1
|
Han Y, Yan H, Shan X, Li H, Liu F, Li P, Zhao J, Guo W. Shared and distinctive neural substrates of generalized anxiety disorder with or without depressive symptoms and their roles in prognostic prediction. J Affect Disord 2024; 348:207-217. [PMID: 38160885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with or without depressive symptoms are obscure. This study aimed to uncover them and assess their predictive value for treatment response. METHODS We enrolled 98 GAD patients [58 (age: 33.22 ± 10.23 years old, males/females: 25/33) with and 40 (age: 33.65 ± 10.49 years old, males/females: 14/26) without depressive symptoms] and 54 healthy controls (HCs, age: 32.28 ± 10.56 years old, males/females: 21/33). Patients underwent clinical assessments and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) at baseline and after 4-week treatment with paroxetine, while HCs underwent rs-fMRI at baseline only. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was employed to measure intrinsic brain activity. We compared ReHo in patients to HCs and examined changes in ReHo within the patient groups after treatment. Support vector regression (SVR) analyses were conducted separately for each patient group to predict the patients' treatment response. RESULTS Both patient groups exhibited higher ReHo in the middle/superior frontal gyrus decreased ReHo in different brain regions compared to HCs. Furthermore, differences in ReHo were detected between the two patient groups. After treatment, the patient groups displayed distinct ReHo change patterns. By utilizing SVR based on baseline abnormal ReHo, we effectively predicted treatment response of patients (p-value for correlation < 0.05). LIMITATIONS The dropout rate was relatively high. CONCLUSIONS This study identified shared and unique neural substrates in GAD patients with or without depressive symptoms, potentially serving as biomarkers for treatment response prediction. Comorbid depressive symptoms were associated with differences in disease manifestation and treatment response compared to pure GAD cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiding Han
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Haohao Yan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Shan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Huabing Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang 161006, China
| | - Jingping Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shan X, Yan H, Li H, Liu F, Xie G, Li P, Zhao J, Guo W. Abnormal causal connectivity of prefrontal-limbic circuit by structural deficits in drug-naive anxiety disorders. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 163:14-23. [PMID: 37196516 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural and functional deficits in the prefrontal-limbic circuit have been revealed in patients with anxiety disorders. However, the effect of structural abnormalities on causal connectivity within this circuit remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate causal connectivity in the prefrontal-limbic circuit associated with structural deficits in drug-naive patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder (PD) and the changes after treatment. METHODS A total of 64 GAD patients, 54 PD patients and 61 healthy controls (HCs) completed the resting-state magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline. Among them, 96 patients with anxiety disorders (52 in GAD group and 44 in PD group) completed a 4-week paroxetine treatment. Voxel-based morphometry and Granger causality analysis (GCA) were applied to analyze the data based on the human brainnetome atlas. RESULTS Patients with GAD and PD showed decreased gray matter volume (GMV) in the bilateral A24cd subregions of cingulate gyrus. Whole-brain analysis revealed decreased GMV in the left cingulate gyrus in patients with PD. Hence, the left A24cd subregion was selected as a seed. Compared with HCs, unidirectional causal connectivity between the limbic-superior temporal gyrus (STG) temporal pole and the limbic-precentral/middle frontal gyrus was enhanced in patients with GAD and PD (from the left A24cd subregion of cingulate gyrus to the right STG temporal pole, and from the left A24cd subregion of cingulate gyrus to the right precentral/middle frontal gyrus). Compared with patients with PD, the limbic-precuneus unidirectional causal connectivity was enhanced in patients with GAD, and the cerebellum crus1 - limbic connectivity has a positive feedback effect. CONCLUSIONS The anatomical defects in the left A24cd subregion of cingulate gyrus may partially affect the prefrontal-limbic circuit, and the unidirectional causal effect from the left A24cd subregion to the right STG temporal pole may be an imaging change shared by anxiety disorders. The causal effect of the left A24cd subregion of cingulate gyrus to precuneus might be related to the neurobiology of GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Shan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China; Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Mental Health Center, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Haohao Yan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Huabing Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guojun Xie
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, 528000, Guangdong, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, 161006, China
| | - Jingping Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Steinhäuser JL, Teed AR, Al-Zoubi O, Hurlemann R, Chen G, Khalsa SS. Reduced vmPFC-insula functional connectivity in generalized anxiety disorder: a Bayesian confirmation study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9626. [PMID: 37316518 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35939-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in the correlated activity of networked brain regions have been reported in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) but an overreliance on null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST) limits the identification of disorder-relevant relationships. In this preregistered study, we applied both a Bayesian statistical framework and NHST to the analysis of resting-state fMRI scans from females with GAD and matched healthy comparison females. Eleven a-priori hypotheses about functional connectivity (FC) were evaluated using Bayesian (multilevel model) and frequentist (t-test) inference. Reduced FC between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the posterior-mid insula (PMI) was confirmed by both statistical approaches and was associated with anxiety sensitivity. FC between the vmPFC-anterior insula, the amygdala-PMI, and the amygdala-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) region pairs did not survive multiple comparison correction using the frequentist approach. However, the Bayesian model provided evidence for these region pairs having decreased FC in the GAD group. Leveraging Bayesian modeling, we demonstrate decreased FC of the vmPFC, insula, amygdala, and dlPFC in females with GAD. Exploiting the Bayesian framework revealed FC abnormalities between region pairs excluded by the frequentist analysis and other previously undescribed regions in GAD, demonstrating the value of applying this approach to resting-state FC data in clinical investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas L Steinhäuser
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA.
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Adam R Teed
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Obada Al-Zoubi
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Gang Chen
- Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sahib S Khalsa
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA.
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moraga-Amaro R, Muñoz P, Villalobos T, Linsambarth S, Maldonado F, Meirone V, Femopase B, Stehberg J. Real-world data of non-invasive stimulation of the human insula-prefrontal cortices using deep TMS to treat anxiety for occupational stress and generalized anxiety disorder. Psychiatry Res 2023; 320:115036. [PMID: 36586377 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.115036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the insula is found in all anxiety-related disorders and increased insular-prefrontal cortex (PFC) functional connectivity is associated with reduced anxiety. In this study, the combined stimulation of the insula and PFC using the dTMS H4 (insula+LPFC) and H2 (PFC) coils were used to reduce anxiety in 13 subjects experiencing occupational stress, and 55 participants suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The combined HF stimulation of the insula and PFC significantly decreased anxiety scores according to the HARS, CAS, and STAI anxiety scales, leading to a reduction in anxiety according to HARS of 88.7% and 70.7% in participants with occupational stress and the clinical sample of participants diagnosed with GAD, respectively. The findings suggest that the prefrontal-insular axis is critical for the regulation of anxiety and its stimulation can be used for the treatment of anxiety in people suffering from occupational stress and GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Moraga-Amaro
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paula Muñoz
- Clínica Nova Vita. Del Inca 4446 of. 708. Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tomás Villalobos
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Francisco Maldonado
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valeria Meirone
- Clínica Nova Vita. Del Inca 4446 of. 708. Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bruno Femopase
- Clínica Nova Vita. Del Inca 4446 of. 708. Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jimmy Stehberg
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang J, Fang J, Xu Y, Zhong H, Li J, Li H, Li G. Difference analysis of multidimensional electroencephalogram characteristics between young and old patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1074587. [PMID: 36504623 PMCID: PMC9731337 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1074587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidences indicate that age plays an important role in the development of mental disorders, but few studies focus on the neuro mechanisms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in different age groups. Therefore, this study attempts to reveal the neurodynamics of Young_GAD (patients with GAD under the age of 50) and Old_GAD (patients with GAD over 50 years old) through statistical analysis of multidimensional electroencephalogram (EEG) features and machine learning models. In this study, 10-min resting-state EEG data were collected from 45 Old_GAD and 33 Young_GAD. And multidimensional EEG features were extracted, including absolute power (AP), fuzzy entropy (FE), and phase-lag-index (PLI), on which comparison and analyses were performed later. The results showed that Old_GAD exhibited higher power spectral density (PSD) value and FE value in beta rhythm compared to theta, alpha1, and alpha2 rhythms, and functional connectivity (FC) also demonstrated significant reorganization of brain function in beta rhythm. In addition, the accuracy of machine learning classification between Old_GAD and Young_GAD was 99.67%, further proving the feasibility of classifying GAD patients by age. The above findings provide an objective basis in the field of EEG for the age-specific diagnosis and treatment of GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Jiaqi Fang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,College of Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Yanting Xu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,College of Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Hongyang Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of Foreign Language, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Huayun Li
- College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,*Correspondence: Gang Li,
| | - Gang Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Rail Transit Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,College of Mathematical Medicine, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China,Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education of China, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Huayun Li,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hu S, Li XJ, Law S, Shen CY, Yao GQ, Zhang XQ, Li J, Chen GF, Xu B, Liu XM, Ma XY, Feng K, Liu PZ. Prefrontal cortex alterations in major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and their comorbidity during a verbal fluency task assessed by multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy. Psychiatry Res 2021; 306:114229. [PMID: 34749225 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are frequently comorbid with each other, and both associated with substantial cognitive impairments; however, it is still unclear whether their impairments are neurobiologically similar or distinct. This study aims to investigate the cognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in patients with MDD and GAD during the verbal fluency task (VFT) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Fifty-two patients with MDD, fifty-one patients with GAD, fifty-two patients with the comorbidity of MDD and GAD (CMG), and forty-seven healthy controls (HC) participated in the study. Significant hypoactivation in the left ventrolateral and the left dorsolateral PFC was common in all patient groups when compared to HCs, suggesting a shared etiology. Furthermore, MDD patients showed significant hypoactivation at the right frontal pole cortex (FPoC) when compared to HCs and significant hypoactivation at the middle FPoC when compared to the CMG patients. Our work is the first fNIRS study to reveal the shared and unique neurobiological profiles of MDD, GAD and their comorbidity under the same standard experimentation condition, suggesting fNIRS holds promise as an adjutant to assist clinical diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Hu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Li
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Samuel Law
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Chen-Yu Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Guan-Qun Yao
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Qian Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Li
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Gui-Fang Chen
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Min Liu
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yun Ma
- Beijing Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Institute of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Feng
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Po-Zi Liu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kim N, Kim MJ. Altered Task-Evoked Corticolimbic Responsivity in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073630. [PMID: 33807276 PMCID: PMC8037355 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is marked by uncontrollable, persistent worry and exaggerated response to uncertainty. Here, we review and summarize the findings from the GAD literature that employs functional neuroimaging methods. In particular, the present review focuses on task-based blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. We find that select brain regions often regarded as a part of a corticolimbic circuit (e.g., amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex) are consistently targeted for a priori hypothesis-driven analyses, which, in turn, shows varying degrees of abnormal BOLD responsivity in GAD. Data-driven whole-brain analyses show the insula and the hippocampus, among other regions, to be affected by GAD, depending on the task used in each individual study. Overall, while the heterogeneity of the tasks and sample size limits the generalizability of the findings thus far, some promising convergence can be observed in the form of the altered BOLD responsivity of the corticolimbic circuitry in GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nayoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 03063, Korea;
| | - M. Justin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 03063, Korea;
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon 16060, Korea
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mohlman J. Neurocognitive predictors of long-term outcome in CBT for late life generalized anxiety disorder. J Anxiety Disord 2020; 74:102246. [PMID: 32603993 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is currently recognized as one of the most common and impairing psychiatric conditions in adults age 65 and over. Although clinical trials have indicated that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is efficacious, it has not shown consistent superiority over other types of psychosocial interventions. This study sought to identify baseline neurocognitive predictors of posttreatment and distal follow-up outcome of CBT for late life GAD, which could be used to estimate response and optimize the intervention. First, results indicated that CBT was effective in reducing worry and other symptoms immediately following and 18 months after the last full session of treatment. Regression models of baseline predictors included pretreatment worry scores, the number of comorbid conditions, hypertension, and scores on a working memory task or hippocampal volumes as predictors of endpoint PSWQ scores. Results replicated known baseline predictors of outcome at both assessment points, and identified one new predictor of distal outcome. Clinicians may benefit from including working memory tasks as assessment and augmentation tools in treating older GAD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Mohlman
- William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Rd., Science Hall 250, Wayne, NJ, 07470, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Porta-Casteràs D, Fullana MA, Tinoco D, Martínez-Zalacaín I, Pujol J, Palao DJ, Soriano-Mas C, Harrison BJ, Via E, Cardoner N. Prefrontal-amygdala connectivity in trait anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder: Testing the boundaries between healthy and pathological worries. J Affect Disord 2020; 267:211-219. [PMID: 32217221 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current brain-based theoretical models of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suggest a dysfunction of amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortex emotional regulatory mechanisms. These alterations might be reflected by an altered resting state functional connectivity between both areas and could extend to vulnerable non-clinical samples such as high worriers without a GAD diagnosis. However, there is a lack of information in this regard. METHODS We investigated differences in resting state functional connectivity between the basolateral amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (amygdala-vmPFC) in 28 unmedicated participants with GAD, 28 high-worriers and 28 low-worriers. We additionally explored selected clinical variables as predictors of amygdala-vmPFC connectivity, including anxiety sensitivity. RESULTS GAD participants presented higher left amygdala-vmPFC connectivity compared to both groups of non-GAD participants, and there were no differences between the latter two groups. In our exploratory analyses, concerns about the cognitive consequences of anxiety (the cognitive dimension of anxiety sensitivity) were found to be a significant predictor of the left amygdala-vmPFC connectivity. LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional nature of our study preclude us from assessing if functional connectivity measures and anxiety sensitivity scores entail an increased risk of GAD. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a neurobiological qualitative distinction at the level of the amygdala-vmPFC emotional-regulatory system in GAD compared to non-GAD participants, either high- or low-worriers. At this neural level, they question previous hypotheses of continuity between high worries and GAD development. Instead, other anxiety traits such as anxiety sensitivity might confer a greater proneness to the amygdala-vmPFC connectivity alterations observed in GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Porta-Casteràs
- Mental Health Department, Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional. Parc Taulí University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Sanitària Parc Taulí (I3PT), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M A Fullana
- Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clinic, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
| | - D Tinoco
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - I Martínez-Zalacaín
- Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital -IDIBELL, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Pujol
- MRI Research Unit,Hospital del Mar, CIBERSAM G21, Barcelona,Spain
| | - D J Palao
- Mental Health Department, Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional. Parc Taulí University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Sanitària Parc Taulí (I3PT), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - C Soriano-Mas
- Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital -IDIBELL, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B J Harrison
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - E Via
- Mental Health Department, Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional. Parc Taulí University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Sanitària Parc Taulí (I3PT), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Bellaterra, Spain; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research Group, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - N Cardoner
