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Corticolimbic functional connectivity in adolescents with bipolar disorder
Fei Wang1, Laurel Bobrow, Jie Liu
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Plos One
|November 28, 2012
Summary
Bipolar disorder (BD) in adolescents shows reduced functional connectivity between the amygdala and key brain regions involved in emotional regulation. These amygdala-anterior paralimbic connectivity issues appear to be early indicators of BD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with corticolimbic neural system dysfunction in adults and adolescents.
- Abnormalities are noted in the amygdala and anterior paralimbic cortical regions.
- Previous studies in adults with BD indicate impaired functional connectivity between the amygdala and anterior paralimbic regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if functional connectivity abnormalities between the amygdala and anterior paralimbic regions are present in adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD).
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess functional connectivity.
- Fifty-seven adolescents (21 with BD, 36 healthy controls) processed emotional face stimuli.
- Connectivity strength from the amygdala to anterior paralimbic cortical regions was compared between groups.
Main Results:
- Adolescents with BD exhibited decreased functional connectivity compared to healthy controls.
- This reduction was observed in the ventral anterior cingulate (VACC), orbitofrontal, insular, and temporopolar cortices during emotional face processing.
- Specific findings in orbitofrontal cortex, VACC, and right insula survived correction for multiple comparisons.
Conclusions:
- Decreased functional connectivity between the amygdala and anterior paralimbic cortices is evident in adolescents with BD.
- These connectivity abnormalities represent early features of bipolar disorder, emerging by adolescence.
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