Amygdala reactivity to emotional faces at high and low intensity in generalized social phobia: a 4-Tesla functional MRI study

K Lira Yoon; Daniel A Fitzgerald; Mike Angstadt; Rosemary A McCarron; K Luan Phan

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.05.004

Amygdala reactivity to emotional faces at high and low intensity in generalized social phobia: a 4-Tesla functional MRI study

Psychiatry Res. 2007 Jan 15;154(1):93-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.05.004. Epub 2006 Nov 9.

Authors

K Lira Yoon¹, Daniel A Fitzgerald, Mike Angstadt, Rosemary A McCarron, K Luan Phan

Affiliation

¹ Brain Imaging and Emotions Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637-1470, USA.

PMID: 17097275
DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.05.004

Abstract

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we measured amygdala reactivity to faces varying on emotional intensity in subjects with generalized social phobia (GSP) and matched healthy controls, and observed greater bilateral activation to high (vs. low) intensity expressions in the phobic group, suggesting that more arousing social-emotional cues contribute to limbic hyperactivity in GSP.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Amygdala / physiopathology*
Arousal / physiology
Cues
Dominance, Cerebral / physiology
Emotions / physiology*
Facial Expression*
Female
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
Limbic System / physiopathology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Phobic Disorders / diagnosis
Phobic Disorders / physiopathology*