Emotion recognition and experience in Huntington disease: a voxel-based morphometry study

Abnormal Visual Scanning of Emotionally Evocative Natural Scenes in Huntington’s Disease

“…Specifically, findings include exaggerated experiences of specific emotions, such as anger, fear, disgust, or happiness (Paradiso et al, 2008; Eddy et al, 2011; Ille et al, 2011a), and exaggerated experiences of arousal or valence (Paradiso et al, 2008; De Tommaso et al, 2013). Findings, however, also include a reduced experience of fear in HD (Eddy et al, 2011), as well as a lack of group differences when rating the experience of several emotions, including, disgust, happiness, or fear (Eddy et al, 2011; Ille et al, 2011b). Studies into the neural correlates of processing emotional scenes, using [ 15 O]water positron emission tomography (PET; Paradiso et al, 2008), electroencephalography (EEG; De Tommaso et al, 2013) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM; Ille et al, 2011b) showed associations between self-reported experiences and structural and functional changes in widespread brain regions in HD, including frontal-subcortical emotion processing networks.…”

“…Findings, however, also include a reduced experience of fear in HD (Eddy et al, 2011), as well as a lack of group differences when rating the experience of several emotions, including, disgust, happiness, or fear (Eddy et al, 2011; Ille et al, 2011b). Studies into the neural correlates of processing emotional scenes, using [ 15 O]water positron emission tomography (PET; Paradiso et al, 2008), electroencephalography (EEG; De Tommaso et al, 2013) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM; Ille et al, 2011b) showed associations between self-reported experiences and structural and functional changes in widespread brain regions in HD, including frontal-subcortical emotion processing networks. Overall, although emotional experiences appear to be affected in HD, the ambiguous findings from self-report studies do not allow for clear conclusions about whether experiences are generally diminished or exaggerated, which emotional states are affected, and whether this depends on the type of stimulus.…”

Neurotrophin receptor p75NTR mediates Huntington’s disease–associated synaptic and memory dysfunction

“…These clinical signs have been mainly attributed to corticostriatal dysfunction (4,5). However, in recent years the idea has emerged that memory decline in HD is likely a reflection of a widespread brain circuitry defect and not exclusively a dysfunction of the basal ganglia (6)(7)(8). Indeed, besides the caudate and putamen, the volume of the hippocampus is reduced in premanifest HD individuals, while no changes in the amygdala, thalamus, or pallidum are observed (9).…”

Inconsistent emotion recognition deficits across stimulus modalities in Huntington׳s disease

“…Later findings however suggested that other negative emotions (anger and fear) were equally, if not more affected (deGelder et al, 2008;Hayes et al, 2009;Henley et al, 2008;Milders et al, 2003;Montagne et al, 2006;Snowden et al, 2008;Ille et al, 2011;Tabrizi et al, 2009;Calder et al, 2010). These results are supportive of the concept of dissociable abilities in recognition of positive and negative emotions.…”