Marissa Ericson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Marissa Ericson

Frontiers in human neuroscience, Mar 1, 2024

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

JAMA Psychiatry, Apr 1, 2014

IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis rem... more IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. A focus on measuring multisystem quantitative traits that may be components of BP psychopathology may enable genetic dissection of this complex disorder, and investigation of extended pedigrees from genetically isolated populations may facilitate the detection of specific genetic variants that affect BP as well as its component phenotypes. OBJECTIVE To identify quantitative neurocognitive, temperament-related, and neuroanatomical phenotypes that appear heritable and associated with severe BP (bipolar I disorder [BP-I]) and therefore suitable for genetic linkage and association studies aimed at identifying variants contributing to BP-I risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Multigenerational pedigree study in 2 closely related, genetically isolated populations: the Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia, Colombia. A total of 738 individuals, all from Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia pedigrees, participated; among them, 181 have BP-I. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Familial aggregation (heritability) and association with BP-I of 169 quantitative neurocognitive, temperament, magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging phenotypes. RESULTS Of 169 phenotypes investigated, 119 (70%) were significantly heritable and 51 (30%) were associated with BP-I. About one-quarter of the phenotypes, including measures from each phenotype domain, were both heritable and associated with BP-I. Neuroimaging phenotypes, particularly cortical thickness in prefrontal and temporal regions and volume of the corpus callosum, represented the most promising candidate traits for genetic mapping related to BP based on strong heritability and association with disease. Analyses of phenotypic and genetic covariation identified substantial correlations among the traits, at least some of which share a common underlying genetic architecture. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the most extensive investigation of BP-relevant component phenotypes to date. Our results identify brain and behavioral quantitative traits that appear to be genetically influenced and show a pattern of BP-I association within families that is consistent with expectations from case-control studies. Together, these phenotypes provide a basis for identifying loci contributing to BP-I risk and for genetic dissection of the disorder.

Punch grafting procedures, where small pieces of normal skin are transplanted into stable vitilig... more Punch grafting procedures, where small pieces of normal skin are transplanted into stable vitiligo patches, results in repigmentation in only half of patients treated, yet the factors that determine whether a patient responds to treatment or not are still unknown. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is adept at visualizing melanocyte migration and epidermal changes over large areas while multiphoton microscopy (MPM) can capture metabolic changes in keratinocytes. With the overall goal of identifying optical biomarkers for early treatment response, we followed 12 vitiligo lesions undergoing punch grafting. Dendritic melanocytes adjacent to the graft site were observed before clinical evidence of repigmentation in treatment responsive patients but not in treatment non-responsive patients, suggesting that the early visualization of melanocytes is indicative of a therapeutic response. Keratinocyte metabolic changes in vitiligo skin adjacent to the graft site also correlated with treat...

Cancer Research, Mar 1, 2023

Cancer Research

The passage of H.R. 2116 (CROWN Act) prohibits hair texture and style discrimination based on rac... more The passage of H.R. 2116 (CROWN Act) prohibits hair texture and style discrimination based on race or national origin, thus, theoretically reducing structural barriers to economic mobility. Regardless, hair is synonymous with Black women’s identities. Possibly due to society’s afro-political ideologies of beauty, Black women tend to use more hair products compared to other racial groups. These standards include social structures that affect self-mediated worth, as well as structural and interpersonal racism based on appearance and societal status. The use of personal care products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been shown to increase Black women’s breast cancer risk. The Black identity, hair product use, and breast cancer scale (BHBS) was developed to measure the sociocultural constructs associated with Black women’s hair product use and perceived breast cancer risk. The purpose of this study was to validate the BHBS and examine hair product use among Black bre...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

A productive, informative three decades of correlates of phenomenal consciousness (P-Consciousnes... more A productive, informative three decades of correlates of phenomenal consciousness (P-Consciousness) have delivered valuable knowledge while simultaneously locating us in a unique and unprecedented explanatory cul-de-sac. Observational correlates are demonstrated to be intrinsically very unlikely to explain or lead to a fundamental principle underlying the strongly emergent 1st-person-perspective (1PP) invisibly stowed away inside them. That lack is now solidly evidenced in practice. To escape our explanatory impasse, this article focuses on fundamental physics (the standard model of particle physics), which brings to light a foundational argument for how the brain is an essentially electromagnetic (EM) field object from the atomic level up. That is, our multitude of correlates of P-Consciousness are actually descriptions of specific EM field behaviors that are posed (hypothesized) as “the right” correlate by a particular theory of consciousness. Because of this, our 30 years of empi...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Electromagnetic field oscillations produced by the brain are increasingly being viewed as causal ... more Electromagnetic field oscillations produced by the brain are increasingly being viewed as causal drivers of consciousness. Recent research has highlighted the importance of the body’s various endogenous rhythms in organizing these brain-generated fields through various types of entrainment. We expand this approach by examining evidence of extracerebral shared oscillations between the brain and other parts of the body, in both humans and animals. We then examine the degree to which these data support one of General Resonance Theory’s (GRT) principles: the Slowest Shared Resonance (SSR) principle, which states that the combination of micro- to macro-consciousness in coupled field systems is a function of the slowest common denominator frequency or resonance. This principle may be utilized to develop a spatiotemporal hierarchy of brain-body shared resonance systems. It is predicted that a system’s SSR decreases with distance between the brain and various resonating structures in the bo...

Behavioral inhibition and executive functions (EF) are two key aspects of self-regulation, and de... more Behavioral inhibition and executive functions (EF) are two key aspects of self-regulation, and deficits in these regulatory processes serve as risk factors for the development of antisocial behavior (ASB). In spite of the well-established association between EF impairments and ASB, we do not yet know (1) the direction of the relationship itself, i.e., whether ASB may be result or cause of EF deficits during development, and (2) the extent to which the relationship is mediated by genetic and environmental factors. In addition, there is a significant dearth in the literature regarding the longitudinal stability of ASB and EF during development. Phenotypic and biometric multivariate models were used to investigate these questions in a longitudinal twin study (N=724 same and opposite-sex twin pairs) based on data from two occasions when the twins were aged 9-10 years (Time 1) and 14-16 years (Time 2). Initial multivariate genetic model fitting results indicated that a common latent fact...

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2022

Black women (BW) experience age-adjusted breast cancer mortality rates that are 40-70% higher tha... more Black women (BW) experience age-adjusted breast cancer mortality rates that are 40-70% higher than White women. Although BW are more likely to report having had a mammogram compared to other racial/ethnic minority groups, differences in mammography utilization exist among women with lower socioeconomic status (SES). Moreover, perceived everyday discrimination (PED) has been shown to have an inverse relationship on health screening behavior among BW. However, mammography screening behaviors of BW with low SES, who also report higher levels of PED, is not well known. This study aims to explore the relationship between perceived discrimination, SES (income, education, health insurance), and mammography screening behavior. Methods: Participants completed a 40-item survey and were recruited between 2020-2021 through a community-based participatory research initiative—Bench to Community. Logistic regression was used to test the associations of mammography utilization with PED—short versio...

Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2021

The first comprehensive studies on the effects of transitioning to persistent forms of selftransc... more The first comprehensive studies on the effects of transitioning to persistent forms of selftranscendence are reported. Two online protocols that combined positive psychology exercises and meditation methods were studied. Instruction was pre-recorded and delivered online. Program 1 (n = 379) lasted 4 months, required 1.5-3 hr each day and contained a larger range of methods. Program 2 (n = 246) lasted 6 weeks, required 1.5-2 hr each day, and was a subset of Program 1.

American Journal of Men's Health, 2020

Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionat... more Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women’s hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews—among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer—were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinion...

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2020

Introduction: The parent study investigated the potential role of hair products for breast cancer... more Introduction: The parent study investigated the potential role of hair products for breast cancer etiology in a community sample of Black women. Black women are diagnosed and die from breast cancer more than White women. Hair across the African diaspora is synonymous with identity. Black women use more hair products containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals than other races. Currently there is no hair, identity, and health scale. To better understand the cultural influence of hair product usage for Black women, given the possible link between product use and breast cancer, we assessed identity, perceived risk, knowledge, and attitude about Black hair and breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to validate a hair, identity, and breast health scale in a diverse sample of Black women. Methods: In phase 1 of our study we explored the cultural and personal meaning of hair for Black women (N=125). Transcribed qualitative interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Survey ...

Behavior Genetics, Oct 11, 2008

The data tabled below indicate that when Drosophila paulistorum superspecies' omnipresent endosym... more The data tabled below indicate that when Drosophila paulistorum superspecies' omnipresent endosymbiont is virtually eliminated by ingested antibiotics, behavior is altered. Additional data, not presented here, identified the cause as pheromones borne on the cuticular skeleton of these insects. Thus a cytoplasmic microorganism, genus Wolbachia, is directing its perpetuation, in bravura co-evolution. Current and original isolation indices, ranging from-1.00 (preferences for unlikes, heterogamy) through 0 (random mating) to ?1.00 (preference for likes, homogamy) between Amazonian and Orinocian Drosophila paulistorum semispecies. Treated = ten generations on 0.01 Rifampicin, an antibiotic, versus Wolbachia endosymbionts. Five replicas and 120 matings were scored

The valence (positive or negative) of the initial reaction to cigarette smoking predicts later re... more The valence (positive or negative) of the initial reaction to cigarette smoking predicts later regular smoking. Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increase smoking risk and may moderate the relationship between genotype and smoking. We conducted an exploratory study to assess whether ADHD symptoms interact with genotype to predict the valence of self-reported initial reactions to smoking. Methods: Participants were a subsample of 1,900 unrelated individuals with genotype data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents followed from 1995 to 2002. Linear regression was used to examine relationships among self-reported ADHD symptoms, genotype, and self-reported initial reaction to cigarettes (9 items reflecting pleasant or unpleasant reactions). Results: Polymorphisms in the DRD2 gene, SLC6A4 gene, and, among males, the MAOA gene interacted with retrospective reports of ADHD symptoms in predicting pleasant initial reaction to cigarettes. Polymorphisms in the CYP2A6 gene, and, among females, the MAOA gene interacted with retrospective reports of ADHD symptoms in predicting unpleasant initial reaction to cigarettes. No main effect for any of these polymorphisms was observed nor were any interactions with DRD4 and DAT genes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that genotypes associated with monoamine neurotransmission interact with ADHD symptoms to influence initial reactions to cigarette smoking. Given that initial reactions to cigarettes also predict lifetime smoking, these results add to a growing body of literature that suggests ADHD symptoms increase risk for smoking and should be accounted for in genetic studies of smoking.

JAMA Psychiatry, 2014

IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis rem... more IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. A focus on measuring multisystem quantitative traits that may be components of BP psychopathology may enable genetic dissection of this complex disorder, and investigation of extended pedigrees from genetically isolated populations may facilitate the detection of specific genetic variants that affect BP as well as its component phenotypes. OBJECTIVE To identify quantitative neurocognitive, temperament-related, and neuroanatomical phenotypes that appear heritable and associated with severe BP (bipolar I disorder [BP-I]) and therefore suitable for genetic linkage and association studies aimed at identifying variants contributing to BP-I risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Multigenerational pedigree study in 2 closely related, genetically isolated populations: the Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia, Colombia. A total of 738 individuals, all from Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia pedigrees, participated; among them, 181 have BP-I. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Familial aggregation (heritability) and association with BP-I of 169 quantitative neurocognitive, temperament, magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging phenotypes. RESULTS Of 169 phenotypes investigated, 119 (70%) were significantly heritable and 51 (30%) were associated with BP-I. About one-quarter of the phenotypes, including measures from each phenotype domain, were both heritable and associated with BP-I. Neuroimaging phenotypes, particularly cortical thickness in prefrontal and temporal regions and volume of the corpus callosum, represented the most promising candidate traits for genetic mapping related to BP based on strong heritability and association with disease. Analyses of phenotypic and genetic covariation identified substantial correlations among the traits, at least some of which share a common underlying genetic architecture. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the most extensive investigation of BP-relevant component phenotypes to date. Our results identify brain and behavioral quantitative traits that appear to be genetically influenced and show a pattern of BP-I association within families that is consistent with expectations from case-control studies. Together, these phenotypes provide a basis for identifying loci contributing to BP-I risk and for genetic dissection of the disorder.

Psychological Medicine, 2010

BackgroundAn association between childhood maltreatment and subsequent alcohol abuse and/or depen... more BackgroundAn association between childhood maltreatment and subsequent alcohol abuse and/or dependence (AAD) has been found in multiple studies of females. Less is known about the association between childhood maltreatment and AAD among males, and the mechanisms that underlie this association in either gender. One explanation is that childhood maltreatment increases risk for AAD. An alternative explanation is that the same genetic or environmental factors that increase a child's risk for being maltreated also contribute to risk for AAD in adulthood.MethodLifetime diagnosis of AAD was assessed using structured clinical interviews in a sample of 3527 male participants aged 19–56 years from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. The sources of childhood maltreatment–AAD association were estimated using both a matched case–control analysis of twin pairs discordant for childhood maltreatment and bivariate twin modeling.ResultsApproximately 9% of par...

Behavior Genetics, 2011

The study investigated the genetic and environmental etiology of schizotypal personality traits i... more The study investigated the genetic and environmental etiology of schizotypal personality traits in a non-selected sample of adolescent twins, measured on two occasions between the ages of 11 and 16 years old. The 22-item Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child version (SPQ-C) was found to be factorially similar to the adult version of this instrument, with three underlying factors (Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal-Affective, and Disorganization). Each factor was heritable at age 11-13 years (h 2 = 42-53%) and 14-16 years old (h 2 = 38-57%). Additive genetic and unique environmental influences for these three dimensions of schizotypal personality acted in part through a single common latent factor, with additional genetic effects specific to both Interpersonal-Affective and Disorganization subscales at each occasion. The longitudinal correlation between the latent schizotypy factor was r = 0.58, and genetic influences explained most of the stability in this latent factor over time (81%). These longitudinal data demonstrate significant genetic variance in schizotypal traits, with moderate stability between early to middle adolescence. In addition to common influences between the two assessments, there were new genetic and non-shared environmental effects that played a role at the later assessment, indicating significant change in schizotypal traits and their etiologies throughout adolescence.

Journal of Thoracic Disease

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. Both lung cancer patients ... more Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. Both lung cancer patients and family caregivers (FCGs) have unmet quality of life (QOL) needs. An understudied topic in lung cancer research is the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) on QOL outcomes for this population. The purpose of this review was to explore the state of research on SDOH FCGs centered outcomes in lung cancer. Methods: The databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and American Psychological Association (APA) PsycInfo were searched for peerreviewed manuscripts evaluating defined SDOH domains on FCGs published within the last ten years. The information extracted using Covidence included patients, FCGs and study characteristics. Level of evidence and quality of articles were assessed using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Rating Scale. Results: Of the 344 full-text articles assessed, 19 were included in this review. The social and community context domain focused on caregiving stressors and interventions to reduce its effects. The health care access and quality domain showed barriers and underuse of psychosocial resources. The economic stability domain indicated marked economic burdens for FCGs. Four interconnected themes emerged among articles on the influence of SDOH on FCG-centered outcomes in lung cancer: (I) psychological well-being, (II) overall quality of life, (III) relationship quality, and (IV) economic hardship. Notably, most participants in the studies were White females. The tools used to measure SDOH factors included primarily demographic variables. Conclusions: Current studies provide evidence on the role of SDOH factors on lung cancer FCGs' QOL. Expanded utilization of validated SDOH measures in future studies would provide greater consistency in data, that could in turn inform interventions to improve QOL. Further research focusing on the domains of education quality and access and neighborhood and built environment should be carried out to bridge gaps in knowledge.

Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2022

Tools and tests for measuring the presence and complexity of consciousness are becoming available... more Tools and tests for measuring the presence and complexity of consciousness are becoming available, but there is no established theoretical approach for what these tools are measuring. This article examines several categories of tests for making reasonable inferences about the presence and complexity of consciousness (defined as the capacity for phenomenal/subjective experience) and also suggests ways in which different theories of consciousness may be empirically distinguished. We label the various ways to measure consciousness the measurable correlates of consciousness (MCC) and include three subcategories in our taxonomy: (a) neural correlates of consciousness, (b) behavioral correlates of consciousness, and (c) creative correlates of consciousness. Finally, we reflect on how broader philosophical views about the nature of consciousness, such as materialism and panpsychism, may also be informed by the scientific process.

Frontiers in human neuroscience, Mar 1, 2024

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

JAMA Psychiatry, Apr 1, 2014

IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis rem... more IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. A focus on measuring multisystem quantitative traits that may be components of BP psychopathology may enable genetic dissection of this complex disorder, and investigation of extended pedigrees from genetically isolated populations may facilitate the detection of specific genetic variants that affect BP as well as its component phenotypes. OBJECTIVE To identify quantitative neurocognitive, temperament-related, and neuroanatomical phenotypes that appear heritable and associated with severe BP (bipolar I disorder [BP-I]) and therefore suitable for genetic linkage and association studies aimed at identifying variants contributing to BP-I risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Multigenerational pedigree study in 2 closely related, genetically isolated populations: the Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia, Colombia. A total of 738 individuals, all from Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia pedigrees, participated; among them, 181 have BP-I. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Familial aggregation (heritability) and association with BP-I of 169 quantitative neurocognitive, temperament, magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging phenotypes. RESULTS Of 169 phenotypes investigated, 119 (70%) were significantly heritable and 51 (30%) were associated with BP-I. About one-quarter of the phenotypes, including measures from each phenotype domain, were both heritable and associated with BP-I. Neuroimaging phenotypes, particularly cortical thickness in prefrontal and temporal regions and volume of the corpus callosum, represented the most promising candidate traits for genetic mapping related to BP based on strong heritability and association with disease. Analyses of phenotypic and genetic covariation identified substantial correlations among the traits, at least some of which share a common underlying genetic architecture. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the most extensive investigation of BP-relevant component phenotypes to date. Our results identify brain and behavioral quantitative traits that appear to be genetically influenced and show a pattern of BP-I association within families that is consistent with expectations from case-control studies. Together, these phenotypes provide a basis for identifying loci contributing to BP-I risk and for genetic dissection of the disorder.

Punch grafting procedures, where small pieces of normal skin are transplanted into stable vitilig... more Punch grafting procedures, where small pieces of normal skin are transplanted into stable vitiligo patches, results in repigmentation in only half of patients treated, yet the factors that determine whether a patient responds to treatment or not are still unknown. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is adept at visualizing melanocyte migration and epidermal changes over large areas while multiphoton microscopy (MPM) can capture metabolic changes in keratinocytes. With the overall goal of identifying optical biomarkers for early treatment response, we followed 12 vitiligo lesions undergoing punch grafting. Dendritic melanocytes adjacent to the graft site were observed before clinical evidence of repigmentation in treatment responsive patients but not in treatment non-responsive patients, suggesting that the early visualization of melanocytes is indicative of a therapeutic response. Keratinocyte metabolic changes in vitiligo skin adjacent to the graft site also correlated with treat...

Cancer Research, Mar 1, 2023

Cancer Research

The passage of H.R. 2116 (CROWN Act) prohibits hair texture and style discrimination based on rac... more The passage of H.R. 2116 (CROWN Act) prohibits hair texture and style discrimination based on race or national origin, thus, theoretically reducing structural barriers to economic mobility. Regardless, hair is synonymous with Black women’s identities. Possibly due to society’s afro-political ideologies of beauty, Black women tend to use more hair products compared to other racial groups. These standards include social structures that affect self-mediated worth, as well as structural and interpersonal racism based on appearance and societal status. The use of personal care products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been shown to increase Black women’s breast cancer risk. The Black identity, hair product use, and breast cancer scale (BHBS) was developed to measure the sociocultural constructs associated with Black women’s hair product use and perceived breast cancer risk. The purpose of this study was to validate the BHBS and examine hair product use among Black bre...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

A productive, informative three decades of correlates of phenomenal consciousness (P-Consciousnes... more A productive, informative three decades of correlates of phenomenal consciousness (P-Consciousness) have delivered valuable knowledge while simultaneously locating us in a unique and unprecedented explanatory cul-de-sac. Observational correlates are demonstrated to be intrinsically very unlikely to explain or lead to a fundamental principle underlying the strongly emergent 1st-person-perspective (1PP) invisibly stowed away inside them. That lack is now solidly evidenced in practice. To escape our explanatory impasse, this article focuses on fundamental physics (the standard model of particle physics), which brings to light a foundational argument for how the brain is an essentially electromagnetic (EM) field object from the atomic level up. That is, our multitude of correlates of P-Consciousness are actually descriptions of specific EM field behaviors that are posed (hypothesized) as “the right” correlate by a particular theory of consciousness. Because of this, our 30 years of empi...

