This title appears in the Scientific Report :
2019
Please use the identifier:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2017.12.015 in citations.
Please use the identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/21921 in citations.
Callous-unemotional traits and brain structure: Sex-specific effects in anterior insula of typically-developing youths
Callous-unemotional traits and brain structure: Sex-specific effects in anterior insula of typically-developing youths
Callous-unemotional traits are characterized by a lack of empathy, a disregard for others' feelings and shallow or deficient affect, such as a lack of remorse or guilt. Neuroanatomical correlates of callous-unemotional traits have been demonstrated in clinical samples (i.e., adolescents with di...
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Personal Name(s): | Raschle, Nora Maria (Corresponding author) |
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Menks, Willeke Martine / Fehlbaum, Lynn Valérie / Steppan, Martin / Smaragdi, Areti / Gonzalez-Madruga, Karen / Rogers, Jack / Clanton, Roberta / Kohls, Gregor / Martinelli, Anne / Bernhard, Anka / Konrad, Kerstin / Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate / Freitag, Christine M. / Fairchild, Graeme / De Brito, Stephane A. / Stadler, Christina | |
Contributing Institute: |
Jara-Institut Quantum Information; INM-11 |
Published in: | NeuroImage: Clinical, 17 (2018) S. 856 - 864 |
Imprint: |
[Amsterdam u.a.]
Elsevier
2018
|
PubMed ID: |
29527490 |
DOI: |
10.1016/j.nicl.2017.12.015 |
Document Type: |
Journal Article |
Research Program: |
(Dys-)function and Plasticity |
Link: |
OpenAccess OpenAccess |
Publikationsportal JuSER |
Please use the identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/21921 in citations.
Callous-unemotional traits are characterized by a lack of empathy, a disregard for others' feelings and shallow or deficient affect, such as a lack of remorse or guilt. Neuroanatomical correlates of callous-unemotional traits have been demonstrated in clinical samples (i.e., adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders). However, it is unknown whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with neuroanatomical correlates within normative populations without clinical levels of aggression or antisocial behavior. Here we investigated the relationship between callous-unemotional traits and gray matter volume using voxel-based morphometry in a large sample of typically-developing boys and girls (N = 189). Whole-brain multiple regression analyses controlling for site, total intracranial volume, and age were conducted in the whole sample and in boys and girls individually. Results revealed that sex and callous-unemotional traits interacted to predict gray matter volume when considering the whole sample. This interaction was driven by a significant positive correlation between callous-unemotional traits and bilateral anterior insula volume in boys, but not girls. Insula gray matter volume explained 19% of the variance in callous-unemotional traits for boys. Our results demonstrate that callous-unemotional traits are related to variations in brain structure beyond psychiatric samples. This association was observed for boys only, underlining the importance of considering sex as a factor in future research designs. Future longitudinal studies should determine whether these findings hold over childhood and adolescence, and whether the neuroanatomical correlates of callous-unemotional traits are predictive of future psychiatric vulnerability. |