Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Res Dev Disabil. 2011 Nov-Dec;32(6):2767-72. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.05.033. Epub 2011 Jul 12.
One of the most intriguing characteristics of Williams Syndrome individuals is their hypersociability. The amygdala has been consistently implicated in the etiology of this social profile, particularly given its role in emotional and social behavior. This study examined amygdala volume and symmetry in WS individuals and in age and sex matched controls. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained on a GE 1.5-T magnet with 1.5-mm contiguous slices and were used to measure whole gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid volumes, as well as amygdala volume (right and left). Results revealed significantly reduced intracranial volume in individuals with WS, compared with controls. There were no differences between groups in absolute amygdalae volume, although there was a relative increase in amygdalae volumes, when adjusted for total intracranial content. There were no inter-hemispheric differences in amygdalae volumes in both groups. These results suggest a relative increase in amygdala volume in WS compared with healthy controls that likely reflects abnormal neurodevelopmental processes of midline brain structures.
威廉姆斯综合征个体最引人关注的特征之一是其过度社交能力。杏仁核一直被认为是这种社交特征的病因之一，特别是考虑到它在情绪和社会行为中的作用。本研究检查了 WS 个体和年龄、性别匹配的对照组的杏仁核体积和对称性。使用 1.5T 的 GE 磁共振成像扫描仪进行 1.5mm 连续切片扫描，用于测量全脑灰质、白质和脑脊液体积，以及杏仁核体积（左右）。结果显示，WS 个体的颅内体积明显小于对照组。尽管在调整总颅内内容物后，杏仁核的体积相对增加，但两组之间的绝对杏仁核体积没有差异。两组的杏仁核体积在左右半球之间没有差异。这些结果表明，WS 个体的杏仁核体积与健康对照组相比相对增加，这可能反映了中线脑结构的异常神经发育过程。
