Development of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis from infancy to adolescence: Novel genetic, structural, and inter-axis considerations and relevance for antisocial behavior

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is susceptible to environmental influence and plays an important role in the development of antisocial behavior. This dissertation in six chapters provides clarity into the role of environmental impact on the HPA axis, and the way those changes may inform antisocial behavior, through three empirical investigations. Chapter three describes the impact of race-related inequities and the impact those experiences have on the developing HPA axis. Chapter four describes the reactivity patterns of two adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA(s)) in the prediction of callous-unemotional traits. Chapter five describes the HPA regulatory role of glucocorticoid receptor genotype and pituitary volume in the prediction of antisocial behavior. In sum, these investigations provide novel evidence clarifying how the HPA axis changes across development and contributes to antisocial behavior