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Abstract: Several explanations for the diverse results in research on foetal alcohol spectrum disorders or alcohol‐related neurodevelopmental disorder might be at hand: timing, amount and patterns of alcohol exposure, as well as complex epigenetic responses. The genetic background of the offspring and its interaction with other prenatal and post‐natal environmental cues are likely also of importance. In the present report, key findings about the possible effects of low and moderate doses of maternal alcohol intake on the neuropsychological development of the offspring are reviewed and plausible mechanisms discussed. Special focus is put on the serotonergic system within developmental and gene–environment frameworks. The review also suggests guidelines for future studies and also summarizes some of to‐be‐answered questions of relevance to clinical practice. Contradictory findings and paucity of studies on the effects of exposure to low alcohol levels during foetal life for the offspring's neuropsychological development call for large prospective studies, as well as for studies including neuroimaging and multi‐omics analyses to dissect the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol exposure‐related phenotypes and to identify biomarkers. Finally, it remains to be investigated whether any safe threshold of alcohol drinking during pregnancy can be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene and neuroticism, as well as the possible mediatory role of neuroticism in the association between the polymorphism and postpartum depressive symptoms.Methods: 769 women received questionnaires containing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at six weeks postpartum and demographic data at pregnancy week 17 and 32 and at six weeks postpartum, as well as the Swedish universities Scales of Personality at pregnancy week 32.Results: Linear regression models showed an association between the GG genotype and depressive symptoms. When neuroticism was introduced in the model, it was associated with EPDS score, whereas the association between the GG genotype and EPDS became borderline significant. A path analysis showed that neuroticism had a mediatory role in the association between the polymorphism and EPDS score.Limitations: The use of the EPDS, which is a self-reporting instrument.Conclusions: Neuroticism was associated with the polymorphism and had a mediatory role in the association between the polymorphism and postpartum depression. This finding elucidates the genetic background of neuroticism and postpartum depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives and aims: Epistatic effects between gene variants of 5-HTTLPR (L=long, S=short), MAOA-VNTR (L=long, S=short), and BDNF Val/Met have been found with regard to behaviour in experimental animals as well as indicated in human samples in relation to neuroticism and depression. In the present study we studied epistatic effects of the above gene variations in an interaction with environmental adversity on adolescent criminality. Methods: Family maltreatment, sexual abuse and criminality were measured by self-reports in a Swedish adolescent population-based sample (n=1819). Genomic DNA was isolated from saliva and used for genotyping of the BDNF, the 5-HTT and MAOA genes. Results: BDNF genotype showed a main effect on adolescent criminality. BDNF also showed a two-way interaction with 5- HTT and Family maltreatment. 5HTT showed two-way interactions with MAOA and Family maltreatment. MAOA also showed a two-way interaction with Family maltreatment. Significant three-way interactions were found for; BDNF-5-HTT-Family maltreatment; BDNF-MAOA-Family maltreatment; BDNF-MAOA-Sexual abuse; and 5HTT-MAOA-Family maltreatment. Significant four-way (G*G*G*E) interactions were found for BDNF-5-HTT-MAOA-Family maltreatment and BDNF-5-HTTMAOA- Sexual abuse, respectively. Boys showed a stronger effect of environmental adversity compared to girls. However, there were no significant sex-gene interactions. Furthermore, the two most genotypically divergent groups, according to expression levels, showed the highest criminality scores (MAOA-LL + 5-HTT-LL + BDNF Val-Val vs. MAOA S/LS + 5-HTT-S/LS + BDNF Val-Met/Met-Met), when exposed to environmental adversity. Conclusions: There are significant epistatic effects between 5-HTT, MAOA and BDNF genotypes and environmental adversity for criminal behavior. Two distinct “types” can be recognized with regard to genotype. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: A strong link between estradiol and dopamine (DA) neurotransmission, which is regulating cognitive and affective pathways, has been provided by animal studies. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme activity, which degrades DA and Noradrenaline, is influenced by a single nucleotide polymorphism (COMTVal158Met). This variation has been reported to be related to both executive and emotional functions. Objectives: To investigate whether the physiologically high estradiol levels during pregnancy affect emotional processing in relation to COMTVal158Met genotype. Aims: To test the hypothesis that the Val/Val genotype, associated with high COMT enzyme activity and therefore decreased DA signalling, shows a different startle response compared to the other COMTVal158Met genotypes, in the presence of an enhancer of DAergic neurotransmission, such as estradiol. Methods: Seventy-eight pregnant women were assessed at gestational week 38 for startle response, measured by eye blink, during control condition, positive and negative anticipation stimuli and pleasant and unpleasant image stimuli. A blood sample was used for measurement of hormonal levels and genetic analyses. Personality traits (SSP), depression (MADRS) and anxiety (STAI) symptoms were also investigated. Results: COMTVal158Met heterozygote women (N=29) scored the lowest in overall startle response magnitude (p<0.05). No difference was observed between homozygous women with regard to the Met (N=23) and Val alleles (N=22). No significant difference by genotype was found in affective modulation, depression or anxiety scores. Conclusions: Enhancement of DA signalling by estradiol might result in a U-shaped response curve, as has been shown with regard to administration of amphetamine, in relation the COMTVal158Met polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated a possible interaction between a functional polymorphism in the MAOA gene promoter ( MAOA- VNTR) and childhood maltreatment in the prediction of adolescent male and female delinquency. A cohort of 1,825 high school students, 17-18 years old, completed an anonymous questionnaire during class hours which included questions on childhood maltreatment, sexual abuse, and delinquency. Saliva samples were collected for DNA isolation, and analyzed for the MAOA- VNTR polymorphism. Self-reported maltreatment was a strong risk factor for adolescent delinquent behavior. The MAOA genotype also showed a significant main effect when controlled for maltreatment. Boys with a short variant and girls with one or two long variants of the polymorphism showed a higher risk for delinquency when exposed to maltreatment. Our results confirm previous findings of an interaction between the MAOA- VNTR polymorphism and self-reported maltreatment. Results for boys and girls differ according to MAOA- VNTR genotype and direction of phenotypic expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific to women's mental health, the premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a mood disorder characterized by cyclic symptoms occurring during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that remit within a few days from the onset of menses. Preliminary analyses showed a relationship between symptoms severity and grey matter volume of the anterior cingulate cortex, ventral and dorsal striatum, insula, hippocampus, thalamus and IFG. [Extracted from the article]

Sex-steroid hormones have repeatedly been shown to influence empathy, which is in turn reflected in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC). Cross-sex hormone treatment in transgender individuals provides the opportunity to examine changes to rsFC over gender transition. We aimed to investigate whether sex-steroid hormones influence rsFC patterns related to unique aspects of empathy, namely emotion recognition and description as well as emotional contagion. RsFC data was acquired with 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging in 24 male-to-female (MtF) and 33 female-to-male (FtM) transgender individuals before treatment, in addition to 33 male- and 44 female controls. Of the transgender participants, 15 MtF and 20 FtM were additionally assessed after 4 weeks and 4 months of treatment. Empathy scores were acquired at the same time-points. MtF differed at baseline from all other groups and assimilated over the course of gender transition in a rsFC network around the supramarginal gyrus, a region central to interpersonal emotion processing. While changes to sex-steroid hormones did not correlate with rsFC in this network, a sex hormone independent association between empathy scores and rsFC was found. Our results underline that 1) MtF transgender persons demonstrate unique rsFC patterns in a network related to empathy and 2) changes within this network over gender transition are likely related to changes in emotion recognition, -description, and -contagion, and are sex-steroid hormone independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) has been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, but causality remains unclear. While placental CRH production is correlated with gestational length and preterm birth, it has been difficult to establish if psychological stress or mental health problems are associated with increased CRH levels. This study compared second trimester CRH serum concentrations in pregnant women on SSRI treatment ( n = 207) with untreated depressed women ( n = 56) and controls ( n = 609). A secondary aim was to investigate the combined effect of SSRI treatment and CRH levels on gestational length and risk for preterm birth. Women on SSRI treatment had significantly higher second trimester CRH levels than controls, and untreated depressed women. CRH levels and SSRI treatment were independently associated with shorter gestational length. The combined effect of SSRI treatment and high CRH levels yielded the highest risk estimate for preterm birth. SSRI treatment during pregnancy is associated with increased CRH levels. However, the elevated risk for preterm birth in SSRI users appear not to be mediated by increased placental CRH production, instead CRH appear as an independent risk factor for shorter gestational length and preterm birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]