Chronic social instability induces anxiety and defective social interactions across generations.

Commentary submitted to Biological Psychiatry EFFECTS OF STRESS ACROSS GENERATIONS: WHY SEX MATTERS Invited commentary on: Saavedra-Rodriguez L, Feig LA (2012): Chronic Social Instability Induces Anxiety and Defective Social Interactions Across Generations. Biological Psychiatry

Effects of stress across generations: why sex matters.

I n this issue of Biological Psychiatry, Saavedra-Rodrı́guez and Feig (1) demonstrated that the experience of social stress during a period spanning from adolescence to adulthood induces longterm increases in anxiety-like behavior and social deficits in mice. However, the consequences of stress are revealed to extend far beyond this initial effect. Using a breeding design in which stressexposed ...

The developmental psychopathology of social anxiety in adolescents.

To evaluate a developmental psychopathology approach for understanding adolescent social anxiety, parent-reported predictors of social anxiety were examined in a nonclinical sample of adolescents. Structured diagnostic interviews were obtained from biological parents of 770 participants. Potential risk factors assessed included child characteristics: negative affect, shyness, separation anxiety...

A Japanese form of social anxiety (taijin kyofusho): frequency and correlates in two generations of the same family.

BACKGROUND One specific type of social anxiety, occurring primarily in Japanese culture, is called taijin kyofusho. Taijin kyofusho is characterized by an intense fear that one's body parts or functions displease, embarrass or are offensive to others. AIM The main aim of the present study was to compare the frequency and correlates of taijin kyofusho symptoms (TKS) in Japanese adolescents and...

Influence of Early Stress on Social Abilities and Serotonergic Functions across Generations in Mice

Exposure to adverse environments during early development is a known risk factor for several psychiatric conditions including antisocial behavior and personality disorders. Here, we induced social anxiety and altered social recognition memory in adult mice using unpredictable maternal separation and maternal stress during early postnatal life. We show that these social defects are not only pron...