Left and right amygdala - mediofrontal cortical functional connectivity is differentially modulated by harm avoidance

Chris Baeken; Daniele Marinazzo; Peter Van Schuerbeek; Guo-Rong Wu; Johan De Mey; Robert Luypaert; Rudi De Raedt

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095740

Left and right amygdala - mediofrontal cortical functional connectivity is differentially modulated by harm avoidance

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 23;9(4):e95740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095740. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Chris Baeken¹, Daniele Marinazzo², Peter Van Schuerbeek³, Guo-Rong Wu⁴, Johan De Mey³, Robert Luypaert³, Rudi De Raedt⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital (UZBrussel), Brussels, Belgium; Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent, Belgium.
² Department of Data Analysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
³ Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University Hospital (UZBrussel), Brussels, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Data Analysis, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Abstract

Background: The left and right amygdalae are key regions distinctly involved in emotion-regulation processes. Individual differences, such as personality features, may affect the implicated neurocircuits. The lateralized amygdala affective processing linked with the temperament dimension Harm Avoidance (HA) remains poorly understood. Resting state functional connectivity imaging (rsFC) may provide more insight into these neuronal processes.

Methods: In 56 drug-naive healthy female subjects, we have examined the relationship between the personality dimension HA on lateralized amygdala rsFC.

Results: Across all subjects, left and right amygdalae were connected with distinct regions mainly within the ipsilateral hemisphere. Females scoring higher on HA displayed stronger left amygdala rsFC with ventromedial prefrontal cortical (vmPFC) regions involved in affective disturbances. In high HA scorers, we also observed stronger right amygdala rsFC with the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), which is implicated in negative affect regulation.

Conclusions: In healthy females, left and right amygdalae seem implicated in distinct mPFC brain networks related to HA and may represent a vulnerability marker for sensitivity to stress and anxiety (disorders).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Amygdala / metabolism*
Anxiety / physiopathology
Female
Harm Reduction / physiology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism*
Stress, Physiological / physiology
Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Scientific Fund W. Gepts UZBrussel and supported by the Ghent University Multidisciplinary Research Partnership “The integrative neuroscience of behavioral control”. Preparation of this paper was also supported by Grant BOF10/GOA/014 for a Concerted Research Action of Ghent University (awarded to RDR). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.