Testing the Ecophenotype Model: Cortical Structure Alterations in Conduct Disorder With Versus Without Childhood...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Childhood maltreatment is prevalent in youths with conduct disorder (CD).
• Both CD and maltreatment are associated with neuroanatomical alterations.
• The specific contribution of maltreatment to CD's neurobiology is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the ecophenotype model in conduct disorder.
• To investigate if maltreatment-related CD is neurobiologically distinct from CD without maltreatment.
• To identify specific neuroanatomical differences in CD subgroups based on maltreatment history.

Main Methods:

• Surface-based morphometry analyzed cortical volume, thickness, surface area, and gyrification.
• Compared healthy controls (HCs) with an overall CD group and CD subgroups with/without maltreatment history.
• Used vertexwise general linear models adjusted for covariates in participants aged 9–18 years.

Main Results:

• The overall CD group had reduced cortical thickness in the right inferior frontal gyrus.
• CD youths with maltreatment exhibited more widespread alterations (lower thickness, volume, gyrification) in frontal regions compared to HCs.
• CD youths without maltreatment showed increased left superior temporal gyrus folding compared to HCs.
• The maltreatment subgroup had lower right superior temporal gyrus volume, right precentral gyrus surface area, and altered gyrification.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the ecophenotype model, showing distinct neurobiological profiles for CD with versus without maltreatment.
• Maltreatment history is crucial for understanding neuroimaging findings in CD.
• This highlights the need to consider maltreatment in neuroimaging research for CD and related disorders.