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Morawetz C, Basten U. Neural underpinnings of individual differences in emotion regulation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105727. [PMID: 38759742 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
This review synthesises individual differences in neural processes related to emotion regulation (ER). It comprises individual differences in self-reported and physiological regulation success, self-reported ER-related traits, and demographic variables, to assess their correlation with brain activation during ER tasks. Considering region-of-interest (ROI) and whole-brain analyses, the review incorporated data from 52 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Results can be summarized as follows: (1) Self-reported regulation success (assessed by emotional state ratings after regulation) and self-reported ER-related traits (assessed by questionnaires) correlated with brain activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex. (2) Amygdala activation correlated with ER-related traits only in ROI analyses, while it was associated with regulation success in whole-brain analyses. (3) For demographic and physiological measures, there was no systematic overlap in effects reported across studies. In showing that individual differences in regulation success and ER-related traits can be traced back to differences in the neural activity of brain regions associated with emotional reactivity (amygdala) and cognitive control (lateral prefrontal cortex), our findings can inform prospective personalised intervention models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Basten
- Department of Psychology, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany
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2
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Raugh IM, Strauss GP. Integrating mindfulness into the extended process model of emotion regulation: The dual-mode model of mindful emotion regulation. Emotion 2024; 24:847-866. [PMID: 37843512 PMCID: PMC11009092 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001308] [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] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted regarding how people manage their emotions. Within this research, there has been growing attention toward the role of mindfulness in emotion regulation. While prior reviews have discussed mindfulness in the context of emotion regulation, they have not provided a thorough integration using the prevailing models of emotion regulation or mindfulness. The present review discusses the Extended Process Model of Emotion Regulation and Monitoring and Acceptance Theory of mindfulness in order to propose a novel integrated framework, the Dual-mode Model of Mindful Emotion Regulation (D-MER). This model proposes two "modes" of mindfulness: Implementation and facilitation. Implementation posits that mindfulness skills can be used as emotion regulation strategies through attentional deployment and cognitive change. Facilitation posits that mindfulness as a state or trait affects emotion generation and regulation through effects on cognitive processes and positive or negative valence systems. Further, the D-MER posits that mindfulness experience can improve the efficiency of mindfulness-based emotion regulation strategies (implementation) while effects of mindfulness on emotion regulation processes become increasingly trait-like and automatic over time (facilitation). Empirical and theoretical support for this model are discussed, specific hypotheses to guide further research are provided, and clinical implications are presented. Use of this model may identify mechanisms underlying the interaction between mindfulness and emotion regulation which can be used in ongoing affective and clinical research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Aranberri Ruiz A. Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Improve Emotional State. Biomedicines 2024; 12:407. [PMID: 38398009 PMCID: PMC10886536 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020407] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Emotional experiences are a part of our lives. The maladaptive functioning of an individual's emotional field can lead to emotional disturbances of various kinds, such as anxiety and depression. Currently, there is an increasing prevalence of emotional disorders that cause great human suffering and high socioeconomic costs. Emotional processing has a biological basis. The major neuroscientific theories of emotion are based on biological functioning, and all of them take into account the anatomy and function of the tenth cranial nerve: the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve connects the subdiaphragmatic and supradiaphragmatic areas and modulates emotional processing as the basis of interoceptive functioning. Auricular vagus nerve stimulation is a new and innovative neuromodulation technique based on the function of the vagus nerve. Several interventions have shown that this new neurostimulation technique is a very promising resource for treating emotional disorders. In this paper, we summarise three neuroscientific theories of emotion, explain what transcutaneous auricular nerve stimulation is, and present arguments for its use and continued research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainara Aranberri Ruiz
- Department of Basic Psychological Process and Development, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
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4
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Karch S, Maywald M, Schwartz C, Heil C, Neumüller J, Keeser D, Garcia S, Tschentscher N, Pogarell O, Paolini M, Voderholzer U. Neuronal correlates of intensification and acceptance of symptoms during exposure therapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1256046. [PMID: 38375106 PMCID: PMC10875107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1256046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive behaviour therapy with exposure and response prevention is efficient in treating patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Nevertheless, it would be helpful for many patients to complement the therapeutic treatment with acceptance strategies to further increase the therapeutic benefit. The aim of the present study was to examine neurobiological responses to acceptance and intensification strategies during symptom provocation alongside the psychotherapeutic process. Method A total of 23 patients diagnosed with OCD (subtype: washing/contamination fear) was instructed to utilise either an acceptance strategy (ACS) or an intensification strategy (INS) to cope with their emotional and cognitive reactions to personalised symptom-triggering and neutral pictures. Fourteen patients participated