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Mechanistic pathways of the effects of human-animal interaction on depression and psychosocial stress

Award Number: R01HD101101
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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Mechanistic pathways of the effects of human-animal interaction on depression and psychosocial stress - ABSTRACT Depression is debilitating, costly, and highly prevalent, representing the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. A majority of US households includes pets. Pets offer a source of emotional support and previous research has shown that they may help ease depression, anxiety, and stress. However, longitudinal studies to establish causal relationships or explore mechanistic pathways are still lacking. The objective of this proposal addressing PAR-18-213, ‘Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) Research’, is to, for the first time longitudinally, examine the effects of pets in the home on depression and psychological distress in humans, and to explore potential pathways by studying stress biomarkers (salivary cortisol-DHEA ratio) and the direct and mediating effects of the gut microbiome and metabolome in these associations. We will leverage three ongoing large population-based studies – the Nurses’ Health Study 2 (NHS2, n=116,430), NHS3 (n=47,435), and the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), 12,413 children of the NHS2 women, who were 9-14 years old at enrollment in 1996 (88% with pets). With biennial follow-up, they offer a wealth of repeatedly assessed lifestyle, environmental, and psychosocial assessments allowing to finely control for their potential confounding in our analyses. Our primary study aims include an ongoing collection of stool samples from 35,000 participants in the NHS2, who we will follow after stool collection for depression to include 400 women with/without pets and incident depression in the current application. In addition, a subcohort of 226 NHS2 participants (62% with pet) collected detailed, repeated psychosocial assessments including information on pet attachment, pet owner’s personality dimensions, and stress biomarkers as well as participants’ gut microbiome; thus, we leverage these microbiome data at no additional cost. Further, embedded in NHS3, we will initiate a longitudinal ‘Nurses’ Pets Study’ (NPS), enrolling pets of nurses into active follow-up for future HAI studies. Our chief hypotheses are that pet ownership/attachment reduces risk of incident depression and psychological distress, and that primary pathways include an improved cortisol-DHEA ratio and alterations in the gut microbiome, offering the potential for new therapeutic approaches and evidence- based advice regarding the introduction of a pet into one’s home.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2025	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	5	1/13/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $667,265 )
2025	2025	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	5	5/19/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$66,726
2025	2025	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	5	2/19/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$600,539
														Subtotal = $667,265

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $709,084 )
2024	2024	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	4	5/2/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$64,463
2024	2024	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	4	2/21/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$644,621
														Subtotal = $709,084

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2022	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	2/23/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2023	2022	BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	3	4/13/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $716,305 )
2022	2022	BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., THE	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	3	4/19/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$71,634
2022	2022	BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., THE	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	2/23/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$644,671
														Subtotal = $716,305

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $721,163 )
2021	2021	BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., THE	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	2	5/25/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$721,163
														Subtotal = $721,163

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $757,207 )
2020	2020	BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., THE	75 FRANCIS ST	BOSTON	MA	02115	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	3/26/2020	NEW	$757,207
														Subtotal = $757,207

Grand Total All Awards = $3,571,024

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Mechanistic pathways of the effects of human-animal interaction on depression and psychosocial stress

Award Number: R01HD101101

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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