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Maternal distress and child neuroendocrine and immune regulation.

ABSTRACT: Neuroendocrine-immune regulation is essential for maintaining health. Early-life adversity may cause dysregulation in the neuroendocrine-immune network through repeated activation of the stress response, thereby increasing disease risk.This paper examined the extent to which maternal psychological well-being moderates neuroendocrine-immune relations in children.We used data from a laboratory-based study of mothers and their five-year old children (n = 125 mother-child pairs) conducted from 2011 to 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland. Child saliva was assayed for markers of immune function (i.e., cytokines: interleukin [IL]-1?, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-?]) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity (i.e., cortisol). A composite score for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and parenting stress characterized maternal psychological distress. Multilevel mixed models examined the relationship between maternal psychological well-being and child neuroendocrine-immune relations.Significant cytokine × maternal distress interactions indicated that as maternal distress increased, expected inverse cytokine-cortisol relations within children became weaker for IL-1?, IL-6, and TNF-?. Sex-stratified models revealed that these interactions were only significant among girls. Among boys, there were inverse cytokine-cortisol relations for all cytokines, and, while in the same direction as observed among girls, the cytokine × maternal distress interactions were non-significant.The findings suggest that maternal distress is associated with child neuroendocrine-immune relations in saliva and may alter the sensitivity of inflammatory immune processes to cortisol's inhibitory effects. This desensitization may place the child at risk for inflammatory diseases. The findings support efforts for the early detection and treatment of at-risk mothers to protect maternal and child health and well-being.

SUBMITTER: Riis JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4766032 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Maternal distress and child neuroendocrine and immune regulation.

Riis Jenna L JL Granger Douglas A DA Minkovitz Cynthia S CS Bandeen-Roche Karen K DiPietro Janet A JA Johnson Sara B SB

Social science & medicine (1982) 20160105

<h4>Rationale</h4>Neuroendocrine-immune regulation is essential for maintaining health. Early-life adversity may cause dysregulation in the neuroendocrine-immune network through repeated activation of the stress response, thereby increasing disease risk.<h4>Objective</h4>This paper examined the extent to which maternal psychological well-being moderates neuroendocrine-immune relations in children.<h4>Methods</h4>We used data from a laboratory-based study of mothers and their five-year old childr ...[more]

PMID: 26808339

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Project description:The association between low family income and socio-emotional behaviour problems in early childhood has been well-documented, and maternal psychological distress is highlighted as central in mediating this relationship. However, whether this relationship holds for older children, and the precise mechanisms by which income may influence child behaviour is unclear. This study investigated the relationship between family income and child socio-emotional behaviour at 11 years of age, and examined the mediating role of maternal psychological distress over time using the UK Millennium Cohort Study. The primary outcome was parent-reported behavioural problems, as captured by the Total Difficulties Score (TDS), derived from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Secondary outcomes were the emotional, peer-related, conduct, and hyperactivity/inattention problems subscales of the SDQ; and teacher-reported TDS. Permanent family income was the primary exposure variable; frequency of poverty up to age 11 years was the secondary exposure variable. Maternal psychological distress was operationalised to reflect the trajectory from child birth to age 11. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of permanent family income on child behaviour at age 11, controlling for maternal psychological distress and other relevant covariates. Results showed a statistically significant protective effect of increased permanent family income on the likelihood of behavioural problems at age 11. This finding was consistent for all SDQ subscales apart from emotional problems, and was strongest for teacher-reported behavioural problems. Maternal distress was an important mediator in the income-child behaviour relationship for parent-reported, but not teacher-reported, behavioural problems. The results of this study strengthen empirical evidence that the child behaviour-income gradient is maintained in older childhood. Mother's psychological distress, particularly longstanding or recurrent, appears to contribute to this relationship. These findings may validate calls for psychosocial and financial supports for families affected by parental mental health issues.

Project description:Prior research has found inconsistent evidence regarding the association among childhood adversity, inflammation, and internalizing symptoms, perhaps because previous studies have yet to adequately integrate important factors such as the timing of the adversity, genetic variation, and other relevant processes such as neuroendocrine regulation. The aims of the present study were threefold: (a) to determine whether the effect of the timing of child maltreatment on C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker, varies by CRP gene variation; (b) to explore whether links between salivary CRP and childhood internalizing symptoms depend on the presence and timing of maltreatment experiences; and (c) to investigate the role of CRP in the relations between child neuroendocrine regulation and internalizing symptoms and examine whether these associations are moderated by the presence and timing of child maltreatment. Participants included a sample of 267 maltreated and 222 nonmaltreated children (M age = 9.72, SD = 0.99; 52.4% male; 66% African American) who attended a summer day camp research program designed for school-aged low-income children. Department of Human Services records were examined to determine the onset and recency of maltreatment for children in the maltreated group. The results indicated that among children with recent onset maltreatment, those with at least one A allele from CRP single nucleotide polymorphism rs1417938 evidenced significantly higher CRP levels compared to recently maltreated children carrying the TT genotype. Moreover, higher levels of CRP were associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms only for recently maltreated children. Finally, we did not find support for salivary CRP as a mechanism in the relation between neuroendocrine regulation and childhood internalizing symptoms. Our findings highlight the importance of the timing of child maltreatment and have important implications for characterizing variability in inflammation and internalizing symptoms among youth.

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Maternal distress and child neuroendocrine and immune regulation.

Publications

Maternal distress and child neuroendocrine and immune regulation.

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