Birth weight and adult IQ, but not anxious-depressive psychopathology, are associated with cortical surface area: a study in twins.

Background Previous research suggests that low birth weight (BW) induces reduced brain cortical sur- face area (SA) which would persist until at least early adulthood. Moreover, low BW has been linked to psychiatric disorders such as depression and psychological distress, and to altered neurocogniti...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Córdova Palomera, Aldo, Fatjó-Vilas Mestre, Mar, Falcón Falcón, Carles Maria, Bargalló Alabart, Núria, Alemany Sierra, Silvia, Crespo Facorro, Benedicto, Nenadic, Igor, Fañanás Saura, Lourdes
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/104522
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/104522
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bessons
Ansietat
Naixement
Escorça cerebral
Twins
Anxiety
Childbirth
Cerebral cortex
Descripción
Sumario:Background Previous research suggests that low birth weight (BW) induces reduced brain cortical sur- face area (SA) which would persist until at least early adulthood. Moreover, low BW has been linked to psychiatric disorders such as depression and psychological distress, and to altered neurocognitive profiles. Aims We present novel findings obtained by analysing high-resolution structural MRI scans of 48 twins; specifically, we aimed: i) to test the BW-SA association in a middle-aged adult sam- ple; and ii) to assess whether either depression/anxiety disorders or intellectual quotient (IQ) influence the BW-SA link, using a monozygotic (MZ) twin design to separate environ- mental and genetic effects. Results Both lower BW and decreased IQ were associated with smaller total and regional cortical SA in adulthood. Within a twin pair, lower BW was related to smaller total cortical and regional SA. In contrast, MZ twin differences in SA were not related to differences in either IQ or depression/anxiety disorders.