Resilience and the brain: a key role for regulatory circuits linked to social stress and support

Neural activation during processing of emotional faces as a function of resilience in adolescents

Neuroimaging studies suggest that resilience to adversity is linked to reduced emotional reactivity or enhanced emotion regulation. However, such studies are scarce and mainly use adult samples and categorical definitions of resilience. Using a novel, data-driven approach to define resilience dimensionally, based on cumulative adversity exposure across childhood and psychopathology, we investigated associations between resilience and brain activation during facial emotion processing in youth. We also tested for sex differences in the relationship between resilience and brain activation. fMRI data were acquired from 208 youths (aged 9-18 years; Mean age = 13.28), while viewing angry, fearful, and neutral faces. Whole-brain analyses were performed, followed by region-of-interest analyses focusing on the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Resilience was positively correlated with bilateral inferior frontal gyrus responses to fearful (versus neutral) faces, and negatively correlated with right superior temporal gyrus, left hippocampal, and right inferior frontal gyrus responses to neutral faces (versus fixation). Sex-by-resilience interactions were observed in the medial prefrontal cortex: males showed positive, while females showed negative, associations between resilience and brain activation, though these results did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. These findings provide further evidence that resilience in youth is associated with enhanced emotion regulation at a neural level.

Chronic stress-induced neuroplasticity in the prefrontal cortex: Structural, functional, and molecular mechanisms from development to aging

Chronic stress profoundly affects the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region critical for executive functions and emotional regulation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on stress-induced PFC plasticity, encompassing structural, functional, and molecular changes. We examine how chronic stress leads to dendritic atrophy, spine loss, and alterations in neuronal connectivity within the PFC, particularly affecting the medial PFC. These structural changes are accompanied by disruptions in neurotransmitter systems, most notably glutamatergic and GABAergic signaling, and alterations in synaptic plasticity mechanisms. At the molecular level, we discuss the intricate interplay between stress hormones, neurotrophic factors, and epigenetic modifications that underlie these changes. The review highlights the significant behavioral and cognitive consequences of stress-induced PFC plasticity, including impairments in working memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation, which may contribute to the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders. We also explore individual differences in stress susceptibility, focusing on sex-specific effects and age-dependent variations in stress responses. The role of estrogens in conferring stress resilience in females and the unique vulnerabilities of the developing and aging PFC are discussed. Finally, we consider potential pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that may mitigate or reverse stress-induced changes in the PFC. The review concludes by identifying key areas for future research, including the need for more studies on the reversibility of stress effects and the potential of emerging technologies in unraveling the complexities of PFC plasticity. This comprehensive overview underscores the critical importance of understanding stress-induced PFC plasticity for developing more effective strategies to prevent and treat stress-related mental health disorders.

Examining the moderating role of physical fitness on the relationship between ice and snow sports participation and health outcomes in China

BACKGROUND

The study examines how ice and snow sports participation, fitness, perceived social support, and access to winter sports facilities affect health outcomes in China. Understanding winter sports' health benefits is essential for improving public health in colder parts of China, where their popularity is rising.

METHODS

A sample of 875 Chinese from various regions was used to examine variable relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) and route analysis.

RESULTS

Health outcomes, fitness, winter sports facilities, and ice and snow sports participation were positively associated. A significant correlation (β = 0.22, p < 0.001) was established between ice and snow sports participation and physical fitness, highlighting the impact of winter sports on health. Perceived social support for winter sports improves cold weather tolerance (β = 0.27, p < 0.001), emphasizing the role of social networks in resilience. The correlation between physical fitness and access to winter sports facilities (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) highlights the importance of physical talents in winter sports participation. Positive associations between physical fitness (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) and winter sports social support (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) suggest favorable health and well-being impacts. Physical fitness moderates the health benefits of ice and snow sports participation (β = 0.12, p < 0.05), whereas perceived social support for winter sports mediates the effect (β = 0.09, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings emphasize the importance of supporting ice and snow activities and providing infrastructure to promote health. Physical fitness and improved health outcomes on social support can improve winter sports benefits. Public health initiatives may leverage this information to encourage active living and enhance health.

How positive and negative feedback following real interactions changes subsequent sender ratings

Social evaluative feedback informs us about how others perceive us, constantly updates our expectations of what to receive, and simultaneously changes our view of the sender. However, little is known about the neuronal and behavioral responses when receiving incongruent positive or negative social evaluative feedback. This study (N = 40) investigated how receiving feedback from peers after a real-life interaction modulates behavioral responses and Event-Related Potentials (ERPs). Specifically, ERP modulations by feedback being incongruent with the self-view and incongruent with the feedback expectation were examined along the whole processing stream. Feedback was manipulated such that one peer provided overly positive feedback and the other overly negative feedback, with random computer feedback as a control condition. Behaviorally, participants updated their feedback expectations according to the feedback received from the 'negative' and 'positive' peers and rapidly changed ratings of the sender towards their positive or negative behavior. Concerning ERPs, separate effects of feedback incongruence based on the feedback expectation or self-view were found during the mid-latency processing stages. Subsequently, both types of incongruence increased late ERP amplitudes, which were also increased when participants substantially changed the ratings of the peer senders. This is the first study that combined neuronal and behavioral measures of evaluative feedback processing, emphasizing that incongruent feedback elicits mid-latency modulations and subsequent updating processes associated with increased late amplitudes. In addition, we find rapid behavioral changes in the ratings for the senders based on their feedback behavior.

The negative relationship between brain-age gap and psychological resilience defines the age-related neurocognitive status in older people

Biological brain age is a brain-predicted age using machine learning to indicate brain health and its associated conditions. The presence of an older predicted brain age relative to the actual chronological age is indicative of accelerated aging processes. Consequently, the disparity between the brain's chronological age and its predicted age (brain-age gap) and the factors influencing this disparity provide critical insights into cerebral health dynamics during aging. In this study, we employed a Lasso regression model and analyzed multimodal imaging data from 124 participants aged 53 to 76 to formulate and predict brain age. Additionally, we conducted partial correlation analyses to explore the complex relationship between the brain-age gap and network metrics, cognitive assessments, and emotional evaluations, while controlling for chronological age, gender, and education. Our findings highlight psychological resilience as a significant mitigating factor against premature brain aging. It is established that psychological resilience significantly influences the modulation of the brain-age gap. Moreover, psychological resilience and the brain-age gap exhibit a high accuracy (above 0.72) in segregating Montreal Cognitive Assessment score-based cohorts. This observation underscores significant insight into the potential of utilizing the brain-age gap as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of accelerated aging. It advocates for the timely application of interventions, including the development of programs aimed at bolstering psychological resilience.

The moderating role of parent-child interaction in the relationship between maltreatment and psychological well-being among preschool children

Objective

This study aimed to examine the relationship between maltreatment and psychological well-being among preschool children and explore parent-child interaction's moderating role on this association.

Methods

This study employed a cross-sectional design and multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. Between December 2022 and January 2023, 180 kindergartens in the Hainan province-encompassing 4,886 newly enrolled children as participants-were selected. All data were collected using an online platform, on which parents or caregivers reported their children's history of abuse and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Chinese Parent-Child Interaction Scale.

Result

The reporting rate of child abuse in Hainan Province was 61.81%. Specifically, frequent physical abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-1.80), occasional physical neglect (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.37-2.11), frequent physical neglect (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.31-1.87), and frequent emotional abuse (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.31-1.87) were associated with a higher overall rate of difficulties. Frequent physical abuse (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.08-1.64) and frequent emotional abuse (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.16-1.61) were correlated with a higher rate of prosocial problems. A significant interaction was observed between parent-child interaction and occasional physical neglect on psychological well-being (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.54-0.98, p = 0.035).

Conclusion

Preschool children who experience maltreatment exhibit an increased risk of developing psychological health issues, indicating a cumulative effect. Our study indicates that positive parent-child interaction mitigates occasional physical neglect's negative impact on preschool children's psychological well-being but does not exhibit a moderating effect on frequent physical neglect or other forms of maltreatment.

