Hippocampal volume is positively associated with behavioural inhibition (BIS) in a large community-based sample of mid-life adults: the PATH through life study

Nicolas Cherbuin; Tim D. Windsor; Kaarin J. Anstey; Jerome J. Maller; Chantal Meslin; Perminder S. Sachdev

doi:10.1093/scan/nsn018

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Hippocampal volume is positively associated with behavioural inhibition (BIS) in a large community-based sample of mid-life adults: the PATH through life study

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Hippocampal volume is positively associated with behavioural inhibition (BIS) in a large community-based sample of mid-life adults: the PATH through life study

Nicolas Cherbuin, Tim D. Windsor, Kaarin J. Anstey, Jerome J. Maller, Chantal Meslin and Perminder S. Sachdev

Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, Vol.3(3), pp.262-269

09/01/2008

DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsn018

PMCID: PMC2566772

PMID: 19015118

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Abstract

The fields of personality research and neuropsychology have developed with very little overlap. Gray and McNaughton were among the first to recognize that personality traits must have neurobiological correlates and developed models relating personality factors to brain structures. Of particular note was their description of associations between conditioning, inhibition and activation of behaviours, and specific neural structures such as the hippocampus, amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The aim of this study was to determine whether personality constructs representing the behavioural inhibition and activation systems (BIS/BAS) were associated with volumetric measures of the hippocampus and amygdala in humans. Amygdalar and hippocampal volumes were measured in 430 brain scans of cognitively intact community-based volunteers. Linear associations between brain volumes and the BIS/BAS measures were assessed using multiple regression, controlling for age, sex, education, intra-cranial and total brain volume. Results showed that hippocampal volumes were positively associated with BIS sensitivity and to a lesser extent with BAS sensitivity. No association was found between amygdalar volume and either the BIS or BAS. These findings add support to the model of Gray and McNaughton, which proposes a role of the hippocampus in the regulation of defensive/approach behaviours and trait anxiety but suggest an absence of associations between amygdala volume and BIS/BAS measures.

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Neurosciences

Neurosciences & Neurology

Psychology

Psychology, Experimental

Science & Technology

Social Sciences

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hippocampal volume is positively associated with behavioural inhibition (BIS) in a large community-based sample of mid-life adults: the PATH through life study
Creators: Nicolas Cherbuin - UNSW Sydney
Tim D. Windsor - UNSW Sydney
Kaarin J. Anstey - UNSW Sydney
Jerome J. Maller - UNSW Sydney
Chantal Meslin - Australian National University
Perminder S. Sachdev - Monash University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, Vol.3(3), pp.262-269
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsn018
PMID: 19015118
PMCID: PMC2566772
NLM abbreviation: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci
ISSN: 1749-5016
eISSN: 1749-5024
Publisher: Oxford Univ Press
Number of pages: 8
Grant note: 157125 / NHMRC project; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia 418020 / National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC); National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia 973302 / NHMRC of Australia Unit; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia 366756 / NHMRC Research Fellowship; National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and the Australian Brewers Foundation
Language: English
Date published: 09/01/2008
Academic Unit: Radiology
Record Identifier: 9984848419302771

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