Neural correlates of ethnic minority position and risk for psychosis

2020 ◽  
pp. 470-475
Author(s):  
Jean-Paul Selten ◽  
Jan Booij ◽  
Bauke Buwalda ◽  
Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Social Defeat ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Psychosis Risk ◽  
History Of ◽  
Brain Changes ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Hypothesis

It is likely that the chronic stress of social defeat or exclusion contributes to the increased psychosis risk among members of ethnic minorities. Is this idea compatible with the dopamine or neurodevelopmental hypothesis, two dominant hypotheses with regard to pathogenesis? Defeated animals show clear evidence of dopamine sensitization. As for humans, one study showed elevated striatal dopamine function in migrants and their children. Other studies have shown this in other excluded groups, namely, adults with hearing impairment and individuals with a history of childhood trauma. Of note, the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex may play a major role in the processing of social stress and regulates dopaminergic areas implicated in stress sensitization. The authors are not aware of studies in humans that examined whether (proxies for) social exclusion contribute(s) to structural brain changes present at psychosis onset. Animal studies, however, reported that long-term isolation may lead to reductions in brain volume and that social defeat can reduce neurogenesis.

Childhood Trauma and Cortisol Response to the Trier Social Stress Test in Symptomatic Patients with Eating Disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S91-S91
Author(s):  
F. Marciello ◽  
V.-M. Buonomenna ◽  
V. Caivano ◽  
G. Cascino ◽  
G. D’Agostino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trauma Exposure ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of

IntroductionChildhood trauma exposure is associated with the risk of eating disorders (EDs) in adulthood. The biological basis of this link may involve a persistent dysregulation of the endogenous stress response system, in particular the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as a consequence of early life maltreatment.ObjectiveAdult patients with EDs and history of childhood trauma may have a dysregulation of the HPA axis that could be different from EDs patients without childhood trauma exposure.AimsIn order to assess the effects of childhood trauma experiences on HPA-axis activity in EDs, we compared the salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) of adult patients with EDs according to their history of childhood trauma.MethodTwenty-seven EDs patients and 13 healthy women participated in the study. Salivary cortisol responses during exposure to the TSST was measured. Participants also completed the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and eating-related psychopathological rating scales.ResultsAccording to CTQ, 15 individuals with EDs reported childhood maltreatment whereas 12 EDs patients and all the healthy women did not experience childhood maltreatment. Compared with the control group, non-maltreated EDs patient group exhibited a slightly enhanced cortisol response to TSST, whereas the group of non-maltreated EDs patients showed a normal cortisol response. Moreover, EDs patients with childhood maltreatment exhibited statistically significant blunting of cortisol compared to non-maltreated ones.ConclusionsThe present findings support the evidence that, in patients with EDs, there is a dysregulation of HPA-axis activity and that childhood trauma exposure may contribute to this dysregulation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Chronic Depression

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel N. Klein
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Classification System ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Chronic Depression ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
Single Category ◽  
Diagnostic Classification System

Traditionally, non-bipolar depression has been viewed as an episodic, remitting condition. However, with the recognition that depressions can persist for many years, the current diagnostic classification system includes various forms of chronic depression. The distinction between chronic and nonchronic depressions is useful for reducing the heterogeneity of the disorder. Individuals with chronic depression differ from those with nonchronic depression on a variety of clinically and etiologically significant variables, including comorbidity, impairment, suicidality, history of childhood maltreatment, familial psychopathology, and long-term course. In contrast, there is little support for current distinctions between different forms of chronic depression. This suggests that it may be simpler to collapse the existing forms of chronic depression in the current classification system into a single category. However, there is growing evidence that other characteristics, such as age of onset and a childhood history of early adversity, may provide meaningful approaches to subtyping chronic depression.

Childhood maltreatment and transition to psychotic disorder independently predict long-term functioning in young people at ultra-high risk for psychosis

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (16) ◽  
pp. 3453-3465 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Yung ◽  
J. Cotter ◽  
S. J. Wood ◽  
P. McGorry ◽  
A. D. Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Functional Outcome ◽  
Psychotic Disorder ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Ultra High Risk ◽  
History Of

Background.Individuals identified as at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis are at risk of poor functional outcome regardless of development of psychotic disorder. Studies examining longitudinal predictors of poor functioning have tended to be small and report only medium-term follow-up data. We sought to examine clinical predictors of functional outcome in a long-term longitudinal study.Method.Participants were 268 (152 females, 116 males) individuals identified as UHR 2–14 years previously. A range of clinical and sociodemographic variables were assessed at baseline. Functioning at follow-up was assessed using the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS).Results.Baseline negative symptoms, impaired emotional functioning, disorders of thought content, low functioning, past substance use disorder and history of childhood maltreatment predicted poor functioning at follow-up in univariate analyses. Only childhood maltreatment remained significant in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.001). Transition to psychosis was also significantly associated with poor functioning at long-term follow-up [mean SOFAS score 59.12 (s.d. = 18.54) in the transitioned group compared to 70.89 (s.d. = 14.00) in the non-transitioned group, p < 0.001]. Childhood maltreatment was a significant predictor of poor functioning in both the transitioned and non-transitioned groups.Conclusions.Childhood maltreatment and transition to psychotic disorder independently predicted poor long-term functioning. This suggests that it is important to assess history of childhood maltreatment in clinical management of UHR individuals. The finding that transition to psychosis predicts poor long-term functioning strengthens the evidence that the UHR criteria detect a subgroup at risk for schizophrenia.

