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Li Q, Zhang X, Yang X, Pan N, He M, Suo X, Li X, Gong Q, Wang S. Pre-COVID resting-state brain activity in the fusiform gyrus prospectively predicts social anxiety alterations during the pandemic. J Affect Disord 2024; 344:380-388. [PMID: 37838273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.071] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety (SA) has been linked to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but the neurobiopsychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the neurofunctional markers for COVID-induced SA development and the potential role of COVID-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in the brain-SA alterations link. METHODS Before the COVID-19 pandemic (T1), 100 general college students underwent resting-state magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral tests. During the period of community-level outbreaks (T2), these students were re-contacted to undergo follow-up behavioral assessments. RESULTS Whole-brain correlation and prediction analyses found that pre-pandemic spontaneous neural activity (measured by fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations) in the right fusiform gyrus (FG) was positively correlated to SA alterations (T2 - T1). Mediation analyses revealed that COVID-specific PTSS mediated the effects of right FG on SA alterations. LIMITATIONS The results should be interpreted carefully because only one-session neuroimaging data in a sample of normal adults were included. CONCLUSIONS The results provide evidence for neurofunctional markers of COVID-induced SA and may help develop targeted brain-based interventions that reduce SA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyuan Li
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China; Department of Interventional Therapy, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xun Yang
- School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Nanfang Pan
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Min He
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueling Suo
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Interventional Therapy, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China; Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Song Wang
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
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Kim BH, Park SY, Park CI, Bang M, Kim HJ, Lee SH. Altered cortical thickness of the superior frontal gyrus and fusiform gyrus in individuals with subthreshold social anxiety. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21822. [PMID: 38071248 PMCID: PMC10710474 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Subthreshold social anxiety (SSA) is a condition in which individuals experience social anxiety that does not reach the threshold required for a clinical diagnosis of a social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although SSA may not impair lives as severely as SAD, it can affect social functioning. However, only a few studies focused on structural neural correlates of SSA. We recruited 65 individuals with SSA and used the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale to assess their social and performance anxiety levels and other relevant measures of social anxiety. Voxel-wise whole-brain correlational analyses showed a positive association between the cortical thickness (CT) of the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and social anxiety levels and a negative correlation between the CT of the fusiform gyrus (FG) and performance anxiety levels in individuals with SSA. Exploratory Pearson's correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the CT of the SFG and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 total scores and negative associations between the CT of the FG and Beck Anxiety Inventory total scores. Our study provides insight into the neural basis of SSA, particularly performance anxiety, by highlighting the association between CT in specific brain regions and SSA characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byoung-Ho Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Young Park
- CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Chun Il Park
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Minji Bang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Hyuk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-Ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 463-712, Republic of Korea.
- CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
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Zhu X, Zhou H, Geng F, Wang J, Xu H, Hu Y. Functional Connectivity Between Basal Forebrain and Superficial Amygdala Negatively Correlates with Social Fearfulness. Neuroscience 2023; 510:72-81. [PMID: 36572173 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.12.020] [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: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety is characterized by an intense fear of evaluation from others and/or withdrawal from social situations. Extreme social anxiety can lead to social anxiety disorder. There remains an urgent need to investigate the neural substrates of subclinical social anxiety for early diagnosis and intervention to reduce the risk to develop social anxiety disorder. Twenty-nine young adults were recruited (10 males/19 females; mean age (SD) = 20.34 (2.29)). Trait-like social anxiety was assessed by Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used with an emotional face-matching paradigm to probe brain activation in response to emotional stimuli including angry, fearful, and happy faces, with shape-matching as a control condition. Behavioral results showed positive correlations between Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale scores and the reaction time in both angry and fearful conditions. The activation of superficial amygdala and the deactivation of basal forebrain in response to angry condition showed positive correlations with the level of social anxiety. In addition, the resting-state functional connectivity between these two regions was negatively correlated with the level of social anxiety. These results may help to understand the individual difference and corresponding neural underpinnings of social anxiety in the subclinical population, and might provide some insight to develop strategies for early diagnosis and interventions of social anxiety to reduce the risk of deterioration from subclinical to clinical level of social anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Fengji Geng
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310007, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Han Xu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China; Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China.
