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Papers by Marc Gameroff

Research paper thumbnail of Altered Dentate Gyrus Microstructure in Individuals at High Familial Risk for Depression Predicts Future Symptoms

Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Research paper thumbnail of Trajectories of childhood anxiety disorders in two generations at high risk

Depression and Anxiety, Feb 14, 2020

Background: The course of anxiety disorders during childhood is heterogeneous. In two generations... more Background: The course of anxiety disorders during childhood is heterogeneous. In two generations at high or low risk, we described the course of childhood anxiety disorders and evaluated whether parent or grandparent major depressive disorder (MDD) predicted a persistent anxiety course. We utilized a multigenerational study , following children (second generation, G2) and grandchildren (third generation, G3) of generation 1 (G1) with either moderate/severe MDD or no psychiatric illness. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on diagnostic interviews. Using group-based trajectory models, we identified clusters of children with similar anxiety disorder trajectories (age 0-17). We identified three primary trajectories in G2 (N = 275) and G3 (N = 118) cohorts: "no/low anxiety disorder" during childhood (G2 = 66%; G3 = 53%), "nonpersistent" with anxiety during part of childhood (G2 = 16%; G3 = 21%), and "persistent" (G2 = 18%; G3 = 25%). Childhood mood disorders and substance use disorders tended to be more prevalent in children in the persistent anxiety trajectory. In G2 children, parent MDD was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the persistent (84%) or nonpersistent trajectory (82%) versus no/low anxiety trajectory (62%). In G3 children, grandparent MDD, but not parent, was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the persistent (83%) versus nonpersistent (48%) and no/low anxiety (51%) trajectories. : Anxiety trajectories move beyond what is captured under binary, single time-point measures. Parent or grandparent history of moderate/severe MDD may offer value in predicting child anxiety disorder course, which could help clinicians and caregivers identify children needing increased attention and screening for other psychiatric conditions. K E Y W O R D S anxiety disorders, child, major depressive disorder, grandparents, parents, prediction, trajectories 1 | BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders often begin in childhood and are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents with roughly a third of individuals having an anxiety disorder by the end of childhood (Kessler et al., 2005; Merikangas et al., 2010). Globally and in the United States, anxiety disorders are a leading cause of years lived with disability for children and adolescents (Global Burden of

Research paper thumbnail of Offspring of Depressed Parents: 30 Years Later

American Journal of Psychiatry, Oct 1, 2016

Objective: This study was a 20-year follow-up of offspring of depressed and nondepressed parents ... more Objective: This study was a 20-year follow-up of offspring of depressed and nondepressed parents to determine the magnitude and continuity of the risk of parental depression to the offspring. The authors followed 151 offspring of moderately to severely depressed parents or nonpsychiatrically ill comparison subjects for about 20 years, to a mean age of 35 years. Four interviews and diagnostic assessments from childhood or adolescence to adulthood were conducted by assessors blind to the parents' clinical status or the offspring's previous history. Final best-estimate diagnoses were also made by blinded psychologists or psychiatrists. The risks for anxiety disorders, major depression, and substance depen-

Research paper thumbnail of Major depression, temperament, and social support as psychosocial mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of parenting styles

Major depression, temperament, and social support as psychosocial mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of parenting styles

Development and Psychopathology, Jun 8, 2021

In this three-generation longitudinal study of familial depression, we investigated the continuit... more In this three-generation longitudinal study of familial depression, we investigated the continuity of parenting styles, and major depressive disorder (MDD), temperament, and social support during childrearing as potential mechanisms. Each generation independently completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), measuring individuals’ experiences of care and overprotection received from parents during childhood. MDD was assessed prospectively, up to 38 years, using the semi-structured Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). Social support and temperament were assessed using the Social Adjustment Scale – Self-Report (SAS-SR) and Dimensions of Temperament Scales – Revised, respectively. We first assessed transmission of parenting styles in the generation 1 to generation 2 cycle (G1→G2), including 133 G1 and their 229 G2 children (367 pairs), and found continuity of both care and overprotection. G1 MDD accounted for the association between G1→G2 experiences of care, and G1 social support and temperament moderated the transmission of overprotection. The findings were largely similar when examining these psychosocial mechanisms in 111 G2 and their spouses (G2+S) and their 136 children (G3) (a total of 223 pairs). Finally, in a subsample of families with three successive generations (G1→G2→G3), G2 experiences of overprotection accounted for the association between G1→G3 experiences of overprotection. The results of this study highlight the roles of MDD, temperament, and social support in the intergenerational continuity of parenting, which should be considered in interventions to “break the cycle” of poor parenting practices across generations.

Research paper thumbnail of Concordance of Parent-Offspring Cortico-Basal Ganglia White Matter Connectivity: The Role of Parental Depression and Parent-Child Bonding

Biological Psychiatry, May 1, 2020

Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empath... more Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empathy. Associations of compassion toward self (CTS) and compassion toward others (CTO) with health and biomarkers in PWS have not been investigated. Our hypotheses for this cross-sectional study of PWS and non-psychiatric comparison (NC) subjects were: 1) PWS have lower CTS and CTO scores. 2) Women have higher CTS and CTO. 3) CTS and CTO are related to mental, cognitive and physical health. We also explored the relationships of CTS and CTO with biomarkers. The sample included 140 PWS and 131 age-and sex-comparable NCs (age range 26 to 65 years). We assessed CTS (Neff Scale) and CTO (Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale) along with executive functioning, depression, mental and physical well-being. Blood-based biomarkers included lipids, hemoglobin A1c, and hs-CRP. We used t-tests, spearman's correlations and general linear models. Results: PWS had significantly lower CTS (d¼1.0), but similar CTO (d¼.24) as NCs. CTS was not significantly correlated with CTO. Women had higher CTO than and similar CTS as men in each group. CTS, but not CTO, was significantly related to mental-wellbeing, depression, physical well-being with medium-large effect sizes; controlling for age, sex, and diagnostic group. In NCs, CTS was associated with triglycerides (r¼-.34, p¼.04) and hemoglobin A1c (r¼-0.25, p¼.19). In PWS, CTO was associated with HDL cholesterol (r¼.27, p¼.04) and hs-CRP (r¼-.28, p¼.03). Conclusions: Self-compassion has important links to health in PWS and NCs. Self-compassion-focused Interventions may have a role in improving mental and metabolic health in PWS.

Research paper thumbnail of Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Biological Psychiatry, Dec 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Helpful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceived benefits and actual association with psychiatric symptoms and psychological wellbeing

Helpful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceived benefits and actual association with psychiatric symptoms and psychological wellbeing

Journal of Affective Disorders

Research paper thumbnail of Pre- and Post-Pandemic Religiosity and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Relatively few studies have prospectively examined the effects of known protective factors, such ... more Relatively few studies have prospectively examined the effects of known protective factors, such as religion, on pandemic-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre- and post-pandemic trajectories and psychological effects of religious beliefs and religious attendance. Male and female adults (N = 189) reported their beliefs in religious importance (RI) and their religious attendance (RA) both before (T1) and after (T2) the pandemic’s onset. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to track RI and RA from T1 to T2 and to test their effects on psychological outcomes at T1 and T2. The participants who reported a decrease in religious importance and attendance were greater in number than those who reported an increase, with RI (36.5% vs. 5.3%) and RA (34.4% vs. 4.8%). The individuals with decreased RI were less likely to know someone who had died from COVID-19 (O.R. =0.4, p = 0.027). The T1 RI predicted overall social adjustment (p < 0.05) and lower suicidal...

Research paper thumbnail of Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Biological Psychiatry

Research paper thumbnail of Dissociating disorders of depression, anxiety, and their comorbidity with measures of emotional processing: A joint analysis of visual brain potentials and auditory perceptual asymmetries

Dissociating disorders of depression, anxiety, and their comorbidity with measures of emotional processing: A joint analysis of visual brain potentials and auditory perceptual asymmetries

Biological Psychology, 2021

In a multigenerational study of families at risk for depression, individuals with a lifetime hist... more In a multigenerational study of families at risk for depression, individuals with a lifetime history of depression had: 1) abnormal perceptual asymmetry (PA; smaller left ear/right hemisphere [RH] advantage) in a dichotic emotion recognition task, and 2) reduced RH late positive potential (P3RH) during an emotional hemifield task. We used standardized difference scores for processing auditory (PA sad-neutral) and visual (P3RH negative-neutral) stimuli for 112 participants (52 men) in a logistic regression to predict history of depression, anxiety or comorbidity of both. Whereas comorbidity was separately predicted by reduced PA (OR = 0.527, p = .042) or P3RH (OR = 0.457, p = .013) alone, an interaction between PA and P3RH (OR = 2.499, p = .011) predicted depressive disorder. Follow-up analyses revealed increased probability of depression at low (lack of emotional differentiation) and high (heightened reactivity to negative stimuli) levels of both predictors. Findings suggest that reduced or heightened right-lateralized emotional responsivity to negative stimuli may be uniquely associated with depression.

Research paper thumbnail of The effects of the pandemic on mental health in persons with and without a psychiatric history

Psychological Medicine, 2021

BackgroundProspective studies are needed to assess the influence of pre-pandemic risk factors on ... more BackgroundProspective studies are needed to assess the influence of pre-pandemic risk factors on mental health outcomes following the COVID-19 pandemic. From direct interviews prior to (T1), and then in the same individuals after the pandemic onset (T2), we assessed the influence of personal psychiatric history on changes in symptoms and wellbeing.MethodsTwo hundred and four (19–69 years/117 female) individuals from a multigenerational family study were followed clinically up to T1. Psychiatric symptom changes (T1-to-T2), their association with lifetime psychiatric history (no, only-past, and recent psychiatric history), and pandemic-specific worries were investigated.ResultsAt T2 relative to T1, participants with recent psychopathology (in the last 2 years) had significantly fewer depressive (mean, M = 41.7 v. 47.6) and traumatic symptoms (M = 6.6 v. 8.1, p < 0.001), while those with no and only-past psychiatric history had decreased wellbeing (M = 22.6 v. 25.0, p < 0.01). Th...

Research paper thumbnail of Enduring problems in the offspring of depressed parents followed up to 38 years

eClinicalMedicine, 2021

Background: while the increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in offspring of depressed... more Background: while the increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in offspring of depressed parents is one of the best-replicated findings in psychiatry, their long-term outcomes are less well known. The clinical outcomes of biological offspring of depressed (high-risk) and not depressed (low-risk) parents who have been directly interviewed over the years are presented. Methods: a longitudinal retrospective cohort study began in 1982, and 276 biological offspring of moderatelyto-severely depressed or non-depressed parents from the same community were followed up to 38 years. Rates of psychiatric disorders for offspring were collected by clinically trained interviewers. Final diagnoses were made by M.D. or Ph.D. clinicians. Mortality and cause of death were obtained from relatives and registries. Findings: high-compared to low-risk offspring continue to have about a three-fold increased risk of MDD, increased rates of anxiety disorder, substance dependence, and poorer functioning over the life course. Adolescence and early adulthood remain prime age of first onsets. Within high-risk group only, the death rate due to unnatural causes, suicides and overdose was 4¢97/100 in the offspring and 5¢36/100 in their parents. This subsample of White, lower-educated, often unemployed persons, who died by unnatural causes are similar demographically to those described as having a recent increase in 'deaths of despair'. Interpretation: family history of MDD continues to be a powerful predictor of clinical course and mortality and should be probed in clinical visits, especially in youth when depression usually first appears.

Research paper thumbnail of Concordance of Parent-Offspring Cortico-Basal Ganglia White Matter Connectivity: The Role of Parental Depression and Parent-Child Bonding

Biological Psychiatry, 2020

Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empath... more Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empathy. Associations of compassion toward self (CTS) and compassion toward others (CTO) with health and biomarkers in PWS have not been investigated. Our hypotheses for this cross-sectional study of PWS and non-psychiatric comparison (NC) subjects were: 1) PWS have lower CTS and CTO scores. 2) Women have higher CTS and CTO. 3) CTS and CTO are related to mental, cognitive and physical health. We also explored the relationships of CTS and CTO with biomarkers. The sample included 140 PWS and 131 age-and sex-comparable NCs (age range 26 to 65 years). We assessed CTS (Neff Scale) and CTO (Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale) along with executive functioning, depression, mental and physical well-being. Blood-based biomarkers included lipids, hemoglobin A1c, and hs-CRP. We used t-tests, spearman's correlations and general linear models. Results: PWS had significantly lower CTS (d¼1.0), but similar CTO (d¼.24) as NCs. CTS was not significantly correlated with CTO. Women had higher CTO than and similar CTS as men in each group. CTS, but not CTO, was significantly related to mental-wellbeing, depression, physical well-being with medium-large effect sizes; controlling for age, sex, and diagnostic group. In NCs, CTS was associated with triglycerides (r¼-.34, p¼.04) and hemoglobin A1c (r¼-0.25, p¼.19). In PWS, CTO was associated with HDL cholesterol (r¼.27, p¼.04) and hs-CRP (r¼-.28, p¼.03). Conclusions: Self-compassion has important links to health in PWS and NCs. Self-compassion-focused Interventions may have a role in improving mental and metabolic health in PWS.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting Depression Symptoms in Families at Risk for Depression: Interrelations of Posterior EEG Alpha and Religion/Spirituality

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background-Posterior EEG alpha has been identified as a putative biomarker of clinical outcomes i... more Background-Posterior EEG alpha has been identified as a putative biomarker of clinical outcomes in major depression (MDD). Separately, personal importance of religion and spirituality (R/S) has been shown to provide protective benefits for individuals at high familial risk for MDD. This study directly explored the joint value of posterior alpha and R/S on predicting clinical health outcomes of depression. Methods-Using a mixed-effects model approach, we obtained virtual estimates of R/S at age 21 using longitudinal data collected at 5 timepoints spanning 25 years. Current source density and frequency principal component analysis was used to quantify posterior alpha in 72-channel resting EEG (eyes open/closed). Depression severity was measured between 5 and 10 years after EEG collection using PHQ-9 and IDAS-GD scales. Results-Greater R/S (p = .008, η p 2 = 0.076) and higher alpha (p = .02, η p 2 = 0.056) were separately associated with fewer symptoms across scales. However, an interaction between alpha and R/S (p = .02, η p 2 = 0.062) was observed, where greater R/S predicted fewer symptoms with low alpha but high alpha predicted fewer symptoms with lower R/S.

Research paper thumbnail of Family Risk for Depression and Prioritization of Religion or Spirituality: Early Neurophysiological Modulations of Motivated Attention

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2019

Emotional ERPs, Depression, and Religion/Spirituality an early processing stage in high risk and ... more Emotional ERPs, Depression, and Religion/Spirituality an early processing stage in high risk and high R/S importance individuals, presumably to prevent overactivation of ventral brain regions further downstream. These findings may point to a neurophysiological mechanism underlying resilience of families at risk for depression with high R/S prioritization.

Research paper thumbnail of Contribution of religion/spirituality and major depressive disorder to altruism

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background: In most studies, religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are positively associated with al... more Background: In most studies, religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are positively associated with altruism, whereas depression is negatively associated. However, the cross-sectional designs of these studies limit their epidemiological value. We examine the association of R/S and major depressive disorder (MDD) with altruism in a five year longitudinal study nested in a larger prospective study. Methods: Depressed and non-depressed individuals and their first-and second-generation offspring were assessed over several decades. At Year30 after baseline, R/S was measured using participants' self-report; MDD, by clinical interview. At Year35, participants completed a measure of altruism. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression; statistical significance, set at p<.05. two-tailed. Results: In the overall sample, both R/S and MDD were significantly associated with altruism, AOR 2.52 (95% CI 1.15-5.49) and AOR 2.43 (95% CI 1.05-5.64), respectively; in the High Risk group alone, the corresponding AORs were 4.69 (95% CI 1.39-15.84) and 4.74 (95% CI 1.92-11.72). Among highly R/S people in the High Risk group, the AOR for MDD with altruism was 22.55 (95% CI 1.23-414.60) p<.04; among the remainder, it was 3.12 (95% CI 0.63-15.30), a substantial but non-significant difference. Limitations: Altruism is based on self-report, not observation, hence, vulnerable to bias. Conclusions: MDD's positive association with elevated altruism concurs with studies of posttraumatic growth in finding developmental growth from adversity. The conditions that foster MDD's positive association with altruism and the contribution of R/S to this process requires further study.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding self-reported importance of religion/spirituality in a North American sample of individuals at risk for familial depression: A principal component analysis

Several studies have shown protective effects between health outcomes and subjective reports of r... more Several studies have shown protective effects between health outcomes and subjective reports of religious/spiritual (R/S) importance, as measured by a single self-report item. In a 3-generation study of individuals at high or low familial risk for depression, R/S importance was found to be protective against depression, as indicated by clinical and neurobiological outcomes. The psychological components underlying these protective effects, however, remain little understood. Hence, to clarify the meaning of answering the R/S importance item, we employed a comprehensive set of validated scales assessing religious beliefs and experiences and exploratory factor analysis to uncover latent R/S constructs that strongly and independently correlated with the single-item measure of R/S importance. A Varimax-rotated principal component analysis (PCA) resulted in a 23-factor solution (Eigenvalue > 1; 71.5% explained variance) with 8 factors that, respectively, accounted for at least 3% of the...

Research paper thumbnail of Adult outcomes of childhood disruptive disorders in offspring of depressed and healthy parents

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2019

Background: Longitudinal studies of children with disruptive disorders (DDs) have shown high rate... more Background: Longitudinal studies of children with disruptive disorders (DDs) have shown high rates of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and substance use in adulthood, but few have examined the contribution of parental disorders. We examine child-/adulthood outcomes of DDs in offspring, whose biological parents did not have a history of ASPD, bipolar disorder, or substance use disorders. Method: Offspring (N = 267) of parents with or without major depression (MDD), but no ASPD or bipolar disorders were followed longitudinally over 33 years, and associations between DDs and psychiatric and functional outcomes were tested. Results: Eighty-nine (33%) offspring had a DD. Those with, compared to without DDs, had higher rates of MDD (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 3.42, p < 0.0001), bipolar disorder (AOR = 3.10, p = 0.03), and substance use disorders (AOR = 5.69, p < 0.0001) by age 18, as well as poorer school performance and global functioning. DDs continued to predict MDD and substance use outcomes in adulthood, even after accounting for presence of the corresponding disorder in childhood (MDD: hazards ratio, HR = 3.25, p < 0.0001; SUD, HR = 2.52, p < 0.0001). Associations were similar among the offspring of parents with and without major depression. DDs did not predict adulthood ASPD in either group. Limitations: Associations are largely accounted for by conduct disorder (CD), as there were few offspring with ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) was not diagnosed at the time this study began. Conclusion: If there is no familial risk for ASPD, bipolar disorder or substance use, childhood DDs do not lead to ASPD in adulthood; however, the children still have poorer prognosis into midlife. Early treatment of children with DD, particularly CD, while carefully considering familial risk for these disorders, may help mitigate later adversity.

Research paper thumbnail of Association of Parent and Offspring Religiosity With Offspring Suicide Ideation and Attempts

JAMA psychiatry, Jan 8, 2018

Previous studies have shown an inverse association between offspring religiosity and suicidal ide... more Previous studies have shown an inverse association between offspring religiosity and suicidal ideation/attempts, but the association of parent religiosity on offspring suicidal ideation/attempts has not been examined. To examine associations of parent and offspring religiosity with suicide ideation and attempts in offspring. The study is based on offspring (generation 3) from a 3-generation family study at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, in which generations 2 and 3 were defined as being at high risk or low risk for major depressive disorder because of the presence or absence of major depressive disorder in generation 1. The association between suicidal behaviors (ideation/attempts) and parent and offspring religiosity in generation 3 offspring aged 6 to 18 years (214 offspring from 112 nuclear families) was examined. Parents' psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal behaviors were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, and ...

Research paper thumbnail of 1.51 30-Year Follow-Up of Children and Adolescents With Disruptive Disorder: PSYCHIATRIC, GENERAL HEALTH, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING OUTCOMES

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2016

of eligible students) using the BASC-2 BESS, a 27-item screening instrument that assesses a varie... more of eligible students) using the BASC-2 BESS, a 27-item screening instrument that assesses a variety of internalizing and externalizing BEP. Male teachers (n ¼ 63) completed 1,485 screens, and female teachers (n ¼ 168) completed 4,263 screens. BASC-2 BESS screening status was categorized as "high" using the established cutoff score of !60. Analyses were conducted on the weighted data to account for the complex sampling design. t-tests and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationships between mean score/screening status, teacher gender, and student characteristics. Results: There was no significant difference in mean BASC score between teacher genders (female: 52.3; male: 52.1; P ¼ 0.42). There was a significant relationship between BASC screening and male gender of the child (OR ¼ 1.14), African American race compared with Caucasians (OR ¼ 2.33), and free versus price-reduced lunch (OR ¼ 1.64). When controlling for race, ethnicity, student gender, and free versus price-reduced lunch, teacher gender did not have a significant association with screening status (P ¼ 0.34). Conclusions: Based on an extensive search of the literature, no prior studies were found that evaluated whether male teachers differed from female teachers in how they rate children's BEP. No relationship was found between teacher gender and ratings of BEP in students aged 5-17 years using the BASC-2 BESS. This differs from a large body of evidence that mothers and fathers rate children discrepantly. These data do not support the hypothesis that teacher gender follows the same pattern.

Research paper thumbnail of Altered Dentate Gyrus Microstructure in Individuals at High Familial Risk for Depression Predicts Future Symptoms

Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Research paper thumbnail of Trajectories of childhood anxiety disorders in two generations at high risk

Depression and Anxiety, Feb 14, 2020

Background: The course of anxiety disorders during childhood is heterogeneous. In two generations... more Background: The course of anxiety disorders during childhood is heterogeneous. In two generations at high or low risk, we described the course of childhood anxiety disorders and evaluated whether parent or grandparent major depressive disorder (MDD) predicted a persistent anxiety course. We utilized a multigenerational study , following children (second generation, G2) and grandchildren (third generation, G3) of generation 1 (G1) with either moderate/severe MDD or no psychiatric illness. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on diagnostic interviews. Using group-based trajectory models, we identified clusters of children with similar anxiety disorder trajectories (age 0-17). We identified three primary trajectories in G2 (N = 275) and G3 (N = 118) cohorts: "no/low anxiety disorder" during childhood (G2 = 66%; G3 = 53%), "nonpersistent" with anxiety during part of childhood (G2 = 16%; G3 = 21%), and "persistent" (G2 = 18%; G3 = 25%). Childhood mood disorders and substance use disorders tended to be more prevalent in children in the persistent anxiety trajectory. In G2 children, parent MDD was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the persistent (84%) or nonpersistent trajectory (82%) versus no/low anxiety trajectory (62%). In G3 children, grandparent MDD, but not parent, was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the persistent (83%) versus nonpersistent (48%) and no/low anxiety (51%) trajectories. : Anxiety trajectories move beyond what is captured under binary, single time-point measures. Parent or grandparent history of moderate/severe MDD may offer value in predicting child anxiety disorder course, which could help clinicians and caregivers identify children needing increased attention and screening for other psychiatric conditions. K E Y W O R D S anxiety disorders, child, major depressive disorder, grandparents, parents, prediction, trajectories 1 | BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders often begin in childhood and are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents with roughly a third of individuals having an anxiety disorder by the end of childhood (Kessler et al., 2005; Merikangas et al., 2010). Globally and in the United States, anxiety disorders are a leading cause of years lived with disability for children and adolescents (Global Burden of

Research paper thumbnail of Offspring of Depressed Parents: 30 Years Later

American Journal of Psychiatry, Oct 1, 2016

Objective: This study was a 20-year follow-up of offspring of depressed and nondepressed parents ... more Objective: This study was a 20-year follow-up of offspring of depressed and nondepressed parents to determine the magnitude and continuity of the risk of parental depression to the offspring. The authors followed 151 offspring of moderately to severely depressed parents or nonpsychiatrically ill comparison subjects for about 20 years, to a mean age of 35 years. Four interviews and diagnostic assessments from childhood or adolescence to adulthood were conducted by assessors blind to the parents' clinical status or the offspring's previous history. Final best-estimate diagnoses were also made by blinded psychologists or psychiatrists. The risks for anxiety disorders, major depression, and substance depen-

Research paper thumbnail of Major depression, temperament, and social support as psychosocial mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of parenting styles

Major depression, temperament, and social support as psychosocial mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of parenting styles

Development and Psychopathology, Jun 8, 2021

In this three-generation longitudinal study of familial depression, we investigated the continuit... more In this three-generation longitudinal study of familial depression, we investigated the continuity of parenting styles, and major depressive disorder (MDD), temperament, and social support during childrearing as potential mechanisms. Each generation independently completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), measuring individuals’ experiences of care and overprotection received from parents during childhood. MDD was assessed prospectively, up to 38 years, using the semi-structured Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). Social support and temperament were assessed using the Social Adjustment Scale – Self-Report (SAS-SR) and Dimensions of Temperament Scales – Revised, respectively. We first assessed transmission of parenting styles in the generation 1 to generation 2 cycle (G1→G2), including 133 G1 and their 229 G2 children (367 pairs), and found continuity of both care and overprotection. G1 MDD accounted for the association between G1→G2 experiences of care, and G1 social support and temperament moderated the transmission of overprotection. The findings were largely similar when examining these psychosocial mechanisms in 111 G2 and their spouses (G2+S) and their 136 children (G3) (a total of 223 pairs). Finally, in a subsample of families with three successive generations (G1→G2→G3), G2 experiences of overprotection accounted for the association between G1→G3 experiences of overprotection. The results of this study highlight the roles of MDD, temperament, and social support in the intergenerational continuity of parenting, which should be considered in interventions to “break the cycle” of poor parenting practices across generations.

Research paper thumbnail of Concordance of Parent-Offspring Cortico-Basal Ganglia White Matter Connectivity: The Role of Parental Depression and Parent-Child Bonding

Biological Psychiatry, May 1, 2020

Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empath... more Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empathy. Associations of compassion toward self (CTS) and compassion toward others (CTO) with health and biomarkers in PWS have not been investigated. Our hypotheses for this cross-sectional study of PWS and non-psychiatric comparison (NC) subjects were: 1) PWS have lower CTS and CTO scores. 2) Women have higher CTS and CTO. 3) CTS and CTO are related to mental, cognitive and physical health. We also explored the relationships of CTS and CTO with biomarkers. The sample included 140 PWS and 131 age-and sex-comparable NCs (age range 26 to 65 years). We assessed CTS (Neff Scale) and CTO (Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale) along with executive functioning, depression, mental and physical well-being. Blood-based biomarkers included lipids, hemoglobin A1c, and hs-CRP. We used t-tests, spearman's correlations and general linear models. Results: PWS had significantly lower CTS (d¼1.0), but similar CTO (d¼.24) as NCs. CTS was not significantly correlated with CTO. Women had higher CTO than and similar CTS as men in each group. CTS, but not CTO, was significantly related to mental-wellbeing, depression, physical well-being with medium-large effect sizes; controlling for age, sex, and diagnostic group. In NCs, CTS was associated with triglycerides (r¼-.34, p¼.04) and hemoglobin A1c (r¼-0.25, p¼.19). In PWS, CTO was associated with HDL cholesterol (r¼.27, p¼.04) and hs-CRP (r¼-.28, p¼.03). Conclusions: Self-compassion has important links to health in PWS and NCs. Self-compassion-focused Interventions may have a role in improving mental and metabolic health in PWS.

Research paper thumbnail of Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Biological Psychiatry, Dec 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Helpful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceived benefits and actual association with psychiatric symptoms and psychological wellbeing

Helpful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceived benefits and actual association with psychiatric symptoms and psychological wellbeing

Journal of Affective Disorders

Research paper thumbnail of Pre- and Post-Pandemic Religiosity and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Relatively few studies have prospectively examined the effects of known protective factors, such ... more Relatively few studies have prospectively examined the effects of known protective factors, such as religion, on pandemic-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre- and post-pandemic trajectories and psychological effects of religious beliefs and religious attendance. Male and female adults (N = 189) reported their beliefs in religious importance (RI) and their religious attendance (RA) both before (T1) and after (T2) the pandemic’s onset. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to track RI and RA from T1 to T2 and to test their effects on psychological outcomes at T1 and T2. The participants who reported a decrease in religious importance and attendance were greater in number than those who reported an increase, with RI (36.5% vs. 5.3%) and RA (34.4% vs. 4.8%). The individuals with decreased RI were less likely to know someone who had died from COVID-19 (O.R. =0.4, p = 0.027). The T1 RI predicted overall social adjustment (p < 0.05) and lower suicidal...

Research paper thumbnail of Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Putamen Structure and Function in Familial Risk for Depression: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Biological Psychiatry

Research paper thumbnail of Dissociating disorders of depression, anxiety, and their comorbidity with measures of emotional processing: A joint analysis of visual brain potentials and auditory perceptual asymmetries

Dissociating disorders of depression, anxiety, and their comorbidity with measures of emotional processing: A joint analysis of visual brain potentials and auditory perceptual asymmetries

Biological Psychology, 2021

In a multigenerational study of families at risk for depression, individuals with a lifetime hist... more In a multigenerational study of families at risk for depression, individuals with a lifetime history of depression had: 1) abnormal perceptual asymmetry (PA; smaller left ear/right hemisphere [RH] advantage) in a dichotic emotion recognition task, and 2) reduced RH late positive potential (P3RH) during an emotional hemifield task. We used standardized difference scores for processing auditory (PA sad-neutral) and visual (P3RH negative-neutral) stimuli for 112 participants (52 men) in a logistic regression to predict history of depression, anxiety or comorbidity of both. Whereas comorbidity was separately predicted by reduced PA (OR = 0.527, p = .042) or P3RH (OR = 0.457, p = .013) alone, an interaction between PA and P3RH (OR = 2.499, p = .011) predicted depressive disorder. Follow-up analyses revealed increased probability of depression at low (lack of emotional differentiation) and high (heightened reactivity to negative stimuli) levels of both predictors. Findings suggest that reduced or heightened right-lateralized emotional responsivity to negative stimuli may be uniquely associated with depression.

Research paper thumbnail of The effects of the pandemic on mental health in persons with and without a psychiatric history

Psychological Medicine, 2021

BackgroundProspective studies are needed to assess the influence of pre-pandemic risk factors on ... more BackgroundProspective studies are needed to assess the influence of pre-pandemic risk factors on mental health outcomes following the COVID-19 pandemic. From direct interviews prior to (T1), and then in the same individuals after the pandemic onset (T2), we assessed the influence of personal psychiatric history on changes in symptoms and wellbeing.MethodsTwo hundred and four (19–69 years/117 female) individuals from a multigenerational family study were followed clinically up to T1. Psychiatric symptom changes (T1-to-T2), their association with lifetime psychiatric history (no, only-past, and recent psychiatric history), and pandemic-specific worries were investigated.ResultsAt T2 relative to T1, participants with recent psychopathology (in the last 2 years) had significantly fewer depressive (mean, M = 41.7 v. 47.6) and traumatic symptoms (M = 6.6 v. 8.1, p < 0.001), while those with no and only-past psychiatric history had decreased wellbeing (M = 22.6 v. 25.0, p < 0.01). Th...

Research paper thumbnail of Enduring problems in the offspring of depressed parents followed up to 38 years

eClinicalMedicine, 2021

Background: while the increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in offspring of depressed... more Background: while the increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in offspring of depressed parents is one of the best-replicated findings in psychiatry, their long-term outcomes are less well known. The clinical outcomes of biological offspring of depressed (high-risk) and not depressed (low-risk) parents who have been directly interviewed over the years are presented. Methods: a longitudinal retrospective cohort study began in 1982, and 276 biological offspring of moderatelyto-severely depressed or non-depressed parents from the same community were followed up to 38 years. Rates of psychiatric disorders for offspring were collected by clinically trained interviewers. Final diagnoses were made by M.D. or Ph.D. clinicians. Mortality and cause of death were obtained from relatives and registries. Findings: high-compared to low-risk offspring continue to have about a three-fold increased risk of MDD, increased rates of anxiety disorder, substance dependence, and poorer functioning over the life course. Adolescence and early adulthood remain prime age of first onsets. Within high-risk group only, the death rate due to unnatural causes, suicides and overdose was 4¢97/100 in the offspring and 5¢36/100 in their parents. This subsample of White, lower-educated, often unemployed persons, who died by unnatural causes are similar demographically to those described as having a recent increase in 'deaths of despair'. Interpretation: family history of MDD continues to be a powerful predictor of clinical course and mortality and should be probed in clinical visits, especially in youth when depression usually first appears.

