INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 04 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 12:00 pm - 01:15 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 04: Neuroimaging \| Neurostimulation/Neuromodulation \| Teleneuropsychology/Technology Final Abstract #30 Impact of In-Utero Superstorm Sandy Exposure on Subcortical Brain Volume May Persist Across Child Development Donato DeIngeniis, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, United States A. Duke Shereen, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, United States Yoko Nomura, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, United States Category: Neuroimaging Keyword 1: basal ganglia Keyword 2: prenatal factors Keyword 3: child development disorders Objective: Previous research has found prenatal exposure to natural disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy (SS), to lead to marked alterations in brain volume, particularly within limbic, prefrontal, and subcortical regions among young offspring. Limited research, however, has tracked if these early changes in brain volume persist later in childhood. The following study attempted to extend previous work of ours and assess whether initial changes found in subcortical brain volume among those exposed to SS during pregnancy persist into later development. Participants and Methods: A series of Repeated Measures ANOVA analyses examined the impact of prenatal SS exposure on the gray matter volume (GMV) of the amygdala, and striatum (i.e., caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) among a subset of 14 (7 SS-exposed; 7 non-exposed) children. The GMV volumes were measured at age 8 during the first scan and age 10 during the second scan using 3D high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Child biological sex and age at MRI assessments and maternal age at childbirth, race, parity, normative stress, and objective hardship were adjusted for in all models. Results: Both SS exposure and time had significant main effects on various subcortical brain structures. Specifically, children with Sandy exposure, relative to those who were unexposed, had a larger left (p = .05) and right (p = .02) caudate. Similarly, time was associated with enlargement in the left (p = .02) and right (p = .06) amygdala, although marginal. However, the interactions between Sandy exposure and time were not significant on any of the subcortical structures, suggesting that differences persist across the two assessment points. Conclusions: Our findings confirm that in-utero exposure to superstorm Sandy leads to unfavorable changes in various subcortical brain regions in early childhood. While preliminary, the study extended the knowledge in the field by showing evidence that once suboptimal development is set in early childhood, it persists into later childhood. Taken together, it is imperative to instate policy-wide education initiatives to help pregnant individuals and their offspring manage stress following community-wide stressors to safeguard long-term brain development in young children.

Poster

02/15/2024
12:00 pm - 01:15 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 04: Neuroimaging | Neurostimulation/Neuromodulation | Teleneuropsychology/Technology

Final Abstract #30

Impact of In-Utero Superstorm Sandy Exposure on Subcortical Brain Volume May Persist Across Child Development

Donato DeIngeniis, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, United States
A. Duke Shereen, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, United States
Yoko Nomura, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, United States

Category: Neuroimaging

Keyword 1: basal ganglia
Keyword 2: prenatal factors
Keyword 3: child development disorders

Objective:

Previous research has found prenatal exposure to natural disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy (SS), to lead to marked alterations in brain volume, particularly within limbic, prefrontal, and subcortical regions among young offspring. Limited research, however, has tracked if these early changes in brain volume persist later in childhood. The following study attempted to extend previous work of ours and assess whether initial changes found in subcortical brain volume among those exposed to SS during pregnancy persist into later development.

Participants and Methods:

A series of Repeated Measures ANOVA analyses examined the impact of prenatal SS exposure on the gray matter volume (GMV) of the amygdala, and striatum (i.e., caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) among a subset of 14 (7 SS-exposed; 7 non-exposed) children. The GMV volumes were measured at age 8 during the first scan and age 10 during the second scan using 3D high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Child biological sex and age at MRI assessments and maternal age at childbirth, race, parity, normative stress, and objective hardship were adjusted for in all models.

Results:

Both SS exposure and time had significant main effects on various subcortical brain structures. Specifically, children with Sandy exposure, relative to those who were unexposed, had a larger left (p = .05) and right (p = .02) caudate. Similarly, time was associated with enlargement in the left (p = .02) and right (p = .06) amygdala, although marginal. However, the interactions between Sandy exposure and time were not significant on any of the subcortical structures, suggesting that differences persist across the two assessment points.

Conclusions:

Our findings confirm that in-utero exposure to superstorm Sandy leads to unfavorable changes in various subcortical brain regions in early childhood. While preliminary, the study extended the knowledge in the field by showing evidence that once suboptimal development is set in early childhood, it persists into later childhood. Taken together, it is imperative to instate policy-wide education initiatives to help pregnant individuals and their offspring manage stress following community-wide stressors to safeguard long-term brain development in young children.