The researchers analysed MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) data to study cortical surface area, cortical thickness, and the volume of subcortical regions. Common brain changes were found across all four disorders, including reduced surface area in regions of the brain that are critical for processing emotions, threat-based responses, and an awareness of one’s body states.
Strong link between mental health and neurodevelopmental changes
Young people with anxiety, depression, ADHD and conduct disorder also showed reduced total surface area and overall brain volume when compared to those without a mental health condition, suggesting a strong link between mental health conditions and neurodevelopmental changes.
The findings of this study challenge the traditional approach of studying mental health disorders in isolation. By identifying ‘transdiagnostic brain alterations’, this research opens the door to treatment strategies that target shared biological mechanisms across multiple conditions.
The research team also found that girls and boys with the same mental health disorders seemed to show similar changes in brain structure (i.e. girls and boys with ADHD seemed to differ from girls and boys without mental health disorders in the same way). This was surprising given that previous, albeit much smaller, studies had suggested that girls and boys with the same disorder might show different changes in brain structure.
Professor Stephane De Brito is a Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Neuroscience from the Centre for Human Brain Health, and the Birmingham Centre for Neurogenetics, at the University of Birmingham.
Professor De Brito who was also involved in the study, said: “While we know that there are sex differences in the prevalence of those disorders, our study shows that this doesn’t seem to translate into differences in brain structure.
“At this point in time, while we can say that the brain is involved in all four of the disorders that we studied, it seems unlikely that these changes in brain structure can explain why there are important sex differences in the prevalence of these conditions. This means we might have to look at other factors such as the child's early environment or experiences, which might interact with changes in the structure or function of the brain to increase risk for developing disorders.”
The study, which was led by the University of Bath, involved 68 international research groups across five continents – all members of the ENIGMA Consortium working to understand brain structure and function through large-scale neuroimaging and genetic studies.
Dr Sophie Townend, a researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath and lead author of the study said: “Our research shows that, even if they may look very different, the four most common mental health conditions of childhood and adolescence are very similar at the brain level. This suggests that we may be able to develop treatment or prevention strategies that are helpful for young people with a range of common disorders.”
Work on the ENIGMA Consortium including this paper was conducted at the Centre for Human Brain Health as part of the centre’s commitment to pioneering human neuroscience research and translation. The Centre houses cutting-edge brain imaging facilities, enabling interdisciplinary research for academics, students, clinicians, and industry professionals.
