Greater amygdala activity and dorsomedial prefrontal-amygdala coupling are associated with enhanced inflammatory responses to stress.

TitleGreater amygdala activity and dorsomedial prefrontal-amygdala coupling are associated with enhanced inflammatory responses to stress.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsMuscatell KA, Dedovic K, Slavich GM, Jarcho MR, Breen EC, Bower JE, Irwin MR, Eisenberger NI
JournalBrain Behav Immun
Volume43
Pagination46-53
Date Published2015 Jan
ISSN1090-2139
KeywordsAdolescent, Amygdala, Biomarkers, Emotions, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Interleukin-6, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neural Pathways, Prefrontal Cortex, Stress, Psychological, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Young Adult
Abstract

Psychological stress is implicated in the etiology of many common chronic diseases and mental health disorders. Recent research suggests that inflammation may be a key biological mediator linking stress and health. Nevertheless, the neurocognitive pathways underlying stress-related increases in inflammatory activity are largely unknown. The present study thus examined associations between neural and inflammatory responses to an acute laboratory-based social stressor. Healthy female participants (n=31) were exposed to a brief episode of stress while they underwent an fMRI scan. Blood samples were taken before and after the stressor, and plasma was assayed for markers of inflammatory activity. Exposure to the stressor was associated with significant increases in feelings of social evaluation and rejection, and with increases in levels of inflammation. Analyses linking the neural and inflammatory data revealed that heightened neural activity in the amygdala in response to the stressor was associated with greater increases in inflammation. Functional connectivity analyses indicated that individuals who showed stronger coupling between the amygdala and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) also showed a heightened inflammatory response to the stressor. Interestingly, activity in a different set of neural regions was related to increases in feelings of social rejection. These data show that greater amygdala activity in response to a stressor, as well as tighter coupling between the amygdala and the DMPFC, are associated with greater increases in inflammatory activity. Results from this study begin to identify neural mechanisms that might link stress with increased risk for inflammation-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease and depression.

DOI10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.201
Alternate JournalBrain Behav. Immun.
PubMed ID25016200
PubMed Central IDPMC4368432
Grant ListAG028748 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
K08 MH103443 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG028748 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH015750 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH015750 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000124 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
UL1TR000124 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
/ / Canadian Institutes of Health Research / Canada