Critical Developmental Period Research Articles

Gambaran Tingkat Stres Remaja Panti Asuhan di Kota Padang Ditinjau dari Perbedaan Jenis Kelamin

Is a critical developmental period characterized by significant physical and psychological changes. Teenagers living in orphanages, in particular, experience stress due to internal and external demands. This study aims to determine the description of stress levels in teenagers living in orphanages in Padang City in terms of gender differences. The type of research used is descriptive quantitative. The sample in this study was random sampling which amount 268 people in 6 different orphanages in Padang city. The instrument used was the DASS 14 questionnaire, with a cross-sectional study research design. The results of the hypothesis test using the Mann-Whitney test indicate a significance value of 0.001. Since the p-value (0.001) is less than 0.05, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference in stress levels between male and female adolescents living in orphanages in Padang City. The study results show that the stress levels of adolescents in the orphanage tend to be low. However, the orphanage management should still anticipate factors that could increase the stress levels of these adolescents.

“They’re Going Through Something, Too”: The Challenges and Opportunities of Empathy and Prosocial Behavior in Middle School

Despite the volume of research on empathy and prosocial behavior, there is a dearth of studies exploring early adolescents’ experiences of practicing cognitive empathy and prosocial behavior. Without understanding both the challenges and opportunities of these two skills, we cannot effectively support their growth during this critical developmental period. This study aims to fill this gap. Sixteen sixth-grade students from two middle schools in a small Northeastern city in the United States participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of practicing cognitive empathy. Three themes appeared in student responses: preparing, cognitively empathizing, and responding. Youth experienced unique challenges in each of these components, including masking, relational distance, emotional awareness and regulation, capacity, misunderstanding, and negative peer pressure. The authors suggest a three-pronged approach—focusing on skills, relationships, and the social environment—to address these challenges and bolster adolescents’ unique strengths to promote cognitive empathy and prosocial behavior in middle schools.

6805 Impact of Feeding Types on Catch-Up Growth in Early Infancy Among Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants: A Nationwide Korean Study

Abstract Disclosure: J. Choi: None. Y. Choe: None. S. Yang: None. Purpose: The study aimed to compare growth patterns and catch-up growth (CUG) in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants up to age four, based on feeding type during the first 4-6 months, using nationwide data. Methods: A total of 42,295 children born SGA (21,917 boys, 52.%) who underwent the first (4-6 month), 2nd (9-12 month), 3rd (18-24 month) and 5th (42-48 month) National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC) under the National Health Insurance Service from 2007 to 2014 were included. The study population was categorized into two groups based on the primary milk feeding type recorded in the self-reported questionnaire during the first round of NHSPIC: the ”Breastfed”group, and the "Formula-fed" group. Catch-up growth (CUG) was defined as a Height Standard Deviation Score (Ht SDS) of 3rd percentile or above at the 5th NHSPIC visits. We used propensity scores to 1:1 match breastfed and formula-fed group based on sex, birth weight, cesarean section, socioeconomic status, residance. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of milk feeding type on CUG at 4 years of age. Results: 49.1% of infants (n = 20,774) were breastfed and 50.9% (n = 21,521) were formula-fed. The median birth weight was 2.7 kg (interquartile range: 2.5-2.9 kg), and 98.7% of the children (n = 41,752) achieved CUG by the 5th NHSPIC round. Following propensity score matching, both groups included 19,308 infants. At four years of age, the breastfed group showed a lower likelihood of achieving CUG compared to the formula-fed group (aOR 0.794, 95% CI 0.665-0.948). During the 1st NHSPIC round, the breastfed group had a significantly lower weight Z-score (mean: -0.05, range: -0.64 to 0.41) than the formula-fed group (mean: 0.14, range: -0.42 to 0.78, p < 0.001). This trend was more pronounced from the 1st to 2nd round, with greater decreases in both weight and height Z-scores for the breastfed group (weight difference: -0.36, range: -0.74 to 0.02; height difference: -0.21, range: -0.62 to 0.20) compared to the formula-fed group (weight difference: -0.17, range: -0.53 to 0.20; height difference: -0.13, range: -0.53 to 0.28, p < 0.001). However, from the 2nd round, the breastfed group demonstrated faster gains in both weight and height (p < 0.001). Conclusion : In a study of Korean SGA infants, those breastfed during the first 4-6 months post-birth had lower CUG rates at four years compared to formula-fed infants. The breastfed group exhibited less weight and height gain, especially between the 1st and 2nd NHSPIC rounds, aligning with the initial phase of solid food introduction. These findings may suggest the need for enhanced nutritional supplementation for breastfed SGA infants. Further research is necessary to explore other factors that may impact growth during this critical developmental period. Presentation: 6/3/2024

7871 Investigating The Impact Of Prenatal Exposure To A Mix Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals On Development: Behavioral, Physiological, And Transcriptomic Analyses

Abstract Disclosure: M.R. Streifer: None. L. Thompson: None. A.C. Gore: None. In recent decades, there has been a growing concern surrounding the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in our environment and their potential implications on human health. Among these, prenatal exposure and subsequent effects on the developing neuroendocrine system have emerged as a subject of interest. This study aims to define the long term developmental, behavioral, and molecular effects of prenatal exposure to NeuroMix, a complex mixture of environmentally relevant EDCs. To this end, pregnant rat dams were fed either NeuroMix or vehicle, exposing the developing fetuses during critical periods of neuroendocrine development. The exposed offspring (F1 generation) were the experimental subjects, which were allowed to mature to adulthood, underwent behavioral testing, then were euthanized for brain tissue collection. Our study revealed noteworthy sex-specific effects, whereby exposed males exhibited reduced bodyweight and anogenital index, as well as delayed puberty. In contrast, females displayed no overt developmental abnormalities but exhibited heightened risk-taking behaviors in controlled behavioral experiments like the light:dark box. To unravel the molecular underpinnings of these observed effects, 3’ Tag-sequencing and transcriptomic analyses were performed on the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN), two hypothalamic nuclei involved in hormonal regulation, metabolism, fear-based behaviors, and development. Results of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) unveiled differentially expressed genes in both males and females, highlighting key pathways implicated in mitochondrial dysfunction and estrogen receptor signaling. Other notable pathways identified were related to cancer, neurological disorders, and endocrine system disorders. This comprehensive investigation highlights the impact of prenatal exposure to EDCs, influencing not only physiological parameters like body weight and puberty onset, but also behavioral phenotypes indicative of neurobiological alterations. The identification of disrupted molecular pathways provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms linking EDC exposure to adverse health outcomes, warranting further exploration and consideration in the context of human health and environmental policy. Grant support: R01 ES029464. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Incarceration Postpartum: Is There a Right to Prison Nurseries?

Rising rates of female incarceration within the United States are incompatible with the lack of federal standards outlining the rights of incarcerated mothers and their children. A robust body of evidence demonstrates that prison nurseries, programmes designed for mothers to keep their infants under their care during detainment or incarceration, provide essential and beneficial care that could not otherwise be achieved within the current carceral infrastructure. These benefits include facilitation of breastfeeding, bonding during a critical period of child development, and decreased recidivism rates for participants. Legal precedent exists to support the rights of the mother to continue to parent their child but remains in stark opposition to current prison infrastructure that could allow them to do so. Existing state policies also have inconsistent mechanisms for determining child eligibility and should move to centre decision-making on a case-by-case basis. This work will demonstrate that a just society, supported by law and ensuring maternal-child welfare supports the establishment of prison nursery programmes as a part of the existing right to healthcare for incarcerated individuals.

Mental health screening for parents following surgical neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge

Admission to the surgical neonatal intensive care unit (sNICU) is a stressful experience. Care is often complex, with inherent risks and potential complications. This study describes the implementation of an outpatient mental health screening process for parents of infants admitted to a sNICU. Parents of infants aged >34 weeks gestation with a congenital anomaly requiring neonatal surgery participated in this prospective observational study. Standardised measures to screen for parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index™ Fourth Edition Short Form) and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) were administered at the first outpatient visit scheduled when the infant's corrected gestational age was 4 months. A triage algorithm was developed, to review the initial screening results prompting appropriate action and intervention. Positive screens were triaged as evaluate (assess within 48 h), targeted information (email contact), or escalate response (same day risk assessment). Demographic factors associated with parental stress and depressive symptoms were explored. Forty parents (response rate: 88 %) participated in screening. A high portion of parents (52.5 %) required secondary screening, for parenting stress (n = 10), depressive symptoms (n = 5) or both stress and depressive symptoms (n = 6). Socioeconomic disadvantage was positively associated with parenting stress (p = 0.02) and greater depressive symptoms with parent education levels (p = 0.01). Results indicate screening of parent mental health in the outpatient setting is feasible. Use of a triage algorithm helped prioritise parent follow-up and facilitate workflows. Parent mental health screening should be prioritised within and beyond the sNICU to support family and infant outcomes during this critical period of development.

Epigenetic Modifications and Neuroplasticity in the Pathogenesis of Depression: A Focus on Early Life Stress

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating mental illness, and it is considered to be one of the leading causes of disability globally. The etiology of MDD is multifactorial, involving an interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors. Early life represents a critical period for development. Exposure to adverse childhood experiences is a major contributor to the global burden of disease and disability, doubling the risk of developing MDD later in life. Evidence suggests that stressful events experienced during that timeframe play a major role in the emergence of MDD, leading to epigenetic modifications, which might, in turn, influence brain structure, function, and behavior. Neuroplasticity seems to be a primary pathogenetic mechanism of MDD, and, similarly to epigenetic mechanisms, it is particularly sensitive to stress in the early postnatal period. In this review, we will collect and discuss recent studies supporting the role of epigenetics and neuroplasticity in the pathogenesis of MDD, with a focus on early life stress (ELS). We believe that understanding the epigenetic mechanisms by which ELS affects neuroplasticity offers potential pathways for identifying novel therapeutic targets for MDD, ultimately aiming to improve treatment outcomes for this debilitating disorder.

Striving for healthy lungs: Enhancing respiratory outcomes of prematurity.

Infants born prematurely are born in a critical developmental time period and because of arrest of lung maturation at that period their pulmonary functions are below the normal for their age. Early lung development has a lifelong effect on respiratory health and disease. Can we affect that sequence of events and change the outcome of chronic lung disease of prematurity?

Characterization of the temporal stability of ToM and pain functional brain networks carry distinct developmental signatures during naturalistic viewing

A temporally stable functional brain network pattern among coordinated brain regions is fundamental to stimulus selectivity and functional specificity during the critical period of brain development. Brain networks that are recruited in time to process internal states of others’ bodies (like hunger and pain) versus internal mental states (like beliefs, desires, and emotions) of others’ minds allow us to ask whether a quantitative characterization of the stability of these networks carries meaning during early development and constrain cognition in a specific way. Previous research provides critical insight into the early development of the theory-of-mind (ToM) network and its segregation from the Pain network throughout normal development using functional connectivity. However, a quantitative characterization of the temporal stability of ToM networks from early childhood to adulthood remains unexplored. In this work, reusing a large sample of children (n = 122, 3–12 years) and adults (n = 33) dataset that is available on the OpenfMRI database under the accession number ds000228, we addressed this question based on their fMRI data during a short and engaging naturalistic movie-watching task. The movie highlights the characters’ bodily sensations (often pain) and mental states (beliefs, desires, emotions), and is a feasible experiment for young children. Our results tracked the change in temporal stability using an unsupervised characterization of ToM and Pain networks DFC patterns using Angular and Mahalanobis distances between dominant dynamic functional connectivity subspaces. Our findings reveal that both ToM and Pain networks exhibit lower temporal stability as early as 3-years and gradually stabilize by 5-years, which continues till adolescence and late adulthood (often sharing similarity with adult DFC stability patterns). Furthermore, we find that the temporal stability of ToM brain networks is associated with the performance of participants in the false belief task to access mentalization at an early age. Interestingly, higher temporal stability is associated with the pass group, and similarly, moderate and low temporal stability are associated with the inconsistent group and the fail group. Our findings open an avenue for applying the temporal stability of large-scale functional brain networks during cortical development to act as a biomarker for multiple developmental disorders concerning impairment and discontinuity in the neural basis of social cognition.