Complex housing in adulthood state-dependently affects the excitation-inhibition balance in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex of male C57Bl/6 mice

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in social behavior and is sensitive to stressful circumstances. Challenging life conditions might change PFC function and put individuals at risk for maladaptive social behavior. The excitation-inhibition (EI) balance of prefrontal neurons appears to play a crucial role in this process. Here, we examined how a challenging life condition in C57BL/6JolaHsd mice, i.e. group-housing 6 mice in a complex environment for 10 days in adulthood, changes the EI-balance of infralimbic prefrontal neurons in layer 2/3, compared to standard pair-housing. Slices were prepared from "undisturbed" mice, i.e. the first mouse taken from the cage, or mice taken ∼15 min later, who were mildly aroused after removal of the first mouse. We observed a housing-condition by arousal-state interaction, with in the complex housing group an elevated EI-balance in undisturbed and reduced EI-balance in mildly aroused animals, while no differences were observed in standard housed animals. The change was explained by a shift in mIPSC and mEPSC frequency, while amplitudes remained unaffected. Female mice showed no housing-by-state interaction, but a main effect of housing was found for mIPSCs, with a higher frequency in complex- versus standard-housed females. No effects were observed in males who were complex-housed from a young age onwards. Explorative investigations support a potential mediating role of corticosterone in housing effects on the EI-balance of males. We argue that taking the arousal state of individuals into account is necessary to better understand the consequences of exposure to challenging life conditions for prefrontal function.

Long-term impact of maternal prenatal smoking on EEG brain activity and internalizing/externalizing problem symptoms in young adults

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of smoking during pregnancy on the development of the child. While previous research has established its detrimental effects during early childhood, understanding potential long-term consequences into adulthood remains limited. This study specifically aimed to explore the influence of prenatal smoking exposure on brain activity and whether internalizing and externalizing symptoms are influenced by prenatal smoking exposure in a cohort of young adults.

METHODS

Utilizing data from 176 participants (mean age M = 24.68, SD = 0.49) and their mothers enrolled in a longitudinal risk study (MARS), we employed Generalized Additive Mixed Models (GAMMs) to analyze electroencephalography (EEG) power at rest and behavioral outcomes derived from the Young Adult-Self-Report (YASR) scales. Both covariate-unadjusted and -adjusted models were used, taking into account participant variables such as sex and age, as well as maternal factors like psychopathology and alcohol consumption, in addition to smoking and alcohol intake by the participants themselves.

RESULTS

The study revealed a significant impact of prenatal smoking on delta and theta band power, indicating decreased slower brain activity in prenatally exposed individuals compared to unexposed counterparts. Additionally, individuals exposed to prenatal smoking exhibited significantly higher levels of externalizing behavior. While this association was strongly influenced by maternal psychopathology, the child's gender, and the child's own substance use, the effect on delta power band remained after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that prenatal smoking exposure may have enduring effects on brain activity patterns in young adulthood. Conversely, the influence on externalizing behaviors depended on familial factors (maternal psychopathology) and the lifestyle of the individual (substance use).

The extraordinary "ordinary magic" of resilience

In this essay, I will briefly sample different instances of the utilization of the concept of resilience, attempting to complement a comprehensive representation of the field in the special issue of Development and Psychopathology inspired by the 42nd Minnesota Symposium on Child Psychology, hosted by the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and held in October of 2022. Having established the general context of the field, I will zoom in on some of its features, which I consider "low-hanging fruit" and which can be harvested in a systematic way to advance the study of resilience in the context of the future of developmental psychopathology.

Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Impact of Psychological Resilience on Psychosocial Stress Responses

Background: High psychological resilience (HR) could protect individuals from psychosocial stress and thereby make individuals less vulnerable to depression and anxiety; however, the underlying neural mechanism remains to be investigated. Methods: The Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST) was administered to participants of 59 healthy individuals with HR and 56 individuals with low psychological resilience (LR) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. Cortisol concentrations and subjective stress levels were collected across the MIST. Repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted to measure the group differences in subjective and cortisol stress responses. Two-sample t-tests were conducted to detect the group differences in stress-related brain activation and functional connectivity (FC). Results: The LR group exhibited an increase in cortisol concentration after the MIST, whereas the HR group exhibited a decrease in cortisol concentration after the MIST. The LR group exhibited higher activation in the left anterior insula and lower FC between the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the right temporal pole (TP) (all p FWE  < 0.05). Mediation analyses revealed that the left anterior insula mediates the relationship between psychological resilience and depression and the left OFC-right TP FC mediates the relationship between psychological resilience and anxiety. Conclusions: Findings highlight that the anterior insula and OFC-TP FC could be the critical neural mechanism underlying the interaction between psychological resilience and psychosocial stress. Moreover, higher anterior insula activation and lower OFC-TP FC could be the crucial neural mechanism of individuals with low psychological resilience developing into depression/anxiety when experiencing daily psychosocial stressors.

Promoting salutogenic pathways to health through complementary and integrative health approaches

Health restoration and disease prevention are important strategies to achieve health and well-being. This Perspective provides a conceptual overview of the key concepts of salutogenesis (health restoration), chronic stress, resilience, and emotional well-being, and describes how they are distinct and interrelated. We posit, and demonstrate through scientific evidence, that complementary and integrative health approaches, including mind and body interventions, can be used to mitigate the effects of chronic stress and promote salutogenic pathways. Our goal is to identify research gaps and opportunities and suggest ways to advance the knowledge base for mechanistic and clinical research in this field.

Alternation of psychological resilience may moderate mentalization toward mental health conditions from macro- and microstructure aspects

OBJECTIVE

We aim to investigate the interplay between mentalization, brain microstructure, and psychological resilience as potential protective factors against mental illness.

METHOD

Four hundred and twenty-six participants (mean age 40.12±16.95; 202 males, 224 females), without psychiatric or neurological history, completed assessments: Dissociative Process Scale (DPS), Peace of Mind (PoM), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) structures with selected regions of interest, and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) maps from various tracts in the right hemisphere and connection to the frontal areas, including anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), Cingulum (hippocampus) (CH), Corticospinal tract (CST), Superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and Uncinate fasciculus (UF) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Two clusters, representing hypomentalization (HypoM) and hypermentalization (HyperM), were identified based on DPS, CPSS, and RFQ responses. One-way ANOVA showed no significant age or gender differences between clusters. The HypoM group exhibited lower PoM scores, higher BDI and BAI scores, and lower RSA scores (ps< 0.05). Structural brain metric comparison showed significant differences in GMV in the right caudal middle frontal gyrus (rcMFG), right superior frontal gyrus (rsFG), and right frontal pole (rFP) between groups. In addition, the HyperM individuals with a higher risk of depression and a higher ratio of intrapersonal to interpersonal factors of resilience were found with reduced GMV on the rcMFG. Additionally, analyses of DTI metrics revealed significant differences between two groups in rATR and rSLF in terms of fractional anisotropy (FA) values; rATR, rCST, rUF, rSLF, rCH and rIFOF in terms of mean diffusivity (MD) values, and radial diffusivity (RD) (corrected p = 0.05). Moreover, the positive correlation between different domains of resilience and white matter (WM) integrity implied further enhancement of intrapersonal or interpersonal resilience factors that are different for people with different mentalization.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the importance of considering both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors in understanding the interactions between psychological resilience and mental health conditions relevant to brain mechanisms.

How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour-a review of current status and future perspectives

The environment influences brain and mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Existing research has emphasised the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macroenvironmental' challenges, including climate change, pollution, urbanicity, and socioeconomic disparity. Notably, the implications of climate and pollution on brain and mental health have only recently gained prominence. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.

A context-dependent model of resilient functioning after childhood maltreatment-the case for flexible biobehavioral synchrony

Many children who experience childhood adversity, whether in the form of threat or deprivation, develop adaptive competencies that lead to resilient functioning. Still, research has not succeeded in accurately predicting the level of resilient functioning by any kind of biomarkers, likely because it has sidelined the flexibility inherent in a construct that is situationally and developmentally variable. Whilst recent research acknowledges the importance of redefining resilience in order to reflect its dynamic nature after adversity, evidence for specific behaviors that are developmentally adaptive and dynamic throughout the lifespan is limited. We here propose a model in which resilient functioning is crucially dependent on the individual's capability to flexibly synchronize with and segregate from another's cognitive-affective, behavioral, and physiological states, known as 'biobehavioral synchrony'. Such an adaptive interpersonal skill is rooted in (a) the early caregiving experience and its regulatory effects on an individual's physiological stress reactivity, as well as (b) the development of self-other distinction which can be affected by childhood maltreatment. Bridging the gap between accounts of flexible resilient functioning and the latest thinking in biobehavioral synchrony, we will review behavioral and neurobiological evidence that threat and deprivation in childhood interfere with the development of dynamic, context-sensitive boundaries between self and other, mediated by the (right) tempo-parietal junction (a central neural hub for interpersonal synchronization), which puts the individual at risk for affective fusion or cut-off from others' arousal states. Our proposed model charts a path for investigating the differential effects of maltreatment experiences and mechanisms for intergenerational transmission of non-sensitive caregiving. We conclude with metrics, data analysis methods, and strategies to facilitate flexible biobehavioral synchrony.

Genetic-Dependent Brain Signatures of Resilience: Interactions among Childhood Abuse, Genetic Risks and Brain Function

Resilience to emotional disorders is critical for adolescent mental health, especially following childhood abuse. Yet, brain signatures of resilience remain undetermined due to the differential susceptibility of the brain's emotion processing system to environmental stresses. Analyzing brain's responses to angry faces in a longitudinally large-scale adolescent cohort (IMAGEN), we identified two functional networks related to the orbitofrontal and occipital regions as candidate brain signatures of resilience. In girls, but not boys, higher activation in the orbitofrontal-related network was associated with fewer emotional symptoms following childhood abuse, but only when the polygenic burden for depression was high. This finding defined a genetic-dependent brain (GDB) signature of resilience. Notably, this GDB signature predicted subsequent emotional disorders in late adolescence, extending into early adulthood and generalizable to another independent prospective cohort (ABCD). Our findings underscore the genetic modulation of resilience-brain connections, laying the foundation for enhancing adolescent mental health through resilience promotion.

Childhood maltreatment is linked to larger preferred interpersonal distances towards friends and strangers across the globe

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is thought to be associated with altered responses to social stimuli and interpersonal signals. However, limited evidence exists that CM is linked to larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CID) - the physical distance humans prefer towards others during social interactions. However, no previous study has investigated this association in a comprehensive sample, yielding sufficient statistical power. Moreover, preliminary findings are limited to the European region. Finally, it is unclear how CM affects CID towards different interaction partners, and whether CID is linked to social functioning and attachment. To address these outstanding issues, adults (N = 2986) from diverse cultures and socio-economic strata completed a reaction time task measuring CID towards an approaching stranger and friend. Higher CM was linked to a larger CID towards both friends and strangers. Moreover, insecure attachment and less social support were associated with larger CID. These findings demonstrate for the first time that CM affects CID across countries and cultures, highlighting the robustness of this association.

Early life adversities, psychopathologies and novel pharmacological strategies

Exposure to adversities during early life stages (early life adversities - ELA), ranging from pregnancy to adolescence, represents a major risk factor for the vulnerability to mental disorders. Hence, it is important to understand the molecular and functional underpinning of such relationship, in order to develop strategies aimed at reducing the psychopathologic burden associated with ELA, which may eventually lead to a significant improvement in clinical practice. In this review, we will initially recapitulate clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the link between ELA and psychopathology and we will primarily discuss the main biological mechanisms that have been described as potential mediators of the effects of ELA on the psychopathologic risk, including the role for genetic factors as well as sex differences. The knowledge emerging from these studies may be instrumental for the development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed not only at correcting the deficits that emerge from ELA exposure, but also in preventing the manifestation of a full-blown psychopathologic condition. With this respect, we will specifically focus on adolescence as a key time frame for disease onset as well as for early therapeutic intervention. We believe that incorporating clinical and preclinical research data in the context of early life adversities can be instrumental to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to the risk for psychopathology or that may promote resilience. This will ultimately allow the identification of 'at risk' individuals who may benefit from specific forms of interventions that, by interfering with disease trajectories, could result in more benign clinical outcomes.

Associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being: the role of emotion regulation

Nature contact has associations with emotional ill-being and well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not fully understood. We hypothesised that increased adaptive and decreased maladaptive emotion regulation strategies would be a pathway linking nature contact to ill-being and well-being. Using data from a survey of 600 U.S.-based adults administered online in 2022, we conducted structural equation modelling to test our hypotheses. We found that (1) frequency of nature contact was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, (2) effective emotion regulation was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, and (3) the associations of higher frequency of nature contact with these benefits were partly explained via emotion regulation. Moreover, we found a nonlinear relationship for the associations of duration of nature contact with some outcomes, with a rise in benefits up to certain amounts of time, and a levelling off after these points. These findings support and extend previous work that demonstrates that the associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being may be partly explained by changes in emotion regulation.

The Role of Perceived Stress in the Relation between Childhood Maltreatment and Severity of Alcohol Use Disorder: A Mediation Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Experiences of Childhood Maltreatment (CM) relate to relapse and lower treatment success in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), one of the most prevalent substance use disorders. However, the exact mechanisms of this relationship still remain unclear. This study examines perceived stress and "drinking to cope with negative affect" (coping) as possible mediators in this relationship. Moreover, it aims at uncovering the differential effects of the subtypes of CM.

METHODS

N = 96 individuals (42% women; mean age 41 ± 13 years) including healthy controls and individuals with varying severity of AUD and CM completed the Alcohol-Dependence Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale and German Inventory of Drinking Situations. Mediation analyses including perceived stress as a mediator between CM (and subtypes) and severity of AUD, as well as a serial mediation of the relationship between CM and AUD severity by perceived stress and coping were conducted.

RESULTS

Perceived stress significantly mediated the relation between CM and AUD severity and the serial mediation by perceived stress and coping turned out significant. Subtype-specific analyses did not yield significant results.

CONCLUSION

This study reinforces perceived stress as a potential mechanism in the relation between CM and AUD severity. Moreover, coping further mediated the relationship between CM and AUD severity. Our results suggest including screening for CM (subtypes) in clinical routine in order to individually emphasize interventions focusing on stress regulation, as well as on developing healthy coping mechanisms, in patients with AUD. This might prevent heightened stress sensitivity, relapse and further maintenance of AUD.

INTRODUCTION

Experiences of Childhood Maltreatment (CM) relate to relapse and lower treatment success in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), one of the most prevalent substance use disorders. However, the exact mechanisms of this relationship still remain unclear. This study examines perceived stress and "drinking to cope with negative affect" (coping) as possible mediators in this relationship. Moreover, it aims at uncovering the differential effects of the subtypes of CM.

METHODS

N = 96 individuals (42% women; mean age 41 ± 13 years) including healthy controls and individuals with varying severity of AUD and CM completed the Alcohol-Dependence Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale and German Inventory of Drinking Situations. Mediation analyses including perceived stress as a mediator between CM (and subtypes) and severity of AUD, as well as a serial mediation of the relationship between CM and AUD severity by perceived stress and coping were conducted.

RESULTS

Perceived stress significantly mediated the relation between CM and AUD severity and the serial mediation by perceived stress and coping turned out significant. Subtype-specific analyses did not yield significant results.

CONCLUSION

This study reinforces perceived stress as a potential mechanism in the relation between CM and AUD severity. Moreover, coping further mediated the relationship between CM and AUD severity. Our results suggest including screening for CM (subtypes) in clinical routine in order to individually emphasize interventions focusing on stress regulation, as well as on developing healthy coping mechanisms, in patients with AUD. This might prevent heightened stress sensitivity, relapse and further maintenance of AUD.

The role of resilience in the relationship between stress and alcohol

Stress plays a well-documented role in alcohol consumption and the risk for developing alcohol use disorder. The concept of resilience - coping with and successfully adapting to stressful life experiences - has received increasing attention in the field of addiction research in recent decades, and there has been an accumulation of evidence for resilience as a protective factor against problematic alcohol consumption, risk for alcohol use disorder, disorder severity, and relapse. The conceptual and methodological approaches used in the generation of this evidence vary considerably across investigations, however. In light of this, we carried out this review in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the meaning and scope of resilience, what factors contribute to resilience, how it is measured, and how it relates to alcohol-associated phenotypes. Implications for treatment through the use of resilience-building interventions are likewise discussed, as well as implications for future research on the role of resilience in the etiology and clinical outcomes of alcohol use disorder.

Midbrain glutamatergic circuit mechanism of resilience to socially transferred allodynia in male mice

The potential brain mechanism underlying resilience to socially transferred allodynia remains unknown. Here, we utilize a well-established socially transferred allodynia paradigm to segregate male mice into pain-susceptible and pain-resilient subgroups. Brain screening results show that ventral tegmental area glutamatergic neurons are selectively activated in pain-resilient mice as compared to control and pain-susceptible mice. Chemogenetic manipulations demonstrate that activation and inhibition of ventral tegmental area glutamatergic neurons bi-directionally regulate resilience to socially transferred allodynia. Moreover, ventral tegmental area glutamatergic neurons that project specifically to the nucleus accumbens shell and lateral habenula regulate the development and maintenance of the pain-resilient phenotype, respectively. Together, we establish an approach to explore individual variations in pain response and identify ventral tegmental area glutamatergic neurons and related downstream circuits as critical targets for resilience to socially transferred allodynia and the development of conceptually innovative analgesics.

The interaction effect of high social support and resilience on functional connectivity using seed-based resting-state assessed by 7-Tesla ultra-high field MRI

Recent resilience research has increasingly emphasized the importance of focusing on investigating the protective factors in mentally healthy populations, complementing the traditional focus on psychopathology. Social support has emerged as a crucial element within the complex interplay of individual and socio-environmental factors that shape resilience. However, the neural underpinnings of the relationship between social support and resilience, particularly in healthy subjects, remain largely unexplored. With advances in neuroimaging techniques, such as ultra-high field MRI at 7T and beyond, researchers can more effectively investigate the neural mechanisms underlying these factors. Thus, our study employed ultra-high field rs-fMRI to explore how social support moderates the relationship between psychological resilience and functional connectivity in a healthy cohort. We hypothesized that enhanced social support would amplify resilience-associated connectivity within neural circuits essential for emotional regulation, cognitive processing, and adaptive problem-solving, signifying a synergistic interaction where strong social networks bolster the neural underpinnings of resilience. (n = 30). Through seed-based functional connectivity analyses and interaction analysis, we aimed to uncover the neural correlates at the interplay of social support and resilience. Our findings indicate that perceived social support significantly (p<0.001) alters functional connectivity in the right and left FP, PCC, and left hippocampus, affirming the pivotal roles of these regions in the brain's resilience network. Moreover, we identified significant moderation effects of social support across various brain regions, each showing unique connectivity patterns. Specifically, the right FP demonstrated a significant interaction effect where high social support levels were linked to increased connectivity with regions involved in socio-cognitive processing, while low social support showed opposite effects. Similar patterns by social support levels were observed in the left FP, with connectivity changes in clusters associated with emotional regulation and cognitive functions. The PCC's connectivity was distinctly influenced by support levels, elucidating its role in emotional and social cognition. Interestingly, the connectivity of the left hippocampus was not significantly impacted by social support levels, indicating a unique pattern within this region. These insights highlight the importance of high social support levels in enhancing the neural foundations of resilience and fostering adaptive neurological responses to environmental challenges.

Trends in Intracranial and Cerebral Volumes of Framingham Heart Study Participants Born 1930 to 1970

Importance

Human brain development and maintenance is under both genetic and environmental influences that likely affect later-life dementia risk.

Objective

To examine environmental influences by testing whether time-dependent secular differences occurred in cranial and brain volumes and cortical thickness over birth decades spanning 1930 to 1970.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study used data from the community-based Framingham Heart Study cohort for participants born in the decades 1930 to 1970. Participants did not have dementia or history of stroke and had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained from March 18, 1999, to November 15, 2019. The final analysis dataset was created in October 2023.

Exposure

Years of birth ranging from 1925 to 1968.

Main Measures

Cross-sectional analysis of intracranial, cortical gray matter, white matter, and hippocampal volumes as well as cortical surface area and cortical thickness. The secular measure was the decade in which the participant was born. Covariates included age at MRI and sex.

Results

The main study cohort consisted of 3226 participants with a mean (SD) age of 57.7 (7.8) years at the time of their MRI. A total of 1706 participants were female (53%) and 1520 (47%) were male. The birth decades ranged from the 1930s to 1970s. Significant trends for larger intracranial, hippocampal, and white matter volumes and cortical surface area were associated with progressive birth decades. Comparing the 1930s birth decade to the 1970s accounted for a 6.6% greater volume (1234 mL; 95% CI, 1220-1248, vs 1321 mL; 95% CI, 1301-1341) for ICV, 7.7% greater volume (441.9 mL; 95% CI, 435.2-448.5, vs 476.3 mL; 95% CI, 467.0-485.7) for white matter, 5.7% greater value (6.51 mL; 95% CI, 6.42-6.60, vs 6.89 mL; 95% CI, 6.77-7.02) for hippocampal volume, and a 14.9% greater value (1933 cm2; 95% CI, 1908-1959, vs 2222 cm2; 95% CI, 2186-2259) for cortical surface area. Repeat analysis applied to a subgroup of 1145 individuals of similar age range born in the 1940s (mean [SD] age, 60.0 [2.8] years) and 1950s (mean [SD] age, 59.0 [2.8] years) resulted in similar findings.

Conclusion and Relevance

In this study, secular trends for larger brain volumes suggested improved brain development among individuals born between 1930 and 1970. Early life environmental influences may explain these results and contribute to the declining dementia incidence previously reported in the Framingham Heart Study cohort.

How and when social evaluative feedback is processed in the brain: A systematic review on ERP studies

Social evaluative feedback informs the receiver of the other's views, which may contain judgments of personality-related traits and/or the level of likability. Such kinds of social evaluative feedback are of particular importance to humans. Event-related potentials (ERPs) can directly measure where in the processing stream feedback valence, expectancy, or contextual relevance modulate information processing. This review provides an overview and systematization of studies and early, mid-latency, and late ERP effects. Early effects were inconsistently reported for all factors. Feedback valence effects are more consistently reported for specific mid-latency ERPs (Reward Positivity, RewP, and Early Posterior Negativity, EPN) and late positivities (P3 and Late Positive Potential, LPP). Unexpected feedback consistently increased the Feedback Related Negativity (FRN) and, less consistently, decreased P3 amplitudes. Contextual relevance of the sender (e.g., human vs computer sender) or self-relatedness increased mid-latency to late ERPs. Interactions between valence and other factors were less often found, arising during mid-latency stages, where most consistent interactions showed larger EPN and P3 amplitude differences for valent feedback in a more relevant context. The ERP findings highlight that social evaluative feedback is consistently differentiated during mid-latency processing stages. The review discusses the relevance of findings, possible shortcomings of different experimental designs, and open questions. Furthermore, we suggest concrete venues for future research.

