DHEA and Amygdala-OFC Structural Covariance during Adrenarche: Pathways to Anxiety and the Role of Sex

During puberty, sex differences in anxiety emerge, with girls experiencing anxiety more frequently than boys. These differences may be influenced by pubertal hormonal changes, including the rise in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) during adrenarche, the earliest phase of puberty. DHEA may influence development of brain regions important for anxiety, including the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The present study aimed to investigate whether DHEA influences anxiety during adrenarche through its effect on gray matter amygdala-OFC structural covariance, and whether sex moderates this effect. Participants (n = 34) were 9-11-year-old children (mean age = 9.9 years, 21 boys; 13 girls) from the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development (L-CID) study. DHEA levels were assessed through hair samples. Anxiety was measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Gray matter structural covariance was analyzed using longitudinal co-development scores based on volume changes of amygdala...Show moreDuring puberty, sex differences in anxiety emerge, with girls experiencing anxiety more frequently than boys. These differences may be influenced by pubertal hormonal changes, including the rise in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) during adrenarche, the earliest phase of puberty. DHEA may influence development of brain regions important for anxiety, including the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The present study aimed to investigate whether DHEA influences anxiety during adrenarche through its effect on gray matter amygdala-OFC structural covariance, and whether sex moderates this effect. Participants (n = 34) were 9-11-year-old children (mean age = 9.9 years, 21 boys; 13 girls) from the Leiden Consortium on Individual Development (L-CID) study. DHEA levels were assessed through hair samples. Anxiety was measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Gray matter structural covariance was analyzed using longitudinal co-development scores based on volume changes of amygdala-OFC pairs over two years. We found no significant associations between DHEA, structural covariance, and anxiety, nor did we find significant mediation or moderation effects. Additionally, the relation between DHEA and structural covariance did not differ between boys and girls. These findings suggest that DHEA may not directly influence anxiety during adrenarche, and gray matter structural covariance may not link DHEA to anxiety. Future research should explore alternative mechanisms, such as combining the physical signs of puberty and social factors, as well as increase sample size and ensure better quality of DHEA measurement to better understand the emergence of anxiety and sex differences in anxiety during adrenarche.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

DHEA and Amygdala-OFC Structural Covariance during Adrenarche: Pathways to Anxiety and the Role of Sex