Higher Executive Control Network Coherence Buffers Against Puberty-Related Increases in Internalizing Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background Early pubertal maturation has been posited to be a biopsychosocial risk factor for the onset of internalizing psychopathology in adolescence; further, early-maturing youth exhibit heightened reactivity to stressful events. School closures and enforced social distancing, as well as health and financial uncertainties, during the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to adversely affect mental health in youth, particularly adolescents who are already at risk for experiencing emotional difficulties. The executive control network (ECN) supports cognitive processes required to successfully navigate novel challenges and regulate emotions in stressful contexts. Methods : We examined whether functional coherence of the ECN, measured using resting-state fMRI five years before the pandemic (at T1), is a neurobiological marker of resilience to increases in the severity of internalizing symptoms during COVID-19 in adolescents who were in more advanced stages of puberty at T1 relative to their same-age peers (N=85; 49 F). Results On average, participants reported an increase in symptoms from the three months prior to pandemic to the two most recent weeks during the pandemic. We found that early-maturing youth exhibited greater increases in internalizing symptoms during the pandemic if their ECN coherence was low; in contrast, relative pubertal stage was not associated with changes in internalizing symptoms in adolescents with higher ECN coherence at T1. Conclusions These findings highlight the role of the functional architecture of the brain that supports executive functioning in protecting against risk factors that may exacerbate symptoms of internalizing psychopathology during periods of stress and uncertainty.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents pre- and post- COVID-19: A historical chart review and examination of contextual correlates

“…For instance, schools transitioning from in-person to remote may have affected meal access, academic instruction, social interaction, and mental health services ( Golberstein, Wen, & Miller, 2020 ; Guessoum et al, 2020 ). Indeed, the impact of COVID-related stress has been observed in adolescents who exhibit elevated internalizing symptoms during the pandemic compared to the three months prior ( Chahal et al, 2020 ) and compared to younger youth ( Tang et al, 2020 ).…”

Greater age-related changes in white matter morphometry following early life stress: Associations with internalizing problems in adolescence

“…Pubertal stage was estimated using the self-reported Tanner Staging Questionnaire ( Morris and Udry, 1980 ), which is significantly correlated with physician ratings of puberty-related physical development ( Shirtcliff et al, 2009 ). We averaged the Tanner pubic hair and breast/testes ratings to compute an index of overall pubertal development ( Dorn et al, 2006 ), as done previously in this sample ( Chahal et al, 2020a , 2020b ).…”

“…We used Fixel-based Analysis (FBA) to assess the morphometry of WM tracts, as done previously in this sample ( Chahal et al, 2020a , 2020b ). Briefly, we applied higher-order diffusion models to fiber populations within each voxel (i.e., fixels) in order to estimate a combined measure of fiber density and cross-section (FDC).…”

Testing a Developmental Model of Parental Warmth, Amygdala–Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex Connectivity, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Indeed, depressive symptoms in adolescents appear to be increasing during this period (6,7). It is almost certain that some adolescents are more vulnerable than others to experiencing difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, differences that have been found to be indexed by neurobiological and physiological markers (8)(9)(10). We recently showed that aspects of neurobiology can moderate risk and resilience to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (8,10), and, therefore, might serve as targets for intervention and prevention.…”

“…It is almost certain that some adolescents are more vulnerable than others to experiencing difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, differences that have been found to be indexed by neurobiological and physiological markers (8)(9)(10). We recently showed that aspects of neurobiology can moderate risk and resilience to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (8,10), and, therefore, might serve as targets for intervention and prevention. Moreover, identifying developmental factors that are associated with predictive markers of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic could inform efforts to promote resilience to psychopathology during future periods of stress.…”