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Harnett NG, Merrill LC, Fani N. Racial and ethnic socioenvironmental inequity and neuroimaging in psychiatry: a brief review of the past and recommendations for the future. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01901-7. [PMID: 38902354 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01901-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Neuroimaging is a major tool that holds immense translational potential for understanding psychiatric disorder phenomenology and treatment. However, although epidemiological and social research highlights the many ways inequity and representativeness influences mental health, there is a lack of consideration of how such issues may impact neuroimaging features in psychiatric research. More specifically, the potential extent to which racialized inequities may affect underlying neurobiology and impact the generalizability of neural models of disorders is unclear. The present review synthesizes research focused on understanding the potential consequences of racial/ethnic inequities relevant to neuroimaging in psychiatry. We first discuss historical and contemporary drivers of inequities that persist today. We then discuss the neurobiological consequences of these inequities as revealed through current research, and note emergent research demonstrating the impact such inequities have on our ability to use neuroimaging to understand psychiatric disease. We end with a set of recommendations and practices to move the field towards more equitable approaches that will advance our abilities to develop truly generalizable neurobiological models of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Livia C Merrill
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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2
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Harnett NG, Fani N, Rowland G, Kumar P, Rutherford S, Nickerson LD. Population-level normative models reveal race- and socioeconomic-related variability in cortical thickness of threat neurocircuitry. Commun Biol 2024; 7:745. [PMID: 38898062 PMCID: PMC11187116 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06436-7] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The inequitable distribution of economic resources and exposure to adversity between racial groups contributes to mental health disparities within the United States. Consideration of the potential neurodevelopmental consequences, however, has been limited particularly for neurocircuitry known to regulate the emotional response to threat. Characterizing the consequences of inequity on threat neurocircuitry is critical for robust and generalizable neurobiological models of psychiatric illness. Here we use data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study 4.0 release to investigate the contributions of individual and neighborhood-level economic resources and exposure to discrimination. We investigate the potential appearance of race-related differences using both standard methods and through population-level normative modeling. We show that, in a sample of white and Black adolescents, racial inequities in socioeconomic factors largely contribute to the appearance of race-related differences in cortical thickness of threat neurocircuitry. The race-related differences are preserved through the use of population-level models and such models also preserve associations between cortical thickness and specific socioeconomic factors. The present findings highlight that such socioeconomic inequities largely underlie race-related differences in brain morphology. The present findings provide important new insight for the generation of generalizable neurobiological models of psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Grace Rowland
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Poornima Kumar
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Saige Rutherford
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lisa D Nickerson
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Applied Neuroimaging Statistics Research Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
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3
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Howard KA, Ahmad SS, Chavez JV, Hoogerwoerd H, McIntosh RC. The central executive network moderates the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptom severity and gastrointestinal related issues. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10695. [PMID: 38724613 PMCID: PMC11082173 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61418-3] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Although most adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, a smaller proportion will go on to be clinically diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Persons diagnosed with PTSD have a greater likelihood of developing gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. However, the extent to which subclinical levels of post-traumatic stress (PTS) correspond with the incidence of GI issues in a normative sample is unclear. Resting state fMRI, medical history, psychological survey, and anthropometric data were acquired from the Enhanced Nathan Kline Institute-Rockland Sample (n = 378; age range 18-85.6 years). The primary aim of this study was to test the main effect of subclinical PTS symptom severity on the number of endorsed GI issues. The secondary aim was to test the moderating effect of high versus low resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the central executive network (CEN) on the relationship between PTS symptom severity and GI issues. Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) scores were positively associated with the number of endorsed GI issues (b = -0.038, SE = .009, p < .001). The interaction between TSC-40 scores and rsFC within the CEN was significant on GI issues after controlling for sociodemographic and cardiometabolic variables (b = -0.031, SE = .016, p < .05), such that above average rsFC within the CEN buffered the effect of TSC-40 scores on GI issues. Our findings of higher rsFC within the CEN moderating the magnitude of coincidence in PTS and GI symptom severity may reflect the mitigating role of executive control processes in the putative stress signaling mechanisms that contribute to gut dysbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kia A Howard
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Salman S Ahmad
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Jennifer V Chavez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Hannah Hoogerwoerd
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Roger C McIntosh
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA.
