1
|
Dobel C, Junghöfer M. Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition. HNO 2024; 72:46-50. [PMID: 37725160 DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01339-1] [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] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Dobel
- ENT Clinic, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dobel C, Junghöfer M. [Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition. German version]. HNO 2023; 71:648-655. [PMID: 37581622 DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01338-2] [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] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Dobel
- HNO-Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Stoystr. 3, 07740, Jena, Deutschland.
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institut für Biomagnetismus und Biosignalanalyse, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Deutschland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
The dynamics of pain reappraisal: the joint contribution of cognitive change and mental load. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 20:276-293. [PMID: 31950439 PMCID: PMC7105446 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the neural mechanism of cognitive modulation of pain via a reappraisal strategy with high temporal resolution. The EEG signal was recorded from 29 participants who were instructed to down-regulate, up-regulate, or maintain their pain experience. The L2 minimum norm source reconstruction method was used to localize areas in which a significant effect of the instruction was present. Down-regulating pain by reappraisal exerted a robust effect on pain processing from as early as ~100 ms that diminished the activity of limbic brain regions: the anterior cingulate cortex, right orbitofrontal cortex, left anterior temporal region, and left insula. However, compared with the no-regulation condition, the neural activity was similarly attenuated in the up- and down-regulation conditions. We suggest that this effect could be ascribed to the cognitive load that was associated with the execution of a cognitively demanding reappraisal task that could have produced a general attenuation of pain-related areas regardless of the aim of the reappraisal task (i.e., up- or down-regulation attempts). These findings indicate that reappraisal effects reflect the joint influence of both reappraisal-specific (cognitive change) and unspecific (cognitive demand) factors, thus pointing to the importance of cautiously selected control conditions that allow the modulating impact of both processes to be distinguished.
Collapse
|
4
|
Folyi T, Wentura D. Involuntary sensory enhancement of gain- and loss-associated tones: A general relevance principle. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 138:11-26. [PMID: 30685230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In a recent event-related potential (ERP) study (Folyi et al., 2016), we have demonstrated that sensory processing of task-irrelevant tones is enhanced when they were previously associated with positive or negative (by the means of monetary gains and losses, respectively) affective meaning relative to tones with neutral meaning, as indexed by the enhancement of the auditory N1-amplitude. In the present study, (1) in line with the hypothesis of affective counter-regulation, we investigated whether positive versus negative tones can receive differential attentional enhancement, depending on motivational context (Experiment 1); and (2) whether the early facilitation of positive and negative tones can operate strictly outside of the focus of voluntary attention (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, we replicated the basic N1 valence effect, but found no moderation by motivational context. In Experiment 2, we found a small valence effect on the N1. By combining data from the three experiments (i.e., our previous experiment and the present ones; N = 72), we found a clear enhancement of N1-amplitudes for valenced tones without moderation by experiment. This pattern of results suggests comparable early attentional enhancement of valenced tones in general: (a) despite different level of concurrent task-relevant attentional and motivational demands in these experiments; and (b) without prioritizing one valence category over another, supporting our claim that the general relevance of the tones with high motivational value that governs early attentional facilitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timea Folyi
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Germany.
| | - Dirk Wentura
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Schoen F, Lochmann M, Prell J, Herfurth K, Rampp S. Neuronal Correlates of Product Feature Attractiveness. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:147. [PMID: 30072882 PMCID: PMC6059068 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Decision-making is the process of selecting a logical choice from among the available options and happens as a complex process in the human brain. It is based on information processing and cost-analysis; it involves psychological factors, specifically, emotions. In addition to cost factors personal preferences have significant influence on decision making. For marketing purposes, it is interesting to know how these emotions are related to product acquisition decision and how to improve these products according to the user's preferences. For our proof-of-concept study, we use magneto- and electro-encephalography (MEG, EEG) to evaluate the very early reactions in the brain related to the emotions. Recordings from these methods are comprehensive sources of information to investigate neural processes of the human brain with good spatial- and excellent temporal resolution. Those characteristics make these methods suitable to examine the neurologic process that gives origin to human behavior and specifically, decision making. Literature describes some neuronal correlates for individual preferences, like asymmetrical distribution of frequency specific activity in frontal and prefrontal areas, which are associated with emotional processing. Such correlates could be used to objectively evaluate the pleasantness of product appearance and branding (i.e., logo), thus avoiding subjective bias. This study evaluates the effects of different product features on brain activity and whether these methods could potentially be used for marketing and product design. We analyzed the influence of color and fit of sports shirts, as well as a brand logo on the brain activity, specifically in frontal asymmetric activation. Measurements were performed using MEG and EEG with 10 healthy subjects. Images of t-shirts with different characteristics were presented on a screen. We recorded the subjective evaluation by asking for a positive, negative or neutral rating. The results showed significantly different responses between positively and negatively rated shirts. While the influence of the presence of a logo was present in behavioral data, but not in the neurocognitive data, the influence of shirt fit and color could be reconstructed in both data sets. This method may enable evaluation of subjective product preference.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Schoen