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Electromagnetic field oscillations produced by the brain are increasingly being viewed as causal ... more Electromagnetic field oscillations produced by the brain are increasingly being viewed as causal drivers of consciousness. Recent research has highlighted the importance of the body’s various endogenous rhythms in organizing these brain-generated fields through various types of entrainment. We expand this approach by examining evidence of extracerebral shared oscillations between the brain and other parts of the body, in both humans and animals. We then examine the degree to which these data support one of General Resonance Theory’s (GRT) principles: the Slowest Shared Resonance (SSR) principle, which states that the combination of micro- to macro-consciousness in coupled field systems is a function of the slowest common denominator frequency or resonance. This principle may be utilized to develop a spatiotemporal hierarchy of brain-body shared resonance systems. It is predicted that a system’s SSR decreases with distance between the brain and various resonating structures in the bo...

Behavioral inhibition and executive functions (EF) are two key aspects of self-regulation, and de... more Behavioral inhibition and executive functions (EF) are two key aspects of self-regulation, and deficits in these regulatory processes serve as risk factors for the development of antisocial behavior (ASB). In spite of the well-established association between EF impairments and ASB, we do not yet know (1) the direction of the relationship itself, i.e., whether ASB may be result or cause of EF deficits during development, and (2) the extent to which the relationship is mediated by genetic and environmental factors. In addition, there is a significant dearth in the literature regarding the longitudinal stability of ASB and EF during development. Phenotypic and biometric multivariate models were used to investigate these questions in a longitudinal twin study (N=724 same and opposite-sex twin pairs) based on data from two occasions when the twins were aged 9-10 years (Time 1) and 14-16 years (Time 2). Initial multivariate genetic model fitting results indicated that a common latent fact...

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2022

Black women (BW) experience age-adjusted breast cancer mortality rates that are 40-70% higher tha... more Black women (BW) experience age-adjusted breast cancer mortality rates that are 40-70% higher than White women. Although BW are more likely to report having had a mammogram compared to other racial/ethnic minority groups, differences in mammography utilization exist among women with lower socioeconomic status (SES). Moreover, perceived everyday discrimination (PED) has been shown to have an inverse relationship on health screening behavior among BW. However, mammography screening behaviors of BW with low SES, who also report higher levels of PED, is not well known. This study aims to explore the relationship between perceived discrimination, SES (income, education, health insurance), and mammography screening behavior. Methods: Participants completed a 40-item survey and were recruited between 2020-2021 through a community-based participatory research initiative—Bench to Community. Logistic regression was used to test the associations of mammography utilization with PED—short versio...

Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2021

The first comprehensive studies on the effects of transitioning to persistent forms of selftransc... more The first comprehensive studies on the effects of transitioning to persistent forms of selftranscendence are reported. Two online protocols that combined positive psychology exercises and meditation methods were studied. Instruction was pre-recorded and delivered online. Program 1 (n = 379) lasted 4 months, required 1.5-3 hr each day and contained a larger range of methods. Program 2 (n = 246) lasted 6 weeks, required 1.5-2 hr each day, and was a subset of Program 1.

American Journal of Men's Health, 2020

Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionat... more Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women’s hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews—among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer—were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinion...

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2020

Introduction: The parent study investigated the potential role of hair products for breast cancer... more Introduction: The parent study investigated the potential role of hair products for breast cancer etiology in a community sample of Black women. Black women are diagnosed and die from breast cancer more than White women. Hair across the African diaspora is synonymous with identity. Black women use more hair products containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals than other races. Currently there is no hair, identity, and health scale. To better understand the cultural influence of hair product usage for Black women, given the possible link between product use and breast cancer, we assessed identity, perceived risk, knowledge, and attitude about Black hair and breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to validate a hair, identity, and breast health scale in a diverse sample of Black women. Methods: In phase 1 of our study we explored the cultural and personal meaning of hair for Black women (N=125). Transcribed qualitative interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Survey ...

Behavior Genetics, Oct 11, 2008

The data tabled below indicate that when Drosophila paulistorum superspecies' omnipresent endosym... more The data tabled below indicate that when Drosophila paulistorum superspecies' omnipresent endosymbiont is virtually eliminated by ingested antibiotics, behavior is altered. Additional data, not presented here, identified the cause as pheromones borne on the cuticular skeleton of these insects. Thus a cytoplasmic microorganism, genus Wolbachia, is directing its perpetuation, in bravura co-evolution. Current and original isolation indices, ranging from-1.00 (preferences for unlikes, heterogamy) through 0 (random mating) to ?1.00 (preference for likes, homogamy) between Amazonian and Orinocian Drosophila paulistorum semispecies. Treated = ten generations on 0.01 Rifampicin, an antibiotic, versus Wolbachia endosymbionts. Five replicas and 120 matings were scored

The valence (positive or negative) of the initial reaction to cigarette smoking predicts later re... more The valence (positive or negative) of the initial reaction to cigarette smoking predicts later regular smoking. Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increase smoking risk and may moderate the relationship between genotype and smoking. We conducted an exploratory study to assess whether ADHD symptoms interact with genotype to predict the valence of self-reported initial reactions to smoking. Methods: Participants were a subsample of 1,900 unrelated individuals with genotype data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents followed from 1995 to 2002. Linear regression was used to examine relationships among self-reported ADHD symptoms, genotype, and self-reported initial reaction to cigarettes (9 items reflecting pleasant or unpleasant reactions). Results: Polymorphisms in the DRD2 gene, SLC6A4 gene, and, among males, the MAOA gene interacted with retrospective reports of ADHD symptoms in predicting pleasant initial reaction to cigarettes. Polymorphisms in the CYP2A6 gene, and, among females, the MAOA gene interacted with retrospective reports of ADHD symptoms in predicting unpleasant initial reaction to cigarettes. No main effect for any of these polymorphisms was observed nor were any interactions with DRD4 and DAT genes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that genotypes associated with monoamine neurotransmission interact with ADHD symptoms to influence initial reactions to cigarette smoking. Given that initial reactions to cigarettes also predict lifetime smoking, these results add to a growing body of literature that suggests ADHD symptoms increase risk for smoking and should be accounted for in genetic studies of smoking.

JAMA Psychiatry, 2014

IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis rem... more IMPORTANCE Genetic factors contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP), but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. A focus on measuring multisystem quantitative traits that may be components of BP psychopathology may enable genetic dissection of this complex disorder, and investigation of extended pedigrees from genetically isolated populations may facilitate the detection of specific genetic variants that affect BP as well as its component phenotypes. OBJECTIVE To identify quantitative neurocognitive, temperament-related, and neuroanatomical phenotypes that appear heritable and associated with severe BP (bipolar I disorder [BP-I]) and therefore suitable for genetic linkage and association studies aimed at identifying variants contributing to BP-I risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Multigenerational pedigree study in 2 closely related, genetically isolated populations: the Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia, Colombia. A total of 738 individuals, all from Central Valley of Costa Rica and Antioquia pedigrees, participated; among them, 181 have BP-I. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Familial aggregation (heritability) and association with BP-I of 169 quantitative neurocognitive, temperament, magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging phenotypes. RESULTS Of 169 phenotypes investigated, 119 (70%) were significantly heritable and 51 (30%) were associated with BP-I. About one-quarter of the phenotypes, including measures from each phenotype domain, were both heritable and associated with BP-I. Neuroimaging phenotypes, particularly cortical thickness in prefrontal and temporal regions and volume of the corpus callosum, represented the most promising candidate traits for genetic mapping related to BP based on strong heritability and association with disease. Analyses of phenotypic and genetic covariation identified substantial correlations among the traits, at least some of which share a common underlying genetic architecture. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the most extensive investigation of BP-relevant component phenotypes to date. Our results identify brain and behavioral quantitative traits that appear to be genetically influenced and show a pattern of BP-I association within families that is consistent with expectations from case-control studies. Together, these phenotypes provide a basis for identifying loci contributing to BP-I risk and for genetic dissection of the disorder.

Psychological Medicine, 2010

BackgroundAn association between childhood maltreatment and subsequent alcohol abuse and/or depen... more BackgroundAn association between childhood maltreatment and subsequent alcohol abuse and/or dependence (AAD) has been found in multiple studies of females. Less is known about the association between childhood maltreatment and AAD among males, and the mechanisms that underlie this association in either gender. One explanation is that childhood maltreatment increases risk for AAD. An alternative explanation is that the same genetic or environmental factors that increase a child's risk for being maltreated also contribute to risk for AAD in adulthood.MethodLifetime diagnosis of AAD was assessed using structured clinical interviews in a sample of 3527 male participants aged 19–56 years from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. The sources of childhood maltreatment–AAD association were estimated using both a matched case–control analysis of twin pairs discordant for childhood maltreatment and bivariate twin modeling.ResultsApproximately 9% of par...

Behavior Genetics, 2011

The study investigated the genetic and environmental etiology of schizotypal personality traits i... more The study investigated the genetic and environmental etiology of schizotypal personality traits in a non-selected sample of adolescent twins, measured on two occasions between the ages of 11 and 16 years old. The 22-item Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child version (SPQ-C) was found to be factorially similar to the adult version of this instrument, with three underlying factors (Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal-Affective, and Disorganization). Each factor was heritable at age 11-13 years (h 2 = 42-53%) and 14-16 years old (h 2 = 38-57%). Additive genetic and unique environmental influences for these three dimensions of schizotypal personality acted in part through a single common latent factor, with additional genetic effects specific to both Interpersonal-Affective and Disorganization subscales at each occasion. The longitudinal correlation between the latent schizotypy factor was r = 0.58, and genetic influences explained most of the stability in this latent factor over time (81%). These longitudinal data demonstrate significant genetic variance in schizotypal traits, with moderate stability between early to middle adolescence. In addition to common influences between the two assessments, there were new genetic and non-shared environmental effects that played a role at the later assessment, indicating significant change in schizotypal traits and their etiologies throughout adolescence.

Journal of Thoracic Disease

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. Both lung cancer patients ... more Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. Both lung cancer patients and family caregivers (FCGs) have unmet quality of life (QOL) needs. An understudied topic in lung cancer research is the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) on QOL outcomes for this population. The purpose of this review was to explore the state of research on SDOH FCGs centered outcomes in lung cancer. Methods: The databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and American Psychological Association (APA) PsycInfo were searched for peerreviewed manuscripts evaluating defined SDOH domains on FCGs published within the last ten years. The information extracted using Covidence included patients, FCGs and study characteristics. Level of evidence and quality of articles were assessed using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Rating Scale. Results: Of the 344 full-text articles assessed, 19 were included in this review. The social and community context domain focused on caregiving stressors and interventions to reduce its effects. The health care access and quality domain showed barriers and underuse of psychosocial resources. The economic stability domain indicated marked economic burdens for FCGs. Four interconnected themes emerged among articles on the influence of SDOH on FCG-centered outcomes in lung cancer: (I) psychological well-being, (II) overall quality of life, (III) relationship quality, and (IV) economic hardship. Notably, most participants in the studies were White females. The tools used to measure SDOH factors included primarily demographic variables. Conclusions: Current studies provide evidence on the role of SDOH factors on lung cancer FCGs' QOL. Expanded utilization of validated SDOH measures in future studies would provide greater consistency in data, that could in turn inform interventions to improve QOL. Further research focusing on the domains of education quality and access and neighborhood and built environment should be carried out to bridge gaps in knowledge.

Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2022

Tools and tests for measuring the presence and complexity of consciousness are becoming available... more Tools and tests for measuring the presence and complexity of consciousness are becoming available, but there is no established theoretical approach for what these tools are measuring. This article examines several categories of tests for making reasonable inferences about the presence and complexity of consciousness (defined as the capacity for phenomenal/subjective experience) and also suggests ways in which different theories of consciousness may be empirically distinguished. We label the various ways to measure consciousness the measurable correlates of consciousness (MCC) and include three subcategories in our taxonomy: (a) neural correlates of consciousness, (b) behavioral correlates of consciousness, and (c) creative correlates of consciousness. Finally, we reflect on how broader philosophical views about the nature of consciousness, such as materialism and panpsychism, may also be informed by the scientific process.