Stress physiology and developmental psychopathology: Past, present, and future

Abstract

In the past 25 years research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis has emerged as a vital area within the field of developmental psychopathology. Extensive animal research has provided knowledge of the substrates and physiological mechanisms that guide development of stress reactivity and regulation using methods that are not feasible in humans. Recent advances in understanding the anatomy and physiology of the HPA axis in humans and its interactions with other stress-mediating systems, including accurate assessment of salivary cortisol, more sophisticated neuroimaging methods, and a variety of genetic analyses, have led to greater knowledge of how psychological and biological processes impact functioning.A growing body of research on HPA axis regulation and reactivity in relation to psychopathology has drawn increased focus on the prenatal period, infancy, and the pubertal transition as potentially sensitive periods of stress system development in children. Theories such as the Allostatic Load Model have guided research by integrating multiple physiological systems and mechanisms by which stress can affect mental and physical health. However, almost none of the prominent theoretical models in stress physiology are truly developmental, and future work must incorporate how systems interact with the environment across the lifespan in both normal and atypical development. Our theoretical advancement will depend on our ability to integrate biological and psychological models. Researchers are increasingly realizing the importance of communication across disciplinary boundaries in order to understand how experiences influence neurobehavioral development. Importantly, knowledge gained over the past 25 years has been translated to both prevention and treatment interventions, and we look forward to the dissemination of interventions that promote recovery from adversity.

Czynnościowy podwzgórzowy brak miesiączki – trudności diagnostyczne, monitorowanie i leczenie

“…Dopaminergic and serotoninergic transmission is a common signalling mechanism in the central nervous system, inter alia in the structures that are involved in stress response, i.e. the limbic system, hypothalamus, and brainstem [17,18].…”

“…dopaminergiczne i serotoninergiczne jest powszechnym mechanizmem sygnałowym w OUN, w tym w obrębie struktur zaangażowanych w reakcje stresowe -układu limbicznego, podwzgórza i pnia mózgu [17,18]. W reakcje stresowe zaangażowane są również neuropeptydy: substancja P, neuropeptyd Y (NPY) oraz peptyd związany z genem kalcytoniny (CGRP, calcitonin gene-related peptide).…”

Validation of an adapted procedure to collect hair for cortisol determination in adolescents

“…While the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear, many hypothesize that the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis may be at play (Gunnar and Quevedo, 2007;Lupien et al, 2009). Cortisol has certainly been the most often studied biomarker in that regard (Doom and Gunnar, 2013).…”

Methylation matters: FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5) methylation moderates the associations ofFKBP5genotype and resistant attachment with stress regulation

“…Stress regulation takes place via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and one of the crucial hormones involved is cortisol. Therefore, cortisol reactivity to stressors is usually considered to be a measure of the amount of stress experienced by children when confronted with challenges such as separation from the parent or entering an unknown environment or meeting with a stranger (Doom & Gunnar, 2013).Extreme insensitivity of a parent, including displays of fright because of memories of traumatic experiences, or other threatening behaviors towards the infant, like physical abuse, may elicit even more disturbed attachment behaviors. In particular, extreme parental insensitivity or otherwise frightening behaviors may lead to disorganized/disoriented attachment, reflected in infant behavior, for example, in prolonged stilling, rapid approachavoidance vacillation, sudden unexplained affect changes, severe distress followed by avoidance, or expressions of fear or disorientation upon return of a parent who has been away for a couple of minutes.…”