Leveraging Intersubject Representational Similarity Analysis to Explore Individual Differences in Early Life Adversity and Cortico-Amygdala Connectivity in a Preadolescent Sample
Abstract
Preadolescence is a critical developmental phase characterized by changes in the functional connectivity (FC) between the cortex and amygdala, which are essential for emotional processing and regulation. Early life adversity (ELA), such as exposure to childhood maltreatment, familial dysfunction, and poverty, is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes (Felitti et al., 1998). Emerging research indicates that disturbances in cortico-amygdala FC could act as a mechanism linking ELA to various mental health issues; however, most focus on adult populations and overlook individual differences. Here, intersubject representational similarity analysis (IS-RSA) was leveraged to explore how individual variations in ELA relate to differences in bilateral cortico-amygdala FC within a large preadolescent cohort (N= 745). A significant positive association between ELA and cortico-amygdala FC was found after controlling for sex, and this association generalized across resting-state acquisitions. These findings demonstrate the potential neural embedding of ELA on neural circuits involved in emotional regulation.