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Neurostructural Differences Associated With Prodromal Mania Symptoms in Children

Camille Archer1, Amy Milewski1, Hee Jung Jeong2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Brain and Behavior
|September 22, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Children with early mania symptoms show reduced gray matter volume, indicating smaller overall brain size. These brain structure differences may help identify youth at risk for bipolar disorder.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Prodromal mania symptoms in children predict future bipolar disorder.
  • Neurostructural correlates of early mania symptoms are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the association between prodromal mania symptoms and brain structure in a large pediatric cohort.
  • Examine concurrent and longitudinal associations between mania symptoms and gray matter volume.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed data from 10,662 children (9-10 years old) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
  • Utilized structural equation modeling to assess brain structure and mania symptoms.
  • Controlled for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and medication use.

Main Results:

  • Baseline mania symptoms correlated with reduced gray matter volume in cortical and subcortical areas (global effect).
  • The association between mania symptoms and gray matter volume was linked to smaller overall brain size.
  • Brain volume at baseline did not predict future mania symptoms at follow-up.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support structural differences seen in adults with bipolar disorder.
  • Refines understanding of neurostructural links to childhood prodromal mania.
  • Potential to improve early identification and intervention for at-risk youth.
Abstract

Keywords:
brain structurechildrengray matter volumemaniapathophysiology

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