Abstract
Background: Previous studies indicated an important role of the amygdala for emotional
information processing. We investigated a possible relationship between amygdala volumes,
aggressive behavior, and dysthymia, in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
Methods: Patients with TLE with and without aggression or dysthymia and healthy volunteers
were assessed using quantitative MRI. Amygdala volumes were measured in a blinded
fashion and corrected for total brain volumes.
Results: There was a highly significant enlargement of left and right amygdala volumes
in patients with dysthymia (right side, p < .000; left side, p = .001). We found a significant positive correlation between left amygdala volumes
(p = .02) and a trend towards positive correlation between right amygdala volumes and
depression (p = .06), as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory. Amygdala volumes of females
were significantly larger than those of males (left side: p = .005; right side: p = .06).
Conclusions: This is the second report of a relationship between amygdala volumes
and depressed mood, confirming an earlier finding in patients with bipolar disease,
and the first study reporting a correlation between amygdala volumes and depression.
Increased processing of emotional information might increase amygdala blood flow and
subsequently, result in amygdala enlargement.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
July 23,
1999
Received in revised form:
July 20,
1999
Received:
March 16,
1999
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
