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Emotional reactivity in chronic schizophrenia: structural and functional brain correlates and the influence of adverse childhood experiences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2010

F. Benedetti ,
D. Radaelli ,
S. Poletti ,
A. Falini ,
R. Cavallaro ,
S. Dallaspezia ,
R. Riccaboni ,
G. Scotti  and
E. Smeraldi
F. Benedetti*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
D. Radaelli
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
S. Poletti
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy
A. Falini
Affiliation:
C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy Department of Neuroradiology, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
R. Cavallaro
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
S. Dallaspezia
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
R. Riccaboni
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
G. Scotti
Affiliation:
C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy Department of Neuroradiology, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
E. Smeraldi
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
*
*Address for correspondence: F. Benedetti, M.D., Istituto Scientifico Ospedale San Raffaele, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, San Raffaele Turro, Via Stamira d'Ancona 20, Milan, Italy. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Despite behavioural signs of flattened affect, patients affected by schizophrenia show enhanced sensitivity to negative stimuli. The current literature concerning neural circuitry for emotions supports dysregulations of cortico-limbic networks, but gives contrasting results. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) could persistently influence emotional regulation and neural correlates of response to emotional stimuli in healthy humans. This study evaluated the effect of ACEs and chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia on neural responses to emotional stimuli (negative facial expression).

Method

Brain blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging neural responses to a face-matching paradigm, and regional grey matter (GM) volumes were studied at 3.0 T in the amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulated cortex (ACC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The severity of ACEs was assessed. Participants included 20 consecutively admitted in-patients affected by chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia, and 20 unrelated healthy volunteers from the general population.

Results

Patients reported higher ACEs than controls. Worse ACEs proportionally led to decreasing responses in the amygdala and hippocampus, and to increasing responses in the PFC and ACC in all participants. Patients showed higher activations in the amygdala and hippocampus, and lower activations in the PFC and ACC. Higher ACEs were associated with higher GM volumes in the PFC and ACC, and schizophrenia was associated with GM reduction in all studied regions.

Conclusions

Structural and functional brain correlates of emotional reactivity are influenced by both current chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia and the severity of past ACEs.

Keywords

Adverse childhood experiencesemotiongrey matterschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , March 2011 , pp. 509 - 519
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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