# The Effects of Early Life Stress on the Development of Brain Networks: Predicting Risk for Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescence

> **NIH NIH F32** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $455

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Early life stress (ELS), including abuse, neglect, and loss, is associated with dramatic increases in lifelong risk
for the development of mental health difficulties, such as depression and suicidal thoughts. In addition,
depressed adolescents exhibit anomalies in networks of the brain that are involved in affective, cognitive,
reward, and self-referential processing. Alterations in many of these networks are also associated with ELS
and suicidal ideation (SI). Thus, it is possible that ELS affects the development of depression-related brain
networks and contributes to risk for depressive episodes and SI. The neurodevelopmental mechanisms
through which ELS might confer risk for these negative outcomes, however, are not well understood. In the
proposed study, we will examine, for the first time, brain network development in adolescents with varying
levels of ELS, in order to characterize trajectories that are associated with emergence of major depressive
disorder (MDD) and SI. To this end, we will assess the effects of ELS on the development of brain networks
longitudinally through adolescence to elucidate risk-related neurobiological mechanisms. In addition, we will
examine concurrent and longitudinal associations of network development, depressive symptoms, and SI in
youth with varying levels of ELS. Finally, we will determine whether developmental trajectories of networks
predict the onset of MDD and SI. The results of this study will not only increase our understanding of the
relations among ELS, brain network development, and mental health outcomes of MDD and SI, but will also
provide insight into neuromarkers of depression and SI during the critical period of adolescence, a stage of
increased risk for the onset of mental health difficulties. In addition, this research will advance our
understanding of neuroprotective mechanisms in adolescents who have been exposed to ELS and yet do not
develop depression and/or suicidal symptoms. Familial- and individual-level mediators between early life stress
and the emergence of MDD and SI will also be examined in relation to brain network development. Thus, we
anticipate that the current study will contribute to our understanding both of models of the onset of
psychopathology following ELS and of neurobiological mechanisms by which ELS confers heightened risk for
negative mental health outcomes. Findings from the proposed study will increase our knowledge of the
developmental neurobiology of depression and SI, and will provide insight into the onset and progression of
disorder following early adversity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10376058
- **Project number:** 5F32MH120975-03
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rajpreet Chahal
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $455
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2022-04-03

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10376058

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10376058, The Effects of Early Life Stress on the Development of Brain Networks: Predicting Risk for Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescence (5F32MH120975-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10376058. Licensed CC0.

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