Increased amygdala response to masked emotional faces in XXXX subjects resolves with antidepressant treatment: an fMRI study.

@entity1 @entity308
BACKGROUND: The amygdala has a central role in processing emotions, particularly fear. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) amygdala activation has been demonstrated outside of conscious awareness using masked emotional faces. METHODS: We applied the masked faces paradigm to @entity1 with @entity308 (n = 11) and matched control subjects (n = 11) during fMRI to compare amygdala activation in response to masked emotional faces before and after antidepressant treatment. Data were analyzed using left and right amygdala a priori regions of interest, in an analysis of variance block analysis and random effects model. RESULTS: @entity308 @entity1 had exaggerated left amygdala activation to all faces, greater for fearful faces. Right amygdala did not differ from control subjects. Following treatment, @entity1 had bilateral reduced amygdala activation to masked fearful faces and bilateral reduced amygdala activation to all faces. Control subjects had no differences between the two scanning sessions. CONCLUSIONS: @entity308 @entity1 have left amygdala hyperarousal, even when processing stimuli outside conscious awareness. Increased amygdala activation normalizes with antidepressant treatment.
