Poster No:
825
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Niousha Dehestani1, Tim Silk2, Sarah Whittle3
Institutions:
1Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty, Melbourne, Victoria, 2Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
First Author:
Niousha Dehestani
Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty
Melbourne, Victoria
Co-Author(s):
Tim Silk
Deakin University
Melbourne, Victoria
Introduction:
Adolescents, deeply involved in school and peer interactions, navigate the intricate interplay of social development. Untangling the dynamics between social development, brain maturation, and the collective influence of puberty is crucial for understanding the nuanced implications for mental health during this crucial developmental period. This study investigates the interplay between brain maturation and social development, examining the mechanisms linking puberty to mental health issues and exploring the collective impact of these factors on adolescent well-being.
Methods:
Leveraging data from 10,983 participants aged 9 to 14 from the community-setting, multicenter Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Individuals were assessed for a range of the contributions of peer and school networks on variations of the brain imaging outcomes. Using canonical correlation analysis and multivariate methods, our study aimed to reveal nuanced associations. A specific emphasis was placed on investigating the mediating role of canonical variables derived from brain imaging and social developmental scales in establishing links between puberty age which reflects pubertal timing and mental health. To evaluate puberty, we used the pubertal developmental scale. One participant was selected from each family, and assessed at multiple time points, including baseline, and during the first, second, third, and fourth-year follow-ups. We employed a multimodal imaging approach, including T1-weighted (T1w) scans, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and microstructure analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), encompassing fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Additionally, we utilized a social development scale comprising peer behavior, network, experience, school environment, disengagement, and involvement during the second-year follow-up. Furthermore, psychopathology symptoms were assessed at baseline and during the first, second, third, and fourth follow-ups using internalizing and externalizing dimension scores derived from the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist.
Results:
A cohort of 6,788 individuals (47.6% female) underwent Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) with brain maturation and social development scales during the second-year follow-up. Structural T1w evaluations revealed three components of specific brain patterns respectively associated with age (r = 0.71, p < 0.001), sex (r = 0.36, p < 0.001), and peer influence (r = 0.31, p < 0.001). Assessing rs-fMRI and the social developmental scale, two components emerged, one of them linking school/peer network with age (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) and the second component relating the negative effect of peers' behavior on functional connectivity (r = 0.30, p < 0.001). Notably, no components related to peers or school were found in association with FA or MD. Additionally, a significant association was identified between a positive puberty age gap and canonical variables from peer networks in T1w, as well as peer/school networks in rs-fMRI. Furthermore, the peer network in T1w was found to mediate the association between puberty age and externalizing problems and there was no mediation role for internalizing problems.
Conclusions:
The impact of the social developmental scale on both the structural and functional aspects of the brain is substantial. Understanding the collective effect of social development scales provides insights into the interplay between puberty as a biological mechanism and leads to externalizing symptoms. Notably, school and peer influence emerge as significant factors during adolescence, underscoring their importance as potential targets for future interventions and treatment programs. Addressing these influential profiles has the potential to enhance outcomes related to social development and mental health across the developmental spectrum.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Neurodevelopmental/ Early Life (eg. ADHD, autism)
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Social Interaction 1
Social Neuroscience Other
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Classification and Predictive Modeling 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Multi-Modal Imaging
Keywords:
Computational Neuroscience
Cortex
Development
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Psychiatric
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
Dehestani, Niousha, et al. "Developmental brain changes during puberty and associations with mental health problems." Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience 60 (2023): 101227.
Dehestani, N., Vijayakumar, N., Ball, G., Mansour L, S., Whittle, S., & Silk, T. J. (2022). “Puberty age gap”: A new method of pubertal timing and its association with psychopathology. medRxiv, 2022-05.
Ekstrand, B. (2015). What it takes to keep children in school: a research review. Educational Review, 67(4), 459-482.
van Hoorn, J., Fuligni, A. J., Crone, E. A., & Galvan, A. (2016). Peer influence effects on risk-taking and prosocial decision-making in adolescence: Insights from neuroimaging studies. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 10, 59-64.
Vijayakumar, N., Youssef, G., Bereznicki, H., Dehestani, N., Silk, T., & Whittle, S. (2022). The social determinants of mental health problems in adolescents experiencing off-time puberty.