Achievements and challenges in the biology of environmental effects

Rutter, Michael

doi:10.1073/pnas.1121258109

Cited by 80 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…There has been uncertainty as to what degree age-specific mechanisms affect brain and cognition (3,4,46). The present study indicates a high extent of stability in the age trajectories of cortical characteristics underlying GCA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Neurodevelopmental origins of lifespan changes in brain and cognition

Walhovd

Krogsrud

Amlien

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

192

182

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Neurodevelopmental origins of functional variation in older age are increasingly being acknowledged, but identification of how early factors impact human brain and cognition throughout life has remained challenging. Much focus has been on age-specific mechanisms affecting neural foundations of cognition and their change. In contrast to this approach, we tested whether cerebral correlates of general cognitive ability (GCA) in development could be extended to the rest of the lifespan, and whether early factors traceable to prenatal stages, such as birth weight and parental education, may exert continuous influences. We measured the area of the cerebral cortex in a longitudinal sample of 974 individuals aged 4-88 y (1,633 observations). An extensive cortical region was identified wherein area related positively to GCA in development. By tracking area of the cortical region identified in the child sample throughout the lifespan, we showed that the cortical change trajectories of higher and lower GCA groups were parallel through life, suggesting continued influences of early life factors. Birth weight and parental education obtained from the Norwegian Mother-Child Cohort study were identified as such early factors of possible lifelong influence. Support for a genetic component was obtained in a separate twin sample (Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging), but birth weight in the child sample had an effect on cortical area also when controlling for possible genetic differences in terms of parental height. Our results provide novel evidence for stability in brain-cognition relationships throughout life, and indicate that early life factors impact brain and cognition for the entire life course. development | aging | cortical change I t is well-established that both brain and cognition change with age, and that although there are early gains, older age brings with it decrements in aspects of both (1, 2). Much focus has been on age-specific mechanisms of neural foundations of cognition and their change (3, 4). In contrast, neurodevelopmental origins of functional variation in older age are now increasingly being acknowledged (5-8), but identification of how early factors may impact human brain and cognition throughout the lifespan has remained challenging.General cognitive ability (GCA) is essential to human beings, relates to a multitude of health and social outcomes (9), and necessarily originates in characteristics of the central nervous system at all ages. Paradoxically, even though GCA is highly vulnerable to the influence of aging, there is a remarkable stability in individuals' GCA relative to their same-age peers (10, 11). It has even been shown that childhood GCA can account for GCA-cortical thickness associations in old age (12). Cortical thickness is known to decrease with age monotonously from relatively early childhood through the entire lifespan (6,13,14). This thinning, albeit continuous, signifies different neurobiological events at different stages of life (15, 16), and does not have a stable functional correla...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Neurodevelopmental origins of lifespan changes in brain and cognition

Walhovd

Krogsrud

Amlien

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

192

182

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“…Among such themes are the following: i) Studies examining the developmental biology of adversity show that we are on the cusp of providing deep mechanistic explications of the important, earlier insights of Waddington (49,50), Gottlieb (51), and others (52-54) that organismic development is guided by the combined, interactive influences of genes and experiences. We now know that development includes not only gene expression regulation through experiential modification of chromatin structure but by real GxE interactions and the joint, interactive effects of allelic variation and chromatin modification [e.g., the papers by Lam et al (39) and Rutter (23) in this and other publications (55)]. As asserted here and elsewhere, the simple partitioning of developmental variance into genetic and environmentally determined components now falls far short of a truly interactive view of the operation of nature and nurture (54).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following an overview of the field and its challenges by one of its leading progenitors, child psychiatrist Sir Michael Rutter (23), a set of papers on the origins and consequences of early social adversity addresses a broad range of social contextual stressors, ranging from poverty and deprivation to acute and chronic life stress, to the experiences of societal stratification, subordination, and social network affiliation. The paper by Adler et al (24) surveys and critiques the now broad literature linking socioeconomic status and health, and Hertzman (25) offers an historical perspective on how early, socioeconomically graded adversities become biologically embedded.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a new biology of social adversity

Boyce

Sokolowski

Robinson

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

111

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“…Epigenetics, neural structure and function, HPA axis and inflammatory processes represent other valuable mediators (Rutter, 2012). Epigenetics in particular is a suitable candidate to explain the environmental influences on genes.…”

Section: Conclusion and Future Research Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Embodiment of Early Psychosocial Adversity and Allostatic Load Using a Life Course Perspective: A Review

Solís

2015

Odovtos - Int J Dent Sc

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The role of early life experiences on health is a major concern for research and public health interventions. Recent studies show that being exposed to chronic psychosocial stress during sensitive periods of development can have an impact on later health. It appears that children exposed to adverse conditions (economic, material and psychosocial) show a higher risk of adopting deleterious health behaviors (smoking, alcohol), heightened vulnerability to chronic diseases and mortality. Allostatic load (AL) is a measure of overall physiological wear-and-tear that can be the consequence of early life exposures. AL could allow for a better understanding of the potential biological pathways linking adverse exposures and later health. Here we review current evidence to discuss a biological embedding hypothesis, focusing on adverse psychosocial exposures during childhood and its effects on later AL, taking a life course perspective. Via a non-systematic review of recent literature, we examine whether adverse childhood experiences (ACE), causing chronic stress responses, may alter physiological functioning, as measured by AL. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying psychosocial exposures could contribute to the development of more adapted public health interventions, both at a societal and individual level. RESUMENEl rol de las experiencias vividas durante la infancia sobre la salud genera gran interés y preocupación tanto a nivel de la investigación en salud como a nivel de las posibles intervenciones en salud pública. Estudios recientes muestran que haber estado expuesto al estrés psicosocial durante periodos sensibles del desarrollo podría impactar la salud a largo plazo. Ha sido sugerido que los niños(as) expuestos(as) a situaciones de adversidad (económica, material y psicosocial) muestran un mayor riesgo de adoptar comportamientos riesgosos (tabaco y alcohol), aumentando su vulnerabilidad a las patologías crónicas, acrecentando la mortalidad. La carga alostática (AL por sus siglas en inglés) representa el desgaste fisiológico global que podría ser la resultante de experiencias adversas vividas durante la infancia. La carga alostática podría permitir una mejor comprensión de los mecanismos biológicos implicados que relacionan el estrés psicosocial durante la infancia y la salud del adulto. En este artículo revisamos evidencia actual para discutir una hipótesis de incorporación biológica, centrándose en las exposiciones psicosociales adversas de la infancia y sus efectos sobre la carga alostática del adulto, tomando una perspectiva biográfica (a lo largo de la vida). Via una revisión no sistemática de la literatura reciente sobre el tema, examinamos si las experiencias adversas durante la infancia (ACE por sus siglas en inglés), causando respuestas al estrés crónico, son susceptibles de alterar el estado fisiológico global, medido por la carga alostática. Una mejor comprensión de los mecanismos biológicos subyacentes a las exposiciones psicosociales precoces podría contribuir al desarr...

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Achievements and challenges in the biology of environmental effects

Cited by 80 publications

References 74 publications

Neurodevelopmental origins of lifespan changes in brain and cognition

Neurodevelopmental origins of lifespan changes in brain and cognition

Toward a new biology of social adversity

Embodiment of Early Psychosocial Adversity and Allostatic Load Using a Life Course Perspective: A Review

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