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Caldiroli A, Capuzzi E, Affaticati LM, Surace T, Di Forti CL, Dakanalis A, Clerici M, Buoli M. Candidate Biological Markers for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:835. [PMID: 36614278 PMCID: PMC9821596 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric condition associated with a high risk of psychiatric comorbidity and impaired social/occupational functioning when not promptly treated. The identification of biological markers may facilitate the diagnostic process, leading to an early and proper treatment. Our aim was to systematically review the available literature about potential biomarkers for SAD. A search in the main online repositories (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, PsychInfo, etc.) was performed. Of the 662 records screened, 61 were included. Results concerning cortisol, neuropeptides and inflammatory/immunological/neurotrophic markers remain inconsistent. Preliminary evidence emerged about the role of chromosome 16 and the endomannosidase gene, as well as of epigenetic factors, in increasing vulnerability to SAD. Neuroimaging findings revealed an altered connectivity of different cerebral areas in SAD patients and amygdala activation under social threat. Some parameters such as salivary alpha amylase levels, changes in antioxidant defenses, increased gaze avoidance and QT dispersion seem to be associated with SAD and may represent promising biomarkers of this condition. However, the preliminary positive correlations have been poorly replicated. Further studies on larger samples and investigating the same biomarkers are needed to identify more specific biological markers for SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Caldiroli
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Enrico Capuzzi
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Letizia M. Affaticati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Teresa Surace
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Carla L. Di Forti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Massimo Clerici
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.C.); (T.S.); (M.C.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Via Cadore 38, 20900 Monza, Italy; (L.M.A.); (C.L.D.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Massimiliano Buoli
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Jiang J, Zhu Y, Rodriguez MA, Wen X, Qian M. Social anxiety does not impair attention inhibition: An emotion anti-saccade task. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2022; 77:101776. [PMID: 36113912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101776] [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: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Attention avoidance and attention vigilance are two typical attentional biases in individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Attention inhibition is a type of attention control, which may be the key factor affecting attention vigilance and attention avoidance. However, previous studies have not examined the difference between the attention inhibition in individuals with SAD and healthy controls. METHODS To further explore this question, the current study used the single anti-saccade task with emotional facial stimuli to assess attention inhibition in 27 individuals with SAD and 22 healthy controls. RESULTS Regardless of the emotional valence of the facial stimuli, error rates in the social anxiety group were lower than that of the healthy control group, but there was no significant group difference in the saccade latency. LIMITATIONS This research only examined the attentional inhibition process highly related to attention avoidance and attention vigilance. Future research may benefit from adopting different research paradigms for more robust and generalizable conclusions. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that individuals with SAD have better attention inhibition abilities than healthy control. Such enhanced attention inhibition may underlie their avoidance of threatening social cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingqi Jiang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
| | - Yiqin Zhu
- Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Xu Wen
- Mental Health Research & Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mingyi Qian
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
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Technology-Mediated Sexual Interactions, Social Anxiety, and Sexual Wellbeing: A Scoping Review. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2022; 12:904-932. [PMID: 36005215 PMCID: PMC9407275 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe12080066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Technology-mediated sexual interactions (TMSI) are interpersonal exchanges via technology of self-created sexual material, including photos, videos, and auditory or text messages. There is little research on the factors that predict both TMSI experiences and their sexual wellbeing outcomes. Social anxiety is anxiety experienced in response to social or performance situations. From a cognitive–behavioural perspective, people higher in social anxiety may avoid TMSI, preventing positive or negative consequences. They also may use TMSI to avoid the anxiety caused by in-person sexual interactions, benefiting from access to sexual interactions while perpetuating anxiety about them. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the role of social anxiety in TMSI and its sexual wellbeing outcomes. We executed a comprehensive search strategy across eight academic databases and searched reference lists of included articles. We included 19 articles written in English or French that had a human sample and were published between 1991 and 2021 and evaluated connections between social anxiety constructs (e.g., shyness, anxiety) and TMSI-related experiences (e.g., sexting, internet sex addiction). The pattern of results suggested that social anxiety constructs may predict some but not all forms of TMSI. Future research from a cognitive–behavioural perspective will expand knowledge on social anxiety, TMSI, and its sexual wellbeing outcomes.