Broadening the Scope of Resilience in Chronic Pain: Methods, Social Context, and Development

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

A wellspring of new research has offered varying models of resilience in chronic pain populations; however, resilience is a multifaceted and occasionally nebulous construct. The current review explores definitional and methodological issues in existing observational and clinical studies and offers new directions for future studies of pain resilience.

RECENT FINDINGS

Definitions of pain resilience have historically relied heavily upon self-report and from relatively narrow scientific domains (e.g., positive psychology) and in narrow demographic groups (i.e., Caucasian, affluent, or highly educated adults). Meta-analytic and systematic reviews have noted moderate overall quality of resilience-focused assessment and treatment in chronic pain, which may be attributable to these narrow definitions. Integration of research from affiliated fields (developmental models, neuroimaging, research on historically underrepresented groups, trauma psychology) has the potential to enrich current models of pain resilience and ultimately improve the empirical and clinical utility of resilience models in chronic pain.

Blunted brain responses to neutral faces in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia: an image-based fMRI meta-analysis

Schizophrenia is characterized by the misattribution of emotional significance to neutral faces, accompanied by overactivations of the limbic system. To understand the disorder's genetic and environmental contributors, investigating healthy first-degree relatives is crucial. However, inconsistent findings exist regarding their ability to recognize neutral faces, with limited research exploring the cerebral correlates of neutral face processing in this population. Thus, we here investigated brain responses to neutral face processing in healthy first-degree relatives through an image-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. We included unthresholded group-level T-maps from 5 studies comprising a total of 120 first-degree relatives and 150 healthy controls. In sensitivity analyses, we ran a combined image- and coordinate-based meta-analysis including 7 studies (157 first-degree relatives, 207 healthy controls) aiming at testing the robustness of the results in a larger sample of studies. Our findings revealed a pattern of decreased brain responses to neutral faces in relatives compared with healthy controls, particularly in limbic areas such as the bilateral amygdala, hippocampus, and insula. The same pattern was observed in sensitivity analyses. These results contrast with the overactivations observed in patients, potentially suggesting that this trait could serve as a protective factor in healthy relatives. However, further research is necessary to test this hypothesis.

Association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index with resilience and prosociality of the offspring aged 6-7 years old: a population-based cohort study in Japan

The association between maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and child behavior problems has been widely researched, leaving a gap in understanding the positive aspects of children's mental health. The present study aimed to investigate the association between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and resilience and prosociality among 6-7 year-old children in Japan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study, a population-based study in 2017 and 2019 including all first-grade students in public schools in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan (n = 7328, response rate = 84.7%). Resilience and prosociality were measured by the Children's Resilient Coping Scale and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, respectively. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and height were reported based on the Mother and Child Health Handbook, and BMI was categorized as underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), and obesity (BMI ≥ 30). Linear regression models were employed to control for covariates. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was found to be negatively associated with child resilience (coefficient: - 3.29; 95% CI - 6.42--0.15), while maternal underweight was negatively associated with child prosociality (coefficient: - 0.12; 95% CI - 0.24--0.005) compared to mothers of pre-pregnancy normal BMI. Perinatal factors, such as gestational weight gain, gestational age, and birth weight, did not mediate the association. Our findings suggest that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is linked to decreased resilience and maternal underweight is linked to decreased prosociality in children aged 6-7 years. Maintaining an appropriate BMI range before pregnancy may be crucial for enhancing resilience and prosociality of offspring.

Positive parent-child interactions moderate certain maltreatment effects on psychosocial well-being in 6-year-old children

BACKGROUND

Positive parental interactions may buffer maltreated children from poor psychosocial outcomes. The study aims to evaluate the associations between various types of maltreatment and psychosocial outcomes in early childhood, and examine the moderating effect of positive parent-child interactions on them.

METHODS

Data were from a representative Chinese 6-year-old children sample (n = 17,088). Caregivers reported the history of child maltreatment perpetrated by any individuals, completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a proxy for psychosocial well-being, and reported the frequency of their interactions with children by the Chinese Parent-Child Interaction Scale.

RESULTS

Physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse were all associated with higher odds of psychosocial problems (aOR = 1.90 [95% CI: 1.57-2.29], aOR = 1.92 [95% CI: 1.75-2.10], aOR = 1.64 [95% CI: 1.17-2.30], aOR = 2.03 [95% CI: 1.30-3.17]). Positive parent-child interactions were associated with lower odds of psychosocial problems after accounting for different types of maltreatment. The moderating effect of frequent parent-child interactions was found only in the association between occasional only physical abuse and psychosocial outcomes (interaction term: aOR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15-0.77).

CONCLUSIONS

Maltreatment and positive parent-child interactions have impacts on psychosocial well-being in early childhood. Positive parent-child interactions could only buffer the adverse effect of occasional physical abuse on psychosocial outcomes. More frequent parent-child interactions may be an important intervention opportunity among some children.

IMPACT

It provides the first data on the prevalence of different single types and combinations of maltreatment in early childhood in Shanghai, China by drawing on a city-level population-representative sample. It adds to evidence that different forms and degrees of maltreatment were all associated with a higher risk of psychosocial problems in early childhood. Among them, sexual abuse posed the highest risk, followed by emotional abuse. It innovatively found that higher frequencies of parent-child interactions may provide buffering effects only to children who are exposed to occasional physical abuse. It provides a potential intervention opportunity, especially for physically abused children.

North Korean defectors with PTSD and complex PTSD show alterations in default mode network resting-state functional connectivity

BACKGROUND

North Korean defectors (NKDs) have often been exposed to traumatic events. However, there have been few studies of neural alterations in NKDs with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (cPTSD).

AIMS

To investigate neural alterations in NKDs with PTSD and cPTSD, with a specific focus on alterations in resting-state functional connectivity networks, including the default mode network (DMN).

METHOD

Resting-state functional connectivity was assessed using brain functional magnetic resonance imaging in three groups of NKDs: without PTSD, with PTSD and with cPTSD. Statistical tests were performed, including region of interest (ROI)-to-ROI and ROI-to-voxel analysis, followed by post hoc correlation analysis.

RESULTS

In the ROI-to-ROI analysis, differences in functional connectivity were found among the components of the DMN, as well as in the thalamus and the basal ganglia. Right hippocampus-left pallidum and right amygdala-left lingual gyrus connectivity differed between groups in the ROI-to-voxel analysis, as did connectivity involving the basal ganglia. The post hoc analysis revealed negative correlations between Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale (CAPS) score and left posterior cingulate cortex-right pallidum connectivity and between CAPS score and right putamen-left angular gyrus connectivity in the control group, which were not observed in other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that there are alterations in the functional connectivity of the DMN and the limbic system in NKDs with PTSD and cPTSD, and that these alterations involve the basal ganglia. The lower correlations of CAPS score with right basal ganglia-DMN functional connectivity in patients compared with controls further implies that these connectivities are potential targets for treatment of PTSD and cPTSD.

Association between urban upbringing and functional brain connectivity in schizophrenia

Background

Environmental factors considerably influence the development of the human cortex during the perinatal period, early childhood, and adolescence. Urban upbringing in the first 15 years of life is a known risk factor for schizophrenia (SCZ). Though the risk of urban birth and upbringing is well-examined from an epidemiological perspective, the biological mechanisms underlying urban upbringing remain unknown. The effect of urban birth and upbringing on functional brain connectivity in SCZ patients is not yet examined.

Methods

This is a secondary data analysis of three studies that included 87 patients with SCZ and 70 healthy volunteers (HV) aged 18 to 50 years. We calculated the developmental urbanicity index using a validated method in earlier studies. Following standard pre-processing of resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, seed-return on investment (ROI) functional connectivity analysis was performed.

