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Thorup L, Zulfikari M, Sørensen CLB, Biering K. Body image and depressive symptoms in Danish adolescents: A cross-sectional national study. J Affect Disord 2024; 365:65-72. [PMID: 39153549 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms are prevalent in adolescents. We aimed to investigate the association between body image and depressive symptoms, and how Body Mass Index (BMI) affects this. METHODS Survey data from 2017 with 9963 9th-grade Danish adolescents. Information from the survey about the exposure, body image, was divided into 3 categories: too fat, too thin, and adequate. Depressive symptoms, was measured with Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC4). BMI was categorized as underweight, normal weight and overweight. We used logistic regression and examined for effect modification by sex and BMI and adjusted for self-esteem and bullying. RESULTS An association was found between body image and depressive symptoms, when adjusting for BMI, sex, self-esteem, and bullying. The association was strongest for adolescents feeling too fat compared with adolescents feeling adequate OR:1.61(1.45-1.78), for adolescents feeling to thin compared to adequate: OR:1.21 (1.06-1.37). No effect modification by either BMI or sex was found, but those who perceive their bodies in contrast to their reported BMI faced the highest odds of depressive symptoms, and the results were confounded by self-esteem and bullying, that reduced the estimates after adjusting. LIMITATIONS This is a cross-sectional study with limited information regarding drop-out, with risk of selection bias. CONCLUSION We found an association between negative body image and depressive symptoms among Danish adolescents. This confirms previous studies and is a relevant aspect to adolescents' mental health, especially the contrast between BMI and perceived body image, and the confounding by self-esteem and bulling, with potential for prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Thorup
- Department of Occupational Medicine - University Research clinic, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark
| | - Merjema Zulfikari
- Department of Occupational Medicine - University Research clinic, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark
| | | | - Karin Biering
- Department of Occupational Medicine - University Research clinic, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark.
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Corrigan NM, Rokem A, Kuhl PK. COVID-19 lockdown effects on adolescent brain structure suggest accelerated maturation that is more pronounced in females than in males. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403200121. [PMID: 39250666 PMCID: PMC11420155 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403200121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of substantial social-emotional development, accompanied by dramatic changes to brain structure and function. Social isolation due to lockdowns that were imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on adolescent mental health, with the mental health of females more affected than males. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on adolescent brain structure with a focus on sex differences. We collected MRI structural data longitudinally from adolescents prior to and after the pandemic lockdowns. The pre-COVID data were used to create a normative model of cortical thickness change with age during typical adolescent development. Cortical thickness values in the post-COVID data were compared to this normative model. The analysis revealed accelerated cortical thinning in the post-COVID brain, which was more widespread throughout the brain and greater in magnitude in females than in males. When measured in terms of equivalent years of development, the mean acceleration was found to be 4.2 y in females and 1.4 y in males. Accelerated brain maturation as a result of chronic stress or adversity during development has been well documented. These findings suggest that the lifestyle disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns caused changes in brain biology and had a more severe impact on the female than the male brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neva M. Corrigan
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Ariel Rokem
- Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Patricia K. Kuhl
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
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3
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Borchers LR, Gifuni AJ, Ho TC, Kirshenbaum JS, Gotlib IH. Threat- and reward-related brain circuitry, perceived stress, and anxiety in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal investigation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae040. [PMID: 38874967 PMCID: PMC11219304 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led to heightened anxiety in adolescents. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) are implicated in response to stress and may contribute to anxiety. The role of threat- and reward-related circuitry in adolescent anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, is not clear. Ninety-nine adolescents underwent resting-state fMRI ∼1 year before the pandemic. Following shelter-in-place orders, adolescents reported their perceived stress and, 1 month later, their anxiety. Generalized multivariate analyses identified BLA and NAcc seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity maps with perceived stress. In the resulting significant clusters, we examined the association between seed-based connectivityand subsequent anxiety. Perceived stress was associated with bilateral BLA and NAcc connectivity across distributed clusters that included prefrontal, limbic, temporal, and cerebellar regions. Several NAcc connectivity clusters located in ventromedial prefrontal, parahippocampal, and temporal cortices were positively associated with anxiety; NAcc connectivity with the inferior frontal gyrus was negatively associated. BLA connectivity was not associated with anxiety. These results underscore the integrative role of the NAcc in responding to acute stressors and its relation to anxiety in adolescents. Elucidating the involvement of subcortical-cortical circuitry in adolescents' capacity to respond adaptively to environmental challenges can inform treatment for anxiety-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Borchers
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Anthony J Gifuni
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
- Psychiatry Department and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Tiffany C Ho
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Jaclyn S Kirshenbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
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4
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Buthmann JL, Miller JG, Uy JP, Coury SM, Jo B, Gotlib IH. Early life stress predicts trajectories of emotional problems and hippocampal volume in adolescence. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:2331-2342. [PMID: 38135803 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02331-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to early life stress (ELS) has been consistently associated with adverse emotional and neural consequences in youth. The development of brain structures such as the hippocampus, which plays a significant role in stress and emotion regulation, may be particularly salient in the development of psychopathology. Prior work has documented smaller hippocampal volume (HCV) in relation to both ELS exposure and risk for psychopathology. We used longitudinal k-means clustering to identify simultaneous trajectories of HCV and emotional problems in 155 youth across three assessments conducted approximately two years apart (mean baseline age = 11.33 years, 57% female). We also examined depressive symptoms and resilience approximately two years after the third timepoint. We identified three clusters of participants: a cluster with high HCV and low emotional problems; a cluster with low HCV and high emotional problems; and a cluster with low HCV and low emotional problems. Importantly, severity of ELS was associated with greater likelihood of belonging to the low HCV/high symptom cluster than to the low HCV/low symptom cluster. Further, low HCV/high symptom participants had more depressive symptoms and lower resilience scores than did participants in the low HCV/low symptom, but not than in the high HCV/low symptom cluster. Our findings suggest that smaller HCV indexes biological sensitivity to stress. This adds to our understanding of the ways in which ELS can affect hippocampal and emotional development in young people and points to hippocampal volume as a marker of susceptibility to context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Buthmann
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Jonas G Miller
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jessica P Uy
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Saché M Coury
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Booil Jo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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5
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Szakács H, Mutlu MC, Balestrieri G, Gombos F, Braun J, Kringelbach ML, Deco G, Kovács I. Navigating Pubertal Goldilocks: The Optimal Pace for Hierarchical Brain Organization. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308364. [PMID: 38489748 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Adolescence is a timed process with an onset, tempo, and duration. Nevertheless, the temporal dimension, especially the pace of maturation, remains an insufficiently studied aspect of developmental progression. The primary objective is to estimate the precise influence of pubertal maturational tempo on the configuration of associative brain regions. To this end, the connection between maturational stages and the level of hierarchical organization of large-scale brain networks in 12-13-year-old females is analyzed. Skeletal maturity is used as a proxy for pubertal progress. The degree of maturity is defined by the difference between bone age and chronological age. To assess the level of hierarchical organization in the brain, the temporal dynamic of closed eye resting state high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in the alpha frequency range is analyzed. Different levels of hierarchical order are captured by the measured asymmetry in the directionality of information flow between different regions. The calculated EEG-based entropy production of participant groups is then compared with accelerated, average, and decelerated maturity. Results indicate that an average maturational trajectory optimally aligns with cerebral hierarchical order, and both accelerated and decelerated timelines result in diminished cortical organization. This suggests that a "Goldilocks rule" of brain development is favoring a particular maturational tempo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Szakács
- Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1 Mikszáth Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- Semmelweis University Doctoral School, Division of Mental Health Sciences, 26 Üllői road, Budapest, 1085, Hungary
| | - Murat Can Mutlu
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Giulio Balestrieri
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 25-27 Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, 08005, Spain
| | - Ferenc Gombos
- Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1 Mikszáth Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group, 1 Mikszáth Kálmán Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
| | - Jochen Braun
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX3 9BX, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Nordre Ringgade 1, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 25-27 Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, 08005, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 122-140 Carrer de Tànger, Barcelona, 08018, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 23 Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Ilona Kovács
- HUN-REN-ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group, 1 Mikszáth Kálmán Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, 25-27 Kazinczy Street, Budapest, 1075, Hungary
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6