twice: at the beginning [T1] and at the end [T2] of an inpatient multimodal treatment including cognitive behaviour therapy with response prevention to assess functional variations. Results For the contrast of T1 and T2, ACS showed increased brain activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), left caudate body, and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC). They also showed decreased activity in the left anterior insula. INS showed decreased activation in right lingual gyrus and right caudate body. At T2, ACS showed increased activation compared to INS in the left cerebrum: IFG, caudate nucleus, middle and superior temporal gyrus, and PCC/cuneus. For the comparison of T1 and T2, the ACS revealed increased brain activity in the left IFG, left caudate body, and right inferior parietal lobe. It showed decreased activity in the left anterior insula. The INS revealed decreased activity in right lingual gyrus and right caudate body.The psychometric questionnaires suggested that patients were able to reduce obsession, compulsion, and depression symptoms. Furthermore, patients rated the ACS as more useful for themselves compared with the INS. Conclusion The increased left IFG activity using ACS (T1 vs. T2) could be interpreted as a better inhibitory top-down process, while the increased PCC response might be due to a better reappraisal strategy after therapy. ACS seems to mobilise neuronal activations under therapy, especially in the left hemisphere. Both strategies showed reductions in emotional networks as a neuronal correlate of therapy success. Overall, ACS may be more efficient than INS, as rated by the patients and as in accordance with neurobiological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Karch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Maywald
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Clara Heil
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Keeser
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah Garcia
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
| | - Nadja Tschentscher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Oliver Pogarell
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Paolini
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Voderholzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
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Arioli M, Segatta C, Papagno C, Tettamanti M, Cattaneo Z. Social perception in deaf individuals: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:5402-5415. [PMID: 37609693 PMCID: PMC10543108 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Deaf individuals may report difficulties in social interactions. However, whether these difficulties depend on deafness affecting social brain circuits is controversial. Here, we report the first meta-analysis comparing brain activations of hearing and (prelingually) deaf individuals during social perception. Our findings showed that deafness does not impact on the functional mechanisms supporting social perception. Indeed, both deaf and hearing control participants recruited regions of the action observation network during performance of different social tasks employing visual stimuli, and including biological motion perception, face identification, action observation, viewing, identification and memory for signs and lip reading. Moreover, we found increased recruitment of the superior-middle temporal cortex in deaf individuals compared with hearing participants, suggesting a preserved and augmented function during social communication based on signs and lip movements. Overall, our meta-analysis suggests that social difficulties experienced by deaf individuals are unlikely to be associated with brain alterations but may rather depend on non-supportive environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Arioli
- Department of Human and Social SciencesUniversity of BergamoBergamoItaly
| | - Cecilia Segatta
- Department of Human and Social SciencesUniversity of BergamoBergamoItaly
| | - Costanza Papagno
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | | | - Zaira Cattaneo
- Department of Human and Social SciencesUniversity of BergamoBergamoItaly
- IRCCS Mondino FoundationPaviaItaly
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6
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Monachesi B, Grecucci A, Ahmadi Ghomroudi P, Messina I. Comparing reappraisal and acceptance strategies to understand the neural architecture of emotion regulation: a meta-analytic approach. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1187092. [PMID: 37546477 PMCID: PMC10403290 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1187092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the emotion regulation literature, the amount of neuroimaging studies on cognitive reappraisal led the impression that the same top-down, control-related neural mechanisms characterize all emotion regulation strategies. However, top-down processes may coexist with more bottom-up and emotion-focused processes that partially bypass the recruitment of executive functions. A case in point is acceptance-based strategies. Method To better understand neural commonalities and differences behind different emotion regulation processes, in the present study, we applied the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) method to perform a meta-analysis on fMRI studies investigating task-related activity of reappraisal and acceptance. Both increased and decreased brain activity was taken into account in the contrast and conjunction analysis between the two strategies. Results Results showed increased activity in left-inferior frontal gyrus and insula for both strategies, and decreased activity in the basal ganglia for reappraisal, and decreased activity in limbic regions for acceptance. Discussion These findings are discussed in the context of a model of common and specific neural mechanisms of emotion regulation that support and expand the previous dual-routes models. We suggest that emotion regulation may rely on a core inhibitory circuit, and on strategy-specific top-down and bottom-up processes distinct for different strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Monachesi
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences—CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Parisa Ahmadi Ghomroudi
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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7
