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.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 02, 2023
Accepted:
December 19,
2022
Received in revised form:
November 16,
2022
Received:
October 3,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
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