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    The association of serotonin receptor 3A methylation with maternal violence exposure, neural activity, and child aggression

    Schechter, DS, Moser, DA, Pointet, T, Stenz, L, Paoloni-Giacobino, A, Adouan, W, Manini, A, Suardi, F, Vital, M, Sancho Rossignol, A, Cordero Campaña, MI, Rothenbgerg, M, Ansermet, F, Rusconi Serpa, S and Dayer, AG (2017) The association of serotonin receptor 3A methylation with maternal violence exposure, neural activity, and child aggression. Behavioural Brain Research, 325 (Part B). pp. 268-277. ISSN 0166-4328

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    Abstract

    Background: Methylation of the serotonin 3A receptor gene (HTR3A) has been linked to child maltreatment and adult psychopathology. The present study examined whether HTR3A methylation might be associated with mothers' lifetime exposure to interpersonal violence (IPV), IPV-related psychopathology, child disturbance of attachment, and maternal neural activity. Methods: Number of maternal lifetime IPV exposures and measures of maternal psychopathology including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and aggressive behavior (AgB), and a measure of child attachment disturbance known as “secure base distortion” (SBD) were assessed in a sample of 35 mothers and children aged 12–42 months. Brain fMRI activation was assessed in mothers using 30-s silent film excerpts depicting menacing adult male-female interactions versus prosocial and neutral interactions. Group and continuous analyses were performed to test for associations between clinical and fMRI variables with DNA methylation. Results: Maternal IPV exposure-frequency was associated with maternal PTSD; and maternal IPV-PTSD was in turn associated with child SBD. Methylation status of several CpG sites in the HTR3A gene was associated with maternal IPV and IPV-PTSD severity, AgB and child SBD, in particular, self-endangering behavior. Methylation status at a specific CpG site (CpG2_III) was associated with decreased medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC) activity in response to film-stimuli of adult male-female interactions evocative of violence as compared to prosocial and neutral interactions. Conclusions: Methylation status of the HTR3A gene in mothers is linked to maternal IPV-related psychopathology, trauma-induced brain activation patterns, and child attachment disturbance in the form of SBD during a sensitive period in the development of self-regulation.

    Item Type: Article
    Peer-reviewed: Yes
    Date Deposited: 10 Oct 2016 07:59
    Publisher: Elsevier
    Additional Information: This is an Open Access article published in Behavioural Brain Research, by Elsevier.
    Divisions: Faculties > Health and Education
    Subject terms: Attachment disorder, Epigenetics, fMRI, Interpersonal violence, Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Serotonin receptor, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Behavioral Sciences, Neurosciences, Neurosciences & Neurology, Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Interpersonal violence, Serotonin receptor, Epigenetics, fMRI, Attachment disorder, RETROSPECTIVE REPORTS, POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS, TRAUMA EXPOSURE, BRAIN, PTSD, ATTACHMENT, MOTHERS, IDENTIFICATION, SCHIZOPHRENIA, DISTURBANCES, Prefrontal Cortex, Humans, Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Aggression, Child Behavior, Object Attachment, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Depressive Disorder, Major, DNA Methylation, Adult, Child, Preschool, Infant, Female, Male, Self-Control, Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events, Exposure to Violence, Attachment disorder, Epigenetics, Interpersonal violence, Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Serotonin receptor, fMRI, Adult, Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events, Aggression, Child Behavior, Child, Preschool, DNA Methylation, Depressive Disorder, Major, Exposure to Violence, Female, Humans, Infant, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Object Attachment, Prefrontal Cortex, Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3, Self-Control, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, 11 Medical and Health Sciences, 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Neurology & Neurosurgery
    URI: https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/617229
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.009
    ISSN 0166-4328

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