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Elton A, Lewis B, Nixon SJ. The effects of adverse life events on brain development in the ABCD study®: a propensity-weighted analysis. Mol Psychiatry 2025; 30:2463-2474. [PMID: 39578521 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02850-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 11/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/14/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
Longitudinal studies of the effects of adversity on human brain development are complicated by the association of stressful events with confounding variables. To counter this bias, we apply a propensity-weighted analysis of the first two years of The Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) Study® data, employing a machine learning analysis weighted by individuals' propensity to experience adversity. Data included 338 resting-state functional connections from 7190 youth (46% female), divided into a training group (80%) and an independent testing group (20%). Propensity scores were computed using 390 variables to balance across two-year adverse life event exposures. Using elastic net regularization with and without inverse propensity weighting, we developed linear models in which changes in functional connectivity of brain connections during the two-year period served as predictors of the number of adverse events experienced during that same period. Haufe's method was applied to forward-transform the backward prediction models. We also tested whether brain changes associated with adverse events correlated with concomitant changes in internalizing or externalizing behaviors or to academic achievement. In the propensity-weighted analysis, brain development significantly predicted the number of adverse events experienced during that period in both the training group (ρ = 0.14, p < 0.001) and the independent testing group (ρ = 0.10, p < 0.001). The predictor indicated a general pattern of decreased functional connectivity between large-scale networks and subcortical brain regions, particularly for cingulo-opercular and sensorimotor networks. These network-to-subcortical functional connectivity decreases inversely associated with the development of internalizing symptoms, suggesting adverse events promoted adaptive brain changes that may buffer against stress-related psychopathology. However, these same functional connections were also associated with poorer grades at the two-year follow-up. Although cortical-subcortical brain developmental responses to adversity potentially shield against stress-induced mood and anxiety disorders, they may be detrimental to other domains such as academic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Elton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Ben Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Sara Jo Nixon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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2
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Sacu S, Hermann A, Banaschewski T, Gerchen MF, Holz NE. The long-term correlates of developmental stress on whole-brain functional connectivity during emotion regulation. Transl Psychiatry 2025; 15:152. [PMID: 40251158 PMCID: PMC12008206 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03374-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2025] [Accepted: 04/03/2025] [Indexed: 04/20/2025] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is associated with alterations in brain function and connectivity during affective processing, especially in the fronto-limbic pathway. However, most of the previous studies were limited to a small set of priori-selected regions and did not address the impact of stress timing on functional connectivity. Using data from a longitudinal birth cohort study (n = 161, 87 females, mean age (SD) = 32.2(0.3)), we investigated the associations between different time points of stress exposure and functional connectivity. We measured stressful life events across development using a modified version of Munich Event List and grouped into four developmental stages: prenatal/newborn (prenatal-3 months), infancy and toddlerhood (3 months-4.5 years), childhood (4.5-11 years), and adolescence (11-19 years). All participants completed an fMRI-based emotion regulation task at the age of 33 years. Task-dependent directed functional connectivity was calculated using whole-brain generalized psychophysiological interactions. The association between life stress and connectivity was investigated within a multiple regression framework. Our findings revealed distinct associations between stress exposure and task-specific functional connectivity, depending on the developmental timing of stress exposure. While prenatal and childhood stress were associated with lower connectivity between subcortex and cognitive networks, stress exposure unique to adolescence was related to higher connectivity from the salience network to the cognitive networks. These results suggest that early life stress alters the connectivity of cognitive and limbic networks, which are important for emotion processing and regulation. Future research should replicate and extend the findings regarding sensitive periods by utilizing diverse paradigms in cognitive, social, and emotional domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seda Sacu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andrea Hermann
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Phillips University Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Martin F Gerchen
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Mannheim, Germany.
