Hippocampal Volume Moderates the Link Between Racial-Ethnic Discrimination and Early Adolescent Depression

Abstract

Adolescent depression has risen sharply, especially among racial-ethnic minority youths. Although racial-ethnic discrimination is known to be linked with depression, there is limited understanding of how individual differences in brain development contribute to this process. Drawing on the framework of adolescent neurobiological susceptibility, in this study, we examined the moderating role of hippocampal volume in the longitudinal association between racial-ethnic discrimination and adolescent depression. Using longitudinal data of racial-ethnic minority youths from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study ( N = 5,061; age: M = 9.93 years; 52% female), we found that racial-ethnic discrimination was associated with adolescents’ increased depression 2 years later. A larger left hippocampal volume amplified the link between discrimination and depression. These findings highlight the detrimental role of racial-ethnic discrimination on adolescents’ psychological well-being and suggest that hippocampal volume may serve as a neurobiological marker of susceptibility, amplifying the negative impact of racial-ethnic discrimination among racial-ethnic minority youths.