scholarly journals Reduced Hippocampal and Amygdala Volumes as Mechanisms of Stress Sensitization to Depression following Childhood Violence Exposure

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Weissman ◽  
Hilary K. Lambert ◽  
Alexandra M. Rodman ◽  
Matthew Peverill ◽  
Margaret A. Sheridan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Violence Exposure ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Stress Sensitization ◽  
Childhood Violence Exposure ◽  
Childhood Violence ◽  
Over Time

AbstractOBJECTIVEStressful life events are more likely to trigger depression among individuals exposed to childhood adversity. However, the mechanisms underlying this stress sensitization remain largely unknown. Any such mechanism must be altered by childhood adversity and interact with recent stressful life events, magnifying their association with depression. This study investigated whether reduced hippocampal and amygdala volumes are mechanisms of stress sensitization following childhood violence exposure.METHODSA sample of 149 youth (aged 8-17 years), with (N=76) and without (N=73) exposure to physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence participated. Participants completed a structural MRI scan and were assessed for symptoms of depression. Approximately two years later, stressful life events were assessed along with depression symptoms in 120 participants (57 violence-exposed).RESULTSChildhood violence exposure was associated with smaller hippocampal and amygdala volumes. Stressful life events occurring during the follow-up period predicted worsening depression over time, and this association was magnified among those with smaller hippocampal and amygdala volumes. Significant moderated mediation models revealed indirect effects of violence exposure on increasing depression over time through hippocampal and amygdala volumes, particularly among youths who experienced more stressful life events.CONCLUSIONSThese results provide novel evidence for reduced hippocampal and amygdala volumes as mechanisms of stress sensitization to depression following exposure to violence. These findings suggest that hippocampal and amygdala-mediated emotional and cognitive processes may contribute to vulnerability to stressful life events following childhood violence exposure.

scholarly journals Childhood adversity, adult stressful life events, and risk of past-year psychiatric disorder: a test of the stress sensitization hypothesis in a population-based sample of adults

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 1647-1658 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. McLaughlin ◽  
K. J. Conron ◽  
K. C. Koenen ◽  
S. E. Gilman
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Stress Sensitization ◽  
Increased Risk

BackgroundChildhood adversity (CA) is associated with adult mental disorders, but the mechanisms underlying this association remain inadequately understood. Stress sensitization, whereby CA increases vulnerability to mental disorders following adult stressful life events, has been proposed as a potential mechanism. We provide a test of the stress sensitization hypothesis in a national sample.MethodWe investigated whether the association between past-year stressful life events and the 12-month prevalence of major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other anxiety disorders, and perceived stress varies according to exposure to CA. We used data from the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) (n=34 653).ResultsPast-year stressful life events were associated with an increased risk of major depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, and perceived stress. However, the magnitude of the increased risk varied according to respondents' history of CA. For example, past-year major stressors were associated with a 27.3% increase in the 12-month risk of depression among individuals with ⩾3 CAs and a 14.8% increased risk among individuals without CAs. Stress sensitization effects were present for depression, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders in women and men, although gender differences were found in the threshold of past-year stress needed to trigger such effects. Stress sensitization was most evident among individuals with ⩾3 CAs.ConclusionsCA is associated with increased vulnerability to the deleterious mental health effects of adult stressors in both men and women. High levels of CA may represent a general diathesis for multiple types of psychopathology that persists throughout the life course.

Comparability of Self-Report Checklist and Interview Data in the Assessment of Stressful Life Events in Young Adults

2003 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 459-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Lewinsohn ◽  
Paul Rohde ◽  
Jeffrey M. Gau
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Adolescent Depression ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Incremental Value ◽  
Stress Interview

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incremental value of conducting an interview to assess stressful life events over the self-report questionnaire approach, first by examining the degree to which life events reported on a questionnaire met inclusion criteria in a detailed stress interview, and second, by comparing the magnitude of prospective associations with depression symptoms for the two different assessment procedures. Data from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project were examined, in which 191 community-residing young adults (55% female; M age = 23.6, SD = 0.6) completed a mailed questionnaire assessing the frequency with which 33 life events had occurred to them or to other important people in their lives prior to the diagnostic and stress interviews. An average of 67.5% of events occurring to self met criteria for classification as a life event on the stress interview, as did 19.7% of the events occurring to others. Events having a large effect on the participant had a greater likelihood of meeting inclusion criteria on the stress interview. Contrary to expectation, stress scores from the interview assessment did not result in stronger associations with depression. Recommendations for assessment of stressful life events are offered.

scholarly journals Depressive vulnerability, stressful life events and episode onset of major depression: a longitudinal model

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1865-1874 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Kendler ◽  
C. O. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Depressive Vulnerability

BackgroundThe nature of the relationship between depressive vulnerability (DV) and acute adversity in the etiology of major depression (MD) remains poorly understood.MethodStressful life events (SLEs) and MD onsets in the last year were assessed at four waves in cohort 1 (females) and at two waves in cohort 2 (males and females) from the Virginia Adult Twin Study. Structural equation modeling was conducted in Mplus.ResultsIn cohort 1, DV was strongly indexed by depressive episodes over the four waves (paths from +0.72 to 0.79) and predicted by SLEs in the month of their occurrence (+0.31 to 0.36). Wave-specific DV was associated both with stable DV (+0.29 to 0.33) and by forward transmission of DV from the preceding wave (+0.33 to 0.36). SLEs were predicted by stable DV (+0.29) and from SLEs in the preceding month (+0.06). As the cohort aged, MD onsets were better indexed by DV and more poorly predicted by SLEs. Parameter estimates were similar in males and females from cohort 2. In individuals with prior depressive episodes, the association between MD onset and SLEs was weakened while the prediction of SLEs from DV was substantially strengthened. We found no evidence for ‘reverse causation’ from MD episodes to SLEs.ConclusionThe interrelationship between DV and acute adversity in the etiology of MD is complex and temporally dynamic. DV impacts on MD risk both directly and indirectly through selection into high stress environments. Over time, depressive episodes become more autonomous. Both DV and SLEs transmit forward over time and therefore form clear targets for intervention.

scholarly journals Within‐person fluctuations in stressful life events, sleep, and anxiety and depression symptoms during adolescence: a multiwave prospective study

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1116-1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constanza M. Vidal Bustamante ◽  
Alexandra M. Rodman ◽  
Meg J. Dennison ◽  
John C. Flournoy ◽  
Patrick Mair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms

S51. The Effect of Childhood Adversity Exposure and Recent Stressful Life Events on Longitudinal Inflammatory Response

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (10) ◽  
pp. S316
Author(s):  
Marin M. Kautz ◽  
Brae Anne McArthur ◽  
Daniel P. Moriarity ◽  
Christopher L. Coe ◽  
Lauren M. Ellman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Stressful Life

The Impact of Familial and Environmental Factors on the Adjustment of Immigrants

2008 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vered Slonim-Nevo ◽  
Julia Mirsky ◽  
Ludmila Rubinstein ◽  
Bernhard Nauck
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Family Relations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

This study examined the impact of family interaction, perceived discrimination, stressful life events, and the hosting country on the adjustment of Israeli and German immigrants. Results show that changes in self-esteem between the 1st year of immigration and 2 and 4 years later were significantly related to family relations: the better the functioning, the greater the improvement. The patterns of relationships in the family, however, only partially explained changes in psychological well-being and language proficiency. Perceived discrimination explained discrepancies over time in psychological well-being among fathers and adolescents and the discrepancies in language proficiency among mothers: the lower the discrimination, the greater the improvement. Adult immigrants who experienced more stressful life events presented deterioration in their psychological well-being over time. Finally, adults who immigrated to Germany were more likely to acquire the new language than their counterparts who immigrated to Israel.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document