Dissociable morphometric profiles of the affective and cognitive dimensions of alexithymia.
Alexithymia ("no words for feelings") is a psychological construct that can be divided in a cognitive and affective dimension. The cognitive dimension reflects the ability to identify, verbalize and analyze feelings, whereas the affective dimension reflects the degree to which individuals get aroused by emotional stimuli and their ability to fantasize. These two alexithymia dimensions may differentially put individuals at risk to develop psychopathology. However, their neural correlates have rarely been investigated. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the cognitive and affective alexithymia dimension are associated with unique anatomical profiles. Structural MRI scans of 57 participants (29 males; mean age: 34) were processed using a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) - Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration Through Exponentiated Lie algebra (DARTEL) approach. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the common and specific associations between gray and white matter volume and alexithymia subdimensions. The results revealed that the cognitive dimension was related to lower dorsal anterior cingulate volume. In contrast, the affective alexithymia was associated with lower gray matter volume in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and lower white matter volume in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) near the angular gyrus. No relationship between corpus callosum volume and alexithymia was observed. These results are consistent with the idea that there are two separable neural systems underlying alexithymia. This finding might encourage future research into the link between specific alexithymia subtypes and the development of psychopathology.
Neuroimaging Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jorien.van.der.velde@umcg.nl.
Jorien
J
van der Velde
Neuroimaging Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.j.van.tol@umcg.nl.
Marie-José
MJ
van Tol
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: k-goerlich@ukaachen.de.
Katharina Sophia
KS
Goerlich-Dobre
Department of Educational Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Education, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.m.gromann@vu.nl.
Paula M
PM
Gromann
Lentis, Center for Mental Healthcare, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.swart@lentis.nl.
Marte
M
Swart
Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.de.haan@amc.uva.nl.
Lieuwe
L
de Haan
Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: durk.wiersma@umcg.nl.
Durk
D
Wiersma
Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.bruggeman@umcg.nl.
Richard
R
Bruggeman
Department of Educational Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Education, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Lydia.krabbendam@vu.nl.
Lydia
L
Krabbendam
Neuroimaging Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.aleman@umcg.nl.
André
A
Aleman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Alexithymia; Anterior cingulate cortex; Corpus callosum; Orbitofrontal cortex; Voxel-based morphometry