Adolescent substance use outcomes in response to social consequences of use: the role of empathy.

Evidence suggests empathy deficits have a temporal relationship with substance use severity by late adolescence theorized to decrease use via recognition of social consequences. However, this has yet to be tested empirically along with differences in cognitive and affective empathy. Adolescents admitted to substance use treatment (n= 3,382) were followed through treatment and 12 months after treatment. Variable trajectories were fit using growth curve models; and cross-lagged effects of cognitive and affective empathy on response to social consequences of use were tested along with how response to social consequences affected the mean trajectory of substance use. Results indicate higher cognitive empathy predicted greater response to social consequences of use and response to these consequences at the end of treatment predicted a steeper decrease in substance use. This evidence highlights the importance of cognitive empathy for responding to social consequences of use for motivating less substance use in adolescents.

Unique influences of pregnancy and anticipated parenting on cigarette smoking: results and implications of a within-person, between-pregnancy study.

Not all pregnant individuals want to become parents and "parenting intention" can also vary within individuals during different pregnancies. Nevertheless, the potential impact of parenting intention on health-related behavior during pregnancy has been heavily underexplored. In this study, we employed a within-person between pregnancy design to estimate the effect of parenting-specific influences on smoking, separate from pregnancy-specific and individual-level influences. We quantified within-mother differences in smoking during pregnancies of infants they reared (n = 84) versus pregnancies of infants they placed for adoption at birth (n = 65) using multivariate mixed-effects Poisson regression models. Mean cigarettes/day declined as the pregnancy progressed regardless of whether infants were reared or placed. However, participants smoked fewer cigarettes/day during reared pregnancies. Relative to "adopted" pregnancies, smoking during "reared" pregnancies was lower by 24%, 41%, and 54% in first (95% CI 0.64-0.90; p = 0.001), second (95% CI 0.48-0.72; p < 0.001), and third trimesters (95% CI 0.36-0.59; p < 0.001), respectively, independent of between-pregnancy differences in maternal age, fetal sex, parity, and pregnancy complications. Female sex and nulliparity were protective. Parenting intention was associated with a protective effect on pregnancy smoking independent of pregnancy-specific influences and individual characteristics. Failure to consider the impact of parenting intention on health-related behavior during pregnancy could perpetuate an unrealistic expectation to "do what's best for the baby" and stigmatize women with unintended or unwanted pregnancies.

How penalizing substance use in pregnancy affects treatment and research: a qualitative examination of researchers' perspectives.

Introduction: Laws regulating substance use in pregnancy are changing and may have unintended consequences on scientific efforts to address the opioid epidemic. Yet, how these laws affect care and research is poorly understood. Methods: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews using purposive and snowball sampling of researchers who have engaged pregnant people experiencing substance use. We explored views on laws governing substance use in pregnancy and legal reform possibilities. Interviews were double coded. Data were examined using thematic analysis. Results: We interviewed 22 researchers (response rate: 71 per cent) and identified four themes: (i) harms of punitive laws, (ii) negative legal impacts on research, (iii) proposals for legal reform, and (iv) activism over time. Discussion: Researchers view laws penalizing substance use during pregnancy as failing to treat addiction as a disease and harming pregnant people and families. Respondents routinely made scientific compromises to protect participants. While some have successfully advocated for legal reform, ongoing advocacy is needed. Conclusion: Adverse impacts from criminalizing substance use during pregnancy extend to research on this common and stigmatized problem. Rather than penalizing substance use in pregnancy, laws should approach addiction as a medical issue and support scientific efforts to improve outcomes for affected families.

Within-person decline in pregnancy smoking is observable prior to pregnancy awareness: Evidence across two independent observational cohorts.

