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Tenekedjieva LT, McCalley DM, Goldstein-Piekarski AN, Williams LM, Padula CB. Transdiagnostic Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Symptom Factors in Alcohol Use Disorder: Neural Correlates Across 3 Brain Networks. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:837-845. [PMID: 38432622 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with high rates of trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders. Across these diagnoses, individual symptoms substantially overlap, highlighting the need for a transdiagnostic approach. Furthermore, there is limited research on how transdiagnostic psychopathology impacts the neural correlates of AUD. Thus, we aimed to identify symptom factors spanning diagnoses and examine how they relate to the neurocircuitry of addiction. METHODS Eighty-six veterans with AUD completed self-report measures and reward, incentive salience, and cognitive control functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks. Factor analysis was performed on self-reported trauma, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms to obtain transdiagnostic symptom compositions. Neural correlates of a priori-defined regions of interest in the 3 networks were assessed. Independent sample t tests were used to compare the same nodes by DSM-5 diagnosis. RESULTS Four symptom factors were identified: Trauma distress, Negative affect, Hyperarousal, and Somatic anxiety. Trauma distress score was associated with increased cognitive control activity during response inhibition (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex). Negative affect was related to lower activation in reward regions (right caudate) but higher activation in cognitive control regions during response inhibition (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). Hyperarousal was related to lower reward activity during monetary reward anticipation (left caudate, right caudate). Somatic anxiety was not significantly associated with brain activation. No difference in neural activity was found by posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS These hypothesis-generating findings offer transdiagnostic symptom factors that are differentially associated with neural function and could guide us toward a brain-based classification of psychiatric dysfunction in AUD. Results warrant further investigation of transdiagnostic approaches in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea-Tereza Tenekedjieva
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California.
| | - Daniel M McCalley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
| | - Andrea N Goldstein-Piekarski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
| | - Leanne M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
| | - Claudia B Padula
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
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Entzmann L, Guyader N, Kauffmann L, Peyrin C, Mermillod M. Detection of emotional faces: The role of spatial frequencies and local features. Vision Res 2023; 211:108281. [PMID: 37421829 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2023.108281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Models of emotion processing suggest that threat-related stimuli such as fearful faces can be detected based on the rapid extraction of low spatial frequencies. However, this remains debated as other models argue that the decoding of facial expressions occurs with a more flexible use of spatial frequencies. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of spatial frequencies and differences in luminance contrast between spatial frequencies, on the detection of facial emotions. We used a saccadic choice task in which emotional-neutral face pairs were presented and participants were asked to make a saccade toward the neutral or the emotional (happy or fearful) face. Faces were displayed either in low, high, or broad spatial frequencies. Results showed that participants were better to saccade toward the emotional face. They were also better for high or broad than low spatial frequencies, and the accuracy was higher with a happy target. An analysis of the eye and mouth saliency ofour stimuli revealed that the mouth saliency of the target correlates with participants' performance. Overall, this study underlines the importance of local more than global information, and of the saliency of the mouth region in the detection of emotional and neutral faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Entzmann
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000 Grenoble, France; Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, GIPSA-lab, 38000 Grenoble, France; Icelandic Vision Lab, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Nathalie Guyader
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, GIPSA-lab, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Louise Kauffmann
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Carole Peyrin
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Martial Mermillod
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, 38000 Grenoble, France
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3
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Chen K, Zhang L, Wang F, Mao H, Tang Q, Shi G, You Y, Yuan Q, Chen B, Fang X. Altered functional connectivity within the brain fear circuit in Parkinson's disease with anxiety: A seed-based functional connectivity study. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15871. [PMID: 37305477 PMCID: PMC10256910 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Aimed to investigate whether there are abnormal changes in the functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala with other brain areas, in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with anxiety. Methods Participants were enrolled prospectively, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating (HAMA) Scale was used to quantify anxiety disorder. Rest-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) was applied to analyze the amygdala FC patterns among anxious PD patients, non-anxious PD patients, and healthy controls. Results Thirty-three PD patients were recruited, 13 with anxiety, 20 without anxiety, and 19 non-anxious healthy controls. In anxious PD patients, FC between the amygdala with the hippocampus, putamen, intraparietal sulcus, and precuneus showed abnormal alterations compared with non-anxious PD patients and healthy controls. In particular, FC between the amygdala and hippocampus negatively correlated with the HAMA score (r = -0.459, p = 0.007). Conclusion Our results support the role of the fear circuit in emotional regulation in PD with anxiety. Also, the abnormal FC patterns of the amygdala could preliminarily explain the neural mechanisms of anxiety in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaidong Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haixia Mao
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qunfeng Tang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Guofeng Shi
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yiping You
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qingfang Yuan
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Bixue Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiangming Fang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 299, Qingyang Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu Province, China
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Dahlén AD, Schofield A, Schiöth HB, Brooks SJ. Subliminal Emotional Faces Elicit Predominantly Right-Lateralized Amygdala Activation: A Systematic Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:868366. [PMID: 35924231 PMCID: PMC9339677 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.868366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior research suggests that conscious face processing occurs preferentially in right hemisphere occipito-parietal regions. However, less is known about brain regions associated with non-conscious processing of faces, and whether a right-hemispheric dominance persists in line with specific affective responses. We aim to review the neural responses systematically, quantitatively, and qualitatively underlying subliminal face processing. PubMed was searched for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) publications assessing subliminal emotional face stimuli up to March 2022. Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analyses and narrative reviews were conducted on all studies that met ALE requirements. Risk of bias was assessed using the AXIS tool. In a meta-analysis of all 22 eligible studies (merging clinical and non-clinical populations, whole brain and region of interest analyses), bilateral amygdala activation was reported in the left (x = −19.2, y = 1.5, z = −17.1) in 59% of studies, and in the right (x = 24.4, y = −1.7, z = −17.4) in 68% of studies. In a second meta-analysis of non-clinical participants only (n = 18), bilateral amygdala was again reported in the left (x = −18, y = 3.9, z = −18.4) and right (x = 22.8, y = −0.9, z = −17.4) in 56% of studies for both clusters. In a final meta-analysis of whole-brain studies only (n=14), bilateral amygdala was also reported in the left (x = −20.2, y = 2.9, z = −17.2) in 64% of studies, and right (x = 24.2, y = −0.7, z = −17.8) in 71% of studies. The findings suggest that non-consciously detected emotional faces may influence amygdala activation, especially right-lateralized (a higher percentage of convergence in studies), which are integral for pre-conscious affect and long-term memory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia D. Dahlén
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Aphra Schofield
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Helgi B. Schiöth
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Samantha J. Brooks
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Samantha J. Brooks
