On a continuum to anxiety disorders: Adolescents at parental risk for anxiety show smaller rostral anterior cingulate cortex and insula thickness.
Anxiety
FreeSurfer
Parental anxiety disorder
Youths
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 04 2019
01 04 2019
Historique:
received:
15
11
2018
revised:
03
01
2019
accepted:
19
01
2019
pubmed:
4
2
2019
medline:
16
4
2019
entrez:
4
2
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Having a parent with an anxiety disorder increases the risk of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders during the lifespan. Moreover, childhood and adolescence anxiety disorders and symptoms have been linked to a range of brain structure abnormalities. However, to date, no study has investigated brain anatomy in adolescents at high risk based on parental anxiety disorders and in adolescents with an anxiety disorder but without any treatment or therapy. Anatomical images from magnetic resonance imaging of 68 adolescents with anxiety disorders without any treatment (N = 20), at risk for anxiety because of their parents' anxiety disorders (N = 21), and comparison youths (N = 27), were analyzed using Freesurfer. Compared to comparison group, smaller cortical thickness of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and of the insula was observed in anxious and at-risk groups; smaller amygdala volume was observed in the anxious group only. The age range studied is large (10 to 17 years old). Moreover, this study is cross-sectional. Since adolescence is one of the biggest periods of cerebral reorganization, longitudinal follow-up of these youths would be necessary. Smaller rostral anterior cingulate cortex and insula cortical thickness appear to be cerebral markers of the risk of developing an anxiety disorder in adolescence. The reduction of the amygdala volume seems to be linked to the onset of the disorder.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Having a parent with an anxiety disorder increases the risk of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders during the lifespan. Moreover, childhood and adolescence anxiety disorders and symptoms have been linked to a range of brain structure abnormalities. However, to date, no study has investigated brain anatomy in adolescents at high risk based on parental anxiety disorders and in adolescents with an anxiety disorder but without any treatment or therapy.
METHODS
Anatomical images from magnetic resonance imaging of 68 adolescents with anxiety disorders without any treatment (N = 20), at risk for anxiety because of their parents' anxiety disorders (N = 21), and comparison youths (N = 27), were analyzed using Freesurfer.
RESULTS
Compared to comparison group, smaller cortical thickness of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and of the insula was observed in anxious and at-risk groups; smaller amygdala volume was observed in the anxious group only.
LIMITATIONS
The age range studied is large (10 to 17 years old). Moreover, this study is cross-sectional. Since adolescence is one of the biggest periods of cerebral reorganization, longitudinal follow-up of these youths would be necessary.
CONCLUSIONS
Smaller rostral anterior cingulate cortex and insula cortical thickness appear to be cerebral markers of the risk of developing an anxiety disorder in adolescence. The reduction of the amygdala volume seems to be linked to the onset of the disorder.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30711867
pii: S0165-0327(18)32911-2
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.01.028
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
34-41Subventions
Organisme : CIHR
ID : MOP-97983
Pays : Canada
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.