Cognitive reappraisal and corresponding neural basis mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depression

Yu Mao; Ling Li; Yuan Li; Xin Hou; Shukai Duan

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108716

Cognitive reappraisal and corresponding neural basis mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depression

Biol Psychol. 2023 Nov:184:108716. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108716. Epub 2023 Nov 2.

Authors

Yu Mao¹, Ling Li², Yuan Li³, Xin Hou³, Shukai Duan⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Computer and Information Science, School of Software, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; College of Artificial Intelligence, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
² Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Department of Medical Psychology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
³ School of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.
⁴ College of Artificial Intelligence, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address: duansk@swu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37924935
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108716

Abstract

Background: Childhood maltreatment is considered as a robust predictor of depression. However, the underlying psychological and neurological mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and depression remain poorly understood. Sufficient evidence demonstrates emotion dysregulation in individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment, but it is unknown whether these changes represent vulnerability for depression. Here we speculated that decreased cognitive reappraisal and its corresponding neural basis might explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and follow-up depression.

Methods: First, we investigated whether cognitive reappraisal can explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and depression, with a cross-sectional (n = 657) behavioral sample. Then we recruit 38 maltreated participants and 27 controls to complete the cognitive reappraisal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task. The between-group difference in brain activation and functional connectivity (FC) were tested using independent t-tests. Finally, we investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment, task-based brain activity and depression.

Results: The behavior results suggested that cognitive reappraisal mediates the association between childhood maltreatment and depression. In addition, the maltreated group exhibited lower activation of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and higher FC of between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), OFC, and amygdala during cognitive reappraisal, compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the FC of DLPFC-amygdala mediates the association between childhood maltreatment and depression.

Conclusion: In summary, childhood maltreatment is associated with inefficient cognitive reappraisal ability, manifesting as aberrant modulation of cortical areas on amygdala. These cognitive and neural deficits might explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and risk of depression in later life.

Keywords: Chilhood maltreatment; Cognitive reappraisal; Depression.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amygdala / diagnostic imaging
Brain Mapping
Child
Child Abuse* / psychology
Cognition
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression* / psychology
Emotions / physiology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Prefrontal Cortex