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Orellana SC, Bethlehem RAI, Simpson-Kent IL, van Harmelen AL, Vértes PE, Bullmore ET. Childhood maltreatment influences adult brain structure through its effects on immune, metabolic, and psychosocial factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2304704121. [PMID: 38593073 PMCID: PMC11032474 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304704121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) leads to a lifelong susceptibility to mental ill-health which might be reflected by its effects on adult brain structure, perhaps indirectly mediated by its effects on adult metabolic, immune, and psychosocial systems. Indexing these systemic factors via body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rates of adult trauma (AT), respectively, we tested three hypotheses: (H1) CM has direct or indirect effects on adult trauma, BMI, and CRP; (H2) adult trauma, BMI, and CRP are all independently related to adult brain structure; and (H3) childhood maltreatment has indirect effects on adult brain structure mediated in parallel by BMI, CRP, and AT. Using path analysis and data from N = 116,887 participants in UK Biobank, we find that CM is related to greater BMI and AT levels, and that these two variables mediate CM's effects on CRP [H1]. Regression analyses on the UKB MRI subsample (N = 21,738) revealed that greater CRP and BMI were both independently related to a spatially convergent pattern of cortical effects (Spearman's ρ = 0.87) characterized by fronto-occipital increases and temporo-parietal reductions in thickness. Subcortically, BMI was associated with greater volume, AT with lower volume and CPR with effects in both directions [H2]. Finally, path models indicated that CM has indirect effects in a subset of brain regions mediated through its direct effects on BMI and AT and indirect effects on CRP [H3]. Results provide evidence that childhood maltreatment can influence brain structure decades after exposure by increasing individual risk toward adult trauma, obesity, and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia C. Orellana
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A. I. Bethlehem
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Ivan L. Simpson-Kent
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden2333AK, The Netherlands
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 7EF, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104-6241
| | - Anne-Laura van Harmelen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden2333AK, The Netherlands
| | - Petra E. Vértes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Edward T. Bullmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, CambridgeCB21 5EF, United Kingdom
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Hosseini-Kamkar N, Varvani Farahani M, Nikolic M, Stewart K, Goldsmith S, Soltaninejad M, Rajabli R, Lowe C, Nicholson AA, Morton JB, Leyton M. Adverse Life Experiences and Brain Function: A Meta-Analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2340018. [PMID: 37910106 PMCID: PMC10620621 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Adverse life experiences have been proposed to contribute to diverse mental health problems through an association with corticolimbic functioning. Despite compelling evidence from animal models, findings from studies in humans have been mixed; activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses have failed to identify a consistent association of adverse events with brain function. Objective To investigate the association of adversity exposure with altered brain reactivity using multilevel kernel density analyses (MKDA), a meta-analytic approach considered more robust than ALE to small sample sizes and methodological differences between studies. Data Sources Searches were conducted using PsycInfo, Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception through May 4, 2022. The following search term combinations were used for each database: trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), abuse, maltreatment, poverty, adversity, or stress; and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or neuroimaging; and emotion, emotion regulation, memory, memory processing, inhibitory control, executive functioning, reward, or reward processing. Study Selection Task-based fMRI studies within 4 domains (emotion processing, memory processing, inhibitory control, and reward processing) that included a measure of adverse life experiences and whole-brain coordinate results reported in Talairach or Montreal Neurological Institute space were included. Conference abstracts, books, reviews, meta-analyses, opinions, animal studies, articles not in English, and studies with fewer than 5 participants were excluded. Data Extraction and Synthesis Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guideline, 2 independent reviewers assessed abstracts and full-text articles for entry criteria. A third reviewer resolved conflicts and errors in data extraction. Data were pooled using a random-effects model and data analysis occurred from August to November 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures Peak activation x-axis (left-right), y-axis (posterior-anterior), and z-axis (inferior-superior) coordinates were extracted from all studies and submitted to MKDA meta-analyses. Results A total of 83 fMRI studies were included in the meta-analysis, yielding a combined sample of 5242 participants and 801 coordinates. Adversity exposure was associated with higher amygdala reactivity (familywise error rate corrected at P < .001; x-axis = 22; y-axis = -4; z-axis = -17) and lower prefrontal cortical reactivity (familywise error rate corrected at P < .001; x-axis = 10; y-axis = 60; z-axis = 10) across a range of task domains. These altered responses were only observed in studies that used adult participants and were clearest among those who had been exposed to severe threat and trauma. Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-analysis of fMRI studies of adversity exposure and brain function, prior adversity exposure was associated with altered adult brain reactivity to diverse challenges. These results might better identify how adversity diminishes the ability to cope with later stressors and produces enduring susceptibility to mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Hosseini-Kamkar
