ABSTRACT
Background: Thalamic volume measures have been linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents. However, it is unclear if alterations in thalamic volumes occur before or after symptom onset and if there is a relation to the presence of sub-clinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). Here, we explore the relationship between OCS and the rate of thalamic volume change in a cohort of children and youth at high risk to develop a mental disorder. A secondary aim was to determine if there is a relationship between OCS and the individual's OCD polygenic risk score (OCD-PRS) and between the rate of thalamic volume change and the OCD-PRS. Methods: The sample included 378 children enrolled in the longitudinal Brazilian High-Risk Cohort for Mental Conditions. Participants were assessed for OCS and the symmetrized percent change (SPC) of thalamic volume across two time-points separated by 3 years, along with the OCD-PRS. Zero-altered negative binomial models were used to analyze the relationship between OCS and thalamic SPC. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the relationship between thalamic SPC and OCD-PRS. Results: A significant relationship between OCS and the right thalamus SPC (p = 0.042) was found. There was no significant relationship between changes in thalamic volume SPC and OCD-PRS. Conclusions: The findings suggest that changes in the right thalamic volume over the course of 3 years in children may be associated to OCS. Future studies are needed to confirm these results and further characterize the specific nature of OCS symptoms associated with thalamic volumes.
ABSTRACT
The experience of maltreatment can impair child development, including changes in the process of emotions recognition, which may result in impairment of social interactions and behavioral disabilities. In order to measure the association between maltreatment and changes on emotion recognition among Brazilian adolescents, the Emotional Recognition Test on Human Faces (ERTHF) was applied to a sample of 50 adolescents who had suffered different intensities and types of abuse. The social and clinical characteristics of the participants were analyzed and, from ERTHF data, the accuracy and response time for the emotion recognition. Males were 60%, with mean age of 13 years and 3 months; 60% were living in shelters. Emotion recognition changes were associated with intensity and types of maltreatment. Physical neglect (48%) was associated with changes in neutral and negative emotions recognition. Emotional neglect (48%) and emotional abuse (46%) were associated with changes in both positive and negative emotions recognition. Physical abuse (38%) was associated with changes in positive emotion recognition only. False recognition of anger was the most common outcome of maltreatment, being associated with physical neglect (p = 0.015) and emotional neglect (p = 0.047). Our results point out to the need to add emotional and facial recognition's rehabilitation interventions to better attend the specific demands of maltreated children and to increase the chances of social and family reintegration.
