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Ip KI, Wen W, Sim L, Chen S, Kim SY. Associations of Household and Neighborhood Contexts and Hair Cortisol Among Mexican-Origin Adolescents From Low-Income Immigrant Families. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22519. [PMID: 38922899 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22519] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Although neighborhood contexts serve as upstream determinants of health, it remains unclear how these contexts "get under the skin" of Mexican-origin youth, who are disproportionately concentrated in highly disadvantaged yet co-ethnic neighborhoods. The current study examines the associations between household and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), neighborhood racial-ethnic and immigrant composition, and hair cortisol concentration (HCC)-a physiological index of chronic stress response-among Mexican-origin adolescents from low-income immigrant families in the United States. A total of 297 (54.20% female; mage = 17.61, SD = 0.93) Mexican-origin adolescents had their hair cortisol collected, and their residential addresses were geocoded and merged with the American Community Survey. Neighborhoods with higher Hispanic-origin and foreign-born residents were associated with higher neighborhood disadvantage, whereas neighborhoods with higher non-Hispanic White and domestic-born residents were associated with higher neighborhood affluence. Mexican-origin adolescents living in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Hispanic-origin residents showed lower levels of HCC, consistent with the role of the ethnic enclave. In contrast, adolescents living in more affluent neighborhoods showed higher levels of HCC, possibly reflecting a physiological toll. No association was found between household SES and HCC. Our findings underscore the importance of taking sociocultural contexts and person-environment fit into consideration when understanding how neighborhoods influence adolescents' stress physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka I Ip
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Wen Wen
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lester Sim
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shanting Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Florida City, Florida, USA
| | - Su Yeong Kim
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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2
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Foster JC, Hodges HR, Beloborodova A, Cohodes EM, Phillips MQ, Anderson E, Fagbenro B, Gee DG. Integrating developmental neuroscience with community-engaged approaches to address mental health outcomes for housing-insecure youth: Implications for research, practice, and policy. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 68:101399. [PMID: 38875770 PMCID: PMC11225708 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101399] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
One in three children in the United States is exposed to insecure housing conditions, including unaffordable, inconsistent, and unsafe housing. These exposures have detrimental impacts on youth mental health. Delineating the neurobehavioral pathways linking exposure to housing insecurity with children's mental health has the potential to inform interventions and policy. However, in approaching this work, carefully considering the lived experiences of youth and families is essential to translating scientific discovery to improve health outcomes in an equitable and representative way. In the current paper, we provide an introduction to the range of stressful experiences that children may face when exposed to insecure housing conditions. Next, we highlight findings from the early-life stress literature regarding the potential neurobehavioral consequences of insecure housing, focusing on how unpredictability is associated with the neural circuitry supporting cognitive and emotional development. We then delineate how community-engaged research (CEnR) approaches have been leveraged to understand the effects of housing insecurity on mental health, and we propose future research directions that integrate developmental neuroscience research and CEnR approaches to maximize the impact of this work. We conclude by outlining practice and policy recommendations that aim to improve the mental health of children exposed to insecure housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C Foster
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - H R Hodges
- University of Minnesota, Institute of Child Development, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Anna Beloborodova
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Emily M Cohodes
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | | | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States.
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3
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Polemiti E, Hese S, Schepanski K, Yuan J, Schumann G. How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour-a review of current status and future perspectives. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x. [PMID: 38658771 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The environment influences brain and mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Existing research has emphasised the individual psychosocial 'microenvironment'. Less attention has been paid to 'macroenvironmental' challenges, including climate change, pollution, urbanicity, and socioeconomic disparity. Notably, the implications of climate and pollution on brain and mental health have only recently gained prominence. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Polemiti
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sören Hese
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jiacan Yuan
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences & CMA-FDU Joint Laboratory of Marine Meteorology & IRDR-ICOE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Weather/Climate Extremes Impact and Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre of Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience CCM, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Hyde LW, Bezek JL, Michael C. The future of neuroscience in developmental psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38444150 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Developmental psychopathology started as an intersection of fields and is now a field itself. As we contemplate the future of this field, we consider the ways in which a newer, interdisciplinary field - human developmental neuroscience - can inform, and be informed by, developmental psychopathology. To do so, we outline principles of developmental psychopathology and how they are and/or can be implemented in developmental neuroscience. In turn, we highlight how the collaboration between these fields can lead to richer models and more impactful translation. In doing so, we describe the ways in which models from developmental psychopathology can enrich developmental neuroscience and future directions for developmental psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke W Hyde
- Department of Psychology, Survey Research Center at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jessica L Bezek
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Cleanthis Michael
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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5
