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Schmaußer M, Raab M, Laborde S. The dynamic role of the left dlPFC in neurovisceral integration: Differential effects of theta burst stimulation on vagally mediated heart rate variability and cognitive-affective processing. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14606. [PMID: 38867447 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Adapting to the ever-changing demands of the environment requires a complex interplay between cognitive-affective, neuronal, and autonomic processes. Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is positively associated with both cognitive-affective functioning and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity. Accordingly, the Neurovisceral Integration Model has posited a shared role of the PFC in the regulation of cognitive-affective processes and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. While there are numerous correlational findings in this regard, no study so far has investigated whether the manipulation of PFC activity induces changes in vmHRV and cognitive-affective processing in an inter-dependent manner. In a sample of 64 participants, we examined the effects of continuous (cTBS; n = 21) and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS; n = 20) compared to sham stimulation (n = 23) over the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) on vmHRV and cognitive-affective processing within an emotional stop-signal task (ESST). Our results revealed that both resting vmHRV and vmHRV reactivity predicted cognitive-affective processing. Furthermore, we found a dampening effect of cTBS on resting and on-task vmHRV, as well as an enhancing effect of iTBS on ESST performance. Our results show no direct association between vmHRV changes and ESST performance alterations following stimulation. We interpret our results in the light of a hierarchical model of neurovisceral integration, suggesting a dynamical situation-dependent recruitment of higher-order cortical areas like the dlPFC in the regulation of the ANS. In conclusion, our results highlight the complex interplay between PFC activity, autonomic regulation, and cognitive-affective processing, emphasizing the need for further research to understand the causal dynamics of the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Schmaußer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus Raab
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sylvain Laborde
- Performance Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
- UFR STAPS, Université de Caen Normandie, Caen, France
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2
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Lin S, Bai X, Cheng G, Liu W. The relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior in middle school students: the mediating role and intervention of hostile attribution bias. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:422. [PMID: 39095875 PMCID: PMC11295690 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01918-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reactive aggressive behavior in individuals typically shows a rapid growth trend as individuals enter adolescence, and peaks during middle-school period. According to the Comprehensive Cognitive Model of Trait Anger, trait anger and hostile attribution bias play important roles in the development of reactive aggressive behavior. Based on this, current study explored the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior in middle school students, as well as the mediating role of hostile attribution bias and interventions. METHODS The current study consisted of three sub-studies. Study 1 recruited 87 middle school students with an average age of 12.367 ± 0.889 years, investigated the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating role of trait hostile attribution bias. Study 2 recruited 62 middle school students with an average age of 13.376 ± 0.963 years, investigated the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating role of state hostile attribution bias. Study 3 recruited 80 middle school students with an average age of 13.392 ± 0.977 years, implemented an intervention targeting trait hostile attribution bias in middle school students with high trait anger to reduce their reactive aggressive behavior. In current study, data management was performed using SPSS 22.0. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and path analysis were used for statistical analysis. FINDINGS The results of Study 1 showed that trait anger predicted reactive aggressive behavior through trait hostile attribution bias. The results of Study 2 indicated that trait and state hostile attribution bias played mediating role intermediary, and trait hostile attribution bias had a stronger mediating effect than state hostile attribution bias. The results of Study 3 suggested that the intervention effectively decreased trait hostile attribution bias and reactive aggressive behavior. CONCLUSIONS Trait anger can predict the reactive aggressive behavior of junior high school students, with trait hostility attribution bias and state hostility attribution bias mediating this relationship. Intervening in the hostility attribution bias of high-anger junior high school students can effectively reduce their reactive aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Lin
- Department of psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
- College of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China
| | - Xuejun Bai
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Gonglu Cheng
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Wen Liu
- College of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China.
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3
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Liu W, Zhao J, Ding C, Chen H. The neurofunctional basis of human aggression varies by levels of femininity. Soc Neurosci 2024; 19:137-149. [PMID: 39039838 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2024.2382768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Aggression can be categorized into reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) based on their underlying motivations. However, previous research has rarely identified the relationship between femininity and RA/PA, and there is a lack of understanding regarding the femininity-related neurofunctional basis of these aggressive behaviors. Thus, this study first examined the relationships between femininity and aggression, then explored the aggression-by-femininity interactions on the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations using resting-state fMRI among 705 university participants (mean age = 19.14 ± 0.99). The behavioral data indicated that femininity was more negatively associated with RA and PA when masculinity was controlled for. Additionally, the neural data revealed that femininity-specific relationships of RA in the left middle occipital gyrus (i.e. individuals with low femininity had positive relationships between RA and the left middle occipital gyrus, whereas those with high femininity had negative relationships) as well as of PA in the left middle frontal gyrus (i.e. individuals with high femininity showed significant negative relationships, whereas those with low femininity did not exhibit significant relationships). These findings reflect that individuals with varying levels of femininity exhibit distinct neural bases when expressing different subtypes of aggression, which are associated with societal expectations of gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cody Ding
- Department of Education Sciences & Professional Programs, University of Missouri-St. Louis,St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hong Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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4
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Weidler C, Hofhansel L, Regenbogen C, Müller D, Clemens B, Montag C, Reif A, Habel U. The influence of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on prefrontal TDCS effects on aggression. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3437. [PMID: 38341445 PMCID: PMC10858895 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhances cognitive control and might reduce aggression. The Val158Met polymorphism within the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (rs4680) plays a pivotal role in prefrontal dopamine signaling, displaying associations with aggressive behavior, and potentially influencing the effects of tDCS. In a double-blind, sham-controlled study, we investigated the influence of rs4680 on tDCS effects on aggression. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, 89 healthy male participants performed the Taylor aggression paradigm before and immediately after tDCS. Actively stimulated participants (n = 45) received anodal tDCS (1.5 mA) for 20 min targeting the right DLPFC. Carriers of the val-allele (val+; n = 46; active tDCS n = 23) were compared to met-allele homozygotes (val-; n = 43; active tDCS n = 22). Analysis revealed decreased aggressive behavior in the val- group following active tDCS (p < 0.001). The val+ group showed increased aggression during the second session (p < 0.001) with an even higher increase following active as compared to sham tDCS (p < 0.001). No effects of stimulation or rs4680 on brain activation were found. Our study provides evidence for opposite tDCS effects on aggressive behavior in val-carriers and val-noncarriers. By shedding light on genetic factors predicting tDCS responsivity, the study will help to pave the way toward individualized-and thus more effective-tDCS treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Weidler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Lena Hofhansel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christina Regenbogen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Dario Müller
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Clemens
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Montag
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Jiang Y, Gao Y, Dong D, Sun X, Situ W, Yao S. Brain Anatomy in Boys with Conduct Disorder: Differences Among Aggression Subtypes. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:3-13. [PMID: 35704134 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01360-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a core feature of conduct disorder (CD), but the motivation, execution of aggression may vary. A deeper understanding of the neural substrates of aggressive behaviours is critical for effective clinical intervention. Seventy-six Boys with CD (50 with impulsive aggression (I-CD) and 26 with premeditated aggression (P-CD)) and 69 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a structural MRI scan and behavioural assessments. Whole-brain analyses revealed that, compared to HCs, the I-CD group showed significant cortical thinning in the right frontal cortex, while the P-CD group demonstrated significant folding deficits in the bilateral superior parietal cortex. Both types of aggression negatively correlated with the left amygdala volume, albeit in different ways. The present results demonstrated that the complex nature of aggression relies on differentiated anatomical substrates, highlighting the importance of exploring differential circuit-targeted interventions for CD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Jiang
- Medical Psychological Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 139, Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Department of Radiology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139, Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidian Gao
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daifeng Dong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijun Situ
- Department of Radiology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139, Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Shuqiao Yao
- Medical Psychological Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 139, Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Medical Psychological Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, China.
- Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China.
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Seidenbecher S, Schöne M, Kaufmann J, Schiltz K, Bogerts B, Frodl T. Neuroanatomical correlates of aggressiveness: a case-control voxel- and surface-based morphometric study. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:31-46. [PMID: 37819409 PMCID: PMC10827843 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02715-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Aggression occurs across the population ranging on a symptom continuum. Most previous studies have used magnetic resonance imaging in clinical/forensic samples, which is associated with several confounding factors. The present study examined structural brain characteristics in two healthy samples differing only in their propensity for aggressive behavior. Voxel- and surface-based morphometry (SBM) analyses were performed on 29 male martial artists and 32 age-matched male controls. Martial artists had significantly increased mean gray matter volume in two frontal (left superior frontal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex) and one parietal (bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus) brain clusters compared to controls (whole brain: p < 0.001, cluster level: family-wise error (FWE)-corrected). SBM analyses revealed a trend for greater gyrification indices in martial artists compared to controls in the left lateral orbital frontal cortex and the left pars orbitalis (whole brain: p < 0.001, cluster level: FWE-corrected). The results indicate brain structural differences between martial artists and controls in frontal and parietal brain areas critical for emotion processing/inhibition of emotions as well as empathic processes. The present study highlights the importance of studying healthy subjects with a propensity for aggressive behavior in future structural MRI research on aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Seidenbecher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Maria Schöne
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jörn Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kolja Schiltz
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Bogerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Salus-Institute, Salus gGmbH, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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7
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He J, Wang R, Li J, Jiang X, Zhou C, Liu J. Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the aggressive behavior in methamphetamine addicts. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 164:364-371. [PMID: 37406500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Aggressive behavior of drug addicts threatens human security and social stability, and Methamphetamine (MA) addicts show especially aggressive behavior. Researches showed that the decreased activity of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is closely related to violence and aggression, and continuous transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on DLPFC can increase the activity of this position. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tDCS on DLPFC for the aggressive behavior of MA addicts. Ninety MA addicts were recruited and randomly divided into anodal tDCS group, cathode tDCS group and sham tDCS group (current intensity was set as 2 mA, 2 mA and 0 mA, respectively). The tDCS intervention was conducted twice a day for five consecutive days. Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) was used to measure the proactive aggressiveness and reactive aggressiveness of MA addicts at different time points (Pretest, Day 1, and Day 5). At the same time, we also recruited 30 healthy adult males as healthy controls, and measured their aggressiveness through TAP for comparative analysis. The results showed that the aggressiveness of MA addicts was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. The aggressiveness of MA addicts was effectively reduced by the anode intervention of tDCS on the left DLPFC, especially when they were subjected to high-intensity provocation, the 2-way interaction between time and tDCS group was statistically significant (F4,164 = 2.939, P = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.067). This study can provide a reference for how to correct the aggressive behavior of MA addicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhen He
- College of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Rufang Wang
- College of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
| | - Jiaoyang Li
- College of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Jiang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Jun Liu
- Drug Rehabilitation Administration of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
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8
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Casula A, Milazzo BM, Martino G, Sergi A, Lucifora C, Tomaiuolo F, Quartarone A, Nitsche MA, Vicario CM. Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for the Modulation of Aggressive Behavior-A Systematic Review of Randomized Sham-Controlled Studies. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051220. [PMID: 37240865 DOI: 10.3390/life13051220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRO Aggressive behavior represents a significant public health issue, with relevant social, political, and security implications. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques may modulate aggressive behavior through stimulation of the prefrontal cortex. AIMS To review research on the effectiveness of NIBS to alter aggression, discuss the main findings and potential limitations, consider the specifics of the techniques and protocols employed, and discuss clinical implications. METHODS A systematic review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, and 17 randomized sham-controlled studies investigating the effectiveness of NIBS techniques on aggression were included. Exclusion criteria included reviews, meta-analyses, and articles not referring to the subject of interest or not addressing cognitive and emotional modulation aims. CONCLUSIONS The reviewed data provide promising evidence for the beneficial effects of tDCS, conventional rTMS, and cTBS on aggression in healthy adults, forensic, and clinical samples. The specific stimulation target is a key factor for the success of stimulation on aggression modulation. rTMS and cTBS showed opposite effects on aggression compared with tDCS. However, due to the heterogeneity of stimulation protocols, experimental designs, and samples, we cannot exclude other factors that may play a confounding role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony Casula
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Bianca M Milazzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Gabriella Martino
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Clinica Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Messina, A.O.U. "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sergi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Chiara Lucifora
- Dipartimento di Filosofia e Comunicazione, Università di Bologna, 40131 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Tomaiuolo
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Clinica Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Messina, A.O.U. "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | | | - Michael A Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
- University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and University Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Protestant Hospital of Bethel Foundation, University Hospital OWL, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Carmelo M Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
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9
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Abdolalizadeh A, Moradi K, Dabbagh Ohadi MA, Mirfazeli FS, Rajimehr R. Larger left hippocampal presubiculum is associated with lower risk of antisocial behavior in healthy adults with childhood conduct history. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6148. [PMID: 37061611 PMCID: PMC10105780 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33198-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Conduct Disorder (CD) is defined as aggressive, antisocial, and rule-breaking behavior during childhood. It is a major risk factor for developing antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in adulthood. However, nearly half the CDs do not develop ASPD. Identification of reversion factors seems crucial for proper interventions. We identified 40 subjects with childhood history of CD (CC) and 1166 control subjects (HC) from Human Connectome Project. Their psychiatric, emotional, impulsivity, and personality traits were extracted. An emotion recognition task-fMRI analysis was done. We also did subregion analysis of hippocampus and amygdala in 35 CC and 69 demographically matched HCs. CC subjects scored significantly higher in antisocial-related evaluations. No differences in task-fMRI activation of amygdala and hippocampus were observed. CCs had larger subfields of the left hippocampus: presubiculum, CA3, CA4, and dentate gyrus. Further, an interaction model revealed a significant presubiculum volume × group association with antisocial, aggression, and agreeableness scores. Our study shows that healthy young adults with a prior history of CD still exhibit some forms of antisocial-like behavior with larger left hippocampal subfields, including presubiculum that also explains the variability in antisocial behavior. These larger left hippocampal subfield volumes may play a protective role against CD to ASPD conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- AmirHussein Abdolalizadeh
- Biological Psychology, Department of Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl Von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Program, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamyar Moradi
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Program, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amin Dabbagh Ohadi
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Program, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sadat Mirfazeli
- Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Rajimehr
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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10
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Fritz M, Soravia SM, Dudeck M, Malli L, Fakhoury M. Neurobiology of Aggression-Review of Recent Findings and Relationship with Alcohol and Trauma. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030469. [PMID: 36979161 PMCID: PMC10044835 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Aggression can be conceptualized as any behavior, physical or verbal, that involves attacking another person or animal with the intent of causing harm, pain or injury. Because of its high prevalence worldwide, aggression has remained a central clinical and public safety issue. Aggression can be caused by several risk factors, including biological and psychological, such as genetics and mental health disorders, and socioeconomic such as education, employment, financial status, and neighborhood. Research over the past few decades has also proposed a link between alcohol consumption and aggressive behaviors. Alcohol consumption can escalate aggressive behavior in humans, often leading to domestic violence or serious crimes. Converging lines of evidence have also shown that trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could have a tremendous impact on behavior associated with both alcohol use problems and violence. However, although the link between trauma, alcohol, and aggression is well documented, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and their impact on behavior have not been properly discussed. This article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the translational neurobiological basis of aggression and its intricate links to alcoholism and trauma, focusing on behavior. It does so by shedding light from several perspectives, including in vivo imaging, genes, receptors, and neurotransmitters and their influence on human and animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fritz
- School of Health and Social Sciences, AKAD University of Applied Sciences, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah-Maria Soravia
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Manuela Dudeck
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, BKH Günzburg, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
| | - Layal Malli
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon
| | - Marc Fakhoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon
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Tonnaer F, van Zutphen L, Raine A, Cima M. Amygdala connectivity and aggression. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:87-106. [PMID: 37633721 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00002-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Neurobiological models propose that reactive aggression is predicated on impairments in amygdala-prefrontal connectivity that subserves moral decision-making and emotion regulation. The amygdala is a key component within this neural network that modulates reactive aggression. We provide a review of amygdala dysfunctional brain networks leading to reactive aggressive behavior. We elaborate on key concepts, focusing on moral decision-making and emotion regulation in a developmental context, and brain network connectivity factors relating to amygdala (dys)function-factors which we suggest predispose to reactive aggression. We additionally discuss insights into the latest treatment interventions, providing the utilization of the scientific findings for practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franca Tonnaer
- Department of Research, Ventio Crime Prevention Science Institute, Rijckholt, The Netherlands
| | - Linda van Zutphen
- Department of Conditions for LifeLong Learning, Educational Sciences, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian Raine
- Department of Criminology, Richard Perry University, Berkeley, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Maaike Cima
- Department of Research, Ventio Crime Prevention Science Institute, Rijckholt, The Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychopathology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Research, VIGO Groep, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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12
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Romero-Martínez Á, Sarrate-Costa C, Moya-Albiol L. Reactive vs proactive aggression: A differential psychobiological profile? Conclusions derived from a systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104626. [PMID: 35331815 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Scholars have established subcategories of aggressive behavior in order to better understand this construct. Specifically, a classification based on motivational underpinnings makes it possible to differentiate between reactive and proactive aggression. Whereas reactive aggression is characterized by emotional lability, which means it is prone to impulsive reactions after provocation, proactive aggression is driven by low emotionality and high levels of instrumentality to obtain benefits. Some authors have conceived these two types as having a dichotomous nature, but others argue against this conceptualization, considering a complementary model more suitable. Hence, neuroscientific research might help to clarify discussions about their nature because biological markers do not present the same biases as psychological instruments. AIM The main objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of studies that assess underlying biological markers (e.g., genes, brain, psychophysiological, and hormonal) of reactive and proactive aggression. METHODS To carry out this review, we followed PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, using five digital databases complemented by hand-searching. RESULTS The reading of 3993 abstracts led to the final inclusion of 157 papers that met all the inclusion criteria. The studies included allow us to conclude that heritability accounted for approximately 45% of the explained variance in both types of aggression, with 60% shared by both, especially, for overt and physical expression forms, and 10% specific to each type. Regarding allelic risk factors, whereas low functioning variants affecting serotonin transport and monoaminoxidase increased the risk of reactive aggression, high functioning variants were associated with proactive aggression. Furthermore, brain analysis revealed an overlap between the two types of aggression and alterations in the volume of the amygdala and temporal cortex. Moreover, high activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) facilitated proneness to both types of aggression equally. Whereas stimulation of the right ventrolateral (VLPFC) and dorsolateral (DLPFC) reduced proneness to aggression, inhibition of the left DLPFC increased it. Finally, psychophysiological and hormonal correlates in general did not clearly differentiate between the two types because they were equally related to each type (e.g., low basal cortisol and vagal variability in response to acute stress) CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforces the complementary model of both types of aggression instead of a dichotomous model. Additionally, this review also offers background about several treatments (i.e., pharmacological, non-invasive brain techniques…) to reduce aggression proneness.
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13
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Knehans R, Schuhmann T, Roef D, Nelen H, à Campo J, Lobbestael J. Modulating Behavioural and Self-Reported Aggression with Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: A Literature Review. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020200. [PMID: 35203963 PMCID: PMC8870113 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behaviour is at the basis of many harms in society, such as violent crime. The efforts to explain, study, and possibly reduce aggression span various disciplines, including neuroscience. The specific brain networks which are involved in the modulation of aggressive behaviour include cortical asymmetry and brain areas such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Recent non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) research suggests that both transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) can play a role in the modulation of aggressive behaviour by directly changing brain activity. In this review, we systematically explore and discuss 11 experimental studies that aimed to modulate aggressive behaviour or self-reported aggression using NIBS. Out of these 11 studies, nine significantly up- or downregulated aggression by using tDCS or cTBS targeting the DLPFC, VLPFC or VMPFC. The potential applications of these findings span both the clinical and the forensic psychological domains. However, the results are limited by the methodological heterogeneity in the aggression measures used across the studies, and by their generally small sample sizes. Future research should consider improving the localization and specificity of NIBS by employing neuro-navigational instruments and standardized scoring methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Knehans
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands; (D.R.); (H.N.); (J.à.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Teresa Schuhmann
- Section Brain Stimulation and Cognition, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - David Roef
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands; (D.R.); (H.N.); (J.à.C.)