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Kalhan S, McFadyen J, Tsuchiya N, Garrido MI. Neural and computational processes of accelerated perceptual awareness and decisions: A 7T fMRI study. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:3873-3886. [PMID: 35470490 PMCID: PMC9294306 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly detecting salient information in our environments is critical for survival. Visual processing in subcortical areas like the pulvinar and amygdala has been shown to facilitate unconscious processing of salient stimuli. It is unknown, however, if and how these areas might interact with cortical regions to facilitate faster conscious perception of salient stimuli. Here we investigated these neural processes using 7T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in concert with computational modelling while participants (n = 33) engaged in a breaking continuous flash suppression paradigm (bCFS) in which fearful and neutral faces are initially suppressed from conscious perception but then eventually ‘breakthrough’ into awareness. Participants reported faster breakthrough times for fearful faces compared with neutral faces. Drift‐diffusion modelling suggested that perceptual evidence was accumulated at a faster rate for fearful faces compared with neutral faces. For both neutral and fearful faces, faster response times were associated with greater activity in the amygdala (specifically within its subregions, including superficial, basolateral and amygdalo‐striatal transition area) and the insula. Faster rates of evidence accumulation coincided with greater activity in frontoparietal regions and occipital lobe, as well as the amygdala. A lower decision‐boundary correlated with activity in the insula and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), but not with the amygdala. Overall, our findings suggest that hastened perceptual awareness of salient stimuli recruits the amygdala and, more specifically, is driven by accelerated evidence accumulation in fronto‐parietal and visual areas. In sum, we have mapped distinct neural computations that accelerate perceptual awareness of visually suppressed faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivam Kalhan
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica McFadyen
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Naotsugu Tsuchiya
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical and Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Advanced Telecommunications Research Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Marta I Garrido
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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6
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Holt-Gosselin B, Keller AS, Chesnut M, Ling R, Grisanzio KA, Williams LM. Greater baseline connectivity of the salience and negative affect circuits are associated with natural improvements in anxiety over time in untreated participants. J Affect Disord 2021; 295:366-376. [PMID: 34492429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited research examining the natural trajectories of depression and anxiety, how these trajectories relate to baseline neural circuit function, and how symptom trajectory-circuit relationships are impacted by engagement in lifestyle activities including exercise, hobbies, and social interactions. To address these gaps, we assessed these relations over three months in untreated participants. METHODS 262 adults (59.5% female, mean age 35) with symptoms of anxiety and depression, untreated with pharmacotherapy or behavioral therapy, completed the DASS-42, WHOQOL, and custom surveys at baseline and follow-up to assess symptoms, psychosocial function, and lifestyle activity engagement. At baseline, participants underwent fMRI under task-free and task-evoked conditions. We quantified six circuits implicated in these symptoms: default mode, salience, negative and positive affect, attention, and cognitive control. RESULTS From baseline to 3 months, some participants demonstrated a natural improvement in anxiety (24%) and depression (26%) symptoms. Greater baseline salience circuit connectivity (pFDR=0.045), specifically between the left and right insula (pFDR=0.045), and greater negative affect circuit connectivity elicited by sad faces (pFDR=0.030) were associated with anxiety symptom improvement. While engagement in lifestyle activities were not associated with anxiety improvements, engagement in hobbies moderated the association between negative affect circuit connectivity and anxiety symptom improvement (p = 0.048). LIMITATIONS The observational design limits causal inference. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the role of the salience and negative affect circuits as potential circuit markers of natural anxiety symptom improvements over time. Future studies that identify biomarkers associated with symptom improvements are critical for the development of personalized treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey Holt-Gosselin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Graduate Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Arielle S Keller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Neurosciences PhD Program, Stanford University, Stanford CA, United States
| | - Megan Chesnut
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Ruth Ling
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Katherine A Grisanzio
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Leanne M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, United States.
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7
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Baroni M, Frumento S, Cesari V, Gemignani A, Menicucci D, Rutigliano G. Unconscious processing of subliminal stimuli in panic disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:136-151. [PMID: 34139247 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Attentional biases to threat exist in panic disorder (PD), probably related to altered subliminal processing. We systematically reviewed studies investigating subliminal processing in PD. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE and Scopus®. We meta-analytically compared PD (n = 167) and healthy controls (HC, n = 165) for processing of masked panic-related and neutral words. We also compared subliminal and supraliminal presentations of panic-related words relative to neutral words within PD subjects and HC. We found a significantly enhanced Stroop interference to masked panic-related words in PD vs HC (Hedges' g = 0.60, p = 0.03; Q = 14.83, I2 = 66.3 %, p = 0.01). While both PD subjects and HC tended to be slower to respond to supraliminal threat words than to neutral words, PD subjects only showed a marginally significant slower response to subliminal panic-related words vs neutral words. Findings remain inconclusive regarding comparison to other mental disorders, neural correlates, and the effect of psychotherapy. Even if possibly flawed by methodological weaknesses, our findings support the existence of a sensitivity to subliminal threat cues in PD, which could be targeted to improve treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Baroni
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), National Research Council, via Giuseppe Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sergio Frumento
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Valentina Cesari
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angelo Gemignani
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Danilo Menicucci
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
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Pattyn T, Schmaal L, Van Den Eede F, Cassiers L, Penninx BW, Sabbe B, Veltman DJ. Emotional processing in panic disorder and its subtypes: An fMRI study using emotional faces. J Affect Disord 2021; 287:427-432. [PMID: 33845429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inconsistent findings regarding the pathophysiology of panic disorder (PD) could result from clinical heterogeneity. Identifying subtypes could enhance insights into the neurobiological substrates of PD. METHODS An emotional faces fMRI paradigm was used in a group of PD patients (n = 73) and healthy controls (n = 58). The overall PD group was further divided into three previously identified subtypes: a cognitive-autonomic (n = 22), an autonomic (n = 16) and an aspecific (n = 35) subtype. Differences in brain activity levels in response to emotional facial expressions between groups were examined for six regions of interests, namely the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus and insula. RESULTS PD patients showed lower activity in the rostral anterior cingulate in response to angry faces than healthy controls, which was mainly driven by the autonomic subtype. No significant differences were found in other brain regions when comparing PD patients with controls or when comparing across PD subtypes. LIMITATIONS Sample sizes in subgroups were relatively small CONCLUSIONS: The role of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex for emotional processes critical in panic disorder is highlighted by this study and provides, albeit preliminary, evidence for the use of a subtype approach to advance our neurobiological insights in PD considering its involvement in the appraisal of autonomic viscero-sensory symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Pattyn
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, UPC KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - L Schmaal
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - F Van Den Eede
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Department of Psychiatry, Campus Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - L Cassiers
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - B W Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bcg Sabbe
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Department of Psychiatry, Campus Psychiatric Hospital Duffel, Duffel, Belgium
| | - D J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Zhu S, Zhang Y, Dong J, Chen L, Luo W. Low-spatial-frequency information facilitates threat detection in a response-specific manner. J Vis 2021; 21:8. [PMID: 33871554 PMCID: PMC8083122 DOI: 10.1167/jov.21.4.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of different spatial frequency bands in threat detection has been explored extensively. However, most studies use manual responses and the results are mixed. Here, we aimed to investigate the contribution of spatial frequency information to threat detection by using three response types, including manual responses, eye movements, and reaching movements, together with a priming paradigm. The results showed that both saccade and reaching responses were significantly faster to threatening stimuli than to nonthreatening stimuli when primed by low-spatial-frequency gratings rather than by high-spatial-frequency gratings. However, the manual response times to threatening stimuli were comparable to nonthreatening stimuli, irrespective of the spatial frequency content of the primes. The findings provide clear evidence that low-spatial-frequency information can facilitate threat detection in a response-specific manner, possibly through the subcortical magnocellular pathway dedicated to processing threat-related signals, which is automatically prioritized in the oculomotor system and biases behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Zhu
