While studies among adults implicate the amygdala and interconnecting brain regions in encoding emotional stimuli, few studies have examined whether developmental changes occur within this emotional-memory network during adolescence. The present study examined whether adolescents and adults differentially engaged the amygdala and hippocampus during successful encoding of emotional pictures, with either positive or negative valence. Eighteen adults and twelve adolescents underwent event-related fMRI while encoding emotional pictures. Approximately 30 minutes later, outside the scanner, subjects were asked to recall the pictures seen during the scan. Age group differences in brain activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during encoding of the pictures that were later successfully and unsuccessfully recalled were separately compared for the positive and negative pictures. Adolescents, relative to adults, demonstrated enhanced activity in the right amygdala during encoding of positive pictures that were later recalled compared to not recalled. There were no age group differences in amygdala or hippocampal activity during successful encoding of negative pictures. The findings of preferential activity within the adolescent right amygdala during successful encoding of positive pictures may have implications for the increased reward and novelty seeking behavior, as well as elevated rates of psychopathology, observed during this distinct developmental period.

Objective Paediatric severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with significant postinjury affective and behavioral problems. Few studies have examined the prevalence and characteristics of affective lability after paediatric TBI. Methods 97 children with severe TBI were evaluated one year postinjury for the presence of affective lability using the Children’s Affective Lability Scale (CALS). Demographic, clinical, and brain lesion characteristics were also assessed. Results Affective lability significantly increased after injury. Eighty-six children had a preinjury CALS score of 1SD or less from the group preinjury mean (M = 8.11, SD = 9.31) of which 35 and 15 children had a 1SD and 2SD increase in their CALS score from pre- to postinjury, respectively. A variety of affective shifts manifested postinjury including anxiety, silliness, dysphoria, and irritability. The most severe symptoms were irritability and unpredictable temper outbursts. Risk factors for affective lability included elevated preinjury affective lability and psychosocial adversity as well as greater damage to the orbitofrontal cortex. Postinjury affective lability was most frequently associated with a postinjury diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Conclusions Affective lability is common after paediatric TBI and frequently manifests as irritability and unpredictable outbursts. Early intervention is needed to improve psychiatric outcomes.