- Division of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Department of Sport Science and Sport, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Lochmann
- Division of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Department of Sport Science and Sport, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julian Prell
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Kirsten Herfurth
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Rampp
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Junghöfer M, Rehbein MA, Maitzen J, Schindler S, Kissler J. An evil face? Verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning enhances face-evoked mid-latency magnetoencephalographic responses. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 12:695-705. [PMID: 28008078 PMCID: PMC5390753 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have a remarkable capacity for rapid affective learning. For instance, using first-order US such as odors or electric shocks, magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies of multi-CS conditioning demonstrate enhanced early (<150 ms) and mid-latency (150–300 ms) visual evoked responses to affectively conditioned faces, together with changes in stimulus evaluation. However, particularly in social contexts, human affective learning is often mediated by language, a class of complex higher-order US. To elucidate mechanisms of this type of learning, we investigate how face processing changes following verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning. Sixty neutral expression male faces were paired with phrases about aversive crimes (30) or neutral occupations (30). Post conditioning, aversively associated faces evoked stronger magnetic fields in a mid-latency interval between 220 and 320 ms, localized primarily in left visual cortex. Aversively paired faces were also rated as more arousing and more unpleasant, evaluative changes occurring both with and without contingency awareness. However, no early MEG effects were found, implying that verbal evaluative conditioning may require conceptual processing and does not engage rapid, possibly sub-cortical, pathways. Results demonstrate the efficacy of verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning and indicate both common and distinct neural mechanisms of first- and higher-order multi-CS conditioning, thereby informing theories of associative learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster D-48151, Germany
| | - Maimu Alissa Rehbein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster D-48151, Germany
| | - Julius Maitzen
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schindler
- Department of Psychology, Affective Neuropsychology Unit.,Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld D-33501, Germany
| | - Johanna Kissler
- Department of Psychology, Affective Neuropsychology Unit.,Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld D-33501, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wyczesany M, Ligeza TS, Tymorek A, Adamczyk A. The influence of mood on visual perception of neutral material. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 2018. [DOI: 10.21307/ane-2018-015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
8
|
Folyi T, Liesefeld HR, Wentura D. Attentional enhancement for positive and negative tones at an early stage of auditory processing. Biol Psychol 2015; 114:23-32. [PMID: 26678665 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We report an event-related potential (ERP) study based on the hypothesis that valenced (i.e., positive and/or negative) tones are prioritized over neutral ones at an early, perceptual stage of auditory processing. In order to avoid perceptual confounds, we induced valence experimentally during a learning phase by assigning positive, negative, and neutral valences to tone-frequencies in a balanced design. In a subsequent test phase, EEG was recorded while these tones were entirely task-irrelevant. The amplitude of the auditory N1 was increased for valenced compared with neutral tones, indicating enhanced attention. While behavioral results of the learning phase, and both implicit and explicit measures of tone evaluation indicated differentiation between positive and negative valence, there was no such differentiation on the N1 amplitude. Our results suggest that it is the general relevance of the valenced tones that governs early attentional processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tímea Folyi
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | | | - Dirk Wentura
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Folyi T, Wentura D. Fast and unintentional evaluation of emotional sounds: evidence from brief segment ratings and the affective Simon task. Cogn Emot 2015; 31:312-324. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2015.1110514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tímea Folyi
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Dirk Wentura
- Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rehbein MA, Wessing I, Zwitserlood P, Steinberg C, Eden AS, Dobel C, Junghöfer M. Rapid prefrontal cortex activation towards aversively paired faces and enhanced contingency detection are observed in highly trait-anxious women under challenging conditions. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:155. [PMID: 26113814 PMCID: PMC4461824 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Relative to healthy controls, anxiety-disorder patients show anomalies in classical conditioning that may either result from, or provide a risk factor for, clinically relevant anxiety. Here, we investigated whether healthy participants with enhanced anxiety vulnerability show abnormalities in a challenging affective-conditioning paradigm, in which many stimulus-reinforcer associations had to be acquired with only few learning trials. Forty-seven high and low trait-anxious females underwent MultiCS conditioning, in which 52 different neutral faces (CS+) were paired with an aversive noise (US), while further 52 faces (CS-) remained unpaired. Emotional learning was assessed by evaluative (rating), behavioral (dot-probe, contingency report), and neurophysiological (magnetoencephalography) measures before, during, and after learning. High and low trait-anxious groups did not differ in evaluative ratings or response priming before or after conditioning. High trait-anxious women, however, were better than low trait-anxious women at reporting CS+/US contingencies after conditioning, and showed an enhanced prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation towards CS+ in the M1 (i.e., 80-117 ms) and M170 time intervals (i.e., 140-160 ms) during acquisition. These effects in MultiCS conditioning observed in individuals with elevated trait anxiety are consistent with theories of enhanced conditionability in anxiety vulnerability. Furthermore, they point towards increased threat monitoring and detection in highly trait-anxious females, possibly mediated by alterations in visual working memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maimu Alissa Rehbein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Ida Wessing
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Pienie Zwitserlood
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Christian Steinberg
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Annuschka Salima Eden
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Christian Dobel
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital MünsterMünster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of MünsterMünster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pastor MC, Rehbein MA, Junghöfer M, Poy R, López R, Moltó J. Facing Challenges in Differential Classical Conditioning Research: Benefits of a Hybrid Design for Simultaneous Electrodermal and Electroencephalographic Recording. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:336. [PMID: 26106318 PMCID: PMC4460875 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several challenges make it difficult to simultaneously investigate central and autonomous nervous system correlates of conditioned stimulus (CS) processing in classical conditioning paradigms. Such challenges include, for example, the discrepant requirements of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) recordings with regard to multiple repetitions of conditions and sufficient trial duration. Here, we propose a MultiCS conditioning set-up, in which we increased the number of CSs, decreased the number of learning trials, and used trials of short and long durations for meeting requirements of simultaneous EEG–EDA recording in a differential aversive conditioning task. Forty-eight participants underwent MultiCS conditioning, in which four neutral faces (CS+) were paired four times each with aversive electric stimulation (unconditioned stimulus) during acquisition, while four different neutral faces (CS−) remained unpaired. When comparing after relative to before learning measurements, EEG revealed an enhanced centro-posterior positivity to CS+ vs. CS− during 368–600 ms, and subjective ratings indicated CS+ to be less pleasant and more arousing than CS−. Furthermore, changes in CS valence and arousal were strong enough to bias subjective ratings when faces of CS+/CS− identity were displayed with different emotional expression (happy, angry) in a post-experimental behavioral task. In contrast to a persistent neural and evaluative CS+/CS− differentiation that sustained multiple unreinforced CS presentations, electrodermal differentiation was rapidly extinguished. Current results suggest that MultiCS conditioning provides a promising paradigm for investigating pre–post-learning changes under minimal influences of extinction and overlearning of simple stimulus features. Our data also revealed methodological pitfalls, such as the possibility of occurring artifacts when combining different acquisition systems for central and peripheral psychophysiological measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Carmen Pastor
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology, and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I , Castellón , Spain
| | - Maimu Alissa Rehbein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster , Münster , Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster , Münster , Germany
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster , Münster , Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster , Münster , Germany
| | - Rosario Poy
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology, and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I , Castellón , Spain
| | - Raul López
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology, and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I , Castellón , Spain
| | - Javier Moltó
