Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression relate differentially to longitudinal structural brain development across adolescence

Emotional disorders commonly emerge in adolescence, a period characterized by changes emotion-related processes. Thus, the ability to regulate emotions is crucial for well-being and adaptive social functioning during this period. Concurrently, brain undergoes large structural functional changes. We investigated relations between tendencies use two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal expressive suppression, development of cerebral cortex subcortical structures (specifically amygdala nucleus accumbens given these are frequently associated with regulation). A total 112 participants (59 females) aged 8–26 were followed up 3 times over 7-year period, providing 272 observations. Participants completed Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), yielding measure suppression at final time point. Linear mixed model analyses performed account longitudinal nature data. Contrary expectations, volumetric growth was not either strategy. However, frequent linked greater regionally-specific apparent cortical thinning both sexes, while tendency females less males. Although traditionally control regions brain, our results suggest it also involved cognition semantics. The continued morphology their associations habitual different strategies indicate plasticity represent an opportunity interventions targeting adolescents risk.