title: Associations between early adrenarche, affective brain function and mental health in children.
abstract: Early timing of adrenarche, associated with relatively high levels of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in children, has been associated with mental health and behavioral problems. However, little is known about effects of adreneracheal timing on brain function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of early adrenarche (defined by high DHEA levels independent of age) on affective brain function and symptoms of psychopathology in late childhood (N = 83, 43 females, M age 9.53 years, s.d. 0.34 years). Results showed that higher DHEA levels were associated with decreased affect-related brain activity (i) in the mid-cingulate cortex in the whole sample, and (ii) in a number of cortical and subcortical regions in female but not male children. Higher DHEA levels were also associated with increased externalizing symptoms in females, an association that was partly mediated by posterior insula activation to happy facial expressions. These results suggest that timing of adrenarche is an important moderator of affect-related brain function, and that this may be one mechanism linking early adrenarche to psychopathology.
authors: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Whittle
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Julian G
authors: JG
authors: Simmons
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Michelle L
authors: ML
authors: Byrne
authors: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Cherie
authors: C
authors: Strikwerda-Brown
authors: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Kerestes
authors: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Marc L
authors: ML
authors: Seal
authors: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Craig A
authors: CA
authors: Olsson
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Dudgeon
authors: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Centre for Adolescent Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia, and.
authors: Lisa K
authors: LK
authors: Mundy
authors: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Centre for Adolescent Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia, and.
authors: George C
authors: GC
authors: Patton
authors: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA nallen3@uoregon.edu.
authors: Nicholas B
authors: NB
authors: Allen
mesh_terms: D050499:Adrenarche / Q000502:physiology*; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone
keywords: adrenarche; dehydroepiandrosterone; emotion; externalizing symptoms; puberty; sex differences