- Now with: Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Maja Nikolic
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kaycee Stewart
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Mahdie Soltaninejad
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Reza Rajabli
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cassandra Lowe
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew A Nicholson
- Now with: Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Bruce Morton
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco Leyton
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Elliot D, Kuehl K, DeFrancesco C, McGinnis W, Ek S, Van Horne A, Kempany KG. Technology-Enabled Intervention to Enhance Mindfulness, Safety, and Health Promotion Among Corrections Professionals: Protocol for a Prospective Quasi-Experimental Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e45535. [PMID: 36602914 PMCID: PMC10559194 DOI: 10.2196/45535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Correction professionals are a highly stressed workforce with heightened risks for depression, suicide, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and injury. These professionals, largely hidden from view, have received little study concerning means to improve their safety, health, and well-being. In other settings, mindfulness has resulted in lowered stress, along with other benefits. We hypothesized that a program that promoted mindfulness combined with more typical health and safety components could uniquely benefit corrections professionals. OBJECTIVE This project will assess a novel scalable, self-administered program to enhance the mindfulness, safety, and health of a vulnerable worker group. METHODS In partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections, we are conducting a prospective quasi-experimental trial of a safety, health, and mindfulness program among 100 corrections professionals from 2 institutions. Survey and physiologic data will be collected at enrollment, upon weekly program completion (3 months), and at 9 months after enrollment. Primary outcome behaviors promoted by the program are being mindful, healthier eating, more physical activity, and greater restorative sleep. Secondary downstream benefits are anticipated in stress level, mood, positive feelings about the organization, vascular health, and cellular aging, along with job performance, injuries, and economic costs. Participants will meet in-person or in a Zoom-type meeting as 3- to 5-member coworker groups during their usual work hours for 30-minute sessions once a week for 12 weeks. The program uses self-guided web-based learning modules that include brief mindfulness practice, and it is accessible by smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Daily mindfulness practice is encouraged between sessions, which is facilitated by the study website and group format. The modules' structure emphasizes prerequisite knowledge, peer support, skill practice, self-monitoring, and enhancing self-efficacy for change. The program continues through self-directed use of the Headspace app following the 12 weekly sessions. RESULTS Participants are being enrolled, and the intervention is ready to launch. CONCLUSIONS Although mindfulness training has gained traction for worker well-being, its usual format requires a skilled trainer, an initial retreat, and weekly 2-hour meetings for several weeks. The content is limited to mindfulness without safety or health promotion aspects. The need for skilled trainers and time commitment limits the scalability of the usual mindfulness interventions. The planned program is an innovative combination of technology, e-learning, and a group format to add mindfulness to a safety and health curriculum. If acceptable and effective, the format would facilitate its widespread use. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05608889; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05608889. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/45535.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Elliot
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kerry Kuehl
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Carol DeFrancesco
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Wendy McGinnis
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Susanna Ek
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Allee Van Horne
- Health Promotion & Sports Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Yoo JH, Park YW, Kim D, Park H, Jeong B. Effects of Parental Verbal Abuse Experience on the Glutamate Response to Swear Words in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex: A Functional 1H-magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN COLLEGE OF NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 21:559-571. [PMID: 37424423 PMCID: PMC10335905 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.22.1019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Objective Several lines of evidence indicate verbal abuse (VA) critically impacts the developing brain; however, whether VA results in changes in brain neurochemistry has not been established. Here, we hypothesized that exposure to recurrent parental VA elicits heightened glutamate (Glu) responses during the presentation of swear words, which can be measured with functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS). Methods During an emotional Stroop task consisting of blocks of color and swear words, metabolite concentration changes were measured in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the left amygdalohippocampal region (AMHC) of healthy adults (14 F/27 M, 23 ± 4 years old) using fMRS. The dynamic changes in Glu and their associations with the emotional state of the participants were finally evaluated based on 36 datasets from the vmPFC and 30 from the AMHC. Results A repeated-measures analysis of covariance revealed a modest effect of parental VA severity on Glu changes in the vmPFC. The total score on the Verbal Abuse Questionnaire by parents (pVAQ) was associated with the Glu response to swear words (ΔGluSwe). The interaction term of ΔGluSwe and baseline N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) level in the vmPFC could be used to predict state-trait anxiety level and depressive mood. We could not find any significant associations between ΔGluSwe in the AMHC and either pVAQ or emotional states. Conclusion Parental VA exposure in individuals is associated with a greater Glu response towards VA-related stimuli in the vmPFC and that the accompanying low NAA level may be associated with anxiety level or depressive mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hyun Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Young Woo Park
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Dohyun Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
| | - HyunWook Park
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Bumseok Jeong
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology and KI for Artificial Intelligence, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
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Tymofiyeva O, Hu R, Kidambi R, Nguyen C, Max JE, Yang TT. A meta-analysis of brain morphometric aberrations in adolescents who experienced childhood trauma. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1022791. [PMID: 36561836 PMCID: PMC9764002 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1022791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Childhood trauma is known to have dramatic effects on the risks for developing psychiatric disorders and increased suicidality. We conducted a meta-analysis of whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) correlates of childhood trauma in adolescents exposed to childhood maltreatment (N = 379) and unexposed controls (N = 348). Methods Anisotropic effect size-signed differential mapping (AES-SDM) was utilized to synthesize the studies. Results We observed increased volume amongst adolescents with a history of childhood trauma in regions that are involved in motor functions and language production: left precentral gyrus, including part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, left fibers of the body of corpus callosum, and left postcentral gyrus. We observed decreased volume amongst adolescents with a history of childhood trauma in regions that are involved in language processing and/or sensory processing: bilateral cerebellum, bilateral middle temporal gyrus, left rostrum of corpus callosum, and bilateral supramarginal gyrus. Discussion We suggest that these morphometric differences may be reflective of impaired motor development and increased sensory sensitivity and hypervigilance in adolescents with experiences of childhood trauma. Our results differ from meta-analytical findings in adults with history of childhood trauma and may contribute to a better understanding of neural mechanisms of childhood trauma, prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes, and development of more effective and personalized therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Tymofiyeva
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Olga Tymofiyeva,
| | - Rebecca Hu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Roma Kidambi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ca Nguyen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey E. Max
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States,Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Tony T. Yang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Yu RQ, Tan H, Wang ED, Huang J, Wang PJ, Li XM, Zheng HH, Lv FJ, Hu H. Antidepressants combined with psychodrama improve the coping style and cognitive control network in patients with childhood trauma-associated major depressive disorder. World J Psychiatry 2022; 12:1016-1030. [PMID: 36158310 PMCID: PMC9476846 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i8.1016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of antidepressant therapy alone has a limited efficacy in patients with childhood trauma-associated major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment combined with psychodrama in these patients is unclear.
AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment combined with psychodrama.
METHODS Patients with childhood trauma-associated MDD treated with antidepressants were randomly assigned to either the psychodrama intervention (observation group) or the general health education intervention (control group) and received combination treatment for 6 mo. The observation group received general health education given by the investigator together with the “semi-structured group intervention model” of Yi Shu psychodrama. A total of 46 patients were recruited, including 29 cases in the observation group and 17 cases in the control group. Symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as coping style and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were assessed before and after the intervention.
RESULTS Symptoms of depression and anxiety, measured by the Hamilton Depression Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory, were reduced after the intervention in both groups of patients. The coping style of the observation group improved significantly in contrast to the control group, which did not. In addition, an interaction between treatment and time in the right superior parietal gyrus node was found. Furthermore, functional connectivity between the right superior parietal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus in the observation group increased after the intervention, while in the control group the connectivity decreased.
CONCLUSION This study supports the use of combined treatment with antidepressants and psychodrama to improve the coping style of patients with childhood trauma-associated MDD. Functional connectivity between the superior parietal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus was increased after this combined treatment. We speculate that psychodrama enhances the internal connectivity of the cognitive control network and corrects the negative attention bias of patients with childhood trauma-associated MDD. Elucidating the neurobiological features of patients with childhood trauma-associated MDD is important for the development of methods that can assist in early diagnosis and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren-Qiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Huan Tan
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Er-Dong Wang
- College of Art, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Pei-Jia Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Han-Han Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Fa-Jin Lv
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Hua Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
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Blair KS, Aloi J, Bashford-Largo J, Zhang R, Elowsky J, Lukoff J, Vogel S, Carollo E, Schwartz A, Pope K, Bajaj S, Tottenham N, Dobbertin M, Blair RJ. Different forms of childhood maltreatment have different impacts on the neural systems involved in the representation of reinforcement value. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 53:101051. [PMID: 34953316 PMCID: PMC8714998 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.101051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The current study aimed to address two gaps in the literature on child maltreatment, reinforcement processing and psychopathology. First, the extent to which compromised reinforcement processing might be particularly associated with either neglect or abuse. Second, the extent to which maltreatment-related compromised reinforcement processing might be associated with particular symptom sets (depression, conduct problems, anxiety) or symptomatology more generally. Methods A sample of adolescents (N = 142) aged between 14 and 18 years with varying levels of prior maltreatment participated in this fMRI study. They were scanned while performing a passive avoidance learning task, where the participant learns to respond to stimuli that engender reward and avoid responding to stimuli that engender punishment. Maltreatment (abuse and neglect) levels were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results We found that: (i) level of neglect, but not abuse, was negatively associated with differential BOLD responses to reward-punishment within the striatum and medial frontal cortex; and (ii) differential reward-punishment responses within these neglect-associated regions were particularly negatively associated with level of conduct problems. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate the adverse neurodevelopmental impact of childhood maltreatment, particularly neglect, on reinforcement processing. Moreover, they suggest a neurodevelopmental route by which neglect might increase the risk for conduct problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina S Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA.
| | - Joseph Aloi
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Johannah Bashford-Largo
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Ru Zhang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jaimie Elowsky
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Jennie Lukoff
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Steven Vogel
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Erin Carollo
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Amanda Schwartz
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Kayla Pope
- Department of Psychiatry, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sahil Bajaj
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew Dobbertin
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - R James Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
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Impact of childhood maltreatment and resilience on behavioral and neural patterns of inhibitory control during emotional distraction. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:1260-1271. [PMID: 33827733 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to childhood maltreatment (CM) may disrupt typical development of neural systems underlying impulse control and emotion regulation. Yet resilient outcomes are observed in some individuals exposed to CM. Individual differences in adult functioning may result from variation in inhibitory control in the context of emotional distractions, underpinned by cognitive-affective brain circuits. Thirty-eight healthy adults with a history of substantiated CM and 34 nonmaltreated adults from the same longitudinal sample performed a Go/No-Go task in which task-relevant stimuli (letters) were presented at the center of task-irrelevant, negative, or neutral images, while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. The comparison group, but not the maltreated group, made increased inhibitory control errors in the context of negative, but not neutral, distractor images. In addition, the comparison group had greater right inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral frontal pole activation during inhibitory control blocks with negative compared to neutral background images relative to the CM group. Across the full sample, greater adaptive functioning in everyday contexts was associated with superior inhibitory control and greater right frontal pole activation. Results suggest that resilience following early adversity is associated with enhanced attention and behavioral regulation in the context of task-irrelevant negative emotional stimuli in a laboratory setting.
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Bounoua N, Miglin R, Spielberg JM, Sadeh N. Childhood assaultive trauma and physical aggression: Links with cortical thickness in prefrontal and occipital cortices. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 27:102321. [PMID: 32629165 PMCID: PMC7339124 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Childhood assaultive trauma exposure is linked to less cortical thickness. Cortical thickness in prefrontal regions is inversely associated with aggression. Prefrontal thickness mediated the link between trauma exposure and aggression.
Although the link between childhood maltreatment and violence perpetration in adulthood (i.e., the “cycle of violence”) is well-documented, the neural mechanisms driving these processes remain relatively unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether cortical thickness in adulthood varies as a function of childhood assaultive trauma exposure and whether such neurobiological markers of early trauma relate to the perpetration of aggression across the lifespan. In a sample of 138 ethnically-diverse men and women, whole-brain analysis of the cortical mantle revealed that individuals with exposure to assaultive trauma before age 13 had less cortical thickness in two clusters that survived multiple comparison correction: a region that peaked in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and a region peaking in the right pericalcarine cortex. Diminished cortical thickness in the left OFC cluster was, in turn, associated with greater physical aggression, and mediation analysis revealed that reductions in cortical thickness in this left prefrontal region partially accounted for the association between exposure to childhood assaultive trauma and lifetime perpetration of aggression in adulthood. Findings extend previous investigations into the morphological correlates of early assaultive trauma by implicating reductions in cortical thickness as a potential mechanism linking early violence exposure to violence perpetration that extends into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bounoua
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States.
| | - Rickie Miglin
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Spielberg
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
| | - Naomi Sadeh
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19176, United States
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Impact of early life adversities on human brain functioning: A coordinate-based meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:62-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Oldrati V, Bardoni A, Poggi G, Urgesi C. Influence of Attention Control on Implicit and Explicit Emotion Processing of Face and Body: Evidence From Flanker and Same-or-Different Paradigms. Front Psychol 2020; 10:2971. [PMID: 32038372 PMCID: PMC6985560 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many existing findings indicate that processing of emotional information is pre-attentive, largely immune from attentional control. Nevertheless, inconsistent evidence on the interference of emotional cues on cognitive processing suggests that this influence may be a highly conditional phenomenon. The aim of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the modulation of attention control on emotion processing using facial expressions (2) explore the very same effect for emotional body expressions. In Experiment 1, participants performed a Flanker task in which they had to indicate either the emotion (happy/fearful) or the gender of the target stimulus while ignoring the distracting stimuli at the side. We found evidence for intrusion of the emotional dimension of a stimulus in both the emotion and gender discrimination performance, thus when either task-relevant or task-irrelevant. To further explore the influence of attention control mechanisms, in Experiment 2 participants performed a same-or-different judgment task in which they were asked to pay attention to both the central and lateral stimuli and indicated whether the central stimulus matched the lateral for emotion or gender. Results showed that emotional features exerted an influence at an implicit level (i.e., during gender judgments) for bodies only. Gender features did not affect emotional processing in either experiments. To rule out the possibility that this effect was driven by postural rather than emotional features of fearful vs. happy stimuli, a control experiment was conducted. In Experiment 3, bodies with an opening/up-ward or closing/down-ward posture but with no emotional valence were presented. Results revealed that the body posture did not influence gender discrimination. Findings suggest that the emotional valence of a face or body stimulus can overpass attention filtering mechanisms, independently from the level of attentional modulation (Experiment 1). However, broadening the focus of attention to include the lateral stimuli led emotional information to intrude on the main task, exerting an implicit, bottom–up influence on gender processing, only when conveyed by bodies (Experiment 2). Results point to different mechanisms for the implicit processing of face and body emotional expressions, with the latter likely having role on action preparation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Oldrati
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- *Correspondence: Viola Oldrati,
| | | | - Geraldina Poggi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Cosimo Urgesi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Italy
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12
