Differential fMRI BOLD responses in amygdala in intermittent explosive disorder as a function of past Alcohol Use Disorder

Abstract

Background: Individuals with intermittent explosive disorder (IED) were previously found to exhibit amygdala (AMYG) hyperactivation to anger faces during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, acute alcohol consumption, and/or life history of alcoholism, may blunt amygdala responses to negative emotional stimuli. Thus, we examined the influence of a past history of DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) on the fMRI BOLD AMYG response to anger faces in IED.

Method: Forty-two IED participants, 18 with a past history of AUD (IED+AUD) and 24 without Past AUD (IED), and 32 healthy control (HC) participants, underwent fMRI scanning while viewing blocks of angry, fearful, and happy faces.

Results: Compared to HC and IED+AUD participants, IED subjects exhibited greater AMYG responses to angry, but not to fear or happy, faces in the left AMYG. There were no group differences in responses to anger, fear, or happy, faces in the OFC.

Conclusion: These findings suggest the possibility of a longstanding effect of AUD on AMYG response in IED to anger-related stimuli and highlight the possibility that history of AUD should be considered as an important factor in the interpretation of fMRI studies involving the AMYG response to negative emotional stimuli.

Keywords: Aggression; Alcohol Use Disorder; Amygdala; Emotional information processing; FMRI; Intermittent explosive disorder.