FMRI REVEALS AMYGDALA ACTIVATION TO HUMAN FACES IN SOCIAL PHOBICS

FUNCTIONAL magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the activa tion of the amygdala while seven social phobics and five healthy contr ols were exposed to slides of neutral faces as well as aversive odor s timuli. The amygdala was selectively activated in the social phobics d uring presentation of the face stimuli. The data show for the first ti me that the amygdala is active in human phobics when they are exposed to potentially fear-relevant stimuli. Further research is needed to de termine the extent to which overactivation of the amygdala precedes or is a consequence of phobia. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.