Genetic and Caregiving Effects on Disordered Attachment

Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge MA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) Genetic and Caregiving Effects on Disordered Attachment Recent research has demonstrated that both childhood behavior problems and adolescent psychopathology are predicted by disorganized attachment behavior in infancy. Disorganized infant attachment behavior has been further related to aspects of maternal caregiving in recent studies. Two recent reports from Hungarian scientists Sasvari-Szekely and Gervai have also demonstrated a genetic contribution to disorganized attachment behavior related to polymorphisms of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4). Because animal models have documented both genetic and non-genetic (caregiving) contributions to neurobiologic systems related to human psychopathology (HPA axis activity and biogenic amine function), human studies are now needed that can evaluate relative contributions of both genetic and caregiving contributions to processes related to child and adolescent psychopathology. The first aim of this study is to extend the data and methods of NIH grant R01 MH 062030, Psychopathology and Controlling Behavior in Adolescence to include non-invasive collection of genetic samples. These samples will be analyzed for the contribution of both DRD4 and serotonin transporter 5-HTT risk alleles to infant disorganization and later related psychopathology in the U.S. socially at-risk longitudinal cohort being studied under this parent grant. The second aim of the study is to extend genetic methods to the study of maternal caregiving behavior. Maternal behavioral assessments already collected for the U.S. sample in infancy will also be collected for the low-risk Budapest Infant-Parent study sample, and the contribution of the DRD4 and 5-HTT candidate genes to maternal frightened, frightening, or other atypical behavior will be assessed in both samples. The third aim of this study is to evaluate additive and interactive statistical models of the relative contributions of genetic and nongenetic components of maternal behavior and infant disorganization to later psychopathology in the U.S. longitudinal cohort. This extension of the parent grant methodology should contribute substantially to our understanding of the long-term developmental trajectories that culminate in psychopathology. It is essential to seek a thorough understanding of the developmental pathways through which such behavior develops over time to implement prevention or treatment programs for reducing adolescent antisocial behavior and psychopathology. This research will be carried out primarily in Budapest, Hungary, at the laboratories of Drs. Sasvari-Szekely and Gervai as an extension of Dr. Lyons-Ruth's U.S. grant, NIH R01 MH 062030.