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Messina I, Spataro P, Sorella S, Grecucci A. "Holding in Anger" as a Mediator in the Relationship between Attachment Orientations and Borderline Personality Features. Brain Sci 2023; 13:878. [PMID: 37371358 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060878] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Insecure attachment and difficulties in regulating anger have both been put forward as possible explanations for emotional dysfunction in borderline personality (BP). This study aimed to test a model according to which the influence of attachment on BP features in a subclinical population is mediated by anger regulation. In a sample of 302 participants, BP features were assessed with the Borderline features scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI-BOR), attachment was measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships-12 (ECR-12), and trait anger and anger regulation were assessed with the State and Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2). The results indicated that anger suppression emerged as a significant mediator of the associations between both anxious and avoidant attachment and BP traits, while anger control resulted as a marginal mediator in the association between attachment avoidance and BP. Suppressing anger may reflect different forms of cognitive or behavioural avoidance of anger, which may differ on the basis of attachment orientations. We argue that these results may have important clinical implications: the promotion of anger regulation in BP should be considered a critical treatment goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Messina
- Department of Economics, Mercatorum University, Piazza Mattei 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, DipSCo, University of Trento and Centre for Medical Sciences, University of Trento, Bettini, 84, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Pietro Spataro
- Department of Economics, Mercatorum University, Piazza Mattei 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Sorella
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, DipSCo, University of Trento and Centre for Medical Sciences, University of Trento, Bettini, 84, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, DipSCo, University of Trento and Centre for Medical Sciences, University of Trento, Bettini, 84, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
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Kawata KHDS, Hirano K, Hamamoto Y, Oi H, Kanno A, Kawashima R, Sugiura M. Motivational decline and proactive response under thermal environmental stress are related to emotion- and problem-focused coping, respectively: Questionnaire construction and fMRI study. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1143450. [PMID: 37122493 PMCID: PMC10130452 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1143450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the diversity of human behavioral and psychological responses to environmental thermal stress, the major dimensions of these responses have not been formulated. Accordingly, the relevance of these responses to a framework of coping with stress (i.e., emotion- and problem-focused) and the neural correlates are unexplored. In this study, we first developed a multidimensional inventory for such responses using social surveys and a factor analysis, and then examined the neural correlates of each dimension using a functional magnetic resonance imaging; we manipulated the ambient temperature between uncomfortably hot and cold, and the correlations between the inventory factor scores and discomfort-related neural responses were examined. We identified three factors to construct the inventory: motivational decline, proactive response, and an active behavior, which appeared to reflect inefficient emotion-focused coping, efficient problem-focused coping, and positive appreciation of extreme environmental temperatures, respectively, under environmental thermal stress. Motivational decline score was positively associated with common neural response to thermal stress in the frontal and temporoparietal regions, implicated in emotion regulation, while proactive response score negatively with the neural responses related to subjective discomfort in the medial and lateral parietal cortices, implicated in problem-solving. We thus demonstrated that two of three major dimensions of individual variation in response to and coping with environmental thermal stress conform to an influential two-dimensional framework of stress coping. The current three-dimensional model may expand the frontiers of meteorological human science in both basic and application domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelssy Hitomi dos Santos Kawata
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanan Hirano
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yumi Hamamoto
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hajime Oi
- Climate Control and Cooling System Engineering Group, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Atsugi, Japan
| | - Akitake Kanno
- Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Sugiura
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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9
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Ghomroudi PA, Scaltritti M, Grecucci A. Decoding reappraisal and suppression from neural circuits: A combined supervised and unsupervised machine learning approach. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023:10.3758/s13415-023-01076-6. [PMID: 36977965 PMCID: PMC10400700 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01076-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Emotion regulation is a core construct of mental health and deficits in emotion regulation abilities lead to psychological disorders. Reappraisal and suppression are two widely studied emotion regulation strategies but, possibly due to methodological limitations in previous studies, a consistent picture of the neural correlates related to the individual differences in their habitual use remains elusive. To address these issues, the present study applied a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning algorithms to the structural MRI scans of 128 individuals. First, unsupervised machine learning was used to separate the brain into naturally grouping grey matter circuits. Then, supervised machine learning was applied to predict individual differences in the use of different strategies of emotion regulation. Two predictive models, including structural brain features and psychological ones, were tested. Results showed that a temporo-parahippocampal-orbitofrontal network successfully predicted the individual differences in the use of reappraisal. Differently, insular and fronto-temporo-cerebellar networks successfully predicted suppression. In both predictive models, anxiety, the opposite strategy, and specific emotional intelligence factors played a role in predicting the use of reappraisal and suppression. This work provides new insights regarding the decoding of individual differences from structural features and other psychologically relevant variables while extending previous observations on the neural bases of emotion regulation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Ahmadi Ghomroudi
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
| | - Michele Scaltritti
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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10
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Wijaya VG, Oba K, Ishibashi R, Sugiura M. Why people hesitate to help: Neural correlates of the counter-dynamics of altruistic helping and individual differences in daily helping tendencies. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1080376. [PMID: 36998358 PMCID: PMC10044345 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1080376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent psychological and neuroimaging studies on altruism–egoism dilemmas have promoted our understanding of the processes underlying altruistic motivation; however, little attention has been paid to the egoistic counter-dynamics that prompt hesitancy to help. These counter-dynamics may involve the construction of reasons not to help based on contextual elaboration and explain individual differences in the tendency to help others in daily life. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we explored the neural correlates of altruism–egoism dilemmas during empathy-driven helping decisions, with particular attention to the counter-dynamics related to individual helping tendency traits. We used two context-rich helping decision scenarios. In the empathy dilemma (Emp) scenario, empathy-driven motivation to help a poor person was associated with a cost, whereas in the economic-dilemma (Eco) scenario, self-beneficial motivation to help a non-poor person was associated with a cost. Our results showed activation of the right anterior prefrontal cortices, supramarginal gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) for the altruism–egoism dilemma (i.e., Emp > Eco). A significant negative effect of the helping tendency trait score was observed on PCC activation; interestingly, this effect was observed for both Emp and Eco dilemmas. The identified neural correlates of altruism–egoism dilemmas appear to be related to the construction of decision reasons based on contextual elaboration in naturalistic situations. In contrast to the classical view, our results suggest a two-stage model that includes an altruistic helping decision followed by counter-dynamics to determine the individual helping tendency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Gani Wijaya
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Kentaro Oba
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryo Ishibashi
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Sugiura
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- *Correspondence: Motoaki Sugiura,
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Sugiura M, Katayori Y, Muratsubaki T, Shiratori M, Hanawa S, Nejad KK, Tamura D, Kawashima R, Fukudo S. Automatic adaptive emotion regulation is associated with lower emotion-related activation in the frontoparietal cortex and other cortical regions with multi-componential organization. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1059158. [PMID: 36950064 PMCID: PMC10025472 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1059158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Although some researchers consider automatic adaptive emotion regulation to be an automatized strategy whereas others consider it to be implicit disengagement of deliberative process, to date, its neural correlates have been poorly investigated. In addition, the valence specificity of automatic adaptive emotion regulation and levels of activation relative to the neutral condition are controversial; the former is relevant to the attribution of resilient emotion regulation to positivity bias or emotional stability, and the latter to determining whether regulation is based on emotion-specific or emotion-non-specific processes. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we presented positive and negative emotional pictures to healthy young participants and investigated the neural correlates of automatic adaptive emotion regulation in spontaneous emotional response. A significant negative trait effect (i.e., regression coefficient) on activation was identified both for positive and negative emotional responses in various cortical regions. A cluster analysis identified three clusters among these regions based on the valence specificity of the trait effect and level of activation relative to neutral stimuli. Cluster 1 included regions in the sensorimotor cortex characterized by negative emotion-specific decreases in activation relative to neutral stimuli in adaptive individuals. Cluster 2 included several cortical regions including the bilateral dorsal executive network, anterior cingulate, and inferior frontal gyrus, which were characterized by valence-independent decreases in activation in adaptive individuals. Cluster 3 included the bilateral ventrolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices, right insula, and other posterior regions, which were characterized by increased activation for negative stimuli in non-adaptive individuals. These findings support the assumption that automatic adaptive emotion regulation involves the implicit disengagement of deliberative process and suggest the relevance of different cortical networks to the potential emotion- and valence-specificity of adaptive regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motoaki Sugiura
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yoko Katayori
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Muratsubaki
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Miyuki Shiratori
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Sugiko Hanawa
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Daisaku Tamura
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shin Fukudo
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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12
