Testing the Ecophenotype Model: Cortical Structure Alterations in Conduct Disorder With Versus Without Childhood Maltreatment
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, vol. 8, pp. 609–619
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment is common in youths with conduct disorder (CD), and both CD and maltreatment have been linked to neuroanatomical alterations. Nonetheless, our understanding of the contribution of maltreatment to the neuroanatomical alterations observed in CD remains limited. We tested the applicability of the ecophenotype model to CD, which holds that maltreatment-related psychopathology is (neurobiologically) distinct from psychopathology without maltreatment. METHODS: Surface-based morphometry was used to investigate cortical volume, thickness, surface area, and gyrification in a mixed-sex sample of participants with CD (n = 114) and healthy control subjects (HCs) (n = 146), ages 9 to 18 years. Using vertexwise general linear models adjusted for sex, age, total intracranial volume, and site, the control group was compared with the overall CD group and the CD subgroups with (n = 49) versus without (n = 65) maltreatment (assessed by the Children's Bad Experiences interview). These subgroups were also directly compared. RESULTS: The overall CD group showed lower cortical thickness in the right inferior frontal gyrus. CD youths with a history of maltreatment showed more widespread structural alterations relative to HCs, comprising lower thickness, volume, and gyrification in inferior and middle frontal regions. Conversely, CD youths with no history of maltreatment only showed greater left superior temporal gyrus folding relative to HCs. When contrasting the CD subgroups, those with maltreatment displayed lower right superior temporal gyrus volume, right precentral gyrus surface area, and gyrification in frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the ecophenotype model, findings indicated that CD youths with versus without maltreatment differ neurobiologically. This highlights the importance of considering maltreatment history in neuroimaging studies of CD and other disorders.
Authors 18
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Marlene Staginnus corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ms2290@bath.ac.uk
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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University of Rome Tor Vergata · Harvard University · Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Child Development Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Goethe University Frankfurt · University Hospital Frankfurt
Affiliation as printed
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Goethe University Frankfurt · University Hospital Frankfurt · Hochschule Fresenius
Affiliation as printed
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; School of Psychology, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
School of Psychology, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Aachen · Technische Universität Dresden · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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University of Zurich · ETH Zurich
Affiliation as printed
Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Kerstin Konrad Aachen Child Neuropsychology Section Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry JARA-Brain Institute II JARA-Brain Institute II
Universitätsklinikum Aachen · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
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University of Basel · University Hospital of Basel · Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel
Affiliation as printed
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Goethe University Frankfurt · University Hospital Frankfurt
Affiliation as printed
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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