Cumulative adversity and smaller gray matter volume in medial prefrontal, anterior cingulate, and insula regions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cumulative adversity and stress are associated with risk of psychiatric disorders. While basic science studies show repeated and chronic stress effects on prefrontal and limbic neurons, human studies examining cumulative stress and effects on brain morphology are rare. Thus, we assessed whether cumulative adversity is associated with differences in gray matter volume, particularly in regions regulating emotion, self-control, and top-down processing in a community sample.

Methods

One hundred three healthy community participants, aged 18 to 48 and 68% male, completed interview assessment of cumulative adversity and a structural magnetic resonance imaging protocol. Whole-brain voxel-based-morphometry analysis was performed adjusting for age, gender, and total intracr

SUBMITTER: Ansell EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3391585 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature