Article
Clinical Neurology
Jelena Bakusic, Manosij Ghosh, Andrea Polli, Bram Bekaert, Wilmar Schaufeli, Stephan Claes, Lode Godderis
Summary: The study revealed that job stress was associated with increased levels of cortisol and cortisone in burnout participants. Changes in DNA methylation of the NR3C1 and SLC6A4 genes were observed in burnout individuals, and some of these methylation changes correlated with burnout symptoms. Increased methylation in a specific CpG in the SLC6A4 gene moderated the association between job stress and burnout, while DNA methylation in this CpG was also associated with increased cortisol levels. Furthermore, average methylation of NR3C1 was negatively associated with cortisone levels.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Linlin Liu, Yi Hu, Yumei Lu, Liping Hu, Changqing Gao, Shengjie Nie
Summary: Epigenetic alterations of the SLC6A4 gene are related to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, with higher methylation levels observed especially in male patients.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Hanga Galfalvy, Eileen Shea, Jacqueline de Vegvar, Spiro Pantazatos, Yung-yu Huang, Ainsley K. Burke, M. Elizabeth Sublette, Maria A. Oquendo, Francesca Zanderigo, Jeffrey M. Miller, J. John Mann
Summary: Childhood and lifetime adversity may influence brain serotonergic neurotransmission through epigenetic mechanisms. This study found that recent stress was correlated with DNA methylation of the 5-HT1A receptor gene and binding potential in participants with major depressive disorder (MDD), but not in controls. Childhood adversity was not associated with methylation or binding potential in MDD participants.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nina K. Popova, Anton S. Tsybko, Vladimir S. Naumenko
Summary: This article reviews the neurobiological links between aggression, depression, and suicidal behavior, focusing on the involvement of different types of 5-HT receptors. It provides evidence that specific 5-HT receptors are associated with depression-related and aggression-related behaviors, and highlights the potential of targeting these receptors for treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Francesca A. Cupaioli, Fabio A. Zucca, Cinzia Caporale, Klaus-Peter Lesch, Luca Passamonti, Luigi Zecca
Summary: In modern societies, efforts are being made to improve the quality of life by better understanding the brain's influence on aggression. Neurobiological research shows that changes in specific brain regions are related to aggression, and genetic and environmental factors also play a significant role in aggressiveness.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Isabel Cristina Bandeira, Lucas Giombelli, Isabel Cristina Werlang, Ana Lucia Abujamra, Thais Leite Secchi, Rosane Brondani, Jose Augusto Bragatti, Jorge Wladimir Junqueira Bizzi, Sandra Leistner-Segal, Marino Muxfeldt Bianchin
Summary: The study evaluated the methylation profile of BDNF and SLC6A4 genes in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and found significantly decreased methylation associated with mood disorders.
FRONTIERS IN INTEGRATIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Martin Stoffel, Stefanie Rahn, Andreas B. Neubauer, Markus Moessner, Corina Aguilar -Raab, Beate Ditzen
Summary: This study found that levels of DNA methylation (DNAm) of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) were associated with dysregulation of the sympatho-adrenal medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In healthy individuals, higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm were associated with higher levels of alpha-amylase (sAA), but not with cortisol (sCort) levels. Furthermore, within-person analysis showed that higher levels of SLC6A4 DNAm were associated with lower levels of both sAA and sCort. These results provide insight into the role of SLC6A4 DNAm in the association between environmental stress and stress axes regulation.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Kajol V. Sontate, Mohammad Rahim Kamaluddin, Isa Naina Mohamed, Rashidi Mohamed Pakri Mohamed, Mohd. Farooq Shaikh, Haziq Kamal, Jaya Kumar
Summary: Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to morphological changes in the brain, increasing the risk of individuals committing violent crimes, especially under the influence of alcohol. Individuals prone to aggressive behaviors are more likely to impulsively commit violent crimes under the influence of alcohol.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natosha M. Mercado, Guanglin Zhang, Zhe Ying, Fernando Gomez-Pinilla
