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Osório FL, de Paula Cassis JM, Machado de Sousa JP, Poli-Neto O, Martín-Santos R. Sex Hormones and Processing of Facial Expressions of Emotion: A Systematic Literature Review. Front Psychol 2018; 9:529. [PMID: 29695991 PMCID: PMC5904259 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We systematically reviewed the literature to determine the influence of sex hormones on facial emotion processing (FEP) in healthy women at different phases of life. Methods: Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, LILACS, and SciELO. Twenty-seven articles were included in the review and allocated into five different categories according to their objectives and sample characteristics (menstrual cycle, oral contraceptives, pregnancy/postpartum, testosterone, and progesterone). Results: Despite the limited number of studies in some categories and the existence of inconsistencies in the results of interest, the findings of the review suggest that FEP may be enhanced during the follicular phase. Studies with women taking oral contraceptives showed reduced recognition accuracy and decreased responsiveness of different brain structures during FEP tasks. Studies with pregnant women and women in the postpartum showed that hormonal changes are associated with alterations in FEP and in brain functioning that could indicate the existence of a hypervigilant state in new and future mothers. Exogenous administration of testosterone enhanced the recognition of threatening facial expressions and the activation of brain structures involved in the processing of emotional stimuli. Conclusions: We conclude that sex hormones affect FEP in women, which may have an impact in adaptive processes of the species and in the onset of mood symptoms associated with the premenstrual syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia L. Osório
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana M. de Paula Cassis
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - João P. Machado de Sousa
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Omero Poli-Neto
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rocio Martín-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Neurosciences, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Hornung J, Noack H, Thomas M, Farger G, Nieratschker V, Freiherr J, Derntl B. Bayesian informed evidence against modulation of androstadienone-effects by genotypic receptor variants and participant sex: A study assessing Stroop interference control, mood and olfaction. Horm Behav 2018; 98:45-54. [PMID: 29246659 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The androgen derivative androstadienone (AND) is present in human sweat and may act as human chemosignal. Though effects of AND have been reported with respect to emotional and cognitive processes, results have been highly inconsistent. For this reason, it is likely that AND-action is dependent on modulatory factors. Here we wanted to specifically investigate the impact of genotypic variations of the AND-receptor OR7D4, as well as the influence of participant sex and concomitant hormonal fluctuations on AND-action during emotional interference processing, olfactory performance and mood assessments. To this end 80 healthy individuals (women taking oral contraceptives; naturally cycling women measured during the luteal phase and men) were tested twice on two consecutive days (AND vs. placebo exposure) with an emotional Stroop task. Also, olfactory performance and mood was assessed. Participants provided saliva samples to measure testosterone, progesterone and estradiol and a blood sample to assess genotypic variations of the AND-receptor OR7D4. We found a small task-dependent reduction of overall error rates under AND but no modulation of effects by genetic variation or group (female OC, female NC, male) with respect to olfactory performance and mood. Additional analyses with help of Bayesian statistics gave strong evidence in favor of specific null hypotheses suggesting that the action of AND was not modulated by either genotypic variations or sex of participants with respect to interference control (bias indices), olfactory self-reports and mood parameters. Additional effects of AND in connection with hormonal fluctuations are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Hannes Noack
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mara Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gisbert Farger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Freiherr
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Universitätsklinikum RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Heller J, Mirzazade S, Romanzetti S, Habel U, Derntl B, Freitag NM, Schulz JB, Dogan I, Reetz K. Impact of gender and genetics on emotion processing in Parkinson's disease - A multimodal study. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 18:305-314. [PMID: 29876251 PMCID: PMC5987844 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding of the phenotypic heterogeneity of Parkinson's disease is needed. Gender and genetics determine manifestation and progression of Parkinson's disease. Altered emotion processing in Parkinson's disease is specific to male patients. This is influenced by endocrinal and genetic factors in both genders. This finding may impact the diagnosis and treatment of emerging clinical features.
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Key Words
- BAI, Beck anxiety inventory
- BDI-II, Beck depression inventory version II
- BFRT, Benton facial recognition test
- BOLD, blood‑oxygen-level dependent
- COMT, catechol-O-methyltransferase
- EPI, echo planar imaging
- Emotion
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
- GM, gray matter
- Gender
- Genetics
- H&Y, Hoehn and Yahr rating scale
- HC, healthy controls
- LEDD, levodopa equivalence daily dose
- MCI, mild cognitive impairment
- MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination
- MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
- MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- NMS, non-motor symptoms
- PD, Parkinson's disease
- Parkinson's disease (PD)
- UPDRS, Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale
- VBM, voxel-based morphometry
- fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Heller
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Shahram Mirzazade
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Brain Structure-Function Relationships: Decoding the Human Brain at Systemic Levels, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Osianderstraße 24, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nils M Freitag
- II. Institute of Physics B and JARA-FIT, RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Straße, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
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Mareckova K, Holsen LM, Admon R, Makris N, Seidman L, Buka S, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Goldstein JM. Brain activity and connectivity in response to negative affective stimuli: Impact of dysphoric mood and sex across diagnoses. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 37:3733-3744. [PMID: 27246897 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative affective stimuli elicit behavioral and neural responses which vary on a continuum from adaptive to maladaptive, yet are typically investigated in a dichotomous manner (healthy controls vs. psychiatric diagnoses). This practice may limit our ability to fully capture variance from acute responses to negative affective stimuli to psychopathology at the extreme end. To address this, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study to examine the neural responses to negative valence/high arousal and neutral valence/low arousal images as a function of dysphoric mood and sex across individuals (n = 99) who represented traditional categories of healthy controls, major depressive disorder, bipolar psychosis, and schizophrenia. Observation of negative (vs. neutral) stimuli elicited blood oxygen-level dependent responses in the following circuitry: periaqueductal gray, hypothalamus (HYPO), amygdala (AMYG), hippocampus (HIPP), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and greater connectivity between AMYG and mPFC. Across all subjects, severity of dysphoric mood was associated with hyperactivity of HYPO, and, among females, right (R) AMYG. Females also demonstrated inverse relationships between severity of dysphoric mood and connectivity between HYPO - R OFC, R AMYG - R OFC, and R AMYG - R HIPP. Overall, our findings demonstrated sex-dependent deficits in response to negative affective stimuli increasing as a function of dysphoric mood state. Females demonstrated greater inability to regulate arousal as mood became more dysphoric. These findings contribute to elucidating biosignatures associated with response to negative stimuli across disorders and suggest the importance of a sex-dependent lens in determining these biosignatures. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3733-3744, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Mareckova
- Connors Center for Women's Health & Gender Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Brain and Mind Research Programme, CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Connors Center for Women's Health & Gender Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roee Admon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nikos Makris
- Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula a. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Larry Seidman
- Division of Public Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stephen Buka
- Department of Community Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Connors Center for Women's Health & Gender Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. .,Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula a. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Sundström-Poromaa I. The Menstrual Cycle Influences Emotion but Has Limited Effect on Cognitive Function. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2018; 107:349-376. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Kohn N, Fernández G. Emotion and sex of facial stimuli modulate conditional automaticity in behavioral and neuronal interference in healthy men. Neuropsychologia 2017; 145:106592. [PMID: 29221834 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Our surrounding provides a host of sensory input, which we cannot fully process without streamlining and automatic processing. Levels of automaticity differ for different cognitive and affective processes. Situational and contextual interactions between cognitive and affective processes in turn influence the level of automaticity. Automaticity can be measured by interference in Stroop tasks. We applied an emotional version of the Stroop task to investigate how stress as a contextual factor influences the affective valence-dependent level of automaticity. 120 young, healthy men were investigated for behavioral and brain interference following a stress induction or control procedure in a counter-balanced cross-over-design. Although Stroop interference was always observed, sex and emotion of the face strongly modulated interference, which was larger for fearful and male faces. These effects suggest higher automaticity when processing happy and also female faces. Supporting behavioral patterns, brain data show lower interference related brain activity in executive control related regions in response to happy and female faces. In the absence of behavioral stress effects, congruent compared to incongruent trials (reverse interference) showed little to no deactivation under stress in response to happy female and fearful male trials. These congruency effects are potentially based on altered context- stress-related facial processing that interact with sex-emotion stereotypes. Results indicate that sex and facial emotion modulate Stroop interference in brain and behavior. These effects can be explained by altered response difficulty as a consequence of the contextual and stereotype related modulation of automaticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Kohn
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Guillén Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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57
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Villani D, Iannello P, Cipresso P, Antonietti A. The Stability of Individual Well-Being in Short Windows of Time: Women's Perceptions across the Ovulatory Cycle. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2092. [PMID: 29250015 PMCID: PMC5714936 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Empirical research on well-being has rapidly increased in recent years. One of the most dominant issue concerns the degree of cross-situational consistency and stability of well-being across time, and this is of particular relevance to women life. The aim of this study was to verify the stability of women well-being in short windows of time, specifically across menstrual cycle phases. A within-subject design with 25 normally cycling women (range: 19-26 years) was carried out. The multidimensional assessment of well-being included the administration of psychological well-being, self-esteem, and emotional self-efficacy beliefs questionnaires during both high and low-fertility phases. The results showed the stability of the level of individual well-being across menstrual cycle phases. Albeit preliminary, results indicated that women representations of their well-being do not change according to menstrual cycle. Rather, an effective organization and integration of the entire self-system appears sustained by the stability of well-being measured through a multi-componential assessment over short periods of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Villani
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Iannello
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Cipresso
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
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Angry but not neutral faces facilitate response inhibition in schizophrenia patients. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 267:621-627. [PMID: 27866272 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-016-0748-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a very heterogeneous disorder with extensive impairments in cognitive as well as emotional abilities. One critical domain is response inhibition, and previous studies in schizophrenia patients have mostly observed impairments, i.e., slower inhibition. Moreover, response inhibition to socially salient stimuli has not been investigated in schizophrenia so far. Therefore, to elucidate emotion-cognition interactions by examining potential emotional effects on inhibition processes and further investigate the association of cognition with inhibition we used an emotional stop signal task in 27 schizophrenia patients and 27 gender- and age-matched controls. Task irrelevant emotional faces (angry and neutral) were used as stimuli in a stop signal reaction time task. Regarding accuracy, patients showed significantly worse performance in neutral trials, while their performance in anger trials (stop and go) was similar to controls. Angry faces elicited faster response inhibition in both groups, underlining an emotional facilitation effect. Neurocognitive functions significantly correlated with accuracy in the stop signal task in schizophrenia patients, thus further strengthening the notion of the strong link between cognitive abilities and inhibition processes. Inhibitory control impairments are of high clinical interest due to their association with substance abuse, impulsive behavior and suicide. Based on our data, neutral faces significantly affect response inhibition in schizophrenia while an emotional facilitation effect was apparent for angry faces even in schizophrenia patients. Thus, our data further support the notion that neutral face processing is critically impaired in schizophrenia.
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Syan SK, Minuzzi L, Costescu D, Smith M, Allega OR, Coote M, Hall GBC, Frey BN. Influence of endogenous estradiol, progesterone, allopregnanolone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on brain resting state functional connectivity across the menstrual cycle. Fertil Steril 2017; 107:1246-1255.e4. [PMID: 28476183 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To [1] study brain resting state functional connectivity (Rs-FC) in a well-characterized sample of healthy women in the mid-follicular and late luteal phases of the menstrual cycle; and [2] examine the correlation between endogenous E2, P, allopregnanolone, and DHEAS and patterns of Rs-FC across the menstrual cycle. DESIGN We studied the Rs-FC of the default mode network, salience network, meso-paralimbic network, fronto-parietal network, visual network, and sensorimotor network in the mid-follicular and late luteal phases. Serum levels of E2, P, allopregnanolone, and DHEAS were correlated to patterns of functional connectivity. SETTING University medical center. PATIENT(S) Twenty-five healthy women with regular menstrual cycles. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Functional connectivity of key brain networks at rest and correlations of hormones to Rs-FC in the mid-follcuar and late luteal menstrual phases. RESULT(S) There were no differences in Rs-FC between the mid-follicular and late luteal menstrual phases using either independent component analysis or seed-based analysis. However, specific correlations between each hormone and patterns of functional connectivity were found in both menstrual cycle phases. CONCLUSION(S) It seems that the association between female sex hormones and brain Rs-FC is menstrual cycle phase-dependent. Future studies should examine the cognitive and behavioral correlates of this association in regularly cycling women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina K Syan
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luciano Minuzzi
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dustin Costescu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mara Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivia R Allega
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marg Coote
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoffrey B C Hall
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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Meyza KZ, Bartal IBA, Monfils MH, Panksepp JB, Knapska E. The roots of empathy: Through the lens of rodent models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:216-234. [PMID: 27825924 PMCID: PMC5418107 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is a phenomenon often considered dependent on higher-order emotional control and an ability to relate to the emotional state of others. It is, by many, attributed only to species having well-developed cortical circuits capable of performing such complex tasks. However, over the years, a wealth of data has been accumulated showing that rodents are capable not only of sharing emotional states of their conspecifics, but also of prosocial behavior driven by such shared experiences. The study of rodent empathic behaviors is only now becoming an independent research field. Relevant animal models allow precise manipulation of neural networks, thereby offering insight into the foundations of empathy in the mammalian brains. Here we review the data on empathic behaviors in rat and mouse models, their neurobiological and neurophysiological correlates, and the factors influencing these behaviors. We discuss how simple rodent models of empathy enhance our understanding of how brain controls empathic behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Z Meyza
- Laboratory of Emotions' Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - I Ben-Ami Bartal
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - M H Monfils
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - J B Panksepp
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - E Knapska
- Laboratory of Emotions' Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
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Hornung J, Kogler L, Wolpert S, Freiherr J, Derntl B. The human body odor compound androstadienone leads to anger-dependent effects in an emotional Stroop but not dot-probe task using human faces. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175055. [PMID: 28369152 PMCID: PMC5378404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen derivative androstadienone is a substance found in human sweat and thus is a putative human chemosignal. Androstadienone has been studied with respect to effects on mood states, attractiveness ratings, physiological and neural activation. With the current experiment, we aimed to explore in which way androstadienone affects attention to social cues (human faces). Moreover, we wanted to test whether effects depend on specific emotions, the participants' sex and individual sensitivity to smell androstadienone. To do so, we investigated 56 healthy individuals (thereof 29 females taking oral contraceptives) with two attention tasks on two consecutive days (once under androstadienone, once under placebo exposure in pseudorandomized order). With an emotional dot-probe task we measured visuo-spatial cueing while an emotional Stroop task allowed us to investigate interference control. Our results suggest that androstadienone acts in a sex, task and emotion-specific manner as a reduction in interference processes in the emotional Stroop task was only apparent for angry faces in men under androstadienone exposure. More specifically, men showed a smaller difference in reaction times for congruent compared to incongruent trials. At the same time also women were slightly affected by smelling androstadienone as they classified angry faces more often correctly under androstadienone. For the emotional dot-probe task no modulation by androstadienone was observed. Furthermore, in both attention paradigms individual sensitivity to androstadienone was neither correlated with reaction times nor error rates in men and women. To conclude, exposure to androstadienone seems to potentiate the relevance of angry faces in both men and women in connection with interference control, while processes of visuo-spatial cueing remain unaffected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Lydia Kogler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Wolpert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Freiherr
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Universitätsklinikum RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Eggert L, Kleinstäuber M, Hiller W, Witthöft M. Emotional interference and attentional processing in premenstrual syndrome. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2017; 54:77-87. [PMID: 27404734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by menstrual cycle-related affective, behavioral, and/or somatic symptoms. By applying the emotional Stroop task (EST) the current study examined if changes in processing emotional information, which have been demonstrated in affective disorders, are also present in PMS. METHODS Via online screening, telephone interviews, and daily records over two months 55 women for the PMS group (on the basis of the specific inclusion criteria and a prospectively confirmed PMS) and 55 'non-PMS' controls were recruited. All participants completed three emotional Stroop tasks (EST) with neutral and negative word, picture, and facial stimuli, during the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS Mixed 2 × 2 univariate analyses of variance and post-hoc comparisons showed primarily a greater emotional Stroop effect with respect to picture and facial stimuli in the luteal menstrual cycle phase in women with PMS, compared to the control group. No significant group differences were observed for word stimuli. With respect to the facial stimuli, a kind of paradox effect was revealed (Stroop facilitation) in the PMS group. LIMITATIONS This study provides important information regarding cognitive processes in women suffering from PMS that have to be interpreted in the light of the following limitations: a limited representativeness of the sample, the determination of menstrual cycle phases based on symptom diaries but not hormone levels, and a limited interpretability of our results as causal relationships. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are in line with the assumption that alterations in cognitive-emotional processes are associated with PMS. Further research on the etiology of PMS should focus more on cognitive-emotional processing and its interaction with biological changes relating to the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Eggert
- Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Wallstr. 3, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Maria Kleinstäuber
- Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Hiller
- Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Wallstr. 3, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Witthöft
- Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Wallstr. 3, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
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Montoya ER, Bos PA. How Oral Contraceptives Impact Social-Emotional Behavior and Brain Function. Trends Cogn Sci 2017; 21:125-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2016.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Concussion is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain. Although the cumulative and long-term effects of multiple concussions are now well documented on cognitive and motor function, little is known about their effects on emotion recognition. Recent studies have suggested that concussion can result in emotional sequelae, particularly in females and multi-concussed athletes. The objective of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in emotion recognition in asymptomatic male and female multi-concussed athletes. METHODS We tested 28 control athletes (15 males) and 22 multi-concussed athletes (10 males) more than a year since the last concussion. Participants completed the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, a neuropsychological test battery and a morphed emotion recognition task. Pictures of a male face expressing basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise) morphed with another emotion were randomly presented. After each face presentation, participants were asked to indicate the emotion expressed by the face. RESULTS Results revealed significant sex by group interactions in accuracy and intensity threshold for negative emotions, together with significant main effects of emotion and group. CONCLUSIONS Male concussed athletes were significantly impaired in recognizing negative emotions and needed more emotional intensity to correctly identify these emotions, compared to same-sex controls. In contrast, female concussed athletes performed similarly to same-sex controls. These findings suggest that sex significantly modulates concussion effects on emotional facial expression recognition. (JINS, 2017, 23, 65-77).
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Tas C, Brown EC, Onur E, Aydemir O, Brune M. The Associations Between Endogenous Oxytocin Levels and Emotion Recognition in Bipolar Disorder. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.5455/bcp.20140514043545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cumhur Tas
- Uskudar University, Department of Psychology, Istanbul—Turkey
- Ruhr University, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventative Medicine, Bochum, NRW, Germany
- LWL University, Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Elliot C. Brown
- Ruhr University, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventative Medicine, Bochum, NRW, Germany
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, LWL Maryland Psychiatric Research Centre, Baltimore, MD, USA
- LWL University, Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ece Onur
- Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Manisa - Turkey
- LWL University, Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Omer Aydemir
- Celal Bayar University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Manisa - Turkey
- LWL University, Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Brune
- Ruhr University, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventative Medicine, Bochum, NRW, Germany
- LWL University, Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Bochum, Germany
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66
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Biassoni F, Iannello P, Antonietti A, Ciceri MR. Influences of Fertility Status on Risky Driving Behaviour. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Biassoni
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
| | - Paola Iannello
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
| | | | - Maria Rita Ciceri
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
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Ávila RFD, Morais DD, Bomfim AJ, Chagas MHN. Empatia e reconhecimento de expressões faciais de emoções básicas e complexas em estudantes de Medicina. JORNAL BRASILEIRO DE PSIQUIATRIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1590/0047-2085000000126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar a empatia e a capacidade de reconhecimento de emoções básicas e complexas e suas correlações em estudantes de Medicina. Métodos O desenho do estudo foi transversal. Foram avaliados 86 alunos do 3º e 4º ano do curso de Medicina de uma faculdade de Medicina do interior do estado de São Paulo com os seguintes instrumentos: (i) escala Jefferson de empatia, (ii) tarefa de Reconhecimento de Expressões Faciais de emoções básicas (REF) e (iii) Reading the mind in the eyes test (RMEt). Resultados A média geral de acertos no REF foi 15,6 (DP: ±2,3). Houve diferença estatisticamente significante no número de acertos da emoção tristeza no sexo feminino comparado com o masculino (t84 = 2,30; p = 0,02). Em relação ao RMEt, a média geral de acertos foi de 26,5 (DP: ±3,3) com diferença estatisticamente significante entre os gêneros com maior número de acertos entre as estudantes do sexo feminino (t84 = 3,43; p < 0,01). O escore total médio na escala de empatia foi 121,3 (DP: ±9,8). Houve correlação positiva fraca entre o escore total da escala de empatia e o número de acertos para a emoção tristeza (r = 0,29; p < 0,01). Conclusão O número de acertos para a emoção tristeza no REF e o escore total do RMEt foi maior no sexo feminino comparado com sexo masculino. Além disso, a empatia parece estar diretamente relacionada com a capacidade de reconhecer a emoção tristeza. Outros estudos parecem pertinentes para avaliar de forma mais profunda aspectos de empatia e reconhecimento de expressões faciais da emoção em estudantes de medicina.
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Pletzer B, Crone JS, Kronbichler M, Kerschbaum H. Menstrual Cycle and Hormonal Contraceptive-Dependent Changes in Intrinsic Connectivity of Resting-State Brain Networks Correspond to Behavioral Changes Due to Hormonal Status. Brain Connect 2016; 6:572-85. [PMID: 27239684 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2015.0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Menstrual cycle-dependent changes have been reported for a variety of functions, including cognition, attention, emotion, inhibition, and perception. For several of these functions, an effect of hormonal contraceptives has also been discussed. Cognitive, attentional, emotional, inhibitory, and perceptual functions have been linked to distinct intrinsic connectivity networks during the resting state. However, changes in resting-state connectivity across the menstrual cycle phase and due to hormonal contraceptive use have only been investigated in two selected networks and without controlling for the type of hormonal contraceptives. In the present study, we demonstrate menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptive-dependent changes in several intrinsic connectivity networks, including networks that have been related to emotion processing, olfaction, audition, vision, coordination, and two lateralized frontoparietal networks related to a variety of cognitive functions. These changes parallel behavioral changes in the functions associated with these networks. Changes in connectivity and changes in behavior occur during the same cycle phases. Furthermore, hormonal contraceptive-dependent effects were observed in the same networks and same target sites as menstrual cycle-related changes and were dependent on the androgenicity of the progestin component contained in the hormonal contraceptive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Pletzer
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria .,2 Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria
| | - Julia Sophia Crone
- 2 Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria .,3 Department of Psychology, UCLA , Los Angeles, California
| | - Martin Kronbichler
- 2 Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria
| | - Hubert Kerschbaum
- 2 Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria .,4 Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg , Salzburg, Austria
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Facial emotion recognition and its relationship to cognition and depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. Int Psychogeriatr 2016; 28:1165-79. [PMID: 26987816 DOI: 10.1017/s104161021600034x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairments in facial emotion recognition (FER) have been detected in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Presently, we aim at assessing differences in emotion recognition performance in PD patient groups with and without mild forms of cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to healthy controls. METHODS Performance on a concise emotion recognition test battery (VERT-K) of three groups of 97 PD patients was compared with an age-equivalent sample of 168 healthy controls. Patients were categorized into groups according to two well-established classifications of MCI according to Petersen's (cognitively intact vs. amnestic MCI, aMCI, vs. non-amnestic MCI, non-aMCI) and Litvan's (cognitively intact vs. single-domain MCI, sMCI, vs. multi-domain MCI, mMCI) criteria. Patients and controls underwent individual assessments using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery examining attention, executive functioning, language, and memory (Neuropsychological Test Battery Vienna, NTBV), the Beck Depression Inventory, and a measure of premorbid IQ (WST). RESULTS Cognitively intact PD patients and patients with MCI in PD (PD-MCI) showed significantly worse emotion recognition performance when compared to healthy controls. Between-groups effect sizes were substantial, showing non-trivial effects in all comparisons (Cohen's ds from 0.31 to 1.22). Moreover, emotion recognition performance was higher in women, positively associated with premorbid IQ and negatively associated with age. Depressive symptoms were not related to FER. CONCLUSIONS The present investigation yields further evidence for impaired FER in PD. Interestingly, our data suggest FER deficits even in cognitively intact PD patients indicating FER dysfunction prior to the development of overt cognitive dysfunction. Age showed a negative association whereas IQ showed a positive association with FER.
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70
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Radke S, Derntl B. Affective responsiveness is influenced by intake of oral contraceptives. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:1014-9. [PMID: 27039036 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite the widespread use of oral contraceptive pills (OCs), little is known about their impact on psychological processes and emotional competencies. Recent data indicate impaired emotion recognition in OC users compared to naturally cycling females. Building upon these findings, the current study investigated the influence of OC use on three components of empathy, i.e., emotion recognition, perspective-taking, and affective responsiveness. We compared naturally cycling women to two groups of OC users, one being tested in their pill-free week and one in the phase of active intake. Whereas groups did not differ in emotion recognition and perspective-taking, an effect of pill phase was evident for affective responsiveness: Females currently taking the pill showed better performance than those in their pill-free week. These processing advantages complement previous findings on menstrual cycle effects and thereby suggest an association with changes in endogenous and exogenous reproductive hormones. The current study highlights the need for future research to shed more light on the neuroendocrine alterations accompanying OC intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Radke
- RWTH Aachen, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Aachen, Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich/Aachen, Germany; JARA - BRAIN Institute I, Jülich/Aachen, Germany.
| | - Birgit Derntl
- RWTH Aachen, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Aachen, Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich/Aachen, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany; University of Tübingen, Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany
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71
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficits in facial emotion recognition (FER) have been shown to substantially impair several aspects in everyday life of affected individuals (e.g. social functioning). Presently, we aim at assessing differences in emotion recognition performance in three patient groups suffering from mild forms of cognitive impairment compared to healthy controls. METHODS Performance on a concise emotion recognition test battery (VERT-K) of 68 patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), 44 non-amnestic (non-aMCI), and 25 amnestic patients (aMCI) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was compared with an age-equivalent sample of 138 healthy controls all of which were recruited within the framework of the Vienna Conversion to Dementia Study. Additionally, patients and controls underwent individual assessment using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery examining attention, executive functioning, language, and memory (NTBV), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and a measure of premorbid IQ (WST). RESULTS Type of diagnosis showed a significant effect on emotion recognition performance, indicating progressively deteriorating results as severity of diagnosis increased. Between-groups effect sizes were substantial, showing non-trivial effects in all comparisons (Cohen's ds from -0.30 to -0.83) except for SCD versus controls. Moreover, emotion recognition performance was higher in women and positively associated with premorbid IQ. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate substantial effects of progressive neurological damage on emotion recognition in patients. Importantly, emotion recognition deficits were observable in non-amnestic patients as well, thus conceivably suggesting associations between decreased recognition performance and global cognitive decline. Premorbid IQ appears to act as protective factor yielding lesser deficits in patients showing higher IQs.
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72
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Chung KC, Peisen F, Kogler L, Radke S, Turetsky B, Freiherr J, Derntl B. The Influence of Menstrual Cycle and Androstadienone on Female Stress Reactions: An fMRI Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:44. [PMID: 26909031 PMCID: PMC4754653 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Communicating threats and stress via biological signaling is common in animals. In humans, androstadienone (ANDR), a synthetic male steroid, is a socially relevant chemosignal exhibited to increase positive mood and cortisol levels specifically in (periovulatory) females in positively arousing contexts. In a negative context, we expected that such effects of ANDR could amplify social evaluative threat depending on the stress sensitivity, which differs between menstrual cycle phases. Therefore, this fMRI study aimed to examine psychosocial stress reactions on behavioral, hormonal and neural levels in 31 naturally cycling females, between 15 early follicular (EF) and 16 mid-luteal (ML) females tested with ANDR and placebo treatment in a repeated-measures design. Regardless of odor stimulation, psychosocial stress (i.e., mental arithmetic task with social evaluative threat) led to elevated negative mood and anxiety in all females. A negative association of social threat related amygdala activation and competence ratings appeared in ML-females, indicating enhanced threat processing by ANDR, particularly in ML-females who felt less competent early in the stress experience. Further, ML-females showed reduced performance and stronger stress-related hippocampus activation compared to EF-females under ANDR. Hippocampal activation in ML-females also correlated positively with post-stress subjective stress. Contrarily, such patterns were not observed in EF-females or under placebo in either group. Strikingly, unlike passive emotional processing, ANDR in a stressful context decreased cortisol concentration in all females. This points to a more complex interaction of ovarian/gonadal hormones in social threat processing and stress reactivity. Our findings suggest that ANDR enhanced initial evaluation of self-related social threat in ML-females. Female stress reactions are related to stress sensitivity through enhanced awareness and processing of social cues in a stressful context, with menstrual cycle phase being a critical factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Chun Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
| | - Felix Peisen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
| | - Lydia Kogler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain MedicineAachen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Sina Radke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain MedicineAachen, Germany
| | - Bruce Turetsky
- Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Jessica Freiherr
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain MedicineAachen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-1, Research Center JülichJülich, Germany
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Belfi AM, Chen KH, Schneider B, Tranel D. Neurological damage disrupts normal sex differences in psychophysiological responsiveness to music. Psychophysiology 2015; 53:14-20. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy M. Belfi
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa; Iowa City Iowa USA
- Department of Neurology; University of Iowa College of Medicine; Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Kuan-Hua Chen
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa; Iowa City Iowa USA
- Department of Neurology; University of Iowa College of Medicine; Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Brett Schneider
- Department of Neurology; University of Iowa College of Medicine; Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Daniel Tranel
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa; Iowa City Iowa USA
- Department of Neurology; University of Iowa College of Medicine; Iowa City Iowa USA
- Department of Psychology; University of Iowa; Iowa City Iowa USA
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74
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Sex differences in social modulation of learning in rats. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18114. [PMID: 26655917 PMCID: PMC4677340 DOI: 10.1038/srep18114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In its simplest form, empathy can be characterized as the capacity to share the emotional experiences among individuals, a phenomenon known as emotional contagion. Recent research shows that emotional contagion and its adaptive role can be studied in rodents. However, it is not known whether sex differences observed in human empathy extend to its more primitive forms. In the present study, we used a rat model of emotional contagion to compare the behavioral consequences of social transfer of information about threat, and the subsequent neural activation patterns in male and female rats. We found that: (1) males and females display a similar behavioral pattern during the interaction with either a fear-conditioned or a control rat; (2) interaction with a fear-conditioned conspecific positively modulates two-way avoidance learning in male and diestral female rats but not in estral females; and (3) such interaction results in increased c-Fos expression in the central and lateral nuclei of the amygdala and the prelimbic and infralimbic cortex in males, whereas in females no such changes were observed. Collectively, our results point to the occurrence of sex and estrus cycle phase differences in susceptibility to emotional contagion and underlying neuronal activation in rodents.
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Radke S, Pfersmann V, Derntl B. The impact of emotional faces on social motivation in schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2015; 265:613-22. [PMID: 25724560 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-015-0589-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in emotion recognition and psychosocial functioning are a robust phenomenon in schizophrenia and may affect motivational behavior, particularly during socio-emotional interactions. To characterize potential deficits and their interplay, we assessed social motivation covering various facets, such as implicit and explicit approach-avoidance tendencies to facial expressions, in 27 patients with schizophrenia (SZP) and 27 matched healthy controls (HC). Moreover, emotion recognition abilities as well as self-reported behavioral activation and inhibition were evaluated. Compared to HC, SZP exhibited less pronounced approach-avoidance ratings to happy and angry expressions along with prolonged reactions during automatic approach-avoidance. Although deficits in emotion recognition were replicated, these were not associated with alterations in social motivation. Together with additional connections between psychopathology and several approach-avoidance processes, these results identify motivational impairments in SZP and suggest a complex relationship between different aspects of social motivation. In the context of specialized interventions aimed at improving social cognitive abilities in SZP, the link between such dynamic measures, motivational profiles and functional outcomes warrants further investigations, which can provide important leverage points for treatment. Crucially, our findings present first insights into the assessment and identification of target features of social motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Radke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich/Aachen, Germany.
| | | | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich/Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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76
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Wiggert N, Wilhelm FH, Derntl B, Blechert J. Gender differences in experiential and facial reactivity to approval and disapproval during emotional social interactions. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1372. [PMID: 26441747 PMCID: PMC4585028 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative social evaluations represent social threats and elicit negative emotions such as anger or fear. Positive social evaluations, by contrast, may increase self-esteem and generate positive emotions such as happiness and pride. Gender differences are likely to shape both the perception and expression of positive and negative social evaluations. Yet, current knowledge is limited by a reliance on studies that used static images of individual expressers with limited external validity. Furthermore, only few studies considered gender differences on both the expresser and perceiver side. The present study approached these limitations by utilizing a naturalistic stimulus set displaying nine males and nine females (expressers) delivering social evaluative sentences to 32 female and 26 male participants (perceivers). Perceivers watched 30 positive, 30 negative, and 30 neutral messages while facial electromyography (EMG) was continuously recorded and subjective ratings were obtained. Results indicated that men expressing positive evaluations elicited stronger EMG responses in both perceiver genders. Arousal was rated higher when positive evaluations were expressed by the opposite gender. Thus, gender differences need to be more explicitly considered in research of social cognition and affective science using naturalistic social stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Wiggert
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frank H Wilhelm
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg Salzburg, Austria
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany ; Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance Aachen, Germany ; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich Jülich, Germany ; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jens Blechert
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg Salzburg, Austria ; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg Salzburg, Austria
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Progesterone mediates the late positive potentials evoked by affective pictures in high neuroticism females. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 59:49-58. [PMID: 26025005 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroticism, which is a personality trait characterized by the tendency to experience negative affect, is associated with premenstrual negative emotion changes. The present ERP study intended to investigate how neuroticism and the menstrual cycle influence the evaluation of emotion as a function of the tested levels of ovarian hormones. METHOD Forty-two healthy females with regular menstrual cycles were grouped by neuroticism (N): 16 were included in the high-N group, and 26 were included in the low-N group. Each female performed an emotion evaluation task in the early follicular phase, late follicular phase and luteal phase while the ERPs, hormone samples and Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) mood ratings were measured. RESULTS The PAD and behavioral data did not differ between the two groups during the three phases. However, the mean amplitude of the Late Positive Potentials (LPP, 300-1000ms post-stimulus) of ERPs was significantly larger in the high-N group than that in the low-N group. Moreover, the interaction between the group and phase was significant 2000-4000ms post-stimulus: for the high-N group, the LPP of the luteal phase was the largest, followed by the late follicular phase and the early follicular phase; whereas the LPP of the luteal phase was the largest, followed by the early follicular phase and the late follicular phase for the low-N group. More importantly, the LPP (300-4000ms post-stimulus) evoked by positive pictures from the central or parietal area was significantly negatively correlated with the progesterone level in the early follicular phase. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides electrophysiological evidence showing that both the menstrual cycle and neuroticism modulate the LPP evoked by emotional pictures. Furthermore, the negative correlation between progesterone and the amplitude of the LPP suggests that the effect of the menstrual cycle on the LPP may be primarily a function of progesterone. These findings suggest that the LPP evoked by emotional pictures for high and low neuroticism females change throughout the menstrual cycle and that this change is in part mediated by progesterone.
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Cservenka A, Stroup ML, Etkin A, Nagel BJ. The effects of age, sex, and hormones on emotional conflict-related brain response during adolescence. Brain Cogn 2015; 99:135-50. [PMID: 26175008 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
While cognitive and emotional systems both undergo development during adolescence, few studies have explored top-down inhibitory control brain activity in the context of affective processing, critical to informing adolescent psychopathology. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain response during an Emotional Conflict (EmC) Task across 10-15-year-old youth. During the EmC Task, participants indicated the emotion of facial expressions, while disregarding emotion-congruent and incongruent words printed across the faces. We examined the relationships of age, sex, and gonadal hormones with brain activity on Incongruent vs. Congruent trials. Age was negatively associated with middle frontal gyrus activity, controlling for performance and movement confounds. Sex differences were present in occipital and parietal cortices, and were driven by activation in females, and deactivation in males to Congruent trials. Testosterone was negatively related with frontal and striatal brain response in males, and cerebellar and precuneus response in females. Estradiol was negatively related with fronto-cerebellar, cingulate, and precuneus brain activity in males, and positively related with occipital response in females. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the effects of age, sex, and sex steroids during an emotion-cognition task in adolescents. Further research is needed to examine longitudinal development of emotion-cognition interactions and deviations in psychiatric disorders in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Cservenka
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, United States
| | | | - Amit Etkin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, United States
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, United States; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, United States.
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79
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Goldstein JM, Lancaster K, Longenecker JM, Abbs B, Holsen LM, Cherkerzian S, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Makris N, Tsuang MT, Buka SL, Seidman LJ, Klibanski A. Sex differences, hormones, and fMRI stress response circuitry deficits in psychoses. Psychiatry Res 2015; 232:226-36. [PMID: 25914141 PMCID: PMC4439265 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Response to stress is dysregulated in psychosis (PSY). fMRI studies showed hyperactivity in hypothalamus (HYPO), hippocampus (HIPP), amygdala (AMYG), anterior cingulate (ACC), orbital and medial prefrontal (OFC; mPFC) cortices, with some studies reporting sex differences. We predicted abnormal steroid hormone levels in PSY would be associated with sex differences in hyperactivity in HYPO, AMYG, and HIPP, and hypoactivity in PFC and ACC, with more severe deficits in men. We studied 32 PSY cases (50.0% women) and 39 controls (43.6% women) using a novel visual stress challenge while collecting blood. PSY males showed BOLD hyperactivity across all hypothesized regions, including HYPO and ACC by FWE-correction. Females showed hyperactivity in HIPP and AMYG and hypoactivity in OFC and mPFC, the latter FWE-corrected. Interaction of group by sex was significant in mPFC (F = 7.00, p = 0.01), with PSY females exhibiting the lowest activity. Male hyperactivity in HYPO and ACC was significantly associated with hypercortisolemia post-stress challenge, and mPFC with low androgens. Steroid hormones and neural activity were dissociated in PSY women. Findings suggest disruptions in neural circuitry-hormone associations in response to stress are sex-dependent in psychosis, particularly in prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Goldstein
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Katie Lancaster
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Julia M Longenecker
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Brandon Abbs
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Sara Cherkerzian
- Connors Center for Women׳s Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women׳s Health, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Nicolas Makris
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ming T Tsuang
- Center for Behavior Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Stephen L Buka
- Department of Community Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Larry J Seidman
- Division of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Public Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Anne Klibanski
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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80
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Kret ME, Ploeger A. Emotion processing deficits: A liability spectrum providing insight into comorbidity of mental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 52:153-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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81
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Kamboj SK, Krol KM, Curran HV. A specific association between facial disgust recognition and estradiol levels in naturally cycling women. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122311. [PMID: 25874795 PMCID: PMC4398500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Subtle changes in social cognition are associated with naturalistic fluctuations in estrogens and progesterone over the course of the menstrual cycle. Using a dynamic emotion recognition task we aimed to provide a comprehensive description of the association between ovarian hormone levels and emotion recognition performance using a variety of performance metrics. Naturally cycling, psychiatrically healthy women attended a single experimental session during a follicular (days 7–13; n = 16), early luteal (days 15–19; n = 14) or late luteal phase (days 22–27; n = 14) of their menstrual cycle. Correct responses and reaction times to dynamic facial expressions were recorded and a two-high threshold analysis was used to assess discrimination and response bias. Salivary progesterone and estradiol were assayed and subjective measures of premenstrual symptoms, anxiety and positive and negative affect assessed. There was no interaction between cycle phase (follicular, early luteal, late luteal) and facial expression (sad, happy, fearful, angry, neutral and disgusted) on any of the recognition performance metrics. However, across the sample as a whole, progesterone levels were positively correlated with reaction times to a variety of facial expressions (anger, happiness, sadness and neutral expressions). In contrast, estradiol levels were specifically correlated with disgust processing on three performance indices (correct responses, response bias and discrimination). Premenstrual symptoms, anxiety and positive and negative affect were not associated with emotion recognition indices or hormone levels. The study highlights the role of naturalistic variations in ovarian hormone levels in modulating emotion recognition. In particular, progesterone seems to have a general slowing effect on facial expression processing. Our findings also provide the first behavioural evidence of a specific role for estrogens in the processing of disgust in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjeev K. Kamboj
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Kathleen M. Krol
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - H. Valerie Curran
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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82
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Hahn AC, DeBruine LM, Fisher CI, Jones BC. The reward value of infant facial cuteness tracks within-subject changes in women's salivary testosterone. Horm Behav 2015; 67:54-9. [PMID: 25481544 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
"Baby schema" refers to infant characteristics, such as facial cues, that positively influence cuteness perceptions and trigger caregiving and protective behaviors in adults. Current models of hormonal regulation of parenting behaviors address how hormones may modulate protective behaviors and nurturance, but not how hormones may modulate responses to infant cuteness. To explore this issue, we investigated possible relationships between the reward value of infant facial cuteness and within-woman changes in testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels. Multilevel modeling of these data showed that infant cuteness was more rewarding when women's salivary testosterone levels were high. Moreover, this within-woman effect of testosterone was independent of the possible effects of estradiol and progesterone and was not simply a consequence of changes in women's cuteness perceptions. These results suggest that testosterone may modulate differential responses to infant facial cuteness, potentially revealing a new route through which testosterone shapes selective allocation of parental resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Hahn
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK.
| | - Lisa M DeBruine
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK
| | - Claire I Fisher
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK
| | - Benedict C Jones
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK
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83
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Hamstra DA, de Kloet ER, van Hemert AM, de Rijk RH, Van der Does AJW. Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing. Neuroscience 2014; 286:412-22. [PMID: 25497375 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral contraceptives (OCs) affect mood in some women and may have more subtle effects on emotional information processing in many more users. Female carriers of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) haplotype 2 have been shown to be more optimistic and less vulnerable to depression. AIM To investigate the effects of oral contraceptives on emotional information processing and a possible moderating effect of MR haplotype. METHODS Cross-sectional study in 85 healthy premenopausal women of West-European descent. RESULTS We found significant main effects of oral contraceptives on facial expression recognition, emotional memory and decision-making. Furthermore, carriers of MR haplotype 1 or 3 were sensitive to the impact of OCs on the recognition of sad and fearful faces and on emotional memory, whereas MR haplotype 2 carriers were not. LIMITATIONS Different compounds of OCs were included. No hormonal measures were taken. Most naturally cycling participants were assessed in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. CONCLUSIONS Carriers of MR haplotype 2 may be less sensitive to depressogenic side-effects of OCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Hamstra
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| | - E R de Kloet
- Leiden Academic Centre of Drug Research, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - A M van Hemert
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - R H de Rijk
- DynaCorts Therapeutics, Leidschendam, The Netherlands
| | - A J W Van der Does
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
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84
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Sundström Poromaa I, Gingnell M. Menstrual cycle influence on cognitive function and emotion processing-from a reproductive perspective. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:380. [PMID: 25505380 PMCID: PMC4241821 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The menstrual cycle has attracted research interest ever since the 1930s. For many researchers the menstrual cycle is an excellent model of ovarian steroid influence on emotion, behavior, and cognition. Over the past years methodological improvements in menstrual cycle studies have been noted, and this review summarizes the findings of methodologically sound menstrual cycle studies in healthy women. Whereas the predominant hypotheses of the cognitive field state that sexually dimorphic cognitive skills that favor men are improved during menstrual cycle phases with low estrogen and that cognitive skills that favor women are improved during cycle phases with increased estrogen and/or progesterone, this review has not found sufficient evidence to support any of these hypotheses. Mental rotation has gained specific interest in this aspect, but a meta-analysis yielded a standardized mean difference in error rate of 1.61 (95% CI -0.35 to 3.57), suggesting, at present, no favor of an early follicular phase improvement in mental rotation performance. Besides the sexually dimorphic cognitive skills, studies exploring menstrual cycle effects on tasks that probe prefrontal cortex function, for instance verbal or spatial working memory, have also been reviewed. While studies thus far are few, results at hand suggest improved performance at times of high estradiol levels. Menstrual cycle studies on emotional processing, on the other hand, tap into the emotional disorders of the luteal phase, and may be of relevance for women with premenstrual disorders. Although evidence at present is limited, it is suggested that emotion recognition, consolidation of emotional memories, and fear extinction is modulated by the menstrual cycle in women. With the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, several studies report changes in brain reactivity across the menstrual cycle, most notably increased amygdala reactivity in the luteal phase. Thus, to the extent that behavioral changes have been demonstrated over the course of the menstrual cycle, the best evidence suggests that differences in sexually dimorphic tasks are small and difficult to replicate. However, emotion-related changes are more consistently found, and are better associated with progesterone than with estradiol such that high progesterone levels are associated with increased amygdala reactivity and increased emotional memory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
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85
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Kinner VL, Het S, Wolf OT. Emotion regulation: exploring the impact of stress and sex. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:397. [PMID: 25431554 PMCID: PMC4230035 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotion regulation is a major prerequisite for adaptive behavior. The capacity to regulate emotions is particularly important during and after the encounter of a stressor. However, the impact of acute stress and its associated neuroendocrine alterations on emotion regulation have received little attention so far. This study aimed to explore how stress-induced cortisol increases affect three different emotion regulation strategies. Seventy two healthy men and women were either exposed to a stressor or a control condition. Subsequently participants viewed positive and negative images and were asked to up- or down-regulate their emotional responses or simultaneously required to solve an arithmetic task (distraction). The factors stress, sex, and strategy were operationalized as between group factors (n = 6 per cell). Stress caused an increase in blood pressure and higher subjective stress ratings. An increase in cortisol was observed in male participants only. In contrast to controls, stressed participants were less effective in distracting themselves from the emotional pictures. The results further suggest that in women stress enhances the ability to decrease negative emotions. These findings characterize the impact of stress and sex on emotion regulation and provide initial evidence that these factors may interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie L Kinner
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum Bochum, Germany
| | - Serkan Het
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum Bochum, Germany
| | - Oliver T Wolf
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum Bochum, Germany
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86
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Oral contraceptives may alter the detection of emotions in facial expressions. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 24:1855-9. [PMID: 25224104 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Revised: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
A possible effect of oral contraceptives on emotion recognition was observed in the context of a clinical trial with a corticosteroid. Users of oral contraceptives detected significantly fewer facial expressions of sadness, anger and disgust than non-users. This was true for trial participants overall as well as for those randomized to placebo. Although it is uncertain whether this is an effect of oral contraceptives or a pre-existing difference, future studies on the effect of interventions should control for the effects of oral contraceptives on emotional and cognitive outcomes.
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87
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Dissociation of explicit and implicit measures of the behavioral inhibition and activation system in borderline personality disorder. Psychiatry Res 2014; 218:134-42. [PMID: 24798120 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 02/15/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from various impairments in emotional functioning such as affective instability, inappropriate anger and unstable relationships. These deficits may influence two fundamental motivational systems, the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS). To investigate behavioral intentions and possible impairments in BPD we applied an implicit joystick task to measure implicit behavioral tendencies in response to facial expressions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear and neutral) in 25 patients with BPD and matched 25 healthy controls (HC). Additionally, we evaluated explicit approach and avoidance reactions to these social stimuli, emotion recognition abilities and subjective behavioral ratings. Our data analysis suggests that, although BPD patients accurately identified facial emotional expressions and reacted to them similarly as HC in the joystick task, they had significantly stronger avoidance tendencies in the rating task, especially for happiness and fear. On top of this they exhibited increased BIS sensitivity and decreased BAS sensitivity in the self-report measures. Possible influences are maladaptive cognitive schemas, high negative affect, insecure attachment style and a negative evaluation bias. The observed dysfunctional avoidance ratings may influence the appraisal of socially relevant stimuli and therefore adds further knowledge on social interaction problems in BPD.
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88
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Abstract
Wood, Kressel, Joshi, and Louie (2014) report that published, but not unpublished, studies of masculinity, dominance, symmetry, and health preferences show significant overall effects of cycle phase. They interpret this as evidence that reports of cyclic shifts in mate preferences are artifacts of publication bias. I will first discuss why these conclusions do not necessarily follow straightforwardly from their results. I will then discuss their findings for health preferences specifically, concluding that their dismissal of a significant overall effect of cycle phase is unreasonable.
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89
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Brown GR, Cross CP, Street SE, Brand CO. Comment: Beyond “Evolutionary versus Social”: Moving the Cycle Shift Debate Forward. EMOTION REVIEW 2014. [DOI: 10.1177/1754073914523050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Wood, Kressel, Joshi, and Louie (2014) thoroughly evaluate the evidence for menstrual cycle shifts in ratings of several male characteristics and conclude that their analyses fail to provide supportive evidence for consistent cycle effects. The topic of menstrual cycle shifts in mate preferences has been strongly debated, with disagreements over both scientific content and practice. Here, we attempt to take a step back from these acrimonious exchanges and focus instead on how to interpret menstrual cycle shifts in mate preference tasks, independently from the question of when, or if, task performance varies with cycle stage. A greater consideration of domain-general mechanisms could provide an opportunity for investigating how evolved predispositions interact with socially transmitted information in biasing women’s responses on mate preference tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian R. Brown
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Sally E. Street
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
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Abstract
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is comprised of a cluster of affective, behavioral and somatic symptoms recurring monthly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The disorder affects 3-8% of menstruating women and represents the more severe and disabling end of the spectrum of premenstrual disorders, which includes premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual aggravation of underlying affective disorder. Rigorous and specific diagnostic criteria for PMDD were specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (1994) and reaffirmed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (2013) and, consequently, there has been a marked increase in well-designed, placebo-controlled studies evaluating treatment modalities. Although the exact pathogenesis of PMDD is still elusive, treatment of PMDD and severe premenstrual syndrome has centered on neuromodulation via serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, and ovulation suppression utilizing various contraceptive and hormonal preparations. Unlike the approach to the treatment of depression, serotonergic antidepressants need not be given daily, but can be effective when used cyclically, only in the luteal phase or even limited to the duration of the monthly symptoms. Less, well-substantiated alternative treatments, such as calcium supplementation, agnus castus (chasteberry), Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) and cognitive/behavioral/relaxation therapies, may be useful adjuncts in the treatment of PMDD. This review provides an overview of current information on the treatment of PMDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea J Rapkin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Room 27-139 CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1740, USA
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Wu H, Chen C, Cheng D, Yang S, Huang R, Cacioppo S, Luo YJ. The mediation effect of menstrual phase on negative emotion processing: Evidence from N2. Soc Neurosci 2014; 9:278-88. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.886617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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92
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Heller J, Dogan I, Schulz JB, Reetz K. Evidence for gender differences in cognition, emotion and quality of life in Parkinson's disease? Aging Dis 2014; 5:63-75. [PMID: 24490118 PMCID: PMC3901615 DOI: 10.14366/ad.2014.050063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of gender differences have been documented in the incidence and symptomatology of the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Overall, previous reports suggest a less frequent incidence and a more benign phenotype in women mainly in Western populations, which is thought to be mediated by estrogens in particular in early stages of the disease. Not only motor symptoms seem to underlie gender effects, but also non-motor symptoms such as psychiatric and cognitive impairments, which can often precede motor manifestation. However, reliable results for gender differences in PD in particular of cognitive function and emotion processing, having a major impact on quality of life, are lacking. Moreover, studies investigating gender effects in PD in these areas have revealed highly heterogeneous results. The present review summarizes findings of currently available studies on gender effects on neuropsychological tests covering major cognitive domains, emotion processing as well as quality of life in patients with PD. Overall, the occurrence of cognitive impairment in PD seems to be associated with male gender, though inconsistent results were shown in cognitive screening tests. Regarding emotion recognition, men with PD were found to be less accurate than women with PD at identifying fearful expressions, whereas vice versa results appeared in healthy subjects. Lower quality of life and greater disability were reported by women compared to men with PD, which corresponds with the results in healthy subjects. Several disease-specific mediators as well as the question of a general gender and age-related effect as observed in healthy individuals are discussed. Increased knowledge on possible gender effects in PD would provide an enhanced insight in underlying pathological mechanisms, and has potential implications for the diagnosis and treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Heller
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
- JARA – Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich and Aachen, Germany
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
- JARA – Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich and Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jörg B. Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
- JARA – Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich and Aachen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
- JARA – Translational Brain Medicine, Jülich and Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, Jülich, Germany
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Hoertnagl CM, Oberheinricher S, Hofer A. [Social cognition in patients with mood disorders. Part II: bipolar disorder : a selective review of the literature]. NEUROPSYCHIATRIE : KLINIK, DIAGNOSTIK, THERAPIE UND REHABILITATION : ORGAN DER GESELLSCHAFT OSTERREICHISCHER NERVENARZTE UND PSYCHIATER 2014; 28:84-91. [PMID: 24477359 DOI: 10.1007/s40211-013-0096-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Overview on the current knowledge regarding social cognition in patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS Selective literature research on deficits in social cognition intrinsic to bipolar disorder, their occurrence and effects. RESULTS Deficits in social cognition are considered to be core features of bipolar disorder. They are apparent during acute episodes of the disorder, endure when patients are in remission and have a significant negative impact on the patients' psychosocial outcomes. CONCLUSIONS It is important to consider deficits in social cognition as an integral part of a treatment approach to achieve mental stabilization in patients with bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Maria Hoertnagl
- Department für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Psychiatrie und Sozialpsychiatrie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Österreich,
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94
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Hormones and social monitoring: Menstrual cycle shifts in progesterone underlie women's sensitivity to social information. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2013.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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95
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The influence of steroid sex hormones on the cognitive and emotional processing of visual stimuli in humans. Front Neuroendocrinol 2013; 34:315-28. [PMID: 23988462 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2013.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Steroid sex hormones are responsible for some of the differences between men and women. In this article, I review evidence that steroid sex hormones impact on visual processing. Given prominent sex-differences, I focus on three topics for sex hormone effects for which there is most research available: 1. Preference and mate choice, 2. Emotion and recognition, and 3. Cerebral/perceptual asymmetries and visual-spatial abilities. For each topic, researchers have examined sex hormones and visual processing using various methods. I review indirect evidence addressing variation according to: menstrual cycle phase, pregnancy, puberty, and menopause. I further address studies of variation in testosterone and a measure of prenatal testosterone, 2D:4D, on visual processing. The most conclusive evidence, however, comes from experiments. Studies in which hormones are administrated are discussed. Overall, many studies demonstrate that sex steroids are associated with visual processing. However, findings are sometimes inconsistent, differences in methodology make strong comparisons between studies difficult, and we generally know more about activational than organizational effects.
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96
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Zhang W, Zhou R, Wang Q, Zhao Y, Liu Y. Sensitivity of the late positive potentials evoked by emotional pictures to neuroticism during the menstrual cycle. Neurosci Lett 2013; 553:7-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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97
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Regional gray matter volume differences and sex-hormone correlations as a function of menstrual cycle phase and hormonal contraceptives use. Brain Res 2013; 1530:22-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2013] [Revised: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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98
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Villalta-Gil V, Meléndez-Pérez I, Russell T, Surguladze S, Radua J, Fusté M, Stephan-Otto C, Haro JM. Functional similarity of facial emotion processing between people with a first episode of psychosis and healthy subjects. Schizophr Res 2013; 149:35-41. [PMID: 23830857 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurofunctional and behavioral abnormalities in facial emotion processing (FEmoP) have been consistently found in schizophrenia patients, but studies assessing brain functioning in early phases are scarce and the variety of experimental paradigms in current literature make comparisons difficult. The present work focuses on assessing FEmoP in people experiencing a psychotic episode for the first time with different experimental paradigm approaches. METHODS Twenty-two patients with a first psychotic episode (FPe) (13 males) took part in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study (1.5T) examining neural responses to explicit and implicit processing of fearful and happy facial expressions presented at two different intensities: 50% and 100%. Their brain activation was compared to that of 31 healthy subjects (15 males). RESULTS Control subjects show differential patterns of brain activation regarding the task demands (implicit or explicit processing), the emotional content (happy or fear) and the intensities of the emotion (50% or 100%); such differences are not found in participants with a first psychotic episode (FPe). No interaction or group effects are seen between control and FPe participants with any of the emotional tasks assessed, although FPe subjects show worse behavioral performance. CONCLUSIONS No brain areas recruited for FEmoP emerge as significantly different between people with a FPe and healthy subjects, independently on the demands of the task, the emotion processed, or the intensity of the emotion; but FPe participants show a limited recruitment of differential brain regions that could be associated with poor emotional processing in the short term. Our results outline the need of investigating the underlying processes that lead FPe participants to worse FEmoP performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Villalta-Gil
- Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERSAM), Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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99
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Zhang W, Zhou R, Ye M. MENSTRUAL CYCLE MODULATION OF THE LATE POSITIVE POTENTIAL EVOKED BY EMOTIONAL FACES 1,2,3. Percept Mot Skills 2013. [DOI: 10.2466/22.27.pms.116.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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100
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Zhang W, Zhou R, Ye M. Menstrual Cycle Modulation of the Late Positive Potential Evoked by Emotional Faces. Percept Mot Skills 2013; 116:707-23. [DOI: 10.2466/22.27.pms.116.3.707-723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to elucidate the time course and neural basis of facial expression recognition as modulated by the menstrual cycle in women. Event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with recognition of different emotional faces were assessed in 29 healthy women during the premenstrual, post-menstrual, and periovulation phases of the menstrual cycle. Accuracy in recognizing different facial expressions was not affected by the menstrual cycle phase. ERP data indicated that only the late positive potential (LPP) was affected by the menstrual cycle phase for all facial expressions: during the periovulation phase, the amplitude of the LPP (750 to 1,000 msec. post-stimulus) was larger than that during the premenstrual phase. A positive correlation between the amplitude of the LPP and facial expression recognition performance was observed only during the periovulation phase. The present study provides electrophysiological evidence that the LPP evoked by emotional faces is modulated by the menstrual cycle, which may be correlated with fluctuations of ovarian hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Zhang
- Beijing Key Lab of Applied Experimental Psychology, Beijing Normal University
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Beijing Key Lab of Applied Experimental Psychology and State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neurosciences and Learning, Beijing Normal University
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