Beate Ditzen

Oxytocin differentially alters resting state functional connectivity between amygdala subregions and emotional control networks: Inverse correlation with depressive traits

ABSTRACT The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has received increasing attention for its role in modulating social‐emotional processes across species. Previous studies on using intranasal‐OT in humans point to a crucial engagement of the amygdala in the observed neuromodulatory effects of OT under task and rest conditions. However, the amygdala is not a single homogenous structure, but rather a set of structurally and functionally heterogeneous nuclei that show distinct patterns of connectivity with limbic and frontal emotion‐processing regions. To determine potential differential effects of OT on functional connectivity of the amygdala subregions, 79 male participants underwent resting‐state fMRI following randomized intranasal‐OT or placebo administration. In line with previous studies OT increased the connectivity of the total amygdala with dorso‐medial prefrontal regions engaged in emotion regulation. In addition, OT enhanced coupling of the total amygdala with cerebellar regions. Importantly, OT differentially altered the connectivity of amygdala subregions with distinct up‐stream cortical nodes, particularly prefrontal/parietal, and cerebellar down‐stream regions. OT‐induced increased connectivity with cerebellar regions were largely driven by effects on the centromedial and basolateral subregions, whereas increased connectivity with prefrontal regions were largely mediated by right superficial and basolateral subregions. OT decreased connectivity of the centromedial subregions with core hubs of the emotional face processing network in temporal, occipital and parietal regions. Preliminary findings suggest that effects on the superficial amygdala‐prefrontal pathway were inversely associated with levels of subclinical depression, possibly indicating that OT modulation may be blunted in the context of increased pathological load. Together, the present findings suggest a subregional‐specific modulatory role of OT on amygdala‐centered emotion processing networks in humans. HighlightsEffects of oxytocin (OT) on amygdala subregional rsFC were examined.OT differentially altered rsFC of amygdala subregions.Increased connectivity with PFC regions were driven by SF and BLA.OT decreased rsFC of the CM with the face processing network.Effects on the SF‐mPFC pathway were associated with depression.

Reciprocal relationship between acute stress and acute fatigue in everyday life in a sample of university students

We investigated whether stress may influence fatigue, or vice versa, as well as factors mediating this relationship. Fifty healthy participants (31 females, 23.6±3.2 years) completed up to 5 momentary assessments of stress and fatigue during 5 days of preparation for their final examinations (exam condition) and 5 days of a regular semester week (control condition). Sleep quality was measured by self-report at awakening. A sub-group of participants (n=25) also collected saliva samples. Fatigue was associated with concurrent stress, stress reported at the previous measurement point, and previous-day stress. However, momentary stress was also predicted by concurrent fatigue, fatigue at the previous time point, and previous-day fatigue. Sleep quality mediated the association between stress and next-day fatigue. Cortisol and alpha-amylase did not mediate the stress-fatigue relationship. In conclusion, there is a reciprocal stress-fatigue relationship. Both prevention and intervention programs should comprehensively cover how stress and fatigue might influence one another.

Physical activity buffers fatigue only under low chronic stress.

Abstract Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported complaints in the general population. As physical activity (PA) has been shown to have beneficial effects, we hypothesized that everyday life PA improves fatigue. Thirty-three healthy students (21 women, 22.8 ± 3.3 years, 21.7 ± 2.3 kg/m2) completed two ambulatory assessment periods. During five days at the beginning of the semester (control condition) and five days during final examination preparation (examination condition), participants repeatedly reported on general fatigue (awakening, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm) by means of an electronic diary, collected saliva samples for the assessment of cortisol and α-amylase immediately after providing information on fatigue and wore a triaxial accelerometer to continuously record PA. Self-perceived chronic stress was assessed as a moderator. Using hierarchical linear modeling, including PA, condition (control vs. examination), sex and chronic stress as predictors, PA level during the 15 min prior to data entry did not predict momentary fatigue level. Furthermore, there was no effect of condition. However, a significant cross-level interaction of perceived chronic stress with PA was observed. In fact, the (negative) relationship between PA and fatigue was stronger in those participants with less chronic stress. Neither cortisol nor α-amylase was significantly related to physical activity or fatigue. Our study showed an immediate short-term buffering effect of everyday life PA on general fatigue, but only when experiencing lower chronic stress. There seems to be no short-term benefit of PA in the face of higher chronic stress. These findings highlight the importance of considering chronic stress when evaluating the effectiveness of PA interventions in different target populations, in particular among chronically stressed and fatigued subjects.

Attitudes towards Social Oocyte Freezing from a Socio-cultural Perspective

INTRODUCTION The tendency to delay parenthood is increasing. It is partly driven by the availability of early reproductive technologies such as social oocyte freezing, the cryopreservation of oocytes for non-medical purposes. The goal of this study was to investigate relationships between attitudes towards social oocyte freezing and different socio-cultural backgrounds in a German sample cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS A quantitative online questionnaire was compiled. A total of 643 participants completed the questionnaire which included items on attitudes toward social oocyte freezing, socio-demographics and items, obtained from the German DELTA Institute for Social and Ecological Research, devised to indicate specific milieus. Data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric methods. RESULTS There were clear correlations between attitudes towards social oocyte freezing and socio-cultural background, gender, cohort age, fertility problems, and attitudes to fertility. Positive attitudes towards social oocyte freezing were linked to struggles with fertility, a current or general wish to have a child, and flexible, progressive and self-oriented values. Participants who preferred to become parents at a younger age tended to reject cryopreservation. CONCLUSIONS The huge number of university graduates, persons with fertility problems, and persons from specific socio-cultural backgrounds in our sample point to distinct groups interested in reproductive technologies such as social oocyte freezing. The investigated differences as a function of socio-cultural background suggest that more research into the desire to have children in German society is needed. In conclusion, it may be necessary to develop targeted family planning interventions to prevent affected women from buying into a false sense of security, thereby risking unwanted childlessness.

When Significant Others Suffer: German Validation of the Burden Assessment Scale (BAS)

There is a need of an economical, reliable, and valid instrument in the German-speaking countries to measure the burden of relatives who care for mentally ill persons. We translated the Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) and conducted a study investigating factor structure, psychometric quality and predictive validity. We used confirmative factor analyses (CFA, maximum-likelihood method) to examine the dimensionality of the German BAS in a sample of 215 relatives (72% women; M = 32 years, SD = 14, range: 18 to 77; 39% employed) of mentally ill persons (50% (ex-)partner or (best) friend; M = 32 years, SD = 13, range 8 to 64; main complaints were depression and/or anxiety). Cronbach’s α determined the internal consistency. We examined predictive validity using regression analyses including the BAS and validated scales of social systems functioning (Experience In Social Systems Questionnaire, EXIS.pers, EXIS.org) and psychopathology (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI). Variables that might have influenced the dependent variables (e.g. age, gender, education, employment and civil status) were controlled by their introduction in the first step, and the BAS in the second step of the regression analyses. A model with four correlated factors (Disrupted Activities, Personal Distress, Time Perspective, Guilt) showed the best fit. With respect to the number of items included, the internal consistency was very good. The modified German BAS predicted relatives’ social systems functioning and psychopathology. The economical design makes the 19-item BAS promising for practice-oriented research, and for studies under time constraints. Strength, limitations and future directions are discussed.

