P. Bucci, A. Mucci, S. Galderisi, A. Bernardo, A. Forte, M.Maj - Vol. 7, Marzo 2001, num.1
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Riassunto Indice
Disfunzione dell’emisfero destro nel disturbo
da attacchi di panico: uno studio di neuroimmagine ad alta risoluzione temporale
Right brain hemisphere dysfunction in panic disorder: a time high resolution
neuroimaging study
Objectives
Brain electrical microstates represent spatial configurations of scalp
recorded brain electrical activity and are considered to be the basic elements
of the stepwise processing of information in the brain. In the present study,
the hypothesis of a temporo-limbic dysfunction in panic disorder (PD) was
tested by investigating the brain microstate corresponding to the Late Positive
Complex (LPC), an event-related potential (ERP) component with generators
in these regions.
Methods
ERPs were recorded in PD and matched healthy subjects by using a visual
target detection paradigm in which consonant pairs were presented in a central
and in a lateral condition. The spatial coordinates of the LPC microstate
topographic descriptors (positive and negative centroids) were compared between
the two groups and were correlated to the performance on neuropsychological
tests sensitive to right and left temporo- and fronto-hippocampal functioning.
Results
In the central condition, a leftward shift of the LPC microstate positive
centroid was observed in PD versus healthy subjects. This topographical abnormality
was associated to worse performance on the test exploring the right temporo-hippocampal
functioning. As to the lateral condition, the topographic descriptors of the
LPC microstate revealed a leftward shift in PD versus healthy subjects, which
was correlated to the number of panic attacks.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate a hypoactivation of the right hemisphere circuits involved
in the generation of the LPC in panic disorder.