Journal article

Childhood Maltreatment and Deviations From Normative Brain Structure: A Mega-Analysis of 3711 Individuals From the ENIGMA Major Depressive Disorder and ENIGMA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Working Groups

HR Wang, ZQ Liu, E Pozzi, A Hussain, P Sigar, C Abdallah, N Alexander, J Baker, J Bauer, JU Blackford, J Cisler, CG Connolly, A Cotton, J Daniels, U Dannlowski, M Densmore, T deRoon-Cassini, D Dima, S Du Plessis, A Etkin Show all

Biological Psychiatry | Published : 2026

Abstract

Background Childhood maltreatment (CM), encompassing abuse and neglect, is highly prevalent and associated with elevated risk for major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other related conditions. However, the extent to which neuroanatomical alterations in MDD and PTSD are attributable to CM is uncertain. Methods Here, we analyzed CM and whole-brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 3711 participants in the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) MDD and PTSD Working Groups (25 sites; mean age = 33.3 ± 13.0 years; 59.9% female). Normative modeling estimated deviation z scores for 14 subcortical volume, 68 cortical thickness (..

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University of Melbourne Researchers