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Reduced Frontal Cortical Thickness in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

E. Veronese ,
M. Ragogna ,
M. Meduri ,
L. Del Fabro ,
F. Canalaz ,
R. Zamboli ,
M. Maieron ,
S. D'Agostini ,
M. Bazzocchi  and
R. Girometti
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E. Veronese
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
M. Ragogna
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
M. Meduri
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
L. Del Fabro
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
F. Canalaz
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
R. Zamboli
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
M. Maieron
Affiliation:
Dept of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
S. D'Agostini
Affiliation:
Dept of Neuroradiology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
M. Bazzocchi
Affiliation:
Dept of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
R. Girometti
Affiliation:
Dept of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
A. Serretti
Affiliation:
Dept of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
M. Balestrieri
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
P. Brambilla
Affiliation:
Dept of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

Abstract

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Introduction

Little is known about the structural abnormalities underlying generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, there is evidence of larger volumes of dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (Schienle et al, 2011). Also, increased n-acetyl-aspartate in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (Mathew et al, 2004), and hyperactivation in right middle frontal to negative stimuli have been shown in GAD (Blair et al, 2008).

Objectives

To investigate variations in cortical thickness (CT) in GAD patients versus healthy controls (HCs).

Aims

GAD patients and matched HCs underwent a 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session.

Methods

Structural MRI was acquired from 24 DSM-IV GAD patients (age=41±13.9) and 23 HCs (age=39±13.4). CT was estimated using Freesurfer5.3 (Fischl and Dale, 2000). Results were manually corrected if necessary. We considered 21 regions of interest (ROIs) per hemisphere (4 cingulate, 6 frontal, 3 parietal, 5 temporal, 1 occipital, entorhinal, insula), for each of which a mean CT value was calculated. A t-test was performed for each region, correcting results for multiple comparisons.

Results

The groups were statistically homogeneous in terms of age, gender, handedness, and IQ (p>0.05). Though ROI volumes were preserved in GAD (p>0,05; Bonferroni corrected), a significantly reduced CT was found in right caudal middle (t(46)=3.621, p=0.015) and right superior frontal (t(46)=3.215, p=0.049) regions.

Conclusions

The found decreased CT in GAD patients compared to HCs in superior frontal and caudal middle areas (right side) sustains prior neuroimaging findings showing abnormalities in prefrontal cortex. Reduced right frontal CT may be involved in cognitive dysfunction and symptomatology of the disorder.

Type
Article: 0470
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 30 , Issue S1: Abstracts of the 23rd European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2015 , pp. 1
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2015
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