| | - Hans Nelen
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands; (D.R.); (H.N.); (J.à.C.)
| | - Joost à Campo
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, 6211 LH Maastricht, The Netherlands; (D.R.); (H.N.); (J.à.C.)
| | - Jill Lobbestael
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
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14
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Boccadoro S, Wagels L, Henn AT, Hüpen P, Graben L, Raine A, Neuner I. Proactive vs. Reactive Aggression Within Two Modified Versions of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:749041. [PMID: 34658808 PMCID: PMC8511695 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.749041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been widely used to measure reactive aggression following provocation during competitive interactions. Besides being reactive, aggression can be goal-directed (proactive aggression). Our study presents a novel paradigm to investigate proactive aggression during competitive interactions. Sixty-seven healthy participants competed in two modified versions of the TAP against an ostensible opponent while skin conductance responses (SCRs) were recorded. During the proactive TAP (pTAP), only the participant could interfere with the ostensible opponent’s performance by blurring the screen. In the reactive TAP (rTAP), the opponent repeatedly provoked the participant by blurring the screen of the participant, impeding their chance to win. In both versions, the blurriness levels chosen by the participant served as a measure of aggression (unprovoked in the pTAP and provoked in the rTAP). In the pTAP, trial-by-trial mixed model analyses revealed higher aggression with higher self-reported selfishness. SCRs decreased with increasing proactive aggression. An interaction effect between gender and proactive aggression for the SCRs revealed increased SCRs at higher aggression levels in females, but lower SCRs at higher aggression levels in males. In the rTAP, SCRs were not associated with reactive aggression but aggression increased with increasing provocation and especially after losing against the opponent when provoked. While males showed higher aggression levels than females when unprovoked, reactive aggression increased more strongly in females with higher provocation. Mean levels of aggression in both tasks showed a high positive correlation. Our results highlight that, despite being intercorrelated and both motivated by selfishness, proactive and reactive aggression are differentially influenced by gender and physiological arousal. Proactive aggression is related to lower physiological arousal, especially in males, with females showing the opposite association. Reactive aggressive behavior is a result of individual responses to provocation, to which females seem to be more sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boccadoro
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Brain Structure and Function, INM-10, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Alina Theresa Henn
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Philippa Hüpen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Brain Structure and Function, INM-10, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lia Graben
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Adrian Raine
- Department of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Irene Neuner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN-Translational Medicine, Aachen, Germany
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15
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Van de Groep IH, Bos MGN, Jansen LMC, Achterberg M, Popma A, Crone EA. Overlapping and distinct neural correlates of self-evaluations and self-regulation from the perspective of self and others. Neuropsychologia 2021; 161:108000. [PMID: 34419488 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Prior research has implicated the medial and lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) in processing evaluations from the perspective of self (self-traits) and evaluations from others (peer feedback), suggesting that these areas form a neural substrate that serves an intertwined function in monitoring self in relation to others. To test this possibility, we examined neural activation overlap in medial and lateral PFC after processing self- and other-informed evaluations. Young adults (age range 18-30-yrs, n = 40) performed two fMRI tasks. The self-concept task involved rating whether positive and negative traits described themselves. The Social Network Aggression Task involved processing positive, neutral or negative feedback from others, with the possibility to retaliate by blasting a loud noise following feedback. The results show that rating positive self traits and receiving positive peer feedback was associated with increased activity in an overlapping region in medial PFC. There were no significant correlations on a behavioral level and medial PFC activity for self-versus-other evaluations. The study further replicated the finding from previous research showing that higher activity in dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) when receiving negative social feedback was associated with reduced noise blast aggression. Finally, during retaliatory responses after receiving positive feedback, participants showed increased activity in the dlPFC. Together these findings suggest that medial PFC is more strongly involved in protecting positive self-views from both internal (self traits) and external (peer feedback) points of view, whereas dlPFC is more strongly involved in regulating retaliatory responses following social rejection, and actively inhibiting aggressive behavior after receiving positive peer feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse H Van de Groep
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Marieke G N Bos
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Lucres M C Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle Achterberg
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands; Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eveline A Crone
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
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16
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Eshel N, Maron-Katz A, Wu W, Abu-Amara D, Marmar CR, Etkin A. Neural correlates of anger expression in patients with PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1635-1642. [PMID: 33500557 PMCID: PMC8280145 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00942-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Anger is a common and debilitating symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although studies have identified brain circuits underlying anger experience and expression in healthy individuals, how these circuits interact with trauma remains unclear. Here, we performed the first study examining the neural correlates of anger in patients with PTSD. Using a data-driven approach with resting-state fMRI, we identified two prefrontal regions whose overall functional connectivity was inversely associated with anger: the left anterior middle frontal gyrus (aMFG) and the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We then used concurrent TMS-EEG to target the left aMFG parcel previously identified through fMRI, measuring its cortical excitability and causal connectivity to downstream areas. We found that low-anger PTSD patients exhibited enhanced excitability in the left aMFG and enhanced causal connectivity between this region and visual areas. Together, our results suggest that left aMFG activity may confer protection against the development of anger, and therefore may be an intriguing target for circuit-based interventions for anger in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neir Eshel
- Department of Psychiatry, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Adi Maron-Katz
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.280747.e0000 0004 0419 2556Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Wei Wu
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.79703.3a0000 0004 1764 3838School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Duna Abu-Amara
- grid.240324.30000 0001 2109 4251Department of Psychiatry and Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Charles R. Marmar
- grid.240324.30000 0001 2109 4251Department of Psychiatry and Center for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Amit Etkin
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.511021.6Alto Neuroscience, Los Altos, CA USA
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17
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Weidler C, Habel U, Wallheinke P, Wagels L, Hofhansel L, Ling S, Blendy JA, Clemens B. Consequences Of Prefrontal TDCS On Inhibitory Control And Reactive Aggression. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 17:120-130. [PMID: 33227131 PMCID: PMC8824612 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased aggression and impulsivity represent a key component of several psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, which is often associated with deficient prefrontal brain activation. Thus, innovative tools to increase cognitive control are highly warranted. The current study investigates the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a tool to modulate cortical activation and to increase cognitive control in individuals with a high potential for impulsive and aggressive behavior. In a double-blind, sham-controlled study, we applied anodal tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in an all-male sample of alcohol-dependent patients (AD), tobacco users (TU) and healthy controls (HC), who completed the Taylor Aggression Paradigm and Stop Signal Reaction Time Task twice. While there were no observable effects of tDCS in controls, the results revealed altered aggressive behavior in AD following active stimulation. Specifically, these individuals did not show the standard increase in aggression over time seen in the other groups. Furthermore, improved response inhibition was found in AD and TU following active but not sham stimulation. Our study demonstrates that prefrontal tDCS improves our laboratory measure of impulse control in at-risk groups, illustrating the importance of sample characteristics such as nicotine intake and personality traits for understanding the effects of brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Weidler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Paul Wallheinke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lena Hofhansel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Shichun Ling
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Benjamin Clemens
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
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18
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Romero-Martínez Á, Bressanutti S, Moya-Albiol L. A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques to Reduce Violence Proneness by Interfering in Anger and Irritability. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9030882. [PMID: 32213818 PMCID: PMC7141522 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of neurocriminology has proposed several treatments (e.g., pharmacological, brain surgery, androgen-deprivation therapy, neurofeedback) to reduce violence proneness, but unfortunately, their effectiveness has been limited due to their side-effects. Therefore, it is necessary to explore alternative techniques to improve patients’ behavioural regulation with minimal undesirable effects. In this regard, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, which are based on applying changing magnetic fields or electric currents to interfere with cortical excitability, have revealed their usefulness in alleviating the symptomatology of several mental disorders. However, to our knowledge, there are no reviews that assess whether these techniques are useful for reducing violence proneness. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria using the following databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, Dialnet, Psicodoc, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library. We initially identified 3746 entries, and eventually included 56 publications. Most of the studies were unanimous in concluding that the application of these techniques over the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was not sufficient to promote anger and irritability reductions in euthymic individuals of both genders. Nevertheless, the application of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, especially transcranial direct current stimulation, over the right PFC seemed to reduce violent reactions in these individuals by interfering with the interpretation of the unfavourable situations (e.g., threating signals) or inner states that evoked anger. In antisocial and pathological populations, the conclusions were provided by a few pilot studies with important methodological weaknesses. The main conclusion of these studies was that bilateral stimulation of the PFC satisfactorily reduced anger and irritability only in inmates, patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), people who suffered a closed-head injury, and agitated patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, combining these techniques with risperidone considerably reduced aggressiveness in these patients. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious about the benefits of these techniques to control anger, due the methodological weaknesses of these studies. Nonetheless, they offer valuable opportunities to prevent violence by designing new treatments combining brain stimulation with current strategies, such as psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, in order to promote lasting changes.
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19
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Zhu X, Wang K, Cao A, Zhang Y, Qiu J. Personality traits and negative affect mediate the relationship between cortical thickness of superior frontal cortex and aggressive behavior. Neurosci Lett 2019; 718:134728. [PMID: 31899310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Aggression reflects the psychological and physical behavior that perpetrator intends to harm victim. Initiation of aggression is influenced by the distal factors (e.g. personality) and proximate causes (e.g. affect) of perpetrator. However, few studies explored the brain structural basis of relationship between these traits and aggressive behavior. In this study, we first explored the association between cortical thickness and aggression in a large young adult sample from the Human Connectome Project. Results found aggressive behavior assessed by the Adult Self-Report was positively correlated with cortical thickness in left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), which was implicated in emotion regulation and executive function. Then, mediation analyses with distal and proximate factors separately showcased that the association between the left SFG thickness and aggressive behavior was partially mediated by negative affect (anger and sadness), and fully mediated by personality traits (agreeableness and neuroticism). Taken together, these experimental findings established dorsal prefrontal cortex as the key region in generating aggressive behavior, and gave a neutral explanation for why individuals with high negative affect and neuroticism exhibit more aggression. This study implicated the possible targeted brain region and behavioral intervention for such at-risk individuals initiating violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Zhu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Kangcheng Wang
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China
| | - Aihua Cao
- Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Brain Science Research Institute of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- School of Foreign Languages, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, 401120, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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20
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An experimental task to measure proactive aggression under incentive condition: A Reward-Interference Task. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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21
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Zhu W, Zhou X, Xia LX. Brain structures and functional connectivity associated with individual differences in trait proactive aggression. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7731. [PMID: 31118455 PMCID: PMC6531458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44115-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although considerable efforts have been made to understand the neural underpinnings of (state) reactive aggression, which is triggered by provocation or perceived threat, little is known about the neural correlates of proactive aggression, which is driven by instrumental motivations to obtain personal gains through aggressive means and which varies dramatically across individuals in terms of tendency of appealing to such means. Here, by combining structural (grey matter density, GMD) and functional (resting-state functional connection, RSFC) fMRI, we investigated brain structures and functional networks related to trait proactive aggression. We found that individual differences in trait proactive aggression were positively associated with GMD in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and negatively correlated with GMD in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC); they were also negatively correlated with the strength of functional connectivity between left PCC and other brain regions, including right DLPFC, right IPL, right MPFC/ACC, and bilateral precuneus. These findings shed light on the differential brain bases of proactive and reactive aggressions and suggested the neural underpinnings of proactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Zhu
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
| | - Ling-Xiang Xia
- Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, China.
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22
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Oren C, Shamay-Tsoory SG. Women's fertility cues affect cooperative behavior: Evidence for the role of the human putative chemosignal estratetraenol. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 101:50-59. [PMID: 30408723 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies demonstrating that women's body odor during ovulation is perceived as more attractive suggest that exposure to women's chemosignals of high fertility increases mating motivation. Building on previous evidence showing that cooperative behaviors are perceived as attractive, in the current study we investigated whether chemosignals of women's fertility affect men's tendency to behave cooperatively. In the first experiment we found that in the presence of women's body odor during ovulation, men increase their tendency to apply a cooperative strategy, while their tendency to apply an individualistic strategy decreases. To examine the mechanism underlying this effect, we tested a different sample of men exposed to the putative human pheromone estratetraenol (estra-1,3,5(10),16-tetraen-3-ol) or to a control solution. Exposure toestratetraenol compared with control yielded strikingly similar effects of increased cooperation. The results indicate that women's chemosignals of high fertility increase mating motivation among man, encouraging them to act in a cooperative manner toward others, a response that may highlight their attractive qualities and thus attract mates. We further conclude that estratetraenol may serve as one of the biological agents that mediate the behavioral effects of women's chemosignals of fertility on social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Oren
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
| | - Simone G Shamay-Tsoory
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
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Banner A, Frumin I, Shamay-Tsoory SG. Androstadienone, a Chemosignal Found in Human Sweat, Increases Individualistic Behavior and Decreases Cooperative Responses in Men. Chem Senses 2019; 43:189-196. [PMID: 29390162 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjy002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that humans can communicate socially relevant information, such as aggression, dominance, and readiness for competition, through chemosensory signals. Androstadienone (androsta-4,16,-dien-3-one), a testosterone-derived compound found in men's axillary sweat, is a main candidate for a human pheromone that may convey such information. The current study aimed to investigate whether androstadienone serves as a chemosignaling threat cue to men, thus triggering avoidance behavior during competitive interaction with another man. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study design, 30 healthy, normosmic, heterosexual male participants completed the social orientation paradigm (SOP), a monetary game played against a fictitious partner that allows 3 types of responses to be measured in the context of provocation: an aggressive response, an individualistic withdrawal response, and a cooperative response. Participants completed the SOP task twice, once under exposure to androstadienone and once under exposure to a control solution. The results indicate that androstadienone increased individualistic responses while it decreased cooperative responses. These findings support the role of androstadienone as a threatening signal of dominance that elicits behavioral avoidance and social withdrawal tendencies, possibly as a submissive response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Banner
