title: The Basolateral Amygdalae and Frontotemporal Network Functions for Threat Perception.
abstract: Although the amygdalae play a central role in threat perception and reactions, the direct contributions of the amygdalae to specific aspects of threat perception, from ambiguity resolution to reflexive or deliberate action, remain ill understood in humans. Animal studies show that a detailed understanding requires a focus on the different subnuclei, which is not yet achieved in human research. Given the limits of human imaging methods, the crucial contribution needs to come from individuals with exclusive and selective amygdalae lesions. The current study investigated the role of the basolateral amygdalae and their connection with associated frontal and temporal networks in the automatic perception of threat. Functional activation and connectivity of five individuals with Urbach-Wiethe disease with focal basolateral amygdalae damage and 12 matched controls were measured with functional MRI while they attended to the facial expression of a threatening face-body compound stimuli. Basolateral amygdalae damage was associated with decreased activation in the temporal pole but increased activity in the ventral and dorsal medial prefrontal and medial orbitofrontal cortex. This dissociation between the prefrontal and temporal networks was also present in the connectivity maps. Our results contribute to a dynamic, multirole, subnuclei-based perspective on the involvement of the amygdalae in fear perception. Damage to the basolateral amygdalae decreases activity in the temporal network while increasing activity in the frontal network, thereby potentially triggering a switch from resolving ambiguity to dysfunctional threat signaling and regulation, resulting in hypersensitivity to threat.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ruud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hortensius
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa; Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Terburg
authors.affiliation: Global Risk Governance Programme, Institute for Safety Governance and Criminology, Law Faculty, University of Cape Town, University Avenue, Rondebosch 7700, Cape Town, South Africa; DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development, DVC Research Office, University of Witwatersrand, York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Barak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit on Anxiety & Stress Disorders, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa; Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Honk
authors.affiliation: Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Computer Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Gelder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D066272:Basolateral Nuclear Complex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008065:Lipoid Proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D012938:Social Perception; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Urbach–Wiethe disease; amygdalae; basolateral amygdalae; emotion; threat