TRANS-GEN
My childhood - your childhood
Study on the influence of mothers' childhood experiences on their children from birth to school age
Keywords
Transgenerational transmission, risks and protective factors, resilience and vulnerability, stress reactivity, mental health, (epi-)genetics
Project management
Scientific coordination
Research assistants
Co-operation partner
Prof. Dr Christiane Waller, Prof. Dr Harald Gündel, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Hospital
Prof Dr Iris-Tatjana Kolassa, Clinical and Biological Psychology, University of Ulm
Prof Dr Katharina Braun, Department of Zoology and Developmental Neurobiology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
Dr Heinz Kindler, German Youth Institute, Munich
Project duration
since 01.06.2013
Project description
The aim of the project is to investigate the influence of positive and negative maternal childhood experiences on the relationship with one's own child and its development. The aim is to better understand the mechanisms of this influence, with particular attention being paid to researching the underlying biological mechanisms. The aim is to uncover risk and protective factors that contribute to whether and how experiences of abuse, maltreatment and neglect are passed on to the next generation. The long-term goal of the study is to be able to provide specific support services for mothers with stressful experiences and to facilitate access to help.
TRANS-GEN is a joint project that is divided into five sub-projects (WP): four human projects (WP I-III and V) and one animal model (WP IV):
- WP I focuses on child development, examining psychological stress reactivity and cognitive development as well as the moderating effect of mother-child bonding.
- WP II deals with the maternal history of maltreatment experiences and the influence of e.g. maternal psychopathology, attachment representation and sensitivity.
- WP III investigates the biological correlates of stress/trauma and attachment in the human model as well as (epi-)genetic correlations.
- WP IV examines the causes and effects of transgenerational maltreatment experiences using an animal model.
- WP V examines the influence of the mother's social environment, i.e. her utilisation of help services and social support.
Project process
This study is a cohort study that began in 2013 with the recruitment of mothers one to three days after giving birth. At this measurement point, potential abuse and neglect experiences were recorded. Both laboratory tests and home visits took place at the measurement times t1 to t4. Among other things, the mother-child bond, maternal attachment representation, maternal sensitivity, psychological stress, need for help, social support and cognitive status of the children were assessed. Due to the SARS-Covid-19 pandemic, an online survey was conducted at measurement time t5. Among other things, the children's mental health and utilisation of support services were examined. The surveys are currently taking place at measurement time t6. This survey is being carried out as a home visit. Among other things, the child's attachment representation, the child's cognitive and general development, parental stress and worries as well as the utilisation of support services for the parents are recorded. Psychobiological correlates of stress systems (HPA axis and ANS), cell ageing processes, changes in the immune system and epigenetic modifications were also recorded at all measurement times.
Publications and materials produced
Bock, J., Poeschel, J., Schindler, J., Börner, F., Shachar-Dadon, A., Ferdman, N., Gaisler-Salomon, I., Leshem, M., Braun, K. & Poeggel, G. (2016). Transgenerational sex-specific impact of preconception stress on the development of dendritic spines and dendritic length in the medial prefrontal cortex. Brain structure & function, 221(2), 855-863.
Bock, J., Rether, K., Gröger, N., Xie, L. & Braun, K. (2014). Perinatal programming of emotional brain circuits: an integrative view from systems to molecules. Frontiers in neuroscience, 8, 11.
Bock, J., Wainstock, T., Braun, K. & Segal, M. (2015). Stress In Utero: Prenatal Programming of Brain Plasticity and Cognition. Biological psychiatry, 78(5), 315-326.
Boeck, C., Gumpp, A. M., Calzia, E., Radermacher, P., Waller, C., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). The association between cortisol, oxytocin, and immune cell mitochondrial oxygen consumption in postpartum women with childhood maltreatment. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 96, 69-77.
Boeck, C., Gumpp, A. M., Koenig, A. M., Radermacher, P., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2019). The Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Lipid Peroxidation and DNA Damage in Postpartum Women. Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 23.
Boeck, C., Koenig, A. M., Schury, K., Geiger, M. L., Karabatsiakis, A., Wilker, S., Waller, C., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M., Calzia, E. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2016). Inflammation in adult women with a history of child maltreatment: The involvement of mitochondrial alterations and oxidative stress. Mitochondrion, 30, 197-207.
Boeck, C., Krause, S., Karabatsiakis, A., Schury, K., Gündel, H., Waller, C. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). History of child maltreatment and telomere length in immune cell subsets: Associations with stress- and attachment-related hormones. Development and psychopathology, 30(2), 539-551.