Results

The results showed a significant association between urban birth and upbringing on functional connectivity in SCZ patients and HV (P < 0.05). In SCZ patients, connections from the right caudate, anterior cingulate cortex, left and right intracalcarine cortices, left and right lingual gyri, left posterior parahippocampal cortex to the cerebellum, fusiform gyri, lateral occipital cortex, and amygdala were significantly associated with the urbanicity index (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These study findings suggest a significant association between urban birth and upbringing on functional brain connectivity in regions involved in reward processing and social cognition in SCZ. Assessment of social cognition could have implications in developing an in-depth understanding of this impairment in persons with SCZ.

Neural habituation during acute stress signals a blunted endocrine response and poor resilience

BACKGROUND

A blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to acute stress is associated with psychiatric symptoms. Although the prefrontal cortex and limbic areas are important regulators of the HPA axis, whether the neural habituation of these regions during stress signals both blunted HPA axis responses and psychiatric symptoms remains unclear. In this study, neural habituation during acute stress and its associations with the stress cortisol response, resilience, and depression were evaluated.

METHODS

Seventy-seven participants (17-22 years old, 37 women) were recruited for a ScanSTRESS brain imaging study, and the activation changes between the first and last stress blocks were used as the neural habituation index. Meanwhile, participants' salivary cortisol during test was collected. Individual-level resilience and depression were measured using questionnaires. Correlation and moderation analyses were conducted to investigate the association between neural habituation and endocrine data and mental symptoms. Validated analyses were conducted using a Montreal Image Stress Test dataset in another independent sample (48 participants; 17-22 years old, 24 women).

RESULTS

Neural habituation of the prefrontal cortex and limbic area was negatively correlated with cortisol responses in both datasets. In the ScanSTRESS paradigm, neural habituation was both positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with resilience. Moreover, resilience moderated the relationship between neural habituation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and cortisol response.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that neural habituation of the prefrontal cortex and limbic area could reflect motivation dysregulation during repeated failures and negative feedback, which might further lead to maladaptive mental states.

"World-Informed" Neuroscience for Diversity and Inclusion: An Organizational Change in Cognitive Sciences

By nature, humans are "tojisha (participating subjects/player-witnesses)" who encounter an unpredictable real world. An important characteristic of the relationship between the individual brain and the world is that it creates a loop of interaction and mutual formation. However, cognitive sciences have traditionally been based on a model that treats the world as a given constant. We propose incorporating the interaction loop into this model to create "world-informed neuroscience (WIN)". Based on co-productive research with people with minority characteristics that do not match the world, we hypothesize that the tojisha and the world interact in a two-dimensional way of rule-based and story-based. By defining the cognitive process of becoming tojisha in this way, it is possible to contribute to the various issues of the real world and diversity and inclusion through the integration of the humanities and sciences. The critical role of the brain dopamine system as a basis for brain-world interaction and the importance of research on urbanicity and adolescent development as examples of the application of WIN were discussed. The promotion of these studies will require bidirectional translation between human population science and animal cognitive neuroscience. We propose that the social model of disability should be incorporated into cognitive sciences, and that disability-informed innovation is needed to identify how social factors are involved in mismatches that are difficult to visualize. To promote WIN to ultimately contribute to a diverse and inclusive society, co-production of research from the initial stage of research design should be a baseline requirement.

Effects of childhood neglect on regional brain activity and corresponding functional connectivity in major depressive disorder and healthy people: Risk factor or resilience?

BACKGROUND

Childhood neglect is a high risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the effects of childhood neglect on regional brain activity and corresponding functional connectivity in MDD patients and healthy populations remains unclear.

METHODS

Regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF, degree centrality, and voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity were extensively calculated to explore intraregional brain activity in MDD patients with childhood neglect and in healthy populations with childhood neglect. Functional connectivity analysis was then performed using regions showing abnormal brain activity in regional homogeneity/ALFF/fractional ALFF/degree centrality/voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity analysis as seed. Partial correlation analysis and moderating effect analysis were used to explore the relationship between childhood neglect, abnormal brain activity, and MDD severity.

RESULTS

We found decreased brain function in the inferior parietal lobe and cuneus in MDD patients with childhood neglect. In addition, we detected that childhood neglect was significant associated with abnormal cuneus brain activity in MDD patients and that abnormal cuneus brain activity moderated the relationship between childhood neglect and MDD severity. In contrast, higher brain function was observed in the inferior parietal lobe and cuneus in healthy populations with childhood neglect.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide new evidence for the identification of neural biomarkers in MDD patients with childhood neglect. More importantly, we identify brain activity characteristics of resilience in healthy populations with childhood neglect, providing more clues to identify neurobiological markers of resilience to depression after suffering childhood neglect.

How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour - a review of current status and future perspectives

The environment influences mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Current research has emphasized the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macro-environmental' challenges including climate change, pollution, urbanicity and socioeconomic disparity. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.

A coordinate-based meta-analysis of human amygdala connectivity alterations related to early life adversities

By affecting core neurobiological systems early in development, early life adversities (ELAs) might confer latent vulnerability to future psychopathologies. This coordinate-based meta-analysis aims to identify significant convergent alterations in functional connectivity of the amygdala related to ELAs across resting-state and task-based fMRI-studies. Five electronic databases were systematically searched until 22 October 2020, retrieving 49 eligible studies (n = 3162 participants). Convergent alterations in functional connectivity related to ELAs between the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left hippocampus were found. Sub-analyses based on hemisphere and direction showed that connectivity seeded in the right amygdala was affected and, moreover, revealed that connectivity with ACC was decreased. Analyses based on paradigm and age showed that amygdala-ACC coupling was altered during resting state and that amygdala-left hippocampus connectivity was mostly affected during task-based paradigms and in adult participants. While both regions showed altered connectivity during emotion processing and following adverse social postnatal experiences such as maltreatment, amygdala-ACC coupling was mainly affected when ELAs were retrospectively assessed through self-report. We show that ELAs are associated with altered functional connectivity of the amygdala with the ACC and hippocampus. As such, ELAs may embed latent vulnerability to future psychopathologies by systematically affecting important neurocognitive systems.

Resilience is associated with cortical gray matter of the antinociceptive pathway in people with chronic pain

Resilience is an important personal characteristic that influences health and recovery. Previous studies of chronic pain suggest that highly resilient people may be more effective at modulating their pain. Since brain gray matter in the antinociceptive pathway has also been shown to be abnormal in people with chronic pain, we examined whether resilience is related to gray matter in regions of interest (ROIs) of the antinociceptive pathway (rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (rACC, sgACC), anterior insula (aINS), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC)) normally and in people who are experiencing chronic pain. We extracted gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT) from 3T MRIs of 88 people with chronic pain (half males/females) and 86 healthy controls (HCs), who completed The Resilience Scale and Brief Pain Inventory. We found that resilience scores were significantly lower in people with chronic pain compared to HCs, whereas ROI GMV and CT were not different between groups. Resilience negatively correlated with average pain scores and positively correlated with GMV in the bilateral rACC, sgACC, and left dlPFC of people with chronic pain. Mediation analyses revealed that GMV in the right rACC and left sgACC partially co-mediated the relationship between resilience and average pain in people with chronic pain. The resilience-pain and some resilience-GMV relationships were sex-dependent. These findings suggest that the antinociceptive pathway may play a role in the impact of resilience on one's ability to modulate chronic pain. A better understanding of the brain-resilience relationship may help advance evidence-based approaches to pain management.

A stable and replicable neural signature of lifespan adversity in the adult brain

Environmental adversities constitute potent risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Evidence suggests the brain adapts to adversity, possibly in an adversity-type and region-specific manner. However, the long-term effects of adversity on brain structure and the association of individual neurobiological heterogeneity with behavior have yet to be elucidated. Here we estimated normative models of structural brain development based on a lifespan adversity profile in a longitudinal at-risk cohort aged 25 years (n = 169). This revealed widespread morphometric changes in the brain, with partially adversity-specific features. This pattern was replicated at the age of 33 years (n = 114) and in an independent sample at 22 years (n = 115). At the individual level, greater volume contractions relative to the model were predictive of future anxiety. We show a stable neurobiological signature of adversity that persists into adulthood and emphasize the importance of considering individual-level rather than group-level predictions to explain emerging psychopathology.