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Lannoy S, Dricot L, Benzerouk F, Portefaix C, Barrière S, Quaglino V, Naassila M, Kaladjian A, Gierski F. Neural Responses to the Implicit Processing of Emotional Facial Expressions in Binge Drinking. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:166-174. [PMID: 33075804 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Emotional processing is a crucial ability in human and impairments in the processing of emotions are considered as transdiagnostic processes in psychopathology. In alcohol use disorder, numerous studies have investigated emotional processing and showed emotional deficits related to the perpetuation of alcohol use. Recent studies have also explored this topic in binge drinking, but few studies are available. In this paper, we explored whether emotional difficulties in binge drinking may be extended to implicit emotion processing. METHODS We compared 39 binge drinkers (BD) and 40 non-binge drinkers who performed a gender categorization task while faces represented emotional expressions of anger, fear, happiness and sadness. Emotional brain responses were assessed thanks to functional magnetic resonance imaging. Emotional versus non-emotional conditions were first contrasted in the whole sample and groups were then compared. RESULTS Emotional condition led to differential activations than non-emotional condition, supporting the validity of the paradigm. Regarding group comparisons, BD exhibited higher activations in the left posterior cerebellum (anger processing) and the right anterior cingulate (fear processing) as well as lower activations in the left insula (happiness), the right post-central gyrus, the right cingulate gyrus and the right medial frontal gyrus (sadness processing). CONCLUSIONS Beyond emotional identification, BD presented differential brain responses following the implicit processing of emotions. Emotional difficulties in binge drinking might be related to a more automatic/unconscious processing of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Lannoy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Louvain Experimental Psychopathology (LEP), Psychological Science Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 10 Place Cardinal Mercier, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.,Cognition Health and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 57 rue Pierre Taittinger, 51571 Reims, France
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 81 Avenue E Mounier, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Farid Benzerouk
- Cognition Health and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 57 rue Pierre Taittinger, 51571 Reims, France.,Department of Psychiatry, CHU Reims, EPSM Marne, 8 rue Roger Aubry, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Christophe Portefaix
- Department of Medical Imaging, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, 45 Avenue Cognacq Jay, 51100 Reims, France.,CReSTIC Laboratory (EA 3804), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Campus Moulin de la Housse, Chemin des Rouliers, 51680 Reims, France
| | - Sarah Barrière
- Department of Psychiatry, CHU Reims, EPSM Marne, 8 rue Roger Aubry, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Véronique Quaglino
- Laboratoire CRP-CPO (EA 7273), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Chemin du Thil, 80025 Amiens, France
| | - Mickaël Naassila
- INSERM U1247 GRAP, Research Group on Alcohol and Drugs, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Avenue Laennec, 80054 Amiens, France
| | - Arthur Kaladjian
- Cognition Health and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 57 rue Pierre Taittinger, 51571 Reims, France.,Department of Psychiatry, CHU Reims, EPSM Marne, 8 rue Roger Aubry, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Fabien Gierski
- Cognition Health and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 57 rue Pierre Taittinger, 51571 Reims, France.,Department of Psychiatry, CHU Reims, EPSM Marne, 8 rue Roger Aubry, 51100 Reims, France.,INSERM U1247 GRAP, Research Group on Alcohol and Drugs, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Avenue Laennec, 80054 Amiens, France
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Lynn SK, Bui E, Hoeppner SS, O'Day EB, Palitz SA, Barrett LF, Simon NM. Targeting separate specific learning parameters underlying cognitive behavioral therapy can improve perceptual judgments of anger. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2019; 65:101498. [PMID: 31326669 PMCID: PMC7458134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2019.101498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Anxiety disorders are characterized by biased perceptual judgment. An experimental model using simple verbal instruction to target specific decision parameters that influence perceptual judgment was developed to test if it could influence anger perception, and to examine differences between individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) relative to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or non-psychiatric controls. METHODS Anger perception was decomposed into three decision parameters (perceptual similarity of angry vs. not-angry facial expressions, base rate of encountering angry vs. not-angry expressions, payoff for correct vs. incorrect categorization of face stimuli) using a signal detection framework. Participants with SAD (n = 97), GAD (n = 90), and controls (n = 98) were assigned an instruction condition emphasizing one of the three decision parameters. Anger perception pre-vs. post-instruction and its interaction with diagnosis were examined. RESULTS For all participants, base rate instructions impacted response bias over and above practice effects, supporting the validity of this instructional task-based approach to altering response bias. We failed to find a similarity or payoff instruction effect, nor a diagnosis interaction. LIMITATIONS Future instructional tasks may need to more closely target core cognitive and perceptual biases in anxiety disorders to identify specific deficits and how to optimally influence them. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that specific decision parameters underlying perceptual judgment can be experimentally manipulated. Although our study failed to show diagnosis specific effects, it suggests that individual parameter "estimation" deficits may be experimentally isolated and potentially targeted, with the ultimate goal of developing an objective approach to personalized intervention targeting biased perceptual judgments in anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer K Lynn
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA, 02115
| | - Eric Bui
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, Boston, MA, USA, 02114; Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Susanne S Hoeppner
