Long-term impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Brain White Matter Integrity
Poster No:
1913
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Claudio Peñafiel Poblete1, Josue Dalboni2, Francisco Zamorano3, Claudio Silva4, Cesar Salinas5, Ximena Stecher5, Ranganatha Sitaram2, Sergio Ruiz6
Institutions:
1Universidad de Chile, Chile, 2St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 3Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile, 4Clinica Alemana, Santiago, Santiago, 5Clínica Alemana, Santiago, Chile, 6Catholic University of Chile, santiago, Chile
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are known to disrupt brain development in child and adolescents, particularly affecting white matter tracts, which are essential for cognitive and emotional processing (Lim et al., 2019). These disruptions can have long-lasting effects that persist into adulthood, potentially affecting mental health and cognitive functions. Fractional Anisotropy (FA) is a measure used to assess white matter integrity, based on the directional anisotropy of water diffusion within the brain. Higher FA values typically indicate more robust white matter tracts, whereas lower values suggest reduced structural integrity. This study aims to examine the long-term impact of childhood maltreatment on white matter structure in adult women.
Methods:
We recruited 67 women aged 18 to 40 years without active psychiatric diagnoses at the time of testing. Childhood maltreatment was assessed using the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure (MACE) questionnaire, a validated tool for measuring the severity and frequency of adverse experiences (Teicher & Parigger, 2015). Based on their MACE scores, participants were divided into two groups:
• High maltreatment group (n = 38; average MACE = 23.7; ≥20 ACEs)
• Low maltreatment group (n = 29; average MACE = 7.4; ≤10 ACEs).
To investigate white matter integrity, we employed Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) using a Siemens Skyra 3 Tesla MRI scanner with the following parameters:
• 90 diffusion directions, b-value = 1000 s/mm²
• Resolution: 1.875 mm voxel size
• Slice thickness: 2.47 mm
Fractional Anisotropy (FA), a widely accepted measure of white matter coherence, was calculated voxel-wise for each participant. Preprocessing steps included motion and eddy current correction, tensor fitting, and alignment to standard space. Group comparisons were performed to evaluate differences in FA between high and low MACE groups.
• High maltreatment group (n = 38; average MACE = 23.7; ≥20 ACEs)
• Low maltreatment group (n = 29; average MACE = 7.4; ≤10 ACEs).
To investigate white matter integrity, we employed Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) using a Siemens Skyra 3 Tesla MRI scanner with the following parameters:
• 90 diffusion directions, b-value = 1000 s/mm²
• Resolution: 1.875 mm voxel size
• Slice thickness: 2.47 mm
Fractional Anisotropy (FA), a widely accepted measure of white matter coherence, was calculated voxel-wise for each participant. Preprocessing steps included motion and eddy current correction, tensor fitting, and alignment to standard space. Group comparisons were performed to evaluate differences in FA between high and low MACE groups.
Results:
In individuals with high MACE, significant differences in Fractional Anisotropy (FA) were observed between the high MACE and low MACE groups (Fig. 1).
1. Increased FA in the high MACE group was observed in regions associated with language, sensory processing, and motor control, including:
• Right angular gyrus
• Right supramarginal gyrus
• Right precentral gyrus
(Fig. 2).
2. Decreased FA in the high MACE group was found in regions involved in executive functions and higher-order cognition, including:
• Bilateral superior frontal gyrus
• Right calcarine cortex
• Posterior cingulate cortex
• Right middle frontal gyrus
• Left supplementary motor area
(Fig. 3).
These findings suggest that individuals with high MACE scores exhibit structural white matter alterations characterized by both increased and decreased FA. Regions with increased FA may reflect adaptive or compensatory mechanisms, while decreased FA highlights potential vulnerabilities related to cognitive control and emotional processing.
1. Increased FA in the high MACE group was observed in regions associated with language, sensory processing, and motor control, including:
• Right angular gyrus
• Right supramarginal gyrus
• Right precentral gyrus
(Fig. 2).
2. Decreased FA in the high MACE group was found in regions involved in executive functions and higher-order cognition, including:
• Bilateral superior frontal gyrus
• Right calcarine cortex
• Posterior cingulate cortex
• Right middle frontal gyrus
• Left supplementary motor area
(Fig. 3).
These findings suggest that individuals with high MACE scores exhibit structural white matter alterations characterized by both increased and decreased FA. Regions with increased FA may reflect adaptive or compensatory mechanisms, while decreased FA highlights potential vulnerabilities related to cognitive control and emotional processing.
Conclusions:
In individuals with high MACE, higher FA values were observed in the right angular gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, and right precentral gyrus, while lower FA values were found in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, right calcarine cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, right middle frontal gyrus, and left supplementary motor area. These findings suggest that high MACE individuals exhibit: increased integrity in regions related to language, sensory processing, and motor control, and reduced integrity in regions associated with executive function and higher-order cognition.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia) 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Diffusion MRI 1
Keywords:
ADULTS
Psychiatric Disorders
Trauma
WHITE MATTER IMAGING - DTI, HARDI, DSI, ETC
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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2. Lim, L., Hart, H., Howells, H., Mehta, M. A., Simmons, A., Mirza, K., & Rubia, K. (2019). Altered white matter connectivity in young people exposed to childhood abuse: a tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and tractography study. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 44(4), E11–E20. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.170241