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Beyer L, Keen R, Ertel KA, Okuzono SS, Pintro K, Delaney S, Slopen N. Comparing two measures of neighborhood quality and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the adolescent brain cognitive development study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024:10.1007/s00127-024-02614-4. [PMID: 38305870 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-024-02614-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is widespread recognition of the importance and complexity of measuring neighborhood contexts within research on child psychopathology. In this study, we assessed the cross-sectional associations between two measures of neighborhood quality and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in preadolescence. METHODS Drawing on baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (n = 10,577 preadolescents), we examined two multi-component assessments of neighborhood quality in relation to children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms: the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), which measures socioeconomic adversity, and the Child Opportunity Index 2.0 (COI), which measures economic, educational, and environmental opportunity. Both measures were categorized into quintiles. We then used mixed-effects linear regression models to examine bivariate and adjusted associations. RESULTS The bivariate associations displayed strong inverse associations between the COI and ADI and externalizing symptoms, with a graded pattern of fewer externalizing behaviors with increasing neighborhood quality. Only the ADI was associated with externalizing behaviors in models adjusted for child and family characteristics. We did not observe a clear association between either measure of neighborhood quality and internalizing behaviors in bivariate or adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS Neighborhood quality, as measured by the COI and ADI, was associated with externalizing behaviors in preadolescent children. The association using the ADI persisted after adjustment for family-level characteristics, including financial strain. Our results indicate that different assessments of neighborhood quality display distinct associations with preadolescent behavioral health. Future research is needed to assess the association between neighborhood quality and behavior trajectories and to identify place-based intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Beyer
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
| | - Ryan Keen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Karen A Ertel
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, USA
| | - Sakurako S Okuzono
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Kedie Pintro
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Scott Delaney
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Natalie Slopen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Center On the Developing Child, Harvard University, Boston, USA
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Michael C, Tillem S, Sripada CS, Burt SA, Klump KL, Hyde LW. Neighborhood poverty during childhood prospectively predicts adolescent functional brain network architecture. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 64:101316. [PMID: 37857040 PMCID: PMC10587714 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101316] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Family poverty has been associated with altered brain structure, function, and connectivity in youth. However, few studies have examined how disadvantage within the broader neighborhood may influence functional brain network organization. The present study leveraged a longitudinal community sample of 538 twins living in low-income neighborhoods to evaluate the prospective association between exposure to neighborhood poverty during childhood (6-10 y) with functional network architecture during adolescence (8-19 y). Using resting-state and task-based fMRI, we generated two latent measures that captured intrinsic brain organization across the whole-brain and network levels - network segregation and network segregation-integration balance. While age was positively associated with network segregation and network balance overall across the sample, these associations were moderated by exposure to neighborhood poverty. Specifically, these positive associations were observed only in youth from more, but not less, disadvantaged neighborhoods. Moreover, greater exposure to neighborhood poverty predicted reduced network segregation and network balance in early, but not middle or late, adolescence. These effects were detected both across the whole-brain system as well as specific functional networks, including fronto-parietal, default mode, salience, and subcortical systems. These findings indicate that where children live may exert long-reaching effects on the organization and development of the adolescent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cleanthis Michael
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Scott Tillem
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chandra S Sripada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - S Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kelly L Klump
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Luke W Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Survey Research Center at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Chen C, Wang Z, Cao X, Zhu J. Exploring the association between early exposure to material hardship and psychopathology through indirect effects of fronto-limbic functional connectivity during fear learning. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10702-10710. [PMID: 37689831 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad320] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Experiencing family material hardship has been shown to be associated with disruptions in physical and psychological development. However, the association between material hardship and functional connectivity in the fronto-limbic circuit during fear learning is unclear. A total of 161 healthy young adults aged 17-28 were recruited in our brain imaging study, using the Fear Conditioning Task to test the associations between material hardship and connectivity in fronto-limbic circuit and psychopathology. The results showed that family material hardship was linked to higher positive connectivity between the left amygdala and bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, as well as higher negative connectivity between the left hippocampus and right ventromedial prefrontal cortex. A mediation analysis showed that material hardship was associated with depression via amygdala functional connectivity (indirect effect = 0.228, P = 0.016), and also indirectly associated with aggression and anger-hostility symptoms through hippocampal connections (aggression: indirect effect = 0.057, P = 0.001; anger-hostility: indirect effect = 0.169, P = 0.048). That is, family material hardship appears to affect fronto-limbic circuits through changes in specific connectivity, and these specific changes, in turn, could lead to specific psychological symptoms. The findings have implications for designing developmentally sensitive interventions to mitigate the emergence of psychopathological symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Chen
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhengxinyue Wang
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders of Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Xinyu Cao
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders of Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jianjun Zhu
- Center for Early Environment and Brain Development, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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8