Childhood family environment predicting psychotic disorders over a 37-year follow-up - A general population cohort study

BACKGROUND

Childhood adverse effects and traumatic experiences increase the risk for several psychiatric disorders. We now investigated whether prospectively assessed childhood family environment per se contributes to increased risk for psychotic disorders in adulthood, and whether these family patterns are also relevant in the development of affective disorders.

METHODS

We used the Young Finns Data (n = 3502). Childhood family environment was assessed in 1980/1983 with previously constructed risk scores: (1) disadvantageous emotional family atmosphere (parenting practices, parents' life satisfaction, parents' mental disorder, parents' alcohol intoxication), (2) adverse socioeconomic environment (overcrowded apartment, home income, parent's employment, occupational status, educational level), and (3) stress-prone life events (home movement, school change, parental divorce, death, or hospitalization, and child's hospitalization). Psychiatric diagnoses (ICD-10 classification) over the lifespan were collected up to 2017 from the national registry of hospital care. Non-affective psychotic disorder and affective disorder groups were formed.

RESULTS

Frequent stress-prone life events predicted higher likelihood of non-affective psychotic disorders (OR = 2.401, p = 0.001). Adverse socioeconomic environment or emotional family atmosphere did not predict psychotic disorders. Only disadvantageous emotional family atmosphere predicted modestly higher likelihood of affective disorders (OR = 1.583, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that childhood family environment and atmosphere patterns as such contribute to the risk for developing adulthood mental disorders with relative disorder specificity. The results emphasize the importance of both individual and public health preventive initiatives, including family support interventions.

Conceptualizing psychological resilience through resting-state functional MRI in a mentally healthy population: a systematic review

Conceptualizations and operational definitions of psychological resilience vary across resilience neuroimaging studies. Data on the neural features of resilience among healthy individuals has been scarce. Furthermore, findings from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies were inconsistent across studies. This systematic review summarized resting-state fMRI findings in different modalities from various operationally defined resilience in a mentally healthy population. The PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched. Articles that focused on resting-state fMRI in relation to resilience, and published before 2022, were targeted. Orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insula and amygdala, were reported the most from the 19 included studies. Regions in emotional network was reported the most from the included studies. The involvement of regions like amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex indicated the relationships between emotional processing and resilience. No common brain regions or neural pathways were identified across studies. The emotional network appears to be studied the most in association with resilience. Matching fMRI modalities and operational definitions of resilience across studies are essential for meta-analysis.

Effective connectivity during face processing in major depression - distinguishing markers of pathology, risk, and resilience

BACKGROUND

Aberrant brain connectivity during emotional processing, especially within the fronto-limbic pathway, is one of the hallmarks of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the methodological heterogeneity of previous studies made it difficult to determine the functional and etiological implications of specific alterations in brain connectivity. We previously reported alterations in psychophysiological interaction measures during emotional face processing, distinguishing depressive pathology from at-risk/resilient and healthy states. Here, we extended these findings by effective connectivity analyses in the same sample to establish a refined neural model of emotion processing in depression.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients with MDD, 45 first-degree relatives of patients with MDD and 97 healthy controls performed a face-matching task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We used dynamic causal modeling to estimate task-dependent effective connectivity at the subject level. Parametric empirical Bayes was performed to quantify group differences in effective connectivity.

RESULTS

MDD patients showed decreased effective connectivity from the left amygdala and left lateral prefrontal cortex to the fusiform gyrus compared to relatives and controls, whereas patients and relatives showed decreased connectivity from the right orbitofrontal cortex to the left insula and from the left orbitofrontal cortex to the right fusiform gyrus compared to controls. Relatives showed increased connectivity from the anterior cingulate cortex to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the depressive state alters top-down control of higher visual regions during face processing. Alterations in connectivity within the cognitive control network present potential risk or resilience mechanisms.

Functional neuroimaging of resilience to trauma: convergent evidence and challenges for future research

Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to adapt successfully following stressful life events. Here, we review functional MRI studies that investigated key psychological factors that have been consistently linked to resilience to severe adversity and trauma exposure. These domains include emotion regulation (including cognitive reappraisal), reward responsivity, and cognitive control. Further, we briefly review functional imaging evidence related to emerging areas of study that may potentially facilitate resilience: namely social cognition, active coping, and successful fear extinction. Finally, we also touch upon ongoing issues in neuroimaging study design that will need to be addressed to enable us to harness insight from such studies to improve treatments for - or, ideally, guard against the development of - debilitating post-traumatic stress syndromes.

Prediction of Chronic Stress and Protective Factors in Adults: Development of an Interpretable Prediction Model Based on XGBoost and SHAP Using National Cross-sectional DEGS1 Data

BACKGROUND

Chronic stress is highly prevalent in the German population. It has known adverse effects on mental health, such as burnout and depression. Known long-term effects of chronic stress are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to derive an interpretable multiclass machine learning model for predicting chronic stress levels and factors protecting against chronic stress based on representative nationwide data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults, which is part of the national health monitoring program.

METHODS

A data set from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults study including demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from 5801 participants was analyzed. A multiclass eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was constructed to classify participants into 3 categories including low, middle, and high chronic stress levels. The model's performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, precision, recall, specificity, and the F1-score. Additionally, SHapley Additive exPlanations was used to interpret the prediction XGBoost model and to identify factors protecting against chronic stress.

RESULTS

The multiclass XGBoost model exhibited the macroaverage scores, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 81%, precision of 63%, recall of 52%, specificity of 78%, and F1-score of 54%. The most important features for low-level chronic stress were male gender, very good general health, high satisfaction with living space, and strong social support.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents a multiclass interpretable prediction model for chronic stress in adults in Germany. The explainable artificial intelligence technique SHapley Additive exPlanations identified relevant protective factors for chronic stress, which need to be considered when developing interventions to reduce chronic stress.

Social belonging: brain structure and function is linked to membership in sports teams, religious groups, and social clubs

Human behavior across the life span is driven by the psychological need to belong, right from kindergarten to bingo nights. Being part of social groups constitutes a backbone for communal life and confers many benefits for the physical and mental health. Capitalizing on the neuroimaging and behavioral data from ∼40,000 participants from the UK Biobank population cohort, we used structural and functional analyses to explore how social participation is reflected in the human brain. Across 3 different types of social groups, structural analyses point toward the variance in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex as structural substrates tightly linked to social participation. Functional connectivity analyses not only emphasized the importance of default mode and limbic network but also showed differences for sports teams and religious groups as compared to social clubs. Taken together, our findings establish the structural and functional integrity of the default mode network as a neural signature of social belonging.

Early Social Adversity, Altered Brain Functional Connectivity, and Mental Health

Early adverse environmental exposures during brain development are widespread risk factors for the onset of severe mental disorders and strong and consistent predictors of stress-related mental and physical illness and reduced life expectancy. Current evidence suggests that early negative experiences alter plasticity processes during developmentally sensitive time windows and affect the regular functional interaction of cortical and subcortical neural networks. This, in turn, may promote a maladapted development with negative consequences on the mental and physical health of exposed individuals. In this review, we discuss the role of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based functional connectivity phenotypes as potential biomarker candidates for the consequences of early environmental exposures-including but not limited to-childhood maltreatment. We take an expanded concept of developmentally relevant adverse experiences from infancy over childhood to adolescence as our starting point and focus our review of functional connectivity studies on a selected subset of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based phenotypes, including connectivity in the limbic and within the frontoparietal as well as default mode networks, for which we believe there is sufficient converging evidence for a more detailed discussion in a developmental context. Furthermore, we address specific methodological challenges and current knowledge gaps that complicate the interpretation of early stress effects on functional connectivity and deserve particular attention in future studies. Finally, we highlight the forthcoming prospects and challenges of this research area with regard to establishing functional connectivity measures as validated biomarkers for brain developmental processes and individual risk stratification and as target phenotypes for mechanism-based interventions.

