The neural processing of negative emotion postpartum: A preliminary study of amygdala function in postpartum depression

Michael E. Silverman, Holly Loudon, Xun Liu, Casey Mauro, Gila Leiter, Martin A. Goldstein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

While contemporary diagnostic nosology characterizes postpartum depression (PPD) as a specifier of a major depressive disorder (MDD), this classification continues to be questioned. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) holds the promise of helping to characterize the neuroanatomical dysfunction associated with dysregulated emotion after childbirth. Twenty postpartum women underwent fMRI in the presence of emotionally valenced stimuli. The observation of relative amygdala non-responsivity in subjects demonstrating greater depression symptomotology stands in contrast to imaging studies of MDD and provides insight into possible phenotypic differences of PPD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)355-359
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of Women's Mental Health
Volume14
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2011

Keywords

  • Amygdala
  • Neuroimaging
  • Postpartum depression
  • fMRI

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