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Study Links Kids' Social Threat to Brain Changes

9/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A Psychological Medicine study links children's perceived social threat to brain connectivity changes in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.
Higher perceived threat correlates with reduced Default Mode Network and Frontoparietal Network connectivity.
These brain changes predict anxiety and depression months later.
Neighborhood safety also affects connectivity; limitations include reliance on children's perceptions and the observational design.

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Story summary

A Psychological Medicine study links children's perceived social threat to brain connectivity changes in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.
Higher perceived threat correlates with reduced Default Mode Network and Frontoparietal Network connectivity.
These brain changes predict anxiety and depression months later.
Neighborhood safety also affects connectivity; limitations include reliance on children's perceptions and the observational design.