TY - JOUR
T1 - Multilevel assessment of the neurobiological threat system in depressed adolescents
T2 - Interplay between the limbic system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
AU - Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie
AU - Eberly, Lynn E.
AU - Westlund Schreiner, Melinda
AU - Kurkiewicz, Patrick
AU - Houri, Alaa
AU - Schlesinger, Amanda
AU - Thomas, Kathleen M.
AU - Mueller, Bryon A.
AU - Lim, Kelvin O.
AU - Cullen, Kathryn R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2014/11/25
Y1 - 2014/11/25
N2 - Integrative, multilevel approaches investigating neurobiological systems relevant to threat detection promise to advance understanding of the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study we considered key neuronal and hormonal systems in adolescents with MDD and healthy controls (HC). The goals of this study were to identify group differences and to examine the association of neuronal and hormonal systems. MDD and HC adolescents (N = 79) aged 12-19 years were enrolled. Key brain measures included amygdala volume and amygdala activation to an emotion face-viewing task. Key hormone measures included cortisol levels during a social stress task and during the brain scan. MDD and HC adolescents showed group differences on amygdala functioning and patterns of cortisol levels. Amygdala activation in response to emotional stimuli was positively associated with cortisol responses. In addition, amygdala volume was correlated with cortisol responses, but the pattern differed in depressed versus healthy adolescents, most notably for unmedicated MDD adolescents. The findings highlight the value of using multilevel assessment strategies to enhance understanding of pathophysiology of adolescent MDD, particularly regarding how closely related biological threat systems function together while undergoing significant developmental shifts.
AB - Integrative, multilevel approaches investigating neurobiological systems relevant to threat detection promise to advance understanding of the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study we considered key neuronal and hormonal systems in adolescents with MDD and healthy controls (HC). The goals of this study were to identify group differences and to examine the association of neuronal and hormonal systems. MDD and HC adolescents (N = 79) aged 12-19 years were enrolled. Key brain measures included amygdala volume and amygdala activation to an emotion face-viewing task. Key hormone measures included cortisol levels during a social stress task and during the brain scan. MDD and HC adolescents showed group differences on amygdala functioning and patterns of cortisol levels. Amygdala activation in response to emotional stimuli was positively associated with cortisol responses. In addition, amygdala volume was correlated with cortisol responses, but the pattern differed in depressed versus healthy adolescents, most notably for unmedicated MDD adolescents. The findings highlight the value of using multilevel assessment strategies to enhance understanding of pathophysiology of adolescent MDD, particularly regarding how closely related biological threat systems function together while undergoing significant developmental shifts.
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U2 - 10.1017/S0954579414001059
DO - 10.1017/S0954579414001059
M3 - Article
C2 - 25422964
AN - SCOPUS:84913599297
SN - 0954-5794
VL - 26
SP - 1321
EP - 1335
JO - Development and psychopathology
JF - Development and psychopathology
ER -