Abstract available through the Infant Behavior & Development: Special ICIS Issue.

Relationship functioning in couples has been linked to numerous health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between 1) marital functioning and sleep dimensions, 2) marital functioning and cortisol, and 3) sleep dimensions and cortisol. The sample consisted of 108 heterosexual, married couples and was part of a larger marital intervention study. As predicted, poor marital functioning was related to negative sleep outcomes. However, these effects were only significant for wives. There was also evidence to suggest that poor marital functioning was associated with increased cortisol levels in husbands. These effects were independent of age and BMI. Contrary to our hypotheses, cortisol was not linked to sleep outcomes and, therefore, not a mediator of effect between marital functioning and cortisol. However, we did find evidence to suggest that stress and depressive symptomology could mediate the association between dyadic adjustment and sleep. Together, these findings provide evidence for how marital functioning can affect both physical and psychological health.

No description available.

Eine Dysregulation der Hypothalamus-Hypophysen-Nebennierenachse ist bei affektiven Störungen vielfach beschrieben. Bei einem Teil der Patienten zeigt sich dies durch eine Überaktivität und einen Hypercortisolismus. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass erhöhte Cortisolspiegel Auswirkungen auf die Neuroplastizität haben und mit Volumenveränderungen einhergehen können. In der Literatur ist im Falle von signifikanten Assoziationen eine gesteigerte Aktivität der HPA-Achse mit reduzierten Volumina in verschiedenen Hirnregionen verbunden. Bisher wurde ein Zusammenhang zwischen dem Cortisolspiegel als ein Parameter der HPA-Achsen-Aktivität und dem Hypothalamusvolumen bei Patienten mit affektiven Störungen nicht untersucht. Von einer Beteiligung des Hypothalamus am Pathomechanismus affektiver Störungen ist als Kopf der HPA-Achse und Steuerungsorgan zahlreicher Funktionen, die bei affektiven Störungen beeinträchtigt sind, auszugehen. Bislang ist der Hypothalamus aufgrund seiner schlechten Abgrenzbarkeit wenig untersucht. Die bisher einzige in vivo Studie zeigt eine Volumenvergrößerung des linken Hypothalamus bei depressiven Patienten mit einer uni- und bipolaren Erkrankung. Zuvor durchgeführte Studien deuten auf eine Volumenabnahme hin. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Untersuchung eines möglichen Zusammenhangs zwischen dem Cortisolspiegel als messbarem Parameter der HPA-Achsen-Aktivität und dem Hypothalamusvolumen bei Patienten mit affektiven Störungen. Hierbei ist eine Kontrolle für das intrakranielle Volumen notwendig. Es wurde eine Morgencortisolbestimmung im Serum und eine neu etablierte Methode der Präzisionsvolumetrie des Hypothalamus auf hochauflösenden, strukturellen 7 Tesla MRT-Aufnahmen bei unmedizierten Patienten mit einer unipolaren affektiven Störung, medizierten Patienten mit einer unipolaren affektiven Störung und Patienten mit einer bipolaren Störung verwendet. Nach Herauspartialisierung des intrakraniellen Volumens zeigte sich keine signifikante Korrelation zwischen dem Hypothalamusvolumen und dem Cortisolspiegel bei Patienten mit affektiven Störungen. Bei der weiteren Prüfung der explorativen Fragestellungen ergeben sich keine Unterschiede des Cortisolspiegels zwischen den einzelnen Untergruppen untereinander und bezüglich der anderen geprüften klinischen Parameter (Erkrankungsdauer, Dauer der aktuellen Krankheitsepisode, Anzahl depressiver Episoden, Erkrankungsschwere), sowie kein Einfluss von Alter, BMI und Geschlecht. Die vorliegende Arbeit ist die erstmalige Untersuchung eines möglichen Zusammenhangs zwischen dem Cortisolspiegel als messbarem Parameter der HPA-Achsen-Aktivität und dem Hypothalamusvolumen bei Patienten mit affektiven Störungen, wobei sich keine signifikante Korrelation zeigt.

This study investigated the extent to which gender moderates, and perceptions of fairness mediate, the link between marital power and overall marital satisfaction, as well as cortisol stress trajectories in response to marital distress. Study 1 examined a sample of 213 opposite sex newlywed couples from western Massachusetts, and focused on marital satisfaction as the dependent variable. Findings from the structural equation analysis suggested that perceptions of relationship fairness concerning the division of labor completely mediated the association between marital power and marital satisfaction for wives, but not for husbands. These results also implied an association between wives' perceptions of fairness and husbands' marital satisfaction. Study 2 looked at a subsample (N = 158 couples) of newlywed couples and investigated the effect of experiencing marital power on cortisol stress reactivity and recovery in response to a marital conflict discussion. Findings from the structural equation model suggested a significant association between marital power and stress reactivity & recovery for all participants, with low power wives exhibiting a failure to recover back to baseline levels of stress post-conflict. Methodological and measurement issues pertaining to the study of marital power are discussed, as well as potential implications of this work on future studies related to marital well-being.

A gene x environment interaction exists in the expression of anxiety for both human and nonhuman primates, such that individuals who are carriers of the (s) allele of the serotonin transporter genotype ( 5-HTT LPR) and exposed to early life stress are more at risk for exhibiting anxiety. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has also been implicated in anxiety disorders but the relationship between early life/genotype, HPA activity, and anxiety is not well understood. Further, studies linking the HPA axis to anxiety have relied on "point" samples (blood and salivary cortisol) which reflect moments in time rather than long-term activity. The purpose of this dissertation was three fold: (1) to examine anxious behavior in monkeys with different 5-HTT LPR genotypes and rearing environments across the first two years of life, (2) to compare long-term HPA activity (as measured with hair cortisol) with acute HPA activity (as measured with salivary cortisol) in the same period, and (3) to determine which measure of HPA activity predicts anxiety and/or mediates the rearing/genotype influences on anxious behavior. Infant rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta , N=61) were mother-peer-reared (MPR, n=21), peer-reared (PR, n=20), or surrogate-peer-reared (SPR, n=20) for 8 months, then all relocated into a large social housing situation for the next 18 months. Monkeys were genotyped for 5-HTT LPR and hair and saliva samples were collected for cortisol analysis at months 6, 12, 18, and 24. Behavior was recorded twice per week per subject from 2-24 months and analyzed for the duration of anxiety, social play, and grooming. Regression analysis established predictors of these behaviors. Rearing condition and sex were significant predictors of anxiety across the two years, and HPA activity added significant predictive power in the first six months only. Mediation of the rearing/anxiety relationship by the HPA axis was not evident. Interestingly, hair (but not salivary) cortisol early in life was positively correlated with later anxious behavior. These findings demonstrate the detrimental effects of adverse early life experience on behavioral development and shed light on the interplay between environment, adrenocortical activity, and anxiety. They further demonstrate the usefulness of a long-term measure of HPA activity in predicting later behavior.

Past work has linked self-injurious behavior (SIB) to a history of traumatic experiences and to problems regulating affect. While this affect dysregulation is conceptualized as occurring at a biological (as well as a behavioral) level, relatively little is known about the biological mechanisms involved. The current study explored whether reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to an interpersonal stressor mediated the relation between trauma and SIB in a sample of 178 18-21 year-old heterosexual dating couples. As predicted, both trauma experience and symptoms positively predicted SIB. While the mediating model was not supported, SIB was associated with an HPA axis response marked by heightened reactivity to interpersonal stress within the context of lower cortisol levels. Trauma symptoms and experience interacted with adult attachment security to predict HPA axis response in different ways for men and women, a compelling set of findings suggesting the importance of contextual factors in the study of trauma and HPA axis function. Future directions for the study of trauma, HPA axis reactivity, and SIB are discussed.

University evaluations often reflect an individual’s ability to memorize and recall lecture material during exams. Consequently, the ability to effectively encode, store, and later retrieve information is an integral part of learning and academic success. Notably, students who are more physically active tend to have better academic performance. The neurobiology of stress is a strong candidate for the mechanism underlying this exercise-cognition interaction. Given that exercise is a physical stressor, it is hypothesized that exercise-induced adrenocortical activations increase cortisol levels. Critically, cortisol increases memory consolidation for newly learned information. One hundred twenty-eight young adults (36 males; age: M±SD =19.47±1.55 years) viewed a video lecture before exercise (n = 41), after exercise (n = 42), or after rest (n = 45). The exercise was high intensity interval training on a cycle ergometer and memory for the lecture material was assessed using a multiple-choice quiz conducted 14 minutes and 48 hours after the lecture. There was a significant positive correlation between aerobic fitness and grade point average [r(95) = 0.22, p < .05], immediate recall [r(100) = 0.39, p < .001], and delayed recall [r(98) = 0.28, p < .01]. A mixed model ANOVA found a significant main effect of group on comprehension of the lecture material, F(2, 96) = 3.34, p < .05, revealing greater memory benefits at both 14 minutes and 48 hour delays for those who exercised compared to those who did not exercise; however, pairwise comparisons found this effect specific to the exercise post group. There was also a main effect of group on cortisol levels, F(2, 107) = 3.97, p < .05; however, only the exercise prior group exhibited significantly greater levels than the control group. Thus cortisol levels collected during the experimental session did not clearly differentiate the exercise conditions or reflect the observed memory benefits for the exercise post group. This may have resulted from the gradual increase in cortisol following exercise that had time to increase when exercise was completed at the beginning of the exercise session (exercise prior) rather than at the end (exercise post). Overall, this study suggests that both physical fitness and an acute bout of aerobic exercise are associated with academic and memory performance. More research is needed to understand the mechanism. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

付記する学位プログラム名: 充実した健康長寿社会を築く総合医療開発リーダー育成プログラム / 京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第24521号 / 医博第4963号 / 新制||医||1065(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 斎藤 通紀, 教授 萩原 正敏, 教授 戸井 雅和 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis posits that domesticated animal species exhibit a shared set of traits encompassing behavioral, physiological, and morphological characteristics. While this hypothesis has garnered significant attention, the evidence supporting its universality remains limited, particularly in species such as dogs and cattle. In this dissertation, I examined the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in mixed breed pet and shelter dogs as well as Holstein dairy heifers. This investigation focused on behavioral responses, physiological reactivity, and Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis-associated morphological variables in relation to human interaction. First, I explored the behavioral responses of Holstein dairy heifers representing a range of white spotting phenotypes towards people and handling, and their physiological response towards handling during an industry-standard palpation procedure. Additionally, I explored three pigmentation variables (coat color/pattern, eumelanin pigmentation, and white spotting) in dogs residing in a known stressful environment, an animal shelter. I assessed their baseline in-shelter cortisol and their cortisol response to an intervention in which they left the shelter to spend time with people. Lastly, I investigated citizen science behavioral surveys of owned mixed breed dogs to determine potential correlations between white spotting or ear set and various behavioral factors, including human sociability and aggression. Altogether, I found partial support for the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis: some results aligned with the expectations of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis and some did not. Notably, in Holstein dairy heifers, I observed that less white spotting predicted a greater increase in cortisol levels and a higher rate of stepping in response to palpation, results that support the premises of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis. Moreover, in owned mixed breed pet dogs, I found that human sociability positively correlated with white spotting and floppier ears and that decreased arousal, decreased aggression, and increased proximity-seeking correlated with floppier ears, further supporting the Hypothesis. However, many of the correlations predicted by the Hypothesis were not statistically significant or exhibited an opposite direction to what was expected. For instance, more extensive white spotting in Holsteins predicted a higher rate of vocalization during palpation, pigmentation did not significantly predict cortisol levels in shelter dogs, and in owned mixed breed dogs playfulness and biddability negatively correlated with white spotting while biddability negatively correlated with floppier ears. Prior research on the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in dogs did not find covariation between domestication-associated behavioral and morphological traits, which the researchers suggest may have been driven by modern breeding practices; this confound could have also impacted my studies. Together, the results – both supportive and contradictory – included in this dissertation contribute to our understanding of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis. Further research is needed to reconcile these inconsistencies and explore the underlying mechanisms behind the observed relationships. By expanding sample sizes, using more standardized study designs, and investigating causative mechanisms, future studies can enhance our knowledge of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis and its implications in the domestication process of animals. / Doctor of Philosophy / The Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis suggests that domesticated animals share common traits in their behavior, physiology, and physical appearance. However, the evidence supporting this idea is limited, especially in dogs and cattle. In this dissertation, I studied mixed breed pet and shelter dogs, as well as Holstein dairy heifers, to explore the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis. I looked at how these animals behaved and how their stress hormone levels changed when interacting with humans. For the dairy heifers, I focused on their responses to being handled during a routine procedure called a palpation. In dogs, I examined three aspects of their physical appearance related to the hypothesis: coat color/pattern, the color of their noses, and how much white fur they had. I also assessed their stress hormone levels while in the shelter and when they had a chance to spend time with people outside the shelter. Additionally, I collected information from surveys of mixed breed dogs owned by the public to see if their appearance was linked to their behavior. Altogether, my findings partially support the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis: some results matched the expectations of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis and some did not. For example, I found that Holstein heifers with more black fur had higher stress hormone levels and moved their feet more when palpated, which aligns with the Hypothesis. Additionally, pet dogs with floppier ears were more sociable with people and less prone to aggression and dogs with more white fur were more sociable with people, such also supports the Hypothesis. However, some of the results did not support the Hypothesis. For example, heifers with more white fur vocalized more during palpation and pigmentation did not predict stress hormone levels in shelter dogs. Also, pet dogs with more white fur were less playful and obedient and dogs with more floppy ears were less obedient. Recent research on the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis in dogs did not find a connection between how dogs behave and look. This might have been due to recent changes to why dogs are bred, which also could have influenced my results. Both the supportive and conflicting results help us to better understand the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis. Additional research studying more animals, using more consistent evaluations, and asking why these traits seem to be linked can further deepen our understanding of the Domestication Syndrome Hypothesis and its relevance to animal domestication.