This image shows a newly discovered brain network called the allostatic interoceptive network (AIN). A brain network is a set of brain regions that communicate with one another frequently. The AIN helps the brain represent and regulate the state of the body, especially in response to emotional events. New work from our lab shows that teens experiencing greater social exclusion by their peers have greater information exchange between the brain regions that comprise the AIN. In turn, greater information exchange between regions of the AIN predicts greater depressive symptoms in teens a year later. This research shows how social experiences impact brain function and may lead to mental health symptoms.
Frye, N.G., Nugiel, T., Alvarez, M.G., Prinstein, M.J., Cohen, J.R., Telzer, E.H., & Lindquist, K.A. (2025). Functional organization of the allostatic interoceptive network in adolescence: Links to peer victimization and prospective depressive symptoms. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 76, 101621.