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3
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Ruge O, Hoppe JPM, Dalle Molle R, Silveira PP. Early environmental influences on the orbito-frontal cortex function and its effects on behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2025; 169:106013. [PMID: 39814119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2024] [Revised: 01/07/2025] [Accepted: 01/11/2025] [Indexed: 01/18/2025]
Abstract
Early-life adversity during pre- and early post-natal phases can impact brain development and lead to maladaptive changes in executive function related behaviors. This increases the risk for a range of psychopathologies and physical diseases. Importantly, exposure to adversities during these periods is also linked to alterations in the orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) which is a key player in these executive functions. The OFC thus appears to be a central node in this association between early life stress and disease risk. Gaining a clear, and detailed understanding of the association between early life stress, OFC function, and executive function, as well as the underlying mechanisms mediating this association is relevant to inform potential therapeutic interventions. In this paper, we begin by reviewing evidence linking early life adversities to 1) alterations in behaviors regulated by the OFC and 2) changes in OFC anatomy and function. We then present insights into the underlying mechanisms for these changes, stemming from early life adversity models, and highlight important future directions for this line of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Ruge
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - João Paulo Maires Hoppe
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Patricia Pelufo Silveira
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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4
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Bresser T, Blanken TF, de Lange SC, Leerssen J, Foster-Dingley JC, Lakbila-Kamal O, Wassing R, Ramautar JR, Stoffers D, van den Heuvel MP, Van Someren EJW. Insomnia Subtypes Have Differentiating Deviations in Brain Structural Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2025; 97:302-312. [PMID: 38944140 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insomnia disorder is the most common sleep disorder. A better understanding of insomnia-related deviations in the brain could inspire better treatment. Insufficiently recognized heterogeneity within the insomnia population could obscure detection of involved brain circuits. In the current study, we investigated whether structural brain connectivity deviations differed between recently discovered and validated insomnia subtypes. METHODS Structural and diffusion-weighted 3T magnetic resonance imaging data from 4 independent studies were harmonized. The sample consisted of 73 control participants without sleep complaints and 204 participants with insomnia who were grouped into 5 insomnia subtypes based on their fingerprint of mood and personality traits assessed with the Insomnia Type Questionnaire. Linear regression correcting for age and sex was used to evaluate group differences in structural connectivity strength, indicated by fractional anisotropy, streamline volume density, and mean diffusivity and evaluated within 3 different atlases. RESULTS Insomnia subtypes showed differentiating profiles of deviating structural connectivity that were concentrated in different functional networks. Permutation testing against randomly drawn heterogeneous subsamples indicated significant specificity of deviation profiles in 4 of the 5 subtypes: highly distressed, moderately distressed reward sensitive, slightly distressed low reactive, and slightly distressed high reactive. Connectivity deviation profile significance ranged from p = .001 to p = .049 for different resolutions of brain parcellation and connectivity weight. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide an initial indication that different insomnia subtypes exhibit distinct profiles of deviations in structural brain connectivity. Subtyping insomnia may be essential for a better understanding of brain mechanisms that contribute to insomnia vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bresser
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Tessa F Blanken
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychological Methods, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Siemon C de Lange
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeanne Leerssen
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jessica C Foster-Dingley
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Oti Lakbila-Kamal
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rick Wassing
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Woolcock Institute and School of Psychological Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Ramautar
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; N=You Neurodevelopmental Precision Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Diederick Stoffers
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn P van den Heuvel
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eus J W Van Someren
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Sleep and Cognition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Zhang Y, Yan H, Han Y, Shan X, Li H, Liu F, Li P, Zhao J, Guo W. Influence of panic disorder and paroxetine on brain functional hubs in drug-free patients. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:1083-1094. [PMID: 39310938 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241278780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effects of panic disorder (PD) and pharmacotherapy on brain functional hubs in drug-free patients, and the utility of their degree centrality (DC) in diagnosing and predicting treatment response (TR) for PD, remained unclear. AIMS This study aimed to assess the effects of PD and paroxetine on brain functional hubs in drug-free patients and to identify neuroimaging biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting TR in patients with PD. METHODS Imaging data from 54 medication-free PD patients and 54 matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent DC and functional connectivity (FC) analyses before and after a 4-week paroxetine treatment. Diagnosis and prediction of TR models for PD were constructed using support vector machine (SVM) and support vector regression (SVR), with DC as features. RESULTS Patients with PD showed aberrant DC and FC in the anterior cingulum, temporal, and occipital areas compared with HCs at baseline. After treatment, DC of the patients increased in the calcarine cortex, lingual gyrus, and cerebellum IV/V, along with improved clinical symptoms. Utilizing voxel-wise DC values at baseline, the SVM effectively distinguished patients with PD from HCs with an accuracy of 83.33%. In SVR, the predicted TR significantly correlated with the observed TR (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.893, Mean Squared Error = 0.009). CONCLUSION Patients with PD exhibited abnormal DC and FC, notably in the limbic network, temporal, and occipital regions. Paroxetine ameliorated patients' symptoms while altering their brain FC. SVM and SVR models, utilizing baseline DC, effectively distinguished the patients from HCs and accurately predicted TR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Haohao Yan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yiding Han