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Sendi M, Fu Z, Harnett N, van Rooij S, Vergara V, Pizzagalli D, Daskalakis N, House S, Beaudoin F, An X, Neylan T, Clifford G, Jovanovic T, Linnstaedt S, Germine L, Bollen K, Rauch S, Haran J, Storrow A, Lewandowski C, Musey P, Hendry P, Sheikh S, Jones C, Punches B, Swor R, Gentile N, Murty V, Hudak L, Pascual J, Seamon M, Harris E, Chang A, Pearson C, Peak D, Merchant R, Domeier R, Rathlev N, O'Neil B, Sergot P, Sanchez L, Bruce S, Sheridan J, Harte S, Kessler R, Koenen K, McLean S, Stevens J, Calhoun V, Ressler K. Brain dynamics reflecting an intra-network brain state is associated with increased posttraumatic stress symptoms in the early aftermath of trauma. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4004473. [PMID: 38496567 PMCID: PMC10942549 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4004473/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study examines the association between brain dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) and current/future posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptom severity, and the impact of sex on this relationship. By analyzing 275 participants' dFNC data obtained ~2 weeks after trauma exposure, we noted that brain dynamics of an inter-network brain state link negatively with current (r=-0.179, pcorrected= 0.021) and future (r=-0.166, pcorrected= 0.029) PTS symptom severity. Also, dynamics of an intra-network brain state correlated with future symptom intensity (r = 0.192, pcorrected = 0.021). We additionally observed that the association between the network dynamics of the inter-network brain state with symptom severity is more pronounced in females (r=-0.244, pcorrected = 0.014). Our findings highlight a potential link between brain network dynamics in the aftermath of trauma with current and future PTSD outcomes, with a stronger protective effect of inter-network brain states against symptom severity in females, underscoring the importance of sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zening Fu
- d Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Francesca Beaudoin
- The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital
| | - Xinming An
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Thomas Neylan
- San Francisco VA Healthcare System; University of California San Francisco
| | - Gari Clifford
- Emory University School of Medicine; Georgia Institute of Technology
| | | | | | | | | | | | - John Haran
- University of Massachusetts Medical School
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Brittany Punches
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine & University of Cincinnati College of Nursing
| | | | | | | | | | - Jose Pascual
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paulina Sergot
- Department of Emergency Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vince Calhoun
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University and Georgia State University
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Ortiz-Whittingham LR, Zhan L, Ortiz-Chaparro EN, Baumer Y, Zenk S, Lamar M, Powell-Wiley TM. Neighborhood Perceptions Are Associated With Intrinsic Amygdala Activity and Resting-State Connectivity With Salience Network Nodes Among Older Adults. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:116-123. [PMID: 38150567 PMCID: PMC10922456 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001272] [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] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neighborhood perceptions are associated with physical and mental health outcomes; however, the biological associates of this relationship remain to be fully understood. Here, we evaluate the relationship between neighborhood perceptions and amygdala activity and connectivity with salience network (i.e., insula, anterior cingulate, thalamus) nodes. METHODS Forty-eight older adults (mean age = 68 [7] years, 52% female, 47% non-Hispanic Black, 2% Hispanic) without dementia or depression completed the Perceptions of Neighborhood Environment Scale. Lower scores indicated less favorable perceptions of aesthetic quality, walking environment, availability of healthy food, safety, violence (i.e., more perceived violence), social cohesion, and participation in activities with neighbors. Participants separately underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Less favorable perceived safety ( β = -0.33, pFDR = .04) and participation in activities with neighbors ( β = -0.35, pFDR = .02) were associated with higher left amygdala activity, independent of covariates including psychosocial factors. Less favorable safety perceptions were also associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the bilateral insular cortices and the left anterior insula ( β = -0.34, pFDR = .04). Less favorable perceived social cohesion was associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the right thalamus ( β = -0.42, pFDR = .04), and less favorable perceptions about healthy food availability were associated with enhanced left amygdala functional connectivity with the bilateral anterior insula (right: β = -0.39, pFDR = .04; left: β = -0.42, pFDR = .02) and anterior cingulate gyrus ( β = -0.37, pFDR = .04). CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings document relationships between select neighborhood perceptions and amygdala activity as well as connectivity with salience network nodes; if confirmed, targeted community-level interventions and existing community strengths may promote brain-behavior relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola R. Ortiz-Whittingham
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Liang Zhan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Erika N. Ortiz-Chaparro
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yvonne Baumer
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shannon Zenk
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley
- Social Determinants of Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk Laboratory, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Salas F, Nvo-Fernández M, Leiva-Bianchi M, Sáez DA, Páeza GS, García MV, Villacura-Herrera C. Components of event-related potentials and borderline personality disorder: a meta-analysis. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2297641. [PMID: 38214169 PMCID: PMC10791106 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2297641] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by symptoms associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, altered self-image, impulsivity, and instability in personal relationships. A relationship has been found between BPD symptoms and altered neuropsychological processes. Studies of event-related potentials (ERP) measured with electroencephalogram (EEG) have found neural correlates related to BPD symptoms. Of note is the P300 component, considered a potential mental health biomarker for trauma-associated disorders. However, no meta-analysis has been found to demonstrate this relationship.Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between the P300 component and BPD symptoms. To evaluate the relationship of other ERP components with BPD symptoms.Methods: The method and procedure were adjusted to the PRISMA checklist. The search was performed in three databases: WOS, Scopus and PubMed. A Random Effects Model was used to perform the analysis of the studies. In addition, a meta-regression was performed with % women, Gini and GDP. Finally, a descriptive analysis of the main results found between P300, other ERP components (LPP, P100 and ERN/Ne) and BPD symptoms was performed.Results: From a review of 485 articles, a meta-analysis was performed with six articles that met the inclusion criteria. A moderate, positive relationship was found between the P300 component and BPD symptoms (REM = .489; p < .001). It was not possible to perform meta-analyses for other ERP components (LPP, P100 and ERN/Ne) due to the low number of articles found.Conclusion: The idea that P300 could be considered for use as a biomarker to identify altered neural correlates in BPD is reinforced. In addition, a moderating effect of inequality (Gini) was detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Salas
- Laboratory of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Marcelo Nvo-Fernández
- Laboratory of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Marcelo Leiva-Bianchi
- Laboratory of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Daniela Avello Sáez
- School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Geraldy Sepúlveda Páeza
- Laboratory of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Marc Via García
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cesar Villacura-Herrera
- Laboratory of Methodology for Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
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7
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Webb EK, Harnett NG. The biological embedding of structural inequities: new insight from neuroscience. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:337-338. [PMID: 37463977 PMCID: PMC10700559 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01655-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- E Kate Webb
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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8
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Hatzenbuehler ML, McLaughlin KA, Weissman DG, Cikara M. A research agenda for understanding how social inequality is linked to brain structure and function. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:20-31. [PMID: 38172629 PMCID: PMC11112523 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01774-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Consistent evidence documents powerful effects of social inequality on health, well-being and academic achievement. Yet research on whether social inequality may also be linked to brain structure and function has, until recently, been rare. Here we describe three methodological approaches that can be used to study this question-single site, single study; multi-site, single study; and spatial meta-analysis. We review empirical work that, using these approaches, has observed associations between neural outcomes and structural measures of social inequality-including structural stigma, community-level prejudice, gender inequality, neighbourhood disadvantage and the generosity of the social safety net for low-income families. We evaluate the relative strengths and limitations of these approaches, discuss ethical considerations and outline directions for future research. In doing so, we advocate for a paradigm shift in cognitive neuroscience that explicitly incorporates upstream structural and contextual factors, which we argue holds promise for uncovering the neural correlates of social inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David G Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mina Cikara
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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9
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Fulton T, Lathan EC, Karkare MC, Guelfo A, Eghbalzad L, Ahluwalia V, Ely TD, Turner JA, Turner MD, Currier JM, Mekawi Y, Fani N. Civilian Moral Injury and Amygdala Functional Connectivity During Attention to Threat. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:112-120. [PMID: 37487958 PMCID: PMC10803642 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.07.006] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Moral injury references emotional and spiritual/existential suffering that may emerge following psychological trauma. Despite being linked to adverse mental health outcomes, little is known about the neurophysiological mechanisms of this phenomenon. In this study, we examined neural correlates of moral injury exposure and distress using the Moral Injury Exposure and Symptom Scale for Civilians. We also examined potential moderation of these effects by race (Black vs. White individuals) given the likely intersection of race-related stress with moral injury. METHODS Forty-eight adults ages 18 to 65 years (mean age = 30.56, SD = 11.93) completed the Moral Injury Exposure and Symptom Scale for Civilians and an affective attentional control measure, the affective Stroop task (AS), during functional magnetic resonance imaging; the AS includes