Alterations in brain connectivity linked to anxiety in adolescents, MRI study finds
Alterations in brain connectivity may be associated with anxiety in adolescents, according to new research.
Published in Imaging Neuroscience, the findings implicate brain circuits connecting the cerebellum, amygdala and thalamus in adolescent anxiety. Experts involved in the study are hopeful that their research could help guide personalized approaches to youth mental health care in the future.
“Precision psychiatry is likely to play an important role in future mental health care,” noted study leader Caterina Stamoulis, PhD, principal investigator in Boston Children’s Computational Neuroscience Laboratory. “In this study, we have identified specific circuits that are implicated in anxiety, which could become the targets of precision interventions to improve short- and longer-term mental health outcomes in youth.”
For their work, researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital analyzed brain imaging and cognitive data from nearly 3,500 young people enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a large, longitudinal investigation of brain development and child health in the United States. The team used participants’ MRI scans to examine relationships between brain structure, neural circuit organization and anxiety, including generalized and social anxiety disorders.
The researchers identified alterations in a circuit involving the cerebellum, amygdala and thalamus. Weaker connections and changes in the organization of this circuit were associated with greater anxiety and a higher likelihood of related disorders. Conversely, other brain network characteristics (in the temporoparietal and frontoparietal networks) appeared to have a protective association; greater efficiency and resilience in these were linked to lower levels of social and/or generalized anxiety, suggesting that differences in brain connectivity may help explain variation in mental health outcomes.
The team also identified structural brain differences associated with anxiety. Both structural and circuit alterations were linked to lower visuospatial abilities, which help people interpret spatial information and understand relationships between objects and shapes. These skills support everyday activities such as navigating unfamiliar environments, assembling furniture and tying shoes.
Notably, the anxiety-related brain differences were measurable in children as young as 11. This finding highlights early adolescence as a potentially important period for understanding the relationship between brain development, anxiety and cognitive function.
While the findings are promising and offer scientists a deeper level of understanding of the underlying mechanisms of anxiety disorders in adolescents, additional research will be needed to determine whether the imaging markers can predict individual outcomes or help clinicians select and evaluate targeted interventions.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.