Neural circuitry underlying emotional abuse and depression in sexual minority youth

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT. Emotional abuse (EA) during childhood and adolescence is associated with greater risk and severity of depression. EA is particularly common among sexual minority youth (SMY; individuals with same sex romantic identities and attractions), a population that experiences striking depression disparities. Critical knowledge gaps

prevent adequate detection and treatment of depression in SMY and addressing these disparities requires rigorous research on the mechanisms underlying depression in SMY. The proposed K23 tests an innovative model integrating cognitive and social theories of depression with affective neuroscience to explore how EA

impacts neural systems underlying in the low self-worth and a negative self-focus characteristic of depression. This study will use task-based functional and diffusion MRI to examine the impact of EA on reward processing neural systems (Aim 1) and self-biased processing neural systems (Aim 2), and the relationship of EA-associated

changes in these systems to depression (Aim 3) in SMY. Exploratory aims will test the extent to which EA- associated changes in these neural systems, both independently and in combination, influence depression and comorbid symptoms. This research supports a critical public health need by adding to emerging biological

models of depression for SMY, and will enhance understanding of how EA, a pernicious form of trauma linked to depression severity and persistence, impacts neural systems underlying depression. Such research is a first step towards identifying novel targets for detection and developing interventions to reduce depression following

EA, including in SMY. The proposed will be the first in a program of research examining the influence of trauma on the adolescent brain, and understanding how trauma-associated changes relate to affective symptoms, with a focus on minority populations. To achieve this goal, the candidate will build on their expertise in SMY mental

health and basic neuroimaging to receive training in the impact of trauma on developmental psychopathology, state-of-the-art neuroimaging methods, and advanced biostatistics. She has an ideal mentorship team and optimal scientific environment to provide the training necessary for her to meet her career goals. Dr. Mary Phillips

is an expert in neural systems underlying mood disorders in adolescence and young adults; Dr. Erika Forbes is an expert in developmental psychopathology and the affective neuroscience of depression, which she has adapted to SMY; and Dr. Judith Cohen is an expert in the impact and clinical implications of trauma on youth

mental health. Additional mentorship from consultants will provide training in the impact of trauma on the brain in youth (Dr. Ryan Herringa), state-of-the-art fMRI (Dr. Ted Satterthwaite) and dMRI (Dr. Amelia Versace) methods, and biostatistics (Dr. Dana Tudorascu). This training will prepare the candidate for a research career

applying psychiatry’s understanding of neural systems, and the state-of-the-art methods available to explore them, towards addressing emerging mental health disparities in youth communities disproportionately affected by trauma, such as SMY.