Identifying Cortical Structure Markers of Resilience to Adversity in Young People using Surface-Based Morphometry

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Harriet Cornwell - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Nicola Toschi - , University of Rome Tor Vergata (Author)
  • Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Marlene Staginnus - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Areti Smaragdi - , Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (Author)
  • Karen Gonzalez-Madruga - , Middlesex University (Author)
  • Nuria Mackes - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Jack Rogers - , University of Birmingham (Author)
  • Anne Martinelli - , Goethe University Frankfurt a.M. (Author)
  • Gregor Kohls - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bath (Author)
  • Nora Maria Raschle - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Kerstin Konrad - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Christina Stadler - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Christine M Freitag - , Goethe University Frankfurt a.M. (Author)
  • Stephane A De Brito - , University of Birmingham (Author)
  • Graeme Fairchild - , University of Bath (Author)

Abstract

Previous research on the neurobiological bases of resilience in youth has largely used categorical definitions of resilience, and voxel-based morphometry methods that assess gray matter volume. However, it is important to consider brain structure more broadly as different cortical properties have distinct developmental trajectories. To address these limitations, we used surface-based morphometry and data-driven, continuous resilience scores to examine associations between resilience and cortical structure. Structural MRI data from 286 youth (Mage=13.6 years, 51% female) who took part in the European multi-site FemNAT-CD study were pre-processed and analysed using surface-based morphometry. Continuous resilience scores were derived for each participant based on adversity exposure and levels of psychopathology using the residual regression method. Vertex-wise analyses assessed for correlations between resilience scores and cortical thickness, surface area, gyrification, and volume. Resilience scores were positively associated with right lateral occipital surface area and right superior frontal gyrification, and negatively correlated with left inferior temporal surface area. Moreover, sex-by-resilience interactions were observed for gyrification in frontal and temporal regions. Our findings extend previous research by revealing that resilience is related to surface area and gyrification in frontal, occipital, and temporal regions that are implicated in emotion regulation and face or object recognition.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbernsae006
JournalSocial cognitive and affective neuroscience
Volume19
Issue number1
Early online date27 Jan 2024
Publication statusPublished - 7 Feb 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

unpaywall 10.1093/scan/nsae006
Scopus 85184577079

Keywords

Keywords

  • Cerebral Cortex/diagnostic imaging, Temporal Lobe, Humans, Adolescent, Female, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods, Male, Gray Matter/diagnostic imaging, Resilience, Psychological