Publications by authors named "MacKenna Shampine"
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the impact of violence exposure on anxiety and psychiatric disorders in adolescents, particularly focusing on how perceived safety and threat sensitivity may mediate these effects.
- A sample of 54 adolescents completed an online survey, revealing that perceived safety is linked to lower anxiety and threat sensitivity, while violence exposure itself did not show a significant connection.
- The results suggest that increasing perceived safety could protect against anxiety, with threat sensitivity serving as a key factor in this relationship, indicating a potential avenue for intervention.
Background: The endocannabinoid system, which regulates fear- and anxiety-related behaviors, is dysregulated in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as indicated by higher circulating anandamide (AEA) concentrations. The C385A (rs324420) polymorphism in the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene, which catabolizes AEA, is linked to higher AEA concentrations and greater PTSD symptoms in adults. Given that adolescence is a critical period during which trauma and psychiatric disorders emerge, understanding this relationship in youth is essential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDysregulation of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system is implicated in various stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders (SRDs), including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, our objectives were to characterize circulating anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) concentrations at rest and in response to acute laboratory-based psychosocial stress in individuals with SRDs and without (controls). Our primary aims were to assess the effects of acute psychosocial stress on eCB concentrations in controls (Aim 1), compare baseline (prestress) eCB concentrations between individuals with SRDs and controls (Aim 2), and explore differential eCB responses to acute psychosocial stress in individuals with SRDs compared with controls (Aim 3).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study examines how a specific genetic variant (FAAH C385A) affects anxiety and depression symptoms and brain responses in youth transitioning into adolescence.
- Results show that youth with the AA genotype experience lower depressive symptoms compared to other genotypes, but no significant differences were found for anxiety or neural responses.
- This research highlights the importance of the FAAH variant in understanding mental health risks during adolescence and suggests further studies to explore its broader implications in neurodevelopment.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition characterized by altered arousal, mood, and cognition. Studies report attentional alterations such as threat bias in individuals with PTSD, though this work has largely been conducted within emotionally-charged contexts (e.g.
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