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Structural Brain Correlates of Childhood Inhibited Temperament: An ENIGMA-Anxiety Mega-Analysis
Janna Marie Bas-Hoogendam1, Rachel A Bernstein2, Brenda E Benson2
1Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands; National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Summary
Childhood inhibited temperament (cIT) did not show consistent links with brain structure in a large international study. However, parent/teacher reports revealed sex-specific differences in cortical thickness, particularly in parietal regions, suggesting further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Childhood inhibited temperament (cIT) is a risk factor for internalizing psychopathology.
- Neuroimaging studies on cIT are limited and lack replication.
- A comprehensive whole-brain approach is needed to understand the neural substrates of cIT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural brain characteristics associated with cIT using a large-scale mega-analysis.
- To examine associations between cIT and subcortical volumes, cortical thickness, and surface area.
- To identify potential sex and age interactions in the relationship between cIT and brain structure.
Main Methods:
- Pooled structural MRI data from 3,803 participants (ages 6-25) across international research sites.
- Assessed cIT using temperament assessments (behavioral observations, parent/teacher reports, self-reports) before age 13.
- Employed mega-analysis with rigorous image processing and quality control for whole-brain analyses.
Main Results:
- No overall association between cIT and brain structure was found in the full sample.
- Sex-specific interactions with cIT on mean cortical thickness and right superior parietal thickness were observed in youth with parent/teacher reports.
- Exploratory analyses showed potential findings in the hippocampus, putamen, and caudate, but most did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
- This mega-analysis did not find consistent structural brain correlates of cIT.
- The role of parietal regions in cIT warrants further investigation, particularly regarding sex-specific differences.
- Future research should explore brain function and utilize longitudinal designs to better understand cIT.
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