Indiscriminate amygdala response to mothers and strangers after early maternal deprivation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In altricial species, maternal stimuli have powerful effects on amygdala development and attachment-related behaviors. In humans, maternal deprivation has been associated with both "indiscriminate friendliness" toward non-caregiving adults and altered amygdala development. We hypothesized that maternal deprivation would be associated with reduced amygdala discrimination between mothers and strangers and increased parent report of indiscriminate friendliness behaviors.

Methods

Sixty-seven youths (33 previously institutionalized; 34 comparison; age-at-scan 4-17 years) participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment designed to examine amygdala response to mother versus stranger faces. In-scanner behavior was measured. Indiscriminate friendliness w

SUBMITTER: Olsavsky AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3818506 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature