Linlin Fan1, Hans Klein1, Emily Bass1, Cassi Springfield1, Amy Pinkham2. 1. School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA. 2. School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: amy.pinkham@utdallas.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Paranoia significantly contributes to social impairments across clinical diagnoses, and amygdala dysfunction has been identified as a neurobiological marker of paranoia among individuals with schizophrenia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate amygdala functional connectivity (FC) in paranoia across diagnoses. METHODS: Forty-five patients with recent history of clinically significant paranoid ideation and a current DSM-5 diagnosis of any disorder underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging either in a paranoid (N = 23) or non-paranoid (N = 22) state. Amygdala FC were compared between paranoid and non-paranoid patients. Supplemental correlation analyses between amygdala FC and paranoia score were performed separately in patients and a non-equivalent healthy control (HC; N = 60) group. RESULTS: Increased FC was found between right amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) [bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate, medial frontal gyrus, the triangular part and the opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG); right orbital part of IFG], the frontal cortex (bilateral median cingulate, left precentral gyrus), and subcortical areas (right insula) in the paranoid group compared with the non-paranoid group. No significant between-group differences were observed in left amygdala FC. FC between right amygdala and PFC and frontal cortex was positively correlated with paranoia in patient and HC groups. CONCLUSION: Paranoia is associated with right amygdala hyperconnectivity with PFC, frontal cortex, and insula. This hyperconnectivity was evident regardless of diagnosis and therefore identify a likely transdiagnostic neural mechanism, which may help to identify treatment targets that could potentially improve the social functioning of individuals with clinical diagnoses.
BACKGROUND: Paranoia significantly contributes to social impairments across clinical diagnoses, and amygdala dysfunction has been identified as a neurobiological marker of paranoia among individuals with schizophrenia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate amygdala functional connectivity (FC) in paranoia across diagnoses. METHODS: Forty-five patients with recent history of clinically significant paranoid ideation and a current DSM-5 diagnosis of any disorder underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging either in a paranoid (N = 23) or non-paranoid (N = 22) state. Amygdala FC were compared between paranoid and non-paranoid patients. Supplemental correlation analyses between amygdala FC and paranoia score were performed separately in patients and a non-equivalent healthy control (HC; N = 60) group. RESULTS: Increased FC was found between right amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) [bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate, medial frontal gyrus, the triangular part and the opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG); right orbital part of IFG], the frontal cortex (bilateral median cingulate, left precentral gyrus), and subcortical areas (right insula) in the paranoid group compared with the non-paranoid group. No significant between-group differences were observed in left amygdala FC. FC between right amygdala and PFC and frontal cortex was positively correlated with paranoia in patient and HC groups. CONCLUSION: Paranoia is associated with right amygdala hyperconnectivity with PFC, frontal cortex, and insula. This hyperconnectivity was evident regardless of diagnosis and therefore identify a likely transdiagnostic neural mechanism, which may help to identify treatment targets that could potentially improve the social functioning of individuals with clinical diagnoses.
Authors: Dwight Dickinson; Danielle N Pratt; Evan J Giangrande; MeiLin Grunnagle; Jennifer Orel; Daniel R Weinberger; Joseph H Callicott; Karen F Berman Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2018-01-13 Impact factor: 9.306
Authors: Jennifer D Townsend; Salvatore J Torrisi; Matthew D Lieberman; Catherine A Sugar; Susan Y Bookheimer; Lori L Altshuler Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2012-08-01 Impact factor: 13.382