Contextualizing adolescent structural brain development: Environmental determinants and mental health outcomes

Current Opinion in Psychology, vol. 44, pp. 170–176

Abstract

The spatiotemporal group-level patterns of brain macrostructural development are relatively well-documented. Current research emphasizes individual variability in brain development, including its causes and consequences. Although genetic factors and prenatal and perinatal events play critical roles, calls are now made to also study brain development in transactional interplay with the different aspects of an individual's physical and social environment. Such focus is highly relevant for research on adolescence, a period involving a multitude of contextual changes paralleled by continued refinement of complex cognitive and affective neural systems. Here, we discuss associations between selected aspects of an individual's physical and social environment and adolescent brain structural development and possible links to mental health. We also touch on methodological considerations for future research.

Authors 5

1. Lia Ferschmann corresponding

   University of Oslo

   Affiliation as printed

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: lia.ferschmann@psykologi.uio.no

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway

2. Marieke Geerte Nynke Bos Aachen Institute of Psychology, Leiden University Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands

   Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands

3. Megan M. Herting

   University of Southern California

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, USA

4. Kathryn L. Mills

   University of Oregon · University of Oslo

   Affiliation as printed

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA

   Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway

5. Christian Krog Tamnes

   University of Oslo · Diakonhjemmet Hospital

   Affiliation as printed

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway

   Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway

   NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway

   PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway