Abstract
Individual variability exists in infants’ socio-emotional stress regulation, in terms of behavioral response (i.e., negative emotionality) as well as magnitude and direction (i.e., increase or decrease) of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity (i.e., salivary cortisol post-stress concentration). The catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism at codon 158 (COMTval158met) associates with stress regulation, but no evidence exists for infants. This study aimed to assess the association between COMTval158met and both negative emotionality and salivary cortisol reactivity to socio-emotional stress in 4-month-old infants. Sixty-nine infants were exposed to the Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF) paradigm. During the FFSF paradigm, socio-emotional stress is elicited by experimental manipulation of maternal responsiveness (i.e., Still-Face episode). A double-exposure FFSF with two Still-Face episodes was used to evaluate both behavioral response and HPA axis reactivity. Negative emotionality was 1-s microanalytically coded. Magnitude (i.e., area under the curve, AUC) and Direction (increase vs. decrease) of salivary cortisol post-stress concentration were assessed. COMTval158met genotype was categorized as val-homozygotes and met-carriers. Compared to val-homozygotes, met-carriers showed higher negative emotionality during the second Still-Face episode. AUC was greater in increaser met-carriers compared to val-homozygous infants. In addition, in the presence of an increasing HPA response, the met allele emerged as a specific risk condition in the face of repeated stress exposures. The present findings further extend previous studies conducted with children and adults suggesting that the COMT met allele might be involved in stress regulation during early infancy, especially in response to repeated socio-emotional stress exposure.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 71-82 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Infant Behavior and Development |
| Volume | 45 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- COMT
- HPA axis
- Infants
- Repeated stress
- Salivary cortisol
- Socio-emotional stress
- Still-Face
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
COMTval158met polymorphism is associated with behavioral response and physiologic reactivity to socio-emotional stress in 4-month-old infants. / Montirosso, Rosario; Provenzi, Livio; Tavian, Daniela; Missaglia, Sara; Raggi, Maria Elisabetta; Borgatti, Renato.
In: Infant Behavior and Development, Vol. 45, 01.11.2016, p. 71-82.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - COMTval158met polymorphism is associated with behavioral response and physiologic reactivity to socio-emotional stress in 4-month-old infants
AU - Montirosso, Rosario
AU - Provenzi, Livio
AU - Tavian, Daniela
AU - Missaglia, Sara
AU - Raggi, Maria Elisabetta
AU - Borgatti, Renato
PY - 2016/11/1
Y1 - 2016/11/1
N2 - Individual variability exists in infants’ socio-emotional stress regulation, in terms of behavioral response (i.e., negative emotionality) as well as magnitude and direction (i.e., increase or decrease) of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity (i.e., salivary cortisol post-stress concentration). The catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism at codon 158 (COMTval158met) associates with stress regulation, but no evidence exists for infants. This study aimed to assess the association between COMTval158met and both negative emotionality and salivary cortisol reactivity to socio-emotional stress in 4-month-old infants. Sixty-nine infants were exposed to the Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF) paradigm. During the FFSF paradigm, socio-emotional stress is elicited by experimental manipulation of maternal responsiveness (i.e., Still-Face episode). A double-exposure FFSF with two Still-Face episodes was used to evaluate both behavioral response and HPA axis reactivity. Negative emotionality was 1-s microanalytically coded. Magnitude (i.e., area under the curve, AUC) and Direction (increase vs. decrease) of salivary cortisol post-stress concentration were assessed. COMTval158met genotype was categorized as val-homozygotes and met-carriers. Compared to val-homozygotes, met-carriers showed higher negative emotionality during the second Still-Face episode. AUC was greater in increaser met-carriers compared to val-homozygous infants. In addition, in the presence of an increasing HPA response, the met allele emerged as a specific risk condition in the face of repeated stress exposures. The present findings further extend previous studies conducted with children and adults suggesting that the COMT met allele might be involved in stress regulation during early infancy, especially in response to repeated socio-emotional stress exposure.
AB - Individual variability exists in infants’ socio-emotional stress regulation, in terms of behavioral response (i.e., negative emotionality) as well as magnitude and direction (i.e., increase or decrease) of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity (i.e., salivary cortisol post-stress concentration). The catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism at codon 158 (COMTval158met) associates with stress regulation, but no evidence exists for infants. This study aimed to assess the association between COMTval158met and both negative emotionality and salivary cortisol reactivity to socio-emotional stress in 4-month-old infants. Sixty-nine infants were exposed to the Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF) paradigm. During the FFSF paradigm, socio-emotional stress is elicited by experimental manipulation of maternal responsiveness (i.e., Still-Face episode). A double-exposure FFSF with two Still-Face episodes was used to evaluate both behavioral response and HPA axis reactivity. Negative emotionality was 1-s microanalytically coded. Magnitude (i.e., area under the curve, AUC) and Direction (increase vs. decrease) of salivary cortisol post-stress concentration were assessed. COMTval158met genotype was categorized as val-homozygotes and met-carriers. Compared to val-homozygotes, met-carriers showed higher negative emotionality during the second Still-Face episode. AUC was greater in increaser met-carriers compared to val-homozygous infants. In addition, in the presence of an increasing HPA response, the met allele emerged as a specific risk condition in the face of repeated stress exposures. The present findings further extend previous studies conducted with children and adults suggesting that the COMT met allele might be involved in stress regulation during early infancy, especially in response to repeated socio-emotional stress exposure.
KW - COMT
KW - HPA axis
KW - Infants
KW - Repeated stress
KW - Salivary cortisol
KW - Socio-emotional stress
KW - Still-Face
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84991577474&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84991577474&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.09.006
DO - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.09.006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84991577474
VL - 45
SP - 71
EP - 82
JO - Infant Behavior and Development
JF - Infant Behavior and Development
SN - 0163-6383
ER -