Serotonin laterality in amygdala predicts performance in the elevated plus maze in rats

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Abstract
Behavior in the elevated plus maze was correlated with hemispheric asymmetries in neurotransmitter content in limbic brain regions assayed with HPLC-EC in adult rats. A strong (r = 0.86, p <0.003) correlation exists between increased anxiety (more time spent in the closed arm) and the lateralization of serotonin in the amygdala. Greater serotonin in the right versus left amygdala relates to greater anxiety. In addition, increased dopamine in right prefrontal cortex is strongly correlated with anxiety (r = 0.84, p <0.01). No such correlations were observed for accumbens, hippocampus, or striatum. These data support the hypothesis that the right hemisphere is involved in emotional states: increased serotonin in the right amygdala is related to anxiety, while cortical dopamine may be associated with attention to the environment.