Adverse Childhood Experiences And Neural Correlates Of Executive Function:Implications For Aggression Among Medical Students

Background:Aggressive behaviors have been associated with adverse childhood events (ACE). There is growing evidence that executive dysfunction is a risk factor for aggressive behavior. Despite the epidemiological data available, understanding the functional and neural mechanisms underlying aggressive behaviors related to ACEs is rudimentary. The present study thus aimed at exploring disrupted executive function in aggressive individuals with a history of Adverse Childhood Experiences among medical students.Methods:We examined behavioral performance and event-related potentials (ERP) during Go/Nogo and N-back paradigm in 42 individuals, which assigned to one of three groups:(1)15 participants with a history of ACEs and high AQ (ACE+HA), (2) 13 participants with high AQ but no ACEs (HA), and (3) 14 participants with low AQ and no history of ACEs (control group, CG).Results:For Nogo trials, the HA group had larger N2 amplitudes at Cz than the CG group. The error-related negativity (ERN) amplitude in the ACE+HA and HA groups was smaller than that in the CG group for Go trials, and the ACE+HA group showed shorter ERN latencies than the CG group. P2 latency was longer in the ACE+HA group than the HA group for Go trials. Pe latency was shorter for the CG group than the ACH+HA group and the HA group in the incorrect trials for N-back task.Conclusions:Response inhibition (enlarged N2) and error processing (reduced ERN) are decreased in aggressive participants. Moreover, participants with ACEs showed slower evaluations of stimulus significance (delayed P2 latency) and prolonged reaction time in Go trials. However, later stages of information processing (P3) and conscious evaluation of errors and response strategy adjustment (error positivity, Pe) were intact. Understanding the executive function deficits underlying aggressive behaviors related to ACEs will help enhance the efficacy of interventions to prevent and reduce aggressive behaviors.