The mind, brain, and body study: A protocol for examining the effects of the gut-brain-immune axis on internalizing symptoms in youth exposed to caregiving-related early adversity

Shiba M. Esfand; Francesca R. Querdasi; Naomi N. Gancz; Paul W. Savoca; Siyan Nussbaum; Jennifer A. Somers; Julia Ditzer; Matthew B. Figueroa; Kristen Chu; Emily Towner; Bridget L. Callaghan

Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health (Dec 2024)

The mind, brain, and body study: A protocol for examining the effects of the gut-brain-immune axis on internalizing symptoms in youth exposed to caregiving-related early adversity

Shiba M. Esfand,
Francesca R. Querdasi,
Naomi N. Gancz,
Paul W. Savoca,
Siyan Nussbaum,
Jennifer A. Somers,
Julia Ditzer,
Matthew B. Figueroa,
Kristen Chu,
Emily Towner,
Bridget L. Callaghan

Affiliations

Shiba M. Esfand: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Corresponding author.
Francesca R. Querdasi: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Naomi N. Gancz: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Paul W. Savoca: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Siyan Nussbaum: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Jennifer A. Somers: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, 111 Thach Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
Julia Ditzer: Department of Psychology, Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Matthew B. Figueroa: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Kristen Chu: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Emily Towner: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Bridget L. Callaghan: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 42
p. 100880

Abstract

Read online

Experiences of caregiving-related adversity are common and one of the strongest predictors of internalizing psychopathology (i.e., anxiety and depression). Specifically, individuals who have been exposed to such early adversities have altered affective neurodevelopment, impaired memory systems, increased risk of developing internalizing disorders, greater inflammation, and differences in gastrointestinal (gut) microbiome composition. Crucially, the gut microbiome undergoes a sensitive period of development that precedes neural and immune sensitive periods, thus making it a potentially fruitful target for intervention. Though previous work has assessed neural, immune, and gut microbiome systems in individuals exposed to early adversity, studies have primarily looked at these biological systems independently. The Mind, Brain, and Body study (MBB) implements multimodal and longitudinal design to assess how changes in the gut microbiome following caregiving-related adversity may underlie altered affective neurodevelopment, memory, and immune functioning in youth and contribute to internalizing symptoms. Across three waves, spread approximately 12–18 months apart, youth with and without previous experiences of caregiving-related adversity completed self-report measures of mental and physical health, provided stool, saliva, hair, and blood samples, and completed an MRI scan. Results of this study will expand our knowledge on how the gut microbiome shapes several biological and cognitive systems and motivate future work investigating the gut microbiome as potential target for intervention.

Published in Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health

ISSN: 2666-3546 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-behavior-and-immunity-health

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords