meaningful role than biological mechanisms in determining mental health outcomes.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND CLINICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Rosalind D. Butterfield, Jennifer S. Silk, Kyung Hwa Lee, Greg S. Siegle, Ronald E. Dahl, Erika E. Forbes, Neal D. Ryan, Jill M. Hooley, Cecile D. Ladouceur
Summary: Parental warmth can protect adolescents with histories of anxiety from future anxiety and depressive symptoms, potentially through its effects on neural functioning in brain regions associated with emotion processing and regulation.
DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shanshan Xiao, Natalie C. Ebner, Amirhossein Manzouri, Tie-Qiang Li, Diana S. Cortes, Kristoffer N. T. Mansson, Hakan Fischer
Summary: The mechanisms through which intranasal oxytocin affects the brain are not fully understood, but recent research suggests that brain regions with a higher density of oxytocin receptors may play a key role. This study used resting-state fMRI to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on connectivity between these receptor-enriched regions and other regions in the brain, and found that the effects varied depending on the age of the participants.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lisa Haase, Antonia Vehlen, Julia Strojny, Gregor Domes
Summary: This study found no significant changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) over the menstrual cycle, and no significant association with variations in estradiol and progesterone. These results suggest that CAR is largely robust against hormonal variations across the menstrual cycle.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Derek Schaeuble, Tyler Wallace, Sebastian A. Pace, Shane T. Hentges, Brent Myers
Summary: Depression and cardiovascular disease are influenced by daily life stress, but the biological mechanisms behind this connection are not well understood. This study shows that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a role in regulating stress responses and behavior, with sex-specific effects. In males, the vmPFC-PH circuitry promotes positive motivation and reduces stress responses, while in females it elevates stress responses. This suggests that cortical regulation of stress reactivity and behavior is mediated by projections to the hypothalamus in a sex-specific manner.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jose M. Guzman, Montana H. Boone, Gabriela L. Suarez, Colter Mitchell, Christopher S. Monk, Luke W. Hyde, Nestor L. Lopez-Duran
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased life stress and internalizing disorders, with a disproportionate impact on women. This study focused on the neuroendocrinology of stress-related disorders and found that women have lower cortisol responses and higher DHEA responses to stress. However, lower cortisol and higher DHEA are associated with internalizing disorders in women, while the opposite is true in men. The study also examined the relationship between COVID-related stress and internalizing symptoms and found gender differences in the association between DHEA and cortisol and internalizing outcomes. These findings suggest distinct neuroendocrine pathways for stress-related disorders in young men and women.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meriah L. Dejoseph, Keira B. Leneman, Alyssa R. Palmer, Emily R. Padrutt, Otiti A. Mayo, Daniel Berry
Summary: Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for the development of the stress response system. This study found a modest positive relation between the adrenocortical and sympathetic systems, as well as between the adrenocortical and parasympathetic systems. The strength of these associations varied based on methodological and sociodemographic characteristics.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Qiong Xiang, Jia-Sheng Tao, Shuai Dong, Xiao-Lin Liu, Liang Yang, Li-Ni Liu, Jing Deng, Xian-Hui Li
Summary: Chronic hyperglycemia accelerates the pathological process of cognitive dysfunction, but the heterogeneity of hippocampal cells under long-term high glucose conditions is not well known. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on diabetic mice, and distinct cell sub-clusters and important genes involved in neuroplasticity regulation were identified.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Roger Mcintosh, Hannah Hoogerwoerd, Salman S. Ahmad, Cassandra Michel, Kaitlyn Dillon, Mahendra Kumar, Gail Ironson
Summary: The study found that a 4-session guided written emotional disclosure intervention led to significant reductions in total output and concentration of epinephrine in urine for up to 6 months in individuals living with HIV. This effect was especially pronounced in women. However, there were no significant changes in norepinephrine output in urine.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meredith Gruhn, Adam Bryant Miller, Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul, Sophia Martin, Matthew G. Clayton, Matteo Giletta, Paul D. Hastings, Matthew K. Nock, Karen D. Rudolph, George M. Slavich, Mitchell J. Prinstein, Margaret A. Sheridan
Summary: This study investigates how early life adversity characterized by threat impacts the association between neural activity and cortisol production during emotion processing. The results suggest that threat exposure may moderate the relationship between neural activation and cortisol response.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)