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. 2012 Jan 4:13:4.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2202-13-4.

Volumetric associations between uncinate fasciculus, amygdala, and trait anxiety

Volker Baur  1 , Jürgen Hänggi, Lutz Jäncke
Affiliations

Volumetric associations between uncinate fasciculus, amygdala, and trait anxiety

Volker Baur et al. BMC Neurosci. .

Abstract

Background: Recent investigations of white matter (WM) connectivity suggest an important role of the uncinate fasciculus (UF), connecting anterior temporal areas including the amygdala with prefrontal-/orbitofrontal cortices, for anxiety-related processes. Volume of the UF, however, has rarely been investigated, but may be an important measure of structural connectivity underlying limbic neuronal circuits associated with anxiety. Since UF volumetric measures are newly applied measures, it is necessary to cross-validate them using further neural and behavioral indicators of anxiety.

Results: In a group of 32 subjects not reporting any history of psychiatric disorders, we identified a negative correlation between left UF volume and trait anxiety, a finding that is in line with previous results. On the other hand, volume of the left amygdala, which is strongly connected with the UF, was positively correlated with trait anxiety. In addition, volumes of the left UF and left amygdala were inversely associated.

Conclusions: The present study emphasizes the role of the left UF as candidate WM fiber bundle associated with anxiety-related processes and suggests that fiber bundle volume is a WM measure of particular interest. Moreover, these results substantiate the structural relatedness of UF and amygdala by a non-invasive imaging method. The UF-amygdala complex may be pivotal for the control of trait anxiety.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Topography of the uncinate fasciculus and amygdala. Example of their relative locations, shown for one subject in native space, lateral view onto the left hemisphere (right hemisphere on background).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Triangular association between trait anxiety, uncinate fasciculus volume, and amygdala volume. Bold (outer) values indicate significant partial correlations (controlling for age, sex, and depression) for the left hemisphere; grey (inner) values indicate respective non-significant correlations for the right hemisphere.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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