A Shared Multivariate Brain-Behavior Relationship in a Transdiagnostic Sample of Adolescents

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in childhood impacts functioning and quality of life.
• Altered brain structure is linked to increased psychopathology symptoms.
• Multivariate analyses can reveal covariation patterns between brain regions and psychopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between gray matter volume (GMV) and psychopathology symptoms in adolescents.
• To identify multivariate linear relationships between GMV and specific difficulties domains using partial least squares correlation.

Main Methods:

• Structural MRI data from 490 adolescents with psychiatric diagnoses were analyzed.
• Cortical and subcortical volumes were parcellated using the Desikan-Killiany atlas.
• Resampling techniques (permutation, bootstrap, split-half) assessed significance, stability, and reproducibility.

Main Results:

• A significant, stable, and reproducible dimension linked lower psychopathology scores (less impairment) across all domains with greater widespread GMV.
• This dimension accounted for 87.1% of the covariance.
• Lower conduct problems were specifically associated with greater GMV in frontotemporal regions.

Conclusions:

• The most significant brain-behavior relationship in this transdiagnostic sample is domain-general, linking lower psychopathology symptoms to greater global GMV.
• This suggests a shared brain-behavior relationship across adolescents, irrespective of clinical psychopathology.
• Findings highlight a potential common neural correlate for mental well-being in youth.