David Clewett1, Shelby Bachman2, Mara Mather1. 1. Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California. 2. Neuroscience Undergraduate Program, University of Southern California.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: A current neuroanatomical model of anxiety posits that greater structural connectivity between the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) facilitates regulatory control over the amygdala and helps reduce anxiety. However, some neuroimaging studies have reported contradictory findings, demonstrating a positive rather than negative association between trait anxiety and amygdala-vPFC white matter integrity. To help reconcile these findings, we tested the regulatory hypothesis of anxiety circuitry using aging as a model of white matter decline in the amygdala-vPFC pathway. METHODS: We used probabilistic tractography to trace connections between the amygdala and vPFC in 21 younger, 18 middle-aged, and 15 healthy older adults. The resulting tract estimates were used to extract 3 indices of white-matter integrity: fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). The relationship between these amygdala-vPFC structural connectivity measures and age and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores were assessed. RESULTS: The tractography results revealed age-related decline in the FA (p = .005) and radial diffusivity (p = .002) of the amygdala-vPFC pathway. Contrary to the regulatory hypothesis, we found a positive rather than negative association between trait anxiety and right amygdala-vPFC FA (p = .01). CONCLUSION: These findings argue against the notion that greater amygdala-vPFC structural integrity facilitates better anxiety outcomes in healthy adults. Instead, our results suggest that white matter degeneration in this network relates to lower anxiety in older adults.
OBJECTIVE: A current neuroanatomical model of anxiety posits that greater structural connectivity between the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) facilitates regulatory control over the amygdala and helps reduce anxiety. However, some neuroimaging studies have reported contradictory findings, demonstrating a positive rather than negative association between trait anxiety and amygdala-vPFC white matter integrity. To help reconcile these findings, we tested the regulatory hypothesis of anxiety circuitry using aging as a model of white matter decline in the amygdala-vPFC pathway. METHODS: We used probabilistic tractography to trace connections between the amygdala and vPFC in 21 younger, 18 middle-aged, and 15 healthy older adults. The resulting tract estimates were used to extract 3 indices of white-matter integrity: fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). The relationship between these amygdala-vPFC structural connectivity measures and age and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores were assessed. RESULTS: The tractography results revealed age-related decline in the FA (p = .005) and radial diffusivity (p = .002) of the amygdala-vPFC pathway. Contrary to the regulatory hypothesis, we found a positive rather than negative association between trait anxiety and right amygdala-vPFC FA (p = .01). CONCLUSION: These findings argue against the notion that greater amygdala-vPFC structural integrity facilitates better anxiety outcomes in healthy adults. Instead, our results suggest that white matter degeneration in this network relates to lower anxiety in older adults.
Authors: Paula L Croxson; Heidi Johansen-Berg; Timothy E J Behrens; Matthew D Robson; Mark A Pinsk; Charles G Gross; Wolfgang Richter; Marlene C Richter; Sabine Kastner; Matthew F S Rushworth Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2005-09-28 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Nikolai Malykhin; Sana Vahidy; Stijn Michielse; Nick Coupland; Richard Camicioli; Peter Seres; Rawle Carter Journal: Brain Struct Funct Date: 2011-05-11 Impact factor: 3.270
Authors: Tali Manber Ball; Sarah Sullivan; Taru Flagan; Carla A Hitchcock; Alan Simmons; Martin P Paulus; Murray B Stein Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2011-09-02 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Walker S Pedersen; Douglas C Dean; Nagesh Adluru; Lauren K Gresham; Seungbeum D Lee; Michael P Kelly; Jeanette A Mumford; Richard J Davidson; Stacey M Schaefer Journal: Emotion Date: 2021-09-30
Authors: M Justin Kim; Annemarie C Brown; Alison M Mattek; Samantha J Chavez; James M Taylor; Amy L Palmer; Yu-Chien Wu; Paul J Whalen Journal: Front Syst Neurosci Date: 2016-11-16