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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Dopamine in amygdala gates limbic processing of aversive stimuli in humans
Gerhard GründerPhilipp SterzerAndreas HeinzAhmad R. HaririThorsten KienastPeter BartensteinHans Georg BuchholzRaymond J. DolanFlorian SchlagenhaufMichael N. SmolkaJana WrasePaul CummingYoshitaka Kumakurasubject
AdultMaleFluorine RadioisotopesDopamineBrain mappingAmygdalaGyrus CinguliDopaminemedicineImage Processing Computer-AssistedLimbic SystemPsychophysicsHumansAnterior cingulate cortexSystems neuroscienceBrain Mappingmedicine.diagnostic_testGeneral NeuroscienceMiddle AgedAmygdalaMagnetic Resonance ImagingDihydroxyphenylalanineFunctional imagingOxygenAffectmedicine.anatomical_structurenervous systemPositron-Emission TomographyAversive StimulusFunctional magnetic resonance imagingPsychologyNeurosciencepsychological phenomena and processesmedicine.drugdescription
Dopamine is known to contribute to the amygdala-mediated aversive response, where increased dopamine release can augment amygdala function. Combining fMRI and PET imaging techniques, Kienast et al. present findings that suggest a functional link between anxiety temperament, dopamine storage capacity and emotional processing in the amygdala. Dopamine is released under stress and modulates processing of aversive stimuli. We found that dopamine storage capacity in human amygdala, measured with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA positron emission tomography, was positively correlated with functional magnetic resonance imaging blood oxygen level–dependent signal changes in amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex that were evoked by aversive stimuli. Furthermore, functional connectivity between these two regions was inversely related to trait anxiety. Our results suggest that individual dopamine storage capacity in amygdala subserves modulation of emotional processing in amygdala and dorsal cingulate, thereby contributing to individual differences in anxious temperament.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-16 |