ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Novelty seeking (NS) represents a dopaminergically modulated tendency toward frequent exploratory activity. Considering the reports showing the relationship between exploratory activity and amygdalar function and structure, and the fact that amygdala is one of the key structures that constitute the dopaminergic pathway in the brain, amygdala might be closely related to NS tendencies. Amygdalar subregional analysis method, which has the enhanced sensitivity compared to the volumteric approach would be appropriate in investigating the subtle differences of amygdalar structures among healthy individuals. The aim of the current study was to examine whether amygdalar subregional morphometric characteristics are associated with the NS tendencies in healthy adults using the amygdalar subregional analysis method. METHODS: Twenty-six healthy adults (12 males, 14 females ; mean age 29.8 +/- 6.2 years) were screened for eligibility. All subjects completed the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and underwent high-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals were divided into 2 groups according to NS scores of the TCI. RESULTS: Individuals of the high NS group had significantly larger laterobasal subregions in right amygdala, after adjustment with the brain parenchymal volumes. Sensitivity analyses for each potential confounding factor such as age, education years and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores demonstrated consistent results. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that NS differences are associated with the laterobasal subregion of the amygdala.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Amygdala , Brain , Depression , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , TemperamentABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the cognitive functions of pediatric cancer patients and to test the hypotheses that the impairment of processing speed and working memory are more prevalent in children with medulloblastoma (MBL) compared to children with neuroblastoma (NBL). METHODS: We gave the Korean version of the Wechsler Intelligent Scale for Children-III to 21 children with MBL and 24 children with NBL during outpatient follow-up after the treatment was completed. RESULTS: Children with MBL showed below average performance across most of the sub-tests. The full scale IQ, verbal IQ, and performance IQ of children with MBL were significantly lower than those of children with NBL. There were significant differences between two groups in coding and Digit Span subtest scores. Children with MBL performed especially poorly in the coding subtest. CONCLUSION: These findings support previous reports of generally low IQ and the dysfunction of processing speed and working memory among children with MBL, a kind of central nervous system tumor. Further investigation is needed to determine how the deficit of processing speed and working memory affect neurocognitive development and general intelligent functions.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Central Nervous System , Clinical Coding , Follow-Up Studies , Medulloblastoma , Memory, Short-Term , Neuroblastoma , OutpatientsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the cognitive functions of pediatric cancer patients and to test the hypotheses that the impairment of processing speed and working memory are more prevalent in children with medulloblastoma (MBL) compared to children with neuroblastoma (NBL). METHODS: We gave the Korean version of the Wechsler Intelligent Scale for Children-III to 21 children with MBL and 24 children with NBL during outpatient follow-up after the treatment was completed. RESULTS: Children with MBL showed below average performance across most of the sub-tests. The full scale IQ, verbal IQ, and performance IQ of children with MBL were significantly lower than those of children with NBL. There were significant differences between two groups in coding and Digit Span subtest scores. Children with MBL performed especially poorly in the coding subtest. CONCLUSION: These findings support previous reports of generally low IQ and the dysfunction of processing speed and working memory among children with MBL, a kind of central nervous system tumor. Further investigation is needed to determine how the deficit of processing speed and working memory affect neurocognitive development and general intelligent functions.