Longitudinal associations between self-reported attachment dimensions and neurostructural development from...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Individual differences in attachment are linked to brain development.
• Adolescence is a critical period for neurostructural and functional plasticity.
• The prospective relationship between attachment and adolescent neurodevelopment requires examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if self-reported attachment dimensions predict cortical thickness (CT) and subcortical volume (SV) trajectories in adolescents.
• To examine the prospective associations between attachment anxiety (AX) and avoidance (AV) and neurostructural development.
• To understand how attachment influences brain maturation during adolescence.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 95 typically developing adolescents (aged 12-19).
• Assessed self-reported attachment dimensions (AX and AV) at baseline.
• Measured neurostructural development (CT and SV) at baseline and three follow-up timepoints over four years.

Main Results:

• Self-reported AX and AV were associated with steeper CT decreases in prefrontal cortex, midline structures, and anterior temporal cortex.
• These associations were more pronounced in younger adolescents at baseline.
• Preliminary differential associations were observed between SV developmental trajectories and attachment dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Interindividual differences in attachment shape neurodevelopmental trajectories during adolescence and young adulthood.
• Attachment dimensions contribute to variations in cortical and subcortical structural development.
• Findings highlight the role of early relational experiences in adolescent brain maturation.