Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Section Vinderen, Oslo, Norway.
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Schizophr Bull. 2021 Aug 21;47(5):1431-1441. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa192.
Abnormalities in amygdala volume are well-established in schizophrenia and commonly reported in bipolar disorders. However, the specificity of volumetric differences in individual amygdala nuclei is largely unknown. Patients with schizophrenia disorders (SCZ, N = 452, mean age 30.7 ± 9.2 [SD] years, females 44.4%), bipolar disorders (BP, N = 316, 33.7 ± 11.4, 58.5%), and healthy controls (N = 753, 34.1 ± 9.1, 40.9%) underwent T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Total amygdala, nuclei, and intracranial volume (ICV) were estimated with Freesurfer (v6.0.0). Analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression models, adjusting for age, age2, ICV, and sex, were fitted to examine diagnostic group and subgroup differences in volume, respectively. Bilateral total amygdala and all nuclei volumes, except the medial and central nuclei, were significantly smaller in patients relative to controls. The largest effect sizes were found for the basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, and cortico-amygdaloid transition area (partial η2 > 0.02). The diagnostic subgroup analysis showed that reductions in amygdala nuclei volume were most widespread in schizophrenia, with the lateral, cortical, paralaminar, and central nuclei being solely reduced in this disorder. The right accessory basal nucleus was marginally smaller in SCZ relative to BP (t = 2.32, P = .05). Our study is the first to demonstrate distinct patterns of amygdala nuclei volume reductions in a well-powered sample of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Volume differences in the basolateral complex (lateral, basal, and accessory basal nuclei), an integral part of the threat processing circuitry, were most prominent in schizophrenia.
杏仁核体积异常在精神分裂症中已得到充分证实，在双相情感障碍中也常被报道。然而，个体杏仁核核体积差异的特异性在很大程度上尚不清楚。精神分裂症患者（SCZ，N = 452，平均年龄 30.7 ± 9.2[SD]岁，女性 44.4%）、双相情感障碍患者（BP，N = 316，33.7 ± 11.4，58.5%）和健康对照者（N = 753，34.1 ± 9.1，40.9%）接受 T1 加权磁共振成像。使用 Freesurfer（v6.0.0）估计总杏仁核、核和颅内体积（ICV）。协方差分析和多元线性回归模型，调整年龄、年龄 2、ICV 和性别，分别用于检查体积的诊断组和亚组差异。双侧总杏仁核和所有核体积，除了内侧核和中央核，在患者中明显小于对照组。基底核、辅助基底核和皮质杏仁核过渡区的效应量最大（部分η2>0.02）。诊断亚组分析显示，杏仁核核体积减少在精神分裂症中最为广泛，外侧核、皮质核、旁核和中央核仅在这种疾病中减少。右侧辅助基底核在 SCZ 中相对 BP 略小（t = 2.32，P =.05）。我们的研究是首次在具有精神分裂症和双相情感障碍的大样本患者中，证明杏仁核核体积减少具有独特的模式。威胁处理回路的重要组成部分——基底外侧复合体（外侧核、基底核和辅助基底核）的体积差异在精神分裂症中最为显著。
