Cognitive control and network disruption in remitted depression: a correlate of childhood adversity

Abstract

Individuals in a major depressive episode often display impairment in cognitive control, and this impairment exists outside of the acute phase of illness. Impairment in cognitive control also has been associated with exposure to childhood adversity (CA). The current study examined whether exposure to CA can explain variance in a component of cognitive control-inhibitory control-independent of diagnostic status in young adults with and without a history of depression. Healthy control individuals (n = 40) and individuals with remitted major depressive disorder (n = 53) completed a task measuring inhibitory control, reported level of CA and completed a scanning session to assess gray matter volume and resting state connectivity in regions associated with cognitive control. The results demonstrate that higher levels of CA were associated with poorer inhibitory control, reduced right middle frontal gyrus gray matter, decreased connectivity of salience and emotion networks and increased connectivity in cognitive control networks, even after controlling for diagnostic status, residual depression symptoms and current stressors. Together, the results suggest that inhibitory control impairment and intrinsic connectivity changes may be characterized as developmental sequelae of early stress exposure.

Fig. 1

Scatterplot showing the inverse association between CA, measured by the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), and inhibitory control, measured by percent correct on inhibition trials (PCIT) of the parametric go/no-go test.

Fig. 2

Connectivity associated with CTQ for SEN seeds. Red indicates nodes of increasing connectivity association and blue illustrates decreasing connectivity association. Z coordinates are noted.

Fig. 3

Connectivity associated with CTQ for CCN seeds. Violet indicates increasing connectivity association and cyan illustrates decreasing connectivity association. Z coordinates are noted.

Fig. 4

Connectivity associated with CTQ for DMN seed. Green indicates nodes of increasing connectivity association and yellow illustrates decreasing connectivity association. Z coordinates are noted.

Fig. 5

GMV associated with CTQ. Red areas illustrate increasing GMV, and blue areas depict decreasing volume with higher CTQ scores. X coordinates are noted.