Alterations in amygdala functional connectivity reflect early temperament.
Behavioral inhibition (BI) is a temperament identified early in life that is associated with increased risk for anxiety disorders. Amygdala hyperresponsivity, found both in behaviorally inhibited and anxious individuals, suggests that amygdala dysfunction may represent a marker of anxiety risk. However, broader amygdala networks have not been examined in individuals with a history of childhood BI. This study uses resting state fMRI to assess amygdala intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) in 38 healthy young adults (19 with a history of BI, 19 with no history of BI) selected from a longitudinal study. Centromedial, basolateral, and superficial amygdala iFCs were compared between groups and examined in relation to self-report measures of anxiety. Group differences were observed in amygdala iFC with prefrontal cortex, striatum, anterior insula, and cerebellum. Adults characterized with BI in childhood endorsed greater state anxiety prior to entering the scanner, which was associated with several of the group differences. Findings support enduring effects of BI on amygdala circuitry, even in the absence of current psychopathology.
['Roy|Amy Krain|AK|', 'Benson|Brenda E|BE|', 'Degnan|Kathryn A|KA|', 'Perez-Edgar|Koraly|K|', 'Pine|Daniel S|DS|', 'Fox|Nathan A|NA|', 'Ernst|Monique|M|']
D000293:Adolescent D000679:Amygdala D001007:Anxiety D002531:Cerebellum D002540:Cerebral Cortex D003342:Corpus Striatum D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007266:Inhibition, Psychological D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D008297:Male D009415:Nerve Net D013694:Temperament D055815:Young Adult
Amygdala Functional connectivity Temperament Behavioral inhibition Anxiety fMRI