The Amygdala As a Target for Behavior Surgery

Overview

Journal Surg Neurol Int

Specialty Neurology

Date 2012 Jul 25

PMID 22826810

Citations 16

Authors

Jean-Philippe Langevin

Affiliations

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Abstract

The amygdala was a popular target during the era of psychosurgery, specifically for the treatment of intractable aggression. This mesiotemporal structure was thought to primarily mediate fear and anger. However, recent evidence suggests that the amygdala is part of a complex network that mediates the formation of a larger repertoire of positive and negative emotions. Dysfunctions within the network or the amygdala itself can lead to various mental illnesses. In those cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) applied focally may treat the symptoms. This review presents data supporting the potential therapeutic role of DBS of the amygdala in the treatment of anxiety disorders, addiction, and mood disorders. The success of DBS for psychiatric conditions will likely depend on our ability to precisely determine the optimal target for a specific case.

Citing Articles

The amygdala as a therapeutic target for aggressive and disruptive behaviors: a systematic review.

Salcedo-Moreno J, Peralta-Pizza F, Velez-Jimenez P, Arteaga-Ortiz D, Villegas-Trujillo L, Escobar-Vidarte O Braz J Psychiatry. 2024; 46:e20243582.

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Effectiveness of deep brain stimulation on refractory aggression in pediatric patients with autism and severe intellectual disability: meta-analytic review.

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Role of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in addiction disorders.

Iqbal J, Mansour M, Abdus Saboor H, Suyambu J, Lak M, Zeeshan M Surg Neurol Int. 2024; 14:434.

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Innovative perspectives in limbic surgery using deep brain stimulation.

Carrillo-Ruiz J, Carrillo-Marquez J, Beltran J, Jimenez-Ponce F, Garcia-Munoz L, Navarro-Olvera J Front Neurosci. 2023; 17:1167244.

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Connectivity-based parcellation of the amygdala and identification of its main white matter connections.

Avecillas-Chasin J, Levinson S, Kuhn T, Omidbeigi M, Langevin J, Pouratian N Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):1305.

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