scholarly journals Early and late signals of unexpected reward contribute to low extraversion and high disinhibition, respectively

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phoebe S-H. Neo ◽  
Neil McNaughton ◽  
Martin Sellbom
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Approach Motivation ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Externalizing Psychopathology ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
Psychopathology Symptoms

Abstract Like socio-economic status and cognitive abilities, personality traits predict important life outcomes. Traits that reflect unusually low or high approach motivations, such as low extraversion and high disinhibition, are linked to various forms of mental disorder. Similarly, the dopamine system is theoretically linked to approach motivation traits and to various forms of mental disorder. Identifying neural contributions to extremes of such traits should map to neural sources of psychopathology, with dopamine a prime candidate. Notably, dopamine cells fire in response to unexpected reward, which suggests that the size of non-invasive, scalp-recorded potentials evoked by unexpected reward could reflect sensitivity in approach motivation traits. Here, we evaluated the validity of evoked electroencephalography (EEG) responses to unexpected reward in a monetary gain/loss task to assess approach motivation traits in 137 participants, oversampled for externalizing psychopathology symptoms. We demonstrated that over the 0–400 ms period in which feedback on the outcome was presented, responses evoked by unexpected reward contributed to all theoretically relevant approach motivation trait domains (disinhibition, extraversion and the behavioural activation system); and did so only at times when dopamine responses normally peak and reportedly code salience (70–100 ms) and valuation (200–300 ms). In particular, we linked “dopaminergic” salience and valuation to the psychopathology-related constructs of low extraversion (social anxiety) and high disinhibition (impulsivity) respectively, making the evoked potential components biomarker candidates for indexing aberrant processing of unexpected reward.

Morphometry in schizophrenia revisited: height and its relationship to pre-morbid function

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 655-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. NOPOULOS ◽  
M. FLAUM ◽  
S. ARNDT ◽  
N. ANDREASEN
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
The Body ◽  
Abnormal Development ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Lower Quartile ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

Background. Morphometry, the measurement of forms, is an ancient practice. In particular, schizophrenic somatology was popular early in this century, but has been essentially absent from the literature for over 30 years. More recently, evidence has grown to support the notion that aberrant neurodevelopment may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Is the body, like the brain, affected by abnormal development in these patients?Methods. To evaluate global deficit in development and its relationship to pre-morbid function, height was compared in a large group (N=226) of male schizophrenics and a group of healthy male controls (N=142) equivalent in parental socio-economic status. Patients in the lower quartile of height were compared to those in the upper quartile of height.Results. The patient group had a mean height of 177·1 cm, which was significantly shorter than the mean height of the control group of 179·4 (P<0·003). Those in the lower quartile had significantly poorer pre-morbid function as measured by: (1) psychosocial adjustment using the pre-morbid adjustment scales for childhood and adolescence/young adulthood, and (2) cognitive function using measures of school performance such as grades and need for special education. In addition, these measures of pre-morbid function correlated significantly with height when analysed using the entire sample.Conclusions. These findings provide further support to the idea that abnormal development may play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Furthermore, this is manifested as a global deficit in growth and function resulting in smaller stature, poorer social skills, and deficits in cognitive abilities.

scholarly journals Meta-analysis of epigenome-wide associations between DNA methylation at birth and childhood cognitive skills

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doretta Caramaschi ◽  
Alexander Neumann ◽  
Andres Cardenas ◽  
Gwen Tindula ◽  
Silvia Alemany ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cord Blood ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Wide Range

ABSTRACTCognitive skills are a strong predictor of a wide range of later life outcomes. Genetic and epigenetic associations across the genome explain some of the variation in general cognitive abilities in the general population and it is plausible that epigenetic associations might arise from prenatal environmental exposures and/or genetic variation early in life. We investigated the association between cord blood DNA methylation at birth and cognitive skills assessed in children from eight pregnancy cohorts (N=2196-3798) within the Pregnancy And Childhood Epigenetics (PACE) Consortium across overall, verbal and non-verbal cognitive scores. The associations at single CpG sites were weak for all of the cognitive domains investigated. One region near DUSP22 on chromosome 6 was associated with non-verbal cognition in a model adjusted for maternal IQ. We conclude that there is little evidence to support the idea that cord blood DNA methylation at single CpGs can predict cognitive skills and further studies are needed to confirm regional differences.

scholarly journals Comparing within- and between-family polygenic score prediction

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Selzam ◽  
Stuart J. Ritchie ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Pingault ◽  
Chandra A. Reynolds ◽  
Paul F. O’Reilly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Assortative Mating ◽  
Complex Traits ◽  
Population Stratification ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Polygenic Score ◽  
Family Effects ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
Cognitive Traits

AbstractPolygenic scores are a popular tool for prediction of complex traits. However, prediction estimates in samples of unrelated participants can include effects of population stratification, assortative mating and environmentally mediated parental genetic effects, a form of genotype-environment correlation (rGE). Comparing genome-wide polygenic score (GPS) predictions in unrelated individuals with predictions between siblings in a within-family design is a powerful approach to identify these different sources of prediction. Here, we compared within- to between-family GPS predictions of eight life outcomes (anthropometric, cognitive, personality and health) for eight corresponding GPSs. The outcomes were assessed in up to 2,366 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study from age 12 to age 21. To account for family clustering, we used mixed-effects modelling, simultaneously estimating within- and between-family effects for target- and cross-trait GPS prediction of the outcomes. There were three main findings: (1) DZ twin GPS differences predicted DZ differences in height, BMI, intelligence, educational achievement and ADHD symptoms; (2) target and cross-trait analyses indicated that GPS prediction estimates for cognitive traits (intelligence and educational achievement) were on average 60% greater between families than within families, but this was not the case for non-cognitive traits; and (3) this within- and between-family difference for cognitive traits disappeared after controlling for family socio-economic status (SES), suggesting that SES is a source of between-family prediction through rGE mechanisms. These results provide novel insights into the patterns by which rGE contributes to GPS prediction, while ruling out confounding due to population stratification and assortative mating.

scholarly journals Tuning the mind: Exploring the connections between musical ability and executive functions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Robert Slevc
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Musical Experience ◽  
Musical Ability ◽  
Switching Performance ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Auditory Tasks ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Auditory Processes ◽  
The Relationship

A growing body of research suggests that musical experience and ability are related to a variety of cognitive abilities, including executive functioning (EF). However, it is not yet clear if these relationships are limited to specific components of EF, limited to auditory tasks, or reflect very general cognitive advantages. This study investigated the existence and generality of the relationship between musical ability and EFs by evaluating the musical experience and ability of a large group of participants and investigating whether this predicts individual differences on three different components of EF – inhibition, updating, and switching – in both auditory and visual modalities. Musical ability predicted better performance on both auditory and visual updating tasks, even when controlling for a variety of potential confounds (age, handedness, bilingualism, and socio-economic status). However, musical ability was not clearly related to inhibitory control and was unrelated to switching performance. These data thus show that cognitive advantages associated with musical ability are not limited to auditory processes, but are limited to specific aspects of EF. This supports a process-specific (but modality-general) relationship between musical ability and non-musical aspects of cognition.

scholarly journals Polygenic Scores for Cognitive Abilities and their Association with Different Aspects of General Intelligence – a Deep Phenotyping Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erhan Genç ◽  
Caroline Schlüter ◽  
Christoph Fraenz ◽  
Larissa Arning ◽  
Huu Phuc Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Dna Variants ◽  
Trait Prediction ◽  
Deep Phenotyping

AbstractIntelligence is a highly polygenic trait and GWAS have identified thousands of DNA variants contributing with small effects. Polygenic scores (PGS) can aggregate those effects for trait prediction in independent samples. As large-scale light-phenotyping GWAS operationalized intelligence as performance in rather superficial tests, the question arises which intelligence facets are actually captured. We used deep-phenotyping to investigate the molecular determinantes of individual differences in cognitive ability. We therefore studied the association between PGS of educational attainment (EA-PGS) and intelligence (IQ-PGS) with a wide range of intelligence facets in a sample of 320 healthy adults. EA-PGS and IQ-PGS had the highest incremental R2s for general (3.25%; 1.78%), verbal (2.55%; 2.39%) and numerical intelligence (2.79%; 1.54%) and the weakest for non-verbal intelligence (0.50%; 0.19%) and short-term memory (0.34%; 0.22%). These results indicate that PGS derived from light-phenotyping GWAS do not reflect different facets of intelligence equally well, and thus should not be interpreted as genetic indicators of intelligence per se. The findings refine our understanding of how PGS are related to other traits or life outcomes.

