Exploring brain development as a mediator for adverse childhood experiences and resilience

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/jkbu7
• Publication Date: 2024-05-05T18:18:45Z
• Authors: Ivan Jia Le Tan; Darren J. Yeo
• Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experiences; Resilience; Mediator; Brain Development

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to negative between 0 – 18 years old. This period is developmentally sensitive environmental influences and ACEs increase the risk of somatic psychological dysfunction across lifespan. High global prevalence makes research into its neurobiological mechanisms paramount. Outcome resilience refers adaptive functioning post-ACEs, inferred by ability function within everyday environments. study outcome from in educational, social settings, neurocognitive domains.Past literature found hippocampus, amygdala, pre-frontal cortex were associated with ACEs-resilience. However, studies establishing a causal relationship ACEs-brain-resilience are limited. Hence, this aims determine if these brain regions mediate The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) an ongoing longitudinal involving 11,878 participants. Gray matter volumes volume changes 2016 2021 used for mediation analysis. There no evidence support that three domains, different structures had significant associations minimal overlaps. suggests domains do not redundantly measure same constructs. Future should treat as catch-all unitary construct, measuring various functioning.