Braun, K., Bock, J., Wainstock, T., Matas, E., Gaisler-Salomon, I., Fegert, J., Ziegenhain, U. & Segal, M. (2020). Experience-induced transgenerational (re-)programming of neuronal structure and functions: Impact of stress prior and during pregnancy. Neuroscience and biobehavioural reviews, 117, 281-296.
Brunner, R., Reichl, C., Bermpohl, F., Bertsch, K., Bock, J., Bödeker, K., Firk, C., Fuchs, A., Führer, D., Gröger, N., Heinz, A., Herpertz-Dahlmann, B., Herpertz, S. C., Dahmen, B., Hindi Attar, C., Kluczniok, D., Konrad, K., Lehmkuhl, U., Möhler, E., . . . Fegert, J. M. (2015). Mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of stressful childhood experiences. Theoretical background, research designs and first results of two multicentre studies in Germany, 9(2), 134-147.
Buchheim, A., Ziegenhain, U., Kindler, H., Waller, C., Gündel, H., Karabatsiakis, A. & Fegert, J. M. (2022). Identifying Risk and Resilience Factors in the Intergenerational Cycle of Maltreatment: Results From the TRANS-GEN Study Investigating the Effects of Maternal Attachment and Social Support on Child Attachment and Cardiovascular Stress Physiology. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 16, 890262.
Geiger, M. L., Boeck, C., Koenig, A. M., Schury, K., Waller, C., Kolassa, S., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2019). Investigating the effects of childhood maltreatment on pro-inflammatory signalling: The influence of cortisol and DHEA on cytokine secretion ex vivo. Mental Health & Prevention, 13, 176-186.
Gerke, J., Koenig, A. M., Conrad, D., Doyen-Waldecker, C., Pauly, M., Gündel, H., Wilker, S. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). Childhood maltreatment as risk factor for lifetime depression: The role of different types of experiences and sensitive periods. Mental Health & Prevention, 10, 56-65.
Gröger, N., Bock, J., Goehler, D., Blume, N., Lisson, N., Poeggel, G. & Braun, K. (2016). Stress in utero alters neonatal stress-induced regulation of the synaptic plasticity proteins Arc and Egr1 in a sex-specific manner. Brain structure & function, 221(1), 679-685. doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0889-3
Gröger, N., Matas, E., Gos, T., Lesse, A., Poeggel, G., Braun, K. & Bock, J. (2016). The transgenerational transmission of childhood adversity: behavioural, cellular, and epigenetic correlates. Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996), 123(9), 1037-1052.
Gulde, M., Köhler-Dauner, F., Mayer, I., Ziegenhain, U., Fegert, J. M. & Buchheim, A. (2022). Negative effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: The interlinking of maternal attachment representation, coping strategies, parental behaviour, and the child's mental health. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10, article 939538.
Gumpp, A. M., Behnke, A., Ramo-Fernández, L., Radermacher, P., Gündel, H., Ziegenhain, U., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2022). Investigating mitochondrial bioenergetics in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of women with childhood maltreatment from post-parturition period to one-year follow-up. Psychological medicine, 1-12.
Gumpp, A. M., Boeck, C., Behnke, A., Bach, A. M., Ramo-Fernández, L., Welz, T., Gündel, H., Kolassa, I.-T. & Karabatsiakis, A. (2020). Childhood maltreatment is associated with changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics in maternal, but not in neonatal immune cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(40), 24778-24784.
Hitzler, M., Bach, A. M., Köhler-Dauner, F., Gündel, H. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2022). Long-Term Consequences of Childhood Maltreatment Among Postpartum Women-Prevalence of Psychosocial Risk Factors for Child Welfare: An Independent Replication Study. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 836077.
Hitzler, M., Behnke, A., Gündel, H., Ziegenhain, U., Kindler, H., Kolassa, I.-T. & Zimmermann, J. (2022). Sources of social support for postpartum women with a history of childhood maltreatment: Consequences for perceived stress and general mental health in the first year after birth. Child abuse & neglect, 134, 105911.
Koenig, A. M., Gao, W., Umlauft, M., Schury, K., Reister, F., Kirschbaum, C., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). Altered hair endocannabinoid levels in mothers with childhood maltreatment and their newborns. Biological psychology, 135, 93-101.
