Abstract

In the context of chronic childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM; emotional abuse and/or neglect), adequately responding to facial expressions is an important skill. Over time, however, this adaptive response may lead to a persistent vigilance for emotional facial expressions. The amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are key regions in face processing. However, the neurobiological correlates of face processing in adults reporting CEM are yet unknown. We examined amydala and mPFC reactivity to emotional faces (Angry, Fearful, Sad, Happy, Neutral) vs scrambled faces in healthy controls and unmedicated patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders reporting CEM before the age of 16 years (n = 60), and controls and patients who report no childhood abuse (n = 75). We found that CEM was associated with enhanced bilateral amygdala reactivity to emotional faces in general, and independent of psychiatric status. Furthermore, we found no support for differential mPFC functioning, suggesting that amygdala hyper-responsivity to emotional facial perception in adults reporting CEM may be independent from top–down influences of the mPFC. These findings may be key in understanding the increased emotional sensitivity and interpersonal difficulties, that have been reported in individuals with a history of CEM.

Details

Title
Enhanced amygdala reactivity to emotional faces in adults reporting childhood emotional maltreatment
Author
Anne-Laura van Harmelen 1 ; Marie-José van Tol 2 ; Demenescu, Liliana R 3 ; Nic J A van der Wee 1 ; Veltman, Dick J 1 ; Aleman, André 1 ; van Buchem, Mark A 3 ; Spinhoven, Philip 1 ; Brenda W J H Penninx 2 ; Elzinga, Bernet M 1 

 Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands 
 Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands 
 Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) Postzone C2-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 2 Clinical, Health and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, 3 Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, 4 BCN Neuro-Imaging Center, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, 5 Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 44, Postbus 72 9700 AB Groningen, 6 Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, 7 Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam and 8 Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands 
Pages
362-369
Publication year
2013
Publication date
Apr 2013
Publisher
Oxford University Press
ISSN
17495016
e-ISSN
17495024
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3171559499
Copyright
© The Author(s) (2012). Published by Oxford University Press. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.