Interaction of Parenting Experiences and Brain Structure in the Prediction of Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Abstract

CONTEXT: Although some evidence suggests that neuroanatomic abnormalities may confer risk for major depressive disorder, findings are inconsistent. One potential explanation for this is the moderating role of environmental context, with individuals differing in their biological sensitivity to context. OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of adverse parenting as an environmental moderator of the association between brain structure and depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional measurement of brain structure, adverse parenting, and depressive symptoms in early adolescents. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 106 students aged 11 to 13 years (55 males [51%]), recruited from pr..