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Background Early‐life adversity is associated with adverse mental health outcomes and poorer cognitive functioning in later development. However, little is known about how early‐life adversity, mental health, and cognition affect one another or how the effects unfold over time. Here, we test the hypothesis that early‐life adversity may lead to mental health challenges which in turn have adverse consequences for the development of cognitive abilities. Methods In a large (N = 13,287) longitudinal (5 wave) sample assessed at ages 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14, we use both path analysis approach and latent growth curve mediation model to study whether poorer mental health in childhood may mediate the effects of early‐life adversity on later working memory and vocabulary outcomes. Results We found a significant total association between early‐life adversity and poorer performance on working memory (β = .123, p < .001, [95% CI 0.106, 0.141]) and vocabulary scores (β = −.111, p < .001, [95% CI −0.129, −0.093]). Notably, current and previous mental health mediated a substantial proportion (working memory: 59%; vocabulary: 70%) of these effects. Further longitudinal modeling showed that early‐life adversity has an enduring adverse effect on mental health, and that poorer mental health is associated with poorer cognitive performance later on in development. In a complementary analysis using latent growth curve mediation model, we found indirect associations between early‐life adversity and working memory through baseline mental health at age 3 (intercept: β = .083, p < .001, [95% CI 0.072, 0.094]) and change in mental health across ages 3–11 (slope: β = −.012, p = .001, [95% CI −0.019, −0.005]). Likewise, baseline mental health at age 3 (intercept: β = −.095, p < .001, [95% CI −0.107, −0.083]) and change in mental health across ages 3–14 (slope: β = .007, p = .001, [95% CI 0.003, 0.011]) significantly and completely mediated the relation between early‐life adversity and vocabulary outcome. Conclusions These findings have important potential clinical and educational implications, because they suggest that academic and cognitive resilience may be supported through early mental health interventions in vulnerable children.

Background Stress exposure in childhood and adolescence has been linked to reductions in cortical structures and cognitive functioning. However, to date, most of these studies have been cross‐sectional, limiting the ability to make long‐term inferences, given that most cortical structures continue to develop through adolescence. Methods Here, we used a subset of the IMAGEN population cohort sample (N = 502; assessment ages: 14, 19, and 22 years; mean age: 21.945 years; SD = 0.610) to understand longitudinally the long‐term interrelations between stress, cortical development, and cognitive functioning. To these ends, we first used a latent change score model to examine four bivariate relations – assessing individual differences in change in the relations between adolescent stress exposure and volume, surface area, and cortical thickness of cortical structures, as well as cognitive outcomes. Second, we probed for indirect neurocognitive effects linking stress to cortical brain structures and cognitive functions using rich longitudinal mediation modeling. Results Latent change score modeling showed that greater baseline adolescence stress at age 14 predicted a small reduction in the right anterior cingulate volume (Std. β = −.327, p = .042, 95% CI [−0.643, −0.012]) and right anterior cingulate surface area (Std. β = −.274, p = .038, 95% CI [−0.533, −0.015]) across ages 14–22. These effects were very modest in nature and became nonsignificant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Our longitudinal analyses found no evidence of indirect effects in the two neurocognitive pathways linking adolescent stress to brain and cognitive outcomes. Conclusion Findings shed light on the impact of stress on brain reductions, particularly in the prefrontal cortex that have consistently been implicated in the previous cross‐sectional studies. However, the magnitude of effects observed in our study is smaller than that has been reported in past cross‐sectional work. This suggests that the potential impact of stress during adolescence on brain structures may likely be more modest than previously noted.

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Purpose This study aims to explore the dynamics involved in the non-medical use of tramadol among manual labourers in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Using the phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with forty (40) manual labourers (age: 19–36 years). These participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques from two cities in Anambra state, Nigeria, and the data was analysed with thematic analysis. Findings The results revealed that most of the participants were introduced to tramadol use by their friends. They used tramadol for pain relief, euphoric feeling, energy for work and sexual performance. Unfortunately, most of them may have gradually become dependent on this drug to function well in life without knowing the possible medical and psychological implications. Research limitations/implications The sample choice may limit the generalization of the findings; however, the study indicates a need to improve working condition, access to healthcare and awareness of the negative effects of non-medical use of tramadol. Originality/value Non-medical use of tramadol may have started as an attempt to help self in performing the daily routine. This action can jeopardize an individual’s mental health and, at the extreme state, hinder performance of daily routine. Friends and the quality of information they provide play a significant role in the onset of this action. The strong point is that many people who are involved in the non-medical use of tramadol are unaware of the possible risks. Improving working conditions and access to healthcare for chronic pain could help reduce these risks.