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, Boston, MA, USA, 02114; Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Emily B O'Day
- Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Sophie A Palitz
- Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Lisa F Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA, 02115; Psychiatric Neuroimaging Division, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
| | - Naomi M Simon
- New York University School of Medicine, One Park Avenue 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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Auday ES, Pérez-Edgar KE. Limbic and prefrontal neural volume modulate social anxiety in children at temperamental risk. Depress Anxiety 2019; 36:690-700. [PMID: 31373755 PMCID: PMC6684311 DOI: 10.1002/da.22941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical levels of a social anxiety disorder (SAD) often appear during childhood and rise to a peak during late adolescence. The temperament trait behavioral inhibition (BI), evident early in childhood, has been linked to increased risk for SAD. Functional and structural variations in brain regions associated with the identification of, and response to, fear may support the BI-SAD relation. Whereas relevant functional studies are emerging, the few extant structural studies have focused on adult samples with mixed findings. METHODS A moderated-mediation model was used to examine the relations between BI, SAD symptoms, and brain-volume individual differences in a sample of children at risk for anxiety (ages 9-12; N = 130, 52 BI). RESULTS Our findings indicate that at higher levels of BI, children with smaller anterior insula volumes showed stronger correlations between BI and SAD. In addition, larger ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) volumes were associated with fewer SAD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These findings support previous reports linking SAD levels with variations in volume and reactivity in both limbic (insula) and prefrontal (vlPFC) regions. These findings set the foundation for further examination of networks of neural structures that influence the transition from BI to SAD across development, helping further clarify mechanisms of risk and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eran S. Auday
- The Pennsylvania State University,Geisinger Health System
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10
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Thompson K, King K, Nahmias E, Fani N, Kvaran T, Tone EB, Turner JA. Social Feedback Modulates Neural Response Associated With Cognitive Bias in Individuals Expressing Anxious Symptoms. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2019; 3:2470547019848648. [PMID: 31328176 PMCID: PMC6641571 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019848648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety is characterized by a tendency to overestimate the likelihood of negative outcomes and consequences before, during, and after interpersonal interactions with social partners. Recent evidence suggests that a network of brain regions critical for perspective-taking, threat appraisal, and uncertainty resolution may function atypically in those prone to social anxiety. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine neural activity in specific regions of interest in a sample of young adults who endorsed high or low levels of social anxiety. METHODS We recruited 31 college student volunteers (age: 18-28 years), categorized as having high or low anxiety based on their Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Self Report scores. These participants were each scanned while playing the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game with three computerized confederates, two of whom they were deceived to believe were human co-players. This study focuses on data collected during play with the presumed humans. Regions of interest were defined for the temporoparietal junction, anterior midcingulate, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Average weighted mean blood-oxygen-level-dependent signals for each subject were extracted and analyzed using mixed design analyses of variance to detect group differences in activation during decision-making, anticipation, and appraisal of round outcomes during the game. RESULTS Behavior analysis revealed that the high-anxiety group was more likely to defect than the low-anxiety group. Neuroimaging analysis showed that the high-anxiety group exhibited elevated blood-oxygen-level-dependent activity relative to the low-anxiety group in all three regions during the social feedback appraisal phase but not during decision-making or the anticipation of interaction outcomes. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence that some behaviors linked to cognitive biases associated with social anxiety may be mediated by a network of regions involved in recognizing and processing directed social information. Future investigation of the neural basis of cognition and bias in social anxiety using the prisoner's dilemma and other economic-exchange tasks is warranted. These tasks appear to be highly effective, functional magnetic resonance imaging-compatible methods of probing altered cognition and behavior associated with anxiety and related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalil Thompson
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kendrick King
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eddy Nahmias
- Department of Philosophy, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Trevor Kvaran
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Erin B. Tone
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica A. Turner
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State
University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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11
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Duval ER, Joshi SA, Block SR, Abelson JL, Liberzon I. Insula activation is modulated by attention shifting in social anxiety disorder. J Anxiety Disord 2018; 56:56-62. [PMID: 29729828 PMCID: PMC5985215 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by exaggerated reactivity to social threat, often documented by biased attention to threatening information, and increased activation in brain regions involved in salience/threat processing. Attention training has been developed to ameliorate the attention bias documented in individuals with SAD, with mixed results. We investigated patterns of brain activation underlying acute attention modulation in 41 participants (29 with SAD and 12 health controls). We then investigated how brain activation changed over time in both groups in response to a 4-session attention training protocol (toward threat, away from threat, no-training control). Results revealed diminished pre-training deactivation in the insula in SAD participants during attention modulation. SAD participants also demonstrated an increase in insula deactivation over time, suggestive of an improvement in attention modulation of emotion, and this was associated with a decrease in symptom severity. Attention training did not, itself, lead to clinical improvement, though there was a trend level effect of training toward threat on increased insula deactivation over time. While deficits in attentional control and emotion modulation are documented in individuals with SAD, current attention training protocols are not robustly effective in ameliorating aberrant functioning. Pursuit of training protocols that have more robust impacts on the relevant neural circuitry may have some value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R. Duval
- Corresponding Author: Elizabeth Duval, University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA, Telephone: 734-936-4397,
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12
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Raucher-Chéné D, Terrien S, Gierski F, Obert A, Caillies S, Besche-Richard C, Kaladjian A. Neural Correlates of Semantic Inhibition in Relation to Hypomanic Traits: An fMRI Study. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:108. [PMID: 29670548 PMCID: PMC5893717 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Language modifications are a core feature of mania, but little is known about the semantic mechanisms behind these disturbances. The aim of the present study was thus to identify deficits in semantic inhibition and their respective neural activation patterns in a sample of individuals assessed for hypomanic personality traits. METHODS Thirty-six young adults with no neurological or psychiatric diagnoses were assessed for hypomanic personality traits with the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS) and underwent an fMRI task of semantic ambiguity resolution. RESULTS Regression analyses revealed a positive association between the HPS score and activity in the left superior frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, and anterior cingulate gyrus during semantic ambiguity resolution. CONCLUSION We found a link between HPS scores and brain areas that are part of the cognitive control loop and semantic memory network during language processing in a nonclinical sample of individuals. The hyperactivation of these regions may reflect a compensatory neural response in a population with greater vulnerability to BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Raucher-Chéné
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital, Reims, France.,Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Sarah Terrien
- Speech and Language Laboratory (UMR 7309), CNRS, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Fabien Gierski
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital, Reims, France.,Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Alexandre Obert
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital, Reims, France.,Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Stéphanie Caillies
- Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Chrystel Besche-Richard
- Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Arthur Kaladjian
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital, Reims, France.,Cognition, Health and Socialization Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
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13
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Fitzgerald JM, Phan KL, Kennedy AE, Shankman SA, Langenecker SA, Klumpp H. Prefrontal and amygdala engagement during emotional reactivity and regulation in generalized anxiety disorder. J Affect Disord 2017; 218:398-406. [PMID: 28501740 PMCID: PMC6608590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion dysregulation is prominent in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), characterized clinically by exaggerated reactivity to negative stimuli and difficulty in down-regulating this response. Although limited research implicates frontolimbic disturbances in GAD, whether neural aberrations occur during emotional reactivity, regulation, or both is not well understood. METHODS During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 30 individuals with GAD and 30 healthy controls (HC) completed a well-validated explicit emotion regulation task designed to measure emotional reactivity and regulation of reactivity. During the task, participants viewed negative images ('Look-Negative' condition) and, on some trials, used a cognitive strategy to reduce negative affective response ('Reappraise' condition). RESULTS Results from an Analysis of Variance corrected for whole brain multiple comparisons showed a significant group x condition interaction in the left amygdala and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Results from post-hoc analyses showed that the GAD group engaged these regions to a greater extent than HCs during Look-Negative but not Reappraise. Behaviorally, the GAD group reported feeling more negative than the HC group in each condition, although both groups reported reduced negative affect following regulation. LIMITATIONS As comorbidity was permitted, the presence of concurrent disorders, like other anxiety disorders and depression, detracts our ability to classify neural engagement particular to GAD alone. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with GAD exhibited over-engagement of amygdala and frontal regions during the viewing of negative images, compared to HCs. Together, these aberrations may indicate that deficits in emotional reactivity rather than regulation contribute to emotion dysregulation in those with GAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacklynn M Fitzgerald
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - K Luan Phan
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amy E Kennedy
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stewart A Shankman
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Scott A Langenecker
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heide Klumpp
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
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14
