Braxton Alvarez
Research Mentor: Suzanne Perkins
Mentor Department: Research Center for Group Dynamics, ISR
Author(s): Suzanne Perkins, Braxton Abreo
Session: Session 1 (9:00 AM – 9:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 19
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, is a major public health concern that affects approximately one-third of children in the United States and is associated with long-term cognitive, behavioral, and academic difficulties. While the psychological impact is well-documented, the neurobiological mechanisms linking early adverse experiences to differences in cognitive development remain unclear, largely because existing models often treat maltreatment as a binary exposure rather than a complex variable where severity, timing, and continuity differentially influence brain development. Our study aims to address this gap by examining how specific features of childhood maltreatment relate to patterns of brain organization and cognitive functioning during late childhood. To investigate these relationships, sixty children aged nine to ten with documented histories of abuse or neglect will be compared to sixty age-, sex-, and socioeconomic status-matched peers drawn from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) dataset. Maltreatment history will be assessed through structured interviews, and participants will complete cognitive testing drawn from NIH toolbox measures of executive function, attention, and language. Finally, MRI-based neuroimaging will be analyzed using meta-matching predictive models and general linear models to identify associations between neural patterns and maltreatment characteristics. We anticipate that maltreated youth will exhibit distinct neural network alterations corresponding to deficits in executive function and attention. By identifying maltreatment-specific neural signatures, this research clarifies the developmental pathways linking early adversity to cognitive outcomes. Ultimately, these findings may contribute to more informed and targeted educational interventions and support for at-risk children.