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Parris BA, Wadsley MG, Hasshim N, Benattayallah A, Augustinova M, Ferrand L. An fMRI Study of Response and Semantic Conflict in the Stroop Task. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2426. [PMID: 31736827 PMCID: PMC6834775 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An enduring question in selective attention research is whether we can successfully ignore an irrelevant stimulus and at what point in the stream of processing we are able to select the appropriate source of information. Using methods informed by recent research on the varieties of conflict in the Stroop task the present study provides evidence for specialized functions of regions of the frontoparietal network in processing response and semantic conflict during Stroop task performance. Specifically, we used trial types and orthogonal contrasts thought to better independently measure response and semantic conflict and we presented the trial types in pure blocks to maximize response conflict and therefore better distinguish between the conflict types. Our data indicate that the left inferior PFC plays an important role in the processing of both response and semantic (or stimulus) conflict, whilst regions of the left parietal cortex (BA40) play an accompanying role in response, but not semantic, conflict processing. Moreover, our study reports a role for the right mediodorsal thalamus in processing semantic, but not response, conflict. In none of our comparisons did we observe activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a finding we ascribe to the use of blocked trial type presentation and one that has implications for theories of ACC function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nabil Hasshim
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - Ludovic Ferrand
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS LAPSCO, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Banich MT. The Stroop Effect Occurs at Multiple Points Along a Cascade of Control: Evidence From Cognitive Neuroscience Approaches. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2164. [PMID: 31681058 PMCID: PMC6797819 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This article argues that the Stroop effect can be generated at a variety of stages from stimulus input to response selection. As such, there are multiple loci at which the Stroop effect occurs. Evidence for this viewpoint is provided by a review of neuroimaging studies that were specifically designed to isolate levels of interference in the Stroop task and the underlying neural systems that work to control the effects of interference at those levels. In particular, the evidence suggests that lateral prefrontal regions work to bias processing toward the task-relevant dimension of a Stroop stimulus (e.g., its color) and away from the task-irrelevant dimension (e.g., the meaning of the word). Medial prefrontal regions, in contrast, tend to be more involved in response-related and late-stage aspects of control. Importantly, it is argued that this control occurs in a cascade-like manner, such that the degree of control that is exerted at earlier stages influences the degree of control that needs to be exerted at later stages. As such, the degree of behavioral interference that is observed is the culmination of processing in specific brain regions as well as their interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie T Banich
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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Blair KS, Aloi J, Crum K, Meffert H, White SF, Taylor BK, Leiker EK, Thornton LC, Tyler PM, Shah N, Johnson K, Abdel-Rahim H, Lukoff J, Dobbertin M, Pope K, Pollak S, Blair RJ. Association of Different Types of Childhood Maltreatment With Emotional Responding and Response Control Among Youths. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e194604. [PMID: 31125109 PMCID: PMC6632148 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.4604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Childhood maltreatment is associated with serious developmental consequences that may be different depending on the form of maltreatment. However, relatively little research has investigated this issue despite implications for understanding the development of psychiatric disorders after maltreatment. Objective To determine the association of childhood maltreatment and potential differential associations of childhood abuse or neglect with neural responsiveness within regions of the brain implicated in emotional responding and response control. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, participants aged 10 to 18 years with varying levels of prior maltreatment as indexed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were recruited from a residential care facility and the surrounding community. Blood oxygen level-dependent response data were analyzed via 2 analyses of covariance that examined 2 (sex) × 3 (task condition [view, congruent, incongruent]) × 3 (valence [negative, neutral, positive]) with Blom-transformed covariates: (1) total CTQ score; and (2) abuse and neglect subscores. Data were collected from April 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018. Data analyses occurred from June 10, 2018, to October 31, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Blood oxygenation level-dependent signals in response to an Affective Stroop task were measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results The sample included 116 youths (mean [SD] age, 15.0 [2.2] years; 70 [60.3%] male). Fifteen participants reported no prior maltreatment. The remaining 101 participants (87.1%) reported at least some prior maltreatment, and 