Summary: Most research on traumatic brain injury (TBI) has focused on the brain itself, overlooking the role of systemic physiology. This study highlights the significance of gut-derived serotonin and its downstream metabolic targets in the systemic pathogenesis of TBI. Researchers found that TBI temporarily downregulated enteric neuronal markers and altered colonic genes related to serotonin synthesis and degradation, leading to an overall decrease in serotonin levels. The study also revealed changes in gut microbiota and serotonin-associated gene expression in downstream tissues after TBI. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the role of systemic physiology in TBI pathogenesis to develop effective treatments.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaofen Zong, Changchun He, Xinyue Huang, Jinming Xiao, Lei Li, Meiling Li, Tao Yao, Maolin Hu, Zhongchun Liu, Xujun Duan, Junjie Zheng
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between antipsychotic treatment response and subcortical structural covariance, as well as the influence of gene expression and epigenetic modifications. The study analyzes baseline T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 38 healthy controls and 38 drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients. The results show significant differences in baseline structural covariance connections in the putamen-hippocampus-pallidum-accumbens pathway for the psychotic symptom dimension and in the putamen-hippocampus-pallidum-thalamus circuit for disorganized symptoms between responders and non-responders. The imaging variances related to psychotic symptom response are spatially associated with the expression of genes enriched in neurobiological processes and dopaminergic pathways. Additionally, the DNA methylation of a gene of interest (GOI) is significantly associated with patients' improvement of psychotic symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Chang Peng, Tengyun Guo, Junhan Cheng, Mengni Wang, Yafei Tan, Fajuan Rong, Chun Kang, Hongli Ding, Yan Wang, Yizhen Yu
Summary: The study found an association between childhood physical abuse and aggression with suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents, with aggression playing a partially mediating role between the two.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Kristin J. Perry, Jamie M. Ostrov
Summary: This study aimed to examine trajectories of relational and physical aggression in early childhood and investigate peer predictors of these trajectories. The findings showed that both forms of aggression decreased from T1 to T2 and increased from T2 to T3, with the increase in physical aggression being significant for boys only. Peer rejection at T1 predicted both intercepts and slopes from T1 to T2, and physical victimization predicted the physical aggression intercept and slope from T1 to T2. These results highlight the importance of studying incremental change in aggression in early childhood and suggest that children who experience negative peer treatment show greater fluctuations in aggression over time.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jeong-Hee Kim, Hang-Keun Kim, Young-Don Son, Jong-Hoon Kim
Summary: This study explored the relationship between 5-HT2A receptor availability and aggression traits in healthy individuals, and found significant positive correlations between 5-HT2A receptor availability and overall aggression score as well as scores on different aggression subscales in multiple brain regions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Laura Gulledge, Damilola Oyebode, Janet R. Donaldson
Summary: Aggression is a complex psychological behavior influenced by genetics, environment, and psychological history. Recent studies have connected the gut microbiome to hormonal and brain development changes, thereby impacting aggression. This review systematically assesses the connection between the gut microbiome and aggression, specifically focusing on how age plays a role. Future directions are suggested to further investigate the link between the microbiome and aggression among adolescents.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Family Studies
Peter Miller, Ryan Baldwin, Kerri Coomber, Bowman Nixon, Nicholas Taylor, Alexa Hayley, Dominique de Andrade
Summary: The study revealed a significant impact of childhood physical abuse on the risk of victimization in the night-time environment for males, while conformity to masculine norms and trait aggression showed different protective or risky relationships. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the long-term effects of childhood abuse on adult aggressive behaviors.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Vincent Begin, Nathalie M. G. Fontaine, Frank Vitaro, Michel Boivin, Richard E. Tremblay, Sylvana M. Cote
