Neurobiology of emotion and high risk for schizophrenia: role of the amygdala and the X-chromosome

Overall, the evidence points to structural abnormalities of the amygdala in individuals at increased risk for schizophrenia. Although the genetic basis of amygdala deficits remains unclear, abnormalities (of genes) on the X-chromosome might play a role as suggested by the evidence from individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies. We propose that amygdala abnormalities are an endophenotype in schizophrenia and may account for subtle emotional processing deficits that have been described in these high-risk groups.