Miscellaneous Psychiatric Disorders

2021 ◽  
pp. 343-347
Author(s):  
Kari A. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Level

In a number of psychiatric disorders, patients present with medical and psychological symptoms that are not well explained by a medical condition or substance use. The prevalence of somatic symptom disorder in the general US adult population may be about 5% to 7%. Associated demographic characteristics include female sex, older age, fewer years of education, lower socioeconomic status, unemployment, and a history of childhood adversity, comorbid psychiatric illness, social stress, and reinforcing illness benefits. A high level of medical care utilization rarely alleviates the patient’s concerns.

Anaesthesia for the Growing Brain

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (19) ◽  
pp. 2165-2170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Raviraj ◽  
Thomas Engelhardt ◽  
Tom G. Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Gabaa Receptors ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Paediatric Population ◽  
Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Anaesthetic Agents ◽  
History Of

Despite the long history of paediatric anaesthesia, there is still much to be discovered regarding how exposure to anaesthesia affects the developing brain. Given that commonly used anaesthetic agents are thought to exert their effect via N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors, it is biologically plausible that exposure during periods of vulnerable brain development may affect long term outcome. There are numerous animal studies which suggest lasting neurological changes. However, whether this risk also applies to humans is unclear given the varying physiological development of different species and humans. Human studies are emerging and ongoing and their results are producing conflicting data. The purpose of this review is to summarize the currently available evidence and consider how this may be used to minimize harm to the paediatric population undergoing anaesthesia.

Magnetic resonance imaging markers of suicide attempt and suicide risk in adolescents

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra C. Martin ◽  
Thomas J. Zimmer ◽  
Lisa A. Pan
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Attempt ◽  
Psychosocial Development ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Prefrontal Cortical ◽  
History Of ◽  
Brain Changes ◽  
Cortical Regions

More than 36,000 people in the United States die from suicide annually, and suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescence. Adolescence is a time of high risk for suicidal behavior, as well as a time that intervention and treatment may have the greatest impact because of structural brain changes and significant psychosocial development during this period. Functional and structural neuroimaging studies in adults who have attempted suicide suggest distinct gray matter volume abnormalities in cortical regions, as well as prefrontal cortical and dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus neural circuitry differences compared with affective and healthy adult controls. Recent functional neuroimaging studies in adolescents with a history of suicide attempt suggest differences in the attention and salience networks compared with adolescents with depression and no history of suicide attempt and healthy controls when viewing angry faces. In contrast, no abnormalities are seen in these areas in the absence of emotional stimuli. These networks may represent promising targets for future neuroimaging studies to identify markers of risk for future suicide attempt in adolescents.

Compulsory treatment in anorexia nervosa

1999 ◽  
Vol 175 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalind Ramsay ◽  
Anne Ward ◽  
Janet Treasure ◽  
Gerald F. M. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Compulsory Treatment ◽  
Short Term ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
History Of ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Selection Factors ◽  
Long Term Mortality

BackgroundAnorexia nervosa is a mental disorder with a high long-term mortality. Patients are ambivalent about treatment and often avoid it. Of necessity, compulsory treatment sometimes must be considered. A report from the Mental Health Act Commission has helped to reduce previous confusion.AimsTo identify the premorbid and clinical features that predisposed to compulsory admissions, the short-term benefits of the treatment and the long-term mortality rates (derived from the National Register)MethodEighty-one compulsory patients were compared with 81 voluntary patients.ResultsPredisposing factors to a compulsory admission were a history of childhood sexual or physical abuse or previous self-harm. Detained patients had more previous admissions. Detained patients gained as much weight during admission as voluntary patients, but took longer. More deaths among compulsory than voluntary patients (10/79 v. 2/78) were found 5.7 years (mean) after admission.ConclusionsCompulsory treatment is effective in the short term. The higher long-term mortality in the detained patients is due to selection factors associated with an intractable illness.

scholarly journals From fighting animals to the biosocial mechanisms of the human mind: A comparison of Selten’s social defeat and Mead’s symbolic interaction

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1273-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Rupert Fletcher ◽  
Rasmus Hoffmann Birk
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Symbolic Interaction ◽  
Social Defeat ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Human Exceptionalism ◽  
Jean Paul ◽  
Psychiatric Theory

Social defeat is a psychiatric theory accounting for the role of social environment in the aetiology of psychosis via the mechanism of stress. Social defeat stems from animal studies of stress, whereby a small rat is introduced into a larger rat’s cage and is subsequently attacked and defeated by its larger foe. The defeated rat is subjected to behavioural and hormonal analyses to explore its stress levels. The idea is that social defeat leads to social stress which may cause psychoses. In this article, we draw on the work of Jean-Paul Selten to critique the epistemics that are bound up with social defeat research. For comparative analysis, we use Mead’s Mind, Self and Society to tease out the problems of social defeat and suggest potential remedies. We contend that, in seeking to equate animal and human sociality, social defeat portrays human interaction as hostile and pathological, and minority groups as inevitably defeated. In contrast, Mead’s symbolic interaction presents human sociality as progressively organizational. Mead’s account is grounded in human exceptionalism and lacking attention to structural inequalities. Nevertheless, symbolic interaction has much to offer contemporary social defeat research, albeit whilst echoing some of its thin sociology.

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