Koenig, A. M., Karabatsiakis, A., Stoll, T., Wilker, S., Hennessy, T., Hill, M. M. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). Serum profile changes in postpartum women with a history of childhood maltreatment: a combined metabolite and lipid fingerprinting study. Scientific reports, 8(1), 3468.
Koenig, A. M., Ramo-Fernández, L., Boeck, C., Umlauft, M., Pauly, M., Binder, E. B., Kirschbaum, C., Gündel, H., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). Intergenerational gene × environment interaction of FKBP5 and childhood maltreatment on hair steroids. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 92, 103-112.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Clemens, V., Hildebrand, K., Ziegenhain, U. & Fegert, J. M. (2021). The interplay between maternal childhood maltreatment, parental coping strategies as well as endangered parenting behaviour during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Developmental child welfare, 3(2), 71-84.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Clemens, V., Lange, S., Ziegenhain, U. & Fegert, J. M. (2021). Mothers' daily perceived stress influences their children's mental health during SARS-CoV-2-pandemic-an online survey. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 15(1), 31.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Fegert, J. M., Buchheim, A., Krause, S., Gündel, H., Waller, C. & Ziegenhain, U. (2018). Maternal Behaviour Affects Child's Attachment-Related Cortisol Stress Response. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1(1), article 1077, 46-60.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Roder, E., Gulde, M., Mayer, I., Fegert, J. M., Ziegenhain, U. & Waller, C. (2022). Maternal Sensitivity Modulates Child's Parasympathetic Mode and Buffers Sympathetic Activity in a Free Play Situation. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 868848.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Roder, E., Krause, S., Buchheim, A., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M., Ziegenhain, U. & Waller, C. (2019). Reduced caregiving quality measured during the strange situation procedure increases child's autonomic nervous system stress response. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 13, 41.
Krause, S., Boeck, C., Gumpp, A. M., Rottler, E., Schury, K., Karabatsiakis, A., Buchheim, A., Gündel, H., Kolassa, I.-T. & Waller, C. (2018). Child Maltreatment Is Associated with a Reduction of the Oxytocin Receptor in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 173.
Krause, S., Pokorny, D., Schury, K., Doyen-Waldecker, C., Hulbert, A.-L., Karabatsiakis, A., Kolassa, I.-T., Gündel, H., Waller, C. & Buchheim, A. (2016). Effects of the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System on Oxytocin and Cortisol Blood Levels in Mothers. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 10, 627.
Merz, T., Lukaschewski, B., Wigger, D., Rupprecht, A., Wepler, M., Gröger, M., Hartmann, C., Whiteman, M., Szabo, C., Wang, R., Waller, C., Radermacher, P. & McCook, O. (2018). Interaction of the hydrogen sulfide system with the oxytocin system in the injured mouse heart. Intensive care medicine experimental, 6(1), 41.
Ramo-Fernández, L., Boeck, C., Koenig, A. M., Schury, K., Binder, E. B., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M., Karabatsiakis, A. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2019). The effects of childhood maltreatment on epigenetic regulation of stress-response associated genes: an intergenerational approach. Scientific reports, 9(1), 983.
Ramo-Fernández, L., Gumpp, A. M., Boeck, C., Krause, S., Bach, A. M., Waller, C., Kolassa, I.-T. & Karabatsiakis, A. (2021). Associations between childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene in immune cells of mother-newborn dyads. Translational psychiatry, 11(1), 449.
Ramo-Fernández, L., Karabatsiakis, A., Boeck, C., Bach, A. M., Gumpp, A. M., Mavioglu, R. N., Ammerpohl, O. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2022). Characterisation of the effects of age and childhood maltreatment on ELOVL2 DNA methylation. Development and psychopathology, 34(3), 864-874.
Roder, E., Koehler-Dauner, F., Krause, S., Prinz, J., Rottler, E., Alkon, A., Kolassa, I.-T., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M., Ziegenhain, U. & Waller, C. (2020). Maternal separation and contact to a stranger more than reunion affect the autonomic nervous system in the mother-child dyad: ANS measurements during Strange Situation Procedure in mother-child dyad. International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organisation of Psychophysiology, 147, 26-34.
Roder, E., Köhler-Dauner, F., Krause, S., Appelganz, A., Richter, I., Miller, L., Dobler, S., Rottler, E., Gündel, H., Ziegenhain, U. & Waller, C. (2017). Desynchronisation of the autonomic nervous system in mother-child-dyads during SSP: Influence of maltreatment and neglect. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 97, 166. h
Schury, K., Koenig, A. M., Isele, D., Hulbert, A.-L., Krause, S., Umlauft, M., Kolassa, S., Ziegenhain, U., Karabatsiakis, A., Reister, F., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2017). Alterations of hair cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone in mother-infant-dyads with maternal childhood maltreatment. BMC psychiatry, 17(1), 213.
Schury, K., Zimmermann, J., Umlauft, M., Hulbert, A.-L., Gündel, H. & Kolassa, I.-T. (2017). Childhood maltreatment, postnatal distress and the protective role of social support. Child abuse & neglect, 67, 228-239.
Steffen, J., Krohn, M., Paarmann, K., Schwitlick, C., Brüning, T., Marreiros, R., Müller-Schiffmann, A., Korth, C., Braun, K. & Pahnke, J. (2016). Revisiting rodent models: Octodon degus as Alzheimer's disease model? Acta neuropathologica communications, 4(1), 91.
Wigger, D. C., Gröger, N., Lesse, A., Krause, S., Merz, T., Gündel, H., Braun, K., McCook, O., Radermacher, P., Bock, J. & Waller, C. (2020). Maternal Separation Induces Long-Term Alterations in the Cardiac Oxytocin Receptor and Cystathionine γ-Lyase Expression in Mice. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2020, 4309605.
Buchheim, A., Doyen-Waldecker, C., Köhler-Dauner, F., Kolassa, I.-T., Gündel, H., Fegert, J. M., Ziegenhain, U. (2017). Maternal attachment representativeness and atypical interaction behaviour with the child one year after delivery against the background of the mother's own experiences of abuse. German College of Psychosomatic Medicine, Berlin.
Doyen-Waldecker, C., Köhler-Dauner, F., Kolassa, I.-T., Gündel, H., Fegert, J., Buchheim, A., Ziegenhain, U. (2016). Maternal attachment representativeness and atypical interaction behaviour with the child one year after delivery against the background of the mother's own experiences of abuse, Conference of the Austrian Society for Psychology, Innsbruck.
Doyen-Waldecker, C., Koenig, A. M., Köhler-Dauner, F., Gündel, H., Fegert, J., Waller, C., Kolassa, I.-T., Ziegenhain, U., Buchheim, A. (2017). Effects of aversive childhood experiences on attachment representativeness in adulthood: First data from a pilot project with fathers and mothers as part of the study "Meine KindheitDeine Kindheit". 35th Congress of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Ulm.
Köhler-Dauner, F. (2015). Relationship between maternal sensitivity and attachment representation in the context of childhood experiences of abuse, maltreatment and neglect. German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology e.V. (DGPPN).
Köhler-Dauner, F. (2015) Influence of maternal sensitivity on the relationship between maternal attachment representation and maltreatment experiences in childhood, Entwicklungspsychologie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Frankfurt
Köhler-Dauner, F. (2016) Transgenerational transmission of traumatic relationship experiences: Interaction quality, psychosocial stress and social support, Conference of the Austrian Society of Psychology, Innsbruck
Köhler-Dauner, F. (2016) Transgenerational transmission of traumatic relationship experiences - The role of maternal psychosocial stress and social support on child development in the first year of life, German Congress for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Potsdam
Köhler-Dauner, F.; Bressem, K.; Zimmermann, J.; Kolassa, I.-T.; Gündel, H.; Kindler, H.; Fegert, J.; Ziegenhain, U. (2015). Transgenerational transmission of traumatic relationship experiences - The role of maternal psychosocial stress and social support on child development in the first year of life. German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN), Berlin.
Köhler-Dauner, Franziska, Schury, Katharina, Hulbert, Anna-Lena, Pillhofer, Melanie, Pokorny, Dan; Kolassa, Iiris-Tatjana, Gündel, Harald, Fegert, Jörg M., Ziegenhain, Ute, Buchheim, Anna (2015). Transgenerational transmission of maltreatment experiences? EPSY conference, Frankfurt.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Schury, K., Hulbert, A.-L., Pillhofer, M., Dokorny, D., Gündel, H., Kindler, H., Kolassa, I.-T., Fegert, J. M., Ziegenhain, U., & Buchheim, A. (2015). "My childhood - Your childhood": History of childhood maltreatment influences mother's representation of attachment and caregiving behaviour during the first year of the motherhood - Preliminary results of the pilot study. 17th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Braga.
