Larger bilateral amygdalar volumes are associated with affective loss experiences

摘要: Affective loss (AL) (i.e., bereavement, relationship breakup) is a stressful life event leading to heightened risk of developing psychiatric disorder, for example, depression and anxiety disorder. These disorders have been associated with altered subcortical brain volumes. Little known though, how AL in healthy subjects linked In study 196 young adults, we probed the association between across individual entire span, assessed via List Threatening Experiences Questionnaire, magnetic resonance imaging gray matter volumes (a priori selected: bilateral amygdalae, hippocampi, thalami; exploratory analyses: nuclei accumbens, caudate, putamina), segmented by use volBrain. was defined as death first-degree relative/spouse, close relative/friend, breakup marriage or steady relationship. larger amygdalar and, after taking into account total number ALs, smaller right hippocampal volumes, both irrespective sex. Exploratory analyses striatal yielded an nucleus accumbens men, increased caudate relative Our data suggest that engenders alterations limbic structures likely involve processes chronic stress amygdala- hippocampus-dependent fear conditioning, resemble those observed general childhood maltreatment, major depressive findings volume hint at modulation reward processing AL.