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian, P. R. China.,
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Suzhou, P. R. China.,
| | - Junli Dong
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian, P. R. China.,
| | - Lihong Chen
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian, P. R. China.,
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Province, Dalian, P. R. China.,
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10
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Bottinelli F, Delvecchio G, Moltrasio C, Ferro A, Diwadkar VA, Brambilla P. Facial emotion recognition in panic disorder: a mini-review of behavioural studies. J Affect Disord 2021; 282:173-178. [PMID: 33418364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Panic Disorder (PD) is characterized by unexpected and repeated moments of intense fear or anxiety, which manifest themselves through strong cognitive and behavioural symptoms. However, a clear picture of how impairments in recognition and processing of facial emotions affect the everyday life of PD patients has yet to be delineated. This review attempts to provide an overview of behavioural studies of emotion detection from facial stimuli in PD patients. METHODS A bibliographic research on PubMed of all studies investigating the recognition and processing of facial emotion stimuli in patients with PD and in high-risk offspring was performed, and nine articles (yrs: 2000 to 2019) were discovered. RESULTS In several of the reviewed studies, PD patients showed significant deficits in detecting (particularly negative) emotions in facial stimuli. These impairments were also found in the offspring of parents with PD and high-risk individuals. LIMITATIONS Inferences are constrained by methodological heterogeneity, included but not limited to cross-study variability in the stimuli employed, and in the clinical characterization of PD patients. CONCLUSIONS In general, the results of this survey confirm that deficits in processing facially conveyed negative emotions should be considered a core impairment in PD. However, future larger and more homogenous studies are warranted to better highlight the connection between emotion recognition and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Bottinelli
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delvecchio
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Moltrasio
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Adele Ferro
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Oliva A, Torre S, Taranto P, Delvecchio G, Brambilla P. Neural correlates of emotional processing in panic disorder: A mini review of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. J Affect Disord 2021; 282:906-914. [PMID: 33601734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Panic Disorder (PD) is mainly characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks. Although the presence of emotional functioning deficits in PD is well established, their neuronal bases are still less known. Therefore, in this review, we aim to summarize the available functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies investigating the neural correlates associated with the processing of facial emotional expressions in patients with PD. METHODS A comprehensive search on PubMed was performed and 10 fMRI studies meeting our inclusion criteria were included in this review. RESULTS The majority of the studies reported selective deficits in key brain regions within the prefronto-limbic network in PD patients. Specifically, a mixed picture of hyperactivation and hypoactivation patterns were observed in limbic regions, including the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as well as in areas within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), either during negative or positive valenced stimuli, as compared to healthy controls (HC) or other anxiety disorders. LIMITATIONS The limited number of studies and the clinical and methodological heterogeneity make it difficult to draw definite conclusions on the neural mechanism of emotional processing associated with PD. CONCLUSION Although the results of the available evidence suggest the presence of selective dysfunctions in regions within the cortico-limbic network in PD patients during processing of emotional stimuli, the direction of these abnormalities is still unclear. Therefore, future larger and more homogeneous studies are needed to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning the emotional processing dysfunctions often observed in PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Oliva
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Torre
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Taranto
- Clinical and Health Psychology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delvecchio
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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12
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Lai CH. Biomarkers in Panic Disorder. CURRENT PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2021. [DOI: 10.2174/2666082216999200918163245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Panic disorder (PD) is a kind of anxiety disorder that impacts the life quality
and functional perspectives in patients. However, the pathophysiological study of PD seems still
inadequate and many unresolved issues need to be clarified.
Objectives:
In this review article of biomarkers in PD, the investigator will focus on the findings of
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in the pathophysiology study. The MRI biomarkers
would be divided into several categories, on the basis of structural and functional perspectives.
Methods:
The structural category would include the gray matter and white matter tract studies. The
functional category would consist of functional MRI (fMRI), resting-state fMRI (Rs-fMRI), and
magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The PD biomarkers revealed by the above methodologies
would be discussed in this article.
Results:
For the gray matter perspectives, the PD patients would have alterations in the volumes of
fear network structures, such as the amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, thalamus, anterior cingulate
cortex, insula, and frontal regions. For the white matter tract studies, the PD patients seemed to have
alterations in the fasciculus linking the fear network regions, such as the anterior thalamic radiation,
uncinate fasciculus, fronto-occipital fasciculus, and superior longitudinal fasciculus. For the fMRI
studies in PD, the significant results also focused on the fear network regions, such as the amygdala,
hippocampus, thalamus, insula, and frontal regions. For the Rs-fMRI studies, PD patients seemed to
have alterations in the regions of the default mode network and fear network model. At last, the
MRS results showed alterations in neuron metabolites of the hippocampus, amygdala, occipital
cortex, and frontal regions.
Conclusion:
The MRI biomarkers in PD might be compatible with the extended fear network model
hypothesis in PD, which included the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, insula, frontal regions, and
sensory-related cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Han Lai
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Korgaonkar MS, Tran J, Felmingham KL, Williams LM, Bryant RA. Neural correlates of emotional processing in panic disorder. NEUROIMAGE: CLINICAL 2021; 32:102902. [PMID: 34911204 PMCID: PMC8650813 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal non-conscious emotion processing in panic
disorder. Impaired recruitment of implicit regulatory regions
during affect processing. Lower pgACC activation in panic disorder for sad and
happy faces. Deficits in key regulatory connections between
inhibitory and emotion brain regions. Lower pgACC-amygdala connectivity for sad and fear
faces.
Background Deficits in emotional processing are conceptualized in
prevailing models of anxiety to underpin key symptoms of panic disorder (PD).
Neuroimaging studies show evidence of aberrant neural functioning in PD patients
during emotional processing, however little is understood about how
non-conscious emotional processing impacts neural processes. Method We examined activation and functional connectivity
differences in brain regions involved in emotional processing between PD and
healthy controls (HC) during subliminal and supraliminal presentations of facial
emotions. Twenty-two PD and 33 HC participants were shown happy, sad, neutral,
fear, anger and disgust facial expressions during functional magnetic resonance
imaging using a 3T MRI scanner. We performed voxelwise ROI analyses at
FWE-corrected p < 0.05 for main effects of group and
group*emotion interactions. Results There was less pregenual anterior cingulate cortex
(pgACC) activation to subliminal presentations of happy and sad faces in PD
compared to HC participants (group*emotion). In addition, PD patients had less
pgACC - right amygdala connectivity than HC participants during sad and fear
subliminal processing (group*emotion). PD patients also exhibited lower right
cerebellum activity across all supraliminal presentations of facial expressions
compared to HC. Conclusion These findings suggest that there is aberrant neural
processing in PD patients during both conscious and preconscious processing of
both positive and negative stimuli, suggesting impaired recruitment of implicit
regulatory networks during affective processing. It appears that PD patients may
experience deficits in key regulatory connections between inhibitory and
emotional neural networks at very early stages of processing of negative
affective states.
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14
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Tang TY, Luan Y, Jiao Y, Zhang J, Ju SH, Teng GJ. Disrupted Amygdala Connectivity Is Associated With Elevated Anxiety in Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:616348. [PMID: 33362462 PMCID: PMC7758419 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.616348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Hearing loss is associated with rising risks of emotional impairments, suggesting emotional processing networks might be involved in the neural plasticity after hearing loss. This study was conducted to explore how functional connectivity of the amygdala reconfigures in the auditory deprived brain and better understand the neural mechanisms underlying hearing loss-related emotional disturbances. Methods: In total, 38 chronic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) patients and 37 healthy controls were recruited for multimodal magnetic resonance imaging scanning and neuropsychological assessments. Voxel-wise functional connectivity (FC) maps of both the left and right amygdala were conducted and compared between the SNHL patients and healthy controls. The uncinate fasciculus (UF), an association fiber pathway, was reconstructed in both groups. The track number, mean track length, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusion values of the left and right UF were further quantified, respectively. Besides, Pearson's correlation analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between the functional/structural abnormalities and the negative emotional states in SNHL patients. Results: The SNHL patients presented higher depressive and anxious levels compared to the healthy controls. Decreased FCs were detected between the amygdala and the auditory cortex, striatum, multimodal processing areas, and frontoparietal control areas in the SNHL patients. The amygdala was found to be structurally connected with several FC decreased regions through the UF. Moreover, the hypo-synchronization and the white matter impairment were both found to be associated with patients' elevated anxious status. Conclusions: These functional and structural findings depicted the reconfiguration of the amygdala in SNHL, which provided a new perspective toward the functional circuit mechanisms targeting the emotional impairments related to hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Yu Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Luan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng-Hong Ju
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Gao-Jun Teng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Role of PPARs in Progression of Anxiety: Literature Analysis and Signaling Pathways Reconstruction. PPAR Res 2020; 2020:8859017. [PMID: 33312191 PMCID: PMC7721491 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8859017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) group includes three isoforms encoded by PPARG, PPARA, and PPARD genes. High concentrations of PPARs are found in parts of the brain linked to anxiety development, including hippocampus and amygdala. Among three PPAR isoforms, PPARG demonstrates the highest expression in CNS, where it can be found in neurons, astrocytes, and glial cells. Herein, the highest PPARG expression occurs in amygdala. However, little is known considering possible connections between PPARs and anxiety behavior. We reviewed possible connections between PPARs and anxiety. We used the Pathway Studio software (Elsevier). Signal pathways were created according to previously developed algorithms. SNEA was performed in Pathway Studio. Current study revealed 14 PPAR-regulated proteins linked to anxiety. Possible mechanism of PPAR involvement in neuroinflammation protection is proposed. Signal pathway reconstruction and reviewing aimed to reveal possible connection between PPARG and CCK-ergic system was conducted. Said analysis revealed that PPARG-dependent regulation of MME and ACE peptidase expression may affect levels of nonhydrolysed, i.e., active CCK-4. Impairments in PPARG regulation and following MME and ACE peptidase expression impairments in amygdala may be the possible mechanism leading to pathological anxiety development, with brain CCK-4 accumulation being a key link. Literature data analysis and signal pathway reconstruction and reviewing revealed two possible mechanisms of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors involvement in pathological anxiety: (1) cytokine expression and neuroinflammation mechanism and (2) regulation of peptidases targeted to anxiety-associated neuropeptides, primarily CCK-4, mechanism.
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16
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Task MRI-Based Functional Brain Network of Anxiety. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1191:3-20. [PMID: 32002919 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a good tool for researchers to understand the biological mechanisms and pathophysiology of the brain due to the translational characteristics of MRI methods. For the psychiatric illness, this kind of mental disorders usually have minor alterations when compared to traditional neurological disorders. Therefore the functional study, such as functional connectivity, would play a significant role for understanding the pathophysiology of mental disorders. This chapter would focus on the discussion of task MRI-based functional network studies in anxiety. For social anxiety disorder, the limbic system, such as the temporal lobe, amygdala, and hippocampus, would show alterations in the functional connectivity with frontal regions, such as anterior cingulate, prefrontal, and orbitofrontal cortices. PD has anterior cingulate cortex-amygdala alterations in fear conditioning, frontoparietal alterations in attention network task, and limbic-prefrontal alterations in emotional task. A similar amygdala-based aberrant functional connectivity in specific phobia is observed. The mesocorticolimbic and limbic-prefrontal functional alterations are found in generalized anxiety disorder. The major components of task MRI-based functional connectivity in anxiety include limbic and frontal regions which might play a vital role for the origination of anxiety under different scenarios and tasks.