Köhler-Dauner, F.; Doyen-Waldecker, D. ; Kolassa, I.-T.; Gündel, H.; Kindler, H.; Fegert, J.; Ziegenhain, U.; Buchheim, A. (2016). Trans-Gen. My Childhood - Your Childhood. Transgenerational Transmission of Maltreatment - The influence of maternal attachment representation and caregiving behaviour on the infant's cognitive development in the first year of life. 5th German Health Research Meeting on Behavioural Disorders Related to Violence, Neglect, Maltreatment, and Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence, Mannheim.
Köhler-Dauner, F., Buchheim, A., Kolassa, I.-T., Gündel, H., Kindler, H., Fegert, J., Ziegenhain, U. (2016). Transgenerational transmission of traumatic relationship experiences: Interaction quality, psychosocial strain and social support, Conference of the Austrian Society of Psychology, Innsbruck.
Köhler-Dauner, F.; Doyen-Waldecker, C.; Gündel, H.; Fegert, J.; Ziegenhain, U.; Buchheim, A. (2017). Transgenerational transmission of traumatic relationship experiences - Maternal attachment representativeness and atypical interaction behaviour with the child one year after delivery against the background of the mother's own abuse experiences. German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ulm.
König, A.M., Schury, K., Rappel, M., Reister, F., Köhler-Dauner, F., Schauer, M., RufLeuschner, M., Gündel, H., Ziegenhain, U., Fegert, J. M., Kolassa, I.-T. (2016). Psychosocial risk factors for child welfare among postpartum mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment. 5th German Health Research Meeting on Behavioural Disorders Related to Violence, Neglect, Maltreatment, and Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence, Mannheim.
Pillhofer, Melanie & Schury, Katharina & Hulbert, A.-L & Koenig, Alexandra & Weisman, N. & Zimmermann, Janin & Köhler-Dauner, Franziska & Koerner, T. & Gündel, Harald & Buchheim, Anna & Ziegenhain, Ute & Fegert, Joerg & Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana. (2014). Preliminary results of the pilot study "Meine Kindheit - Deine Kindheit": History of childhood maltreatment influences mother's parenting competences, perceived stress and its biological correlates in the first 12 months of motherhood.3rd German Health Research Meeting on Behavioural Disorders related to Violence, Neglect, Maltreatment, and Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence, Eichstätt
Roder E., Köhler-Dauner F., Krause S., Prinz J., Rottler E., Gündel H., Ziegenhain U., Waller C. (2016). Desynchronisation of the autonomic nervous system in the mother-child dyad in the stranger-situation test: influence of neglect and abuse in childhood. German Congress for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Potsdam.
Roder E., Köhler-Dauner F., Krause S., Appelganz A., Richter I., Miller L., Dobler S., Rottler E., Gündel H., Ziegenhain U., Waller C. (2017). Desynchronisation of the autonomic nervous system in mother-child-dyads during SSP: influence of maltreatment and neglect. European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine - EAPM 2017, Barcelona.
Roder E., Köhler-Dauner F., Krause S., Prinz J., Rottler E., Gündel H., Ziegenhain U., Waller C. (2017). Desynchronisation of the autonomic nervous system in mother-childdyads during SSP: influence of maltreatment and neglect. Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, Sevilla.
Roder E., Köhler-Dauner F., Krause S., Appelganz A., Richter I., Miller L., Dobler S., Rottler E., Gündel H., Ziegenhain U., Waller C. (2017). Transgenerational transmission of neglect and abuse in the mother's childhood: Influence on ANS adaptation responses in the child. German Congress for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Berlin.
Roder E., Köhler-Dauner, F., Krause S., Appelganz A., Richter I., Miller L., Dobler S., Rottler E., Gündel H., Ziegenhain U., Waller C. (2017). Transgenerational transmission of neglect and abuse in the mother's childhood: Influence on adaptation reactions of the ANS in the child. DGKJP 2017, Ulm.
Schury, K., Koenig, A., Hulbert, A.-L., Reister, F., Krause, S., Köhler-Dauner, F., Isele, D., Karabatsiakis, A., Schauer, M., Ruf-Leuschner, M., Ziegenhain, U., Fegert , J. M., Gündel, H., Kolassa, I.-T. (2016). Psychobiosocial effects of maternal maltreatment experiences in childhood on postpartum mothers and their newborns. Congress of the German Society for Behavioural Medicine and Behaviour Modification, Mainz.
Contact address
Mail:
meineKindheit.deineKindheit@uniklinik-ulm.de
Supported by:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) from 2013 to 2017,
Project sponsor: German Aerospace Centre e.V.