Functional Brain Connectivity Prior to the COVID-19 Outbreak Moderates the Effects of Coping and Perceived Stress on Mental Health Changes: A First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to investigate the psychological impact of a global major adverse situation. Our aim was to examine, in a longitudinal prospective study, the demographic, psychological, and neurobiological factors associated with interindividual differences in resilience to the mental health impact of the pandemic.

METHODS

We included 2023 healthy participants (age: 54.32 ± 7.18 years, 65.69% female) from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative cohort. A linear mixed model was used to characterize the change in anxiety and depression symptoms based on data collected both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. During the pandemic, psychological variables assessing individual differences in perceived stress and coping strategies were obtained. In addition, in a subsample (n = 433, age 53.02 ± 7.04 years, 46.88% female) with pre-pandemic resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging available, the system segregation of networks was calculated. Multivariate linear models were fitted to test associations between COVID-19-related changes in mental health and demographics, psychological features, and brain network status.

RESULTS

The whole sample showed a general increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms after the pandemic onset, and both age and sex were independent predictors. Coping strategies attenuated the impact of perceived stress on mental health. The system segregation of the frontoparietal control and default mode networks were found to modulate the impact of perceived stress on mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Preventive strategies targeting the promotion of mental health at the individual level during similar adverse events in the future should consider intervening on sociodemographic and psychological factors as well as their interplay with neurobiological substrates.

Secular Trends in Head Size and Cerebral Volumes In the Framingham Heart Study for Birth Years 1902-1985

Background Recent data suggest that dementia incidence is declining. We investigated whether similar secular trends consisting of increasing size of brain structures and improving memory performance could be simultaneously occurring as a possible explanation. Method The Framingham Heart Study is a 3 generation, longitudinal study that includes cognitive assessment and medical surveillance. This study cohort consisted of 4,506 unique, non-demented, stroke free, individuals with brain MRI, cognitive assessment, and demographic information spanning dates of birth from 1902 to 1985. Outcomes consisted of height, MRI, and memory measures. Covariates included age at MRI, sex, decade of birth, and all interactions. Models with neuropsychological outcomes also included educational achievement as a covariate. Results Height and intracranial (TCV), hippocampus and cortical gray matter volumes were significantly larger, and memory performance significantly better, with advancing decades of birth after adjusting for age, sex, and interactions. Sensitivity analysis using progressively restricted age-ranges to reduce the association between age and decade of birth, confirmed the findings. Mediation analysis showed that hippocampal volume mediated approximately 5-7% of the effect of decade of birth on logical memory performance. Discussion These findings indicate improvement in brain health and memory performance with advancing decades of birth. Although brain structures are under substantial genetic influence, we conclude that improved early life environmental influences over ensuing decades likely explain these results. We hypothesize that these secular improvements are consistent with declining dementia incidence in this cohort potentially through a mechanism of increased brain reserve.

Brain-Directed Care: Why Neuroscience Principles Direct PICU Management beyond the ABCs

Major advances in pediatric intensive care (PICU) have led to increased child survival. However, the long-term outcomes among these children following PICU discharge are a concern. Most children admitted to PICU are under five years of age, and the stressors of critical illness and necessary interventions can affect their ability to meet crucial developmental milestones. Understanding the neuroscience of brain development and vulnerability can inform PICU clinicians of new ways to enhance and support the care of these most vulnerable children and families. This review paper first explores the evidence-based neuroscience principles of brain development and vulnerability and the impact of illness and care on children's brains and ultimately wellbeing. Implications for clinical practice and training are further discussed to help optimize brain health in children who are experiencing and surviving a critical illness or injury.

No robust evidence for an interaction between early-life adversity and protective factors on global and regional brain volumes

Childhood adversity is associated with brain morphology and poor psychological outcomes, and evidence of protective factors counteracting childhood adversity effects on neurobiology is scarce. We examined the interplay of childhood adversity with protective factors in relation to brain morphology in two independent longitudinal cohorts, the Generation R Study (N = 3008) and the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk (MARS) (N = 179). Cumulative exposure to 12 adverse events was assessed across childhood until age 9 years in Generation R and 11 years in MARS. Protective factors (temperament, cognition, self-esteem, maternal sensitivity, friendship quality) were assessed at various time-points during childhood. Global brain volumes and volumes of amygdala, hippocampus, and the anterior cingulate, medial orbitofrontal and rostral middle frontal cortices were assessed with anatomical scans at 10 years in Generation R and at 25 years in MARS. Childhood adversity was related to smaller cortical grey matter, cerebral white matter, and cerebellar volumes in children. Also, no buffering effects of protective factors on the association between adversity and the brain outcomes survived multiple testing correction. We found no robust evidence for an interaction between protective factors and childhood adversity on broad brain structural measures. Small interaction effects observed in one cohort only warrant further investigation.

Intergenerational transmission of suicide attempt in a cohort of 4.4 million children

BACKGROUND

The association between suicide attempts (SAs) in parents and children is unclear, and risk indicators for intergenerational transmission remain undocumented. We aimed to assess this association, considering the child's developmental period at the time of parents' attempted suicide, and the parental relation.

METHODS

Using a prospective cohort design, nationwide population data were linked to the Psychiatric Central Register and National Patient Register for all individuals aged 10 years or older living in Denmark between 1980 and 2016. We assessed incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and cumulative hazards for children's first SA.

RESULTS

In a cohort of 4 419 651 children, 163 056 (3.7%) had experienced a parental SA. An SA was recorded among 6996 (4.3%) of the exposed children as opposed to 70112 (1.6%) in unexposed individuals. Higher rates were noted when a parental SA occurred during early childhood (0 ⩽ age < 2) [IRR, 4.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2-5.4] v. late childhood (6 ⩽ age < 13) (IRR, 3.6; 95% CI 3.4-3.8) when compared to those unexposed. Children exposed prior to age 2 had the highest rates of all sub-groups when reaching age 13-17 (IRR, 6.5; 95% CI 6.0-7.1) and 18-25 years (IRR, 6.8; 95% CI 6.2-7.4). Maternal SA (IRR, 3.4; 95% CI 3.2-3.5) was associated with higher rates than paternal (IRR, 2.8; 95% CI 2.7-2.9).

CONCLUSION

Parental SA was associated with children's own SA. Exposure during early developmental stages was associated with the highest rates. Early preventive efforts are warranted as is monitoring of suicide risk in the children from age 13.

Fear-Responses to Bat-Originating Coronavirus Pandemics with Respect to Quarantines Gauged in Relation to Postmodern Thought—Implications and Recommendations

Fear-responses to bat-originating coronavirus pandemics with respect to quarantine imposition are gathered and interpreted from large datasets, identified and disseminated by media. Responses are effectively gauged using postmodern thought with a continuum ranging from people’s resilience to define their own perspectives to public views being socially conditioned from media persistence in maintaining fear. Public responses to the 2003 SARS pandemic generally presumed and supported resilience of citizens’ perspectives. In contrast, from late 2019 to mid-2022, public responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were media-determined, promoting fear. In this regard, reactions to the COVID-19 quarantines are contrasted to the hospital isolations of SARS. The primary source of the difference was the major polarizing influence by social media of the WHO policy makers’ pronouncements and of healthcare providers’ statements directing media spotlight in their guidance of public response to COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, unlike during SARS. An investigation of cognitive bias regarding the psychological and societal implications related to this migration from resilience to fear regarding public responses to novel bat-originating coronavirus pandemics elicits recommendations concerning future quarantine dictates. These recommendations are dependent on appropriate encouragement of hopeful resilience through evidence based practice with respect to one extreme of the postmodern thought continuum.