Subregional differences in intrinsic amygdala hyperconnectivity and hypoconnectivity in autism spectrum disorder.
In autism, different amygdala zones show different wiring problems: laterobasal under-connectivity goes with social symptoms, while centromedial/superficial mixed connectivity goes with anxiety or depression.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team scanned teens and adults with autism and matched controls.
They looked at three tiny zones inside the amygdala: laterobasal, centromedial, and superficial parts.
Each zone was checked for over- or under-connection to the rest of the brain.
What they found
Laterobasal showed weak links in the autism group.
Centromedial and superficial parts showed both too-strong and too-weak links.
Weak laterobasal links tracked social problems, while mixed centromedial/superficial links tracked anxiety or depression.
How this fits with other research
García-Villamisar et al. (2017) also tied amygdala trouble to anxiety in autistic kids, but they saw smaller amygdala size, not wiring changes.
Lo et al. (2021) moved the lens to middle-aged adults and found weak posterior-insula links tied to anxiety, broadening the map beyond the amygdala.
Lu et al. (2023) saw low concordance in temporal-amygdala-frontal circuits linked to repetitive behaviors, matching the under-connectivity theme.
Together the papers show amygdala problems appear across age and method, yet each pinpoints a different slice: structure, subregion wiring, or wider networks.
Why it matters
You can’t scan every client, but you can treat amygdala-linked symptoms with precision.
If social struggles dominate, target laterobasal-linked skills like joint attention.
If anxiety or mood symptoms ride along, add centromedial-linked strategies such as graded exposure or coping scripts.
Keep an eye on emerging insula-based work for older clients.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The amygdala is a complex structure with distinct subregions and dissociable functional networks. The laterobasal subregion of the amygdala is hypothesized to mediate the presentation and severity of autism symptoms, although very little data are available regarding amygdala dysfunction at the subregional level. In this study, we investigated the relationship between abnormal amygdalar intrinsic connectivity, autism symptom severity, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. We collected resting state fMRI data on 31 high functioning adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder and 38 typically developing (TD) controls aged 14-45. Twenty-five participants with ASD and 28 TD participants were included in the final analyses. ASD participants were administered the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Adult participants were administered the Beck Depression Inventory II and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Functional connectivity analyses were conducted from three amygdalar subregions: centromedial (CM), laterobasal (LB) and superficial (SF). In addition, correlations with the behavioral measures were tested in the adult participants. In general, the ASD group showed significantly decreased connectivity from the LB subregion and increased connectivity from the CM and SF subregions compared to the TD group. We found evidence that social symptoms are primarily associated with under-connectivity from the LB subregion whereas over-connectivity and under-connectivity from the CM, SF and LB subregions are related to co-morbid depression and anxiety in ASD, in brain regions that were distinct from those associated with social dysfunction, and in different patterns than were observed in mildly symptomatic TD participants. Our findings provide new evidence for functional subregional differences in amygdala pathophysiology in ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 760-772. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2016 · doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2008.06.001