Oxytocin receptor activation in the basolateral complex of the amygdala enhances discrimination between discrete cues and promotes configural processing of cues
Oxytocin (OT) is an evolutionarily conserved nonapeptide that is associated with various biological, neural and behavioral effects across a wide range of species (Stoop, 2012). Following synthesis in the hypothalamus, OT is secreted into the periphery via the hypothalamic-hypophyseal pathway, mediating uterine contractions, ovulation and lactation. OT is also secreted centrally into the nervous system, modulating neural activity across various brain regions such as the hippocampus, auditory cortex and amygdala (Terenzi& Ingram, 2005; Knobloch et al., 2012; Marlin et al., 2015; Campbell-Smith et al., 2015; Owen et al., 2013...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 8, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Justine Fam, Nathan Holmes, Andrew Delaney, James Crane, R. Frederick Westbrook Source Type: research
Overall cortisol, diurnal slope, and stress reactivity in psychosis: an experience sampling approach
Stress, both at the experiential and biological level, has been reported to play a major role in psychosis (Corcoran et al., 2003; Howes and Kapur, 2009; Walker and Diforio, 1997). For example, research using the experience sampling method (ESM), a structured diary technique, found that individuals across the psychosis continuum show heightened emotional reactivity to daily stressors (Myin-Germeys et al., 2003; Myin-Germeys et al., 2001), suggesting that psychosis liability is associated with a sensitization of the stress response. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 7, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thomas Vaessen, Zuzana Kasanova, Dennis Hernaus, Johan Lataster, Dina Collip, Martine van Nierop, Inez Myin-Germeys Source Type: research
Associations between maternal psychological distress and salivary cortisol during pregnancy: A mixed-models approach
Psychological distress during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of behavioral and emotional problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and affective disorders in the offspring (e.g., Glover, 2014; Lahti et al., 2017; Van den Bergh and Marcoen, 2004; Van den Bergh et al., 2008; Van den Bergh et al., 2017; Walder et al., 2014). A frequently proposed mechanism for this association is the flow of abnormally high levels of maternal stress hormones, in particular cortisol, through the placenta (Beijers et al., 2014; R äikkönen et al., 2011). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 5, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Marion I. van den Heuvel, Marcel A.L.M. van Assen, Vivette Glover, Stephan Claes, Bea R.H. Van den Bergh Source Type: research
Effect of the interaction between oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) and stressful life events on aggression in Chinese Han adolescents
Aggression is defined as overt or covert often harmful behavior or social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or distress on others (de Almeida et al., 2015; Marcus, 2017). Human aggression is multi-dimensional and may be expressed physically, verbally, emotionally (e.g., anger), or cognitively (e.g., impulsivity, hostility) (Buss and Durkee, 1957; Buss and Perry, 1992). Adolescence is the transitional period between late childhood and the beginning of adulthood and is a time of dramatic physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes such as rapid physical growth of the body, sexual maturation, increase...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 4, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Di Shao, Hui-Hui Zhang, Zhou-Ting Long, Jie Li, Hua-Yu Bai, Jing-Jing Li, Feng-Lin Cao Source Type: research
Does sleep deprivation increase the vulnerability to acute psychosocial stress in young and older adults?
Most of us intuitively understand the importance of getting “a good night’s sleep” to be ready for the challenges of the next day. Nonetheless, at times we might not be able to obtain sufficient sleep; in the EU, as many as 19% of employees work night one or more times a month (Eurofound, 2015), which is often related to sleep loss. Employees in job se ctors such as healthcare do not only have to face occasional sleep loss (Barger et al., 2005), but are also exposed to acute stress (Dias and Scalabrini Neto, 2017). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 4, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Johanna Schwarz, Andreas Gerhardsson, Wessel van Leeuwen, Mats Lekander, Mats Ericson, H åkan Fischer, Göran Kecklund, Torbjörn Åkerstedt Source Type: research
Associations of NT-proBNP and parameters of mental health in depressed coronary artery disease patients
Considering that coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common sources of disability and mortality worldwide (Franco et al., 2011) and that depression and anxiety increase the morbidity and mortality in patients with CAD surprisingly little is known about the neurobiological factors influencing patients ’ mental health and quality of life. This is considerable since depression as well as anxiety and psychological distress are common in CAD patients with a prevalence of 20-50% for depressive symptoms, up to 29% for major depressive disorder, and approximately 45% for anxiety disorders (Bankier et al., 2004; Herr...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 4, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Stella V. Fangauf, Birgit Herbeck Belnap, Thomas Meyer, Christian Albus, Lutz Binder, Hans-Christian Deter, Karl-Heinz Ladwig, Matthias Michal, Joram Ronel, Aribert Rothenberger, Wolfgang S öllner, Rolf Wachter, Cora S. Weber, Christoph Herrmann-Lingen, Source Type: research
The association between cortisol, oxytocin, and immune cell mitochondrial oxygen consumption in postpartum women with childhood maltreatment
Upon activation of the stress response system, adaptive physiological processes are triggered that enable the individual to overcome the stressor and maintain health and stability (homeostasis) – a process termed allostasis (McEwen, 2004). On the biological level, two systems mainly orchestrate this stress response: the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. To cover the increased energy demand associated with allostatic processes, glu cocorticoids (GC) – the main effector molecules of the HPA axis – induce the mobilization of energetic substrates into the blood st...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Christina Boeck, Anja Maria Gumpp, Enrico Calzia, Peter Radermacher, Christiane Waller, Alexander Karabatsiakis, Iris-Tatjana Kolassa Source Type: research
The association between cortisol, oxytocin and immune cell mitochondrial oxygen consumption in postpartum women with childhood maltreatment
