The role of early life stress in development of the anterior limb of the internal capsule in nonhuman primates

Jeremy D. Coplan, Chadi G. Abdallah, Cheuk Y. Tang, Sanjay J. Mathew, Jose Martinez, Patrick R. Hof, Eric L.P. Smith, Andrew J. Dwork, Tarique D. Perera, Gustavo Pantol, David Carpenter, Leonard A. Rosenblum, Dikoma C. Shungu, Joel Gelernter, Arie Kaffman, Andrea Jackowski, Joan Kaufman, Jack M. Gorman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) may be effective in treating depression. Parental verbal abuse has been linked to decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter and reduced FA correlated with depression and anxiety scores. Utilizing a nonhuman primate model of mood and anxiety disorders following disrupted mother-infant attachment, we examined whether adverse rearing conditions lead to white matter impairment of the ALIC. We examined white matter integrity using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) on a 3T-MRI. Twenty-one adult male Bonnet macaques participated in this study: 12 were reared under adverse [variable foraging demand (VFD)] conditions whereas 9 were reared under normative conditions. We examined ALIC, posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) and occipital white matter. VFD rearing was associated with significant reductions in FA in the ALIC with no changes evident in the PLIC or occipital cortex white matter. Adverse rearing in monkeys persistently impaired frontal white matter tract integrity, a novel substrate for understanding affective susceptibility.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)93-96
Number of pages4
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume480
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Diffusion tensor imaging
  • Fractional anisotropy
  • Variable foraging demand
  • White matter integrity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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