The current study examined the link between temperamental reactivity in infancy and amygdala development in middle childhood. A sample (n = 291) of four-month-old infants was assessed for infant temperament, and two groups were identified: those exhibiting negative reactivity (n = 116) and those exhibiting positive reactivity (n = 106). At 10 and 12 years of age structural imaging was completed on a subset of these participants (n = 75). Results indicate that, between 10 and 12 years of age, left amygdala volume increased more slowly in those with negative compared to positive reactive temperament. These results provide novel evidence linking early temperament to distinct patterns of brain development over middle childhood.

当前的研究检查了婴儿期的气质反应性与中年儿童杏仁核发育之间的联系。对四个月大的婴儿的样本（n = 291）进行了婴儿气质评估，并确定了两组：反应性为阴性（n = 116）和反应性为阳性（n = 106）。在10和12岁时，对这些参与者的一部分进行了结构成像（n = 75）。结果表明，在10到12岁之间，与积极反应性相比，阴性者的左杏仁核体积增加得更慢。这些结果提供了新颖的证据，表明早期气质与中年儿童大脑发育的不同模式有关。