Maltreatment and Brain Development in Adolescence: The Effects of Abuse and Neglect on Risk Processing

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

The profound effects of child maltreatment on brain functioning have been documented. Yet, little is known about how different maltreatment experiences are related to subsequent differences in neural processes of risky decision making. There are two predominant perspectives in the neuroscience literature that address how childhood adversity affects the developing brain. One perspective rooted in stress physiology emphasizes the similarities of childhood adversity effects, arguing that the consequences of varied traumas (e.g., childhood poverty, parental deprivation, or exposure to violence) all converge in their effects as “childhood adversity” (Sapolsky, 2017). Another perspective rooted in developmental psychopathology proposes a dimensional approach, arguing that threat and deprivation of childhood adversity have distinct influences on neurobiological development (McLaughlin & Sheridan, 2016). The current study aimed to examine the combined versus differentiated measurement of threat and deprivation experiences related to brain development. Following the dimensional model of childhood adversity, we evaluated differential versus common contributions of two core dimensions underlying maltreatment: threat (i.e., abuse) and deprivation (i.e., neglect). We further tested whether there are common effects of maltreatment, regardless of dimensions.

The current sample included 167 adolescents (aged 13-14 years at Time 1, 53% male, 82% White) who were assessed annually four times. Risk-related neural processing was assessed by blood-oxygen-level-dependent responses in the insula during a lottery choice task (Figure 1), and childhood maltreatment was measured using the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure scale (MACE; Teicher & Parigger, 2015).

For the model in which a single factor of maltreatment predicted growth factors of risk processing, the model fit was acceptable (χ2 = 37.39, df = 34, p = .32, RMSEA = .03, CFI = .99), but maltreatment did not significantly predict the intercept or slope of neural risk processing (p = .39 for both). Next, the model in which neglect and abuse predicted growth factors of risk processing yielded acceptable model fit (χ2 = 49.94, df = 33, p = .12, RMSEA = .04, CFI = .98) and higher levels of neglect were related to larger decreases in slopes (b = -0.22, SE = 0.11, p = .05; β = -.32) of neural risk processing (see Figure 2).

Our findings demonstrated that adolescents who experienced higher levels of emotional and physical neglect in childhood exhibited slower growth of neural activation in the bilateral insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during risk processing. High insula activation during risk processing is predictive of elevated health risk behaviors (i.e., substance use) among adolescents (Kim-Spoon et al., 2019). Our findings imply that early life stress, such as child neglect, negatively affects the development of risk-related neural processes that allow for avoidance of risk by attending to the magnitude of potential negative consequences). Disruptions in early learning may account for pervasive consequences of neglect on neurodevelopment (McLaughlin, Sheridan, & Nelson, 2017). Our data highlight that for adolescents with childhood neglect, a lack of learning opportunities may contribute to neural insensitivity during the valuation of risk information.

Authors

• Jungmeen Kim-Spoon, Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author

• Toria Herd, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alexis Brieant, Yale University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristin Peviani, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nina Lauharatanahirun, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karen Jacques, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brooks King-Casas, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author