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17
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Kaldewaij R, Reinecke A, Harmer CJ. A lack of differentiation in amygdala responses to fearful expression intensity in panic disorder patients. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 291:18-25. [PMID: 31357097 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Patients with panic disorder show abnormalities in threat processing and regulation, both on a behavioural and neural level. Better understanding of the underlying mechanisms could help to develop new treatment strategies. In this study, we investigated brain region activation in 18 patients with untreated panic disorder (PD) and 17 healthy controls (HC) during the processing of emotional faces with fearful, happy and neutral expressions, using functional MRI. The intensity of the expressions was either prototypically high, medium or low. PD patients showed significantly increased activity in the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) in response to faces in general and specifically for happy faces. While HC showed a decreased amygdala response to medium/low fearful versus high fearful faces, this effect was not present in PD: amygdala activation was stable across all fearful faces in this group. Psycho-physiological interaction analyses indicated more negative connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal areas in the PD group during the task. Amygdala activation in panic patients appears to be less sensitive to decreasing intensities of fearful facial expressions and salience monitoring areas were less active during fearful faces in general in this group. This suggests PD patients might avoid more extensive processing of fearful faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinoud Kaldewaij
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Currently at Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuro-imaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Andrea Reinecke
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, United Kingdom
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18
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Lebois LAM, Seligowski AV, Wolff JD, Hill SB, Ressler KJ. Augmentation of Extinction and Inhibitory Learning in Anxiety and Trauma-Related Disorders. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2019; 15:257-284. [PMID: 30698994 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although the fear response is an adaptive response to threatening situations, a number of psychiatric disorders feature prominent fear-related symptoms caused, in part, by failures of extinction and inhibitory learning. The translational nature of fear conditioning paradigms has enabled us to develop a nuanced understanding of extinction and inhibitory learning based on the molecular substrates to systems neural circuitry and psychological mechanisms. This knowledge has facilitated the development of novel interventions that may augment extinction and inhibitory learning. These interventions include nonpharmacological techniques, such as behavioral methods to implement during psychotherapy, as well as device-based stimulation techniques that enhance or reduce activity in different regions of the brain. There is also emerging support for a number of psychopharmacological interventions that may augment extinction and inhibitory learning specifically if administered in conjunction with exposure-based psychotherapy. This growing body of research may offer promising novel techniques to address debilitating transdiagnostic fear-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A M Lebois
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Antonia V Seligowski
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Jonathan D Wolff
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Sarah B Hill
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
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Neumeister P, Feldker K, Heitmann CY, Buff C, Brinkmann L, Bruchmann M, Straube T. Specific amygdala response to masked fearful faces in post-traumatic stress relative to other anxiety disorders. Psychol Med 2018; 48:1209-1217. [PMID: 28950918 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291717002513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered amygdala activation to fear-related stimuli has been proposed to be a potential neural correlate of heightened threat sensitivity in anxiety- and stress-related disorders. However, the role of stimulus awareness and disorder specificity remains widely unclear. Here we investigated amygdala responses to conscious and unconscious fearful faces in patients suffering from panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in a large sample of healthy controls (HC). METHODS During event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging participants (n = 120; 20 PD, 20 GAD, 20 PTSD, 60 HC) were confronted with briefly presented fearful faces, neutral faces, and non-faces in a backward masking paradigm. The design allowed for the analysis of trial-by-trial face detection performance and amygdala responses to fearful v. neutral faces. RESULTS All participants exhibited increased amygdala activation to fearful v. neutral faces during conscious trials. Specifically during unconscious face processing, the PTSD, compared with all other groups, showed higher right basolateral (BLA) amygdala activity to fearful v. neutral faces. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that BLA amygdala hyperactivity during unconscious, but not conscious, processing of fearful faces differentiates PTSD from the investigated disorders. This finding suggests an automatic and specific neural hyper-responsivity to general fear cues in PTSD and supports the idea of categorical differences between PTSD and other anxiety-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Neumeister
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - K Feldker
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - C Y Heitmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - C Buff
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - L Brinkmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - M Bruchmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
| | - T Straube
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience,University Hospital Muenster,Muenster,Germany
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Maron E, Lan CC, Nutt D. Imaging and Genetic Approaches to Inform Biomarkers for Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, and PSTD. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 40:219-292. [PMID: 29796838 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the world and also claim the highest health care cost among various neuropsychiatric disorders. Anxiety disorders have a chronic and recurrent course and cause significantly negative impacts on patients' social, personal, and occupational functioning as well as quality of life. Despite their high prevalence rates, anxiety disorders have often been under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed, and consequently under-treated. Even with the correct diagnosis, anxiety disorders are known to be difficult to treat successfully. In order to implement better strategies in diagnosis, prognosis, treatment decision, and early prevention for anxiety disorders, tremendous efforts have been put into studies using genetic and neuroimaging techniques to advance our understandings of the underlying biological mechanisms. In addition to anxiety disorders including panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), specific phobias, social anxiety disorders (SAD), due to overlapping symptom dimensions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (which were removed from the anxiety disorder category in DSM-5 to become separate categories) are also included for review of relevant genetic and neuroimaging findings. Although the number of genetic or neuroimaging studies focusing on anxiety disorders is relatively small compare to other psychiatric disorders such as psychotic disorders or mood disorders, various structural abnormalities in the grey or white matter, functional alterations of activity during resting-state or task conditions, molecular changes of neurotransmitter receptors or transporters, and genetic associations have all been reported. With continuing effort, further genetic and neuroimaging research may potentially lead to clinically useful biomarkers for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Maron
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Academic Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
- Department of Psychiatry, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Chen-Chia Lan
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Academic Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - David Nutt
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Academic Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Sobanski T, Wagner G. Functional neuroanatomy in panic disorder: Status quo of the research. World J Psychiatry 2017; 7:12-33. [PMID: 28401046 PMCID: PMC5371170 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v7.i1.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To provide an overview of the current research in the functional neuroanatomy of panic disorder.
METHODS Panic disorder (PD) is a frequent psychiatric disease. Gorman et al (1989; 2000) proposed a comprehensive neuroanatomical model of PD, which suggested that fear- and anxiety-related responses are mediated by a so-called “fear network” which is centered in the amygdala and includes the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray region, locus coeruleus and other brainstem sites. We performed a systematic search by the electronic database PubMed. Thereby, the main focus was laid on recent neurofunctional, neurostructural, and neurochemical studies (from the period between January 2012 and April 2016). Within this frame, special attention was given to the emerging field of imaging genetics.
RESULTS We noted that many neuroimaging studies have reinforced the role of the “fear network” regions in the pathophysiology of panic disorder. However, recent functional studies suggest abnormal activation mainly in an extended fear network comprising brainstem, anterior and midcingulate cortex (ACC and MCC), insula, and lateral as well as medial parts of the prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, differences in the amygdala activation were not as consistently reported as one would predict from the hypothesis of Gorman et al (2000). Indeed, amygdala hyperactivation seems to strongly depend on stimuli and experimental paradigms, sample heterogeneity and size, as well as on limitations of neuroimaging techniques. Advanced neurochemical studies have substantiated the major role of serotonergic, noradrenergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of PD. However, alterations of GABAergic function in PD are still a matter of debate and also their specificity remains questionable. A promising new research approach is “imaging genetics”. Imaging genetic studies are designed to evaluate the impact of genetic variations (polymorphisms) on cerebral function in regions critical for PD. Most recently, imaging genetic studies have not only confirmed the importance of serotonergic and noradrenergic transmission in the etiology of PD but also indicated the significance of neuropeptide S receptor, CRH receptor, human TransMEMbrane protein (TMEM123D), and amiloride-sensitive cation channel 2 (ACCN2) genes.
CONCLUSION In light of these findings it is conceivable that in the near future this research will lead to the development of clinically useful tools like predictive biomarkers or novel treatment options.
