Distinct gray matter abnormalities in children/adolescents and adults with history of childhood maltreatment.

Gray matter (GM) abnormalities have been reported in both adults and children/adolescents with histories of childhood maltreatment (CM). A comparison of effects in youth and adulthood may be informative regarding life-span effects of CM. Voxel-wise meta-analyses of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry studies were conducted in all datasets and age-based subgroups respectively, followed by a quantitative comparison of the subgroups. Thirty VBM studies (31 datasets) were included. The pooled meta-analysis revealed increased GM in left supplementary motor area, and reduced GM in bilateral cingulate/paracingulate gyri, left occipital lobe, and right middle frontal gyrus in maltreated individuals compared to the controls. Maltreatment-exposed youth showed less GM in the cerebellum, and greater GM in bilateral middle cingulate/paracingulate gyri and bilateral visual cortex than maltreated adults. Opposite GM alterations in bilateral middle cingulate/paracingulate gyri were found in maltreatment-exposed adults (decreased) and children/adolescents (increased). Our findings demonstrate different patterns of GM changes in youth closer to maltreatment events than those seen later in life, suggesting detrimental effects of CM on the developmental trajectory of brain structure.