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Lieberman JM, Rabellino D, Densmore M, Frewen PA, Steyrl D, Scharnowski F, Théberge J, Neufeld RWJ, Schmahl C, Jetly R, Narikuzhy S, Lanius RA, Nicholson AA. Posterior cingulate cortex targeted real-time fMRI neurofeedback recalibrates functional connectivity with the amygdala, posterior insula, and default-mode network in PTSD. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2883. [PMID: 36791212 PMCID: PMC10013955 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2883] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations within large-scale brain networks-namely, the default mode (DMN) and salience networks (SN)-are present among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography neurofeedback studies suggest that regulating posterior cingulate cortex (PCC; the primary hub of the posterior DMN) activity may reduce PTSD symptoms and recalibrate altered network dynamics. However, PCC connectivity to the DMN and SN during PCC-targeted fMRI neurofeedback remains unexamined and may help to elucidate neurophysiological mechanisms through which these symptom improvements may occur. METHODS Using a trauma/emotion provocation paradigm, we investigated psychophysiological interactions over a single session of neurofeedback among PTSD (n = 14) and healthy control (n = 15) participants. We compared PCC functional connectivity between regulate (in which participants downregulated PCC activity) and view (in which participants did not exert regulatory control) conditions across the whole-brain as well as in a priori specified regions-of-interest. RESULTS During regulate as compared to view conditions, only the PTSD group showed significant PCC connectivity with anterior DMN (dmPFC, vmPFC) and SN (posterior insula) regions, whereas both groups displayed PCC connectivity with other posterior DMN areas (precuneus/cuneus). Additionally, as compared with controls, the PTSD group showed significantly greater PCC connectivity with the SN (amygdala) during regulate as compared to view conditions. Moreover, linear regression analyses revealed that during regulate as compared to view conditions, PCC connectivity to DMN and SN regions was positively correlated to psychiatric symptoms across all participants. CONCLUSION In summary, observations of PCC connectivity to the DMN and SN provide emerging evidence of neural mechanisms underlying PCC-targeted fMRI neurofeedback among individuals with PTSD. This supports the use of PCC-targeted neurofeedback as a means by which to recalibrate PTSD-associated alterations in neural connectivity within the DMN and SN, which together, may help to facilitate improved emotion regulation abilities in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Lieberman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniela Rabellino
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Densmore
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul A Frewen
- Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Steyrl
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frank Scharnowski
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jean Théberge
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Joseph's Healthcare, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard W J Neufeld
- Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rakesh Jetly
- The Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandhya Narikuzhy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth A Lanius
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew A Nicholson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ontario, Canada.,Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.,Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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13
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Caria A, Grecucci A. Neuroanatomical predictors of real‐time
fMRI
‐based anterior insula regulation. A supervised machine learning study. Psychophysiology 2022; 60:e14237. [PMID: 36523140 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence showed that learned control of metabolic activity in selected brain regions can support emotion regulation. Notably, a number of studies demonstrated that neurofeedback-based regulation of fMRI activity in several emotion-related areas leads to modifications of emotional behavior along with changes of neural activity in local and distributed networks, in both healthy individuals and individuals with emotional disorders. However, the current understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying self-regulation of the emotional brain, as well as their relationship with other emotion regulation strategies, is still limited. In this study, we attempted to delineate neuroanatomical regions mediating real-time fMRI-based emotion regulation by exploring whole brain GM and WM features predictive of self-regulation of anterior insula (AI) activity, a neuromodulation procedure that can successfully support emotional brain regulation in healthy individuals and patients. To this aim, we employed a multivariate kernel ridge regression model to assess brain volumetric features, at regional and network level, predictive of real-time fMRI-based AI regulation. Our results showed that several GM regions including fronto-occipital and medial temporal areas and the basal ganglia as well as WM regions including the fronto-occipital fasciculus, tapetum and fornix significantly predicted learned AI regulation. Remarkably, we observed a substantial contribution of the cerebellum in relation to both the most effective regulation run and average neurofeedback performance. Overall, our findings highlighted specific neurostructural features contributing to individual differences of AI-guided emotion regulation. Notably, such neuroanatomical topography partially overlaps with the neurofunctional network associated with cognitive emotion regulation strategies, suggesting common neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Caria
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science University of Trento Rovereto Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science University of Trento Rovereto Italy
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14
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Messina I, Spataro P, Grecucci A, Moskow DM, Marogna C, Hofmann SG. Interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire: psychometric properties of the Italian version and associations with psychopathology. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, PROCESS AND OUTCOME 2022; 25. [PMID: 36039912 PMCID: PMC9472333 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2022.616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The emerging field of interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) is drawing attention to forms of emotion regulation which involve communication and social interaction as part of the regulation process. The availability of instruments to measure IER in different languages represents significant promise for future work in this field. The goal of the present study was to validate an Italian adaptation of a self-report instrument for the assessment of IER, the Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ; Hofmann et al., 2016). In an Italian sample (N=448), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the original structure comprising four factors (Enhancing Positive Affect, Perspective Taking, Soothing and Social Modelling). Correlations with other measures of emotion regulation showed good convergent validity of the questionnaire.
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15
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Consolini J, Sorella S, Grecucci A. Evidence for lateralized functional connectivity patterns at rest related to the tendency of externalizing or internalizing anger. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:788-802. [PMID: 35612724 PMCID: PMC9294029 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01012-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous electroencephalographic and brain stimulation studies have shown that anger responses may be differently lateralized in the prefrontal cortex, with outward-oriented responses (externalized anger) linked to left prefrontal activity, and inward-oriented responses (internalized anger) linked to right prefrontal activity. However, the specific neural structures involved in this asymmetry, and how they interact to produce individual differences, remain unexplored. Furthermore, it is unclear whether such asymmetry may be explained by general behavioral tendencies, known as Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Inhibition Systems (BIS/BAS). Therefore, we analyzed the tendency of externalizing and internalizing anger, respectively measured by the Anger-Out and Anger-In subscales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, with the patterns of functional connectivity at rest of 71 participants. A left, prefrontal, resting-state, functional connectivity pattern was found for externalizing anger (Anger-Out), including the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left frontal eye fields. By contrast, a right, prefrontal, resting-state, functional connectivity pattern was found for internalizing anger (Anger-In), including the rostral and lateral prefrontal cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the frontal pole, the superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri, and the anterior cingulate. Notably, these patterns were not associated with the BIS/BAS scores. In this study, for the first time, we provide evidence using fMRI functional connectivity for two specific lateralized circuits contributing to individual differences in externalizing and internalizing anger. These results confirm and extend the asymmetry hypothesis for anger and have notable implications in the treatment of anger-related problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Consolini
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 31, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
| | - Sara Sorella
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 31, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 31, Rovereto, TN, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences, CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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16
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Effortless training of attention and self-control: mechanisms and applications. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:567-577. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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17
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Morawetz C, Berboth S, Kohn N, Jackson PL, Jauniaux J. Reappraisal and empathic perspective-taking - More alike than meets the eyes. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119194. [PMID: 35413444 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotion regulation and empathy represent highly intertwined psychological processes sharing common conceptual ground. Despite the wealth of research in these fields, the joint and distinct functional nature and topological features of these constructs have not yet been investigated using the same experimental approach. This study investigated the common and distinct neural correlates of emotion regulation and empathy using a meta-analytic approach. The regions that were jointly activated were then characterized using meta-analytic connectivity modeling and functional decoding of metadata terms. The results revealed convergent activity within the ventrolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex as well as temporal regions. The functional decoding analysis demonstrated that emotion regulation and empathy were related to highly similar executive and internally oriented processes. This synthesis underlining strong functional and neuronal correspondence between emotion regulation and empathy could (i) facilitate greater integration of these two separate lines of literature, (ii) accelerate progress toward elucidating the neural mechanisms that support social cognition, and (iii) push forward the development of a common theoretical framework for these psychological processes essential to human social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stella Berboth
- Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nils Kohn
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands
| | | | - Josiane Jauniaux
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke University, Sherbrooke, Canada
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18
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Piretti L, Pappaianni E, Gobbo S, Rumiati RI, Job R, Grecucci A. Dissociating the role of dACC and dlPFC for emotion appraisal and mood regulation using cathodal tDCS. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:304-315. [PMID: 34676495 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Several neuroimaging studies have shown that a distributed network of brain regions is involved in our ability to appraise the emotions we experience in daily life. In particular, scholars suggested that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) may play a role in the appraisal of emotional stimuli together with subcortical regions, especially when stimuli are negatively valenced, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) may play a role in regulating emotions. However, proofs of the causal role of these regions are lacking. In the present study, we aim at testing this model by stimulating both the dACC and the left dlPFC via cathodal tDCS. Twenty-four participants were asked to attend and rate the arousal and valence of negative and neutral emotional stimuli (pictures and words) in three different experimental sessions: cathodal stimulation of dACC, left dlPFC, or sham. In addition to the experimental task, the baseline affective state was measured before and after the stimulation to further assess the effect of stimulation over the baseline affective state after the experimental session. Results showed that cathodal stimulation of dACC, but not the left dlPFC, was associated with reduced arousal ratings of emotional stimuli, both compared with the sham condition. Moreover, cathodal stimulation of left dlPFC decreased participant's positive affective state after the session. These findings suggest for the first time, a dissociation between the dACC and dlPFC, with the former more involved in emotion appraisal, and the latter more involved in mood modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Piretti
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy.
- Marica De Vincenzi onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy.
| | - E Pappaianni
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
| | - S Gobbo
- University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - R I Rumiati
- Neuroscience and Society Lab, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste, Italy
| | - R Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
- Marica De Vincenzi onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - A Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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19
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Wolfe HE, Isaacowitz DM. Acceptance as a cognitive emotion regulation strategy across the lifespan. PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.plm.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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20
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Fernando SC, Beblo T, Lamers A, Schlosser N, Woermann FG, Driessen M, Toepper M. Neural correlates of emotion acceptance and suppression in borderline personality disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1066218. [PMID: 36704727 PMCID: PMC9871986 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1066218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion dysregulation is a central feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Since impaired emotion regulation contributes to disturbed emotion functioning in BPD, it is crucial to study underlying neural activity. The current study aimed at investigating the neural correlates of two emotion regulation strategies, namely emotion acceptance and suppression, which are both important treatment targets in BPD. METHODS Twenty-one women with BPD and 23 female healthy control participants performed an emotion regulation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). While watching fearful movie clips, participants were instructed to either accept or to suppress upcoming emotions compared to passive viewing. RESULTS Results revealed acceptance-related insular underactivation and suppression-related caudate overactivation in subjects with BPD during the emotion regulation task. CONCLUSION This is a first study on the neural correlates of emotion acceptance and suppression in BPD. Altered insula functioning during emotion acceptance may reflect impairments in emotional awareness in BPD. Increased caudate activity is linked to habitual motor and cognitive processes and therefore may accord to the well-established routine in BPD patients to suppress emotional experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Carvalho Fernando
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Thomas Beblo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Agnes Lamers
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Nicole Schlosser
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Friedrich G Woermann
- Epilepsy Center Bethel, Mara Hospital, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Martin Driessen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Max Toepper
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
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21
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De Coninck S, Aben B, Van den Bussche E, Mariën P, Van Overwalle F. Embodying Stressful Events: No Difference in Subjective Arousal and Neural Correlates Related to Immersion, Interoception, and Embodied Mentalization. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:640482. [PMID: 34054442 PMCID: PMC8161507 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.640482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive thought about oneself, including one's emotions, can lead to both adaptive and maladaptive effects. Construal level of repetitive self-referential thought might moderate this. During interoception, which engages areas such as the insula, the anterior and/or posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the somatosensory cortex, concrete low level construal self-referential thought is applied, which has been shown to lead to more positive emotions after upsetting events. Contrarily, during immersion, related to neural activity in the default mode network (DMN), abstract high level construal self-referential thought is applied, which is linked to depression. The current study investigated whether the integration of concrete and abstract self-referential thought by means of embodied mentalization leads to less subjective arousal, decreased DMN activity and increased somatosensory activity as compared to immersion, and to more DMN activity as compared to interoception. In the fMRI scanner, participants imagined stressful events while adopting immersion, interoception or embodied mentalization. After each imagined stressful event, participants rated their subjective arousal and how difficult it was to apply the mode of self-referential thought. Results showed that participants felt that immersion was easier to apply than embodied mentalization. However, no differences in subjective arousal or neural activity were found between immersion, interoception and embodied mentalization. Possible reasons for this lack of significant differences are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah De Coninck
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain, Body and Cognition and Center of Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Units Sustainable Resources, Smart Organizations and Inclusive Society, University College Leuven Limburg, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Bart Aben
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva Van den Bussche
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Mariën
- Faculty of Language and Literature, Centre for Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Van Overwalle
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain, Body and Cognition and Center of Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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