Adrenarcheal Timing Longitudinally Predicts Anxiety Symptoms via Amygdala Connectivity During Emotion Processing

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine longitudinally whether adrenarcheal timing (adrenarcheal hormone levels independent of age) and tempo (change in hormone levels over time) were associated with amygdala functional connectivity and how this in turn related to anxiety symptoms in the transition from childhood to adolescence. METHOD: Participants were 64 children (34 girls) who completed the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and saliva collections to measure levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate at two time points (mean age 9.5 years at time 1 [T1], 12.2 years at time 2 [T2]). Participants also viewed fearful and calm facial expressions while unde..