Research Project
10233820
Project Summary/Abstract Extant research has demonstrated associations between early life adversity, deficits in inhibitory control and an increased likelihood to engage in risky behaviors. This increased engagement contributes to a myriad of public health and societal problems, including risk for future psychopathology, legal problems, and premature death. Although early adversity has been identified as a critical environmental risk factor, less is understood about how different forms of adversity may confer risk for later problematic behaviors. Recent theories suggest that early life adversity may lead to distinct alterations in reward- and threat-based neural circuitry that influence inhibitory control and may compromise self-regulation. These alterations, in turn, are theorized to influence individuals' motivational tendencies to approach reward and avoid threat. Given the multi-faceted nature of inhibitory control, there is a need for integrated models that span multiple units of analyses to understand how a confluence of factors promotes engagement in risky behaviors. The objective of the proposed research is to elucidate the relationship between early life adversity (e.g. neglect, abuse) and adult risk-taking behaviors by investigating how state (rewarding and stressful contexts) and trait (approach and avoidance motivations) indices of Positive and Negative Valence Systems contribute to risky behavior using the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. The proposed research will use self-report and neuroimaging data collected from a diverse sample of community adults (N=100). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected during Go/No-Go tasks that induced positive and negative affective states (e.g. appetitive cues, negative mood). It is hypothesized that early childhood adversity characterized by deprivation would be associated with blunted activation in reward-processing brain regions and a tendency to engage in impulsive behavior to satisfy approach motivations (Aim 1), whereas childhood adversity characterized by threat would be related to heightened activation in threat-processing brain regions and a tendency to engage in impulsive behavior to satisfy avoidance motivations (Aim 2). Finally, we will examine putative interactive pathways whereby early life adversity impacts risk-taking behaviors through both valence systems (Aim 3). This research approach is consistent with the NIMH initiative to identify neural systems underlying complex human behaviors. The ultimate goal of this research is to inform future prevention and intervention efforts that target individuals who engage in risk-taking behaviors. This F31 application will provide opportunities for the applicant's training in three critical areas: (1) knowledge of the neurobiological effects of early life adversity, (2) fMRI research methods, and (3) RDoC conceptualization skills. The institutional environment and mentoring structure embedded in this application will provide ample opportunities for the applicant's development towards future research goals, including access to state-of-the-art neuroimaging research facilities. !
