scholarly journals Spontaneous mentalizing after early interpersonal trauma: Evidence for hypoactivation of the temporoparietal junction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Hudson ◽  
Charlotte Van Hamme ◽  
Lien Maeyens ◽  
Marcel Brass ◽  
Sven Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
True Belief ◽  
Interpersonal Trauma ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
True Location ◽  
Neural Effect

Experience of interpersonal trauma and violence alters self-other distinction (also known as theory of mind, or ToM), yet little is known about their neural correlates. This fMRI study assessed temporoparietal junction (TPJ) activation, an area strongly implicated in interpersonal processing, during spontaneous mentalizing in 35 adult women with histories of childhood physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse (childhood abuse; CA) and 31 women without such experiences (unaffected comparisons, UC). Participants watched movies during which an agent formed true or false beliefs about the location of a ball, while participants always knew the true location of the ball. As hypothesized, right TPJ activation was greater for UC compared to CA for false versus true belief conditions. However, posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) appeared to play a role in driving the neural effect. In addition, CA showed increased functional connectivity relative to UC between the rTPJ and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Finally, the agent's false belief about the presence of the ball speeded participants' response (ToM indx), but without group differences. These findings highlight that experiencing early interpersonal trauma can alter brain areas involved in the neural processing of ToM and perspective-taking during adulthood.

scholarly journals Early interpersonal trauma reduces temporoparietal junction activity during spontaneous mentalising

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emiel Cracco ◽  
Anna R Hudson ◽  
Charlotte Van Hamme ◽  
Lien Maeyens ◽  
Marcel Brass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
True Belief ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Interpersonal Trauma ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
True Location

Abstract Experience of interpersonal trauma and violence alters self-other distinction and mentalising abilities (also known as theory of mind, or ToM), yet little is known about their neural correlates. This fMRI study assessed temporoparietal junction (TPJ) activation, an area strongly implicated in interpersonal processing, during spontaneous mentalising in 35 adult women with histories of childhood physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse (childhood abuse; CA) and 31 women without such experiences (unaffected comparisons; UC). Participants watched movies during which an agent formed true or false beliefs about the location of a ball, while participants always knew the true location of the ball. As hypothesised, right TPJ activation was greater for UCs compared to CAs for false vs true belief conditions. In addition, CAs showed increased functional connectivity relative to UCs between the rTPJ and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Finally, the agent’s belief about the presence of the ball influenced participants’ responses (ToM index), but without group differences. These findings highlight that experiencing early interpersonal trauma can alter brain areas involved in the neural processing of ToM and perspective-taking during adulthood.

Childhood abuse in adult women with unipolar depression seeking treatment at a tertiary care centre in India, compared to healthy women

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S408-S409
Author(s):  
G. Devasthali ◽  
K. Jangam ◽  
T. Ka ◽  
A. Raj ◽  
M. Kesavan
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Unipolar Depression ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Healthy Women ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Childhood Emotional Abuse

IntroductionChildhood abuse has been reported as a precursor and maintaining factors for adult psychiatric disorders. Childhood physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse have been independently reported in women with depression. There is a serious dearth of literature on the incidence of childhood abuse among women with depression from India.Objectives & aimsWe investigated and compared the incidence of childhood abuse (overall) – physical, emotional and sexual (individual components)- among women seeking treatment for unipolar depression (UD) compared to healthy women (HW).MethodsWe compared the data of women diagnosed with UD (n = 134) from a larger pool of women seeking treatment for psychiatric disorders from our hospital (n = 609) with HW (n = 100) for the purpose of this study. The participants were screened using the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and for childhood abuse using the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool - Retrospective (ICAST)-R. The incidence of childhood abuse between the two groups was compared using the Chi-squared test.ResultsThe UD women have significantly more childhood emotional abuse than HW (69.5% vs 30.5%; χ2 = 4.819, P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on overall abuse, physical or sexual abuse (all P > 0.16).ConclusionsConsistent with world literature, significantly more childhood emotional abuse was seen among Indian women with UD compared to HW. It is likely that that repeated emotional abuse in childhood leads to negative attributions among children, later getting generalised to life events resulting in depression in adulthood.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Childhood Emotional Neglect Related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Body Mass Index in Adult Women

2009 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy L. Pederson ◽  
Josephine F. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Emotional Neglect ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire

The relationships among the severity of childhood abuse and neglect, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and adult obesity were investigated. 207 women ( M age = 26.5 yr., SD = 6.7) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Millon Clinician Multiaxial Inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. Analyses of variance indicated that women who reported moderate-to-extreme emotional neglect ( n = 71) had significantly higher PTSD scores and increased BMI compared to women who reported low emotional neglect ( n = 84). Women who reported severe sexual or emotional abuse also had higher PTSD scores, but no relationship was found with BMI when other factors were controlled. Although PTSD scores and self-reported severity of childhood emotional neglect were strongly correlated ( r206 = .61, p < .001), PTSD was not found to be a mediating factor in obesity in women who reported childhood emotional neglect, although depression was.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Status Moderates the Impact of Emotional but not Physical Childhood Abuse on Women’s Sleep

