TY - JOUR
T1 - Rapid white matter changes in children with conduct problems during a parenting intervention
AU - O’ Brien, Suzanne
AU - Sethi, Arjun
AU - Blair, James
AU - Viding, Essi
AU - Beyh, Ahmad
AU - Mehta, Mitul A.
AU - Dallyn, Robert
AU - Ecker, Christine
AU - Petrinovic, Marija M.
AU - Doolan, Moira
AU - Blackwood, Nigel
AU - Catani, Marco
AU - Murphy, Declan G.M.
AU - Scott, Stephen
AU - Craig, Michael C.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank our funders, the Medical Research Council (MRC) (MR/M013588). We would also like to acknowledge and thank Ms Raj Seraya Bhatoa, Ms Iruni Wanigasekara and Ms Laura Lennuyeux-Comnene for their assistance with the study. For the purposes of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Accepted Author Manuscript version arising from this submission.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Crown.
PY - 2023/11/4
Y1 - 2023/11/4
N2 - Studies report that the microstructural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus (UF; connecting the anterior temporal lobe to the orbitofrontal cortex) is abnormal in adults with psychopathy and children with conduct problems (CP), especially those with high callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, it is unknown if these abnormalities are ‘fixed’ or ‘reversible’. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that a reduction in CP symptoms, following a parenting intervention, would be associated with altered microstructural integrity in the UF. Using diffusion tensor imaging tractography we studied microstructural differences (mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD)) in the UF of 43 typically developing (TD) and 67 boys with CP before and after a 14-week parenting intervention. We also assessed whether clinical response in CP symptoms or CU traits explained changes in microstructure following the intervention. Prior to intervention, measures of MD and RD in the UF were increased in CP compared to TD boys. Following intervention, we found that the CP group had a significant reduction in RD and MD. Further, these microstructural changes were driven by the group of children whose CU traits improved (but not CP symptoms as hypothesized). No significant microstructural changes were observed in the TD group. Our findings suggest, for the first time, that microstructural abnormalities in the brains of children with CP may be reversible following parenting intervention.
AB - Studies report that the microstructural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus (UF; connecting the anterior temporal lobe to the orbitofrontal cortex) is abnormal in adults with psychopathy and children with conduct problems (CP), especially those with high callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, it is unknown if these abnormalities are ‘fixed’ or ‘reversible’. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that a reduction in CP symptoms, following a parenting intervention, would be associated with altered microstructural integrity in the UF. Using diffusion tensor imaging tractography we studied microstructural differences (mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD)) in the UF of 43 typically developing (TD) and 67 boys with CP before and after a 14-week parenting intervention. We also assessed whether clinical response in CP symptoms or CU traits explained changes in microstructure following the intervention. Prior to intervention, measures of MD and RD in the UF were increased in CP compared to TD boys. Following intervention, we found that the CP group had a significant reduction in RD and MD. Further, these microstructural changes were driven by the group of children whose CU traits improved (but not CP symptoms as hypothesized). No significant microstructural changes were observed in the TD group. Our findings suggest, for the first time, that microstructural abnormalities in the brains of children with CP may be reversible following parenting intervention.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85175696488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41398-023-02635-8
DO - 10.1038/s41398-023-02635-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 37925439
AN - SCOPUS:85175696488
SN - 2158-3188
VL - 13
JO - Translational psychiatry
JF - Translational psychiatry
IS - 1
M1 - 339
ER -