Psychoneuroendocrinology最新文献

Group-based guilt (collective guilt) refers to the negative emotions experienced when group members violate moral standards and can motivate prosocial behavior. Individuals exhibiting high levels of moral disengagement are prone to engaging in unethical conduct without experience of guilt, thereby prolonging or exacerbating conflicts and hindering conflict resolution. Oxytocin is believed to play key role in shaping social cognition and behaviors associated with morality and prosociality. So, this study (N = 79) explores oxytocin's potential to enhance group-based guilt and compensation for victims among individuals with high moral disengagement. Employing a randomized placebo-controlled design, participants received either oxytocin or placebo before undertaking a task designed to induce group-based guilt, during which they made decisions regarding the allocation of money to victims. Results revealed that participants with high moral disengagement who received oxytocin perceived higher levels of moral responsibility, experienced increased group-based guilt, and allocated significantly more money to victims compared to those who received the placebo. These findings suggested that oxytocin holds promise as an intervention to mitigate moral disengagement and foster moral behavior in individuals predisposed to avoiding responsibility and guilt feelings.

Introduction

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are associated with immune-inflammatory activation. Recently, complete blood count (CBC)-based inflammation indexes such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have emerged as reproducible and cost-effective inflammation markers in mental disorders. In this study, we aimed at investigating the relationship of NLR, MLR, and PLR with symptom severity in people with SSDs, testing interactions with relevant clinical variables.

Methods

We included inpatients with SSDs aged 18–65 consecutively hospitalized from May 2020 to March 2024. Socio-demographic and clinical data were recorded. CBC-based ratios were estimated from routinely collected blood samples. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed to test relationships involving symptom severity constructs and CBC-based ratios, accounting for substance use disorder, antipsychotic treatment, and obesity.

Results

Two hundred sixty-six participants met inclusion criteria. The SEM analysis uncovered a significant relationship of MLR with positive (coeff.: 0.19, p=0.048) and negative (coeff.: 0.27, p=0.004) symptoms, also showing a significant link of substance use disorder and antipsychotic treatment with symptom severity as well as of antipsychotic treatment with obesity.

Conclusions

Notwithstanding the cross-sectional design and the somewhat limited sample representativeness, this study showed a significant relationship between the MLR – but not the NLR or the PLR – and the severity of both positive and negative symptoms, testing at the same time the interactions with other clinical variables. Considering the insufficiency and inconsistency of data in this field, further research is needed to validate our findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving the observed relationships between the MLR and SSD symptoms.

Depression is a multifaceted mental health disorder with complex etiology and significant global burden. Recent research indicates that the gut microbiota plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression, highlighting the potential role of specific bacterial species in influencing mood and cognitive function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence, copy numbers, and Ct values of selected bacterial species in stool samples from depressed patients (n=50) compared to control subjects (n=50). Our findings revealed significant differences in the abundance of Fusobacterium spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bacteroidetes phylum, Firmicutes phylum, and Actinobacteria spp. between the two groups. Dysregulation of the gut microbiota, characterized by decreased presence of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp.) and altered abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Fusobacterium spp.), may contribute to the development or exacerbation of depression. These findings support the emerging concept of the gut-brain axis and its role in mental health. However, further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and explore the therapeutic potential of microbiota-targeted interventions for depression. Understanding the intricate interplay between the gut microbiota and depression could pave the way for novel treatment strategies and personalized approaches in mental health care.

Aim

To analyze the clinical, neurocognitive, and functional impact of prolactin levels according to sex in patients with a First Episode Psychosis (FEP).

Methods

We measured prolactin levels in 221 non-affective FEP patients treated with antipsychotics (AP) and 224 healthy controls, at baseline and 2-year follow-up. We examined whether the relationships between clinical and functional variables were mediated by prolactin, controlling for antipsychotic use, according to sex.

Results

Prolactin levels were higher in patients when compared to controls at both time points. Baseline factors associated with prolactin were chlorpromazine equivalents, attention, and executive functioning. In the FEP group, prolactin levels were associated with functioning and diminished expression in males, and with working memory in females. Prolactin levels (p=0.0134) played a role as a mediator between negative symptomatology (p=0.086) and functional outcome (p=0.008) only in FEP male patients at baseline.

Conclusions

Prolactin plays a role in the functionality and clinical symptomatology of FEP patients. Our results suggest that pharmacological counselling in patients with hyperprolactinemia at baseline and negative symptomatology might improve their functional and clinical outcomes.

In mammals, both parental and alloparental care are associated with increased brain oxytocin signaling. Grandmothers are important alloparents in many human families. Based on animal model research showing that peripheral Oxtr methylation is associated with Oxtr expression in the nucleus accumbens, we investigated whether grandmaternal caregiving is associated with lower peripheral OXTR methylation. Results reveal several regions within OXTR where grandmothers have lower DNA methylation compared with non-grandmother controls, and no regions where grandmothers have higher OXTR DNA methylation. Among grandmothers, OXTR methylation was most strongly correlated with the grandmother’s assessment of the degree of positive feelings between her and the grandchild, which in turn predicted caregiving engagement. Although there was little evidence that grandmaternal OXTR methylation modulated grandmaternal neural responses to viewing photos of the grandchild within brain regions involved in caregiving motivation, it was negatively correlated with the neural response to an unknown grandchild. Thus, while OT signaling may not be essential for activating grandmaternal brain reward systems in our low-stress experimental context, it may support caregiving motivation towards unrelated children. Future longitudinal research should determine whether the transition to grandmotherhood is associated with a reduction in OXTR methylation.

Background

Identifying circulating biomarkers associated with prospective suicidal ideation (SI) and depression could help better understand the dynamics of these phenomena and identify people in need of intense care. In this study, we investigated the associations between baseline peripheral biomarkers implicated in neuroplasticity, vascular homeostasis and inflammation, and prospective SI and depression severity during 6 months of follow-up in patients with mood disorders.

Methods

149 patients underwent a psychiatric evaluation and gave blood to measure 32 plasma soluble proteins. At follow-up, SI incidence over six months was measured with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology. Ninety-six patients provided repeated blood samples. Statistical analyses included Spearman partial correlation and Elastic Net regression, followed by the covariate-adjusted regression models.

Results

51.4 % (N = 71) of patients reported SI during follow-up. After adjustment for covariates, higher baseline levels of interferon-$\gamma$ were associated with SI occurrence during follow-up. Higher baseline interferon-$\gamma$ and lower orexin-A were associated with increased depression severity, and atypical and anxious, but not melancholic, symptoms. There was also a tendency for associations of elevated baseline levels of interferon-$\gamma$, interleukin-1β, and lower plasma serotonin levels with SI at the six-month follow-up time point. Meanwhile, reduction in transforming growth factor- $\beta$1 (TGF-$\beta$1) plasma concentration correlated with atypical symptoms reduction.

Conclusion

We identified interferon-$\gamma$ and orexin-A as potential predictive biomarkers of SI and depression, whereas TGF-$\beta$1 was identified as a possible target of atypical symptoms.

Introduction

Cortisol is a biological marker of stress, and its levels reflect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress over time. Saliva, blood, and urine cortisol reflect acute stress, whereas assessment of hair cortisol is a better reflection of chronic stress. There is limited information on hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in the perinatal period, particularly, in the preconception and postpartum periods. In addition to being a biomarker for stress, high levels of cortisol are typically associated with poor psychosocial outcomes, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The objectives of this study were: (1) to measure HCC from six months preconception to six months postpartum; (2) to examine the relationship between HCC and demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress in the first six months postpartum period; (3) and to assess the associations between HCC and systemic inflammatory markers in the first six months postpartum.

Methods

The analysis included 96 women from a longitudinal study with up to 3 study visits in the first six months postpartum. Blood and hair samples were collected at 1–2 months (PP1), 3–4 months (PP2), and 5–6 months (PP3) postpartum. We obtained sociodemographic information, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress scores at PP1-PP3. To quantify cortisol levels over time, 8 segments were derived corresponding to 6 (PC1) and 3 (PC2) months preconception as well as for each trimester (T1-T3) and postpartum (PP1-PP3). Eight cytokines (Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Interferon- gamma [IFN- γ], Interleukin [IL]-10, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α) were measured in plasma in the postpartum samples. Univariate, bivariate, correlations, and linear mixed modelling were performed using SAS 9.4. Multiple testing correction was conducted for correlations using false discovery rate and a Q value of <0.05 was deemed significant.

Results

Median HCC varied over time peaking in the third trimester and declining in the postpartum. Significant differences were noted in median cortisol levels by race with Black/African American postpartum women experiencing higher levels at all timepoints. Significantly, higher median cortisol levels were also observed at PP1 and PP2 for mothers who reported their relationship status as single. Ethnicity, education, median age, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress were not associated with median cortisol levels. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN- γ (q= 0.01; r=-0.50) and IL-8 (q= 0.00; r=-0.55) showed correlations with HCC at PP1.

Conclusion

HCC increased during pregnancy, peaking at T3 and declining PP consistent with previous work. Black/African American women and single women have significantly higher median cortisol levels in the postpartum period. The marked increase of HCC in Black women may be an impo