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Shan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Huabing Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jingping Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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6
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Elton A, Lewis B, Nixon SJ. The Effects of Adverse Life Events on Brain Development in the ABCD Study ®: A Propensity-weighted Analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.09.25.24314355. [PMID: 39399053 PMCID: PMC11469365 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.25.24314355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Longitudinal studies of the effects of adversity on human brain development are complicated by the association of stressful events with confounding variables. To counter this bias, we apply a propensity-weighted analysis of the first two years of The Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) Study® data, employing a machine learning analysis weighted by individuals' propensity to experience adversity. Data included 338 resting-state functional connections from 7190 youth (46% female), divided into a training group (80%) and an independent testing group (20%). Propensity scores were computed using 390 variables to balance across two-year adverse life event exposures. Using elastic net regularization with and without inverse propensity weighting, we developed linear models in which changes in functional connectivity of brain connections during the two-year period served as predictors of the number of adverse events experienced during that same period. Haufe's method was applied to forward-transform the backward prediction models. We also tested whether brain changes associated with adverse events correlated with concomitant changes in internalizing or externalizing behaviors or to academic achievement. In the propensity-weighted analysis, brain development significantly predicted the number of adverse events experienced during that period in both the training group (ρ=0.14, p<0.001) and the independent testing group (ρ=0.10, p<0.001). The predictor indicated a general pattern of decreased functional connectivity between large-scale networks and subcortical brain regions, particularly for cingulo-opercular and sensorimotor networks. These network-to-subcortical functional connectivity decreases inversely associated with the development of internalizing symptoms, suggesting adverse events promoted adaptive brain changes that may buffer against stress-related psychopathology. However, these same functional connections were also associated with poorer grades at the two-year follow-up. Although cortical-subcortical brain developmental responses to adversity potentially shield against stress-induced mood and anxiety disorders, they may be detrimental to other domains such as academic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Elton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ben Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Sara Jo Nixon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Addiction Research & Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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7
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Ramkumar R, Edge-Partington M, Terstege DJ, Adigun K, Ren Y, Khan NS, Rouhi N, Jamani NF, Tsutsui M, Epp JR, Sargin D. Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Stress on Serotonin Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:287-299. [PMID: 38316332 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic childhood stress is a prominent risk factor for developing affective disorders, yet mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Maintenance of optimal serotonin (5-HT) levels during early postnatal development is critical for the maturation of brain circuits. Understanding the long-lasting effects of early-life stress (ELS) on serotonin-modulated brain connectivity is crucial to develop treatments for affective disorders arising from childhood stress. METHODS Using a mouse model of chronic developmental stress, we determined the long-lasting consequences of ELS on 5-HT circuits and behavior in females and males. Using FosTRAP mice, we cross-correlated regional c-Fos density to determine brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus. We next performed in vivo fiber photometry to establish ELS-induced deficits in 5-HT dynamics and optogenetics to stimulate 5-HT release to improve behavior. RESULTS Adult female and male mice exposed to ELS showed heightened anxiety-like behavior. ELS further enhanced susceptibility to acute stress by disrupting the brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus and the activity of 5-HT neuron population, in conjunction with increased orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activity and disrupted 5-HT release in medial OFC. Optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT terminals in the medial OFC elicited an anxiolytic effect in ELS mice in a sex-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a significant disruption in 5-HT-modulated brain connectivity in response to ELS, with implications for sex-dependent vulnerability. The anxiolytic effect of the raphe-medial OFC circuit stimulation has potential implications for developing targeted stimulation-based treatments for affective disorders that arise from early life adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raksha Ramkumar
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Moriah Edge-Partington
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dylan J Terstege
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kabirat Adigun
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yi Ren
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nazmus S Khan
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nahid Rouhi
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Naila F Jamani
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mio Tsutsui
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Epp
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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8