Decreased consumption of nicotine and other drugs during pregnancy appears to be a cross-species phenomenon from which mechanism(s) capable of interrupting addictive processes could be elucidated. Whether pregnancy influences smoking behaviour independent of women's knowledge of the pregnancy, however, has not been considered. Using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), we estimated within-person change in mean cigarettes/day smoked across the estimated date of conception but prior to individually reported dates of pregnancy recognition using longitudinal smoking data from two independent observational cohorts, the Growing Up Healthy (GUH, n = 271) and Midwest Infant Development Studies (MIDS, n = 145). Participants smoked an average of half a pack/day in the month immediately before conception (M (SD) = 12(8.1) and 9.5(6.7) cigarettes/day in GUH and MIDS, respectively). We observed within-person declines in smoking after conception, both before (MGUH  = -0.9; 95% CI -1.6, -0.2; p = 0.01; MMIDS  = -1.1; 95% CI -1.9, -0.3; p = 0.01) and after (MGUH  = -4.8; 95% CI -5.5, -4.1; p < 0.001; MMIDS  = -3.3; 95% CI -4.4, -2.5; p < 0.001) women were aware of having conceived, even when women who had quit and women who were planning to conceive were excluded from analyses. Pregnancy may interrupt smoking-related processes via mechanisms not previously considered. Plausible candidates and directions for future research are discussed.

Are empathic processes mechanisms of pregnancy's protective effect on smoking? Identification of a novel target for preventive intervention.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous cessation and reduction in smoking by pregnant women suggest that concern about others, or empathy, could be a malleable target for intervention. We examined various empathy-related processes in relations to reported and biochemically assessed smoking during pregnancy. METHODS: Participants were 154 pregnant women (M = 12.4 weeks gestation, SD = 4.6) who were smoking cigarettes immediately prior to pregnancy recognition (85 had quit and 69 were still smoking at enrollment). Empathy-related processes were measured with performance-based paradigms (affect sharing, empathic concern, and theory of mind) and a speech sample (expressed emotion). Smoking was assessed with timeline follow back interviews and urine cotinine assays. Using zero-inflated Poisson regression models, we tested direct and interactive effects of empathy-related processes with respect to biologically verified smoking cessation (zero portion); and mean cigarettes/day smoked after pregnancy recognition among persistent smokers (count portion). RESULTS: Affect sharing was inversely related to post-recognition cigarettes/day (B(SE) = -0.17(0.07), 95%C.I. -0.30,-0.04, p = .011) and moderated the relationship between pre-recognition smoking and post-recognition smoking consistent with a buffering effect (B(SE) = -.17(0.05); 95%C.I. - 0.28,-0.06; p = .002). Other empathy related processes showed neither direct nor interactive effects on smoking outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is recommended to clarify the role of empathy in pregnancy smoking.

Impact of prenatal exposure characterization on early risk detection: Methodologic insights for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study.

BACKGROUND: A major challenge in prenatal drug exposure research concerns the balance of measurement quality with sample sizes necessary to address confounders. To inform the selection of optimal exposure measures for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, we employed integrated analysis to determine how different methods used to characterize prenatal tobacco exposure influence the detection of exposure-related risk, as reflected in normal variations in birth weight. METHODS: Participants were N = 2323 mother-infant dyads derived from 7 independent developmental cohorts harmonized on measures of exposure, outcome (birthweight), and covariates. We compared estimates of PTE-related effects on birthweight derived from linear regression models when PTE was categorized dichotomously based on any fetal exposure (30% exposed; 69% not exposed); versus categorically, based on common patterns of maternal smoking during pregnancy (never smoked 69%; quit smoking 16%; smoked intermittently 2%; smoked persistently 13%). We secondarily explored sex differences in PTE-birthweight associations across these categorization methods. RESULTS: When PTE was categorized dichotomously, exposure was associated with a - 125-g difference in birthweight (95% C.I. -173.7 - -76.6, p < .0001). When PTE was characterized categorically based on maternal smoking patterns, however, exposure was associated with either no difference in birthweight if mothers quit smoking by the end of the first trimester (B = -30.6, 95% C.I. -88.7-27.4, p = .30); or a - 221.8 g difference in birthweight if mothers did not [95% C.I. (-161.7 to -282.0); p < .001]. Qualitative sex differences were also detected though PTE x sex interactions did not reach statistical significance. Maternal smoking cessation during pregnancy was associated with a 239.3 g increase in birthweight for male infants, and a 114.0 g increase in birthweight for females infants (p = .07). CONCLUSIONS: Categorization of PTE based on patterns of maternal smoking rather than the presence or absence of exposure alone revealed striking nuances in estimates of exposure-related risk. The described method that captures both between-individual and within-individual variability in prenatal drug exposure is optimal and recommended for future developmental investigations such as the HBCD Study.