presentation of threat-relevant and neutral distractor stimuli. Voxelwise functional connectivity of the bilateral amygdala was examined in response to threat-relevant versus neutral AS distractor trials. RESULTS Functional connectivity between the right amygdala and left postcentral gyrus/primary somatosensory cortex was positively correlated with the Moral Injury Exposure and Symptom Scale for Civilians exposure score (voxelwise p < .001, cluster false discovery rate-corrected p < .05) in response to threat versus neutral AS distractor trials. Follow-up analyses revealed significant effects of race; Black but not White participants demonstrated this significant pattern of amygdala-left somatosensory cortex connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Increased exposure to potentially morally injurious events may lead to emotion-somatosensory pathway disruptions during attention to threat-relevant stimuli. These effects may be most potent for individuals who have experienced multilayered exposure to morally injurious events, including racial trauma. Moral injury appears to have a distinct neurobiological signature that involves abnormalities in connectivity of emotion-somatosensory paths, which may be amplified by race-related stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Fulton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Molecular and Systems Pharmacology PhD Program, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Emma C Lathan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Maya C Karkare
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Alfonsina Guelfo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Leyla Eghbalzad
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Vishwadeep Ahluwalia
- Center for Advanced Brain Imaging, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Timothy D Ely
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | | | - Joseph M Currier
- Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Yara Mekawi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
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10
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Atilano-Barbosa D, Barrios FA. Brain morphological variability between whites and African Americans: the importance of racial identity in brain imaging research. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1027382. [PMID: 38192686 PMCID: PMC10773238 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1027382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In a segregated society, marked by a historical background of inequalities, there is a consistent under-representation of ethnic and racial minorities in biomedical research, causing disparities in understanding genetic and acquired diseases as well as in the effectiveness of clinical treatments affecting different groups. The repeated inclusion of small and non-representative samples of the population in neuroimaging research has led to generalization bias in the morphological characterization of the human brain. A few brain morphometric studies between Whites and African Americans have reported differences in orbitofrontal volumetry and insula cortical thickness. Nevertheless, these studies are mostly conducted in small samples and populations with cognitive impairment. For this reason, this study aimed to identify brain morphological variability due to racial identity in representative samples. We hypothesized that, in neurotypical young adults, there are differences in brain morphometry between participants with distinct racial identities. We analyzed the Human Connectome Project (HCP) database to test this hypothesis. Brain volumetry, cortical thickness, and cortical surface area measures of participants identified as Whites (n = 338) or African Americans (n = 56) were analyzed. Non-parametrical permutation analysis of covariance between these racial identity groups adjusting for age, sex, education, and economic income was implemented. Results indicated volumetric differences in choroid plexus, supratentorial, white matter, and subcortical brain structures. Moreover, differences in cortical thickness and surface area in frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital brain regions were identified between groups. In this regard, the inclusion of sub-representative minorities in neuroimaging research, such as African American persons, is fundamental for the comprehension of human brain morphometric diversity and to design personalized clinical brain treatments for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernando A. Barrios
- Institute of Neurobiology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Juriquilla, Mexico
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11
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Grasser LR, Erjo T, Goodwin MS, Naim R, German RE, White J, Cullins L, Tseng WL, Stoddard J, Brotman MA. Can peripheral psychophysiological markers predict response to exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy in youth with severely impairing irritability? A study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:926. [PMID: 38082431 PMCID: PMC10712194 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05421-4] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Irritability, an increased proneness to anger, is a primary reason youth present for psychiatric care. While initial evidence supports the efficacy of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth with clinically impairing irritability, treatment mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we propose to measure peripheral psychophysiological indicators of arousal-heart rate (HR)/electrodermal activity (EDA)-and regulation-heart rate variability (HRV)-during exposures to anger-inducing stimuli as potential predictors of treatment efficacy. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether in-situ biosensing data provides peripheral physiological indicators of in-session response to exposures. METHODS Blood volume pulse (BVP; from which HR and HRV canl be derived) and EDA will be collected ambulatorily using the Empatica EmbracePlus from 40 youth (all genders; ages 8-17) undergoing six in-person exposure treatment sessions, as part of a multiple-baseline trial of exposure-based CBT for clinically impairing irritability. Clinical ratings of irritability will be conducted at baseline, weekly throughout treatment, and at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups via the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) and the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI; clinician-, parent-, and child-report). Multilevel modeling will be used to assess within- and between-person changes in physiological arousal and regulation throughout exposure-based CBT and to determine whether individual differences are predictive of treatment response. DISCUSSION This study protocol leverages a wearable biosensor (Empatica) to continuously record HR/HRV (derived from BVP) and EDA during in-person exposure sessions for youth with clinically impairing irritability. Here, the goal is to identify changes in physiological arousal (EDA, HR) and regulation (HRV) over the course of treatment in tandem with changes in clinical symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION The participants in this study come from an overarching clinical trial (trial registration numbers: NCT02531893 first registered on 8/25/2015; last updated on 8/25/2023). The research project and all related materials were submitted and approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Ruvolo Grasser
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Trinity Erjo
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew S Goodwin
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reut Naim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ramaris E German
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jamell White
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lisa Cullins
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wan-Ling Tseng
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joel Stoddard
- Department of Psychiatry and Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Melissa A Brotman
- Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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12
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Webb EK, Ely TD, Rowland GE, Lebois LAM, van Rooij SJH, Bruce SE, Jovanovic T, House SL, Beaudoin FL, An X, Neylan TC, Clifford GD, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Bollen KA, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PI, Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Swor RA, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Datner EM, Pearson C, Peak DA, Merchant RC, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Kessler RC, Koenen KC, McLean SA, Stevens JS, Ressler KJ, Harnett NG. Neighborhood Disadvantage and Neural Correlates of Threat and Reward Processing in Survivors of Recent Trauma. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2334483. [PMID: 37721751 PMCID: PMC10507487 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.34483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Differences in neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics are important considerations in understanding differences in risk vs resilience in mental health. Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with alterations in the function and structure of threat neurocircuitry. Objective To investigate associations of neighborhood disadvantage with white and gray matter and neural reactivity to positive and negative stimuli in the context of trauma exposure. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, survivors of trauma who completed sociodemographic and posttraumatic symptom assessments and neuroimaging were recruited as part of the Advancing Understanding of Recovery After Trauma (AURORA) study between September 2017 and June 2021. Data analysis was performed from October 25, 2022, to February 15, 2023. Exposure Neighborhood disadvantage was measured with the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) for each participant home address. Main Outcomes and Measures Participants completed separate threat and reward tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion-weighted and high-resolution structural images were also collected. Linear models assessed the association of ADI with reactivity, microstructure, and macrostructure of a priori regions of interest after adjusting for income, lifetime trauma, sex at birth, and age. A moderated-mediation model tested whether ADI was associated with neural activity via microstructural changes and if this was modulated by PTSD symptoms. Results A total of 280 participants (183 females [65.4%]; mean [SD] age, 35.39 [13.29] years) completed the threat task and 244 participants (156 females [63.9%]; mean [SD] age, 35.10 [13.26] years) completed the reward task. Higher ADI (per 1-unit increase) was associated with greater insula (t274 = 3.20; β = 0.20; corrected P = .008) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; t274 = 2.56; β = 0.16; corrected P = .04) threat-related activity after considering covariates, but ADI was not associated with reward reactivity. Greater disadvantage was also associated with altered microstructure of the cingulum bundle (t274 = 3.48; β = 0.21; corrected P = .001) and gray matter morphology of the ACC (cortical thickness: t273 = -2.29; β = -0.13; corrected P = .02; surface area: t273 = 2.53; β = 0.13; corrected P = .02). The moderated-mediation model revealed that ADI was associated with ACC threat reactivity via cingulum microstructural changes (index of moderated mediation = -0.02). However, this mediation was only present in individuals with greater PTSD symptom severity (at the mean: β = -0.17; standard error = 0.06, t= -2.28; P = .007; at 1 SD above the mean: β = -0.28; standard error = 0.08; t = -3.35; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance In this study, neighborhood disadvantage was associated with neurobiology that supports threat processing, revealing associations of neighborhood disadvantage with neural susceptibility for PTSD and suggesting how altered structure-function associations may complicate symptoms. Future work should investigate specific components of neighborhood disadvantage that may be associated with these outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Kate Webb