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MacNamara A, Klumpp H, Kennedy AE, Langenecker SA, Phan KL. Transdiagnostic neural correlates of affective face processing in anxiety and depression. Depress Anxiety 2017; 34:621-631. [PMID: 28453905 PMCID: PMC5501757 DOI: 10.1002/da.22631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2017] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unknown whether there are neurobiologic differences between various anxiety and depressive disorders, or whether they are characterized by shared neurobiologic variation that cuts across diagnostic boundaries. For instance, multiple anxiety disorders and depression may be characterized by abnormalities in blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response during the processing of affective scenes and faces. To interrogate the shared or unique nature of these aberrations, research that examines the influence of transdiagnostic, dimensional predictors across multiple diagnoses is needed. METHODS One hundred ninety-nine individuals, 142 with primary diagnoses of social anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or major depressive disorder (MDD) and 57 free from psychiatric diagnoses (healthy controls, HCs), performed a face-matching task involving fearful, angry, and happy faces (and geometric shapes) while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Across the three primary diagnoses, anxiety symptom scores were associated with increased Angry > Shapes activation in the bilateral insula, anterior/midcingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), while depressive symptoms were associated with reduced dlPFC activation for Angry > Shapes. Patient > HC differences were limited to non a priori regions, and no differences in BOLD activation were observed between diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS (1) Activation in paralimbic, cingulate, and lateral prefrontal regions in response to angry faces is associated with transdiagnostic anxiety and depressive symptomatology. (2) Anxiety and depressive symptoms may exert opposing influences on lateral prefrontal activation. (3) Abnormal threat processing in GAD, SAD, and MDD may reflect shared neural dysfunction that varies with symptom load.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heide Klumpp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Amy E. Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
| | - Scott A. Langenecker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - K. Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
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15
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Harnett NG, Wheelock MD, Wood KH, Ladnier JC, Mrug S, Knight DC. Affective state and locus of control modulate the neural response to threat. Neuroimage 2015. [PMID: 26196669 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to regulate the emotional response to threat is critical to healthy emotional function. However, the response to threat varies considerably from person-to-person. This variability may be partially explained by differences in emotional processes, such as locus of control and affective state, which vary across individuals. Although the basic neural circuitry that mediates the response to threat has been described, the impact individual differences in affective state and locus of control have on that response is not well characterized. Understanding how these factors influence the neural response to threat would provide new insight into processes that mediate emotional function. Therefore, the present study used a Pavlovian conditioning procedure to investigate the influence individual differences in locus of control, positive affect, and negative affect have on the brain and behavioral responses to predictable and unpredictable threats. Thirty-two healthy volunteers participated in a fear conditioning study in which predictable and unpredictable threats (i.e., unconditioned stimulus) were presented during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Locus of control showed a linear relationship with learning-related ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity such that the more external an individual's locus of control, the greater their differential response to predictable versus unpredictable threat. In addition, positive and negative affectivity showed a curvilinear relationship with dorsolateral PFC, dorsomedial PFC, and insula activity, such that those with high or low affectivity showed reduced regional activity compared to those with an intermediate level of affectivity. Further, activity within the PFC, as well as other regions including the amygdala, were linked with the peripheral emotional response as indexed by skin conductance and electromyography. The current findings demonstrate that the neural response to threat within brain regions that mediate the peripheral emotional response is modulated by an individual's affective state as well as their perceptions of an event's causality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kimberly H Wood
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Jordan C Ladnier
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Sylvie Mrug
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - David C Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
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16
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Duval ER, Javanbakht A, Liberzon I. Neural circuits in anxiety and stress disorders: a focused review. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2015; 11:115-26. [PMID: 25670901 PMCID: PMC4315464 DOI: 10.2147/tcrm.s48528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and stress disorders are among the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. In recent years, multiple studies have examined brain regions and networks involved in anxiety symptomatology in an effort to better understand the mechanisms involved and to develop more effective treatments. However, much remains unknown regarding the specific abnormalities and interactions between networks of regions underlying anxiety disorder presentations. We examined recent neuroimaging literature that aims to identify neural mechanisms underlying anxiety, searching for patterns of neural dysfunction that might be specific to different anxiety disorder categories. Across different anxiety and stress disorders, patterns of hyperactivation in emotion-generating regions and hypoactivation in prefrontal/regulatory regions are common in the literature. Interestingly, evidence of differential patterns is also emerging, such that within a spectrum of disorders ranging from more fear-based to more anxiety-based, greater involvement of emotion-generating regions is reported in panic disorder and specific phobia, and greater involvement of prefrontal regions is reported in generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. We summarize the pertinent literature and suggest areas for continued investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Duval
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Arash Javanbakht
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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