Psychophysiological Factors Moderate Amygdala–Prefrontal Connectivity Linked to Perceived Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms in Preadolescent Migrant Children

Background: As a sense of an intense stressor, perceived peer victimization can cause adverse effects on mental health, like depressive symptoms. Yet, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying how perceived peer victimization causes and maintains depressive symptoms in preadolescence.

Methods: Here we investigate the effects of peer victimization on amygdala subregional functional connectivity in 101 preadolescent migrant children, and their relations to depressive symptoms and potential protective factors of self-esteem and daily cortisol. Further control analyses were conducted to verify whether there are any specific effects in migrant children compared to 54 age-matched preadolescent children from nonmigrant background.

Results: Children with higher perceived peer victimization exhibited greater intrinsic functional connectivity of the amygdala with the middle frontal gyrus extending into the superior frontal gyrus. Perceived peer victimization could account for an indirect association between amygdala hyperconnectivity and depressive symptoms. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that basolateral amygdala connectivity with the superior frontal gyrus acted as a neural marker linking peer victimization and greater risk for depressive symptoms only in preadolescent children with low self-esteem or low daily cortisol.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that considering neurobiological vulnerability and psychophysiological factors may gain a nuanced understanding of the adverse effects of perceived peer victimization on depressive symptoms, a risk for internalizing pathology. This study could inform personalized intervention strategies to prevent or ameliorate depressive symptoms in this disadvantaged population.