The functional and structural characteristics of the emotion network in alexithymia

Abstract

Background

Alexithymia is a multifaceted personality trait characterized by emotional dysfunction.

Methods

In this study, the functional and structural features of the emotion network in alexithymia were investigated using resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI), voxel-based morphometry (VBM), functional connectivity (FC) analysis, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Alexithymic and non-alexithymic students were recruited from the local university. The intrinsic neural activity and gray matter density of the brain regions in the emotion network were measured using rsfMRI and VBM; the FC and structural connectivity of the brain regions in the emotion network were measured using FC analysis and DTI.

Results

The altered intrinsic neural activity in V1, rostral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and left amygdala, and the weak FC between V1 and left superior temporal gyrus and V1 and left paracentral lobule in alexithymia subjects were identified. However, no alteration of the structure and structural connectivity of the emotion network was identified.

Conclusion

The results indicated that the development of alexithymia might have been caused only by slight alteration of the neural activity. Furthermore, the results suggest that noninvasive treatment technologies for improving the brain activity are suitable for alexithymic individuals.

Keywords:

• emotion network
• rsfMRI
• VBM
• functional connectivity
• structural connectivity

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No LQ14H090004) and the China Scholarship Council (201708330165).

Author contributions

Han Dai designed the study, managed the imaging data selection and analysis, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Mei Li, Minjun Mei and Xiaofei Sun undertook the psychology measurement and statistical analysis. All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.