title: Reduced amygdala activity during aversive conditioning in human narcolepsy.
abstract: Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a sleep-wake disorder caused by a loss of hypothalamic hypocretins. Here we assessed the time course of amygdala activation during aversive conditioning in unmedicated patients with narcolepsy. Unlike healthy matched control subjects, narcolepsy patients had no enhancement of amygdala response to conditioned stimuli and no increase in functional coupling between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that human narcolepsy is accompanied by abnormal emotional learning, and that, in line with animal data, the hypocretin system and the amygdala are involved in this process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponz
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khatami
authors.forename: Rositsa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poryazova
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Werth
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boesiger
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Claudio L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bassetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000068797:Orexins; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins