Brain Structure Relations With Psychopathology Trajectories in the ABCD Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• A general psychopathology (p) factor explains shared variance across mental disorders.
• Structural neural alterations are linked to the p factor, but their role in within-person change during preadolescence is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if baseline brain structure predicts the trajectory of the p factor and specific psychopathology over two years in preadolescents.
• To examine associations between brain structure and both between-person differences and within-person changes in psychopathology factors.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 9,220 preadolescents (ages 9-10) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD).
• Employed longitudinal multilevel models to analyze baseline brain structure (volume, surface area, thickness) and psychopathology factors over three waves.
• Assessed the general psychopathology (p) factor and internalizing, externalizing, neurodevelopmental, somatization, and detachment factors.

Main Results:

• Smaller global brain volume and surface area were associated with higher, persistent between-person levels of the p factor.
• No brain structure measures predicted within-person change in the p factor.
• Lower baseline cortical thickness correlated with decreases in internalizing psychopathology, particularly in sensorimotor and temporal regions.

Conclusions:

• Specific brain structure features, like reduced volume and surface area, may indicate vulnerability to persistent general psychopathology in preadolescence.
• Cortical thinning in sensorimotor and temporal regions may offer protection against increases in internalizing psychopathology during this developmental period.