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy D Ely
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Grace E Rowland
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren A M Lebois
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sanne J H van Rooij
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Steven E Bruce
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-St Louis
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Stacey L House
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Francesca L Beaudoin
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Xinming An
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Thomas C Neylan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
- Department Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Gari D Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta
| | - Sarah D Linnstaedt
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Laura T Germine
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Many Brains Project, Belmont, Massachusetts
- Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth A Bollen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Scott L Rauch
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - John P Haran
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Alan B Storrow
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Paul I Musey
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
| | - Phyllis L Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville
| | - Sophia Sheikh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville
| | - Christopher W Jones
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey
| | - Brittany E Punches
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus
- College of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus
| | - Robert A Swor
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester, Michigan
| | - Jose L Pascual
- Department of Surgery, Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Mark J Seamon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Elizabeth M Datner
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Einstein Healthcare Network, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Claire Pearson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University, Ascension St John Hospital, Detroit, Michigan
| | - David A Peak
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Roland C Merchant
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert M Domeier
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Trinity Health-Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Michigan
| | - Niels K Rathlev
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, Springfield
| | - Paulina Sergot
- Department of Emergency Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas
| | - Leon D Sanchez
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ronald C Kessler
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karestan C Koenen
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Samuel A McLean
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Stevens JS, Hinojosa CA. It's Not All in Your Head: Discrimination and Its Association With the Brain-Gut Axis. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:186-188. [PMID: 37437988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, Georgia.
| | - Cecilia A Hinojosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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14
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Lathan EC, Guelfo A, La Barrie DL, Teer A, Powers A, Siegle G, Fani N. Differing associations of depersonalization with physiological response during rest and breath-focused mindfulness in a trauma-exposed female population. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 162:193-199. [PMID: 37172509 PMCID: PMC10305839 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.028] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dissociative and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are commonly co-occurring responses to psychological trauma. Yet, these two groups of symptoms appear to be related to diverging patterns of physiological response. To date, few studies have examined how specific dissociative symptoms, namely, depersonalization and derealization, relate to skin conductance response (SCR), a marker of autonomic function, within the context of PTSD symptoms. We examined associations among depersonalization, derealization, and SCR during two conditions - resting control and breath-focused mindfulness - in the context of current PTSD symptoms. METHODS Sixty-eight trauma-exposed women (82.4% Black; Mage = 42.5, SDage = 12.1) were recruited from the community for a breath-focused mindfulness study. SCR data were collected during alternating resting control and breath-focused mindfulness conditions. Moderation analyses were conducted to examine relations among dissociative symptoms, SCR, and PTSD for these different conditions. RESULTS Moderation analyses revealed that depersonalization was linked to lower SCR during resting control, B = 0.0005, SE = 0.0002, p = .006, in participants low-to-moderate PTSD symptoms; however, depersonalization was associated with higher SCR during breath-focused mindfulness, B = -0.0006, SE = 0.0003, p = .029, in individuals with similar levels of PTSD symptoms. No significant interaction between derealization and PTSD symptoms on SCR was observed. CONCLUSIONS Depersonalization symptoms may associate with physiological withdrawal during rest, but greater physiological arousal during effortful emotion regulation in individuals with low-to moderate levels of PTSD, which has significant implications for barriers to treatment engagement as well as treatment selection in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Lathan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Alfonsina Guelfo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | | | - Andrew Teer
- Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Abigail Powers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Greg Siegle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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