Research paper thumbnail of Concordance of Parent-Offspring Cortico-Basal Ganglia White Matter Connectivity: The Role of Parental Depression and Parent-Child Bonding

Biological Psychiatry, 2020

Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empath... more Background: People with schizophrenia (PWS) have impaired social cognition and deficits in empathy. Associations of compassion toward self (CTS) and compassion toward others (CTO) with health and biomarkers in PWS have not been investigated. Our hypotheses for this cross-sectional study of PWS and non-psychiatric comparison (NC) subjects were: 1) PWS have lower CTS and CTO scores. 2) Women have higher CTS and CTO. 3) CTS and CTO are related to mental, cognitive and physical health. We also explored the relationships of CTS and CTO with biomarkers. The sample included 140 PWS and 131 age-and sex-comparable NCs (age range 26 to 65 years). We assessed CTS (Neff Scale) and CTO (Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale) along with executive functioning, depression, mental and physical well-being. Blood-based biomarkers included lipids, hemoglobin A1c, and hs-CRP. We used t-tests, spearman's correlations and general linear models. Results: PWS had significantly lower CTS (d¼1.0), but similar CTO (d¼.24) as NCs. CTS was not significantly correlated with CTO. Women had higher CTO than and similar CTS as men in each group. CTS, but not CTO, was significantly related to mental-wellbeing, depression, physical well-being with medium-large effect sizes; controlling for age, sex, and diagnostic group. In NCs, CTS was associated with triglycerides (r¼-.34, p¼.04) and hemoglobin A1c (r¼-0.25, p¼.19). In PWS, CTO was associated with HDL cholesterol (r¼.27, p¼.04) and hs-CRP (r¼-.28, p¼.03). Conclusions: Self-compassion has important links to health in PWS and NCs. Self-compassion-focused Interventions may have a role in improving mental and metabolic health in PWS.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting Depression Symptoms in Families at Risk for Depression: Interrelations of Posterior EEG Alpha and Religion/Spirituality

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background-Posterior EEG alpha has been identified as a putative biomarker of clinical outcomes i... more Background-Posterior EEG alpha has been identified as a putative biomarker of clinical outcomes in major depression (MDD). Separately, personal importance of religion and spirituality (R/S) has been shown to provide protective benefits for individuals at high familial risk for MDD. This study directly explored the joint value of posterior alpha and R/S on predicting clinical health outcomes of depression. Methods-Using a mixed-effects model approach, we obtained virtual estimates of R/S at age 21 using longitudinal data collected at 5 timepoints spanning 25 years. Current source density and frequency principal component analysis was used to quantify posterior alpha in 72-channel resting EEG (eyes open/closed). Depression severity was measured between 5 and 10 years after EEG collection using PHQ-9 and IDAS-GD scales. Results-Greater R/S (p = .008, η p 2 = 0.076) and higher alpha (p = .02, η p 2 = 0.056) were separately associated with fewer symptoms across scales. However, an interaction between alpha and R/S (p = .02, η p 2 = 0.062) was observed, where greater R/S predicted fewer symptoms with low alpha but high alpha predicted fewer symptoms with lower R/S.

Research paper thumbnail of Family Risk for Depression and Prioritization of Religion or Spirituality: Early Neurophysiological Modulations of Motivated Attention

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2019

Emotional ERPs, Depression, and Religion/Spirituality an early processing stage in high risk and ... more Emotional ERPs, Depression, and Religion/Spirituality an early processing stage in high risk and high R/S importance individuals, presumably to prevent overactivation of ventral brain regions further downstream. These findings may point to a neurophysiological mechanism underlying resilience of families at risk for depression with high R/S prioritization.

Research paper thumbnail of Contribution of religion/spirituality and major depressive disorder to altruism

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background: In most studies, religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are positively associated with al... more Background: In most studies, religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are positively associated with altruism, whereas depression is negatively associated. However, the cross-sectional designs of these studies limit their epidemiological value. We examine the association of R/S and major depressive disorder (MDD) with altruism in a five year longitudinal study nested in a larger prospective study. Methods: Depressed and non-depressed individuals and their first-and second-generation offspring were assessed over several decades. At Year30 after baseline, R/S was measured using participants' self-report; MDD, by clinical interview. At Year35, participants completed a measure of altruism. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression; statistical significance, set at p<.05. two-tailed. Results: In the overall sample, both R/S and MDD were significantly associated with altruism, AOR 2.52 (95% CI 1.15-5.49) and AOR 2.43 (95% CI 1.05-5.64), respectively; in the High Risk group alone, the corresponding AORs were 4.69 (95% CI 1.39-15.84) and 4.74 (95% CI 1.92-11.72). Among highly R/S people in the High Risk group, the AOR for MDD with altruism was 22.55 (95% CI 1.23-414.60) p<.04; among the remainder, it was 3.12 (95% CI 0.63-15.30), a substantial but non-significant difference. Limitations: Altruism is based on self-report, not observation, hence, vulnerable to bias. Conclusions: MDD's positive association with elevated altruism concurs with studies of posttraumatic growth in finding developmental growth from adversity. The conditions that foster MDD's positive association with altruism and the contribution of R/S to this process requires further study.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding self-reported importance of religion/spirituality in a North American sample of individuals at risk for familial depression: A principal component analysis

Several studies have shown protective effects between health outcomes and subjective reports of r... more Several studies have shown protective effects between health outcomes and subjective reports of religious/spiritual (R/S) importance, as measured by a single self-report item. In a 3-generation study of individuals at high or low familial risk for depression, R/S importance was found to be protective against depression, as indicated by clinical and neurobiological outcomes. The psychological components underlying these protective effects, however, remain little understood. Hence, to clarify the meaning of answering the R/S importance item, we employed a comprehensive set of validated scales assessing religious beliefs and experiences and exploratory factor analysis to uncover latent R/S constructs that strongly and independently correlated with the single-item measure of R/S importance. A Varimax-rotated principal component analysis (PCA) resulted in a 23-factor solution (Eigenvalue > 1; 71.5% explained variance) with 8 factors that, respectively, accounted for at least 3% of the...

Research paper thumbnail of Adult outcomes of childhood disruptive disorders in offspring of depressed and healthy parents

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2019

Background: Longitudinal studies of children with disruptive disorders (DDs) have shown high rate... more Background: Longitudinal studies of children with disruptive disorders (DDs) have shown high rates of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and substance use in adulthood, but few have examined the contribution of parental disorders. We examine child-/adulthood outcomes of DDs in offspring, whose biological parents did not have a history of ASPD, bipolar disorder, or substance use disorders. Method: Offspring (N = 267) of parents with or without major depression (MDD), but no ASPD or bipolar disorders were followed longitudinally over 33 years, and associations between DDs and psychiatric and functional outcomes were tested. Results: Eighty-nine (33%) offspring had a DD. Those with, compared to without DDs, had higher rates of MDD (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 3.42, p < 0.0001), bipolar disorder (AOR = 3.10, p = 0.03), and substance use disorders (AOR = 5.69, p < 0.0001) by age 18, as well as poorer school performance and global functioning. DDs continued to predict MDD and substance use outcomes in adulthood, even after accounting for presence of the corresponding disorder in childhood (MDD: hazards ratio, HR = 3.25, p < 0.0001; SUD, HR = 2.52, p < 0.0001). Associations were similar among the offspring of parents with and without major depression. DDs did not predict adulthood ASPD in either group. Limitations: Associations are largely accounted for by conduct disorder (CD), as there were few offspring with ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) was not diagnosed at the time this study began. Conclusion: If there is no familial risk for ASPD, bipolar disorder or substance use, childhood DDs do not lead to ASPD in adulthood; however, the children still have poorer prognosis into midlife. Early treatment of children with DD, particularly CD, while carefully considering familial risk for these disorders, may help mitigate later adversity.

Research paper thumbnail of Association of Parent and Offspring Religiosity With Offspring Suicide Ideation and Attempts

JAMA psychiatry, Jan 8, 2018

Previous studies have shown an inverse association between offspring religiosity and suicidal ide... more Previous studies have shown an inverse association between offspring religiosity and suicidal ideation/attempts, but the association of parent religiosity on offspring suicidal ideation/attempts has not been examined. To examine associations of parent and offspring religiosity with suicide ideation and attempts in offspring. The study is based on offspring (generation 3) from a 3-generation family study at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, in which generations 2 and 3 were defined as being at high risk or low risk for major depressive disorder because of the presence or absence of major depressive disorder in generation 1. The association between suicidal behaviors (ideation/attempts) and parent and offspring religiosity in generation 3 offspring aged 6 to 18 years (214 offspring from 112 nuclear families) was examined. Parents' psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal behaviors were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, and ...

Research paper thumbnail of 1.51 30-Year Follow-Up of Children and Adolescents With Disruptive Disorder: PSYCHIATRIC, GENERAL HEALTH, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING OUTCOMES

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2016

of eligible students) using the BASC-2 BESS, a 27-item screening instrument that assesses a varie... more of eligible students) using the BASC-2 BESS, a 27-item screening instrument that assesses a variety of internalizing and externalizing BEP. Male teachers (n ¼ 63) completed 1,485 screens, and female teachers (n ¼ 168) completed 4,263 screens. BASC-2 BESS screening status was categorized as "high" using the established cutoff score of !60. Analyses were conducted on the weighted data to account for the complex sampling design. t-tests and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationships between mean score/screening status, teacher gender, and student characteristics. Results: There was no significant difference in mean BASC score between teacher genders (female: 52.3; male: 52.1; P ¼ 0.42). There was a significant relationship between BASC screening and male gender of the child (OR ¼ 1.14), African American race compared with Caucasians (OR ¼ 2.33), and free versus price-reduced lunch (OR ¼ 1.64). When controlling for race, ethnicity, student gender, and free versus price-reduced lunch, teacher gender did not have a significant association with screening status (P ¼ 0.34). Conclusions: Based on an extensive search of the literature, no prior studies were found that evaluated whether male teachers differed from female teachers in how they rate children's BEP. No relationship was found between teacher gender and ratings of BEP in students aged 5-17 years using the BASC-2 BESS. This differs from a large body of evidence that mothers and fathers rate children discrepantly. These data do not support the hypothesis that teacher gender follows the same pattern.