Golub Yulia, Stonawski Valeska, Plank Anne C, Eichler Anna, Kratz Oliver, Waltes Regina, von Hoersten Stephan, Roessner Veit, Freitag Christine M
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 29;12:644553. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.644553. eCollection 2021.
Both selective mutism (SM) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) are severe pediatric anxiety disorders with the common trait of behavioral inhibition (BI). The underlying pathophysiology of these disorders remains poorly understood, however converging evidence suggests that alterations in several peripheral molecular pathways might be involved. In a pilot study, we investigated alterations in plasma molecular markers (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 [DPPIV], interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-β [TNF-β] and neuropeptide-Y [NPY]) in children with SM, SAD, and healthy controls, as well as the correlation of these markers to symptom severity. We included 51 children and adolescents (aged 5-18 years; = 29 girls): = 20 children in the SM-, = 16 in the SAD- and = 15 in the control-group (CG). Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for DPPIV, IL-6, TNF-β, and NPY concentrations. Diverse psychometric measures were used for BI, anxiety, and mutism symptoms. Lower DPPIV-levels were correlated with more anxiety symptoms. However, we could not find a difference in any molecular marker between the patients with SAD and SM in comparison to the CG. DPPIV is proposed as relevant marker for child and adolescent anxiety. Investigating the pathophysiology of SM and SAD focusing on state and trait variables as anxiety or BI might help better understanding the underlying mechanisms of these disorders. Further studies with especially larger cohorts are needed to validate the current pilot-findings.
选择性缄默症（SM）和社交焦虑障碍（SAD）均为严重的儿童焦虑症，具有行为抑制（BI）这一共同特征。然而，这些疾病的潜在病理生理学仍知之甚少，不过越来越多的证据表明，一些外周分子途径的改变可能与之有关。在一项初步研究中，我们调查了患有SM、SAD的儿童以及健康对照者血浆分子标志物（二肽基肽酶-4 [DPPIV]、白细胞介素-6 [IL-6]、肿瘤坏死因子-β [TNF-β]和神经肽Y [NPY]）的变化，以及这些标志物与症状严重程度的相关性。我们纳入了51名儿童和青少年（年龄5 - 18岁；女性 = 29名）：SM组20名儿童，SAD组16名儿童，对照组（CG）15名儿童。分析外周血样本中的DPPIV、IL-6、TNF-β和NPY浓度。使用多种心理测量方法评估BI、焦虑和缄默症状。较低的DPPIV水平与更多焦虑症状相关。然而，与CG相比，我们未发现SAD和SM患者在任何分子标志物上存在差异。DPPIV被认为是儿童和青少年焦虑的相关标志物。关注焦虑或BI等状态和特质变量来研究SM和SAD的病理生理学，可能有助于更好地理解这些疾病的潜在机制。需要进一步开展研究，尤其是纳入更大样本量的队列研究，以验证当前的初步研究结果。