Psychopathology Symptoms are Associated with Prenatal Health Practices in Pregnant Women with Heavy Smoking Levels.

PURPOSE: Smoking during pregnancy may be linked to other problematic prenatal health behaviors in women. We examined interrelationships among prenatal smoking, prenatal health behaviors and mental health. The objective of this study was to examine factors that may contribute to variations in prenatal health practices among women who smoke during pregnancy. METHODS: Birth mothers from an adoption study (N = 912) were interviewed about prenatal smoking, health behaviors, and mental health symptoms at 5 months postpartum. RESULTS: One-quarter of participants (N = 222) reported smoking 6 or more cigarettes daily for at least 1 trimester. For mothers who smoked more than 6 cigarettes daily, higher levels of antisocial behaviors (ß = - .14, p = .03) and depressive symptoms (ß = - .17, p = .03) were associated with less frequent prenatal folate use; antisocial behaviors and depressive symptoms were not associated for prenatal folate use among women who did not smoke more than 6 cigarettes daily. For mothers who did not smoke more than 6 cigarettes daily, more depressive symptoms were associated with fewer prenatal care visits (ß = .12, p = .01). Antisocial behaviors and anxiety symptoms were not associated with prenatal care visits in either group of mothers. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Maternal antisocial behaviors and depressive symptoms during pregnancy may be markers for poorer adherence to recommendations for folate supplementation among women who smoke 6 or more cigarettes daily during pregnancy, independent of adequacy of prenatal care.

Dimension- and context-specific expression of preschoolers' disruptive behaviors associated with prenatal tobacco exposure.

OBJECTIVE: Precise phenotypic characterization of prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE)-related disruptive behavior (DB) that integrates nuanced measures of both exposures and outcomes is optimal for elucidating underlying mechanisms. Using this approach, our goals were to identify dimensions of DB most sensitive to PTE prior to school entry and assess contextual variation in these dimensions. METHODS: A community obstetric sample of N = 369 women (79.2% lifetime smokers; 70.2% pregnancy smokers) from two Midwestern cities were assessed for PTE using cotinine-calibrated interview-based reports at 16, 28, and 40 weeks of gestation. A subset of n = 244 who completed observational assessments with their 5-year-old children in a subsequent preschool follow-up study constitute the analytic sample. Using two developmentally-meaningful dimensions previously associated with emergent clinical risk for DB-irritability and noncompliance-we assessed children with 2 parent-report scales: the Multidimensional Assessment Profile of Disruptive Behavior (MAP-DB) and the Early Childhood Inventory (ECI). We also assessed children by direct observation across 3 interactional contexts with the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). We used generalized linear models to examine between-child variability across behavioral dimensions, and mixed effects models to examine directly observed within-child variability by interactional context. RESULTS: Increasing PTE predicted increasing impairment in preschoolers' modulation of negative affect (irritability), but not negative behavior (noncompliance) across reported (MAP-DB) and observed (DB-DOS) dimensional measures. Moreover, children's PTE-related irritability was more pronounced when observed with parents than with the examiner. The ECI did not detect PTE-related irritability nor noncompliance. CONCLUSIONS: Nuanced, dimension- and context-specific characterization of PTE-related DB described can optimize early identification of at-risk children.

Obstetric patients' perspectives on functional magnetic neuroimaging research in pregnant women.

Magnetic resonance neuroimaging (MRI) studies of healthy pregnant women could identify key mechanisms of spontaneous health behavior changes observed in expectant mothers as novel intervention targets, but are currently unprecedented. As balancing potential benefits of research with unknown risks, including participant perceptions of risk, is foundational to ethical conduct, we surveyed a convenience obstetric sample to understand pregnant women's perspectives on this issue. Respondents were 76 pregnant women (modal age of 30-39 years; 64% multiparous) presenting for obstetric care from April to June 2016 at privately and publicly funded clinics at an urban academic medical center in the Midwestern USA. Following a written description about functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging (fMRI) and its known and unknown risks, women were queried on their willingness to participate in a hypothetical study involving fMRI during pregnancy, and specific concerns about doing so, if hesitant or unwilling. Willingness to participate was "yes" (28.4%, n = 21), "maybe" (28.4%, n = 21), and "no" (43.2%, n = 32). Among those responding "maybe" or "no" (n = 53, 73.6%), 11 women (20.7%) articulated concern about the fetus. Other concerns expressed were time commitment (n = 11, 20.7%) and discomfort being in an MRI machine (n = 4; 7.5%). Pregnant women may be open to participating in research involving MRI provided concerns about fetal health, time, and personal comfort are addressed.

Does early maternal responsiveness buffer prenatal tobacco exposure effects on young children's behavioral disinhibition?

Children with prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) exhibit early self-regulatory impairments, reflecting a life-course persistent propensity toward behavioral disinhibition. Previously, we demonstrated the protective role of parental responsiveness for reducing the risk of exposure-related disruptive behavior in adolescence. Here, we expanded this line of inquiry, examining whether responsiveness moderates the relation of PTE to a broader set of behavioral disinhibition features in early childhood and testing alternative diathesis-stress versus differential susceptibility explanatory models. PTE was assessed prospectively using interviews and bioassays in the Midwestern Infant Development Study (MIDS). Mother-child dyads (N = 276) were re-assessed at approximately 5 years of age in a preschool follow-up. We quantified maternal responsiveness and child behavioral disinhibition using a combination of directly observed activities in the lab and developmentally sensitive questionnaires. Results supported a diathesis-stress pattern. Children with PTE and less responsive mothers showed increased disruptive behavior and lower effortful control compared with children without PTE. In contrast, exposed children with more responsive mothers had self-regulatory profiles similar to their non-exposed peers. We did not observe sex differences. Findings provide greater specification of the protective role of maternal responsiveness for self-regulation in children with PTE and help clarify mechanisms that may underscore trajectories of exposure-related behavioral disinhibition.

Additive drug-specific and sex-specific risks associated with co-use of marijuana and tobacco during pregnancy: Evidence from 3 recent developmental cohorts (2003-2015).

BACKGROUND: Methodologic challenges related to the concomitant use (co-use) of substances and changes in policy and potency of marijuana contribute to ongoing uncertainty about risks to fetal neurodevelopment associated with prenatal marijuana use. In this study, we examined two biomarkers of fetal neurodevelopmental risk-birth weight and length of gestation-associated with prenatal marijuana use, independent of tobacco (TOB), alcohol (ALC), other drug use (OTH), and socioeconomic risk (SES), in a pooled sample (N = 1191) derived from 3 recent developmental cohorts (2003-2015) with state-of-the-art substance use measures. We examined differential associations by infant sex, and multiplicative effects associated with co-use of MJ and TOB. METHODS: Participants were mother-infant dyads with complete data on all study variables derived from Growing Up Healthy (n = 251), Behavior and Mood in Babies and Mothers (Cohorts 1 and 2; n = 315), and the Early Growth and Development Study (N = 625). We estimated direct effects on birth weight and length of gestation associated with MJ, TOB, and co-use (MJ x TOB), using linear regression analysis in the full sample, and in male (n = 654) and female (n = 537) infants, separately. RESULTS: Mean birth weight and length of gestation were 3277 g (SD = 543) and 37.8 weeks (SD = 2.0), respectively. Rates of prenatal use were as follows: any use, n = 748 (62.8%); MJ use, n = 273 (22.9%); TOB use, n = 608 (51.0%); co-use of MJ and TOB, n = 230 (19.3%); ALC use, n = 464 (39.0%); and OTH use n = 115 (9.7%.) For all infants, unique effects on birth weight were observed for any MJ use [B(SE) = -84.367(38.271), 95% C.I. -159.453 to -9.281, p = .028], any TOB use [B(SE) = -0.99.416(34.418), 95% C.I. -166.942 to -31.889, p = .004], and each cigarette/day in mean TOB use [B(SE) = -12.233(3.427), 95% C.I. -18.995 to -5.510, p < .001]. Additional effects of co-use on birth weight, beyond these drug-specific effects, were not supported. In analyses stratified by sex, while TOB use was associated with lower birth weight in both sexes, MJ use during pregnancy was associated with lower birth weight of male infants [B(SE) = -153.1 (54.20); 95% C.I. -259.5 to -46.7, p = .005], but not female infants [B(SE) = 8.3(53.1), 95% C.I. -96.024 to 112.551, p = .876]. TOB, MJ, and their co-use were not associated with length of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, intrauterine co-exposure to MJ and TOB was associated with an estimated 18% reduction in birth weight not attributable to earlier delivery, exposure to ALC or OTH drugs, nor to maternal SES. We found evidence for greater susceptibility of male fetuses to any prenatal MJ exposure. Examination of dose-dependence in relationships found in this study, using continuous measures of exposure, is an important next step. Finally, we underscore the need to consider (a) the potential moderating influence of fetal sex on exposure-related neurodevelopmental risks; and (b) the importance of quantifying expressions of risk through subtle alterations, rather than dichotomous outcomes.

Positive parenting behaviors in women who spontaneously quit smoking during pregnancy: Clues to putative targets for preventive interventions.

BACKGROUND: While the majority of pregnant smokers do not respond to intervention, little is known about how a subset of pregnant smokers known as spontaneous quitters achieve sustained biologically-confirmed abstinence through delivery in the absence of intervention. We explore a developmental framework to address this question by viewing spontaneous quitting as an adaptive parenting behavior, facilitated by abilities necessary for sensitive parenting, or responsiveness. Utilizing existing data, we examined responsiveness from parenting assessments in women who exhibited a variety of smoking patterns during pregnancy, including spontaneous quitting. METHODS: Participants were N = 305 pregnant women assessed for smoking prospectively and biochemically at 16 weeks, 28 weeks, delivery, and 4 weeks postpartum, then reassessed with their children 5 years later with directly-observed home- and lab-based measures of parenting. We used linear regression analysis to compare spontaneous quitters with women who exhibited other prenatal smoking patterns on parenting responsiveness, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: In home-based observations, spontaneous quitters (n = 22) exhibited greater responsiveness with their children relative to intermittent pregnancy smokers [n = 70; ß = 0.258, p = .022]; persistent pregnancy smokers [n = 66; ß = 0.228, p = .040]; former smokers (quit before pregnancy) [n = 78; ß = 266, p = .028]; and never smokers [n = 69; ß = 0.312, p = .009]. Hypothesized differences were not observed in lab-based and self-report measures. CONCLUSIONS: Putative protective characteristics in spontaneous quitters were captured in mother-child interactions at home, but not in lab-based and maternal report measures of responsiveness. Specification of these characteristics using prospective designs that oversample for spontaneous quitters is recommended to enable translation to preventive interventions.

Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index and Third-Trimester Depressive Symptoms in a Healthy Privately Insured Sample.

Objectives While being overweight (body mass index [BMI] >25) prior to pregnancy is linked to antenatal depression, whether weight is confounded by socioeconomic and/or medical risks is unclear. Study Design We assessed 66 healthy privately insured pregnant women at M = 35.0 ± 3.3 weeks for symptoms of depression (Inventory for Depressive Symptoms-Self-Report (IDS-SR 30), lifetime history of depression and other psychiatric conditions (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview), and pre-pregnancy BMI derived from pre-pregnancy weight (by recall) and directly measured height. Pre-pregnancy overweight (BMI > 25) and antenatal depression (score of mild or greater [14] on the IDS-SR 30) were assessed using logistic regression, controlling for past major depressive disorder (MDD) and demographic factors showing significant between group differences. Results Pre-pregnancy overweight ( n = 17; 25.8%) was associated with an increased risk of third trimester depression, independent of past MDD and marital status (odds ratio = 7.47; 95% confidence interval [2.09-26.68]; B (standard error) = 2.010 [0.650]). Conclusion Replication in a larger sample is suggested to confirm an independent effect of pregravid overweight on third trimester depression.

Explicating the role of empathic processes in substance use disorders: A conceptual framework and research agenda.

