title: Meta-analysis of associations between childhood adversity and hippocampus and amygdala volume in non-clinical and general population samples.
abstract: Studies of psychiatric populations have reported associations between childhood adversity and volumes of stress-related brain structures. This meta-analysis investigated these associations in non-clinical samples and therefore independent of the effects of severe mental health difficulties and their treatment.
  
  
  
  The MEDLINE database was searched for magnetic resonance imaging studies measuring brain structure in adults with and without childhood adversity. Fifteen eligible papers (1781 participants) reporting hippocampal volumes and/or amygdala volumes were pooled using a random effects meta-analysis.
  
  
  
  Those with childhood adversity had lower hippocampus volumes (hedges g = - 0.15,p= 0.010). Controlling for gender, this difference became less evident (hedges g = - 0.12,p= 0.124). This association differed depending on whether studies included participants with some psychopathology, though this may be due to differences in the type of adversity these studies examined. There was no strong evidence of any differences in amygdala volume.
  
  
  
  Childhood adversity may have only a modest impact on stress-related brain structures in those without significant mental health difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calem
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bromis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Health Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kempton
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D016239:MEDLINE / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Adversity; Child abuse; Neuroimaging; Stress