Intolerance of uncertainty predicts increased striatal volume.

Abstract

Oversensitivity to uncertain future threat is usefully conceptualized as intolerance of uncertainty (IU). Neuroimaging studies of IU to date have largely focused on its relationship with brain function, but few studies have documented the association between IU and the quantitative properties of brain structure. Here, we examined potential gray and white matter brain structural correlates of IU from 61 healthy participants. Voxel-based morphometric analysis highlighted a robust positive correlation between IU and striatal volume, particularly the putamen. Conversely, tract-based spatial statistical analysis showed no evidence for a relationship between IU and the structural integrity of white matter fiber tracts. Current results converge upon findings from individuals with anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), where abnormally increased IU and striatal volume are consistently reported. They also converge with neurobehavioral data implicating the putamen in predictive coding. Most notably, the relationship between IU and striatal volume is observed at a preclinical level, suggesting that the volumetric properties of the striatum reflect the processing of uncertainty per se as it relates to this dimensional personality characteristic – such a relationship could then potentially contribute to the onset of OCD or GAD, rather than being unique to their pathophysiology.

Subcortical brain volumes, cortical thickness and cortical surface area in families genetically enriched for social anxiety disorder – A multiplex multigenerational neuroimaging study

“…This result is in line with findings of a mega-analysis on 174 patients with SAD and 213 healthy control participants, showing larger GM volume in the dorsal striatum, including the pallidum and the putamen; in this study, the increase in GM was positively related to the level of self-reported social anxiety [ 60 ]. Recently, the positive relationship between social anxiety and volume of the dorsal striatum was replicated in a sample of healthy young women with a broad range of social anxiety levels [ 67 ], while a study on the structural correlates of ‘intolerance of uncertainty’, a psychological construct that is related to anxiety, indicated a positive relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and bilateral striatal volume, in particular the putamen and pallidum [ 176 ]. Interestingly, these findings and the increase in pallidum volume reported in the present work fit within the recent focus on the striatum as being an important structure in the anxiety circuitry of the brain [ 177 ] and are potentially reflective of the role of the pallidum and putamen in processing emotions and reward [ 178 ], as both processes have been shown to be associated with altered brain activation levels in these regions in patients with SAD [ 170 , [179] , [180] , [181] ].…”

Threat or thrill? the neural mechanisms underlying the development of anxiety and risk taking in adolescence

“…While future work is needed to examine whether this association holds in juvenile rats, the striatum has also been linked to anxiety in humans; anxious youth show greater striatal response to low- rather than high-valued outcomes, perhaps due to the relative level of potential risk associated with each option, in addition to demonstrating increased VS activity during feedback anticipation ( Benson et al, 2014 ). Furthermore, an intolerance of uncertainty—a common feature of anxiety ( Dekkers et al, 2017 ; Osmanağaoğlu et al, 2018 )—has been positively associated with striatal volume ( Kim et al, 2017 ).…”

Effects of elite athletes’ aim orientation on basic psychological needs and fear of failure

“…In their study towards sports sciences students, Sarı et al found that age variable was not a significant difference in terms of need for relationship [24]. Recently in a study of Kim published in Emotion by APA Publishing, it was detected that people who struggled with the potential uncertainness of future and its lexical blur (or people felt he/she had to overcome) and saw this uncertainness of future as a threat had an extremely big stratum area [25]. This brain area called stratum was known for its relation with general anxiety and anxiety disorder according to the previous studies and data.…”

“…This brain area called stratum was known for its relation with general anxiety and anxiety disorder according to the previous studies and data. In the study published by American Psychological Association, Kim revealed that there was a connection between individual's overcoming of uncertainness of future / not seeing this as a problem and the intensity of gray matter in a certain area of the brain [25]. Fear of failure is a part of the domination struggle on our important issues, and it is inevitable and innate [26].…”

“…Subjects Research group consisted of elite athletes who had participated actively in the 2016-2017 competition season in different regions of Turkey, and they were chosen with random sampling. Number of the athletes was 521 (Wrestling (53), Barbell (46), Boxing (40), Taekwondo (39), Karate (37), Judo (34), Athletics (47), Muay-Thai (33), Swimming (27), Kick-box (38), Arm Wrestling (27), Wushu (39), Gymnastics (25), Fencing (20), Orienteering (16)). The athletes in the sampling were chosen from the mass of athletes who have continued their sports lives actively.…”