While this is one the first studies to use a longitudinal design to model EEGc trajectories during adolescence, addressing a gap in static, cross-sectional research examining APOEε4-by-trauma interactions in a diverse cohort, these findings should be considered within the context of several study constraints. First, in regard to the sample and participant selection—this study is limited to trauma exposed participants, many of whom are from AUD-affected families, which may limit generalizability. Next, retrospective trauma reports could introduce recall bias and some aspects of childhood trauma, specifically deprivation, are not well defined in this sample. Finally, interaction effects between trauma and APOEε4 did not withstand a multiple-test-correction, suggesting potential limitations in statistical power and/or other unexplored mediators/moderators (e.g., resilience factors, social support, alcohol initiation/use) that should be explored in future analyses. Relatedly, in addition to EEG coherence, future studies should incorporate other measures of neural dynamics, including EEG-based and fMRI-based measures, in addition to neuropsychological assessments of cognitive function.
