Smaller volumes in the lateral and basal nuclei of the amygdala in patients with panic disorder.

Autor: Takeshi Asami, Ryota Nakamura, Masao Takaishi, Haruhisa Yoshida, Asuka Yoshimi, Thomas J Whitford, Yoshio Hirayasu
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: PLoS ONE, Vol 13, Iss 11, p e0207163 (2018)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1932-6203
79278124
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207163
Popis: The amygdala plays an important functional role in fear and anxiety. Abnormalities in the amygdala are believed to be involved in the neurobiological basis of panic disorder (PD). Previous structural neuroimaging studies have found global volumetric and morphological abnormalities in the amygdala in patients with PD. Very few studies, however, have explored for structural abnormalities in various amygdala sub-regions, which consist of various sub-nuclei, each with different functions. This study aimed to evaluate for volumetric abnormalities in the amygdala sub-nuclei, in order to provide a better understanding neurobiological basis of PD. Thirty-eight patients with PD and 38 matched healthy control (HC) participants underwent structural MRI scanning. The volume of the whole amygdala, as well as its consistent sub-nuclei, were calculated using FreeSurfer software. Relative volumes of these amygdala sub-regions were compared between the two groups. Results showed significantly smaller volumes in the right lateral and basal nuclei in the patients with PD compared with the HC. Lateral and basal nuclei are thought to play crucial role for processing sensory information related with anxiety and fear. Our results suggest that these particular amygdala sub-regions play a role in the development of PD symptoms.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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