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Williams LM. Defining biotypes for depression and anxiety based on large-scale circuit dysfunction: a theoretical review of the evidence and future directions for clinical translation. Depress Anxiety 2017; 34:9-24. [PMID: 27653321 PMCID: PMC5702265 DOI: 10.1002/da.22556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex emotional, cognitive and self-reflective functions rely on the activation and connectivity of large-scale neural circuits. These circuits offer a relevant scale of focus for conceptualizing a taxonomy for depression and anxiety based on specific profiles (or biotypes) of neural circuit dysfunction. Here, the theoretical review first outlines the current consensus as to what constitutes the organization of large-scale circuits in the human brain identified using parcellation and meta-analysis. The focus is on neural circuits implicated in resting reflection (default mode), detection of "salience," affective processing ("threat" and "reward"), "attention," and "cognitive control." Next, the current evidence regarding which type of dysfunctions in these circuits characterize depression and anxiety disorders is reviewed, with an emphasis on published meta-analyses and reviews of circuit dysfunctions that have been identified in at least two well-powered case:control studies. Grounded in the review of these topics, a conceptual framework is proposed for considering neural circuit-defined "biotypes." In this framework, biotypes are defined by profiles of extent of dysfunction on each large-scale circuit. The clinical implications of a biotype approach for guiding classification and treatment of depression and anxiety is considered. Future research directions will develop the validity and clinical utility of a neural circuit biotype model that spans diagnostic categories and helps to translate neuroscience into clinical practice in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne M Williams
- Corresponding author: Leanne M Williams, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, California, 94134-5717, , Phone: 650 723 3579
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Feldker K, Heitmann CY, Neumeister P, Bruchmann M, Vibrans L, Zwitserlood P, Straube T. Brain responses to disorder-related visual threat in panic disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 37:4439-4453. [PMID: 27436308 PMCID: PMC6867252 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Panic disorder (PD) patients show aberrant neural responses to threatening stimuli in an extended fear network, but results are only partially comparable, and studies implementing disorder-related visual scenes are lacking as stimuli. The neural responses and functional connectivity to a newly developed set of disorder-related, ecologically valid scenes as compared with matched neutral visual scenes, using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 26 PD patients and 26 healthy controls (HC) were investigated. PD patients versus HC showed hyperactivation in an extended fear network comprising brainstem, insula, thalamus, anterior, and mid-cingulate cortex and (dorso-)medial prefrontal cortex for disorder-related versus neutral scenes. Amygdala differences between groups failed significance. Subjective levels of anxiety significantly correlated with brainstem activation in PD patients. Analysis of functional connectivity by means of beta series correlation revealed no emotion-specific alterations in connectivity in PD patients versus HC. The results suggest that subjective anxiety evoked by external stimuli is directly related to altered activation in the homeostatic alarm system in PD. With novel disorder-related stimuli, the study sheds new light on the neural underpinnings of pathological threat processing in PD. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4439-4453, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Feldker
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
| | - Carina Yvonne Heitmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
| | - Paula Neumeister
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
| | - Maximilian Bruchmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
| | - Laura Vibrans
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
| | | | - Thomas Straube
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems NeuroscienceUniversity of MuensterMuensterGermany
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Bandelow B, Baldwin D, Abelli M, Altamura C, Dell'Osso B, Domschke K, Fineberg NA, Grünblatt E, Jarema M, Maron E, Nutt D, Pini S, Vaghi MM, Wichniak A, Zai G, Riederer P. Biological markers for anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD - a consensus statement. Part I: Neuroimaging and genetics. World J Biol Psychiatry 2016; 17:321-65. [PMID: 27403679 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2016.1181783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Biomarkers are defined as anatomical, biochemical or physiological traits that are specific to certain disorders or syndromes. The objective of this paper is to summarise the current knowledge of biomarkers for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS Findings in biomarker research were reviewed by a task force of international experts in the field, consisting of members of the World Federation of Societies for Biological Psychiatry Task Force on Biological Markers and of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Anxiety Disorders Research Network. RESULTS The present article (Part I) summarises findings on potential biomarkers in neuroimaging studies, including structural brain morphology, functional magnetic resonance imaging and techniques for measuring metabolic changes, including positron emission tomography and others. Furthermore, this review reports on the clinical and molecular genetic findings of family, twin, linkage, association and genome-wide association studies. Part II of the review focuses on neurochemistry, neurophysiology and neurocognition. CONCLUSIONS Although at present, none of the putative biomarkers is sufficient and specific as a diagnostic tool, an abundance of high-quality research has accumulated that will improve our understanding of the neurobiological causes of anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borwin Bandelow
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Göttingen , Germany
| | - David Baldwin
- b Faculty of Medicine , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - Marianna Abelli
- c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa , Italy
| | - Carlo Altamura
- d Department of Psychiatry , University of Milan; Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- d Department of Psychiatry , University of Milan; Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy
| | - Katharina Domschke
- e Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University of Wuerzburg , Germany
| | - Naomi A Fineberg
- f Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and University of Hertfordshire , Rosanne House, Parkway , Welwyn Garden City , UK
| | - Edna Grünblatt
- e Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University of Wuerzburg , Germany ;,g Neuroscience Center Zurich , University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland ;,h Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland ;,i Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology , University of Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Marek Jarema
- j Third Department of Psychiatry , Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology , Warszawa , Poland
| | - Eduard Maron
- k North Estonia Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry , Tallinn , Estonia ;,l Department of Psychiatry , University of Tartu , Estonia ;,m Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences , Imperial College London , UK
| | - David Nutt
- m Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences , Imperial College London , UK
| | - Stefano Pini
- c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa , Italy
| | - Matilde M Vaghi
- n Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute , University of Cambridge , UK
| | - Adam Wichniak
- j Third Department of Psychiatry , Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology , Warszawa , Poland
| | - Gwyneth Zai
- n Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute , University of Cambridge , UK ;,o Neurogenetics Section, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health , Toronto , Canada ;,p Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre , Toronto , Canada ;,q Institute of Medical Science and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Peter Riederer
- e Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University of Wuerzburg , Germany ;,g Neuroscience Center Zurich , University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland ;,h Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich , Zürich , Switzerland
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Influence of spatial frequency and emotion expression on face processing in patients with panic disorder. J Affect Disord 2016; 197:159-66. [PMID: 26991371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.02.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficits in facial emotion processing is a major characteristic of patients with panic disorder. It is known that visual stimuli with different spatial frequencies take distinct neural pathways. This study investigated facial emotion processing involving stimuli presented at broad, high, and low spatial frequencies in patients with panic disorder. METHODS Eighteen patients with panic disorder and 19 healthy controls were recruited. Seven event-related potential (ERP) components: (P100, N170, early posterior negativity (EPN); vertex positive potential (VPP), N250, P300; and late positive potential (LPP)) were evaluated while the participants looked at fearful and neutral facial stimuli presented at three spatial frequencies. RESULTS When a fearful face was presented, panic disorder patients showed a significantly increased P100 amplitude in response to low spatial frequency compared to high spatial frequency; whereas healthy controls demonstrated significant broad spatial frequency dependent processing in P100 amplitude. Vertex positive potential amplitude was significantly increased in high and broad spatial frequency, compared to low spatial frequency in panic disorder. Early posterior negativity amplitude was significantly different between HSF and BSF, and between LSF and BSF processing in both groups, regardless of facial expression. LIMITATION The possibly confounding effects of medication could not be controlled. CONCLUSIONS During early visual processing, patients with panic disorder prefer global to detailed information. However, in later processing, panic disorder patients overuse detailed information for the perception of facial expressions. These findings suggest that unique spatial frequency-dependent facial processing could shed light on the neural pathology associated with panic disorder.
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Williams LM. Precision psychiatry: a neural circuit taxonomy for depression and anxiety. Lancet Psychiatry 2016; 3:472-80. [PMID: 27150382 PMCID: PMC4922884 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(15)00579-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 12/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although there have been tremendous advances in the understanding of human dysfunctions in the brain circuitry for self-reflection, emotion, and cognitive control, a brain-based taxonomy for mental disease is still lacking. As a result, these advances have not been translated into actionable clinical tools, and the language of brain circuits has not been incorporated into training programmes. To address this gap, I present this synthesis of published work, with a focus on functional imaging of circuit dysfunctions across the spectrum of mood and anxiety disorders. This synthesis provides the foundation for a taxonomy of putative types of dysfunction, which cuts across traditional diagnostic boundaries for depression and anxiety and includes instead distinct types of neural circuit dysfunction that together reflect the heterogeneity of depression and anxiety. This taxonomy is suited to specifying symptoms in terms of underlying neural dysfunction at the individual level and is intended as the foundation for building mechanistic research and ultimately guiding clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, CA, USA.
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Montes-Lourido P, Bermudez MA, Romero MC, Vicente AF, Gonzalez F. Spatial Frequency Components of Images Modulate Neuronal Activity in Monkey Amygdala. Perception 2015; 45:375-85. [PMID: 26562878 DOI: 10.1177/0301006615614458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Processing the spatial frequency components of an image is a crucial feature for visual perception, especially in recognition of faces. Here, we study the correlation between spatial frequency components of images of faces and neuronal activity in monkey amygdala while performing a visual recognition task. The frequency components of the images were analyzed using a fast Fourier transform for 40 spatial frequency ranges. We recorded 65 neurons showing statistically significant responses to at least one of the images used as a stimulus. A total of 37 of these neurons (n = 37) showed significant responses to at least three images, and in eight of them (8/37, 22%), we found a statistically significant correlation between neuron response and the modulus amplitude of at least one frequency range present in the images. Our results indicate that high spatial frequency and low spatial frequency components of images influence the activity of amygdala neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Montes-Lourido
- Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - M A Bermudez
- Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - M C Romero
- Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - A F Vicente
- Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - F Gonzalez
- Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainDepartment of Surgery, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainOphthalmology Service and IDIS, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Santos M, D'Amico D, Dierssen M. From neural to genetic substrates of panic disorder: Insights from human and mouse studies. Eur J Pharmacol 2015; 759:127-41. [PMID: 25818748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Fear is an ancestral emotion, an intrinsic defensive response present in every organism. Although fear is an evolutionarily advantageous emotion, under certain pathologies such as panic disorder it might become exaggerated and non-adaptive. Clinical and preclinical work pinpoints that changes in cognitive processes, such as perception and interpretation of environmental stimuli that rely on brain regions responsible for high-level function, are essential for the development of fear-related disorders. This review focuses on the involvement of cognitive function to fear circuitry disorders. Moreover, we address how animal models are contributing to understand the involvement of human candidate genes to pathological fear and helping achieve progress in this field. Multidisciplinary approaches that integrate human genetic findings with state of the art genetic mouse models will allow to elucidate the mechanisms underlying pathology and to develop new strategies for therapeutic targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Santos
- Cellular & Systems Neurobiology, Systems Biology Program, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Davide D'Amico
- Cellular & Systems Neurobiology, Systems Biology Program, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; ZeClinics SL, E-08001 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Cellular & Systems Neurobiology, Systems Biology Program, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Duval ER, Javanbakht A, Liberzon I. Neural circuits in anxiety and stress disorders: a focused review. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2015; 11:115-26. [PMID: 25670901 PMCID: PMC4315464 DOI: 10.2147/tcrm.s48528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and stress disorders are among the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. In recent years, multiple studies have examined brain regions and networks involved in anxiety symptomatology in an effort to better understand the mechanisms involved and to develop more effective treatments. However, much remains unknown regarding the specific abnormalities and interactions between networks of regions underlying anxiety disorder presentations. We examined recent neuroimaging literature that aims to identify neural mechanisms underlying anxiety, searching for patterns of neural dysfunction that might be specific to different anxiety disorder categories. Across different anxiety and stress disorders, patterns of hyperactivation in emotion-generating regions and hypoactivation in prefrontal/regulatory regions are common in the literature. Interestingly, evidence of differential patterns is also emerging, such that within a spectrum of disorders ranging from more fear-based to more anxiety-based, greater involvement of emotion-generating regions is reported in panic disorder and specific phobia, and greater involvement of prefrontal regions is reported in generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. We summarize the pertinent literature and suggest areas for continued investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Duval
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Arash Javanbakht
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal brain pH has been suggested to play a critical role in panic disorder. To investigate this possibility, we employed a pH-sensitive magnetic resonance (MR) imaging strategy (T1 relaxation in the rotating frame [T1ρ]) and conventional blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) imaging. METHODS Thirteen panic disorder participants and 13 matched control subjects were enrolled in the study. T1ρ and BOLD were used to study the functional response to a visual flashing checkerboard and their relationship to panic symptoms assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS In response to visual stimulation, T1ρ imaging revealed a significantly greater increase in the visual cortex of panic disorder participants. T1ρ also detected a stimulus-evoked decrease in the anterior cingulate cortex. Blood oxygen level-dependent imaging detected no functional differences between groups. The correspondence between panic symptoms and functional T1ρ response identified significant relationships within the left inferior parietal lobe, left middle temporal gyrus, and right insula. No relationships were found between panic symptoms and the BOLD signal. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest greater activity-evoked T1ρ changes in the visual cortex and anterior cingulate cortex of panic disorder participants. These observations are consistent with a pH dysregulation in panic disorder. In addition, our data suggest that T1ρ imaging may provide information about panic disorder that is distinct from conventional BOLD imaging and may reflect abnormalities in pH and/or brain metabolism.
