Adolescent discrimination exposure may increase risk of psychological distress

Discrimination exposure during adolescence may affect the neural response to future stressors, particularly within regions associated with emotion expression and regulation. As a result, this may alter the individual’s vulnerability and resilience to psychological distress, suggests a study. 

“Discrimination exposure has a detrimental impact on mental health, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress,” the investigators said. “The impact discrimination exposure has on mental health is likely mediated by neural processes associated with emotion expression and regulation.”  

Three hundred one participants completed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task, and functional MRI data were obtained. The investigators measured discrimination exposure four times from ages 11 to 19 years. They also examined stress-elicited brain activity and psychological distress (anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress) in young adulthood (age 20 years). 

Discrimination exposure led to variations in stress-elicited dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and hippocampal activity. Activity within these regions changed with the cumulative amount and trajectory of discrimination exposure across adolescence (initial exposure, change in exposure, and acceleration of exposure). 

Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms also varied with discrimination exposure. Of note, stress-elicited activity within the dorsolateral PFC and the IPL mediated the association between discrimination exposure and psychological distress. 

"Thus, differences in stress-elicited neural reactivity may represent an important neurobiological mechanism underlying discrimination-related mental health disparities,” the investigators said.