BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of specific phobia (SP), its neural substrates remain undetermined. Although an initial series of functional neuroimaging studies have implicated paralimbic and sensory cortical regions in the pathophysiology of SP, to date contemporary morphometric neuroimaging methods have not been applied to test specific hypotheses regarding structural abnormalities. METHODS: Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods were used to measure regional cortical thickness in 10 subjects with SP (animal type) and 20 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. RESULTS: Consistent with a priori hypotheses, between-group differences in cortical thickness were found within paralimbic and sensory cortical regions. Specifically, in comparison with the HC group, the SP group exhibited increased cortical thickness in bilateral insular, bilateral pregenual anterior cingulate, and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex as well as left visual cortical regions. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these structural findings parallel results from initial functional imaging studies that implicate paralimbic and sensory cortical regions in the mediating anatomy of SP symptoms. Further research will be necessary to replicate these findings and to determine their specificity as well as their pathophysiologic significance.
BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of specific phobia (SP), its neural substrates remain undetermined. Although an initial series of functional neuroimaging studies have implicated paralimbic and sensory cortical regions in the pathophysiology of SP, to date contemporary morphometric neuroimaging methods have not been applied to test specific hypotheses regarding structural abnormalities. METHODS: Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods were used to measure regional cortical thickness in 10 subjects with SP (animal type) and 20 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. RESULTS: Consistent with a priori hypotheses, between-group differences in cortical thickness were found within paralimbic and sensory cortical regions. Specifically, in comparison with the HC group, the SP group exhibited increased cortical thickness in bilateral insular, bilateral pregenual anterior cingulate, and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex as well as left visual cortical regions. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these structural findings parallel results from initial functional imaging studies that implicate paralimbic and sensory cortical regions in the mediating anatomy of SP symptoms. Further research will be necessary to replicate these findings and to determine their specificity as well as their pathophysiologic significance.
Authors: Marie Schaer; Meritxell Bach Cuadra; Nick Schmansky; Bruce Fischl; Jean-Philippe Thiran; Stephan Eliez Journal: J Vis Exp Date: 2012-01-02 Impact factor: 1.355
Authors: Sara W Lazar; Catherine E Kerr; Rachel H Wasserman; Jeremy R Gray; Douglas N Greve; Michael T Treadway; Metta McGarvey; Brian T Quinn; Jeffery A Dusek; Herbert Benson; Scott L Rauch; Christopher I Moore; Bruce Fischl Journal: Neuroreport Date: 2005-11-28 Impact factor: 1.837
Authors: Mohammed R Milad; Brian T Quinn; Roger K Pitman; Scott P Orr; Bruce Fischl; Scott L Rauch Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2005-07-15 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: In Kyoon Lyoo; Sujung Yoon; Perry F Renshaw; Jaeuk Hwang; Sujin Bae; Gail Musen; Jieun E Kim; Nicolas Bolo; Hyeonseok S Jeong; Donald C Simonson; Sun Hea Lee; Katie Weinger; Jiyoung J Jung; Christopher M Ryan; Yera Choi; Alan M Jacobson Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-08-23 Impact factor: 3.240