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Idan Frumin
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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24
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Im S, Jin G, Jeong J, Yeom J, Jekal J, Lee SI, Cho JA, Lee S, Lee Y, Kim DH, Bae M, Heo J, Moon C, Lee CH. Gender Differences in Aggression-related Responses on EEG and ECG. Exp Neurobiol 2019; 27:526-538. [PMID: 30636903 PMCID: PMC6318556 DOI: 10.5607/en.2018.27.6.526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Gender differences in aggression viewed from an evolutionary and sociocultural perspective have traditionally explained why men engage in more direct and physical aggression, and women engage in more indirect and relational aggression. However, psychological and behavioral studies offer inconsistent support for this theory due to personal or social factors, and little is known about the gender-based neurobiological mechanisms of aggression. This study investigates gender differences in aggression through an analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) based neurobiological responses to commonly encountered stimuli, as well as psychological approaches in healthy Korean youth. Our results from self-reports indicate that overall aggression indices, including physical and reactive/overt aggression, were stronger in men. This agrees with the results of previous studies. Furthermore, our study reveals prominent gender-related patterns in γ signals from the right ventrolateral frontal cortex and changes in heart rate through stimulation by aggressive videos. In particular, gender differences in EEG and ECG responses were observed in response to different scenes, as simple aversion and situation-dependent aggression, respectively. In addition, we discovered decisive gender-distinct EEG signals during stimulation of the situation-dependent aggression regions within the right ventromedial prefrontal and ventrolateral frontal regions. Our findings provide evidence of a psychological propensity for aggression and neurobiological mechanisms of oscillation underlying gender differences in aggression. Further studies of oscillatory responses to aggression and provocation will expand the objective understanding of the different emotional worlds between men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- SeungYeong Im
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Gwonhyu Jin
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Jinju Jeong
- Undergraduate School Administration Team, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea.,Well Aging Research Center, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Jiwoo Yeom
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Janghwan Jekal
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Sang-Im Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Jung Ah Cho
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Sukkyoo Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Youngmi Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Dae-Hwan Kim
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Mijeong Bae
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Jinhwa Heo
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Cheil Moon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Chang-Hun Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
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25
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Molero-Chamizo A, Martín Riquel R, Moriana JA, Nitsche MA, Rivera-Urbina GN. Bilateral Prefrontal Cortex Anodal tDCS Effects on Self-reported Aggressiveness in Imprisoned Violent Offenders. Neuroscience 2019; 397:31-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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26
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Di Nuzzo C, Ferrucci R, Gianoli E, Reitano M, Tedino D, Ruggiero F, Priori A. How Brain Stimulation Techniques Can Affect Moral and Social Behaviour. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-018-0116-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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27
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Indriawati R, Aswin S, Susilowati R, Partadiredja G. Prenatal hypoxia–ischemia decreases spatial memory and increases aggression during adolescence. Physiol Int 2018; 105:210-224. [DOI: 10.1556/2060.105.2018.3.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal hypoxia–ischemia (HI) is a major cause of mortality and chronic neurological diseases in newborns. HI contributes to the emergence of several neurological disorders such as cognitive and behavioral deficits due to the atypical brain development. This study aimed at assessing the effects of prenatal HI on the spatial memory and aggression of rats during adolescence. Pregnant rats were divided into treatment and control groups. The rats of the treatment groups underwent unilateral ligation of the uterine artery on pregnancy day 7, 12, or 17. The offspring of these rats were tested for spatial memory and aggression when they reached 33 days of age. It has been found that the percentages of alternations in the Y-maze and the number of crossings in the Morris water maze tests of the HI groups were lower than those of the control groups. The total offense and defense aggression scores of the HI groups were higher than those of the control groups. In conclusion, the longer the duration of HI, the more deficits it causes in the spatial memory and aggression of rats during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Indriawati
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Department of Physiology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- 2 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Universitas Muhammadiyah, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - S Aswin
- 3 Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Department of Anatomy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - R Susilowati
- 4 Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - G Partadiredja
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Department of Physiology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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28
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Martinelli A, Kreifelts B, Wildgruber D, Ackermann K, Bernhard A, Freitag CM, Schwenck C. Aggression modulates neural correlates of hostile intention attribution to laughter in children. Neuroimage 2018; 184:621-631. [PMID: 30266262 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.09.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Revised: 09/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The tendency to interpret nonverbal social signals as hostile in intention is associated with aggressive responding, poor social functioning and mental illness, and can already be observed in childhood. To investigate the neural correlates of such hostile attributions of social intention, we performed a functional magnetic imaging study in 10-18 year old children and adolescents. Fifty healthy participants rated videos of laughter, which they were told to imagine as being directed towards them, as friendly versus hostile in social intention. Hostile intention ratings were associated with neural response in the right temporal voice area (TVA). Moreover, self-reported trait physical aggression modulated this relationship in both the right TVA and bilateral lingual gyrus, with stronger associations between hostile intention ratings and neural activation in children with higher trait physical aggression scores. Functional connectivity results showed decreased connectivity between the right TVA and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with increasing trait physical aggression for making hostile social intention attributions. We conclude that children's social intention attributions are more strongly related to activation of early face and voice-processing regions with increasing trait physical aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60327, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - B Kreifelts
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Calwerstrasse 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - D Wildgruber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Calwerstrasse 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - K Ackermann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60327, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - A Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60327, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - C M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60327, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - C Schwenck
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstrasse 50, 60327, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Special Needs Educational and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, University of Giessen, Otto-Behaghel-Straße 10C, 35394, Giessen, Germany
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29
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Denson TF, O'Dean SM, Blake KR, Beames JR. Aggression in Women: Behavior, Brain and Hormones. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:81. [PMID: 29770113 PMCID: PMC5942158 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the literature on aggression in women with an emphasis on laboratory experimentation and hormonal and brain mechanisms. Women tend to engage in more indirect forms of aggression (e.g., spreading rumors) than other types of aggression. In laboratory studies, women are less aggressive than men, but provocation attenuates this difference. In the real world, women are just as likely to aggress against their romantic partner as men are, but men cause more serious physical and psychological harm. A very small minority of women are also sexually violent. Women are susceptible to alcohol-related aggression, but this type of aggression may be limited to women high in trait aggression. Fear of being harmed is a robust inhibitor of direct aggression in women. There are too few studies and most are underpowered to detect unique neural mechanisms associated with aggression in women. Testosterone shows the same small, positive relationship with aggression in women as in men. The role of cortisol is unclear, although some evidence suggests that women who are high in testosterone and low in cortisol show heightened aggression. Under some circumstances, oxytocin may increase aggression by enhancing reactivity to provocation and simultaneously lowering perceptions of danger that normally inhibit many women from retaliating. There is some evidence that high levels of estradiol and progesterone are associated with low levels of aggression. We highlight that more gender-specific theory-driven hypothesis testing is needed with larger samples of women and aggression paradigms relevant to women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Denson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Siobhan M O'Dean
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Khandis R Blake
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Joanne R Beames
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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30
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Kleinmintz OM, Abecasis D, Tauber A, Geva A, Chistyakov AV, Kreinin I, Klein E, Shamay-Tsoory SG. Participation of the left inferior frontal gyrus in human originality. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:329-341. [PMID: 28828749 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1500-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Human creative cognition is commonly described as a twofold cyclic process that involves an idea generation phase and an idea evaluation phase. Although the evaluation phase makes a crucial contribution to originality, its underlying mechanisms have not received sufficient research attention. Here, we suggest that the left inferior frontal gyrus (lIFG) plays a major role in the interplay between the evaluation and generation networks and that inhibiting this region's activity may have an effect on "releasing" the generation neural network, resulting in greater originality. To examine the neural networks that mediate the generation and evaluation of ideas, we conducted an fMRI experiment on a group of healthy human participants (Study 1), in which we compared an idea generation task to an idea evaluation task. We found that evaluating the originality of ideas is indeed associated with a relative increase in lIFG activation, as opposed to generating original ideas. We further showed that temporarily inhibiting the lIFG using continuous theta-burst stimulation (Study 2) results in less strict evaluation on the one hand and increased originality scores on the other. Our findings provide converging evidence from multiple methods to show that the lIFG participates in evaluating the originality of ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oded M Kleinmintz
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Donna Abecasis
- The Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies, Emili Sagol C.A.T Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amitay Tauber
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amit Geva
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel
| | | | | | - Ehud Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
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31
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Darby RR, Pascual-Leone A. Moral Enhancement Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:77. [PMID: 28275345 PMCID: PMC5319982 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomedical enhancement refers to the use of biomedical interventions to improve capacities beyond normal, rather than to treat deficiencies due to diseases. Enhancement can target physical or cognitive capacities, but also complex human behaviors such as morality. However, the complexity of normal moral behavior makes it unlikely that morality is a single capacity that can be deficient or enhanced. Instead, our central hypothesis will be that moral behavior results from multiple, interacting cognitive-affective networks in the brain. First, we will test this hypothesis by reviewing evidence for modulation of moral behavior using non-invasive brain stimulation. Next, we will discuss how this evidence affects ethical issues related to the use of moral enhancement. We end with the conclusion that while brain stimulation has the potential to alter moral behavior, such alteration is unlikely to improve moral behavior in all situations, and may even lead to less morally desirable behavior in some instances.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ryan Darby
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Cognitive Neurology Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Cognitive Neurology Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
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32
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Eriksson O, Wall A, Olsson U, Marteinsdottir I, Holstad M, Ågren H, Hartvig P, Långström B, Naessén T. Women with Premenstrual Dysphoria Lack the Seemingly Normal Premenstrual Right-Sided Relative Dominance of 5-HTP-Derived Serotonergic Activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices - A Possible Cause of Disabling Mood Symptoms. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159538. [PMID: 27617751 PMCID: PMC5019404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Study Objective To investigate potential quantitative and qualitative differences in brain serotonergic activity between women with Premenstrual Dysphoria (PMD) and asymptomatic controls. Background Serotonin-augmenting drugs alleviate premenstrual mood symptoms in the majority of women with PMD while serotonin-depleting diets worsen PMD symptoms, both indicating intrinsic differences in brain serotonergic activity in women with PMD compared to asymptomatic women. Methods Positron-emission tomography with the immediate precursor of serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), radiolabelled by 11C in the beta-3 position, was performed in the follicular and luteal phases for 12 women with PMD and 8 control women. Brain radioactivity–a proxy for serotonin precursor uptake and synthesis–was measured in 9 regions of interest (ROIs): the right and left sides of the medial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, putamen and caudate nucleus, and the single “whole brain”. Results There were no significant quantitative differences in brain 5-HTP-derived activity between the groups in either of the menstrual phases for any of the 9 ROIs. However, multivariate analysis revealed a significant quantitative and qualitative difference between the groups. Asymptomatic control women showed a premenstrual right sided relative increase in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex 5-HTP derived activity, whereas PMD women displayed the opposite (p = 0.0001). Menstrual phase changes in this asymmetry (premenstrual—follicular) correlated with changes in self ratings of ‘irritability’ for the entire group (rs = -0.595, p = 0.006). The PMD group showed a strong inverse correlation between phase changes (premenstrual—follicular) in plasma levels of estradiol and phase changes in the laterality (dx/sin) of radiotracer activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal ROI (rs = -0.635; 0.027). The control group showed no such correlation. Conclusion Absence of increased premenstrual right-sided relative 5-HTP-derived activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices was found to strongly correlate to premenstrual irritability. A causal relationship here seems plausible, and the findings give further support to an underlying frontal brain disturbance in hormonally influenced serotonergic activity in women with PMD. Because of the small number of subjects in the study, these results should be considered preliminary, requiring verification in larger studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olle Eriksson
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Anders Wall
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Unit for Nuclear Medicine and PET, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulf Olsson
- Unit of Applied Statistics and Mathematics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ina Marteinsdottir
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria Holstad
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry Unit, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hans Ågren
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Hartvig
- Department of Drug design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bengt Långström
- Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tord Naessén
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
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33
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Ne'eman R, Perach-Barzilay N, Fischer-Shofty M, Atias A, Shamay-Tsoory SG. Intranasal administration of oxytocin increases human aggressive behavior. Horm Behav 2016; 80:125-131. [PMID: 26862988 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Considering its role in prosocial behaviors, oxytocin (OT) has been suggested to diminish levels of aggression. Nevertheless, recent findings indicate that oxytocin may have a broader influence on increasing the salience of social stimuli and may therefore, under certain circumstances, increase antisocial behaviors such as aggression. This controversy led to the following speculations: If indeed oxytocin promotes primarily prosocial behavior, administration of OT is expected to diminish levels of aggression. However, if oxytocin mainly acts to increase the salience of social stimuli, it is expected to elevate levels of aggression following provocation. In order to test this assumption we used the Social Orientation Paradigm (SOP), a monetary game played against a fictitious partner that allows measuring three types of responses in the context of provocation: an aggressive response - reducing a point from the fictitious partner, an individualistic response - adding a point to oneself, and a collaborative response - adding half a point to the partner and half a point to oneself. In the current double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study design, 45 participants completed the SOP task following the administration of oxytocin or placebo. The results indicated that among subjects naïve to the procedure oxytocin increased aggressive responses in comparison with placebo. These results support the saliency hypothesis of oxytocin and suggest that oxytocin plays a complex role in the modulation of human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ne'eman
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Israel.
| | | | | | - A Atias
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Israel
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34
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Li D, Wang C, Yin Q, Mao M, Zhu C, Huang Y. Frontal Cortical Asymmetry May Partially Mediate the Influence of Social Power on Anger Expression. Front Psychol 2016; 7:73. [PMID: 26869972 PMCID: PMC4735384 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
When irritated by other people, powerful people usually tend to express their anger explicitly and directly, whereas people in less powerful positions are more likely not to show their feelings freely. The neural mechanism behind power and its influence on expression tendency has been scarcely explored. This study recorded frontal EEG activity at rest and frontal EEG activation while participants were engaged in a writing task describing an anger-eliciting event, in which they were irritated by people with higher or lower social power. Participants' anger levels and expression inclination levels were self-reported on nine-point visual analog Likert scales, and also rated by independent raters based on the essays they had written. The results showed that high social power was indeed associated with greater anger expression tendency and greater left frontal activation than low social power. This is in line with the approach-inhibition theory of power. The mid-frontal asymmetric activation served as a partial mediator between social power and expression inclination. This effect may relate to the functions of the prefrontal cortex, which is in charge of information integration and evaluation and the control of motivation direction, as reported by previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Changming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China
| | - Qin Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Mengchai Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Chaozhe Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Yuxia Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
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35
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Hurlemann R, Arndt S, Schlaepfer TE, Reul J, Maier W, Scheele D. Diminished appetitive startle modulation following targeted inhibition of prefrontal cortex. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8954. [PMID: 25752944 PMCID: PMC4354029 DOI: 10.1038/srep08954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
From an evolutionary perspective the startle eye-blink response forms an integral part of the human avoidance behavioral repertoire and is typically diminished by pleasant emotional states. In major depressive disorder (MDD) appetitive motivation is impaired, evident in a reduced interference of positive emotion with the startle response. Given the pivotal role of frontostriatal neurocircuitry in orchestrating appetitive motivation, we hypothesized that inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) would reduce appetitive neuromodulation in a manner similar to MDD. Based on a pre-TMS functional MRI (fMRI) experiment we selected the left dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices as target regions for subsequent sham-controlled inhibitory theta-burst TMS (TBS) in 40 healthy male volunteers. Consistent with our hypothesis, between-group comparisons revealed a TBS-induced inhibition of appetitive neuromodulation, manifest in a diminished startle response suppression by hedonic stimuli. Collectively, our results suggest that functional integrity of left dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex is critical for mediating a pleasure-induced down-regulation of avoidance responses which may protect the brain from a depressogenic preponderance of defensive stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Hurlemann
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany [2] Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stephan Arndt
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany [2] Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas E Schlaepfer
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany [2] Department of Psychiatry &Behavioral Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, USA
| | | | - Wolfgang Maier
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany [2] German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany [2] Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
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Moran JK, Weierstall R, Elbert T. Differences in brain circuitry for appetitive and reactive aggression as revealed by realistic auditory scripts. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:425. [PMID: 25538590 PMCID: PMC4260506 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is thought to divide into two motivational elements: The first being a self-defensively motivated aggression against threat and a second, hedonically motivated "appetitive" aggression. Appetitive aggression is the less understood of the two, often only researched within abnormal psychology. Our approach is to understand it as a universal and adaptive response, and examine the functional neural activity of ordinary men (N = 50) presented with an imaginative listening task involving a murderer describing a kill. We manipulated motivational context in a between-subjects design to evoke appetitive or reactive aggression, against a neutral control, measuring activity with Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results show differences in left frontal regions in delta (2-5 Hz) and alpha band (8-12 Hz) for aggressive conditions and right parietal delta activity differentiating appetitive and reactive aggression. These results validate the distinction of reward-driven appetitive aggression from reactive aggression in ordinary populations at the level of functional neural brain circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Moran
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Elbert
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
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Brain metabolite alterations in children with primary nocturnal enuresis using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Neurochem Res 2014; 39:1355-62. [PMID: 24792733 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-014-1320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 03/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nocturnal enuresis is a common developmental disorder in children; primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) is the dominant subtype. Previous literature has suggested that the prefrontal cortex and the pons are both involved in micturition control. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic levels of the left prefrontal cortex and the pons in children with PMNE by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Twenty-five children with PMNE and 25 healthy children took part in our experiments. Magnetic resonance examinations were performed on a Siemens 3T Trio Tim scanner. For each subject, localized 1H-MRS was acquired from the left prefrontal cortex (mainly in brodmann area 9) and the pons with a point-resolved spectroscopy sequence with repetition time 2,000 ms, echo time 30 ms and 64 averages. The LCModel software package was used to analyze the MRS raw data, and two-sample t tests were used to determine significant differences between the two groups. The results revealed a significant reduction in metabolite to total creatine ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA/tCr) in the left prefrontal cortex and the pons for children with PMNE compared to healthy children. Our study suggests that metabolism is disturbed in the prefrontal cortex and the pons in children with PMNE, which may be associated with the symptoms of enuresis.
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Pawliczek CM, Derntl B, Kellermann T, Gur RC, Schneider F, Habel U. Anger under control: neural correlates of frustration as a function of trait aggression. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78503. [PMID: 24205247 PMCID: PMC3799631 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisocial behavior and aggression are prominent symptoms in several psychiatric disorders including antisocial personality disorder. An established precursor to aggression is a frustrating event, which can elicit anger or exasperation, thereby prompting aggressive responses. While some studies have investigated the neural correlates of frustration and aggression, examination of their relation to trait aggression in healthy populations are rare. Based on a screening of 550 males, we formed two extreme groups, one including individuals reporting high (n=21) and one reporting low (n=18) trait aggression. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 3T, all participants were put through a frustration task comprising unsolvable anagrams of German nouns. Despite similar behavioral performance, males with high trait aggression reported higher ratings of negative affect and anger after the frustration task. Moreover, they showed relatively decreased activation in the frontal brain regions and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) as well as relatively less amygdala activation in response to frustration. Our findings indicate distinct frontal and limbic processing mechanisms following frustration modulated by trait aggression. In response to a frustrating event, HA individuals show some of the personality characteristics and neural processing patterns observed in abnormally aggressive populations. Highlighting the impact of aggressive traits on the behavioral and neural responses to frustration in non-psychiatric extreme groups can facilitate further characterization of neural dysfunctions underlying psychiatric disorders that involve abnormal frustration processing and aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Pawliczek
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thilo Kellermann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Frank Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
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