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Colvin MK, Reesman J, Glen T. Altered Trajectories: Considering the Long-Term Impact of Educational Disruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Neurodevelopment and a Call to Action for Neuropsychology. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 39:305-312. [PMID: 38520379 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in educational disruption of historic breadth and duration. The impact of school closures and remote learning have been evaluated in recent studies and reflect critical data for neuropsychologists who routinely assess brain development as it relates to diagnosis, recommendations, and informing public policy. METHOD Pre-pandemic and contemporaneous literature was summarized, including data on educational disruption and child and adolescent mental health challenges reported during the pandemic, and research on the impact of stress, social isolation, educational achievement, and other factors on brain development during critical developmental windows. RESULTS Studies indicate that prolonged educational disruption has resulted in attenuated learning gains, most remarkably for those already at risk for educational disparities. Studies have shown increased mental health challenges for youth during the pandemic, with higher rates of mood and eating disorders, and suicidal ideation. Given that some skills develop optimally within specific time periods, pandemic-related disruption has likely contributed to altered developmental trajectories. CONCLUSION Trajectory of neuropsychological development of children and adolescents, especially marginalized students, may be affected by effects on learning and mental health due to prolonged educational disruption and psychological stressors. Evaluation and treatment may be delayed due to backlog and increased demand. Clinical neuropsychological practice recommendations are presented with a call to action for the field in moving forward flexibly to increase access to evaluation services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Colvin
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer Reesman
- Chesapeake Center for ADHD, Learning and Behavioral Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Buthmann JL, Uy JP, Miller JG, Yuan JP, Coury SM, Ho TC, Gotlib IH. Neighborhood disadvantage and parenting predict longitudinal clustering of uncinate fasciculus microstructural integrity and clinical symptomatology in adolescents. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101368. [PMID: 38547783 PMCID: PMC11056613 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Parenting behaviors and neighborhood environment influence the development of adolescents' brains and behaviors. Simultaneous trajectories of brain and behavior, however, are understudied, especially in these environmental contexts. In this four-wave study spanning 9-18 years of age (N=224 at baseline, N=138 at final assessment) we used longitudinal k-means clustering to identify clusters of participants with distinct trajectories of uncinate fasciculus (UF) fractional anisotropy (FA) and anxiety symptoms; we examined behavioral outcomes and identified environmental factors that predicted cluster membership. We identified three clusters of participants: 1) high UF FA and low symptoms ("low-risk"); 2) low UF FA and high symptoms ("high-risk"); and 3) low UF FA and low symptoms ("resilient"). Adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods were more likely to be in the resilient than high-risk cluster if they also experienced maternal warmth. Thus, neighborhood disadvantage may confer neural risk for psychopathology that can be buffered by maternal warmth, highlighting the importance of considering multiple environmental influences in understanding emotional and neural development in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Buthmann
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - J P Uy
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - J G Miller
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - J P Yuan
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - S M Coury
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - T C Ho
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - I H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, USA
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8
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Gotlib IH, Buthmann JL, Uy JP. The growing interdisciplinarity of developmental psychopathology: Implications for science and training. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38516854 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
The field of developmental psychopathology has grown exponentially over the past decades, and has become increasingly multifaceted. The initial focus on understanding abnormal child psychology has broadened to the study of the origins of psychopathology, with the goals of preventing and alleviating disorder and promoting healthy development. In this paper, we discuss how technological advances and global events have expanded the questions that researchers in developmental psychopathology can address. We do so by describing a longitudinal study that we have been conducting for the past dozen years. We originally planned to examine the effects of early adversity on trajectories of brain development, endocrine function, and depressive symptoms across puberty; it has since become an interdisciplinary study encompassing diverse domains like inflammation, sleep, biological aging, the environment, and child functioning post-pandemic, that we believe will advance our understanding of neurobehavioral development. This increase in the breadth in our study emerged from an expansion of the field; we encourage researchers to embrace these dynamic changes. In this context, we discuss challenges, opportunities, and institutional changes related to the growing interdisciplinarity of the field with respect to training the next generation of investigators to mitigate the burden of mental illness in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Jessica P Uy
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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9
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Cai L, Maikusa N, Zhu Y, Nishida A, Ando S, Okada N, Kasai K, Nakamura Y, Koike S. Hippocampal Structures Among Japanese Adolescents Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2355292. [PMID: 38329755 PMCID: PMC10853829 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.55292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Few studies have used a large-sample, longitudinal, population-based cohort study to examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic as a global major life event is associated with structural plasticity of the adolescent hippocampus. Objective To examine whether Japan's first state of emergency (SoE) during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with alterations in the macrostructures and microstructures of the hippocampus during its development. Design, Setting, and Participants The population-neuroscience Tokyo TEEN Cohort study is a prospective cohort study with 4 consecutive waves in Tokyo, Japan. Due to the SoE, data collection was suspended between March 27, 2020, and July 30, 2020. Analyzed data, comprising 1149 brain structural scans obtained from 479 participants, of whom 336 participants had undergone 2 or more scans, were collected between October 2013 and November 2021. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to December 2023. Exposures Japan's first SoE (April 7 to May 25, 2020). Main Outcomes and Measures Hippocampal volume, 12 hippocampal subfield volumes, and 7 microstructural measures of the hippocampus. Results A total of 1060 brain scans from 459 participants (214 female participants [47%]) including 246 participants from wave 1 (median [IQR] age, 11.3 [11.1-11.7] years), 358 from wave 2 (median [IQR] age, 13.8 [13.3-14.5] years), 304 from wave 3 (median [IQR] age, 15.9 [15.4-16.5] years), and 152 from wave 4 (median [IQR] age, 17.9 [17.5-18.4] years) were included in the final main analysis. The generalized additive mixed model showed a significant associations of the SoE with the mean hippocampal volume (β = 102.19; 95% CI, 0.61-203.77; P = .049). The generalized linear mixed models showed the main associations of the SoE with hippocampal subfield volume (granule cell and molecular layer of the dentate gyrus: β = 18.19; 95% CI, 2.97-33.41; uncorrected P = .02; CA4: β = 12.75; 95% CI, 0.38-25.12; uncorrected P = .04; hippocampus-amygdala transition area: β = 5.67; 95% CI, 1.18-10.17; uncorrected P = .01), and fractional anisotropy (β = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.00-0.06; uncorrected P = .04). Conclusions and Relevance After the first SoE, a volumetric increase in the hippocampus and trend increase in 3 subfield volumes and microstructural integration of the hippocampus were observed, suggesting that the transient plasticity of the adolescent hippocampus was affected by a major life event along with the typical developmental trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cai
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norihide Maikusa
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yinghan Zhu
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nishida
- Research Center for Social Science and Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ando
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo, Japan
- University of Tokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Nakamura
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- University of Tokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, Tokyo, Japan
- University of Tokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Hostinar CE, Velez G. Generation COVID: Coming of age amid the pandemic. Curr Opin Psychol 2024; 55:101725. [PMID: 38041917 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Velez
- College of Education, Marquette University, WI, USA.
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11
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Susanu MF, Pop RM. Sleep Patterns and Influencing Factors in Romanian Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Two-Wave Ecological Study. Cureus 2023; 15:e51187. [PMID: 38283431 PMCID: PMC10817762 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sleep quality among students is variable with sleep disturbances being common worldwide. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to major changes, including in the educational system. In this study, we aimed to analyze sleep patterns and screen time of medical students, and the effect of COVID-19. Material and methods We conducted a two-wave questionnaire-based ecological study on Romanian medical students from Târgu Mureș. For data collection, a 43-item questionnaire, structured into six categories, was designed and distributed through social networks and official online teaching platforms. Results Out of 751 answers from both waves, it was seen that most of the responders were female (76.23%, n=571) and in their preclinic years of study (61.33%, n=460). There was a statistically significant association between the form of education and students' general sleep quality (p=0.0010, OR=1.670, 95%CI: 1.228-2.271), their study time (5.5 hours, IQR: 4-7.5 versus five hours, IQR: 2.5-5, p<0.001) and their sleep disturbances (p=0.0008, OR=0.5859, 95%CI: 0.4284-0.8011). Also, there was a statistically significant association between the year of study and their study time (five hours, IQR: 4-7 versus four hours, IQR: 3-6, p<0.001) and their sleep satisfaction (p=0.0027, OR=0.6360, 95%CI: 0.4729-0.8554). Conclusions Students reported better general sleep quality, less trouble sleeping, and less study while studying online full-time. Also, students in clinical years tended to study less and be more satisfied with their sleep compared to students in preclinical years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Flavia Susanu
- Research Methodology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, Târgu Mureș, ROU
- Endocrinology Department, Mures County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Târgu Mureș, ROU
| | - Raluca-Monica Pop
- Endocrinology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, Târgu Mureș, ROU
- Endocrinology Department, Mures County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Târgu Mureș, ROU
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12
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McMahon TP, Villaume SC, Adam EK. Daily experiences and adolescent affective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: The CHESS model. Curr Opin Psychol 2023; 53:101654. [PMID: 37517164 PMCID: PMC10592260 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in adolescents' increased exposure to daily experiences of risk factors for depression and anxiety (e.g., loneliness). Intensive longitudinal studies examining daily experiences during the pandemic have revealed short-term and long-term consequences on youth mental health. Although evidence suggests small average increases in adolescent depression and anxiety, most of the story is in variability: increases are higher for youth and families with greater pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities and fewer socioeconomic resources, whereas increases are lower when social or financial support and positive coping and health behaviors are available and employed. Public health and economic policies should be mindful of youth mental health risks and actively promote known mental health supports, including family economic resources, access to mental healthcare, and social connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tierney P McMahon
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, USA
| | - Sarah Collier Villaume
- School of Education and Social Policy, and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, USA
| | - Emma K Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy, and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, USA.
