<p>The cingulate cortex plays a significant role in mediating cognitive influences on emotion (<a href="https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stevens, Hurley, &amp; Taber, 2011</a>).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Lower-than-normal activations within cingulate cortex have been reported for several conditions in which emotional numbing and/or suppression of emotions are common symptoms. For example, a metaanalysis of functional neuroimaging in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found reduced activation in both sACC and aMCC during fear conditioning (<a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Etkin, &amp; Wager, 2007</a>). The authors proposed that reduced activation in sACC may indicate impairment in emotion-regulation and fear-extinction, whereas the reduced activation in aMCC may relate to reduced experience of negative emotion.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>My question surrounding this is related to <a href="https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19903">the fact that</a> (Answer provided in <a href="https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/9394">Do ADHD drugs harm the brain?</a>)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[Long-term use of ADHD stimulants <em>in individuals with ADHD</em>] appear to promote "normalization" of certain structural deficiences. Not <em>all</em> deficiences, though (i.e. effects visible on the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) but not on the left ACC).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Whilst this is a great answer to the initial question, it is difficult for me to pick apart from a neuropsychological basis.  Would there be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms with the “normalisation” of the ACC or would there still be significant problems?</p>

<p>Also, are there differences in function between the left and right ACC?  Plus, if there is little <strong>or no</strong> improvement in the left ACC, would the right ACC take over the functions of the left or would the left affect the right?</p>

<h2>References</h2>

<p>Etkin, A., &amp; Wager, T. D. (2007). Functional neuroimaging of anxiety: a meta-analysis of emotional processing in PTSD, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(10), 1476-1488.<br>DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504</a><br>PDF: <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504</a></p>

<p>Stevens, F. L., Hurley, R. A., &amp; Taber, K. H. (2011). Anterior cingulate cortex: unique role in cognition and emotion. <em>The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences</em>, 23(2), 121-125.<br>DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121</a><br>PDF: <a href="https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-29T20:25:17.490Z
I didn't look in depth but on the surface I wouldn't put too much stock in the lateralized effect on ACC. I don't see any evidence that there is a statistically significant difference of the effect on left versus right, just that right is not statistically significant from control. That's entirely to be expected in some cases. I'd also caution on citing "the fact that" from a SE answer especially when that answer doesn't have a specific and clear reference to that claim - it makes it sound like a more substantial conclusion than it is.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-30T18:32:42.183Z
*Would there be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms with the “normalisation” of the ACC or would there still be significant problems?* - what are you asking here? Apparently, according to the answer, there is a correlation. So are you asking about causation? What exactly do you wish to know? The additional question *Also, are there differences in function between the left and right ACC?* is unclear - are you referring to ADHD-specific symptoms? Given the third follow up questions it seems it does. You might wish to be careful asking for too much in a single post.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-30T18:37:26.297Z
*effects visible on the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) but not on the left ACC* - Would there still be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms? Are there differences in function between the left and right ACC? Plus, if there is little or no improvement in the left ACC, would the right ACC take over the functions of the left or would the left affect the right?
Chris Rogers
<neuroscience><neuropsychology>
ADHD and the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)
Chris Rogers
# ADHD and the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-28)

The cingulate cortex plays a significant role in mediating cognitive influences on emotion ([Stevens, Hurley, & Taber, 2011](https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121)).

> Lower-than-normal activations within cingulate cortex have been reported for several conditions in which emotional numbing and/or suppression of emotions are common symptoms. For example, a metaanalysis of functional neuroimaging in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found reduced activation in both sACC and aMCC during fear conditioning ([Etkin, & Wager, 2007](https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504)). The authors proposed that reduced activation in sACC may indicate impairment in emotion-regulation and fear-extinction, whereas the reduced activation in aMCC may relate to reduced experience of negative emotion.

My question surrounding this is related to [the fact that](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19903) (Answer provided in [Do ADHD drugs harm the brain?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/9394))

> [Long-term use of ADHD stimulants *in individuals with ADHD*] appear to promote "normalization" of certain structural deficiences. Not *all* deficiences, though (i.e. effects visible on the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) but not on the left ACC).

Whilst this is a great answer to the initial question, it is difficult for me to pick apart from a neuropsychological basis. Would there be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms with the “normalisation” of the ACC or would there still be significant problems?

Also, are there differences in function between the left and right ACC? Plus, if there is little **or no** improvement in the left ACC, would the right ACC take over the functions of the left or would the left affect the right?

## References

Etkin, A., & Wager, T. D. (2007). Functional neuroimaging of anxiety: a meta-analysis of emotional processing in PTSD, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(10), 1476-1488.  
DOI: [10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504](https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504)  
PDF: <https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504>

Stevens, F. L., Hurley, R. A., & Taber, K. H. (2011). Anterior cingulate cortex: unique role in cognition and emotion. *The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences*, 23(2), 121-125.  
DOI: [10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121](https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121)  
PDF: <https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/jnp.23.2.jnp121>

**Tags:** neuroscience, neuropsychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I didn't look in depth but on the surface I wouldn't put too much stock in the lateralized effect on ACC. I don't see any evidence that there is a statistically significant difference of the effect on left versus right, just that right is not statistically significant from control. That's entirely to be expected in some cases. I'd also caution on citing "the fact that" from a SE answer especially when that answer doesn't have a specific and clear reference to that claim - it makes it sound like a more substantial conclusion than it is.  
> **username_2**: *Would there be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms with the “normalisation” of the ACC or would there still be significant problems?* - what are you asking here? Apparently, according to the answer, there is a correlation. So are you asking about causation? What exactly do you wish to know? The additional question *Also, are there differences in function between the left and right ACC?* is unclear - are you referring to ADHD-specific symptoms? Given the third follow up questions it seems it does. You might wish to be careful asking for too much in a single post.  
> **username_0**: *effects visible on the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) but not on the left ACC* - Would there still be significant improvements to ADHD symptoms? Are there differences in function between the left and right ACC? Plus, if there is little or no improvement in the left ACC, would the right ACC take over the functions of the left or would the left affect the right?  

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## 0 answers