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Kalb L, Lieb R, Ludwig N, Peterson R, Pritchard A, Ng R, Wexler D, Jacobson L. Association Between Neighborhood Deprivation and Child Cognition in Clinically Referred Youth. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2023; 44:e543-e550. [PMID: 37590215 PMCID: PMC10592520 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001210] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE When socioeconomic status is measured at the individual and/or family level, it has long been associated with cognition in children. However, the association between neighborhood deprivation, an index of community-level socioeconomic status, and child cognition is not fully understood. The goal of this study was to investigate (1) the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and child cognitive functioning and (2) whether child age moderates the relationship between cognitive functioning and neighborhood deprivation. METHODS This study included 9878 children, ages 3 through 17 years (M = 10.4 yrs, SD = 3.4 yrs). Data were gathered from children referred for and evaluated at an urban, outpatient neuropsychology assessment clinic between 2006 and 2022, located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Neighborhood socioeconomic status was measured at the census block level using the Area Deprivation Index composite. RESULTS There was a 20-point median difference in overall intelligence between the neighborhoods with the lowest and highest levels of deprivation. Overall intelligence and verbal comprehension, compared with working memory, fluid reasoning, and processing speed, demonstrated the strongest negative association with neighborhood deprivation (all p < 0.05). Older children had lower overall intelligence scores compared with younger children in neighborhoods with high levels of deprivation ( p < 0.01), suggesting a cumulative influence of poverty exposure. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the stark disparities in child cognitive functioning across levels of neighborhood deprivation. Findings support the importance of access to early interventions and services that promote intellectual growth and verbal capacity among children who live in neighborhoods with great deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luther Kalb
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
| | - Rebecca Lieb
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
| | - Natasha Ludwig
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Rachel Peterson
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Alison Pritchard
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Rowena Ng
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Danielle Wexler
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
| | - Lisa Jacobson
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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Yang B, Anderson Z, Zhou Z, Liu S, Haase CM, Qu Y. The longitudinal role of family conflict and neural reward sensitivity in youth's internalizing symptoms. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad037. [PMID: 37531585 PMCID: PMC10396325 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad037] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is often associated with an increase in psychopathology. Although previous studies have examined how family environments and neural reward sensitivity separately play a role in youth's emotional development, it remains unknown how they interact with each other in predicting youth's internalizing symptoms. Therefore, the current research took a biopsychosocial approach to examine this question using two-wave longitudinal data of 9353 preadolescents (mean age = 9.93 years at T1; 51% boys) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Using mixed-effects models, results showed that higher family conflict predicted youth's increased internalizing symptoms 1 year later, whereas greater ventral striatum (VS) activity during reward receipt predicted reduced internalizing symptoms over time. Importantly, there was an interaction effect between family conflict and VS activity. For youth who showed greater VS activation during reward receipt, high family conflict was more likely to predict increased internalizing symptoms. In contrast, youth with low VS activation during reward receipt showed high levels of internalizing symptoms regardless of family conflict. The findings suggest that youth's neural reward sensitivity is a marker of susceptibility to adverse family environments and highlight the importance of cultivating supportive family environments where youth experience less general conflict within the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beiming Yang
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Zachary Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Zexi Zhou
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Sihong Liu
- Stanford Center on Early Childhood, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Claudia M Haase
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Yang Qu
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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Executive Network Activation Moderates the Association between Neighborhood Threats and Externalizing Behavior in Youth. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:789-803. [PMID: 36705774 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-01003-2] [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: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Neighborhood threats can increase risk for externalizing problems, including aggressive, oppositional, and delinquent behavior. Yet, there is substantial variability in how youth respond to neighborhood threats. Difficulty with cognitive functioning, particularly in the face of emotional information, may increase risk for externalizing in youth who live in neighborhoods with higher threats. However, little research has examined: 1) associations between neighborhood threats and executive networks involved in cognitive functioning or 2) whether executive networks may amplify risk for externalizing in the context of neighborhood threats. Further, most research on neighborhood threats does not account for youth's experiences in other social contexts. Utilizing the large, sociodemographically diverse cohort of youth (ages 9-10) included in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study, we identified four latent profiles of youth based on threats in their neighborhoods, families, and schools: low threat in all contexts, elevated family threat, elevated neighborhood threat, and elevated threat in all contexts. The elevated neighborhood threat and elevated all threat profiles showed lower behavioral performance on an emotional n-back task relative to low threat and elevated family threat profiles. Lower behavioral performance in the elevated neighborhood threat profile specifically was paralleled by lower executive network activity during a cognitive challenge. Moreover, among youth with lower executive network activity, higher probability of membership in the elevated neighborhood threat profile was associated with higher externalizing. Together, these results provide evidence that interactions between threats that are concentrated in youth's neighborhoods and attenuated executive network function may contribute to risk for externalizing problems.
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Nusslock R, Farah MJ. The Affective Neuroscience of Poverty. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1806-1809. [PMID: 35900870 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Growing up in poverty is associated with a heightened risk for mental and physical health problems across the life span, and there is a growing recognition of the role that social determinants of health play in driving these outcomes and inequities. How do the social conditions of poverty get under the skin to influence biology, and through what mechanisms do the stressors of poverty generate risk for a broad range of health problems? The growing field examining the neuroscience of socioeconomic status (SES) proposes that the brain is an entry point or pathway through which poverty and adversity become embedded in biology to generate these disparities. To date, however, the majority of research on the neuroscience of SES has focused on cognitive or executive control processes. However, the relationship between SES and brain systems involved in affective or emotional processes may be especially important for understanding social determinants of health. Accordingly, this Special Focus on The Affective Neuroscience of Poverty invited contributions from authors examining the relationship between SES and brain systems involved in generating and regulating emotions. In this editorial introduction, we (a) provide an overview of the neuroscience of SES; (b) introduce each of the articles in this Special Focus; and (c) discuss the scientific, treatment, and policy implications of studying the affective neuroscience of poverty.
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