ISSUES: Elucidating the role of empathic processes in developmental pathways to substance use disorders could have important implications for prevention. APPROACH: We searched the biomedical and social sciences literature to determine what is known about empathy and psychopathological manifestations of severe lack of empathy in the initiation, development and maintenance of psychoactive substance use. Thirty-seven empirical studies were identified and formally reviewed. KEY FINDINGS: Adults with alcohol and stimulant use disorders exhibited detectable impairments in both cognitive and affective empathy, measured behaviourally, neuroanatomically and by self-report, relative to controls. There were no developmental studies specifically designed to test the role of empathy in substance use pathways, but several studies that included measures of empathy suggest that empathy may be protective. Studies on severe empathic deficits were mixed regarding a unique role of empathy in substance use trajectories, independent of interpersonal style, impulsivity and social deviance. Implications and Conclusions. In the context of findings and methodological limitations of this review, we recommend more rigorous examination of empathy across the spectrum of substance use behaviour. Future work should utilise the following: (i) prospective assessment of empathic capacity in substance abusers during and following treatment; (ii) large, developmentally based prospective designs beginning prior to substance initiation incorporating multiple measures of empathy; (iii) assessment of the moderating role of gender, race and ethnicity; and (iv) prospective study of empathy in children at elevated risk for substance use disorders. [Massey SH, Newmark RL, Wakschlag LS. Explicating the role of empathic processes in substance use disorders: A conceptual framework and research agenda.

Specification of Change Mechanisms in Pregnant Smokers for Malleable Target Identification: A Novel Approach to a Tenacious Public Health Problem.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) continues to be a leading modifiable risk factor for perinatal complications and a range of neurodevelopmental and cardio-metabolic outcomes across the lifespan. Despite 40 years of intervention research less than one in five pregnant smokers who receive an intervention quit by delivery. Within this context, recognition of pregnancy is commonly associated with abrupt suspension or reduction of smoking in the absence of intervention, yet has not been investigated as a volitional target. The goal of this article is to provide the empirical foundation for a novel direction of research aimed at identifying malleable targets for intervention through the specification of behavior change mechanisms specific to pregnant women. To do so, we: (1) summarize progress on MSDP in the United States generated from conventional empirical approaches to health behavior change; (2) discuss the phenomenon of spontaneous change in the absence of intervention among pregnant smokers to illustrate the need for mechanistic specification of behavior change motivated by concern for fetal well-being; (3) summarize component processes in neurobiological models of parental and non-parental social behaviors as a conceptual framework for understanding change mechanisms during pregnancy; (4) discuss the evidence for the malleability of these processes to support their translational relevance for preventive interventions; and (5) propose a roadmap for validating the proposed change mechanism using an experimental medicine approach. A greater understanding of social and interpersonal processes that facilitate health behavior change among expectant mothers and how these processes differ interindividually could yield novel volitional targets for prenatal interventions. More broadly, explicating other-oriented mechanisms of behavior change during pregnancy could serve as a paradigm for understanding how social and interpersonal processes positively influence health behaviors across the lifespan.

Does MAOA increase susceptibility to prenatal stress in young children?

BACKGROUND: We previously demonstrated a gene-by-prenatal-environment interaction whereby the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) modified the impact of prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) on adolescent disruptive behavior (DB), with the MAOA risk genotype varying by sex. We extend this work by examining whether this mechanism is evident with another common adversity, prenatal stress exposure (PSE), and whether sex differences are present earlier in development in closer proximity to exposure. METHODS: Participants were 281 mothers and their 285 children derived from a prenatal cohort with in-depth prospective measures of PSE and PTE. We assessed DB at age 5 via dimensional developmentally-sensitive measurement. Analyses were stratified by sex based on prior evidence for sex differences. RESULTS: Concurrent stress exposure predicted DB in children (ß=0.310, p=0.001), while main effects of prenatal exposures were seen only in boys. We found a three-way interaction of MAOA×PSE×sex on DB (ß=0.813, p=0.022). Boys with MAOA-H had more DB as a function of PSE, controlling for PTE (ß=0.774, p=0.015), and as a function of PTE, controlling for PSE (ß=0.362, p=0.037). Boys with MAOA-L did not show this susceptibility. MAOA did not interact with PSE (ß=-0.133, p=0.561) nor PTE (ß=-0.144; p=0.505) in predicting DB in girls. Examination of gene-environment correlation (rGE) showed a correlation between paternal MAOA-L and daughters' concurrent stress exposure (r=-0.240, p=0.013). DISCUSSION: Findings underscore complex mechanisms linking genetic susceptibility and early adverse exposures. Replication in larger cohorts followed from the pregnancy through adolescence is suggested to elucidate mechanisms that appear to have varying developmental expression.

