Neuroanatomy of affective disorders Flashcards
What should be investigated in patients with treatment-resistant chronic affective disorders or focal-neurological symptoms?
Organic causes
Which imaging techniques are used to rule out slow-growing frontal brain tumors?
Brain CT with contrast or MRI without contrast
What can a non-contrast MRI show in patients with frontotemporal dementia?
Frontal and temporal atrophy
What symptoms might present in patients with frontotemporal dementia that can be detected by non-contrast MRI?
Apathy or inappropriate behavior
Which imaging technique can be used to detect Parkinson’s disease?
Dopamine transporter (123FP-CIT)-SPECT
For what condition is the dopamine transporter (123FP-CIT)-SPECT particularly useful?
Parkinson’s disease
What are the key parts of the “Social and Emotional Brain”?
Limbic forebrain areas and hypothalamus
From where does the hypothalamus receive a large part of its projections?
Limbic forebrain structures
What are the cortical structures included in the limbic forebrain structures?
Orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus
What are the subcortical structures included in the limbic forebrain structures?
septal region and amygdaloid complex
What is the role of prefronto-striato-thalamic loops in the neuroanatomical modeling of affective disorders?
They are critical pathways involved in mood regulation and are implicated in affective disorders.
What are the key components of the prefronto-striato-thalamic loops?
The prefrontal cortex, striatum, and thalamus.
What are the specific prefrontal cortex regions involved in the prefronto-striato-thalamic loops relevant to affective disorders?
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC).
What functions are associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the context of affective disorders?
The DLPFC is involved in executive functions, such as working memory and cognitive control, which can be disrupted in affective disorders. [D=Denken]
What functions are associated with the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) in the context of affective disorders?
The VLPFC is involved in the regulation of emotional responses and decision-making processes, which can be altered in affective disorders. [V=Fühlen]
What is the key neurochemistry involved in prefronto-striato-thalamic loops?
Dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), all of which play crucial roles in mood regulation and cognitive functions within these loops
What causes Parkinson’s disease?
Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra
What did subgenual cortex resting-state fMRI connectivity predict in treatment-naïve MDD patients?
treatment failure to cognitive behavioral therapy versus antidepressant medication with 75%-89% accuracy in 122 patients.
What is a notable characteristic of the subgenual area in individuals with current major depression?
Abnormal metabolism.
What psychological trait are the subgenual area & anterior temporal BOLD linked to in terms of emotional response?
The subgenual area’s activity is linked to how prone one is to experiencing guilt and self-blame.
In major depression, is outward aggression a common diagnostic feature?
No, outward aggression is relatively rare and not a diagnostic feature according to DSM-IV or ICD-10.
What psychological trait is non-violent irritability and anger linked to in atypical depression according to DSM-IV?
It is linked to rejection sensitivity and hence low self-worth.
What is the current treatment target in blame rebalance fMRI neurofeedback for depression?
The treatment target is the posterior subgenual area (BA25) - anterior temporal hyper-connectivity.
