Abstract Details

Title Neuroanatomical Changes in Self-Reported Anxiety: A Cluster Analysis

Topic Aging, Dementia, and Behavioral Neurology

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (9:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 063

Objective This study aims to look at structural changes in Gray Matter (GM) and White Matter (WM) associated with self-reported anxiety.

Background Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive feelings of fear or worry that are difficult to control and interfere with daily functioning. Several recent structural studies have looked at changes in cortical thickness, gyrification, GM and WM volume changes in the brain. However, the results appear to be mixed and there is no general consensus on GM and WM changes associated with anxiety.

Design/Methods Participant MRI data was obtained from the S1200 release of the Human Connectome Project, consisting of healthy young adults between the ages of 22-37 without comorbidities or other neurological disorders. Based on their Achenbach self-report (ASR) anxiety scores, 102 participants were stratified into 3 different groups: borderline (n=25), clinical (n = 26) and healthy controls (n=51). Participants were matched with healthy controls (HC) based on age, ethnicity, gender, and handedness. 22 Regions of Interest (ROIs) were selected for primary analysis based on previous literature. A variable cluster analysis on the dataset was carried out to determine appropriate clustering based on brain volume patterns among the primary ROIs.

Results A significant decrease in WM volume bilaterally as well as total WM volume was observed in the Borderline vs Clinical and Clinical vs HC group groups. Six clusters (Cluster 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) were identified based on cluster analysis. Cluster 6, which included the left and right Putamen, was significantly reduced in both Clinical vs HC and Clinical vs Borderline groups.

Conclusions Collectively, these results indicate that marked structural changes with regards to GM and WM might occur in the brain once a threshold of clinically significant anxiety is reached. Detailed understanding of these neuroanatomical underpinnings of anxiety disorders could allow for more targeted therapeutic interventions.

Authors/Disclosures
Sanjana Sundara Raj Sreenath PRESENTER	Ms. Sundara Raj Sreenath has nothing to disclose.

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