Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking
Heightened risk-taking tendencies during adolescence have been hypothesized to be attributable to physiological differences of maturation in key brain regions. The socioemotional system (e.g., nucleus accumbens), which is instrumental in reward response, shows a relatively earlier development trajec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-07-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811920303360 |
| _version_ | 1818844398190854144 |
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| author | Grace McIlvain Rebecca G. Clements Emily M. Magoon Jeffrey M. Spielberg Eva H. Telzer Curtis L. Johnson |
| author_facet | Grace McIlvain Rebecca G. Clements Emily M. Magoon Jeffrey M. Spielberg Eva H. Telzer Curtis L. Johnson |
| author_sort | Grace McIlvain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Heightened risk-taking tendencies during adolescence have been hypothesized to be attributable to physiological differences of maturation in key brain regions. The socioemotional system (e.g., nucleus accumbens), which is instrumental in reward response, shows a relatively earlier development trajectory than the cognitive control system (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex), which regulates impulse response. This developmental imbalance between heightened reward seeking and immature cognitive control potentially makes adolescents more susceptible to engaging in risky activities. Here, we assess brain structure in the socioemotional and cognitive control systems through viscoelastic stiffness measured with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and volumetry, as well as risk-taking tendencies measured using two experimental tasks in 40 adolescents (mean age = 13.4 years old). MRE measures of regional brain stiffness reflect brain health and development via myelin content and glial matrix makeup, and have been shown to be highly sensitive to cognitive processes as compared to measures of regional brain volume and diffusion weighted imaging metrics. We find here that the viscoelastic and volumetric differences between the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex are correlated with increased risk-taking behavior in adolescents. These differences in development between the two brain systems can be used as an indicator of those adolescents who are more prone to real world risky activities and a useful measure for characterizing response to intervention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T05:13:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37216251e09d45469803bcc826f0c923 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T05:13:08Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj.art-37216251e09d45469803bcc826f0c9232022-12-21T20:34:45ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722020-07-01215116850Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk takingGrace McIlvain0Rebecca G. Clements1Emily M. Magoon2Jeffrey M. Spielberg3Eva H. Telzer4Curtis L. Johnson5Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USADepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USADepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Corresponding author. 150 Academy St Newark, DE, 19716, USA.Heightened risk-taking tendencies during adolescence have been hypothesized to be attributable to physiological differences of maturation in key brain regions. The socioemotional system (e.g., nucleus accumbens), which is instrumental in reward response, shows a relatively earlier development trajectory than the cognitive control system (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex), which regulates impulse response. This developmental imbalance between heightened reward seeking and immature cognitive control potentially makes adolescents more susceptible to engaging in risky activities. Here, we assess brain structure in the socioemotional and cognitive control systems through viscoelastic stiffness measured with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and volumetry, as well as risk-taking tendencies measured using two experimental tasks in 40 adolescents (mean age = 13.4 years old). MRE measures of regional brain stiffness reflect brain health and development via myelin content and glial matrix makeup, and have been shown to be highly sensitive to cognitive processes as compared to measures of regional brain volume and diffusion weighted imaging metrics. We find here that the viscoelastic and volumetric differences between the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex are correlated with increased risk-taking behavior in adolescents. These differences in development between the two brain systems can be used as an indicator of those adolescents who are more prone to real world risky activities and a useful measure for characterizing response to intervention.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811920303360Magnetic resonance elastographyRisk takingReward seekingAdolescentViscoelasticityBrain stiffness |
| spellingShingle | Grace McIlvain Rebecca G. Clements Emily M. Magoon Jeffrey M. Spielberg Eva H. Telzer Curtis L. Johnson Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking NeuroImage Magnetic resonance elastography Risk taking Reward seeking Adolescent Viscoelasticity Brain stiffness |
| title | Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| title_full | Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| title_fullStr | Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| title_full_unstemmed | Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| title_short | Viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| title_sort | viscoelasticity of reward and control systems in adolescent risk taking |
| topic | Magnetic resonance elastography Risk taking Reward seeking Adolescent Viscoelasticity Brain stiffness |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811920303360 |
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