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology, and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I , Castellón , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Stein A, Engell A, Lau P, Wunderlich R, Junghoefer M, Wollbrink A, Bruchmann M, Rudack C, Pantev C. Enhancing Inhibition-Induced Plasticity in Tinnitus – Spectral Energy Contrasts in Tailor-Made Notched Music Matter. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126494. [PMID: 25951605 PMCID: PMC4423974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic tinnitus seems to be caused by reduced inhibition among frequency selective neurons in the auditory cortex. One possibility to reduce tinnitus perception is to induce inhibition onto over-activated neurons representing the tinnitus frequency via tailor-made notched music (TMNM). Since lateral inhibition is modifiable by spectral energy contrasts, the question arises if the effects of inhibition-induced plasticity can be enhanced by introducing increased spectral energy contrasts (ISEC) in TMNM. Eighteen participants suffering from chronic tonal tinnitus, pseudo randomly assigned to either a classical TMNM or an ISEC-TMNM group, listened to notched music for three hours on three consecutive days. The music was filtered for both groups by introducing a notch filter centered at the individual tinnitus frequency. For the ISEC-TMNM group a frequency bandwidth of 3/8 octaves on each side of the notch was amplified, additionally, by about 20 dB. Before and after each music exposure, participants rated their subjectively perceived tinnitus loudness on a visual analog scale. During the magnetoencephalographic recordings, participants were stimulated with either a reference tone of 500 Hz or a test tone with a carrier frequency representing the individual tinnitus pitch. Perceived tinnitus loudness was significantly reduced after TMNM exposure, though TMNM type did not influence the loudness ratings. Tinnitus related neural activity in the N1m time window and in the so called tinnitus network comprising temporal, parietal and frontal regions was reduced after TMNM exposure. The ISEC-TMNM group revealed even enhanced inhibition-induced plasticity in a temporal and a frontal cortical area. Overall, inhibition of tinnitus related neural activity could be strengthened in people affected with tinnitus by increasing spectral energy contrast in TMNM, confirming the concepts of inhibition-induced plasticity via TMNM and spectral energy contrasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alwina Stein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Alva Engell
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Pia Lau
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Robert Wunderlich
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Markus Junghoefer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Andreas Wollbrink
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Maximilian Bruchmann
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Claudia Rudack
- Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, Muenster, Germany
| | - Christo Pantev
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Rapid plasticity in the prefrontal cortex during affective associative learning. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110720. [PMID: 25333631 PMCID: PMC4204938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
MultiCS conditioning is an affective associative learning paradigm, in which affective categories consist of many similar and complex stimuli. Comparing visual processing before and after learning, recent MultiCS conditioning studies using time-sensitive magnetoencephalography (MEG) revealed enhanced activation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions towards emotionally paired versus neutral stimuli already during short-latency processing stages (i.e., 50 to 80 ms after stimulus onset). The present study aimed at showing that this rapid differential activation develops as a function of the acquisition and not the extinction of the emotional meaning associated with affectively paired stimuli. MEG data of a MultiCS conditioning study were analyzed with respect to rapid changes in PFC activation towards aversively (electric shock) paired and unpaired faces that occurred during the learning of stimulus-reinforcer contingencies. Analyses revealed an increased PFC activation towards paired stimuli during 50 to 80 ms already during the acquisition of contingencies, which emerged after a single pairing with the electric shock. Corresponding changes in stimulus valence could be observed in ratings of hedonic valence, although participants did not seem to be aware of contingencies. These results suggest rapid formation and access of emotional stimulus meaning in the PFC as well as a great capacity for adaptive and highly resolving learning in the brain under challenging circumstances.
Collapse
|
14
|
Early affective processing in patients with acute posttraumatic stress disorder: magnetoencephalographic correlates. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71289. [PMID: 23977010 PMCID: PMC3747150 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/01/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In chronic PTSD, a preattentive neural alarm system responds rapidly to emotional information, leading to increased prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation at early processing stages (<100 ms). Enhanced PFC responses are followed by a reduction in occipito-temporal activity during later processing stages. However, it remains unknown if this neuronal pattern is a result of a long lasting mental disorder or if it represents changes in brain function as direct consequences of severe trauma. Methodology The present study investigates early fear network activity in acutely traumatized patients with PTSD. It focuses on the question whether dysfunctions previously observed in chronic PTSD patients are already present shortly after trauma exposure. We recorded neuromagnetic activity towards emotional pictures in seven acutely traumatized PTSD patients between one and seven weeks after trauma exposure and compared brain responses to a balanced healthy control sample. Inverse modelling served for mapping sources of differential activation in the brain. Principal Findings Compared to the control group, acutely traumatized PTSD patients showed an enhanced PFC response to high-arousing pictures between 60 to 80 ms. This rapid prefrontal hypervigilance towards arousing pictorial stimuli was sustained during 120–300 ms, where it was accompanied by a reduced affective modulation of occipito-temporal neural processing. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the hypervigilance-avoidance pattern seen in chronic PTSD is not necessarily a product of an endured mental disorder, but arises as an almost immediate result of severe traumatisation. Thus, traumatic experiences can influence emotion processing strongly, leading to long-lasting changes in trauma network activation and expediting a chronic manifestation of maladaptive cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
Collapse
|
15
|
Keuper K, Zwitserlood P, Rehbein MA, Eden AS, Laeger I, Junghöfer M, Zwanzger P, Dobel C. