Serotonin transporter gene methylation and emotional regulation in preschool children born preterm
A longitudinal evaluation of the role of negative emotionality in infancy
Bibliographic Data
The aim of the study was to assess the contribution of negative emotionality at 3 months (T1) and serotonin transporter gene ( SLC6A4 ) DNA methylation at 4.5 years of age (T2) to emotion regulation in pre‐schoolers born very preterm and full‐term. Forty one children ( n = 21 born very preterm, n = 20 born full‐term) participated in the study. Fretful behavior was assessed at T1 in response to the Face‐to‐FaceStill‐Face (FFSF) paradigm. At T2, SLC6A4 DNA methylation was analyzed and emotion regulation was assessed using an observational procedure (i.e., the Pre‐schooler Regulation of Emotional Stress, PRES). The very preterm group displayed higher emotion dysregulation during the PRES Reactivity phase than the full‐term group. Higher levels of fretful behavior at 3 months were associated with greater emotional distress only for very preterm children with higher methylation at T2. No significant associations emerged in the full‐term group. Despite current findings cannot be generalized owing to the relatively small sample size, this work provides preliminary longitudinal evidence about the link between negative emotionality during infancy, stress‐linked epigenetic status at 4.5 years and emotion dysregulation in preschoolers born preterm
Biology · Developmental psychology · Emotionality · Gene · Longitudinal study · Methylation · Pathology · Serotonin transporter · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Infant Health and Development · Medicine · Psychology · Genetics
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