title: Structural evidence for involvement of a left amygdala-orbitofrontal network in subclinical anxiety.
abstract: Functional neuroimaging implicates hyperactivity of amygdala-orbitofrontal circuitry as a common neurobiological mechanism underlying the development of anxiety. Less is known about anxiety-related structural differences in this network. In this study, a sample of healthy adults with no history of anxiety disorders completed a 3T MRI scan and self-report mood inventories. Post-processing quantitative MRI image analysis included segmentation and volume estimation of subcortical structures, which were regressed on anxiety inventory scores, with depression scores used to establish discriminant validity. We then used a quantitative vertex-based post-processing method to correlate (1) anxiety scores and (2) left amygdala volumes with cortical thickness across the whole cortical mantle. Left amygdala volumes predicted anxiety, with decreased amygdala volume associated with higher anxiety on both state and trait anxiety measures. A negative correlation between left amygdala volume and cortical thickness overlapped with a positive correlation between anxiety and cortical thickness in left lateral orbitofrontal cortex. These results suggest a structural anxiety network that corresponds with a large body of evidence from functional neuroimaging. Such findings raise the possibility that structural abnormalities may result in a greater vulnerability to anxiety or conversely that elevated anxiety symptoms may result in focal structural changes.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blackmon
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Orrin
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Devinsky
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DuBois
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pogash
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuzniecky
authors.affiliation: Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halgren
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University, NY, NY, USA; Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address: thomas.thesen@med.nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thesen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055815:Young Adult