Summary: This study aimed to identify the perinatal and early-life factors associated with the development of psychopathic traits in childhood. The results showed that psychotropic exposures during pregnancy, socioeconomic adversity, child's aggression and opposition, mother's depressive symptoms, and hostile parenting were all associated with an increase in psychopathic traits.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Melissa Commisso, Caroline Temcheff, Massimiliano Orri, Martine Poirier, Marianne Lau, Sylvana Cote, Frank Vitaro, Gustavo Turecki, Richard Tremblay, Marie-Claude Geoffroy
Summary: This study found that childhood externalizing problems and comorbid problems were associated with suicide attempts, while internalizing problems were not associated with suicidal ideation. This suggests that these problems confer a specific risk for suicide attempts.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Vincent Begin, Nathalie M. G. Fontaine, Frank Vitaro, Michel Boivin, Richard E. Tremblay, Sylvana M. Cote
Summary: This study aimed to identify the mental health outcomes associated with specific developmental trajectories of psychopathic traits and investigate the compensatory or protective effects of positive relationships with parents and teachers. The findings showed that the high-stable, increasing, and decreasing trajectories of psychopathic traits were associated with distinct mental health outcomes, with children in the increasing trajectory being at higher risk for both externalizing and internalizing psychopathology. However, positive relationships with parents and teachers only partially compensated for these effects.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Sinziana Oncioiu, Michel Boivin, Marie-Claude Geoffroy, Louise Arseneault, Cedric Galera, Marie C. Navarro, Mara Brendgen, Frank Vitaro, Richard E. Tremblay, Sylvana M. Cote, Massimiliano Orri
Summary: Regardless of the timing and intensity, self-reported peer victimization is associated with mental health comorbidities in adolescence. The strongest association is observed for persistent peer victimization.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maude Comtois-Cabana, Emily Barr, Nadine Provencal, Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
Summary: Prospective studies have shown that child maltreatment increases the risk of depression in adulthood, but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. This study explored whether DNA methylation levels of nine candidate genes mediated and/or moderated the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Francis Vergunst, Melissa Commisso, Marie-Claude Geoffroy, Caroline Temcheff, Martine Poirier, Jungwee Park, Frank Vitaro, Richard Tremblay, Sylvana Cote, Massimilliano Orri
Summary: This study used 32 years of longitudinal data and found that children with externalizing, internalizing, or comorbid symptoms during school age were at increased risk for poor economic and social outcomes in the long term. Especially, children exhibiting comorbid problems were particularly vulnerable. Early detection and support are crucial for these children.
Article
Psychology, Educational
Catalina Rey-Guerra, Henrik D. Zachrisson, Eric Dearing, Daniel Berry, Susanne Kuger, Margaret R. Burchinal, Ane Naerde, Thomas van Huizen, Sylvana M. Cote
Summary: The question of whether high quantities of center-based care cause behavior problems is controversial. Studies using covariate adjustment for selection factors have found a relation between center care and behavior problems, but studies with stronger internal validity less frequently find evidence of such a relationship. A meta-analysis of seven studies examining changes in hours in center-based care and changes in externalizing problems in toddlers and preschoolers found no association between the two variables.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Rene Carbonneau, Richard E. Tremblay, Frank Vitaro, Mara Brendgen, Michel Boivin, Pascale Domond, Sylvana Cote
Summary: This study explores the patterns of relative academic achievement of children in the classroom from grade 1 to grade 6 and their associations with child, parental, and socio-familial characteristics. The findings indicate that low parental education and family income, male sex, and poor parental behaviors and attitudes towards the child are associated with a lower trajectory of relative academic achievement.
EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tianna Loose, Marie Claude Geoffroy, Massimiliano Orri, Nicholas Chadi, Sara Scardera, Linda Booij, Edith Breton, Richard Tremblay, Michel Boivin, Sylvana Cote
Summary: The study found that there is a correlation between disordered eating in adolescence and mental health problems one year into the pandemic, and this correlation is partially explained by loneliness. Females with a history of disordered eating during adolescence are more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-injury and have suicidal ideation, while males are more likely to experience severe anxiety. Both males and females with a history of disordered eating are more likely to have severe depression.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH-REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Kotsakis Ruehlmann, Sara Sammallahti, Andrea P. Cortes Hidalgo, Kelly M. Bakulski, Elisabeth B. Binder, Megan Loraine Campbell, Doretta Caramaschi, Charlotte A. M. Cecil, Elena Colicino, Cristiana Cruceanu, Darina Czamara, Linda Dieckmann, John Dou, Janine F. Felix, Josef Frank, Siri E. Haberg, Gunda Herberth, Thanh T. Hoang, Lotte C. Houtepen, Anke Huls, Nastassja Koen, Stephanie J. London, Maria C. Magnus, Giulia Mancano, Rosa H. Mulder, Christian M. Page, Katri Raikkonen, Stefan Roeder, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Tabea S. Send, Gemma Sharp, Dan J. Stein, Fabian Streit, Johanna Tuhkanen, Stephanie H. Witt, Heather J. Zar, Ana C. Zenclussen, Yining Zhang, Lea Zillich, Rosalind Wright, Jari Lahti, Kelly J. Brunst
Summary: Prenatal maternal stressful life events are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. This meta-analysis examined the association between maternal stressful life events during pregnancy and DNA methylation in cord blood. Children whose mothers reported higher levels of cumulative maternal stressful life events during pregnancy exhibited differential methylation of specific genes implicated in neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration, immune and cellular functions, regulation of global methylation levels, metabolism, and schizophrenia risk. These findings provide novel insights into potential mechanisms of neurodevelopment in offspring.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Edith Breton, Sylvana M. Cote, Lise Dubois, Frank Vitaro, Michel Boivin, Richard E. Tremblay, Linda Booij
Summary: Eating disorders have early origins and there may be a link between childhood eating behaviors and long-term disordered eating. Factors such as BMI, desire for thinness, and peer victimization could influence this link, but the exact mechanisms are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, the study used data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development and found that a significant percentage of youth had a trajectory of high disordered eating from 12 to 20 years old. The findings highlight the importance of promoting healthy body images and eating behaviors among young people.
JOURNAL OF YOUTH AND ADOLESCENCE
(2023)
Article
Criminology & Penology
Adam Vanzella-Yang, Yann Algan, Elizabeth Beasley, Sylvana Cote, Frank Vitaro, Richard E. Tremblay, Jungwee Park
Summary: The 2-year intervention program in Montreal aimed at improving social skills and self-control among disruptive boys from low-income neighborhoods resulted in improved behavioral indicators, increased high school graduation rates, reduced crime rates, and better labor market outcomes in adulthood. Importantly, the program demonstrated considerable cost-effectiveness and generated positive returns on taxpayer investments.
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Danusa Mar Arcego, Jan-Paul Buschdorf, Nicholas O'Toole, Zihan Wang, Barbara Barth, Irina Pokhvisneva, Nirmala Arul Rayan, Sachin Patel, Euclides Jose de Mendonca Filho, Patrick Lee, Jennifer Tan, Ming Xuan Koh, Chu Ming Sim, Carine Parent, Randriely Merscher Sobreira de Lima, Andrew Clappison, Kieran J. O'Donnell, Carla Dalmaz, Janine Arloth, Nadine Provencal, Elisabeth B. Binder, Josie Diorio, Patricia Pelufo Silveira, Michael J. Meaney
Summary: This study investigates the impact of environmental influences on mental health by integrating transcriptomic data from animal models with human data. The results suggest that hippocampal glucocorticoid-related transcriptional activity mediates the effects of early adversity on neural mechanisms implicated in psychiatric disorders.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2024)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Nina Pocuca, Marie-Claude Geoffroy, Stephane Paquin, Kim Archambault, Jean R. Seguin, Sophie Parent, Michel Boivin, Richard E. Tremblay, Sylvana Cote, Natalie Castellanos-Ryan
Summary: This study examined the structure of psychopathology in mid-adolescence using symptom dimensions and found that a bifactor model provided the best fit. The bifactor model consisted of a general psychopathology factor and specific internalizing, externalizing, or substance use factors. Additionally, the study found that the general psychopathology factor (P factor) was associated with various mental health disorders and alcohol use disorder at 20 years. The results suggest that targeting the common liability to psychopathology may be important in preventing later mental health problems and AUD.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND CLINICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Rene Carbonneau, Frank Vitaro, Mara Brendgen, Michel Boivin, Sylvana M. Cote, Richard E. Tremblay
Summary: This study investigated the developmental patterns of gambling participation and substance use in adolescents and found six different patterns. The results indicated that gambling and substance use do not influence each other in terms of onset and course throughout adolescence, and do not affect the types of gambling activities or substances used, problems related to gambling or substance use, or substance abuse.
JOURNAL OF GAMBLING STUDIES
(2023)
