An Amygdala-centered Effective Connectivity Network in Trait Anxiety

Overview

Journal Brain Imaging Behav

Publisher Springer

Specialties Neurology
Psychology
Radiology
Social Sciences

Date 2023 Dec 11

PMID 38078980

Authors

Jingjing Chang

Xin Liu

Song Xue

Jiang Qiu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Previous studies have established that the amygdala plays an important role in trait anxiety. However, there remains limited knowledge regarding the changes in amygdala-centered effective connectivity network associated with this trait. The current study employed the Granger Causal analysis to investigate the directional connectivity patterns involving the amygdala in relation to trait anxiety in a large cohort of young adults (N = 424). The results revealed a negative association between trait anxiety scores and the Granger causality from the left middle frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus to the right amygdala. Conversely, higher trait anxiety levels were found to be associated with increased effective connectivity from the left amygdala to the left hippocampus. These results demonstrated the significance of the prefrontal cortex-amygdala-hippocampus neural circuitry in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying trait anxiety. Our findings advance the comprehension of this characteristic, holding promise for informing strategies in the prevention and treatment of related mental disorders.

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