Ravindranath, Orma
(2024)
The Contributions of Pubertal Maturation to the Neurobiological Mechanisms of Cognitive and Affective Development.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
Puberty, the major biological process defining adolescence, is thought to demarcate a unique period of brain maturation associated with significant cognitive and affective development. Notably, pubertal hormones directly affect the brain through interactions with neurotransmitters including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, and dopamine, particularly in regions that are also key nodes of the brain’s cognitive and affective systems, including the hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). These neurotransmitters support critical period plasticity in the brain, which facilitates neurocognitive development from adolescence into adulthood. However, while puberty likely contributes to adolescent brain maturation, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying puberty’s influence on cognitive and affective development. This study used a multimodal longitudinal dataset of adolescents ages 10-18 to examine how pubertal development affects cognitive and emotional development, and whether this influence is exerted through neurotransmitters underlying critical period plasticity (GABA, glutamate, and dopamine). Pubertal development was measured using self-reported pubertal stage, with follow-up analyses incorporating testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estradiol, and progesterone as potential hormonal mechanisms. Associations were tested with measures of cognition (antisaccade task), emotion regulation (Behavioral Indicator of Resilience to Distress task), and neurotransmitters across the PFC, striatum, thalamus, and hippocampus (in vivo neuroimaging measures of GABA, glutamate, and dopamine). Pubertal stage was significantly associated with antisaccade performance and Behavioral Indicator of Resilience to Distress (BIRD) performance, and DHEA was significantly associated with BIRD performance in males only. Principal components analysis identified systematic relationships across neurotransmitters, resulting in three components of combined neurotransmitter function. Pubertal stage was significantly related to the third component, which captured hippocampal GABA levels and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) GABA/glutamate levels. Follow-up analyses revealed that this component was also associated with progesterone levels in females. However, this component did not mediate relationships between pubertal stage and behavioral performance. These findings suggest a nuanced role of puberty in cognitive and emotional development and provide additional support for puberty’s theorized role in demarcating the adolescent critical period of brain development. This study has important implications for future study design, and findings will provide behavioral and neurobiological targets for further examination of pubertal contributions to neurocognitive development.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Ravindranath, Orma | ORR4@pitt.edu | ORR4 | |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
27 August 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
2 June 2023 |
| Approval Date: |
27 August 2024 |
| Submission Date: |
23 June 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
123 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Psychology |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
puberty, adolescence, development, brain, cognition, emotion, cognitive, emotional, affective, MRSI, GABA, glutamate, dopamine, neurotransmitters, fMRI, antisaccade, hormones, progesterone, DHEA |
| Date Deposited: |
27 Aug 2024 14:37 |
| Last Modified: |
27 Aug 2024 14:37 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/45036 |
Available Versions of this Item
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The Contributions of Pubertal Maturation to the Neurobiological Mechanisms of Cognitive and Affective Development. (deposited 27 Aug 2024 14:37)
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