Oxytocin for learning calm and safety

The appropriate discrimination between safe and dangerous situations and the subsequent decrease of fear expression in the presence of safety signals are crucial for survival and mental health. Learning of safety associations is often studied in terms of fear extinction, that is re-learning of a previously conditioned stimulus which is now no longer positively associated with danger. Numerous studies investigated neurobiological processes of fear extinction and provide a valid picture of the underlying neural structures and endocrine processes involved. However, a formerly neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) can also predict the non-occurrence of an aversive, potentially dangerous, unconditioned stimulus (US) from the very beginning and thus can serve as a safety stimulus. This process has been termed safety learning. Although safety learning has been known for almost a century, there has been little research on its underlying neurobiological mechanisms, in contrast to the more prominent Pavlovian fear conditioning and fear extinction. In this review, we propose that the well-known action of the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in the regulation of fear and stress responses is complementary to safety learning. We summarize the literature focused on OXT signaling and safety learning in animals and humans, from the first studies of fear extinction and conditioned inhibition of fear to the most recent findings in molecular and behavioral research on initial social safety stimuli. At the end, we discuss the application of OXT as a therapeutic agent to psychopathologies related to deficits in safety learning.

‘Song of Life’: music therapy in terminally ill patients with cancer

Objectives Music therapy (MT) holds a promising potential to meet emotional and existential needs in palliative care patients. The aim of the present pilot study was to assess the feasibility, acceptance and potential effectiveness of a novel MT intervention to improve life closure and spiritual well-being of terminally ill patients with cancer receiving palliative care. Methods The ‘Song of Life’ (SOL) intervention was provided on two consecutive sessions containing a biographical interview and a live performance of a song with high biographical relevance to the patient in a lullaby style. Pre-to-post intervention assessments comprised brief self-report measures on life closure, well-being, stress, worry and pain. Results 13 out of 15 patients were able to complete the protocol as intended. The chosen songs were associated with a close person, an important place or event or with a religious belief. The results showed medium-sized improvements with regard to life closure, well-being, relaxation, worry and pain. Conclusion ‘SOL’ proved to be a feasible and highly accepted intervention for patients approaching the end of their lives. Further consideration with regard to the procedures and outcomes is necessary before implementation of a randomised trial.

Neurobiological Factors Underlying Attachment and Trust in the Believing Process

Credition – the cognitive process of believing – is embedded in a social-interactional framework. As soon as an individual becomes involved in a process of believing, he or she engages in motivational, cognitive, and affective processes based on the contact with and perception of an object of belief and the “community of believers” or “in-group members”. Social cognition and social behaviour are the major constituents of these interactional processes. Apparently, attachment and trust – which are crucial for healthy outcomes throughout the lifespan – are strongly associated with one another. Psychobiological processes are important underlying factors that are entangled with the social-interactional dimension of credition. In social neuroscience , current research of the neuroendocrine system has primarily focused on the neuropeptides Oxytocin (OT) and Vasopressin (VP) as they have important regulatory functions when people engage in social interactions. For example, OT stimulates the motivation to develop an attachment to someone and increases qualities like trust. The effects are dependent on the influences of stress, as chronic and traumatic stress inhibits the motivation to attach while low levels of stress foster bonding behavior. In contrast, VP seems to be involved with increased vigilance, arousal, activation, and anxiety, which are required aspects of the flight-fight mechanism. Interestingly, whether OT and VP are associated with positive or negative social cognition and behavior depends on the (social) context and other contributing factors. We conclude that attachment and trust are important factors in the believing process. Combined with cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes, these factors influence behavior towards ourselves and others, which is in turn strongly influences neuroendocrine functions. Attachment and trust and their associated neurobiological foundations are reciprocally associated. Hence, a continuation of scientific progress needs to take place in order to produce more complex, high-quality, multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary approaches. Only then will we be able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these mechanisms and how we can effectively foster positive changes of social interactions related to health and well-being.

Wenn Stress krank macht

Hoher, schneller, mehr – auf ein standiges „Go“ folgt manchmal totaler „Stop“. Langfristig kann Stress zu Ermudungserscheinungen fuhren, wir fuhlen uns uberfordert, erbringen schlechtere Leistungen im Beruf, reagieren gereizt und werden schlieslich krank. Heidelberger Psychologen untersuchen, welche Bedingungen es genau sind, unter denen uns Stress krank werden lasst, und welche Faktoren uns hiervor schutzen konnen. Ein besonderer Effekt kommt dabei unseren sozialen Beziehungen zu.