55 (54.5%) reported significant maltreatment, ie, total CTQ scores were greater than the validated CTQ score threshold of 40. There were significant total CTQ score × task condition associations within the bilateral postcentral gyrus, left precentral gyrus, midcingulate cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus (left postcentral gyrus: F = 11.73; partial η2 = 0.14; right postcentral and precentral gyrus: F = 9.81; partial η2 = 0.10; midcingulate cortex: F = 12.76; partial η2 = 0.12; middle temporal gyrus: F = 13.24; partial η2 = 0.10; superior temporal gyrus: F = 10.33; partial η2 = 0.11). In all examined regions of the brain, increased maltreatment was associated with decreased differential responsiveness to incongruent task trials compared with view trials (left postcentral gyrus: r = -0.34; 95% CI, -0.17 to -0.51; right postcentral and precentral gyrus: r = -0.31; 95% CI, -0.14 to -0.49; midcingulate cortex: r = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.53; middle temporal gyrus: r = -0.35; 95% CI, -0.17 to -0.52; superior temporal gyrus: r = -0.37; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.55). These interactions were particularly associated with level of abuse rather than neglect. A second analysis of covariance revealed significant abuse × task condition (but not neglect × task) interactions within the midcingulate cortex (F = 13.96; partial η2 = 0.11), right postcentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobule (F = 15.21; partial η2 = 0.12), left postcentral and precentral gyri (F = 11.16; partial η2 = 0.12), and rostromedial frontal cortex (F = 10.36; partial η2 = 0.08)). In all examined regions of the brain, increased abuse was associated with decreased differential responsiveness to incongruent task trials compared with view trials (midcingulate cortex: partial r = -0.33; P < .001; right postcentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobule: partial r = -0.41; P < .001; left postcentral and precentral gyri: partial r = -0.40; P < .001; and rostromedial frontal cortex: partial r = -0.40; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance These data document associations of different forms of childhood maltreatment with atypical neural response. This suggests that forms of maltreatment may differentially influence the development of psychiatric pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina S. Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Joseph Aloi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
| | - Kathleen Crum
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | | | - Stuart F. White
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Brittany K. Taylor
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
| | - Emily K. Leiker
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Laura C. Thornton
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Patrick M. Tyler
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Niraj Shah
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Kimberly Johnson
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Heba Abdel-Rahim
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Jennie Lukoff
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Matthew Dobbertin
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
| | - Kayla Pope
- Department of Psychiatry, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Seth Pollak
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
| | - R. James Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska
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Mackiewicz Seghete KL, DePrince AP, Banich MT. Association Between Initial Age of Exposure to Childhood Abuse and Cognitive Control: Preliminary Evidence. J Trauma Stress 2018; 31:437-447. [PMID: 29786892 PMCID: PMC6026042 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control, which relies on the protracted development of frontal-parietal regions into adolescence, is a brain process that may be particularly vulnerable to the impact of childhood abuse. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine associations between the age of onset of childhood abuse and alterations to the neural mechanisms supporting cognitive control in early adulthood, which have not been previously examined. During fMRI scanning, participants completed hybrid block/event-related versions of a classic color-word Stroop task as well as emotional Stroop tasks (threat and positive words). Participants were young adult women (N = 15; age range: 23-30 years) who had a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse that began prior to 13 years of age. Results indicated that earlier age of onset of childhood abuse was robustly associated with increased transient (i.e., event-related) recruitment of medial cognitive control regions in the classic color-word paradigm as well as with less suppression of medial frontal regions that are part of the default mode network, βs = -.16 to -.87. In comparison, increased activation in dorsolateral prefrontal regions was associated with earlier age of abuse onset under conditions of sustained (i.e., blocked) cognitive control in the emotional Stroop task for blocks of positive distracting words versus fixation, βs = -.50 to -.60. These results provide preliminary evidence that earlier age of exposure to childhood abuse impacts the functional activation of neural systems involved in cognitive control in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne P. DePrince
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Marie T. Banich
- Institute for Cognitive Science, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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