2023
Maternal sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior: a mediating role for glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) methylation?
Creasey N, Beijers R, O'Donnell K, de Weerth C, Tollenaar M. Maternal sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior: a mediating role for glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) methylation? Development And Psychopathology 2023, 36: 967-978. PMID: 36896668, DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000226.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAge 5 weeksChild mental healthMaternal sensitivityMental healthGlucocorticoid receptor gene methylationAge 6 yearsChildren's internalizingMethylation levelsMother-infant interactionDNA methylation levelsAnimal modelsEarly infancyStress regulatory systemsExternalizing behaviorsEarly caregiving environmentGene DNA methylationAge 6Longitudinal studyLower DNA methylation levelsResponsive caregivingSame childrenCommunity sampleCaregiving environmentGene methylationDNA methylation
2022
Cumulative risk exposure and child cellular aging in a Dutch low‐risk community sample
Beijers R, Thije I, Bolhuis E, O'Donnell K, Tollenaar M, Shalev I, Hastings W, MacIsaac J, Lin D, Meaney M, Kobor M, Belsky J, de Weerth C. Cumulative risk exposure and child cellular aging in a Dutch low‐risk community sample. Psychophysiology 2022, 60: e14205. PMID: 36323627, DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14205.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChildhood risk exposuresLow-risk community sampleAge 6Cortisol reactivityAge 10Cumulative risk exposureCommunity sampleCellular agingPhysical health outcomesHealth outcomesStressor exposureTelomere lengthSecondary findingsLater lifeChild cortisol reactivityRegression analysisSignificant main effectFurther investigationExposurePositive correlationMore researchStrong conclusionsAgingBiomarkers
2021
Internalizing symptoms associate with the pace of epigenetic aging in childhood
Tollenaar MS, Beijers R, Garg E, Nguyen TTT, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Shalev I, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C. Internalizing symptoms associate with the pace of epigenetic aging in childhood. Biological Psychology 2021, 159: 108021. PMID: 33460784, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdvanced biological agingChildhood psychiatric symptomsAge 6Longitudinal cohort studyInternalizing symptomsBiological agingChild mental healthCohort studyBuccal epithelial cellsPsychiatric symptomsSymptomsMental healthEpithelial cellsInternalizing disordersStatistical significanceAge 2.5Highest EAAExternalizing symptomsChildhoodEpigenetic agingHorvath clockGenome-wide DNA methylationEAA