Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals

Previous research utilising diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has reported disruptions in white matter pathways among individuals with anxiety-related disorders. However, there is limited research focusing on healthy or non-clinical groups with self-reported anxiety symptoms. This investigation aims to...

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Main Authors: Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak, Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy, Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir, Muzaimi, Mustapha, Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin 2025
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Online Access:https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/
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author Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak
Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy
Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir
Muzaimi, Mustapha
Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley
author_facet Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak
Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy
Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir
Muzaimi, Mustapha
Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley
author_sort Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak
building UMP Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Previous research utilising diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has reported disruptions in white matter pathways among individuals with anxiety-related disorders. However, there is limited research focusing on healthy or non-clinical groups with self-reported anxiety symptoms. This investigation aims to explore how self- reported anxiety relates to white matter microstructural differences in non-clinical adult brains. A total of twenty-nine participants took part in the study. Each participant completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and underwent a detailed high-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diffusion MRI connectometry was conducted to generate correlational tractography, identifying links between generalised fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter and anxiety scores derived from the DASS-21. The average anxiety score, as measured by the DASS-21, was 10.97 with a standard deviation of 7.002. Notably, a significant inverse association emerged between anxiety levels and FA values in several white matter regions, including the left and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the left parahippocampal cingulum bundle (p < 0.05). The local brain connectome associated with anxiety may serve as a biomarker for early diagnosis and prevention of anxiety disorders in non-clinical populations.
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spelling ump-455612025-09-12T07:29:33Z https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/ Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir Muzaimi, Mustapha Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine RC Internal medicine Previous research utilising diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has reported disruptions in white matter pathways among individuals with anxiety-related disorders. However, there is limited research focusing on healthy or non-clinical groups with self-reported anxiety symptoms. This investigation aims to explore how self- reported anxiety relates to white matter microstructural differences in non-clinical adult brains. A total of twenty-nine participants took part in the study. Each participant completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and underwent a detailed high-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diffusion MRI connectometry was conducted to generate correlational tractography, identifying links between generalised fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter and anxiety scores derived from the DASS-21. The average anxiety score, as measured by the DASS-21, was 10.97 with a standard deviation of 7.002. Notably, a significant inverse association emerged between anxiety levels and FA values in several white matter regions, including the left and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the left parahippocampal cingulum bundle (p < 0.05). The local brain connectome associated with anxiety may serve as a biomarker for early diagnosis and prevention of anxiety disorders in non-clinical populations. Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin 2025-04-29 Article PeerReviewed pdf en https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/1/742-Article%20Text-3423-1-10-20250429.pdf Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak and Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy and Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir and Muzaimi, Mustapha and Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley (2025) Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals. Asian People Journal, 8 (1). pp. 181-195. ISSN 2600-8971. (Published) https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.1.742 https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.1.742 https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.1.742
spellingShingle RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
RC Internal medicine
Wan Adibah Nadiah, Abd Razak
Rajeev Shamsuddin, Perisamy
Che Mohd Nasril, Che Mohd Nassir
Muzaimi, Mustapha
Mohd Khairul Izamil, Zolkefley
Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title_full Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title_fullStr Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title_full_unstemmed Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title_short Exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: Cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
title_sort exploring brain changes in self-reported anxiety: cutting-edge exploratory diffusion tensor imaging study reveals distinct alterations in white matter tract structure among non-clinical individuals
topic RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
RC Internal medicine
url https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/
https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/
https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45561/