Investigating the Relationship between Puberty and Cognitive Brain Development
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Institute of Child Health
Abstract
Brain imaging studies have demonstrated that dramatic changes in structure and function occur within the human brain during adolescence, and have established that certain of these changes, particularly those involved with social cognition, self-awareness and risk-taking, coincide with puberty. Recent advances in our understanding of adolescent brain development have driven intense interest and controversy in fields including criminal responsibility and public health policy. It is unclear whether these brain changes relate solely to advancing chronological age, or relate to the biological changes of puberty.
This project investigates the relationship between puberty and brain development by studying adolescent behaviour and performance, and by using structural and functional MRI techniques. The key goals are:
1. To elucidate whether puberty is associated with changes in brain structure and activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks, independently of age. We will do this in two populations i) 42 typically developing adolescents aged 13 incorporating early and late pubertal stages ii) a clinical sample of 21 individuals aged 15 with delayed normal puberty compared to 21 post-pubertal age-matched controls.
2. To investigate whether changes in brain performance, structure and functional activity are associated with risky behaviours and depression in adolescence.
This project investigates the relationship between puberty and brain development by studying adolescent behaviour and performance, and by using structural and functional MRI techniques. The key goals are:
1. To elucidate whether puberty is associated with changes in brain structure and activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks, independently of age. We will do this in two populations i) 42 typically developing adolescents aged 13 incorporating early and late pubertal stages ii) a clinical sample of 21 individuals aged 15 with delayed normal puberty compared to 21 post-pubertal age-matched controls.
2. To investigate whether changes in brain performance, structure and functional activity are associated with risky behaviours and depression in adolescence.
Technical Summary
Adolescent brain development is a rapidly emerging field, with structural and functional MRI studies suggesting dramatic development during early adolescence of brain regions involved in social cognition, self-awareness and risk-taking. These findings have marked implications for behaviours of health risk (e.g. substance use, sex, violence) and have begun to influence health policy internationally. The timing of this development coincides with pubertal events. It is unclear whether these changes relate solely to advancing chronological age, or to the biological changes of puberty.
The key aims of the project are:
1.To elucidate whether pubertal stage is associated with changes in brain structure, and performance on and brain activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks, independently of chronological age. We will do this in two populations i) typically developing adolescents within a narrow age band incorporating all pubertal stages and ii) a clinical sample of individuals with constitutional pubertal delay compared to post-pubertal age-matched controls.
2.To investigate whether identified changes in performance, brain structure and functional activity are associated with risky behaviours and depression in adolescence.
The research objectives are:
1.To investigate how risk-taking task performance changes with normal puberty in typically developing adolescents aged 12-13 years.
2.To assess the functional activity during risk-taking and social cognition tasks in 13 year olds at different pubertal stages using fMRI.
3.To evaluate grey and white matter volumes of brain structures in 13 year olds at different pubertal stages using MRI; to assess how identified structural and functional differences are related.
4.To repeat these MRI/fMRI studies using a clinical sample of 15-16 year old boys with non-pathological constitutional pubertal delay and post-pubertal same-age controls
5.To investigate the association between self-reported risk-taking, self-harming behaviours and depressive symptoms and brain structure and performance and brain activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks
In order to achieve these objectives, three studies will be undertaken.
Study 1:A behavioural study investigating the change in risk-taking behaviours with pubertal development in healthy male and female participants aged 12-14.
Study 2:An MRI/fMRI study assessing risk-taking and social emotion processing in healthy male age-matched participants at differing stages of puberty
Study 3:An MRI/fMRI study using identical paradigms to study 2, comparing 15-16 year old boys with constitutional delay of puberty to their post-pubertal, age-matched peers.
Understanding links between adolescent neurodevelopment and puberty has clear implications for both clinical medicine in adolescence and for public policy relating to adolescent risk behaviours.
The key aims of the project are:
1.To elucidate whether pubertal stage is associated with changes in brain structure, and performance on and brain activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks, independently of chronological age. We will do this in two populations i) typically developing adolescents within a narrow age band incorporating all pubertal stages and ii) a clinical sample of individuals with constitutional pubertal delay compared to post-pubertal age-matched controls.
2.To investigate whether identified changes in performance, brain structure and functional activity are associated with risky behaviours and depression in adolescence.
The research objectives are:
1.To investigate how risk-taking task performance changes with normal puberty in typically developing adolescents aged 12-13 years.
2.To assess the functional activity during risk-taking and social cognition tasks in 13 year olds at different pubertal stages using fMRI.
3.To evaluate grey and white matter volumes of brain structures in 13 year olds at different pubertal stages using MRI; to assess how identified structural and functional differences are related.
4.To repeat these MRI/fMRI studies using a clinical sample of 15-16 year old boys with non-pathological constitutional pubertal delay and post-pubertal same-age controls
5.To investigate the association between self-reported risk-taking, self-harming behaviours and depressive symptoms and brain structure and performance and brain activity during social cognition and risk-taking tasks
In order to achieve these objectives, three studies will be undertaken.
Study 1:A behavioural study investigating the change in risk-taking behaviours with pubertal development in healthy male and female participants aged 12-14.
Study 2:An MRI/fMRI study assessing risk-taking and social emotion processing in healthy male age-matched participants at differing stages of puberty
Study 3:An MRI/fMRI study using identical paradigms to study 2, comparing 15-16 year old boys with constitutional delay of puberty to their post-pubertal, age-matched peers.
Understanding links between adolescent neurodevelopment and puberty has clear implications for both clinical medicine in adolescence and for public policy relating to adolescent risk behaviours.