The association between adverse childhood experiences and alterations in brain volume and cortical thickness in adults with alcohol use disorder

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have established a connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), both of which are associated with alterations in grey matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT). The current study aimed to assess the neurobiological impact of ACE specifically in the context of AUD, as well as the role of maltreatment type (i.e., abuse or neglect) and timing.

Methods: Structural MRI data were collected from 35 adults with AUD (mean age: 40; 31% female) and 28 healthy controls (mean age: 36; 61% female). ACE were assessed retrospectively using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology interview. Global and regional GMV and CT were estimated using voxel- and surface-based morphometry.

Results: Relative to the healthy controls, the AUD group had significantly reduced CT in the left inferior frontal gyrus, left circular sulcus of the insula and subcentral gyrus and sulci (cluster C1), and in the central sulcus and precentral gyrus (cluster C2). Within the AUD group, a reduction of CT in cluster C1 was significantly associated with higher severity of ACE and AUD. Type and timing analyses revealed a significant association between higher levels of abuse at ages 13 to 15 and reduced CT in cluster C1 within the AUD group.

Conclusions: In adults with AUD, abuse experienced during early adolescence is associated with reduced CT in regions involved in inhibitory control, indicating the potential relevance of cognitive pathways in the association between ACE and AUD. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm and expand upon current findings.

Keywords: alcohol use disorder; brain volume; child maltreatment; cortical thickness; structural imaging.

FIGURE 1

Significant clusters in the AUD group, relative to the HC group. A two‐sample t‐test was used with cluster corrections (voxel‐wise p < .001, cluster pFWE < .05). Reduced CT in the left inferior frontal gyrus, left circular sulcus of insula, and subcentral gyrus and sulci (cluster C1; size: 163 voxels, Peak T: 4.8, MNI: −42, 10, 5, p < .05) and in the right central sulcus and precentral gyrus (cluster C2; size 136 voxels, Peak T: 3.5, MNI: 42, −23, 40, p < .05).

FIGURE 2

Partial correlation between CT in cluster C1 (see Figure 1) and ADS scores (left) and CTQ scores (right), controlling for age and gender.

FIGURE 3

Random forest regression indicating the importance of time‐specific abuse severity from 3 to 17 years of age on cluster C1. N trees = 1,000; N randomly selected variables = 4. Permutation test: *p < .05; N permutations = 1,000.