Association of perinatal factors and school performance in primary school Chilean children

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Villarroel ◽  
L. Karzulovic ◽  
J. Manzi ◽  
J. G. Eriksson ◽  
F. Mardones
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cognitive Outcomes ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Prenatal Growth ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

The associations between school performance and cognitive abilities with birth characteristics have mostly been studied without taking into consideration the effects of gestational age (GA). Our aim was to study the association between prenatal growth and cognitive function in term-born Chilean school children. A cohort of over 200,000 term-born fourth graders who took the regular national test for school performance was studied. Outcome parameters were language and mathematics test scores in relation to prenatal growth. A total of 256,040 subjects took the test and 220,940 were included in the final study sample. Prenatal growth was modestly, but significantly, associated with school performance. Adjusted β coefficients for 1 cm increase in birth length were 1.28 and 0.77 for mathematics and language, respectively; the corresponding values for 100 g increase in birth weight were 0.59 and 0.34, respectively. Increased GA was associated with lower test scores. Adjusted β coefficients for the birth measurements generally had a lower strength of association than those of socio-economic factors. However, the confounders most strongly associated with educational achievements were socio-economic factors, known to be associated with birth size. Lower socio-economic status is known to negatively influence both prenatal growth and cognitive function, supporting the overall importance of prenatal growth in relation to cognitive outcomes.

Conditions not attributable to a mental disorder in Dutch psychiatric out-patients

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. SPINHOVEN ◽  
A. J. W. VAN DER DOES
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Number Of Treatment ◽  
To Receive

Background. According to DSM-III-R V-code conditions refer to marital relationships, family circumstances, interpersonal relationships, or stressful life events that are not attributable to a mental disorder but that are the focus of treatment. The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence and patient and treatment characteristics of adult psychiatric out-patients diagnosed with V-code conditions.Methods. The records of all 5660 consecutive admissions to a psychiatric out-patient clinic over a 12-year period were studied retrospectively. On the basis of both primary and secondary DSM-III-R diagnoses on Axis I, two subgroups of patients were compared: (1) patients with V-code conditions; and (2) patients with mental disorders.Results. Fourteen per cent of the patients had a V-code condition and no mental disorder, while the remaining patients were diagnosed with mental disorder (with or without an additional V-code condition). Comparisons of sociodemographic and clinical severity characteristics of the two groups indicated that patients with V-code conditions tended to have a higher socio-economic status and to present with less severe problems as assessed both by the primary therapist and the Symptom-Checklist-90. With respect to service use and treatment outcome variables, it appeared that V-code patients tended to be more frequently treated by couple/family therapy and to receive a slightly lower number of treatment sessions.Conclusions. The pattern of results in The Netherlands seems comparable to results of previous North American studies. Implications of these findings for future studies and for use of mental health services are discussed.

Adolescent Mothers’ Life Trajectory: What is Dimming Their Futures?

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 122-133
Author(s):  
Laramie Nicole Riggs
Keyword(s):  
Adolescent Mothers ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Adolescent Motherhood ◽  
Beliefs And Values ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Life Trajectory ◽  
The Individual

For years, researchers contended that early pregnancy was the primary determinant for poor life outcomes for adolescent mothers (Hayes, 1987, as cited in SmithBattle 2007, p 410). More recently, the flaws in these assumptions have surfaced as theories such as the general systems theory on human behavior are gaining traction. This states that from the individual level (social interactions, cultural beliefs and values, degree of self-efficacy) to the environmental level (family, peer groups, societal norms, social class, economic status, racism), the widening disparity along one’s developmental life course reveals outcomes unique to a person and their experiences (Coie et al., 1993, pp 1014, 1016). The intertwined nature of these systems, each of which will be discussed in further sections, have altered the direction of research concerning sources of poor life outcomes commonly attributed to adolescent motherhood.

scholarly journals Cognitive and Psychosocial Phenotype of Young Children with Neurofibromatosis-1

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonita P. Klein-Tasman ◽  
Kelly M. Janke ◽  
Wen Luo ◽  
Christy L. Casnar ◽  
Scott J. Hunter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Attention Problems ◽  
Neurofibromatosis 1 ◽  
Functional Communication ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Significant Group

AbstractChildren with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1), a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from a mutation of the NF1 gene (17q11.2), often have difficulties with learning and attention, but there is little research in the early childhood years. In this study, the cognitive and psychosocial functioning of 40 young children with NF1 (ages 3 through 6) was examined and compared both to normative data and to a contrast group comprised of unaffected siblings and community members matched for age and socio-economic status (n = 37). Children with NF1 showed significantly weaker cognitive abilities across all domains and for the vast majority of subtests. Consistent with research in older children, a variety of patterns of intra-individual strength and weakness were present for young children with NF1. Few significant group differences in psychosocial functioning were observed, but the children with NF1 showed significantly greater functional communication problems than did the unaffected group. Overall, the results indicate that in participant groups matched for age and socioeconomic status, cognitive vulnerabilities are evident for close to half of young children with NF1, with some relations to psychosocial functioning, particularly functional communication, attention problems and social skills. (JINS, 2014, 1, 1–11)

scholarly journals On the Importance of Early-Life Cognitive Abilities in Shaping Later-Life Outcomes

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott M. Hofer ◽  
Sean Clouston
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Outcomes
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