Multivariate Patterns of Brain-Behavior-Environment Associations in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Adolescence is a critical developmental period.
• Understanding brain organization's link to psychosocial and environmental factors is key.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize how adolescent brain organization varies with psychosocial and environmental influences.
• To identify distinct patterns of covariation between brain measures and individual/environmental factors.

Main Methods:

• Used canonical correlation analysis on data from 9623 adolescents (aged 9-10) in the ABCD study.
• Examined brain morphometry, myelination, white matter integrity, and functional connectivity.
• Assessed individual, psychosocial, and environmental factors.

Main Results:

• Identified 14 reliable modes of brain-behavior-environment covariation.
• Neighborhood, parental, family, perinatal, cardiometabolic, cognitive, and psychopathology factors showed consistent associations with brain organization.
• Exposures formed patterns of psychosocial advantage/adversity with modality-general brain effects.

Conclusions:

• Identified clusters of exposures consistently associated with global brain organization.
• Findings highlight intertwined influences on adolescent brain development and mental function.
• Results can inform public health policies for interventions to improve mental well-being.