Reduced amygdalar and hippocampal size in adults with generalized social phobia
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Structural and functional brain imaging studies suggest abnormalities of the amygdala and hippocampus in posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. However, structural brain imaging studies in social phobia are lacking. METHODS: In total, 24 patients with generalized social phobia (GSP) and 24 healthy controls underwent 3-dimensional structural magnetic resonance imaging of the amygdala and hippocampus and a clinical investigation. RESULTS: Compared with controls, GSP patients had significantly reduced amygdalar (13%) and hippocampal (8%) size. The reduction in the size of the amygdala was statistically significant for men but not women. Smaller right-sided hippocampal volumes of GSP patients were significantly related to stronger disorder severity. LIMITATIONS: Our sample included only patients with the generalized subtype of social phobia. Because we excluded patients with comorbid depression, our sample may not be representative. CONCLUSION: We report for the first time volumetric results in patients with GSP. Future assessment of these patients will clarify whether these changes are reversed after successful treatment and whether they predict treatment response.
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The neural systems implicated in anxiety by rodent studies are consistent with those identified in human patients.
“This contrast notwithstanding, the neural systems implicated in anxiety by rodent studies are consistent with those identified in human patients26-34, underscoring the utility and translatability of these rodent studies.”
From Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety (2015) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Irle, E., Ruhleder, M., Lange, C., Seidler-Brandler, U., Salzer, S., Dechent, P., Weniger, G., Leibing, E., & Leichsenring, F.
- Affiliations
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (DE)
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2010-03
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 126-131
- ISSN
- 1180-4882 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2834794
- OpenAlex
- W2031889293
- Cited by
- 148
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 11.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- GoeScholar The Publication Server of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- GRO (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
- Funders
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01GV0607)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- generalized social phobia, amygdala volume, hippocampal volume, structural brain abnormalities, sex differences, disorder severity, right hippocampus, treatment response prediction
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Brain, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Size, Personality Disorders, Phobic Disorders, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Severity of Illness Index, Sex Characteristics, Comorbidity, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Young Adult
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