Altered resting-state functional connectivity in emotion-processing brain regions in adults who were born very preterm

Abstract

BackgroundVery preterm birth (VPT; <32 weeks of gestation) has been associated with impairments in emotion regulation, social competence and communicative skills. However, the neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying such impairments have not been systematically studied. Here we investigated the functional integrity of the amygdala connectivity network in relation to the ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions in VPT adults.MethodThirty-six VPT-born adults and 38 age-matched controls were scanned at rest in a 3-T MRI scanner. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) was assessed with SPM8. A seed-based analysis focusing on three amygdalar subregions (centro-medial/latero-basal/superficial) was performed. Participants’ ability to recognize emotions was assessed using dynamic stimuli of human faces expressing six emotions at different intensities with the Emotion Recognition Task (ERT).ResultsVPT individuals compared to controls showed reduced rs-fc between the superficial subregion of the left amygdala, and the right posterior cingulate cortex (p = 0.017) and the left precuneus (p = 0.002). The VPT group further showed elevated rs-fc between the left superficial amygdala and the superior temporal sulcus (p = 0.008). Performance on the ERT showed that the VPT group was less able than controls to recognize anger at low levels of intensity. Anger scores were significantly associated with rs-fc between the superficial amygdala and the posterior cingulate cortex in controls but not in VPT individuals.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that alterations in rs-fc between the amygdala, parietal and temporal cortices could represent the mechanism linking VPT birth and deficits in emotion processing.

Somatosensory function and pain in extremely preterm young adults from the UK EPICure cohort: sex-dependent differences and impact of neonatal surgery

“… 54 More specifically, differences in amygdala volume and connectivity influenced fear processing and emotion recognition after preterm birth. 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 Here, amygdala volume correlated with both the degree and directionality of altered thermal sensitivity (i.e. decreased in males, increased in females).…”

Long-term effects of neonatal pain

“…Functional MRI in children born VP who required NICU care identified increased activation in pain-relevant regions (somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate, insula) in response to a prolonged thermal stimulus [30]. The amygdala attaches emotional significance to sensory information relayed from the thalamus, and differences in amygdala volume and connectivity influenced fear processing and emotion recognition following preterm birth [31,32]. In EP young adults, lower amygdala volume correlated with both the degree and directionality of altered thermal sensitivity (ie.…”

Self-Reported Mental Health Problems Among Adults Born Preterm: A Meta-analysis

“…39 Being born preterm affects brain development, causing reductions in total brain volume and disruptions in specific regional structures, structural connectome, and functional connectivity, 40 -42 with neuroinflammation possibly contributing to the disruption of neural development. 43,44 Furthermore, potential abnormalities in brain development and function may directly be associated with behavioral, mental, and social problems, 45,46 or the association may be mediated by executive function problems. 47 -50 In relation to endocrinological pathways, preterm birth, together with periods of treatment in the NICU, parental separation, and distress, may alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning of the developing infant 51 -55 and predispose preterm children to stress-related problems.…”