How adverse childhood experiences get under the skin: A systematic review, integration and methodological discussion on threat and reward learning mechanisms

eLife, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 13

Опубликована: Июль 16, 2024

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a major risk factor for the development of multiple psychopathological conditions, but mechanisms underlying this link poorly understood. Associative learning encompasses key through which individuals learn to important environmental inputs emotional and behavioral responses. ACEs may impact normative maturation associative processes, resulting in their enduring maladaptive expression manifesting psychopathology. In review, we lay out systematic methodological overview integration available evidence proposed association between threat reward processes. We summarize results from literature search (following PRISMA guidelines) yielded total 81 articles (threat: n=38, reward: n=43). Across fields, behaviorally, observed converging pattern aberrant with history ACEs, independent other sample characteristics, specific ACE types, outcome measures. Specifically, blunted was reflected reduced discrimination safety cues, primarily driven by diminished responding conditioned cues. Furthermore, attenuated manifested accuracy rate tasks involving acquisition contingencies. Importantly, emerged despite substantial heterogeneity assessment operationalization across both fields. conclude that represent mechanistic route become physiologically neurobiologically embedded ultimately confer greater closing, discuss potentially fruitful future directions research field, including considerations.

Язык: Английский

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Person-centered analyses reveal that developmental adversity at moderate levels and neural threat/safety discrimination are associated with lower anxiety in early adulthood

Communications Psychology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 3(1)

Опубликована: Март 5, 2025

Parsing heterogeneity in the nature of adversity exposure and neurobiological functioning may facilitate better understanding how shapes individual variation risk for resilience against anxiety. One putative mechanism linking with anxiety is disrupted threat safety learning. Here, we applied a person-centered approach (latent profile analysis) to characterize patterns at specific developmental stages threat/safety discrimination corticolimbic circuitry 120 young adults. We then compared resultant profiles differed symptoms. Three latent emerged: (1) group lower lifetime adversity, higher neural activation threat, safety; (2) moderate during middle childhood adolescence, (3) minimal both safety. Individuals second had than other profiles. These findings demonstrate variability within-person combinations can differentially relate anxiety, suggest that some individuals, adolescence could be associated processes foster future

Язык: Английский

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Reduced discrimination between signals of danger and safety but not overgeneralization is linked to exposure to childhood adversity in healthy adults

eLife, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 12

Опубликована: Дек. 20, 2023

Childhood adversity is a strong predictor of developing psychopathological conditions. Multiple theories on the mechanisms underlying this association have been suggested which, however, differ in operationalization 'exposure.' Altered (threat) learning represent central by which environmental inputs shape emotional and cognitive processes ultimately behavior. 1402 healthy participants underwent fear conditioning paradigm (acquisition training, generalization), while acquiring skin conductance responses (SCRs) ratings (arousal, valence, contingency). was operationalized as (1) dichotomization, following (2) specificity model, (3) cumulative risk (4) dimensional model. Individuals exposed to childhood showed blunted physiological reactivity SCRs, but not ratings, reduced CS+/CS- discrimination during both phases, mainly driven attenuated CS+ responding. The latter evident across different operationalizations 'exposure' theories. None tested clear explanatory superiority. Notably, remarkably pattern increased responding CS- reported literature for anxiety patients, suggesting that individuals may specific sub-sample. We highlight linking (vulnerability to) psychopathology need refinement.

Язык: Английский

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Childhood adversity is associated with reduced threat‐safety discrimination and increased fear generalization in 12‐ to 16‐year‐olds

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Дек. 13, 2024

Background Childhood adversity poses a major transdiagnostic risk for host of psychiatric disorders. Altered threat‐related information processing has been put forward as potential process underlying the association between childhood and disorders, with previous research providing support decreased discrimination threat safety cues, in both children adults exposed to adversity. This altered threat‐safety hypothesized stem from increased generalization fear, yet date, this hypothesis not tested youth. Methods Here, we investigate whether is associated fear during adolescence. 119 adolescents 12 16 years age (mean = 13.95), whom 63 adversity, completed paradigm. Fear conditioning was assessed through trial‐by‐trial US expectancy ratings post‐experimental valence arousal. Additionally, administered perceptual task assess impact abilities upon generalization. Results In line our hypotheses, results showed that (1) reduced differentiation acquisition (2) boys girls, albeit different extent, more towards cues while girls dangerous cues. Moreover, overgeneralization could be attributed group differences discrimination. Conclusions learning may an important which increases development psychopathology. Longitudinal essential elucidate resilience patterns following

Язык: Английский

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