Perceived Racism, Brain Development, and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: Findings From the ABCD Study - 27/03/26
Abstract |
Objective |
Racial discrimination drives health disparities among racial/ethnic minority youth, creating chronic stress that affects brain development and contributes to mental and behavioral health issues. This study analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development℠ (ABCD) Study to examine the neurobiological mechanisms linking discrimination to mental and behavioral health outcomes.
Method |
A sample of 3,321 racial/ethnic minority youth was split into training (80%, n = 2,674) and testing (20%, n = 647) groups. Propensity score–weighted machine learning was used to assess the effects of perceived discrimination on 2-year changes in resting-state functional connectivity between 3 subcortical regions (nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus) and large-scale brain networks. Mediation analyses evaluated whether brain changes mediated sex-specific effects on internalizing or externalizing symptoms.
Results |
Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with 2-year changes in connectivity of the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hippocampus in both cross-validation and independent testing. Key findings included decreases in nucleus accumbens connectivity with retrosplenial–temporal and sensorimotor (hand) networks, decreases in amygdala connectivity with the sensorimotor (mouth) network, and increases in hippocampal connectivity with the auditory network. These changes suggest accelerated maturation in these connections among youth reporting higher discrimination levels. Moderated mediation analyses revealed sex differences, with discrimination-related changes in nucleus accumbens connectivity linked to poorer internalizing outcomes in female participants.
Conclusion |
The results indicate that perceived racial discrimination experienced in adolescence have an impact on subcortical–cortical brain development, which affects mental and behavioral health outcomes in a sex-specific manner.
Plain language summary |
Racial discrimination creates chronic stress for racial/ethnic minority youth, affecting their brain development and leading to mental and behavioral health challenges. A study of 3,321 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development℠ (ABCD) Study used machine learning to show how discrimination alters connections among brain regions involved in emotions, reward, and stress. These findings suggested faster brain maturation in youth facing more discrimination, with girls showing a stronger link between brain changes and poorer mental health outcomes like anxiety and depression.
Diversity & Inclusion Statement |
We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : racial discrimination, adolescence, fMRI, machine learning, sex differences
Plan
| Amanda Elton was funded by the National Institutes of Health (K01AA026334) for this study. |
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| This article is part of a special series devoted to addressing bias, bigotry, racism, and mental health disparities through research, practice, and policy. The 2024 Race & Disparities Team includes Deputy Editor Lisa R. Fortuna, MD, MPH, MDiv, Consulting Editor Andres J. Pumariega, MD, PhD, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Emerging Leaders Fellows Tara Thompson-Felix, MD, and Nina Bihani, MD, Assistant Editor Eraka Bath, MD, Deputy Editor Wanjikũ F.M. Njoroge, Associate Editor Robert R. Althoff, MD, PhD, and Editor-in-Chief Douglas K. Novins, MD. |
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| Data Sharing: Data used in the preparation of this article were obtained from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development SM (ABCD) Study ( abcdstudy.org/ ), held in the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). This is a multisite, longitudinal study designed to recruit more than 10,000 children age 9-10 and follow them over 10 years into early adulthood. The ABCD Study is supported by the National Institutes of Health and additional federal partners under award numbers U01DA041048, U01DA050989, U01DA051016, U01DA041022, U01DA051018, U01DA051037, U01DA050987, U01DA041174, U01DA041106, U01DA041117, U01DA041028, U01DA041134, U01DA050988, U01DA051039, U01DA041156, U01DA041025, U01DA041120, U01DA051038, U01DA041148, U01DA041093, U01DA041089, U24DA041123, U24DA041147. A full list of supporters is available at federal-partners.html . A listing of participating sites and a complete listing of the study investigators can be found at consortium_members/ . ABCD consortium investigators designed and implemented the study and/or provided data but did not necessarily participate in the analysis or writing of this report. This manuscript reflects the views of the authors and may not reflect the opinions or views of the NIH or ABCD consortium investigators. The ABCD data repository grows and changes over time. The ABCD data used in this report came from 10.15154/1523041. DOIs can be found at 1523041 . |
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| Disclosure: Shanting Chen, Catalina Lopez-Quintero, and Amanda Elton have reported no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. |
Vol 65 - N° 4
P. 552-563 - avril 2026 Retour au numéro
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