Hao Huang1, 2, Tejasvi Gundapuneedi1, Uma Rao3
1Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States; 2Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States; 3Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, United States
Childhood maltreatment (MALTX), including emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, is widespread in US. MALTX has been known to produce long-lasting impairments in behavioral, cognitive and social functioning, but their underlying mechanisms are not well-understood. The developing brain is highly sensitive to the effects of early-life stress. In this study, 19 MALTX adolescents and 13 age-matched controls were recruited and underwent DTI scanning. The goal of this study is to find out if white matter disruption precedes the onsets of clinical symptoms and may serve as potential biomarker of pscychiatric disorders such as depression and substance abuse.