Oppositional Defiant Disorder and ADHD Symptoms as Predictors of Parenting Stress in Mothers of Sons With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Cochrane, Karis; Ronaghan, Dana; Cadieux, Olivia; Ward, Michelle A.; Henrikson, Brenna; Theule, Jennifer

doi:10.1177/10664807221131007

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…In experimental animals, the 5-HT and DA pathways are affected by PE in the same directions as they are affected in childhood FASD, depression, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiance disorder (ODD), and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) [ 10 , 21 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], although much is still unknown. This overlap in biochemical pathways parallels the behavioral symptom overlap and suggests that many cases of FASD go undiagnosed [ 59 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomarkers of Affective Dysregulation Associated with In Utero Exposure to EtOH

Darbinian,

Merabova,

Tatevosian

et al. 2023

Cells

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Introduction: Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) exhibit behavioral and affective dysregulation, including hyperactivity and depression. The mechanisms are not known, but they could conceivably be due to postnatal social or environmental factors. However, we postulate that, more likely, the affective dysregulation is associated with the effects of EtOH exposure on the development of fetal serotonergic (5-HT) and/or dopaminergic (DA) pathways, i.e., pathways that in postnatal life are believed to regulate mood. Many women who use alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) during pregnancy suffer from depression and take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which might influence these monoaminergic pathways in the fetus. Alternatively, monoaminergic pathway abnormalities might reflect a direct effect of EtOH on the fetal brain. To distinguish between these possibilities, we measured their expressions in fetal brains and in fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-Es) isolated from the mothers’ blood. We hypothesized that maternal use of EtOH and/or SSRIs during pregnancy would be associated with impaired fetal neural development, detectable as abnormal levels of monoaminergic and apoptotic biomarkers in FB-Es. Methods: Fetal brain tissues and maternal blood were collected at 9–23 weeks of pregnancy. EtOH groups were compared with unexposed controls matched for gestational age (GA). The expression of 84 genes associated with the DA and 5-HT pathways was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on microarrays. FB-Es also were assayed for serotonin transporter protein (SERT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Six EtOH-exposed human fetal brain samples were compared to SSRI- or polydrug-exposed samples and to unexposed controls. EtOH exposure was associated with significant upregulation of DA receptor D3 and 5-HT receptor HTR2C, while HTR3A was downregulated. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), MAOB, the serine/threonine kinase AKT3, and caspase-3 were upregulated, while mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) and AKT2 were downregulated. ETOH was associated with significant upregulation of the DA transporter gene, while SERT was downregulated. There were significant correlations between EtOH exposure and (a) caspase-3 activation, (b) reduced SERT protein levels, and (c) reduced BDNF levels. SSRI exposure independently increased caspase-3 activity and downregulated SERT and BDNF. Early exposure to EtOH and SSRI together was associated synergistically with a significant upregulation of caspase-3 and a significant downregulation of SERT and BDNF. Reduced SERT and BDNF levels were strongly correlated with a reduction in eye diameter, a somatic manifestation of FASD. Conclusions: Maternal use of EtOH and SSRI during pregnancy each was associated with changes in fetal brain monoamine pathways, consistent with potential mechanisms for the affective dysregulation associated with FASD.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomarkers of Affective Dysregulation Associated with In Utero Exposure to EtOH

Darbinian,

Merabova,

Tatevosian

et al. 2023

Cells

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“…It is essential to improve our understanding of the factors that predict parental stress because of the great impact it has on mothers' health, and because increased levels of stress in mothers of children with ASD and ADHD could affect child developmental outcomes and perceived social support (Cochrane et al, 2023;Craig et al, 2016). Social support is one of the most powerful predictors of psychological adjustment among parents raising children with ASD and other disabilities.…”

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confidence: 99%

Parenting Stress in Autistic and ADHD Children: Implications of Social Support and Child Characteristics

Pardo-Salamanca,

Rosa-Martínez,

Gómez

et al. 2024

J Autism Dev Disord

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High levels of parenting stress have been detected in mothers of children with Autism (ASD) and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comparing with mothers of typically developing (TD) children. The current study explored the implications of social support (confidant and affective support) and child characteristics (emotional, behavioral and sleep problems) on parenting stress in ASD and ADHD. Furthermore, the differences between mothers of children with autism, ADHD and TD on the studied variables were examined.A total of 120 mothers of 30 TD children, 47 with ASD without intellectual disability and 43 with ADHD collaborated in the study. Significant differences were found between clinical and TD groups in parenting stress, social support, and child characteristics.Correlation analysis in the group with ADHD revealed that parental stress correlated significantly with social support and with children’s emotional problems. In the ASD group, parental stress also correlated significantly with children’s sleep and behavioral problems. Moreover, multiple regressions showed that confidant support was a significant predictor of parenting stress in both clinical groups.The findings provide new insights to consider social support as a fundamental part of treatments for parenting stress in mothers of children with ASD and ADHD.

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