Behavioral activation sensitivity and default mode network-subgenual cingulate cortex connectivity in youth

Abstract

Increased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the default mode network (DMN) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is consistently reported in adults and youth with psychopathologies related to affect dysregulation (e.g. depression, posttraumatic stress disorder). This pattern of increased rsFC is thought to underlie ruminative thought patterns through integration of negative affect (via sgACC) into self-referential operations supported by the DMN. Neurobiological studies in adults show that behavioral activation system (BAS) sensitivity is a potential protective factor against the development of psychopathology, particularly in the context of stress and trauma exposure. However, whether BAS sensitivity is associated with variation in DMN-sgACC stress-vulnerability circuitry in youth, particularly those at risk for affect dysregulation, has not yet been studied. This association was tested in a sample of ninety-eight children and adolescents (ages 6–17) at high sociodemographic risk for psychopathology (i.e., urban, lower income, high frequency of violence and abuse exposure). Participants underwent a six-minute resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Using a targeted, small-volume corrected approach, we found that youth with higher BAS sensitivity demonstrated lower DMN-sgACC rsFC, suggesting a potential link between the purported protective effects of BAS sensitivity and stress-vulnerability circuitry. This work suggests that interventions that augment BAS sensitivity, such as behavioral activation therapy, may protect against the development of stress-related psychopathology by modifying a critical rumination circuitry in the brain. Such interventions may be especially important for bolstering resiliency in at-risk urban youth, who are disproportionately burdened by early stress and associated psychopathology.

Trauma-associated anterior cingulate connectivity during reward learning predicts affective and anxiety states in young adults

“…Particular focus on neural networks underlying negative affective states is important, as youth exposed to trauma exhibit blunted positive affect (Marusak et al ., 2015), and negative emotions predict ongoing trauma-related symptoms (Sadeh et al ., 2015). One study demonstrated that lower ACC connectivity with the default mode network, including self-related processing regions, was associated with lower depressive and anxiety symptom severity among youth exposed to trauma, although only in individuals with greater behavioral activation system (BAS) sensitivity (Iadipaolo et al ., 2017). Greater BAS sensitivity, which is implicated in reward seeking and positive affect, is associated with decreased risk for negative affect following stress, as it may enhance the ability to disengage from ruminative thought patterns (Heponiemi et al ., 2003).…”

The role of reward sensitivity and childhood maltreatment in predicting nonsuicidal self‐injury

“…Additionally, those with more elevated childhood maltreatment who reported being more likely to approach rewards had less intense thoughts of NSSI, indicating that higher levels of trait BAS-Drive may function as a possible protective factor as hypothesized (Figure 2). Reward hypersensitivity has been theorized to function as a potential buffer against the risk for developing psychopathology following the experience of early life stress, including childhood maltreatment (Iadipaolo et al, 2017;McLaughlin & Lambert, 2017). Unfortunately, prior work across behavioral and neurocognitive measures has indicated a suppression of reward sensitivity for those with a history of childhood maltreatment (Birn et al, 2017;Guyer et al, 2006;Marusak et al, 2015).…”

Narrative Review: A Neurobiological Perspective on Resilience in Youth

“…Higher BAS sensitivity was associated with lower connectivity of DMN and sgACC (which has been reported as a rumination circuit), thereby providing an insight into a possible protective factor modulating the stress response already present in youth. The connectivity was not associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms and results were unaffected by psychotropic medication (36) . While this may indicate an avenue for intervention (strengthening BAS sensitivity in youth may reduce neurobiological tendencies to rumination), the cross-sectional design limited ability to determine causation.…”