Athanasia Metoki, Roselyne J Chauvin, Evan M Gordon, Timothy O Laumann, Benjamin P Kay, Babatunde Adeyemo, Samuel R Krimmel, Scott Marek, Anxu Wang, Andrew N Van, Noah J Baden, Vahdeta Suljic, Kristen M Scheidter, Julia Monk, Forrest I Whiting, Nadeshka J Ramirez-Perez, Deanna M Barch, Aristeidis Sotiras, Nico U F Dosenbach
{"title":"Brain functional connectivity, but not neuroanatomy, captures the interrelationship between sex and gender in preadolescents.","authors":"Athanasia Metoki, Roselyne J Chauvin, Evan M Gordon, Timothy O Laumann, Benjamin P Kay, Babatunde Adeyemo, Samuel R Krimmel, Scott Marek, Anxu Wang, Andrew N Van, Noah J Baden, Vahdeta Suljic, Kristen M Scheidter, Julia Monk, Forrest I Whiting, Nadeshka J Ramirez-Perez, Deanna M Barch, Aristeidis Sotiras, Nico U F Dosenbach","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101624","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101624","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding sex differences in the adolescent brain is crucial, as they relate to sex-specific neurological and psychiatric conditions. Predicting sex from adolescent brain data may reveal how these differences influence neurodevelopment. Recently, attention has shifted toward socially-identified gender (distinct from sex assigned at birth) recognizing its explanatory power. This study evaluates whether resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), cortical thickness, or cortical volume better predicts sex and sex/gender alignment (congruence between sex and gender) in preadolescents. Using Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data and machine learning, rsFC predicted sex more accurately (85 %) than cortical thickness (76 %) and cortical volume (70 %). Brain regions most predictive of sex belonged to association (default mode, dorsal attention, parietal memory) and visual networks. The rsFC classifier trained on sex/gender aligned youth classified more accurately unseen youth with sex/gender alignment (n = 2013) than unalignment (n = 1116). The female rsFC sex profile was positively associated with sex/gender alignment, while in males, there was a negative association. However, neither brain modality predicted sex/gender alignment. These findings suggest that while rsFC predicts sex in the adolescent brain more accurately, it does not directly capture sex/gender alignment, underscoring the need for further investigation into the neural underpinnings of gender.</p>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"101624"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natasha Duell, Gabriella M Alvarez, Eva H Telzer, Keely A Muscatell
{"title":"Racial/ethnic discrimination shapes adolescent brain connectivity: Social buffers and implications for executive function.","authors":"Natasha Duell, Gabriella M Alvarez, Eva H Telzer, Keely A Muscatell","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101625","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Racial and ethnic discrimination has lasting consequences for adolescent functioning, yet its impact on adolescent brain development is relatively understudied. Identifying the neural circuits affected by discrimination can reveal key insights into brain plasticity and resilience. This pre-registered, multi-method study examined the longitudinal effect of racial/ethnic discrimination on one indicator of executive function via resting state functional connectivity among 4669 adolescents of color (e.g., 44 % Latinx, 43 % Black, 13 % Asian, 8 % Native American) from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study. Further, we explored familism and school support as social-environmental buffers. Greater discrimination impeded adolescents' performance on the Flanker test of selective attention and inhibitory control via longitudinal effects on connectivity between the attention networks, specifically among youth evincing low familism. Among adolescents reporting low school support, greater discrimination was associated with heightened dorsal attention-salience network connectivity. Findings offer initial evidence for the neurobiological processes impacted by discrimination and social-environmental strengths that may \"break the link\" between discrimination and brain function.</p>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"101625"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145253345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emma Renwick, Kristabel Stark, Emily Tan, Jenna Gonzalez, Alexis Brieant
{"title":"Understanding barriers to adolescent participation in developmental neuroscience research.","authors":"Emma Renwick, Kristabel Stark, Emily Tan, Jenna Gonzalez, Alexis Brieant","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101623","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101623","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increasing representation of youth in developmental neuroscience research is essential to elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of cognition, behavior, and mental health. However, the field faces critical challenges in optimizing recruitment strategies and reducing barriers to participation among underrepresented populations. To examine these challenges and identify solutions, we employed a qualitative approach to assess barriers to research participation among a sample of adolescents. Data were drawn from semi-structured online focus groups with adolescents in a rural area of the United States. The sample included 20 participants (ages 13-18 years, 65 % female). A subset of questions addressed interest in research participation and potential barriers, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results indicated five key themes: transportation, time, safety, caregiver involvement, and other barriers. Many participants highlighted their reliance on caregivers for transportation, as well as concerns about the overall time commitment of research participation. Misconceptions about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contributed to adolescents' hesitancy to participate. Many of these barriers are relevant across research settings, but may be especially salient for youth in rural communities, a population often underrepresented in developmental neuroscience research. Based on the data, we offer potential solutions such as community outreach and education, fair compensation, and community-based partnerships.</p>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"101623"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145234013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Benjamin M. Rosenberg , João F. Guassi Moreira , Adriana S. Méndez Leal , Natalie M. Saragosa-Harris , Elizabeth Gaines , Wesley J. Meredith , Clare F. McCann , Saché M. Coury , Yael Waizman , Emilia Ninova , Jennifer A. Silvers