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L. Currie ◽  
Erin K. Higa ◽  
Lisa-Marie Swanepoel
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Physical Child Abuse ◽  
Moderating Variables ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA recent systematic review highlighted associations between childhood abuse and adult sleep quality, and the need for research focused specifically on women and the role of moderating variables. The objectives of the present study were (1) to assess the impact of frequent physical and emotional child abuse on adult sleep among women; and (2) to assess the role that childhood socioeconomic status (SES) could play in moderating these associations. In-person data were collected from women living in a mid-sized city in western Canada in 2019–2020 (N = 185; M age = 40 years). Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Physical and emotional abuse experienced often or very often in childhood were assessed using single items (yes or no). Childhood SES was assessed by a single item and dichotomized at the sample median. Linear regression models examined associations between each form of abuse and continuous adult sleep quality score adjusted for covariates. Statistically significant interactions were stratified and examined by child SES group. Frequent physical and emotional childhood abuse were each associated with clinically and statistically significant increases in past-month sleep problem scores among women in adjusted models. This association was moderated by childhood SES for emotional child abuse, but not physical child abuse. Findings suggest that growing up in an upper-middle to upper SES household may buffer the adverse impact of frequent emotional child abuse on later adult sleep, but may not promote resilience in the context of frequent physical child abuse. 

Severity of traumatic events in patients with eating disorders. A case-control study

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S165-S166
Author(s):  
A.M. Pignatelli ◽  
C. Loriedo ◽  
M. Biondi ◽  
P. Girardi ◽  
J. Vanderlinden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Emotional Neglect ◽  
Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Age Range

IntroductionA high proportion of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report childhood abuse and neglect. The prevalence of traumatic events in ED patients has been extensively investigated; less is known about their self-perceived–and reported–severity. Objectives/Aims: We aimed to assess in ED patients vs. healthy controls the severity, i.e., duration, perpetrator, and subjective impact, of sexual, physical, and emotional traumas suffered from 0 to 18 years, paying particular attention to emotional neglect.MethodsFifty-seven consecutive DSM-V ED patients (91.2% females; age range: 18–42 years) were recruited at the Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic of our University Hospital. Ninety controls (78.9% females; age range: 20–39 years) were also recruited. Among ED patients, 43.9% had restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN), 29.8% binge/purging AN, 26.3% bulimia nervosa. Individuals completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC).ResultsThe severity of all traumatic events, according to the TEC total score, was significantly higher in ED patients than controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, ED patients showed significantly higher scores with regard to emotional neglect (P < 0.001) and emotional abuse (P < 0.001). The same can be said for physical traumas (P < 0.01) and physical abuse (P < 0.01), although with a lower significance, and for sexual abuse (P < 0.05), with an even lower significance. No difference in the severity of sexual harassment was found.ConclusionsAll types of traumas, especially neglect, can occur in ED patients and controls, however they are reported as more severe by ED patients.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Disentangling heterogeneity of psychosis expression in the general population: sex-specific moderation effects of environmental risk factors on symptom networks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Betz ◽  
Nora Penzel ◽  
Marlene Rosen ◽  
Kamaldeep Bhui ◽  
Rachel Upthegrove ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
General Population ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Interpersonal Trauma ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Minority Ethnic Group ◽  
Group Status ◽  
Minority Ethnic

Background: Psychosis expression in the general population, which may reflect a behavioral manifestation of risk for psychotic disorder, can be conceptualized as an interconnected system of psychotic and affective experiences; a so-called symptom network. Differences in demographics, as well as exposure to adversities and risk factors, may produce substantial heterogeneity in symptom networks, highlighting potential etiological divergence in psychosis risk. Methods: To explore this idea in a data-driven way, we employed a novel recursive partitioning approach in the 2007 English National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity survey (n = 7,242). We sought to identify network phenotypes by explaining heterogeneity in symptom networks through potential moderators, including age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, childhood abuse, separation from parents, bullying, domestic violence, cannabis use, and alcohol. Results: Sex was the primary source of heterogeneity in symptom networks. Additional heterogeneity was explained by interpersonal trauma (childhood abuse, domestic violence) in women and domestic violence, cannabis use, and ethnicity in men. Among women, especially those exposed to early interpersonal trauma, an affective loading within psychosis may have distinct relevance. Men, particularly those from minority ethnic groups, demonstrated a strong network connection between hallucinatory experiences and persecutory ideation. Conclusion: Symptom networks of psychosis expression in the general population are highly heterogeneous. The structure of symptom networks seems to reflect distinct sex-related adversities, etiologies, and mechanisms of symptom-expression. Disentangling the complex interplay of sex, minority ethnic group status, and other risk factors may help optimize early intervention and prevention strategies in psychosis.

scholarly journals The neural mechanisms of social reward in early psychosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 861-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Kathrin J Fett ◽  
Elias Mouchlianitis ◽  
Paula M Gromann ◽  
Lucy Vanes ◽  
Sukhi S Shergill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Early Psychosis ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Social Reward ◽  
Compensatory Mechanisms ◽  
Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Trust Games ◽  
Right Temporoparietal Junction ◽  
Chronic Psychosis

Abstract In chronic psychosis, reduced trust is associated with a neural insensitivity to social reward and reduced theory of mind (ToM). Here we investigate whether these mechanisms could underlie emerging social impairments in early psychosis. Twenty-two participants with early psychosis and 25 controls (male, 13–19 years) participated in two interactive trust games against a cooperative and unfair partner. Region of interest neuroimaging analyses included right caudate, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ), involved in reward and ToM processing. Both groups showed similar levels of trust (i.e. investments). However, individuals with psychosis failed to activate the caudate differentially in response to cooperation and unfairness while making decisions to trust. During cooperative returns, patients showed reduced and controls increased caudate activation. Patients demonstrated greater rTPJ activation than controls, possibly pointing towards compensatory mechanisms. Effects were associated with Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence vocabulary scores. No group differences emerged in mPFC activation. Early psychosis is associated with an aberrant neural sensitivity to social reward. This could foster reduced social motivation and social isolation. Absent behavioural differences in early, relative to chronic psychosis could indicate that trust is achieved through increased compensatory demand on ToM.

scholarly journals Childhood adversity and clinical and psychosocial outcomes in psychosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Turner ◽  
C. Harvey ◽  
L. Hayes ◽  
D. Castle ◽  
C. Galletly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Adverse Event ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Psychosocial Outcomes ◽  
Psychosocial Stressor ◽  
Illness Onset

Abstract Aims Associations between childhood abuse and various psychotic illnesses in adulthood are commonly reported. We aim to examine associations between several reported childhood adverse events (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and interpersonal loss) among adults with diagnosed psychotic disorders and clinical and psychosocial outcomes. Methods Within a large epidemiological study, the 2010 Australian National Survey of Psychosis (Survey of High Impact Psychosis, SHIP), we used logistic regression to model childhood adverse events (any and specific types) on 18 clinical and psychosocial outcomes. Results Eighty percent of SHIP participants (1466/1825) reported experiencing adverse events in childhood (sexual abuse, other types of abuse and interpersonal loss). Participants reporting any form of childhood adversity had higher odds for 12/18 outcomes we examined. Significant associations were observed with all psychosocial outcomes (social dysfunction, victimisation, offending and homelessness within the previous 12 months, and definite psychosocial stressor within 12 months of illness onset), with the strongest association for homelessness (odds ratio (OR) = 2.82). Common across all adverse event types was an association with lifetime depression, anxiety and a definite psychosocial stressor within 12 months of illness onset. When adverse event types were non-hierarchically coded, sexual abuse was associated with 11/18 outcomes, other types of abuse 13/18 and, interpersonal loss occurring in the absence of other forms of abuse was associated with fewer of the clinical and psychosocial outcomes, 4/18. When adverse events types were coded hierarchically (to isolate the effect of interpersonal loss in the absence of abuse), interpersonal loss was associated with lower odds of self-reproach (OR = 0.70), negative syndrome (OR = 0.75) and victimisation (OR = 0.82). Conclusions Adverse childhood experiences among people with psychosis are common, as are subsequent psychosocial stressors. Mental health professionals should routinely enquire about all types of adversities in this group and provide effective service responses. Childhood abuse, including sexual abuse, may contribute to subsequent adversity, poor psychosocial functioning and complex needs among people with psychosis. Longitudinal research to better understand these relationships is needed, as are studies which evaluate the effectiveness of preventative interventions in high-risk groups.

scholarly journals Childhood maltreatment and adult suicidality: a comprehensive systematic review with meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (07) ◽  
pp. 1057-1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Angelakis ◽  
Emma Louise Gillespie ◽  
Maria Panagioti
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Different Types

AbstractThis comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis aims to quantify the association between different types of childhood maltreatment and suicidality. We searched five bibliographic databases, including Medline, PsychINFO, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL, until January 2018. Random-effects meta-analysis was employed followed by univariable and multivariable meta-regressions. Heterogeneity was quantified using theI2statistic and formal publication bias tests were undertaken. The methodological quality of the studies was critically appraised and accounted in the meta-regression analyses. Data from 68 studies based onn= 261.660 adults were pooled. All different types of childhood maltreatment including sexual abuse [odds ratio (OR) 3.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.76–3.64], physical abuse (OR 2.52, 95% CI 2.09–3.04) and emotional abuse (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.64–3.77) were associated with two- to three-fold increased risk for suicide attempts. Similar results were found for the association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation. Complex childhood abuse was associated with a particularly high risk for suicide attempts in adults (OR 5.18, 95% CI 2.52–10.63). Variations across the studies in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants and other core methodological factors did not affect the findings of the main analyses. We conclude that there is solid evidence that childhood maltreatment is associated with increased odds for suicidality in adults. The main outstanding challenge is to better understand the mechanisms which underpin the development of suicidality in people exposed to childhood maltreatment because current evidence is scarce.

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