Childhood Sexual Abuse as a Risk Factor for Depression in Women: Psychosocial and Neurobiological Correlates

Weiss, Erica L.; Longhurst, James G.; Mazure, Carolyn M.

doi:10.1176/ajp.156.6.816

Cited by 436 publications

(301 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…In conclusion this study has shown significant stress-system alterations in relation to some adverse life events. It seems as childhood sexual abuse and feelings of neglect are related to long-term psychobiological effects, and may also be behind depressive and/or anxiety illness during adulthood [39] reflecting an allostatic load. Fig .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide attempters: biological stressmarkers and adverse life events

Sunnqvist

Westrin

Träskman‐Bendz

2008

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosc

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j Abstract Risk factors for suicidal behaviour include adverse life events as well as biochemical parameters acting, e.g. within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and/or monoaminergic systems. The aim of the present investigation was to study stressful life events and biological stress markers among former psychiatric inpatients, who were followed up 12 years after an index suicide attempt. At the time of the index suicide attempt, and before treatment, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were taken, and 24 h (h) urine (U) was collected. 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycole (MHPG) in CSF and 24 h urinary samples of cortisol and noradrenaline/adrenaline (NA/A) were analysed. Data concerning stressful life events were collected retrospectively from all participants in the study through semi-structured interviews at follow-up. We found that patients who reported sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence had significantly higher levels of CSF-MHPG and U-NA/A, than those who had not. Low 24 h U-cortisol was associated with feelings of neglect during childhood and adolescence. In conclusion, this study has shown significant and discrepant biological stress-system findings in relation to some adverse life events. j Key words suicide attempt AE catecholaminergic markers AE U-cortisol AE adverse life events

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide attempters: biological stressmarkers and adverse life events

Sunnqvist

Westrin

Träskman‐Bendz

2008

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosc

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“…Thus, women are more likely to develop major depression after ELS than men (Weiss et al, 1999). There is also recent evidence that genetic variations moderate the effects of ELS on depression (Caspi et al, 2003).…”

Section: Evidence For a Role Of Els In The Pathophysiology Of Depressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such confounding may also occur in studies of risk factors for depression. For example, the observed preponderance of women in depression might be due to gender differences in ELS or the response to it (Weiss et al, 1999). Also, symptom patterns of depression as well as comorbidity rates between depression and other disorders, such as substance abuse, might be a function of ELS (Molnar et al, 2001).…”

Section: Evidence For Differences In the Neurobiology Of Depression Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of Studying the Contributions of Early Adverse Experience to Neurobiological Findings in Depression

Heim

Plotsky

Nemeroff

2004

Neuropsychopharmacol

471

339

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Almost four decades of intensive research have sought to elucidate the neurobiological bases of depression. Epidemiological studies have revealed that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk for depression. Adverse early-life experiences influence neurobiological systems within genetic limits, leading to the neurobiological and behavioral manifestations of depression. We summarize the burgeoning evidence concerning a pre-eminent role of early adverse experience in the pathogenesis of depression. The available data suggest that (1) early adverse experience contributes to the pathophysiology of depression, (2) there are neurobiologically different subtypes of depression depending on the presence or absence of early adverse experience, likely having confounded previous research on the neurobiology of depression, and (3) early adverse experience likely influences treatment response in depression. Classification of depression based on developmental and neurobiological features will likely considerably improve future research in the field of depression, and might lead to optimized treatment strategies that directly target different neurobiological pathways to depression.

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“…Sex differences in exposure and response to stress may also affect SV. Women are more likely than men to develop depression following a stressful life event early in life 300 and their HPA axis is more susceptible to PS-induced programming. [301][302][303] Women have a lower mean rate of 5-HT synthesis compared to men, while men and women appear to have similar stores of brain 5-HT.…”

Section: Biopsychological Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…313 Furthermore, the female HPA axis may be more reactive to stress, possibly due to sex hormones. 300 In terms of coping styles, women have been reported to use more emotion-focused coping than men, while men more often use rational and problem-focused coping. 305 Women appear to be more likely than men to respond to stress with rumination -focusing inward on feelings of distress and personal concerns rather than taking action to relieve their distress.…”

Section: Biopsychological Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serotonergic vulnerability and depression: assumptions, experimental evidence and implications

et al. 2006

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In recent years, the term serotonergic vulnerability (SV) has been used in scientific literature, but so far it has not been explicitly defined. This review article attempts to elucidate the SV concept. SV can be defined as increased sensitivity to natural or experimental alterations of the serotonergic (5-HTergic) system. Several factors that may disrupt the 5-HTergic system and hence contribute to SV are discussed, including genetic factors, female gender, personality characteristics, several types of stress and drug use. It is explained that SV can be demonstrated by means of manipulations of the 5-HTergic system, such as 5-HT challenges or acute tryptophan depletion (ATD). Results of 5-HT challenge studies and ATD studies are discussed in terms of their implications for the concept of SV. A model is proposed in which a combination of various factors that may compromise 5-HT functioning in one person can result in depression or other 5-HT-related pathology. By manipulating 5-HT levels, in particular with ATD, vulnerable subjects may be identified before pathology initiates, providing the opportunity to take preventive action. Although it is not likely that this model applies to all cases of depression, or is able to identify all vulnerable subjects, the strength of the model is that it may enable identification of vulnerable subjects before the 5-HT related pathology occurs. Molecular Psychiatry ( Keywords: serotonin; mood disorders; stress; genetics; sex; tryptophan Involvement of serotonin in depressionMood disorders are one of the most prevalent forms of mental illness. 1 According to the DSM-IV, the lifetime risk for major depressive disorder is between 10 and 25% for women and between 5 and 12% for men. 2 Depression has been studied intensively during the last few decades, but the psychological and neurobiological determinants of depression have not yet been precisely defined. Although several factors are known to contribute to the etiology of depression, it is not clear how these factors cause depression, and why some subjects become depressed while others remain unaffected. In terms of biological factors in the etiology of depression, there are several hypotheses. These include neurotransmitter dysfunctions (serotonin, 5-HT; dopamine, DA; norepinephrine, NE); dysregulations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity; and immune system imbalance. The aim of this article is not to discuss all of these hypotheses in detail, but to evaluate the role that serotonin may play within these hypothesized mechanisms.It is widely accepted that diminished serotonergic (5-HTergic) function is involved in the onset and course of depression. 3,4 The 5-HTergic system is a large and complex system. Although nearly all cell bodies of 5-HTergic neurons are located in the raphe nuclei in the brain stem, the axons of these neurons innervate almost the entire brain. The actions of 5-HT are mediated by 16 types and subtypes of receptors. 5 As the 5-HTergic system is assumed to be a modulatory system, the exact func...

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Childhood Sexual Abuse as a Risk Factor for Depression in Women: Psychosocial and Neurobiological Correlates

Cited by 436 publications

References 90 publications

Suicide attempters: biological stressmarkers and adverse life events

Suicide attempters: biological stressmarkers and adverse life events

Importance of Studying the Contributions of Early Adverse Experience to Neurobiological Findings in Depression

Serotonergic vulnerability and depression: assumptions, experimental evidence and implications

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