Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Amygdalae Enlargement And Activation Are Associated With Social Network Complexity In Individuals With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv), Christina Jasper

Undergraduate Review

Brain volumetric studies reveal that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with significant changes in several neural regions, including enlargements in the amygdalae, which are small subcortical structures located deep within the left and right temporal lobes that contribute to social behavior. Research on healthy individuals has shown a positive correlation exists between amygdalae volumes and social network size. However, there is evidence that larger amygdalae volumes are associated with increased psychiatric difficulties. The present study investigated the relation of amygdalae volumes and activation to social network size in HIV patients. It was predicted that HIV participants would demonstrate …