- Mental Health Department, Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional. Parc Taulí University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Sanitària Parc Taulí (I3PT), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, Carlos III Health Institute, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu J, Dong Q, Lu X, Sun J, Zhang L, Wang M, Liu B, Ju Y, Wan P, Guo H, Zhao F, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Li L. Influence of comorbid anxiety symptoms on cognitive deficits in patients with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2020; 260:91-96. [PMID: 31493645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with comorbid anxiety symptoms showed obvious cognitive deficits. However, it remains unclear whether comorbid anxiety symptoms will make a specific contribution to cognitive deficits in MDD. METHODS Executive function, processing speed, attention and memory were assessed in 162 MDD patients, and 142 healthy controls (HCs) by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) was used for anxiety symptoms and MDD patients with HAM-A total score >14 were classified into MDD with comorbid anxiety (MDDA) group. A multivariate analysis of covariance and regression models was conducted to evaluate the effects of anxiety symptoms on cognitive deficits. RESULTS There were no significantly differences in all 4 cognitive domains between MDD alone and MDDA patients (all p < 0.05). In MDDA subgroup, HAM-A total score contributed to executive function and memory (both p < 0.05), while HAM-A psychic symptoms contributed to all 4 domains (all p < 0.05). Moreover, after controlling for the severity of depression, either anxiety symptoms shown as HAMA total score or psychic anxiety symptoms only contributed significantly to the executive function performance. LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional design made it hard to acquire a cognitive performance trajectory accompanied by the fluctuations in anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that there is no significant difference in cognitive performance between MDD alone and MDDA patients. However, comorbid anxiety, especially psychic anxiety may contribute to extensive cognitive deficits in MDDA patients. Notably, anxiety symptoms only independently triggered executive dysfunction when eliminating effect of the severity of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Qiangli Dong
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Xiaowen Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Jinrong Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Mi Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Bangshan Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yumeng Ju
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Ping Wan
- Zhumadian Psychiatric Hospital, Zhumadian, Henan 463000, China
| | - Hua Guo
- Zhumadian Psychiatric Hospital, Zhumadian, Henan 463000, China
| | - Futao Zhao
- Zhumadian Psychiatric Hospital, Zhumadian, Henan 463000, China
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
| | - Lingjiang Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Mental Health Institute of Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Schanzer B, Rivas-Grajales AM, Khan A, Mathew SJ. Novel investigational therapeutics for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2019; 28:1003-1012. [DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2019.1680638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bella Schanzer
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ana Maria Rivas-Grajales
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Aamir Khan
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanjay J Mathew
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Mental Health Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kolesar TA, Bilevicius E, Wilson AD, Kornelsen J. Systematic review and meta-analyses of neural structural and functional differences in generalized anxiety disorder and healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 24:102016. [PMID: 31835287 PMCID: PMC6879983 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PFC-amygdala FC is altered in GAD, indicating top-down processing deficits. GAD had reduced activity for emotion regulation and working memory in the culmen. Salience, default, and central executive nodes have altered structure and function.
Objective To compare structure, functional connectivity (FC) and task-based neural differences in subjects with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods The Embase, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception until March 12, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Data were extracted from records directly contrasting GAD and HC that included structure (connectivity and local indices such as volume, etc.), FC, or task-based magnetic resonance imaging data. Meta-analyses were conducted, as applicable, using AES-SDM software. Results The literature search produced 4,645 total records, of which 85 met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Records included structural (n = 35), FC (n = 33), and task-based (n = 42) findings. Meta-analyses were conducted on voxel-based morphometry and task-based results. Discussion The systematic review confirms and extends findings from previous reviews. Although few whole-brain resting state studies were conducted, key nodes of resting state networks have altered physiology: the hippocampus (default network), ACC and amygdala (salience network), have reduced volume, and the dlPFC (central executive network) and ACC have reduced FC with the amygdala in GAD. Nodes in the sensorimotor network are also altered with greater pre- and postcentral volume, reduced supplementary motor area volume, and reduced FC in anterior and increased FC in posterior cerebellum. Conclusions Despite limitations due to sample size, the meta-analyses highly agree with the systematic review and provide evidence of widely distributed neural differences in subjects with GAD, compared to HC. Further research optimized for meta-analyses would greatly improve large-scale comparisons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany A Kolesar
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Elena Bilevicius
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Alyssia D Wilson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jennifer Kornelsen
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
McDowell CP, Dishman RK, Vancampfort D, Hallgren M, Stubbs B, MacDonncha C, Herring MP. Physical activity and generalized anxiety disorder: results from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Int J Epidemiol 2019; 47:1443-1453. [PMID: 29982489 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyy141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent and costly. Physical activity (PA) may protect against other mental health disorders, including depression, but its protective effect on GAD remains under-studied in the general population and unstudied among older adults. Therefore, the present study examines associations between meeting World Health Organization PA guidelines (i.e. ≥150 min of moderate PA, ≥75 min of vigorous PA or ≥600MET min of moderate and vigorous PA weekly) and the prevalence of probable GAD and incidence of GAD. Methods Participants (n = 3950; 56.2% female) aged ≥50 years completed the short-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the abbreviated Penn State Worry Questionnaire at baseline and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview - Short Form to clinically assess GAD 2 years later. Prospective analyses included participants without probable GAD at baseline (n = 3236). Results Prevalence and incidence of GAD were 18.1% (n = 714) and 0.9% (n = 29), respectively. More respondents with GAD were female (72.2% vs 52.7%), aged 50-59 years (51.7% vs 38.7%), had normal waist circumference (52.7% vs 47.8) and smoked (20.4% vs 13.3%; all P <0.05). Meeting PA guidelines was associated with 25% and 63% lower odds of prevalent [odds ratio (OR) = 0.75, 95% confidence interval: 0.64 to 0.88] and incident (OR = 0.37, 0.17 to 0.85) GAD, respectively, in crude models, and 17% and 57% lower odds of prevalent (OR = 0.83, 0.70 to 0.98) and incident (OR = 0.43, 0.19 to 0.99) GAD, respectively, following adjustment for age, sex, waist circumference, social class and smoking. Conclusions In addition to established physical health benefits of PA, the present findings support the importance of increasing PA at the population-level for mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cillian P McDowell
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Rodney K Dishman
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Davy Vancampfort
- KU Leuven Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuven-Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Mats Hallgren
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brendon Stubbs
- Physiotherapy Department, South Long and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Health Service and Population Research Department, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ciaran MacDonncha
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Matthew P Herring
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Madonna D, Delvecchio G, Soares JC, Brambilla P. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies in generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 41:336-362. [PMID: 31116259 PMCID: PMC6804309 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2018-0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Brain imaging studies carried out in patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have contributed to better characterize the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disorder. The present study reviews the available functional and structural brain imaging evidence on GAD, and suggests further strategies for investigations in this field. METHODS A systematic literature review was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, aiming to identify original research evaluating GAD patients with the use of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging as well as diffusion tensor imaging. RESULTS The available studies have shown impairments in ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, posterior parietal regions, and amygdala in both pediatric and adult GAD patients, mostly in the right hemisphere. However, the literature is often tentative, given that most studies have employed small samples and included patients with comorbidities or in current use of various medications. Finally, different methodological aspects, such as the type of imaging equipment used, also complicate the generalizability of the findings. CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal neuroimaging studies with larger samples of both juvenile and adult GAD patients, as well as at risk individuals and unaffected relatives, should be carried out in order to shed light on the specific biological signature of GAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Madonna
- Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Universitá di Milano, Milano, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Salute Mentale, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delvecchio
- Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Universitá di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Jair C Soares
