Anterior cingulate cortex volume reduction in patients with panic disorder

Object. The goal of this study was to test hypotheses regarding changes in volume in subcortical structures following anterior cingulotomy.Methods. Morphometric magnetic resonance (MR) imaging methods were used to assess volume reductions in subcortical regions following anterior cingulate lesioning in nine patients. Magnetic resonance imaging data obtained before and 9 ± 6 months following anterior cingulotomy were subjected to segmentation and subcortical parcellation.Significant volume reductions were predicted and found bilaterally within the caudate nucleus, but not in the amygdala, thalamus, lenticular nuclei, or hippocampus. Subcortical parcellation revealed that the volume reduction in the caudate nucleus was principally referrable to the body, rather than the head. Furthermore, the magnitude of volume reduction in the caudate body was significantly correlated with total lesion volume.Conclusions. Taken together, these findings implicate significant connectivity between a region of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) lesioned during cingulotomy and the caudate body. This unique data set complements published findings in nonhuman primates, and advances our knowledge regarding patterns of cortical—subcortical connectivity involving the ACC in humans. Moreover, these findings indicate changes distant from the site of anterior cingulotomy lesions that may play a role in the clinical response to this neurosurgical procedure.

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Decreased GABA levels in anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex in panic disorder

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.pnpbp.2013.01.020 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 131-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Zaiyang Long ◽

Carla Medlock ◽

Mario Dzemidzic ◽

Yong-Wook Shin ◽

Andrew W. Goddard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Panic Disorder ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Anterior Cingulate

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PTSD REMISSION AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TREATMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX THINNING AND VOLUME REDUCTION

Depression and Anxiety ◽

10.1002/da.22471 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (5) ◽

pp. 384-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Liat Helpman ◽

Santiago Papini ◽

Binod T. Chhetry ◽

Erel Shvil ◽

Mikael Rubin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Prolonged Exposure ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Volume Reduction ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Exposure Treatment

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Damage to the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex induces panic disorder

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2011.04.029 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 133 (3) ◽

pp. 569-572 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Nobusada Shinoura ◽

Ryozi Yamada ◽

Yusuke Tabei ◽

Ryohei Otani ◽

Chihiro Itoi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Panic Disorder ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

The Right

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Emotional processing in panic disorder and its subtypes: An fMRI study using the emotional faces paradigm

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1336 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S372-S372

Author(s):

T. Pattyn ◽

L. Schmaal ◽

V.D.E. Filip ◽

P. Brenda ◽

S. Bernard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Panic Disorder ◽

Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Emotional Processing ◽

Cingulate Cortex ◽

Fusiform Gyrus ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Emotional Facial Expressions ◽

Emotional Faces ◽

Subgroup Versus

IntroductionThe literature on the neurobiology of emotional processing in panic disorder (PD) remains inconsistent. Clinical heterogeneity could be causing this.ObjectiveTo investigate differences in brain activity between PD and healthy controls using the emotional faces fMRI paradigm.AimsTo elucidate neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotional processing in PD and previously identified subtypes (Pattyn et al., 2015).MethodsThe main analysis compared the neural processing of different emotional facial expressions from a large group of PD patients (n = 73) versus healthy controls (n = 58) originating from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). A second analysis divided the PD group into the three previously identified subgroups: a cognitive-autonomic (n = 22), an autonomic (n = 16) and an aspecific subgroup (n = 35). The fusiform gyrus, the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula were used in a ROI approach.ResultsComparing PD patients with healthy controls, a decreased activity on angry faces was observed in the left fusiform gyrus. The subgroup analysis showed more activity in the anterior cingulate cortex on neutral faces in the cognitive-autonomic subgroup versus the autonomic subgroup and a decreased activity in the left fusiform gyrus on angry faces compared to the aspecific subgroup. Less activity was observed in the right insula on neutral faces in the autonomic subgroup versus the aspecific subgroup.ConclusionReduced activity in the left fusiform gyrus was differentiating panic disorder patients from healthy controls. In accordance with clinical subtyping, between-subtype differences are an indication that a phenomenological approach could provide more insight in underlying neurobiological mechanisms in emotional processing in PD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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