title: Stress, coping, executive function, and brain activation in adolescent offspring of depressed and nondepressed mothers.
abstract: This study examined the associations among chronic stress, activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), executive function, and coping with stress in at-risk and a comparison sample of adolescents. Adolescents (N = 16; age 12-15) of mothers with (n = 8) and without (n = 8) a history of depression completed questionnaires, neurocognitive testing, and functional neuroimaging in response to a working memory task (N-back). Children of depressed mothers demonstrated less activation in the anterior PFC (APFC) and both greater and less activation than controls in distinct areas within the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) in response to the N-back task. Across both groups, activation of the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC; Brodmann area [BA9]) and APFC (BA10) was positively correlated with greater exposure to stress and negatively correlated with secondary control coping. Similarly, activation of the dACC (BA32) was negatively correlated with secondary control coping. Regression analyses revealed that DLPFC, dACC, and APFC activation were significant predictors of adolescents' reports of their use of secondary control coping and accounted for the effects of stress exposure on adolescents' coping. This study provides evidence that chronic stress may impact coping through its effects on the brain regions responsible for executive functions foundational to adaptive coping skills.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reising
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bettis
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dunbar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Kelly H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gruhn
authors.affiliation: b The Ohio State University College of Medicine , Columbus , OH , USA.|c The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital , Columbus , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Kristen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hoskinson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Compas
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009035:Mothers
keywords: Chronic stress; adolescents; coping; executive function; prefrontal cortex