Prefrontal cortex structural and developmental associations with callous-unemotional traits and aggression.

Youths with high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and aggression are at an increased risk for developing antisocial behaviours into adulthood. In this population, neurostructural grey matter abnormalities have been observed in the prefrontal cortex. However, the directionality of these associations is inconsistent, prompting some to suggest they may vary across development. Although similar neurodevelopmental patterns have been observed for other disorders featuring emotional and behavioural dysregulation, few studies have tested this hypothesis for CU traits, and particularly not for aggression subtypes. The current study sought to examine grey matter correlates of CU traits and aggression (including its subtypes), and then determine whether these associations varied by age. Fifty-four youths (10-19 years old) who were characterized for CU traits and aggression underwent MRI. Grey matter volume and surface area within the anterior cingulate cortex was positively associated with CU traits. The correlation between CU traits and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) volume varied significantly as a function of age, as did the correlation between reactive aggression and mOFC surface area. These associations became more positive with age. There were no significant findings for proactive/total aggression. Results are interpreted considering the potential for delayed cortical maturation in youths with high CU traits/aggression.

Masking our emotions: Emotion recognition and perceived intensity differ by race and use of medical masks.

Although medical masks have played a key role in decreasing the transmission of communicable disease, they simultaneously reduce the availability of nonverbal cues fundamental to social interaction. In the present study, we determined the collective impact of medical masks on emotional expression recognition and perceived intensity as a function of actor race. Participants completed an emotional expression recognition task involving stimuli with or without medical masks. Across six basic emotional facial expressions, medical masks were associated with significantly more emotional expression recognition errors. Overall, the effects associated with race varied depending on the emotion and appearance of masks. Whereas recognition accuracy was higher for White relative to Black actors for anger and sadness, the opposite pattern was observed for disgust. Medical mask-wearing exacerbated actor-race related recognition differences for anger and surprise, but attenuated these differences for fear. Emotional expression intensity ratings were significantly reduced for all emotions except fear, where masks were associated with increased perceived intensity. Masks further increased already higher intensity ratings for anger in Black versus White actors. In contrast, masks eliminated the tendency to give higher intensity ratings for Black versus White sad and happy facial expressions. Overall, our results suggest that the interaction between actor race and mask wearing status with respect to emotional expression judgements is complex, varying by emotion in both direction and degree. We consider the implications of these results particularly in the context of emotionally charged social contexts, such as in conflict, healthcare, and policing.