Common and distinct amygdala-function perturbations in depressed vs anxious adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Few studies directly compare amygdala function in depressive and anxiety disorders. Data from longitudinal research emphasize the need for such studies in adolescents.


OBJECTIVE
To compare amygdala response to varying attention and emotion conditions among adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) or anxiety disorders, relative to adolescents with no psychopathology.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Government clinical research institute.


METHODS
Eighty-seven adolescents matched on age, sex, intelligence, and social class: 26 with MDD (14 with and 12 without anxiety disorders), 16 with anxiety disorders but no depression, and 45 without psychopathology.


METHODS
Blood oxygen level-dependent signal in the amygdala, measured by means of event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. During imaging, participants viewed facial expressions (neutral, fearful, angry, and happy) while attention was constrained (afraid, hostility, and nose-width ratings) or unconstrained (passive viewing).


RESULTS
Left and right amygdala activation differed as a function of diagnosis, facial expression, and attention condition both when patients with comorbid MDD and anxiety were included and when they were excluded (group x emotion x attention interactions, P < or = .03). Focusing on fearful face-viewing events, patients with anxiety and those with MDD both differed in amygdala responses from healthy participants and from each other during passive viewing. However, both MDD and anxiety groups, relative to healthy participants, exhibited similar signs of amygdala hyperactivation to fearful faces when subjectively experienced fear was rated.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescent MDD and anxiety disorders exhibit common and distinct functional neural correlates during face processing. Attention modulates the degree to which common or distinct amygdala perturbations manifest in these patient groups, relative to healthy peers.
Beesdo
Katja
K
Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Chemnitzer Strasse 46, Dresden, Germany. Katja.Beesdo@tu-dresden.de
Lau
Jennifer Y F
JY
Guyer
Amanda E
AE
McClure-Tone
Erin B
EB
Monk
Christopher S
CS
Nelson
Eric E
EE
Fromm
Stephen J
SJ
Goldwin
Michelle A
MA
Wittchen
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Leibenluft
Ellen
E
Ernst
Monique
M
Pine
Daniel S
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time
D010100:Oxygen