Effect of oxytocin on empathy in male adolescents with conduct disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of intranasal oxytocin administration on empathy in male adolescents with conduct disorder.Methods:The male adolescents with conduct disorder in the Psychological Counseling Clinic of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from September 2015 to August 2016 were selected.And they were randomly assigned to oxytocin group ( n=46) and placebo group ( n=51) by random number table. Subjects in oxytocin group were given nasal spray of 24 IU oxytocin twice per day for two weeks, while those in placebo group were given nasal spray of 0.9% sodium chloride solution for two weeks. The empathy of patients was assessed with a pain-related empathy task and interpersonal reactivity index (IRI) before and after two weeks′ administration. SPSS 20.0 software was used for statistical analysis, and repeated measurement analysis of variance was used to compare the empathy ability of the two groups before and after intervention. Results:Repeated measurement analysis of variance showed that there were significant time×group interaction effects in the scores of painful expressions during the pain-related empathy task ( F=13.86, P<0.001), IRI ( F=5.59, P=0.020) and empathic concern subscale ( F=4.99, P=0.028). There was significant between-group effect in the score of perspective-taking subscale of IRI( F=4.22, P=0.043). Simple effect analysis revealed that after two weeks of intervention, the score of needle-pain expression in oxytocin group was significantly higher than that at baseline ( t=-2.08, P=0.040). And the score of needle-pain expression in oxytocin group was significantly higher than that in placebo group ( t=2.33, P=0.022). After two weeks of intervention, the total IRI score ( t=-2.58, P=0.011) and empathy factor score ( t=-3.15, P=0.002) of oxytocin group were both higher than those at baseline. After intervention, the total IRI score ( t=2.30, P=0.024) and perspective-taking factor score ( t=2.57, P=0.012) in oxytocin group were higher than those in placebo group, and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions:Oxytocin may improve the cognitive and emotional empathy in male adolescents with conduct disorder.

Gender measurement invariance of the Perceived Social Support Scale in people aged 50 years and older / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate gender measurement invariance of the Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS)in people aged 50 years and older.Methods:A total of 1013 adults(50-96 years old)in Beijing, Hunan and Shandong were tested by using PSSS.The measurement invariance of PSSS between middle-aged and elderly males and females was analyzed.Differences in PSSS total scores and subscale scores between males and females were examined.Results:The equivalence test results of each item in the questionnaire met the requirements of the metrology(△CFI≥0.010, △TLI≥0.010, △RSMEA≤0.015), indicating that the hypotheses of morphological equivalence, weak equivalence, strong equivalence and strict equivalence of PSSS were all valid in the middle-aged and elderly population regardless of gender.In addition, middle-aged and elderly females had higher scores in family support, support from friends, support from other people and perceived social support than their male counterparts( P<0.05). Conclusions:PSSS has cross-gender equivalence in middle-aged and elderly people.Thus, differences in PSSS can reflect the perceived social support level in middle-aged and elderly people of different genders.

The impact of childhood maltreatment experience and MAOA-VNTR on female adolescent’s impulsivity trait / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To examine the impact on impulsivity trait by monoamine oxidase A variable nucleotide tan?dem repeat (MAOA-VNTR) genotype and children’s abuse experience. Methods The self-reported questionnaire of Bar?ratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were conducted in 403 normal Han female adoles?cents from north-west of China. The DNA were extracted from their venous blood sample and were genotyped for the MAOA-VNTR polymorphism. A linear regression model was used to investigate the main effects of MAOA-VNTR and children's abuse, and their interaction effect on impulsivity. Results The main effect of Children’s maltreatment experi?ence on trait impulsivity was significant (P0.05). Conclusion The MAOA-VNTR genotype may not be involved in the female adolescents’impulsivity traits related to childhood maltreat?ment.

Interaction between a serotonin transporter gene promoter region polymorphism and stress predicts anxiety symptoms in adolescents: a multi-wave longitudinal study / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the interaction between a serotonin transporter gene promoter region polymorphism(5-HTTPR) and stress in predicting anxiety symptoms.Methods Through random cluster sampling,a total of 252 healthy adolescents participated in this study.During the initial assessment,all participants completed the Adolescent Life Events Questionnaire (ALEQ) and Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) to assess their levels of stress and anxiety and were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism.Participants subsequently completed MASC and ALEQ once every three months during the subsequent 24 months.A multilevel model was used to investigate the interaction between 5-HTTLPR and stress that predict anxiety symptoms.Results The results indicated no major effect of 5-HTTLPR in males (β=0.80,P＞0.05)or females(β=-0.21,P＞0.05).There were major effects of stress in males(β=0.30,P＜0.01) and females (β=0.33,P＜0.01)and a significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR and stress.Females with at least one 5-HTTLPR S allele(β=0.11,P＜ 0.01)and males with at least one 5-HTTLPR L allele(β=-0.10,P＜0.01)exhibited more anxiety symptoms under stressful situations.Conclusion The interaction between 5-HTTLPR and stress can predict anxiety symptoms in adolescents.There are gender differences on the 5-HTTLPR × stress interaction.

The moderating effect of monoamine oxidase A gene polymorphism in relationship between childhood abuse of male adolescents and externalizing behaviors / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between male adolescents' childhood abuse and externalizing behaviors,and the moderating effect of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene promoter region variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism.MethodsThrough random cluster sampling,352 Han male middle school students from Changsha were tested by Achenbach child behavior checklist-youth self reports (CBCL-YSR)and childhood trauma questionnaire-28 item short form (CTQ-SF),their MAOA genotypes were also identified.A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test the moderating effect.Results ( 1 ) Compared participates with high activity MAOA gene and that with low activity MAOA gene,there were no significant differences on age ( ( 15.82 ± 1.52) vs ( 15.94 ± 1.62 ) ),externalizing behaviors ( ( 15.13 ± 10.14 ) vs ( 14.33 ± 9.70 ) ),total abuse ( (52.59 ± 10.46) vs (51.39 ± 7.56 ) ),emotional abuse( ( 7.63 ± 3.31 ) vs ( 7.11 ± 2.68 ) ),physical abuse ( ( 6.40 ± 2.82) vs (6.12 ± 2.05 ) ),sexual abuse ( ( 6.42 ± 3.24 ) vs ( 5.94 ± 1.72 ) ),emotional neglect ((13.44±5.12) vs (13.16 ±4.83) ),physical neglect( (10.27 ±2.64) vs (10.44±2.53))(t=-1.789～0.678,P ＞ 0.05 ).(2)Except emotional neglect and physical neglect,emotional abuse,physical abuse and sexual abuse could predict externalizing behaviors( Sβ =0.141 ～0.347,P ＜ 0.01 ).(3) MAOA gene was not directly related to externalizing behaviors( Sβ =- 0.023,P ＞ 0.05 ).There was a significant interaction between MAOA gene and emotional abuse( Sβ =-0.148,P ＜ 0.01 ).The interaction between MAOA gene and physical abuse or sexual abuse showed no statistical significance( Sβ =- 0.067,- 0.005,P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionMAOA gene polymorphism can moderate the relationship between male adolescents'childhood emotional abuse and externalizing behaviors.