Research on the Development Model of Computer Course Resources in Vocational Colleges Based on the Integration of Industry and Education

China is currently experiencing a critical period of development in vocational education from a scale-based approach to a content-based approach. The integration of industry and education is considered the main theme of vocational education reform, and one of its core issues is curriculum construction. The traditional reform of computer courses has a series of problems in terms of matching the structure with talent training goals, matching the content with professional job requirements, and integrating the evaluation system with professional development. To address this challenge, this article focuses on the construction of integrated curriculum resources between industry and education, with student ability cultivation as the core, and is committed to strengthening the deep connection between talent cultivation and enterprise development. To this end, we have explored and proposed a development model for industry education integration courses based on the concept of "school enterprise coeducation - practical majors - industry connectivity - zero distance docking", in order to solve many problems faced by traditional computer course reform and promote vocational education to move towards a more connotation rich development stage.

Long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences and perceived social support on depression trajectories

BackgroundWhile the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on depression is well-documented, how ACEs, physical violence victimization, social support, and school belongingness altogether shape depression from adolescence to young adulthood remains unclear. This study aims to clarify these relations by tracing the trajectory of depression across this critical developmental period. MethodsWe utilized a 14-year, four-wave dataset from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), including 5734 participants who were 7th to 12th graders at baseline (51.4 % females). Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was used to analyze the trajectory of depression from adolescence to young adulthood, assessing the impact of ACEs, physical violence victimization, social support, and school belongingness on this progression. ResultsResults from the LGCM indicated that childhood maltreatment and physical violence victimization were positively associated with an increase in depression from adolescence to young adulthood. Conversely, social support and school belongingness showed a negative association with depression, indicating their protective effects over time. Gender was found to moderate these longitudinal associations, with females showing increased vulnerability to the negative relations between early stressful environments (i.e., childhood maltreatment and physical violence victimization) and depression. Conversely, they seemed to benefit more from school belongingness and social support in mitigating depression. LimitationsThe study variables were all self-reported and exhibited some issues with reliability. ConclusionPractitioners should implement gender-specific programs for the prevention and intervention of depression from adolescence through young adulthood.

Using the visual cliff and pole descent assays to detect binocular disruption in mice.

Amblyopia, a neurodevelopmental visual disorder characterized by impaired stereoacuity, is commonly modeled in animals using monocular deprivation (MD) during a critical period of visual development. Despite extensive research at the synaptic, cellular and circuit levels of analysis, reliable behavioral assays to study stereoscopic deficits in mice are limited. This study aimed to characterize the Visual Cliff Assay (VCA) and the Pole Descent Cliff Task (PDCT) in mice, and to evaluate their utility in detecting binocular dysfunction. Using these assays, we investigated the impact of clinically relevant manipulations of binocular vision, including monocular occlusion, pupillary dilation, and amblyopia induced by long-term MD. Our findings reveal that optimal performance in both the VCA and PDCT are dependent on balanced binocular input. However, deficits after MD in the VCA exhibited relatively small effect sizes (7-14%), requiring large sample sizes for statistical comparisons. In contrast, the PDCT demonstrated larger effect sizes (43-61%), allowing for reliable detection of binocular dysfunction with a smaller sample size. Both assays were validated using multiple monocular manipulations relevant to clinical paradigms, with the PDCT emerging as the preferred assay for detecting deficits in stereoscopic depth perception in mice. These findings provide a robust framework for using the VCA and PDCT in mechanistic and therapeutic studies in mice, offering insights into the neural mechanisms of binocular vision and potential interventions for amblyopia.

Descriptive Study of the Influence of Foot Type on Physical Characteristics, Laxity, Strength and Baropodometry in Children Aged 5 to 10 Years

Background: Foot morphology in children is a crucial factor influencing multiple aspects of their physical development. Between the ages of 5 and 10 years, the critical period of child development is when the movement and stability patterns are consolidated that can affect their long-term physical performance and quality of life. The aim of this study is to analyze how the type of foot influences different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables in children aged 5 to 10 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 196 children was conducted. Different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables of the sample were analyzed for age and Foot Posture Index (FPI). Results: Differences in all variables were examined by age and FPI. Statistical analysis showed a moderate to high correlation (r > 0.6, p < 0.01) between FPI and the relaxed calcaneal stance position (RCSP) test. Some significant differences were also found in variables related to foot pronation and supination. These results provide valuable information for understanding differences in motor and functional development during childhood and pre-adolescence. Conclusions: The findings highlight the variability in physical and functional development between age and foot type groups, highlighting the importance of considering these differences in the assessment and management of foot-related conditions and biomechanics in childhood. Foot type significantly influences children’s growth and development.

Early life factors that affect obesity and the need for complex solutions.

The prevalence of obesity increases with age but is apparent even in early life. Early childhood is a critical period for development that is known to influence future health. Even so, the focus on obesity in this phase, and the factors that affect the development of obesity, has only emerged over the past two decades. Furthermore, there is a paucity of iterative work in this area that would move the field forward. Obesity is a complex condition involving the interplay of multiple influences at different levels: the individual and biological level, the sociocultural level, and the environmental and system levels. This Review provides a brief overview of the evidence for these factors with a focus on aspects specific to early life. By spotlighting the complex web of interactions between the broad range of influences, both causal and risk markers, we highlight the complex nature of the condition. Much work in the early life field remains observational and many of the intervention studies are limited by a focus on single influences and a disjointed approach to solutions. Yet the complexity of obesity necessitates coordinated multi-focused solutions and joined-up action across the first 2,000days from conception, and beyond.

Sexual and/or gender minority mental health disparities in adolescence: effects of adverse peer and family experiences

ABSTRACT Research exploring developmental explanations for sexual and/or gender minority (i.e. SGM) mental health disparities often rely on adults’ retrospectively reported childhood adversity, leaving gaps in understanding how childhood adversity affects SGM mental health disparities during critical developmental periods and/or in contemporary youth. We tested the association between 459 12- to 17-year-old Canadian adolescents’ SGM status and mental health (i.e. life satisfaction, internalizing symptoms) and whether this was explained by indirect effects of peer and family adversity. Additionally, we examined developmental differences between early and middle adolescence. SGM status significantly predicted worse mental health. In an adjusted model, indirect effects through peer and family adversity were significant; the previously detected total effect of SGM status on life satisfaction disappeared and the effect on internalizing symptoms lessened. No significant developmental differences were detected. This suggests that mental health disparities are present in contemporary SGM youth and concurrent adverse experiences may underlie these disparities.

Development of a comprehensive open access "molecules with androgenic activity resource (MAAR)" to facilitate risk assessment of chemicals.

The increasing prevalence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their potential adverse effects on human health underscore the necessity for robust tools to assess and manage associated risks. The androgen receptor (AR) is a critical component of the endocrine system, playing a pivotal role in mediating the biological effects of androgens, which are male sex hormones. Exposure to androgen-disrupting chemicals during critical periods of development, such as fetal development or puberty, may result in adverse effects on reproductive health, including altered sexual differentiation, impaired fertility, and an increased risk of reproductive disorders. Therefore, androgenic activity data is critical for chemical risk assessment. A large amount of androgenic data has been generated using various experimental protocols. Moreover, the data are reported in different formats and in diverse sources. To facilitate utilization of androgenic activity data in chemical risk assessment, the Molecules with Androgenic Activity Resource (MAAR) was developed. MAAR is the first open-access platform designed to streamline and enhance the risk assessment of chemicals with androgenic activity. MAAR's development involved the integration of diverse data sources, including data from public databases and mining literature, to establish a reliable and versatile repository. The platform employs a user-friendly interface, enabling efficient navigation and extraction of pertinent information. MAAR is poised to advance chemical risk assessment by offering unprecedented access to information crucial for evaluating the androgenic potential of a wide array of chemicals. The open-access nature of MAAR promotes transparency and collaboration, fostering a collective effort to address the challenges posed by androgenic EDCs.

270 Prenatal stress programming: Impact on dam and offspring immune phenotype and performance

Abstract Maternal stress during critical periods of fetal development is linked to the modified expression of several physiological processes. Despite attempts to minimize chronic stress and enhance sow well-being, some animals still experience stress, which can have short and long-term effects on future progeny. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of maternal stress on the immune phenotype and performance of pregnant gilts who had experienced pre- and post-natal stress and whether their offspring were affected. A total of 11 primiparous females (201.32 ± 17.18 kg at farrowing) clustered into treatment groups based on the treatment of their dams were used in this study. Their dams had been randomly allotted to receive either a placebo (CON) or Hydrocortisone Acetate capsules twice per day for 21 d during either mid (MID; d 51 to 72) or late (LATE; d 81 to 102) gestation. Prenatally stressed dams were sampled on gestational d 45, 60, 75, and 105 to determine descriptive and functional immune analysis. Productivity measures were assessed, including farrowing duration and the interval between piglets. Blood samples were taken from a subset of piglets born to these dams on d 7, 14, and 21 of lactation and then 24 h, 7, and 14 d post-wean. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure of SAS with repeated measures. Numbers of lymphocytes were elevated in gilts from LATE-treated dams compared with those from MID or CON dams for the entire study period (P < 0.05). All other descriptive immune measures, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, were not different between groups during the gestational period. Mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation did not differ across treatments for prenatally stressed dams. No maternal treatment effects for any litter traits, farrowing duration, or interval between each piglet, but there was a tendency (P < 0.10) for piglets born to MID-stressed dams to be heavier than those born to CON dams. Total lymphocyte numbers were least in the progeny of MID-treated dams compared with piglets from LATE and CON dams for the entire lactation period. Over time, progeny from LATE-treated gilts had a more stimulated B-cell proliferation index during lactation (P < 0.05). Conversely, Concanavalin-A-induced lymphocyte proliferation tended to be least in offspring from MID-treated dams compared with CON. They also tended to have less percentage and numbers of lymphocytes than offspring from LATE and CON dams for the entire post-wean period. The offspring from MID-treated dams also had the greatest (P < 0.05) neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the entire period. While prenatal stress had minimal impact on the immune expression of the dam, its influence was evident in their progeny, particularly with MID. Results indicate that the programming effects may only be apparent in later generations. The study also suggests that mid-gestation is a more sensitive period for maternal stress in fetal development.

In Utero Exposure to Di-n-butyl Phthalate Causes Modulation in Neurotransmitter System of Wistar Rats: A Multigenerational Assessment.