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Guyer AE. Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Developing Adolescent Mind and Brain. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:592-593. [PMID: 37881574 PMCID: PMC10593924 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E. Guyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Cruz S, Sousa M, Marchante M, Coelho VA. Trajectories of social withdrawal and social anxiety and their relationship with self-esteem before, during, and after the school lockdowns. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16376. [PMID: 37773201 PMCID: PMC10542336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43497-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic affected adolescents' social withdrawal and social anxiety. Yet, self-esteem may have acted as a protective factor during this period. This study aimed to compare the trajectories of social withdrawal and social anxiety before (Year 1), during (Year 2 and 3), and after (Year 4) the closure of schools imposed by the COVID-19-related lockdowns, and to investigate the association of self-esteem with these trajectories. Participants were 844 (50.6% boys) Portuguese adolescents (mean age 12.70 years, SD = 1.14). The Social and Emotional Competencies Evaluation Questionnaire (QACSE) was used to assess social withdrawal and social anxiety, while The Global Self-Esteem scale of the Self-Description Questionnaire II was used to measure self-esteem. Growth curve analysis showed that social withdrawal and social anxiety had more negative trajectories during the year in which the school closures occurred. In addition, adolescents reported higher social withdrawal after the lockdowns than before the pandemic. Higher self-esteem was associated with a more positive trajectory in social withdrawal. Therefore, the results showed the negative of impact of the closure of schools on adolescents' social anxiety and social withdrawal, and that self-esteem was a protective factor during these challenging and adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cruz
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Psychology for Development Research Centre, Lusíada University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Sousa
- Psychology for Development Research Centre, Lusíada University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Marchante
- Psychology for Development Research Centre, Lusíada University, Porto, Portugal
- Académico de Torres Vedras, Torres Vedras, Portugal
| | - Vítor Alexandre Coelho
- Psychology for Development Research Centre, Lusíada University, Porto, Portugal.
- Académico de Torres Vedras, Torres Vedras, Portugal.
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Freeman C, Carpentier L, Weinberg A. Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Neural Responses to Reward: A Quasi-experiment. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:891-898. [PMID: 36948399 PMCID: PMC10028216 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has been a prolonged period of stress due to social isolation, illness, death, and other major life disruptions. Neural reward sensitivity, essential for healthy functioning, may become reduced under major naturalistic stressors, though few studies have examined this. The present study sought to test whether neural responses to rewards were significantly blunted by the stress of the pandemic. METHODS We compared 2 groups of young adult participants, who completed a monetary reward task while an electroencephalogram was recorded, at 2 time points, 1 to 3 years apart. Our measure of reward sensitivity was the reward positivity (RewP), a neural marker enhanced to gain relative to loss feedback. The magnitude of the RewP is sensitive to stress exposure and can prospectively predict depression. The pre-pandemic group (n = 41) completed both time points before the pandemic, while the pandemic group (n = 39) completed the baseline visit before the pandemic and the follow-up visit during its second year. RESULTS The pandemic group reported having experienced significant stressors over the course of the pandemic. We did not observe a significant decrease in the RewP from baseline to follow-up in the pre-pandemic group. In contrast, in the pandemic group, the RewP was significantly blunted at the follow-up visit to the extent that it no longer distinguished gain from loss feedback. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that prolonged naturalistic stressors can result in adaptations in neural responses to rewards. Our findings also highlight a possible mechanism linking stress to the development of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Freeman
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Loran Carpentier
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Joffe AR, Elliott A. Long COVID as a functional somatic symptom disorder caused by abnormally precise prior expectations during Bayesian perceptual processing: A new hypothesis and implications for pandemic response. SAGE Open Med 2023; 11:20503121231194400. [PMID: 37655303 PMCID: PMC10467233 DOI: 10.1177/20503121231194400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This review proposes a model of Long-COVID where the constellation of symptoms are in fact genuinely experienced persistent physical symptoms that are usually functional in nature and therefore potentially reversible, that is, Long-COVID is a somatic symptom disorder. First, we describe what is currently known about Long-COVID in children and adults. Second, we examine reported "Long-Pandemic" effects that create a risk for similar somatic symptoms to develop in non-COVID-19 patients. Third, we describe what was known about somatization and somatic symptom disorder before the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggest that by analogy, Long-COVID may best be conceptualized as one of these disorders, with similar symptoms and predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors. Fourth, we review the phenomenon of mass sociogenic (functional) illness, and the concept of nocebo effects, and suggest that by analogy, Long-COVID is compatible with these descriptions. Fifth, we describe the current theoretical model of the mechanism underlying functional disorders, the Bayesian predictive coding model for perception. This model accounts for moderators that can make symptom inferences functionally inaccurate and therefore can explain how to understand common predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors. Finally, we discuss the implications of this framework for improved public health messaging during a pandemic, with recommendations for the management of Long-COVID symptoms in healthcare systems. We argue that the current public health approach has induced fear of Long-COVID in the population, including from constant messaging about disabling symptoms of Long-COVID and theorizing irreversible tissue damage as the cause of Long-COVID. This has created a self-fulfilling prophecy by inducing the very predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for the syndrome. Finally, we introduce the term "Pandemic-Response Syndrome" to describe what previously was labeled Long-COVID. This alternative perspective aims to stimulate research and serve as a lesson learned to avoid a repeat performance in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari R Joffe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - April Elliott
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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17
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Machlin L, McLaughlin KA. Pre-pandemic brain structure and function and adolescent psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Opin Psychol 2023; 52:101647. [PMID: 37429074 PMCID: PMC10414753 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for youths and families, dramatically increasing exposure to stressors and stress-related psychopathology. Increasing work has leveraged pre-pandemic neuroimaging data to predict adolescent psychopathology and stress responses during the pandemic, with a particular focus on internalizing symptoms. We review this recent literature on pre-pandemic brain structure and function and adolescent internalizing psychopathology during the pandemic. At present, existing studies have not consistently identified specific alterations in brain structure and function that predict anxiety or depressive symptoms during the pandemic. In contrast, exposure to stress and adversity before and during the pandemic as well as access to peer and family support have emerged as consistent and reliable predictors of youth mental health during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Machlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, United States.
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Arnison T. Prevention is better than cure: why early interventions for insomnia and chronic pain during adolescence should be a priority. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1206977. [PMID: 37359854 PMCID: PMC10285456 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1206977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
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van Drunen L, Toenders YJ, Wierenga LM, Crone EA. Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on structural brain development in early adolescence. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5600. [PMID: 37019914 PMCID: PMC10075168 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32754-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a global health crisis with large behavioral effects and serious stress and social consequences. Particularly, teenagers suffered pandemic-related social restrictions including school closures. This study examined whether and how structural brain development was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and whether pandemic length was associated with accumulating or resilience effects of brain development. We investigated structural changes in social brain regions (medial prefrontal cortex: mPFC; temporoparietal junction: TPJ) as well as the stress-related hippocampus and amygdala, using a longitudinal design of 2 MRI waves. We selected two age-matched subgroups (9-13 years old), one was tested before (n = 114) and the other during (peri-pandemic group, n = 204) the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicated that teenagers in the peri-pandemic group showed accelerated development in the mPFC and hippocampus compared to the before-pandemic group. Furthermore, TPJ growth showed immediate effects followed by possibly subsequent recovery effects that returned to a typical developmental pattern. No effects were observed for the amygdala. The findings of this region-of-interest study suggest that experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic measures had accelerating effects on hippocampus and mPFC development but the TPJ showed resilience to negative effects. Follow-up MRI assessments are needed to test acceleration and recovery effects over longer periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- L van Drunen
- Leiden Consortium of Individual Development (L-CID), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Brain and Development Research Center, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Y J Toenders
- Leiden Consortium of Individual Development (L-CID), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Brain and Development Research Center, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - L M Wierenga
- Leiden Consortium of Individual Development (L-CID), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - E A Crone
- Leiden Consortium of Individual Development (L-CID), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
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