{"title":"Previous institutionalization is associated with elevated functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and amygdala during aversive learning","authors":"Benjamin M. Rosenberg , João F. Guassi Moreira , Adriana S. Méndez Leal , Natalie M. Saragosa-Harris , Elizabeth Gaines , Wesley J. Meredith , Clare F. McCann , Saché M. Coury , Yael Waizman , Emilia Ninova , Jennifer A. Silvers","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Institutionalization is a profound form of early adversity that is associated with increased risk for internalizing disorders, which most commonly have their onset during adolescence. Developmental models emphasize how differences in childhood learning contribute to avoidance behaviors, a core pathway linking adversity to internalizing disorders. Yet, little empirical research has tested this theory. 43 previously institutionalized (PI; 12.1–22.8 years) and 47 comparison (9.9–22.9 years) youth completed an aversive learning task while undergoing fMRI. The task involved an escapable stimulus reinforced with an aversive sound (CS+<sub>r</sub>), the same stimulus without reinforcement (CS+<sub>nr</sub>), and an escapable stimulus that was never reinforced (CS-). Internalizing symptoms were measured using the parent-report Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scales. Functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and amygdala was elevated among the PI versus comparison youth across stimuli (<em>p</em> = .036). Exploratory analyses found that NAcc-amygdala connectivity was elevated among the PI youth during early adolescence relative to late adolescence (<em>p</em> = .009). Institutionalization may impact neurodevelopment in ways that increase responsiveness of threat neurocircuitry across threatening and safe stimuli. Differences in NAcc-amygdala functional connectivity may attenuate with age following adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"Article 101617"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145201894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Blasi Ribera , Borja Blanco Maniega , Samantha McCann , Ebrima Mbye , Ebou Touray , Maria Rozhko , Bosiljka Milosavljevic , Laura Katus , Mariama Saidykhan , Muhammed Ceesay , Tijan Fadera , Giulia Ghillia , Marta Perapoch Amado , Maria M. Crespo-Llado , Sophie E. Moore , Clare E. Elwell , Sarah Lloyd-Fox , The BRIGHT Project team
{"title":"Longitudinal habituation and novelty detection neural responses from infancy to early childhood in The Gambia and UK","authors":"Anna Blasi Ribera , Borja Blanco Maniega , Samantha McCann , Ebrima Mbye , Ebou Touray , Maria Rozhko , Bosiljka Milosavljevic , Laura Katus , Mariama Saidykhan , Muhammed Ceesay , Tijan Fadera , Giulia Ghillia , Marta Perapoch Amado , Maria M. Crespo-Llado , Sophie E. Moore , Clare E. Elwell , Sarah Lloyd-Fox , The BRIGHT Project team","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As infants and young children learn from and respond to their environment, their development is driven by their ability to filter out irrelevant stimuli and respond to salient stimuli. While sources and types of stimuli vary across cultural contexts, research to understand the neural mechanisms of these behaviors have largely focused on relatively homogeneous populations in high income settings. To address this lack of diverse representation the Brain Imaging for Global health project (BRIGHT) collected longitudinal data in The Gambia (N = 204) and the UK (N = 61). Here we present results of the Habituation and Novelty Detection (HaND) fNIRS neuroimaging task. Gambian infants showed persistent response suppression (Habituation) at all visits (from 5mo to 60mo) while Novelty Detection was only observed once infants reached 18 and 24mo. In the UK, infants only showed persistent habituation from 5 to 12mo, while the response was not evident at 18 and 24mo. Furthermore, in contrast to The Gambia, alongside the habituation patterns observed Uk infants showed novelty detection from 5 to 12mo. This is the first longitudinal description of the HaND response in individuals from different contextual backgrounds across such a broad age range and number of time points, revealing different patterns of specialization in The Gambia and UK.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"Article 101619"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145214094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Caitlyn R. Cody , Rebecca R. Hennessy , Heather C. Brenhouse, Juliet Y. Davidow
{"title":"Understanding adolescent anxiety through a neurodevelopmental lens: A comparative review of rodents and humans","authors":"Caitlyn R. Cody , Rebecca R. Hennessy , Heather C. Brenhouse, Juliet Y. Davidow","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adolescence is a dynamic time period, marked by significant neural and behavioral maturation. However, much remains unknown about how this maturation alters the way anxiety is expressed in this population, or how similar behavioral patterns may arise from divergent neural underpinnings. This translational review describes key differences between adolescent and adult manifestation of anxiety in rodents and humans. We suggest potential underlying developmental mechanisms in behavior and the brain across species that may contribute to age-related differences. We focus on cognitive factors that play a role in or are impaired by anxiety within three domains: fear, reward, and attentional processing. We review how and to what degree these processes and their interactions with anxiety manifest in youth compared to adults, and where known, with underlying neural circuits across species. Therefore, this review aims to provide insight into the translational neural and behavioral developmental nuances of anxiety in order to encourage further anxiety research utilizing adolescent humans and rodents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"Article 101620"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natalie G. Frye , Tehila Nugiel , Gabriella M. Alvarez , Mitch J. Prinstein , Jessica R. Cohen , Eva H. Telzer , Kristen A. Lindquist
{"title":"Functional organization of the allostatic interoceptive network in adolescence: Links to peer victimization and prospective depressive symptoms","authors":"Natalie G. Frye , Tehila Nugiel , Gabriella M. Alvarez , Mitch J. Prinstein , Jessica R. Cohen , Eva H. Telzer , Kristen A. Lindquist","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101621","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study examines the role of brain network organization in the prospective prediction of adolescent depressive symptoms and links to the social and psychological context. Using a path model with data from a larger longitudinal study of adolescents beginning in 6th-8th grade (N = 117, 55 % female, M<sub>age at scan</sub>= 12.99), we first established that organizational properties of brain networks theoretically linked to depression predicted greater depressive symptoms two years later. Specifically, when controlling for gender and initial depression, greater global efficiency of the allostatic interoceptive network (AIN) and greater segregation of the frontoparietal network (FPN) from the salience network (SN) predicted depressive symptoms an average of two years later. Linking these neural findings to psychological individual differences, we found that self-reported rumination mediated the effect of AIN global efficiency on prospective depressive symptoms. We further linked these neural findings to the social context by demonstrating that greater self-reported relational peer victimization prospectively predicted AIN global efficiency. Collectively, these findings situate the emergence of adolescent depressive symptoms as a confluence of brain organization properties, perceived social rejection, and individual differences in rumination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"Article 101621"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145207951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Selina Pacheco , Silvia A. Bunge , Monica E. Ellwood-Lowe
{"title":"Academic success and mental health: The paradox of Frontoparietal‐Default Mode Network coupling among children facing poverty","authors":"Selina Pacheco , Silvia A. Bunge , Monica E. Ellwood-Lowe","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Childhood family income is a powerful predictor of academic achievement and mental health. Here, we ask whether children living in poverty who succeed academically are subsequently protected from, or at risk for, internalizing symptoms. Prior research indicates that children in poverty with better academic performance tend to have higher temporal coupling between the Lateral Frontoparietal Network (LFPN) and Default Mode Network (DMN) than lower-performing children in poverty. An open question is whether higher LFPN-DMN coupling has maladaptive long-term consequences for mental health for this population. In this pre-registered longitudinal study, we analyzed data from 10,829 children (1931 in poverty) in the ABCD study across four time points (ages 9–13). Higher grades correlated with fewer internalizing symptoms concurrently; this association was more pronounced for children below poverty. Longitudinally, higher LFPN-DMN related to more internalizing symptoms two years later for children in poverty in particular. Thus, although higher academic performance was associated with better mental health outcomes for all children, the specific pattern of LFPN-DMN connectivity that supports academic resilience among children in poverty may be a risk factor for developing internalizing symptoms. These findings highlight the complex nature of academic resilience in the context of structural inequity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"76 ","pages":"Article 101618"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jessica A Church, Juliet Y Davidow, Deanna J Greene, Tracy Riggins
{"title":"Introduction to the special issue from Flux Congress 2023.","authors":"Jessica A Church, Juliet Y Davidow, Deanna J Greene, Tracy Riggins","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101615","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101615","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":" ","pages":"101615"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145151438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Madison Politte-Corn, Sarah Myruski, Bridget Cahill, Koraly Pérez-Edgar, Kristin A Buss
{"title":"Corrigendum to \"Disentangling the role of different resting-state neural markers of adolescent behavioral inhibition and social anxiety\" [Dev. Cogn. Neurosci. 73 (2025) 101560].","authors":"Madison Politte-Corn, Sarah Myruski, Bridget Cahill, Koraly Pérez-Edgar, Kristin A Buss","doi":"10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101612","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49083,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":" ","pages":"101612"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145055389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}