Gray matter morphometry research has offered valuable insights into the causes of mental illness. While most studies have focused on adults with a single disorder, exploring brain features in late childhood can provide a unique view of the pathologies emerging at this crucial time. Our findings revealed that certain features, such as superior frontal and middle temporal regions, could signal common vulnerability across forms of psychopathology. However, some areas, such as lateral occipital and precentral thickness, parietal thickness/area, cingulate and parahippocampal and inferior temporal areas offer specific predictive value for emerging PLEs, anxiety, and depression. These discoveries suggest that both overlapping and distinct patterns of vulnerability exist in late childhood before adolescent reorganization, which has direct implications for early prevention and intervention.
