Lt. Van Elst et al., Increased amygdala volumes in female and depressed humans. A quantitative magnetic resonance imaging study, NEUROSCI L, 281(2-3), 2000, pp. 103-106
The amygdala are thought to play an important role in emotional information
processing. First studies indicate a link between amygdala atrophy, fear a
nd aggression and between amygdala hypertrophy and depression. To investiga
te a possible relationship between amygdala volumes, aggression and depress
ion, we measured the amygdala of 62 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (T
LE) with and without aggressive behavior or depression and 20 healthy volun
teers using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Amygdala volumes
of female patients (n = 26) were significantly larger than those of males
(n = 36) (left side: P = 0.001; right side P = 0.05). Depressed patients di
splayed significant enlargement of both amygdala (left side: P = 0.008; rig
ht side: P = 0.001) There was no significant finding relating to the factor
aggression neither was there any significant interaction between aggressio
n, dysthymia and gender. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights
reserved.