Right anterior cingulate cortical thickness and bilateral striatal volume correlate with child behavior checklist aggressive behavior scores in healthy children

Abstract

Background: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and basal ganglia have been implicated in pathological aggression. This study aimed at identifying neuroanatomical correlates of impulsive aggression in healthy children.

Methods: Data from 193 representative 6- to 18-year-old healthy children were obtained from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Normal Brain Development after a blinded quality control. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were obtained with automated software. Aggression levels were measured with the Aggressive Behavior scale (AGG) of the Child Behavior Checklist. AGG scores were regressed against cortical thickness and basal ganglia volumes using first- and second-order linear models while controlling for age, gender, scanner site, and total brain volume. Gender by AGG interactions were analyzed.

Results: There were positive associations between bilateral striatal volumes and AGG scores (right: r = .238, p = .001; left: r = .188, p = .01). A significant association was found with right ACC and subgenual ACC cortical thickness in a second-order linear model (p < .05, corrected). High AGG scores were associated with a relatively thin right ACC cortex. An AGG by gender interaction trend was found in bilateral OFC and ACC associations with AGG scores.

Conclusions: This study shows the existence of relationships between impulsive aggression in healthy children and the structure of the striatum and right ACC. It also suggests the existence of gender-specific patterns of association in OFC/ACC gray matter. These results may guide research on oppositional-defiant and conduct disorders.

Figure 1

Brain areas where local cortical thickness is associated with CBCL Aggressive Behavior raw scores in a second-order (quadratic) model over the whole sample (n=193). Random field theory was used to correct for multiple comparisons over the whole cortical mantle. Figure is shown at p≤0.05, RFT corrected. Blue areas are significant at the cluster level and red color corresponds to areas significant at the vertex level (none in this figure). Controlled for age, gender, scanner and total brain volume.

Figure 2

Scatterplots of CBCL Aggressive Behavior raw scores against local cortical thickness (mm). Controlled for age, gender, scanner and total brain volume.

Figure 3

Brain areas where local cortical thickness is associated with the ‘CBCL Aggressive Behavior by gender’ interaction term (contrast females – males) over the whole sample (n=193). A first-order linear model was used. Threshold for trends was set at p=0.005 uncorrected for regions of interest (ACC/OFC). Figure is shown at p≤0.005, uncorrected. This figure includes only one-sided associations because trends in the regions of interest were all in the same direction. Associations outside of the regions of interest were not significant after a random field theory correction. Controlled for age, gender, scanner and total brain volume.

Figure 4

Scatterplots of CBCL Aggressive Behavior raw scores against the left and right striatum volume (mm³) Controlled for age, gender, scanner and total brain volume.