Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37903876›Full record

ArticleMolecular psychiatry2023

The impact of cumulative obstetric complications and childhood trauma on brain volume in young people with psychotic experiences.

Kate Merritt, Pedro Luque Laguna, Arjun Sethi, Mark Drakesmith, Sarah A Ashley, Michael Bloomfield, Leon Fonville, Gavin Perry, Tom Lancaster, Stavros I Dimitriadis and 8 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular psychiatry, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. An etiological approach to psychosis: potential benefits for treatment, research and prevention.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Increased Brain-Age Gap in Young Adults With Psychotic Experiences.Biological psychiatry global open science · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Exploring causal mechanisms of psychosis risk.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2024
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors at 10 institutions in 4 countries.

Kate MerrittDivision of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, UK. k.merritt@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-5716-4941
Pedro Luque LagunaThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Arjun SethiDepartment of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, IOPPN, King's College London, London, UK.
Mark DrakesmithThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Sarah A AshleyDivision of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0009-0001-6442-932X
Michael BloomfieldDivision of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1972-4610
Leon FonvilleInvicro LLC, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8874-7843
Gavin PerryThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Tom LancasterThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Stavros I DimitriadisThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Stanley ZammitThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
C John EvansThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Glyn LewisDivision of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5205-8245
Matthew J KemptonPsychosis Studies Department, IOPPN, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3541-9947
David E J LindenThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5638-9292
Abraham ReichenbergIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Derek K JonesThe Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Anthony S DavidDivision of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, University College London, London, UK.
Cardiff University · GBInstitute of Mental Health · GBKing's College London · GBIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · USInvicro (United Kingdom) · GBMaastricht University · NLMental Health Research UK · GBUniversitat de Barcelona · ESUniversity of Bath · GBUniversity of Bristol · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G9815508Medical Research Council MC_PC_15018Medical Research Council MC_PC_19009Medical Research Council MR/K004360/1Medical Research Council MR/S003436/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Psychotic experiences (PEs) occur in 5-10% of the general population and are associated with exposure to childhood trauma and obstetric complications. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these associations are unclear. Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we studied 138 young people aged 20 with PEs (n = 49 suspected, n = 53 definite, n = 36 psychotic disorder) and 275 controls. Voxel-based morphometry assessed whether MRI measures of grey matter volume were associated with (i) PEs, (ii) cumulative childhood psychological trauma (weighted summary score of 6 trauma types), (iii) cumulative pre/peri-natal risk factors for psychosis (weighted summary score of 16 risk factors), and (iv) the interaction between PEs and cumulative trauma or pre/peri-natal risk. PEs were associated with smaller left posterior cingulate (pFWE < 0.001, Z = 4.19) and thalamus volumes (pFWE = 0.006, Z = 3.91). Cumulative pre/perinatal risk was associated with smaller left subgenual cingulate volume (pFWE < 0.001, Z = 4.54). A significant interaction between PEs and cumulative pre/perinatal risk found larger striatum (pFWE = 0.04, Z = 3.89) and smaller right insula volume extending into the supramarginal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus (pFWE = 0.002, Z = 4.79), specifically in those with definite PEs and psychotic disorder. Cumulative childhood trauma was associated with larger left dorsal striatum (pFWE = 0.002, Z = 3.65), right prefrontal cortex (pFWE < 0.001, Z = 4.63) and smaller left insula volume in all participants (pFWE = 0.03, Z = 3.60), and there was no interaction with PEs group. In summary, pre/peri-natal risk factors and childhood psychological trauma impact similar brain pathways, namely smaller insula and larger striatum volumes. The effect of pre/perinatal risk was greatest in those with more severe PEs, whereas effects of trauma were seen in all participants. In conclusion, environmental risk factors affect brain networks implicated in schizophrenia, which may increase an individual's propensity to develop later psychotic disorders.

Indexed as

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesPsychotic DisordersSchizophreniaAdolescentBrainChildHumansLongitudinal StudiesMagnetic Resonance Imaging

Identifiers

PMID37903876
PMCPMC10730393
OpenAlexW4388034245

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.