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Lueken U, Straube B, Reinhardt I, Maslowski NI, Wittchen HU, Ströhle A, Wittmann A, Pfleiderer B, Konrad C, Ewert A, Uhlmann C, Arolt V, Jansen A, Kircher T. Altered top-down and bottom-up processing of fear conditioning in panic disorder with agoraphobia. Psychol Med 2014; 44:381-394. [PMID: 23611156 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291713000792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several neurophysiological models have been proposed for panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/AG), there is limited evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies on key neural networks in PD/AG. Fear conditioning has been proposed to represent a central pathway for the development and maintenance of this disorder; however, its neural substrates remain elusive. The present study aimed to investigate the neural correlates of fear conditioning in PD/AG patients. METHOD The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response was measured using fMRI during a fear conditioning task. Indicators of differential conditioning, simple conditioning and safety signal processing were investigated in 60 PD/AG patients and 60 matched healthy controls. RESULTS Differential conditioning was associated with enhanced activation of the bilateral dorsal inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) whereas simple conditioning and safety signal processing were related to increased midbrain activation in PD/AG patients versus controls. Anxiety sensitivity was associated positively with the magnitude of midbrain activation. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest changes in top-down and bottom-up processes during fear conditioning in PD/AG that can be interpreted within a neural framework of defensive reactions mediating threat through distal (forebrain) versus proximal (midbrain) brain structures. Evidence is accumulating that this network plays a key role in the aetiopathogenesis of panic disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Lueken
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - B Straube
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - I Reinhardt
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - N I Maslowski
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - H-U Wittchen
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - A Ströhle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - A Wittmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - B Pfleiderer
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Germany
| | - C Konrad
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - A Ewert
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Germany
| | - C Uhlmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Germany
| | - V Arolt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Germany
| | - A Jansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - T Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
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Ramirez JM. The integrative role of the sigh in psychology, physiology, pathology, and neurobiology. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2014; 209:91-129. [PMID: 24746045 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63274-6.00006-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
"Sighs, tears, grief, distress" expresses Johann Sebastian Bach in a musical example for the relationship between sighs and deep emotions. This review explores the neurobiological basis of the sigh and its relationship with psychology, physiology, and pathology. Sighs monitor changes in brain states, induce arousal, and reset breathing variability. These behavioral roles homeostatically regulate breathing stability under physiological and pathological conditions. Sighs evoked in hypoxia evoke arousal and thereby become critical for survival. Hypoarousal and failure to sigh have been associated with sudden infant death syndrome. Increased breathing irregularity may provoke excessive sighing and hyperarousal, a behavioral sequence that may play a role in panic disorders. Essential for generating sighs and breathing is the pre-Bötzinger complex. Modulatory and synaptic interactions within this local network and between networks located in the brainstem, cerebellum, cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala, and the periaqueductal gray may govern the relationships between physiology, psychology, and pathology. Unraveling these circuits will lead to a better understanding of how we balance emotions and how emotions become pathological.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Marino Ramirez
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Pannekoek JN, van der Werff SJ, Stein DJ, van der Wee NJ. Advances in the neuroimaging of panic disorder. Hum Psychopharmacol 2013; 28:608-11. [PMID: 24038132 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Models of the neuroanatomy of panic disorder (PD) have relied on both animal work on fear and on clinical data from neuroimaging. Early work hypothesised a network of brain regions involved in fear processing (e.g. the amygdala), but more recent work has also pointed to the involvement of other cortical areas and other brain circuitry (e.g. the insula and anterior cingulate cortex). Studies investigating functional and structural brain connectivity in PD may ultimately shed light on the extent to which the neuroanatomy of PD is localised versus distributed, and on how current treatments alter this neuroanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Nienke Pannekoek
- Department of Psychiatry; Leiden University Medical Centre; Leiden The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition; Leiden University; The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Steven J.A. van der Werff
- Department of Psychiatry; Leiden University Medical Centre; Leiden The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition; Leiden University; The Netherlands
| | - Dan J. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Nic J.A. van der Wee
- Department of Psychiatry; Leiden University Medical Centre; Leiden The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition; Leiden University; The Netherlands
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Altered olfactory processing of stress-related body odors and artificial odors in patients with panic disorder. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74655. [PMID: 24086358 PMCID: PMC3782473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with Panic Disorder (PD) direct their attention towards potential threat, followed by panic attacks, and increased sweat production. Onés own anxiety sweat odor influences the attentional focus, and discrimination of threat or non-threat. Since olfactory projection areas overlap with neuronal areas of a panic-specific fear network, the present study investigated the neuronal processing of odors in general and of stress-related sweat odors in particular in patients with PD. Methods A sample of 13 patients with PD with/ without agoraphobia and 13 age- and gender-matched healthy controls underwent an fMRI investigation during olfactory stimulation with their stress-related sweat odors (TSST, ergometry) as well as artificial odors (peach, artificial sweat) as non-fearful non-body odors. Principal Findings The two groups did not differ with respect to their olfactory identification ability. Independent of the kind of odor, the patients with PD showed activations in fronto-cortical areas in contrast to the healthy controls who showed activations in olfaction-related areas such as the amygdalae and the hippocampus. For artificial odors, the patients with PD showed a decreased neuronal activation of the thalamus, the posterior cingulate cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. Under the presentation of sweat odor caused by ergometric exercise, the patients with PD showed an increased activation in the superior temporal gyrus, the supramarginal gyrus, and the cingulate cortex which was positively correlated with the severity of the psychopathology. For the sweat odor from the anxiety condition, the patients with PD showed an increased activation in the gyrus frontalis inferior, which was positively correlated with the severity of the psychopathology. Conclusions The results suggest altered neuronal processing of olfactory stimuli in PD. Both artificial odors and stress-related body odors activate specific parts of a fear-network which is associated with an increased severity of the psychopathology.
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Feinstein JS, Buzza C, Hurlemann R, Follmer RL, Dahdaleh NS, Coryell WH, Welsh MJ, Tranel D, Wemmie JA. Fear and panic in humans with bilateral amygdala damage. Nat Neurosci 2013; 16:270-2. [PMID: 23377128 PMCID: PMC3739474 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 01/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Decades of research have highlighted the amygdala’s influential role in fear. Surprisingly, we found that inhalation of 35% CO2 evoked not only fear, but also panic attacks, in three rare patients with bilateral amygdala damage. These results indicate that the amygdala is not required for fear and panic, and make an important distinction between fear triggered by external threats from the environment versus fear triggered internally by CO2.
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Svärd J, Wiens S, Fischer H. Superior recognition performance for happy masked and unmasked faces in both younger and older adults. Front Psychol 2012; 3:520. [PMID: 23226135 PMCID: PMC3510469 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 11/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the aging literature it has been shown that even though emotion recognition performance decreases with age, the decrease is less for happiness than other facial expressions. Studies in younger adults have also revealed that happy faces are more strongly attended to and better recognized than other emotional facial expressions. Thus, there might be a more age independent happy face advantage in facial expression recognition. By using a backward masking paradigm and varying stimulus onset asynchronies (17–267 ms) the temporal development of a happy face advantage, on a continuum from low to high levels of visibility, was examined in younger and older adults. Results showed that across age groups, recognition performance for happy faces was better than for neutral and fearful faces at durations longer than 50 ms. Importantly, the results showed a happy face advantage already during early processing of emotional faces in both younger and older adults. This advantage is discussed in terms of processing of salient perceptual features and elaborative processing of the happy face. We also investigate the combined effect of age and neuroticism on emotional face processing. The rationale was previous findings of age-related differences in physiological arousal to emotional pictures and a relation between arousal and neuroticism. Across all durations, there was an interaction between age and neuroticism, showing that being high in neuroticism might be disadvantageous for younger, but not older adults’ emotion recognition performance during arousal enhancing tasks. These results indicate that there is a relation between aging, neuroticism, and performance, potentially related to physiological arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joakim Svärd
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute Stockholm, Sweden
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