Childhood trauma, perceived stress and anhedonia in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: multigroup mediation analysis

Abstract

Background Evidence suggests that both childhood trauma and perceived stress are risk factors for the development of psychosis, as well as negative symptoms such as anhedonia. Previous findings link increases in perceived stress to anhedonia in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and depression; however, the role of childhood trauma in this relationship has not yet been explored, despite consistent evidence that it is associated with sensitisation to later stress. Aims To examine whether perceived stress mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and anhedonia in a group of youth at CHR as well as in controls (groups with depression and with no diagnosed mental health concerns). Method The study used multigroup mediation to examine the indirect effects of childhood trauma on anhedonia via perceived stress in CHR (n = 117) and depression groups (n = 284) and non-psychiatric controls (n = 124). Results Perceived stress mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and consummatory anhedonia regardless of group status. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and anticipatory anhedonia for the CHR and depression groups, but not for non-psychiatric controls. Further, groups differed in the magnitude of this relationship, with the effects trending towards stronger for those in the CHR group. Conclusions Our findings suggest a potential transdiagnostic pathway through which childhood trauma contributes to anhedonia across severe mental illness.

In vivo structural connectivity of the reward system along the hippocampal long axis

“…The hippocampus is disrupted in a variety of mental disorders, such as psychotic disor0ders (Lodge & Grace, 2011), posttraumatic stress disorder (Shin et al, 2006; Tanriverdi et al, 2022; van Rooij et al, 2015) and depression (Belujon & Grace, 2017; Grace, 2016), and is sensitive to environmental perturbations, such as childhood trauma and stress (Kim & Diamond, 2002; Lupien & Lepage, 2001; Vythilingam et al, 2002). In addition, childhood trauma and stress have been linked to anhedonia (lower reward functioning) in those at risk for psychosis (O'Brien et al, 2023), which highlights the clinical relevance to mapping out hippocampal contributions to reward circuitry.…”

In Vivo Structural Connectivity of the Reward System Along the Hippocampal Long-Axis

“…The hippocampus is disrupted in a variety of mental disorders, such as psychotic disorders (Lodge & Grace, 2011), posttraumatic stress disorder (Shin et al, 2006; van Rooij et al, 2015; Tanriverdi et al, 2022) and depression (Belujon & Grace, 2017; Grace, 2016), and is sensitive to environmental perturbations, such as childhood trauma and stress (Vythilingam et al, 2002; Kim & Diamond, 2002; Lupien & Lepage, 2001). In addition, childhood trauma and stress have been linked to anhedonia (lower reward functioning) in those at risk for psychosis (O’Brien et al, 2023), which highlights the clinical relevance to mapping out hippocampal contributions to reward circuitry.…”

Annual Research Review: Puberty and the development of anhedonia – considering childhood adversity and inflammation

“…Exposure to adversity during childhood has been consistently associated with psychopathology (Anda et al, 2006;Francis, Tsaligopoulou, Stock, Pingault, & Baldwin, 2023) including anhedonia in adolescents (O'Brien et al, 2023) and adults (Spadoni et al, 2022). The additional influence of adversity on physiologic functioningspecifically functions associated with pubertal maturationmay contribute to the development of psychopathology in those exposed to adversity.…”