Cortical thickness of neural substrates supporting cognitive empathy in individuals with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive empathy is supported by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC), insula (INS), supplementary motor area (SMA), right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and precuneus (PREC). In healthy controls, cortical thickness in these regions has been linked to cognitive empathy. As cognitive empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, we examined whether reduced cortical thickness in these regions was associated with poorer cognitive empathy in this population. METHODS: 41 clinically-stable community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and 46 healthy controls group-matched on demographic variables completed self-report empathy questionnaires, a cognitive empathy task, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. We examined between-group differences in study variables using t-tests and analyses of variance. Next, we used Pearson correlations to evaluate the relationship between cognitive empathy and cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFG, aMCC, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC in both groups. RESULTS: Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated cortical thinning in the IFG, INS, SMA, TPJ, and PREC (all p<0.05) and impaired cognitive empathy across all measures (all p<0.01) relative to controls. While cortical thickness in the mPFC, IFC, aMCC, and INS (all p<0.05) was related to cognitive empathy in controls, we did not observe these relationships in individuals with schizophrenia (all p>0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with schizophrenia have reduced cortical thickness in empathy-related neural regions and significant impairments in cognitive empathy. Interestingly, cortical thickness was related to cognitive empathy in controls but not in the schizophrenia group. We discuss other mechanisms that may account for cognitive empathy impairment in schizophrenia.

Interaction of oxytocin level and past depression may predict postpartum depressive symptom severity.

We examined plasma oxytocin concentration and postpartum depression (PPD) symptom severity in women who were not depressed during pregnancy and whether this differed by major depressive disorder (MDD) history. We assessed psychiatric history and plasma oxytocin in 66 healthy pregnant women in the third trimester (M = 35 ± 3 weeks) and depressive symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum (M = 5.9 ± 0.8 weeks). Linear regression analysis was used to examine oxytocin and PPD symptom severity and moderation of oxytocin and PPD by past MDD. Women with (n = 13) and without (n = 53) past MDD differed in third trimester depressive symptom severity, but not oxytocin level, demographic factors, or birth outcomes. Controlling for third trimester depressive symptoms, oxytocin level was unrelated to PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = -.019 (.084); ß = -.025; t = -.227; p = .821]. However, oxytocin level interacted with past MDD to predict PPD symptom severity [B(SE) = 7.489 (2.429); ß = .328; t = 3.084; p = .003]. Higher oxytocin predicted greater PPD symptom severity in women with past MDD (p = .019), but not in women without (p = .216). Replication in a larger sample and methodologic challenges are discussed.

The Perinatal Risk Index: Early Risks Experienced by Domestic Adoptees in the United States.

We aimed to assess comprehensively the prevalence of perinatal risks experienced by a potentially high-risk yet understudied population of children domestically adopted in the United States. Data are from participant report and medical records from mothers (n = 580) who completed a domestic adoption placement with nonrelatives at or near birth (Mean placement age = 7 days). We describe a comprehensive measure of perinatal risks, including divergences from previous assessment tools and the incorporation of multiple reporters, and report the prevalence of various types of perinatal risks. The prevalence of each specific risk factor was generally low, although several risks were more prevalent in this sample than estimates from nationally representative publicly available data. Nearly the entire sample (99%) experienced some type of risk exposure. Birth mothers who placed their children for adoption domestically in the US experience higher levels of perinatal risks than the national average, but not for all specific types of risk. Thus, the developmental trajectories of children adopted domestically may systematically differ from the general population to the extent that these specific perinatal risks impact development.