Distinct associations between multimodal brain measures and psychopathology domains predict adolescent functioning

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Adolescent psychopathology is linked to neural network disruptions.
• An integrated, multimodal understanding of brain-behavior links is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine structural, microstructural, and functional brain measures across key networks in relation to psychopathology.
• Investigate how these associations predict future psychosocial functioning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (n=5,408).
• Employed regularized canonical correlation analysis to link brain measures and psychopathology domains in adolescents (13-14 years old).
• Used canonical scores to predict school-related impairment one year later.

Main Results:

• Higher diffusivity and decreased reward task activation across networks, plus lower corticostriatal surface area, correlated with broad psychopathology.
• Lower corticolimbic diffusivity, executive control volume/surface area, and cortical thickness, alongside higher corticostriatal/corticolimbic volumes, related to anxiety and externalizing behaviors.
• Higher psychopathology predicted more school impairment; however, higher brain and psychopathology scores predicted less school impairment.

Conclusions:

• Specific neural measures align with psychopathology domains, forecasting real-world functioning.
• This multimodal approach clarifies distinct and shared information across analysis levels for youth functioning.
• Identifies potential mechanisms for future intervention targets in adolescent mental health.