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Salute Mentale, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Price RB, Cummings L, Gilchrist D, Graur S, Banihashemi L, Kuo SS, Siegle GJ. Towards personalized, brain-based behavioral intervention for transdiagnostic anxiety: Transient neural responses to negative images predict outcomes following a targeted computer-based intervention. J Consult Clin Psychol 2019; 86:1031-1045. [PMID: 30507228 DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical anxiety is prevalent, highly comorbid with other conditions, and associated with significant medical morbidity, disability, and public health burden. Excessive attentional deployment toward threat is a transdiagnostic dimension of anxiety seen at both initial and sustained stages of threat processing. However, group-level observations of these phenomena mask considerable within-group heterogeneity that has been linked to treatment outcomes, suggesting that a transdiagnostic, individual differences approach may capture critical, clinically relevant information. METHOD Seventy clinically anxious individuals were randomized to receive 8 sessions of attention bias modification (ABM; n = 41 included in analysis), a computer-based mechanistic intervention that specifically targets initial stages of threat processing, or a sham control (n = 21). Participants completed a mixed block/event-related functional MRI task optimized to discriminate transient from sustained neural responses to threat. RESULTS Larger transient responses across a wide range of cognitive-affective regions (e.g., ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala) predicted better clinical outcomes following ABM, in both a priori anatomical regions and whole-brain analyses; sustained responses did not. A spatial pattern recognition algorithm using transient threat responses successfully discriminated the top quartile of ABM responders with 68% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Neural alterations occurring on the relatively transient timescale that is specifically targeted by ABM predict favorable clinical outcomes. Results inform how to expand on the initial promise of neurocognitive treatments like ABM by fine-tuning their clinical indications (e.g., through personalized mechanistic intervention relevant across diagnoses) and by increasing the range of mechanisms that can be targeted (e.g., through synergistic treatment combinations and/or novel neurocognitive training protocols designed to tackle identified predictors of nonresponse). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Logan Cummings
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University
| | | | - Simona Graur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
| | | | - Susan S Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Greg J Siegle
- Deparments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ottaviani C. Brain-heart interaction in perseverative cognition. Psychophysiology 2018; 55:e13082. [PMID: 29607505 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The move from the concept of homeostasis to that of allostasis has led reactivity stress research to widen the object of its investigation: from the brief physiological response that occurs when one is facing a stressor to what happens when one is anticipating or recovering from a stressor. A paradigmatic example is represented by perseverative cognition, during which human beings react "as if" they were constantly facing a concrete stressor. The core idea behind this review is that the cognitive inflexibility that characterizes perseverative cognition is reflected in both our body (by increased autonomic nervous system rigidity assessed by heart rate variability; HRV) and our brain (by reduced prefrontal-amygdala functional connectivity). This is a review of studies conducted in different settings (laboratory, daily life), populations (healthy, major depression, generalized anxiety), location (United States, Europe), and age groups (children, adults) that consistently replicated the association between autonomic, subjective, and behavioral measures of cognitive inflexibility during perseverative cognition. Moreover, compelling neuroimaging data suggest that HRV reduction from pre- to post-induction of perseverative cognition is associated with both structural and functional brain abnormalities reflecting impaired prefrontal inhibitory control over subcortical structures (e.g., diminished prefrontal-amygdala functional connectivity). The integration of neuroscience techniques with clinical autonomic research has advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of brain-heart interaction during perseverative cognition, potentially yielding to more effective treatment packages. This is clinically relevant if one considers that perseverative cognition is a pervasive transdiagnostic factor that carries prognostic risk for both psychological and somatic health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Ottaviani
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fonzo GA, Etkin A. Affective neuroimaging in generalized anxiety disorder: an integrated review. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2018. [PMID: 28867941 PMCID: PMC5573561 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2017.19.2/gfonzo] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Affective neuroimaging has contributed to our knowledge of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) through measurement of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses, which facilitate inference on neural responses to emotional stimuli during task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this article, the authors provide an integrated review of the task-based affective fMRI literature in GAD. Studies provide evidence for variable presence and directionality of BOLD abnormalities in limbic and prefrontal regions during reactivity to, regulation of, and learning from emotional cues. We conclude that understanding the sources of this variability is key to accelerating progress in this area. We propose that the cardinal symptom of GAD—worry—predominantly reflects stimulus-independent mental processes that impose abnormal, inflexible functional brain configurations, ie, the overall pattern of information transfer among behaviorally relevant neural circuits at a given point in time. These configurations that are inflexible to change from the incoming flux of environmental stimuli may underlie inconsistent task-based findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A Fonzo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System and the Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Amit Etkin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System and the Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Anderzhanova E, Kirmeier T, Wotjak CT. Animal models in psychiatric research: The RDoC system as a new framework for endophenotype-oriented translational neuroscience. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 7:47-56. [PMID: 28377991 PMCID: PMC5377486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The recently proposed Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) system defines psychopathologies as phenomena of multilevel neurobiological existence and assigns them to 5 behavioural domains characterizing a brain in action. We performed an analysis on this contemporary concept of psychopathologies in respect to a brain phylogeny and biological substrates of psychiatric diseases. We found that the RDoC system uses biological determinism to explain the pathogenesis of distinct psychiatric symptoms and emphasises exploration of endophenotypes but not of complex diseases. Therefore, as a possible framework for experimental studies it allows one to evade a major challenge of translational studies of strict disease-to-model correspondence. The system conforms with the concept of a normality and pathology continuum, therefore, supports basic studies. The units of analysis of the RDoC system appear as a novel matrix for model validation. The general regulation and arousal, positive valence, negative valence, and social interactions behavioural domains of the RDoC system show basic construct, network, and phenomenological homologies between human and experimental animals. The nature and complexity of the cognitive behavioural domain of the RDoC system deserve further clarification. These homologies in the 4 domains justifies the validity, reliably and translatability of animal models appearing as endophenotypes of the negative and positive affect, social interaction and general regulation and arousal systems’ dysfunction. The RDoC system encourages endophenotype-oriented experimental studies in human and animals. The system conforms with the normality-pathology continuum concept. The RDoC system appears to be a suitable framework for basic research. Four RDoC domains show construct and phenomenological homology in human and animals. Endophenotype-based models of affective psychopathologies appear most reliable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Anderzhanova
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany; FSBI "Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology", Baltiyskaya street, 8, 125315, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Caldirola D, Teggi R, Daccò S, Sangiorgio E, Bussi M, Perna G. Role of worry in patients with chronic tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss: a preliminary study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2016; 273:4145-4151. [DOI: 10.1007/s00405-016-4100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
|
20
|
Price RB, Eldreth DA, Mohlman J. Deficient prefrontal attentional control in late-life generalized anxiety disorder: an fMRI investigation. Transl Psychiatry 2011; 1:e46. [PMID: 22833192 PMCID: PMC3309492 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2011.46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Younger adults with anxiety disorders are known to show an attentional bias toward negative information. Little is known regarding the role of biased attention in anxious older adults, and even less is known about the neural substrates of any such bias. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess the mechanisms of attentional bias in late life by contrasting predictions of a top-down model emphasizing deficient prefrontal cortex (PFC) control and a bottom-up model emphasizing amygdalar hyperreactivity. In all, 16 older generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients (mean age=66 years) and 12 non-anxious controls (NACs; mean age=67 years) completed the emotional Stroop task to assess selective attention to negative words. Task-related fMRI data were concurrently acquired. Consistent with hypotheses, GAD participants were slower to identify the color of negative words relative to neutral, whereas NACs showed the opposite bias, responding more quickly to negative words. During negative words (in comparison with neutral), the NAC group showed PFC activations, coupled with deactivation of task-irrelevant emotional processing regions such as the amygdala and hippocampus. By contrast, GAD participants showed PFC decreases during negative words and no differences in amygdalar activity across word types. Across all participants, greater attentional bias toward negative words was correlated with decreased PFC recruitment. A significant positive correlation between attentional bias and amygdala activation was also present, but this relationship was mediated by PFC activity. These results are consistent with reduced prefrontal attentional control in late-life GAD. Strategies to enhance top-down attentional control may be particularly relevant in late-life GAD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R B Price
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| | - D A Eldreth
- Research Triangle Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - J Mohlman
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|