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Agarwal K, Joseph PV, Zhang R, Schwandt ML, Ramchandani VA, Diazgranados N, Goldman D, Momenan R. Early life stress and body-mass-index modulate brain connectivity in alcohol use disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:43. [PMID: 38245501 PMCID: PMC10799859 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02756-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) significantly increases susceptibility to alcohol use disorder (AUD) by affecting the interplay between the executive and the salience networks (SNs). The link between AUD and higher body-mass index (BMI) is known, but we lack understanding of how BMI impacts the relationship between ELS and brain connectivity in individuals with AUD. To bridge this gap, we investigated the main and interaction effects of ELS and BMI on brain connectivity in individuals with AUD compared to non-AUD participants (n = 77 sex-matched individuals per group). All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, revealing intriguing positive functional connectivity between SN seeds and brain regions involved in somatosensory processing, motor coordination and executive control. Examining the relationship of brain connectivity with ELS and BMI, we observed positive associations with the correlations of SN seeds, right anterior insula (RAIns) and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) with clusters in motor [occipital cortex, supplementary motor cortex]; anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with clusters in frontal, or executive, control regions (middle frontal gyrus; MFG, precentral gyrus) that reportedly are involved in processing of emotionally salient stimuli (all |β | > 0.001, |p | < 0.05). Interestingly, a negative association of the interaction effect of ELS events and BMI measures with the functional connectivity of SN seeds ACC with decision-making (MFG, precentral gyrus), RAIns and RSMG with visuo-motor control regions (occipital cortex and supplementary motor cortex) (all |β | = -0.001, |p | < 0.05). These findings emphasize the moderating effect of BMI on ELS-associated SN seed brain connectivity in AUD. Understanding the neural mechanisms linking BMI, ELS and AUD can guide targeted interventions for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushbu Agarwal
- Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Paule V Joseph
- Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Melanie L Schwandt
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Vijay A Ramchandani
- Human Psychopharmacology Laboratory, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nancy Diazgranados
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David Goldman
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Uzar M, Dmitrzak-Węglarz M, Słopień A. Mentalizing in Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1473. [PMID: 37891840 PMCID: PMC10605837 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mentalizing, recognized as the capacity to understand behaviors in the context of our own mental states and those of other people, is being researched more and more commonly in regard to various mental disorders. The research on mentalization focuses on, among other things, borderline personality disorder, which is at present perceived as an emerging problem in the population of adolescents. In order to summarize the currently accessible knowledge of mentalizing in adolescents with borderline personality disorder, we thoroughly analyzed relevant publications. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that the mentalizing ability of adolescents with borderline personality disorder can be impaired. The evidence demonstrates that they are prone to hypermentalizing, defined as an overattribution of mental states to other people. However, this tendency has not been proven to be specific to teenagers with this disorder. Moreover, the existing data suggest that young people with borderline personality exhibit a reduced capacity to mentalize their own inner states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Uzar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Karol Jonscher Clinical Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Szpitalna 27/33 St., 60-572 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Monika Dmitrzak-Węglarz
- Department of Psychiatric Genetics, Medical Biology Center, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka St. 8, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka Słopień
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Karol Jonscher Clinical Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Szpitalna 27/33 St., 60-572 Poznan, Poland;
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Chen Y, Ma J, Zhu H, Peng H, Gan Y. The mediating role of default mode network during meaning-making aroused by mental simulation between stressful events and stress-related growth: a task fMRI study. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2023; 19:12. [PMID: 37454095 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-023-00214-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stressful events and meaning-making toward them play an important role in adolescents' life and growth. However, ignoring positive stressful events leads to negativity bias; further, the neural mechanisms of meaning-making are unclear. We aimed to verify the mediating role of meaning-making in stressful events and stress-related growth and the function of the default mode network (DMN) during meaning-making in this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. METHODS Participants comprised 59 university students. Stressful life events, meaning-making, and stress-related growth were assessed at baseline, followed by fMRI scanning during a meaning-making task aroused by mental simulation. General linear modeling and psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses were used to explore the activation and functional connectivity of DMN during meaning-making. RESULTS Mental simulation triggered meaning-making, and DMN activity decreased during meaning-making. Activation of the DMN was negatively correlated with coping flexibility, an indicator of stress-related growth. PPI analysis showed that meaning-making was accompanied by diminished connectivity in the DMN. DMN activation during meaning-making can mediate the relationship between positive stressful events and coping flexibility. CONCLUSIONS Decreased DMN activity and diminished functional connectivity in the DMN occurred during meaning-making. Activation of the DMN during meaning-making could mediate the relationship between positive stressful events and stress-related growth, which provides a cognitive neural basis for the mediating role of meaning-making in the relationship between stressful events and indicators of stress-related growth. IMPLICATIONS This study supports the idea that prosperity makes heroes, expands the meaning-making model, and suggests the inclusion of enhancing personal resources and meaning-making in education. This study was the first to validate the activation pattern and functional connectivity of the DMN during meaning-making aroused by mental simulation using an fMRI task-state examination, which can enhance our sense of meaning and provide knowledge that can be used in clinical psychology interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study protocol was pre-registered in Open Science Framework (see osf.io/ahm6e for details).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Chen
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jinjin Ma
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huanya Zhu
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huini Peng
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yiqun Gan
- School of Psychological Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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