Multimodal Brain Age Indicators of Internalizing Problems in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Investigation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Adolescent Mental Health

Background:

• Adolescence presents a critical period for the emergence of internalizing problems, with females exhibiting heightened vulnerability.
• Longitudinal studies are scarce, limiting our understanding of how individual differences in brain maturation relate to internalizing problems during adolescence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal associations between multimodal brain age and internalizing problems in youth.
• To explore potential sex differences in the relationship between brain age gap changes and internalizing problems.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, including T1-weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and resting-state functional MRI.
• Brain age models were developed and validated on a large cohort (n > 8000) at baseline (mean age 9.9 years) and 2-year follow-up (mean age 11.9 years).
• Internalizing problems were assessed at 3-year follow-up (mean age 12.9 years) using the Brief Problem Monitor.

Main Results:

• An increasing brain age gap (BAG) between baseline and follow-up was positively associated with internalizing problems at 3-year follow-up in females, but not males.
• This association was significant for T1-weighted imaging and resting-state functional MRI data, but not diffusion tensor imaging.
• The findings remained significant even after controlling for prior internalizing problems.

Conclusions:

• A greater increase in brain age gap during early adolescence may indicate heightened vulnerability to internalizing problems in female youth.
• Further longitudinal research is needed to determine if an increasing BAG signifies accelerated brain development and its impact on internalizing problem trajectories.