Affective reactivity during adolescence: Associations with age, puberty and testosterone. (August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vijayakumar, Nandita; Pfeifer, Jennifer H.; Flournoy, John C.; Hernandez, Leanna M.; Dapretto, Mirella
• Is Part Of: Cortex. Volume 117(2019)
• Page Start: 336
• Page End: 350
• Publication Date: 2019-08
• Subjects: Puberty -- Brain development -- fMRI -- Affective reactivity -- Testosterone; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 612.825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0010-9452

Abstract

Abstract: Adolescence is a period of heightened social engagement that is accompanied by normative changes in neural reactivity to affective stimuli. It is also a period of concurrent endocrine and physical changes associated with puberty. A growing body of research suggests that hormonal shifts during adolescence impact brain development, but minimal research in humans has examined the relationship between intra-individual changes in puberty and brain function. The current study examines linear and nonlinear changes in affective reactivity in a longitudinal sample of 82 adolescents who underwent three fMRI sessions between the ages of 9 and 18 years. Changes in response to affective facial stimuli were related to age, pubertal stage, and testosterone levels. Using multilevel modeling, we highlight extensive nonlinear development of socio-emotional responsivity across the brain. Results include mid-pubertal peaks in amygdala and hippocampus response to fearful expressions, as well as sex differences in regions subserving social and self-evaluative processes. However, testosterone levels exhibited inverse patterns of association with neural response compared to pubertal stage in females (e.g., U-shaped relationship with the amygdala and hippocampus). Findings highlight potentially unique roles of age, pubertal stage and testosterone on socio-emotional development during adolescence, as well as sex differences in these associations.