Adverse childhood experiences and left hippocampal volumetric reductions: A structural magnetic resonance imaging study

Ashlyn Schwartz; Mélissa Macalli; Marie C Navarro; François A M Jean; Fabrice Crivello; Cédric Galera; Christophe Tzourio

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.09.039

Adverse childhood experiences and left hippocampal volumetric reductions: A structural magnetic resonance imaging study

J Psychiatr Res. 2024 Oct 11:180:183-189. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.09.039. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ashlyn Schwartz¹, Mélissa Macalli², Marie C Navarro³, François A M Jean⁴, Fabrice Crivello⁵, Cédric Galera⁶, Christophe Tzourio⁷

Affiliations

¹ Trinity College, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, D24 DH74, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: schwaras@tcd.ie.
² Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, F-33000, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: melissa.macalli@u-bordeaux.fr.
³ Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, F-33000, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: marie.navarro@u-bordeaux.fr.
⁴ Dr Jean Eric Techer Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Calais, France. Electronic address: francois.jean.pro@gmail.com.
⁵ Univ. Bordeaux, CEA, CNRS, IMN UMR 5293, Bordeaux, F-33000, France. Electronic address: fabrice.crivello@u-bordeaux.fr.
⁶ Charles Perrens Hospital, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: cedric.galera@u-bordeaux.fr.
⁷ Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, F-33000, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: christophe.tzourio@u-bordeaux.fr.

PMID: 39427447
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.09.039

Abstract

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with volume alterations of stress-related brain structures among aging and clinical populations, however, existing studies have predominantly assessed only one type of ACE, with small sample sizes, and it is less clear if these associations exist among a general population of young adults.

Objective: The aims were to describe structural hippocampal volumetric differences by ACEs exposure and investigate the association between ACEs exposure and left and right hippocampal volume in a student sample of young adults.

Methods: 959 young adult students (18-24 years old) completed an online questionnaire on ACEs, mental health conditions, and sociodemographic characteristics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure left and right hippocampal volume (mm³). We used linear regression to explore the differences of hippocampal volumes in university students with and without ACEs.

Results: Two thirds of students (65.9%) reported ACEs exposure. As ACEs exposure increased there were significant volumetric reductions in left (p < 0.0001) and right hippocampal volume (p = 0.001) and left (p = 0.0023) and right (p = 0.0013) amygdala volume. After adjusting for intracranial brain volume, sex, age, and depression diagnosis there was a negative association between ACEs exposure and left (β = -22.6, CI = -44.5, -0.7, p = 0.0412) but not right hippocampal volume (β = -18.3, CI = -39.2, 2.6, p = 0.0792). After adjusting for intracranial volume there were no associations between ACEs exposure and left (β = -9.2, CI = -26.2, 7.9 p = 0.2926) or right (β = -5.6, CI = -19.9,8.8 p = 0.4466) amygdala volume.

Conclusions: Hippocampal volume varied by ACEs exposure in young adult students. ACEs appear to contribute to neuroanatomic differences in young adults from the general population.

Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Emerging adulthood; Hippocampal volume; Structural magnetic resonance imaging; University students; Volume-based morphometry.