Publications by authors named "Katherine M King"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the role of oxytocin in the interactions between children and dogs, analyzing how these interactions affect oxytocin release in both species.
- Results show that children had increased oxytocin levels during interactions with their pet dogs compared to a control condition, with visual engagement playing a significant role in this response.
- Additionally, children with a specific gene methylation pattern (OXTRm) exhibited different oxytocin responses, and while pet dogs displayed increased oxytocin, unfamiliar dogs showed a decrease, suggesting varied effects of companionship on social interactions.
Although research has shown that pets appear to provide certain types of social support to children, little is known about the physiological bases of these effects, especially in naturalistic contexts. In this study, we investigated the effect of free-form interactions between children (ages 8-10 years) and dogs on salivary cortisol concentrations in both species. We further investigated the role of the child-dog relationship by comparing interactions with the child's pet dog to interactions with an unfamiliar dog or a nonsocial control condition, and modeled associations between survey measures of the human-animal bond and children's physiological responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurophysin I is an analytically robust surrogate biomarker for oxytocin.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
March 2024
Article Synopsis
- Oxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in various biological functions like childbirth, lactation, social bonding, immune response, cardiovascular repair, and appetite control, but accurate measurement of its levels has been challenging.
- This study explores the use of neurophysin I (NP-1), a carrier molecule of oxytocin, as a more reliable surrogate biomarker, as it has a longer lifespan in circulation and can be measured more easily.
- The researchers validated a NP-1 assay for human samples, confirmed its specificity in mice, found elevated NP-1 levels in late pregnancy, and established a strong correlation between NP-1 and oxytocin levels, suggesting NP-1 could significantly enhance oxytocin research.
Objectives: Limited evidence is available on mechanisms linking integrated, multisector interventions with early childhood development. The Integrated Early Childhood Development program aims to improve children's development by promoting targeted caregiving behaviors beginning prenatally through age 5 years, in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Methods: This cluster stepped-wedge trial is being conducted in Cambodia among 3 cohorts, encompassing 339 villages and 1790 caregivers who are pregnant or caring for a child aged <5 years.
Preschool-aged children's performance on inhibitory control tasks is typically represented by the overall accuracy of their item responses (e.g., mean proportion correct).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study adapted and tested the efficacy of the Red-Light Purple-Light (RLPL) games for improving executive function (EF) skills in preprimary classrooms in Nairobi, Kenya. A cluster randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the efficacy of the adapted RLPL intervention. Specifically, 24 centers (including 48 classrooms) were randomized to the RLPL or a wait-list control condition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF