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Davey S, Halberstadt J, Bell E. Where is emotional feeling felt in the body? An integrative review. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261685. [PMID: 34936672 PMCID: PMC8694467 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary research on "embodied emotion" emphasizes the role of the body in emotional feeling. The evidence base on interoception, arguably the most prominent strand of embodied emotion research, places emphasis on the cardiac, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. In turn, interoception has evidence-based links with improved emotion regulation. Despite the focus on separate bodily systems, it is unclear whether particular interoceptive locations play a greater role in emotional feeling and emotion regulation. Further, according to Gross' "process model", the sooner that regulation of an emotion occurs, the better; hence, it is additionally important to identify the first body areas to activate. These issues are investigated in a two-stage integrative review. The first stage was preliminary, giving an overview of the evidence base to highlight the distribution of measured body areas. This indicated that 86% of publications (n = 88) measured cardiac activity, 26% measured the respiratory system, and six percent the gastrointestinal system. Given the emphasis placed on all three systems in interoception theory and research on emotion, this suggests a dearth of comprehensive findings pertaining to feeling locations. The second stage investigated the core issues of where emotional feelings are felt in the body and time-related implications for regulation. This was based on ten texts, which together suggested that the head, throat and chest are the most consistently detected locations across and within numerous emotional contexts. Caution is required, however, since-among other reasons discussed-measurement was not time-restricted in these latter publications, and direct physiological measurement was found in only a minority of cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Davey
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Elliot Bell
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
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von Leupoldt A, Ashoori M, Jelinčić V, Herzog M, Van Diest I. The impact of unpredictability of dyspnea offset on dyspnea perception, fear, and respiratory neural gating. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13807. [PMID: 33682134 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Dyspnea is a debilitating and threatening symptom in various diseases. Affected patients often report the unpredictability of dyspnea episodes being particularly anxiety-provoking and amplifying the perception of dyspnea. Experimental studies testing dyspnea unpredictability together with related neural processes, physiological fear responses, and dyspnea-related personality traits are sparse. Therefore, we investigated the impact of unpredictability of dyspnea offset on dyspnea perception and fear ratings, respiratory neural gating and physiological fear indices, as well as the influence of interindividual differences in fear of suffocation (FoS). Forty healthy participants underwent a task manipulating the offset predictability of resistive load-induced dyspnea including one unloaded safety condition. Respiratory variables, self-reports of dyspnea intensity, dyspnea unpleasantness, and fear were recorded. Moreover, respiratory neural gating was measured in a paired inspiratory occlusion paradigm using electroencephalography, while electrodermal activity, startle eyeblink, and startle probe N100 were assessed as physiological fear indices. Participants reported higher dyspnea unpleasantness and fear when dyspnea offset was unpredictable compared to being predictable. Individuals with high levels of FoS showed the greatest increase in fear and overall higher levels of fear and physiological arousal across all conditions. Respiratory neural gating, startle eyeblink, and startle probe N100 showed general reductions during dyspnea conditions but no difference between unpredictable and predictable dyspnea conditions. Together, the current results suggest that the unpredictable offset of dyspnea amplifies dyspnea perception and fear, especially in individuals with high levels of FoS. These effects were unrelated to respiratory neural gating or physiological fear responses, requiring future studies on underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Minoo Ashoori
- Research Group Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Michaela Herzog
- Research Group Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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3
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Categorical interoception and the role of threat. Int J Psychophysiol 2020; 148:25-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Zaman J, Van de Pavert I, Van Oudenhove L, Van Diest I. The use of stimulus perception to account for variability in skin conductance responses to interoceptive stimuli. Psychophysiology 2019; 57:e13494. [PMID: 31608999 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Activity of the electrodermal response system is customarily expressed in relation to physical stimulus properties and not to perceived features. In situations where the delivery of physically identical stimuli can be challenging, such as in interoception research, this variability might pose a challenge for contemporary SCR analyses. Therefore, we investigated the extent to which activity in the electrodermal response system triggered by the delivery of interoceptive stimuli is better predicted by perceived intensity rather than physical input. For this purpose, we reanalyzed data from the baseline phase of a previous study (n = 60) in which skin conductance responses (SCRs) to innocuous esophageal stimulations of high and low intensities were recorded in addition to categorizations based on their perceived intensity (high or low). Using both peak scoring and model inversion methods, we found that the inclusion of stimulus perception as a predictor of the magnitude of the SCR increased model fit. These findings suggest that the inclusion of perception is a promising avenue to better model variability in psychophysiological responses to interoceptive stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Zaman
- Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Iris Van de Pavert
- Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lukas Van Oudenhove
- Laboratory for Brain-Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Translational Research Centre for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism, and Ageing, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Centre KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Van Diest I. Interoception, conditioning, and fear: The panic threesome. Psychophysiology 2019; 56:e13421. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ilse Van Diest
- Health, Behavior & Psychopathology, Faculty of Psychology & Educational Sciences; University of Leuven; Leuven Belgium
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Sucec J, Herzog M, Van Diest I, Van den Bergh O, von Leupoldt A. The impact of dyspnea and threat of dyspnea on error processing. Psychophysiology 2018; 56:e13278. [PMID: 30252140 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Dyspnea (breathlessness) is a threatening and aversive bodily sensation and a major symptom of various diseases. It has been suggested to impair several aspects of functioning in affected patients, but experimental proof for this assumption is widely absent. Error processing is an important domain of functioning and has intensively been studied using electrophysiological measures. Specifically, the error-related negativity (ERN) has been suggested to reflect early performance monitoring and error detection, while the error positivity (Pe) has been linked to subsequent error awareness. So far, little is known about the effects of anticipated or perceived dyspnea on error processing. Therefore, in 49 healthy participants, we studied the effects of experimentally induced dyspnea and threat of dyspnea on the ERN/Pe and behavioral task performance. Participants performed the arrowhead version of the flanker task during three experimental conditions: an unloaded baseline condition, a dyspnea condition, and a threat of dyspnea condition. Dyspnea was induced by breathing through inspiratory resistive loads, while high-density EEG was continuously measured. No differences in task performance (reaction times, error rates) and ERN mean amplitudes were found between conditions. However, mean amplitudes for the Pe differed between conditions with smaller Pe amplitudes during threat of dyspnea compared to baseline and dyspnea conditions, with the latter two conditions showing no difference. These results may suggest that threat of dyspnea, but not dyspnea itself, reduces error awareness, while both seem to have no impact on early error processing and related behavioral performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Sucec
- Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Ilse Van Diest
- Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Vinckier F, Morélot-Panzini C, Similowski T. Dyspnoea modifies the recognition of fearful expressions by healthy humans. Eur Respir J 2018; 51:51/2/1702253. [DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02253-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Allard E, Canzoneri E, Adler D, Morélot-Panzini C, Bello-Ruiz J, Herbelin B, Blanke O, Similowski T. Interferences between breathing, experimental dyspnoea and bodily self-consciousness. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9990. [PMID: 28855723 PMCID: PMC5577140 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11045-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dyspnoea, a subjective experience of breathing discomfort, is a most distressing symptom. It implicates complex cortical networks that partially overlap with those underlying bodily self-consciousness, the experience that the body is one's own within a given location (self-identification and self-location, respectively). Breathing as an interoceptive signal contributes to bodily self-consciousness: we predicted that inducing experimental dyspnoea would modify or disrupt this contribution. We also predicted that manipulating bodily self-consciousness with respiratory-visual stimulation would possibly attenuate dyspnoea. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were exposed to synchronous and asynchronous respiratory-visual illumination of an avatar during normal breathing and mechanically loaded breathing that elicited dyspnoea. During normal breathing, synchronous respiratory-visual stimulation induced illusory self-identification with the avatar and an illusory location of the subjects' breathing towards the avatar. This did not occur when respiratory-visual stimulation was performed during dyspnoea-inducing loaded breathing. In this condition, the affective impact of dyspnoea was attenuated by respiratory-visual stimulation, particularly when asynchronous. This study replicates and reinforces previous studies about the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive signals in the construction of bodily self-consciousness. It confirms the existence of interferences between experimental dyspnoea and cognitive functions. It suggests that respiratory-visual stimulation should be tested as a non-pharmacological approach of dyspnoea treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Allard
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Canzoneri
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dan Adler
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Capucine Morélot-Panzini
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles Foix, Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale (Département "R3S"), F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Javier Bello-Ruiz
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Herbelin
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olaf Blanke
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Similowski
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique, Paris, France.
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Schulz A, van Dyck Z, Lutz AP, Rost S, Vögele C. Gastric modulation of startle eye blink. Biol Psychol 2017; 127:25-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Niérat MC, Laviolette L, Hudson A, Similowski T, Sévoz-Couche C. Experimental dyspnea as a stressor: differential cardiovegetative responses to inspiratory threshold loading in healthy men and women. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2017; 123:205-212. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00078.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dyspnea is associated with an emotional reaction that involves limbic activation. The inspiratory threshold load (ITL) is known to elicit a dyspneic response in healthy subjects. Laboratory-induced stress conditions have been shown to elicit sex-related differences in cardiovascular responses. The aim of this study was to evaluate how healthy men ( n = 8) and women ( n = 9) react and adapt to 5-min periods of ITL at three levels (low, medium, and high) in terms of heart rate (HR), temporal (RMSSD) and spectral (LF, HF, LF/HF ratio) HRV indexes, and rating of breathing discomfort. HR increased with low, medium, and high ITL in men, whereas it increased only with high ITL in women. LF/HF ratio increased at low ITL in both men and women. Modifications appear to depend essentially on increased LF in men and on reduced HF in women. In addition, HRV modifications differ between men and women, following the order of presentation of ITLs. Our results show a continuous and sustained stress in men (increased HR, LF, and LF/HF ratio across ITL presentation) and a stress adaptation in women. Subjective responses of breathing discomfort were not correlated with sympatho-vagal balance modifications for a subgroup of subjects ( n = 10). Breathing against the ITL induced autonomic modifications that are different between men and women, i.e., driven by sympathetic mediated responses in men, whereas women showed a greater parasympathetic modulation of cardiovascular activity. These results highlight the role of the mechanical inspiratory load in the heart rate variability seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Breathing against the ITL induced autonomic modifications driven by sympathetic mediated responses in men, whereas women showed a greater parasympathetic modulation of cardiovascular activity, even for low load. A stress circuit could be at the origin of autonomic modifications induced by ITL. Our results would underline the role of the mechanic inspiratory load in the abnormalities in heart rate variability seen in COPD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Cécile Niérat
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 “Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique”, Paris, France
| | - Louis Laviolette
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 “Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique”, Paris, France
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Quebec, Canada; and
| | - Anna Hudson
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 “Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique”, Paris, France
- Neuroscience Research Australia and University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas Similowski
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 “Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique”, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles Foix, Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale (“Département R3S”), Paris, France
| | - Caroline Sévoz-Couche
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Universite Paris 06, INSERM, UMRS1158 “Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique”, Paris, France
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Interoceptive fear learning and generalization have been hypothesized to play a key role in unexplained abdominal and esophageal pain in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders. However, there is no experimental evidence demonstrating that fear learning and generalization to visceral sensations can be established in humans and alter visceral perception. METHODS In a novel fear learning-generalization paradigm, an innocuous esophageal balloon distension served as conditioned stimulus (CS), and distensions at three different pressure levels around the pain detection threshold were used as generalization stimuli. During fear learning, the CS was paired with a painful electrical stimulus (unconditioned stimulus) in the conditioning group (n = 30), whereas in the control group (n = 30), the unconditioned stimulus was delivered alone. Before and after fear learning, visceral perception thresholds for first sensation, discomfort, and pain and visceral discrimination sensitivity were assessed. RESULTS Fear learning was established in the conditioning group only (potentiated eye-blink startle to the CS (t(464.06) = 3.17, p = .002), and fear generalization to other stimulus intensities was observed (t(469.12) = 2.97, p = .003; t(464.29) = 4.17, p < .001). The thresholds for first sensation habituated in the control group, whereas it remained constant in the conditioning group (F(1,43) = 9.77, p = .003). CONCLUSIONS These data show that fear learning using visceral stimuli induces fear generalization and influences visceral perception. These findings support the idea that in functional gastrointestinal disorder, fear learning and generalization can foster gastrointestinal-specific anxiety and contribute to visceral hypersensitivity.
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Haase L, May AC, Falahpour M, Isakovic S, Simmons AN, Hickman SD, Liu TT, Paulus MP. A pilot study investigating changes in neural processing after mindfulness training in elite athletes. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:229. [PMID: 26379521 PMCID: PMC4550788 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to pay close attention to the present moment can be a crucial factor for performing well in a competitive situation. Training mindfulness is one approach to potentially improve elite athletes’ ability to focus their attention on the present moment. However, virtually nothing is known about whether these types of interventions alter neural systems that are important for optimal performance. This pilot study examined whether an intervention aimed at improving mindfulness [Mindful Performance Enhancement, Awareness and Knowledge (mPEAK)] changes neural activation patterns during an interoceptive challenge. Participants completed a task involving anticipation and experience of loaded breathing during functional magnetic resonance imaging recording. There were five main results following mPEAK training: (1) elite athletes self-reported higher levels of interoceptive awareness and mindfulness and lower levels of alexithymia; (2) greater insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activation during anticipation and post-breathing load conditions; (3) increased ACC activation during the anticipation condition was associated with increased scores on the describing subscale of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire; (4) increased insula activation during the post-load condition was associated with decreases in the Toronto Alexithymia Scale identifying feelings subscale; (5) decreased resting state functional connectivity between the PCC and the right medial frontal cortex and the ACC. Taken together, this pilot study suggests that mPEAK training may lead to increased attention to bodily signals and greater neural processing during the anticipation and recovery from interoceptive perturbations. This association between attention to and processing of interoceptive afferents may result in greater adaptation during stressful situations in elite athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Haase
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA ; Veteran's Affairs San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA, USA
| | - April C May
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Maryam Falahpour
- Center for Functional MRI, Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sara Isakovic
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alan N Simmons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA ; Veteran's Affairs San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Steven D Hickman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Thomas T Liu
- Center for Functional MRI, Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Martin P Paulus
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego San Diego, CA, USA ; Laureate Institute for Brain Research Tulsa, OK, USA
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Pappens M, Schroijen M, Sütterlin S, Smets E, Van den Bergh O, Thayer JF, Van Diest I. Resting heart rate variability predicts safety learning and fear extinction in an interoceptive fear conditioning paradigm. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105054. [PMID: 25181542 PMCID: PMC4152223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether interindividual differences in autonomic inhibitory control predict safety learning and fear extinction in an interoceptive fear conditioning paradigm. Data from a previously reported study (N = 40) were extended (N = 17) and re-analyzed to test whether healthy participants' resting heart rate variability (HRV) - a proxy of cardiac vagal tone - predicts learning performance. The conditioned stimulus (CS) was a slight sensation of breathlessness induced by a flow resistor, the unconditioned stimulus (US) was an aversive short-lasting suffocation experience induced by a complete occlusion of the breathing circuitry. During acquisition, the paired group received 6 paired CS-US presentations; the control group received 6 explicitly unpaired CS-US presentations. In the extinction phase, both groups were exposed to 6 CS-only presentations. Measures included startle blink EMG, skin conductance responses (SCR) and US-expectancy ratings. Resting HRV significantly predicted the startle blink EMG learning curves both during acquisition and extinction. In the unpaired group, higher levels of HRV at rest predicted safety learning to the CS during acquisition. In the paired group, higher levels of HRV were associated with better extinction. Our findings suggest that the strength or integrity of prefrontal inhibitory mechanisms involved in safety- and extinction learning can be indexed by HRV at rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Pappens
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stefan Sütterlin
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Section of Psychology, Lillehammer University College, Lillehammer, Norway
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Division of Surgery and Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital - Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Elyn Smets
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Julian F. Thayer
- Dept. of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbia, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Alius MG, Pané-Farré CA, Löw A, Hamm AO. Modulation of the blink reflex and P3 component of the startle response during an interoceptive challenge. Psychophysiology 2014; 52:140-8. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela G. Alius
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | | | - Andreas Löw
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Alfons O. Hamm
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
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Haase L, Thom NJ, Shukla A, Davenport PW, Simmons AN, Stanley EA, Paulus MP, Johnson DC. Mindfulness-based training attenuates insula response to an aversive interoceptive challenge. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2014; 11:182-90. [PMID: 24714209 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsu042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of mindfulness training (MT) modulate anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula among other brain regions, which are important for attentional control, emotional regulation and interoception. Inspiratory breathing load (IBL) is an experimental approach to examine how an individual responds to an aversive stimulus. Military personnel are at increased risk for cognitive, emotional and physiological compromise as a consequence of prolonged exposure to stressful environments and, therefore, may benefit from MT. This study investigated whether MT modulates neural processing of interoceptive distress in infantry marines scheduled to undergo pre-deployment training and deployment to Afghanistan. Marines were divided into two groups: individuals who received training as usual (control) and individuals who received an additional 20-h mindfulness-based mind fitness training (MMFT). All subjects completed an IBL task during functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and post-MMFT training. Marines who underwent MMFT relative to controls demonstrated a significant attenuation of right anterior insula and ACC during the experience of loaded breathing. These results support the hypothesis that MT changes brain activation such that individuals process more effectively an aversive interoceptive stimulus. Thus, MT may serve as a training technique to modulate the brain's response to negative interoceptive stimuli, which may help to improve resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Haase
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nate J Thom
- Warfighter Performance Department, Navel Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Akanksha Shukla
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Paul W Davenport
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alan N Simmons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA and
| | - Elizabeth A Stanley
- Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Martin P Paulus
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA and
| | - Douglas C Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA, Warfighter Performance Department, Navel Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, USA
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Ceunen E, Zaman J, Vlaeyen JWS, Dankaerts W, Van Diest I. Effect of seated trunk posture on eye blink startle and subjective experience: comparing flexion, neutral upright posture, and extension of spine. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88482. [PMID: 24516664 PMCID: PMC3917889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Postures are known to be able to affect emotion and motivation. Much less is known about whether (affective) modulation of eye blink startle occurs following specific postures. The objective of the current study was to explore this. Participants in the present study were requested to assume three different sitting postures: with the spine flexed (slouched), neutral upright, and extended. Each posture was assumed for four minutes, and was followed by the administration of brief self-report questionnaires before proceeding to the next posture. The same series of postures and measures were repeated prior to ending the experiment. Results indicate that, relative to the other postures, the extended sitting posture was associated with an increased startle, was more unpleasant, arousing, had smaller levels of dominance, induced more discomfort, and was perceived as more difficult. The upright and flexed sitting postures differed in the level of self-reported positive affect, but not in eye blink startle amplitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Ceunen
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonas Zaman
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Dankaerts
- Research Group on Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Galli G, Shukla A, Simmons AN, Davenport PW, Paulus MP. Sex differences in the neural processing of aversive interoceptive events: the benefit of relief. PLoS One 2013; 8:e84044. [PMID: 24386327 PMCID: PMC3875519 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Do men and women process and experience unpleasant bodily states differently? We used fMRI to determine brain processing before, during and after an aversive respiratory stimulation. No sex difference emerged during anticipation or stimulation. However, after the offset of the stimulation, men but not women showed enhanced activation of brain regions that are important for interoception and reward processing. Moreover, this activation was highest in those males who rated the preceding stimulation as most unpleasant. These results indicate that men are particularly sensitive to reward associated with the termination of an aversive event, which may signal relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Galli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche e Neurosensoriali, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Akanksha Shukla
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Alan N. Simmons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Paul W. Davenport
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Martin P. Paulus
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Atypical modulation of startle in women in face of aversive bodily sensations. Int J Psychophysiol 2013; 88:157-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Revised: 01/10/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Paulus MP. The breathing conundrum-interoceptive sensitivity and anxiety. Depress Anxiety 2013; 30:315-20. [PMID: 23468141 PMCID: PMC3805119 DOI: 10.1002/da.22076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 01/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive and affective processing has been the central focus of brain-related functions in psychology and psychiatry for many years. Much less attention has been paid to what could be considered the primary function of the brain, to regulate the function of the body. Recent developments, which include the conceptualization of interoception as a process consisting of integrating the information coming from the inside of the body in the central nervous system and the appreciation that complex emotional processes are fundamentally affected by the processing and regulation of somatic states, have profoundly changed the view of the function and dysfunction of the brain. This review focuses on the relationship between breathing and anxiety. Several anxiety disorders have been associated with altered breathing, perception of breathing, and response to manipulations of breathing. Both clinical and experimental research studies are reviewed that relate breathing dysfunctions to anxiety. Altered breathing may be useful as a physiological marker of anxiety as well as a treatment target using interoceptive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin P. Paulus
- University of California, San Diego
,San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care System
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Pappens M, Van den Bergh O, Vansteenwegen D, Ceunen E, De Peuter S, Van Diest I. Learning to fear obstructed breathing: Comparing interoceptive and exteroceptive cues. Biol Psychol 2013; 92:36-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2011.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2011] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Schmidt M, Raux M, Morelot-Panzini C, Similowski T, Demoule A. Dyspnée au cours de l’assistance ventilatoire mécanique. MEDECINE INTENSIVE REANIMATION 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s13546-012-0534-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Pappens M, Smets E, Vansteenwegen D, Bergh O, Diest I. Learning to fear suffocation: A new paradigm for interoceptive fear conditioning. Psychophysiology 2012; 49:821-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01357.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2011] [Accepted: 12/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meike Pappens
- Research Group on Health Psychology; University of Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
| | - Elyn Smets
- Research Group on Health Psychology; University of Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
| | - Debora Vansteenwegen
- Center for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology; University of Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
| | - Omer Bergh
- Research Group on Health Psychology; University of Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
| | - Ilse Diest
- Research Group on Health Psychology; University of Leuven; Leuven; Belgium
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Pappens M, De Peuter S, Vansteenwegen D, Van den Bergh O, Van Diest I. Psychophysiological responses to CO₂inhalation. Int J Psychophysiol 2012; 84:45-50. [PMID: 22265938 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2011] [Revised: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Inhalation of CO(2)-enriched air has been used as a laboratory model for a number of anxiety disorders, such as general anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Because studies describing psychophysiological responses to this challenge are scarce, the present studies investigated skin conductance level, eyeblink startle, self-reported anxiety and fractional end-tidal carbon dioxide during inhalation of CO(2)-enriched air. In study 1, thirty-five healthy volunteers inhaled 7.5% CO(2) for 2min. In study 2, twenty healthy volunteers inhaled 20% CO(2) for 30s. Control groups (N=20 in each study) inhaled room air during the same time periods. Compared to room air breathing, both CO(2)-mixtures were associated with increases in skin conductance levels, self-reported anxiety and fractional end-tidal CO(2.) Eyeblink startles were inhibited during CO(2) compared to room air breathing in both experiments. Our findings suggest that inhalation of CO(2)-enriched air is associated with a circa-strike defensive response pattern, corroborating its application as an interoceptive, panic-relevant stimulus in fear research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Pappens
- Research Group Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Pappens M, Van den Bergh O, Vansteenwegen D, Van Diest I. Psychophysiological responses to inspiratory resistive loads. Int J Psychophysiol 2011; 80:161-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2011.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2010] [Revised: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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