Neuroendocrine regulation is disrupted by di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) when exposure occurs during the critical periods of fetal development, which can lead to neurological disorders. To evaluate the toxic potential of DBP, it is necessary to conduct teratological studies, which could determine impacts on the development of the fetus. The present study was designed to understand the sequelae of neuroendocrine regulation in one-month-old pups when rats were exposed to DBP (F1-F3) in utero and during lactation. The rats received DBP (500mg/kg BW/day) dissolved in olive oil through oral gavage from gestation day 6 to postnatal day 30, while the control group received the olive oil (vehicle) during the same timeline. Following the exposure, thyroid profile and estradiol, which were measured at GD-19, exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in dams (F0-F2). The exposure resulted in developmental outcomes, including underdeveloped fetuses, and a notable number of resorptions in experimental rats. The one-month-old pups were assessed for serum thyroid profile and testosterone and neurotransmitters in discrete brain regions, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus for up to three generations. The levels of dopamine and cortisol showed a significant increase (P < 0.05), but serotonin levels decreased when examined in distinct brain regions of the experimental group as compared to the control. DBP, which is considered an endocrine disruptor, had the most impact on the third generation in this study, leading to a significant decrease in testosterone levels. In summary, in utero exposure to DBP impaired the neuroendocrine system and had an antiandrogenic effect in the three successive generations.

Genetics and Epigenetic in Mental Health

Genetics and epigenetics play critical roles in mental health, offering insights into the complex interplay between biological predisposition and environmental influences in the development and progression of mental disorders. Genetic studies have identified numerous risk loci associated with conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, highlighting the polygenic nature of these illnesses. However, the presence of genetic risk factors alone does not fully account for the variability in disease onset, severity, or response to treatment. This gap is increasingly understood through the lens of epigenetics, which involves heritable changes in gene expression that do not alter the DNA sequence itself but are influenced by environmental factors, such as stress, diet, and exposure to toxins. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs, can modulate gene activity in response to external stimuli, leading to long-lasting effects on brain function and behavior. These processes are particularly important during critical periods of brain development, where epigenetic modifications can shape neural circuits involved in emotion regulation, cognition, and stress response. Emerging research suggests that the interaction between genetic predisposition and epigenetic changes contributes to the heterogeneity observed in mental health disorders, explaining why individuals with similar genetic risks can have different outcomes. Understanding these intricate genetic and epigenetic networks is essential for developing personalized therapeutic strategies, which could revolutionize the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. Advances in this field hold the promise of identifying biomarkers for early intervention and creating targeted interventions that consider an individual’s unique genetic and epigenetic profile, ultimately improving mental health outcomes on a global scale.

A multi-modal assessment of self-knowledge in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury: a research domains criteria (RDoC) study.

Adolescence is a critical period for brain development, consolidation of self-understanding, and onset of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). This study evaluated the RDoC (Research Domain Criteria) sub-construct of Self-Knowledge in relation to adolescent NSSI using multiple units of analysis. One hundred and sixty-four adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB), ages 12-16 years with and without a history of NSSI entered a study involving clinical assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including structural, resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), and fMRI during a self-evaluation task. For imaging analyses, we used an a priori defined Self Network (anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal, and posterior cingulate cortices; precuneus). We first examined interrelationships among multi-level Self variables. We then evaluated the individual relationships between NSSI severity and multi-level Self variables (self-report, behavior, multi-modal brain Self Network measures), then conducted model testing and multiple regression to test how Self variables (together) predicted NSSI severity. Cross-correlations revealed key links between self-reported global self-worth and self-evaluation task behavior. Individually, greater NSSI severity correlated with lower global self-worth, more frequent and faster negative self-evaluations, lower anterior Self Network activation during self-evaluation, and lower anterior and posterior Self Network resting-state connectivity. Multiple regression analysis revealed the model including multi-level Self variables explained NSSI better than a covariate-only model; the strongest predictive variables included self-worth, self-evaluation task behavior, and resting-state connectivity. Disruptions in Self-Knowledge across multiple levels of analysis relate to NSSI in adolescents. Findings suggest potential neurobiological treatment targets, potentially enhancing neuroplasticity in Self systems to facilitate greater flexibility (more frequently positive) of self-views in AFAB adolescents.