Upon activation of the stress response system, adaptive physiological processes are triggered that enable the individual to overcome the stressor and maintain health and stability (homeostasis) – a process termed allostasis (McEwen, 2004). On the biological level, two systems mainly orchestrate this stress response: the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. To cover the increased energy demand associated with allostatic processes, glu cocorticoids (GC) – the main effector molecules of the HPA axis – induce the mobilization of energetic substrates into the blood st...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - June 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Christina Boeck, Anja Maria Gumpp, Enrico Calzia, Peter Radermacher, Christiane Waller, Alexander Karabatsiakis, Iris-Tatjana Kolassa Source Type: research
Effects of Testosterone Administration on Threat and Escape Anticipation in the Orbitofrontal Cortex
The steroid hormone testosterone has a well-established role in the reduction of fear and the promotion of dominance motivation and aggression in many species (Mazur and Booth, 1998; Wingfield et al, 1990). In humans, the neural mechanisms underlying these effects are not yet clear, but it has been suggested that testosterone administration can decouple the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) from subcortical threat reactivity, leading to an increase in impulse-driven and goal-directed behaviour in response to threat (Terburg and van Honk, 2013b; van Honk et al, 2011). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 30, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Sarah J. Heany, Richard A.I. Bethlehem, Jack van Honk, Peter A. Bos, Dan J. Stein, David Terburg Source Type: research
Oxytocin Receptor mRNA Expression in Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Major Psychiatric Disorders: A Human Post-mortem Study
There is growing interest in investigating the role of the nine amino acid peptide oxytocin (OT) as a pharmacologic therapy for various psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BPD) and schizophrenia(SZ)/schizoaffective disorder (Macdonald and Macdonald, 2010). This interest in oxytocin as a treatment stems from preclinical and clinical studies demonstrating the role of exogenous and endogenous OT to promote social affiliation and cognition, to improve mood and to reduce anxiety (Meyer-Lindenberg et al., 2011). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 30, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: MR Lee, MB Sheskier, M Farokhnia, N Feng, S Marenco, BK Lipska, L Leggio Source Type: research
Associations between traumatic stress symptoms, pain and bio-active components in burn wounds
Pain is a problem following burns, often complicated by anxiety and acute traumatic stress symptoms (Giannoni-Pastor et al., 2016; Summer et al., 2007). Psychological theories such as the mutual maintenance theory (Sharp and Harvey, 2001) propose that physiological, cognitive, behavioral and affective factors of pain and posttraumatic stress influence and maintain each other. According to the Neuromatrix theory (Melzack and Katz, 2013), a leading pain theory, pain is a multidimensional experience in which sensory and psychological inputs play an important role. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 30, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: N.E. Van Loey, H.W.C. Hofland, M. Vlig, E. Vandermeulen, T. Rose, R.H.J. Beelen, M.M.W. Ulrich Source Type: research
Acute and past subjective stress influence working memory and related neural substrates
When experiencing stress, it is essential to maintain cognitive control to successfully modulate thoughts and actions. For example, when arriving at a noisy crowded train station and the train is due to depart shortly, it is crucial to ascertain the correct platform of departure from the departure boards, despite experiencing stress. Stress is a psychophysiological process elicited by physical or psychosocial strains, leading to subjective evaluation of situations as stressful (Cohen et al., 2016; Rajesh et al., 2014) and triggering reactions via the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary(SAM)-system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adre...
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Lennart Luettgau, Florian Schlagenhauf, Zsuzsika Sjoerds Source Type: research
Sleep Quality and the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) among Law Enforcement Officers: The Moderating Role of Leisure Time Physical Activity
Poor sleep quality is a serious public health concern in the United States (Colten et al., 2006) and disproportionately affects chronically stressed populations, including those working in law enforcement and other stressful occupations. For example, in a controlled study of 1,063 variable and stable shift workers, the prevalence of poor sleep quality was significantly higher among police officers than in those not involved in emergency services (64 vs. 45%, respectively) (Neylan et al., 2002). In a recent study of U.S. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Desta Fekedulegn, Kim Innes, Michael E. Andrew, Cathy Tinney-Zara, Luenda E. Charles, Penelope Allison, John M. Violanti, Sarah S. Knox Source Type: research
Gender Differences in Longitudinal Relationships between Depression and Anxiety Symptoms and Inflammation in the Health and Retirement Study
Depression and anxiety disorders affect approximately 30% of the population at some point during the lifespan (Kessler et al., 2005). As reviewed below, a large body of research now links depression and anxiety symptoms (although anxiety has been less commonly studied) with elevated inflammation, which may be one mechanism that explains the higher prevalence of medical illnesses in people with these symptoms. Moreover, inflammation may actually evoke symptoms of depression and anxiety (Dantzer et al., 2008; Miller and Raison, 2016; Slavich and Irwin, 2014). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Andrea N. Niles, Mariya Smirnova, Joy Lin, Aoife O ’Donovan Source Type: research
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene is associated with adolescents ’ cortisol reactivity and anxiety
Adolescence is marked by drastic shifts in neuroendocrine activity and stress physiology which may confer risk for affective disorders (Gunnar et al., 2009; Romeo, 2013; Stroud et al., 2009). The Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, part of the neuroendocrine system, regulates stress response during acute or chronic stress. Identifying factors that contribute to its dysregulation during adolescence may have important clinical implications. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is a well-established inflammatory marker and regulator of the HPA axis (Dunn, 2000; Turnbull and Rivier, 1995). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - May 26, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Rebecca Lipschutz, Johanna Bick, Victoria Nguyen, Maria Lee, Lin Leng, Elena Grigorenko, Richard Bucala, Linda C. Mayes, Michael J. Crowley Source Type: research
