Journal article
Early Life Stress and Morphometry of the Adult Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Caudate Nuclei
Biological psychiatry (1969), Vol.59(10), pp.975-982
2006
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.12.016
PMID: 16616722
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is linked to adult psychopathology and may contribute to long-term brain alterations, as suggested by studies of women who suffered childhood sexual abuse. We examine whether reported adverse ELS defined as stressful and/or traumatic adverse childhood events (ACEs) is associated with smaller limbic and basal ganglia volumes.
265 healthy Australian men and women without psychopathology or brain disorders were studied. ACEs were assessed by the ELSQ and current emotional state by the DASS. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), hippocampus, amygdala, and caudate nucleus volumes were measured from T1-weighted MRI. Analyses examined ROI volumetric associations with reported ACEs and DASS scores.
Participants with greater than two ACEs had smaller ACC and caudate nuclei than those without ACEs. A significant association between total ACEs and ROI volumes for these structures was observed. Regression analysis also revealed that ELS was more strongly associated than current emotional state (DASS) with these ROI volumes.
Reported ELS is associated with smaller ACC and caudate volumes, but not the hippocampal or amygdala volumes. The reasons for these brain effects are not entirely clear, but may reflect the influence of early stress and traumatic events on the developing brain.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Early Life Stress and Morphometry of the Adult Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Caudate Nuclei
- Creators
- Ronald A Cohen - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandStuart Grieve - Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney, SydneyKarin F Hoth - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandRobert H Paul - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandLawrence Sweet - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandDavid Tate - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandJohn Gunstad - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandLaura Stroud - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandJeanne McCaffery - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandBrian Hitsman - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandRaymond Niaura - Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, Rhode IslandC. Richard Clark - School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaAlexander MacFarlane - Brain Resource International Database, Brain Resource Company, SydneyRichard Bryant - School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaEvian Gordon - Brain Resource International Database, Brain Resource Company, SydneyLeanne M Williams - Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Biological psychiatry (1969), Vol.59(10), pp.975-982
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.12.016
- PMID
- 16616722
- ISSN
- 0006-3223
- eISSN
- 1873-2402
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2006
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984066131802771
Metrics
15 Record Views