Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
13:08
Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
Amygdalofrontal functional disconnectivity and aggression in schizophrenia
Matthew J Hoptman1, Debra D'Angelo, Dean Catalano
1Division of Clinical Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA. Hoptman@nki.rfmh.org
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|April 2, 2009
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show reduced functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC). This compromised amygdala-vPFC connectivity is linked to increased aggression in individuals with schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Schizophrenia often involves dorsal prefrontal cortex abnormalities.
- Ventral prefrontal and limbic regions are implicated in social cognition and aggression in schizophrenia.
- Previous research linked reduced white matter integrity to aggression in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate amygdala/ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) functional connectivity (FC) in schizophrenia.
- To examine the relationship between amygdala/vPFC FC and aggression in patients with schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Functional connectivity (FC) analysis focused on amygdala seed regions.
- Twenty-one healthy controls and 25 schizophrenia patients were included.
Main Results:
- Patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly reduced functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC).
- In patients, lower amygdala/vPFC FC strength correlated with higher self-rated aggression.
- This association between reduced FC and aggression was consistent across multiple aggression measures.
Conclusions:
- Amygdala/ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) functional connectivity (FC) is compromised in schizophrenia.
- Reduced amygdala/vPFC FC is associated with increased aggression in schizophrenia patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
01:30Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder that can manifest with various positive symptoms, including thought, movement, and behavior disorders. These symptoms significantly disrupt cognitive and motor functions, leading to profound effects on an individual's ability to engage with the world.
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
01:30Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
01:47Aggression
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for hire...