NEUROCOGNITION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND FAMILIAL RISK OF MENTAL ILLNESS
- Sai Priya Lakkireddy (India)
- Srinivas Balachander (India)
- Pavithra Dayalamurthy (India)
- Mahashweta Bhattacharya (India)
- Mino S. Joseph (India)
- Pramod Kumar (India)
- Anand J. Kannampuzha (India)
- Sreenivasulu Mallappagari (India)
- Shruthi Narayana (India)
- Alen C. Alexander (India)
- Muthukumaran Murthy (India)
- Sweta Sheth (India)
- Joan C. Puzhakkal (India)
- Vinutha Ramesh (India)
- Navya Spurthi Thatikonda (India)
- Sowmya Selvaraj (India)
- Dhruva Ithal (India)
- Vanteemar S. Sreeraj (India)
- Jayant Mahadevan (India)
- Bharath Holla (India)
- Ganesan Venkatasubramanian (India)
- John P. John (India)
- Pratima Murthy (India)
- Vivek Benegal (India)
- YC Janardhan Reddy (India)
- Sanjeev Jain (India)
- ADBS Consortium (India)
- Biju Viswanath (India)
Abstract
Objectives
Environmental factors such as adverse childhood experiences(ACEs) may affect neurocognition, which is generally considered an endophenotype for several psychiatric disorders. This study examines the effect of ACEs on neurocognitive performance in first-degree relatives(FDRs) of patients with severe mental illness to determine whether the familial risk has a moderating effect on the relationship between ACEs and neurocognition.
Methods
A total of 512 individuals, comprising unaffected FDRs from multiplex families with severe mental illnesses(schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol use disorder) and controls(with no familial risk) underwent neurocognitive testing for processing speed, new learning, working memory, and theory of mind. ACEs were measured using the WHO ACE-International Questionnaire(ACE-IQ). Regression models were done to predict each neurocognitive domain by the effect of familial risk, ACE-IQ Score, and the interaction(familial risk*ACE-IQ score).
Results
The main effect of familial risk predicted poor performance in most domains of neurocognition(p <0.01), and the interaction(ACEs*Familial Risk) had a negative association with global neurocognitive ability(b=-0.125, p=0.009), processing speed(b=-0.19, p=0.003) & working memory(b=-0.1, p=0.01). In FDRs of schizophrenia & bipolar disorder, only the main effects of familial risk were significant(working memory, theory of mind & global neurocognition), with no impact of ACEs or their interaction in both.
Conclusions
The impact of childhood adversity on neurocognition is moderated by the familial risk of psychiatric disorders. Genetic or familial vulnerability may play a greater role in disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, while the interaction between ACEs and family history may be more relevant for disorders with greater environmental risk, such as substance use.
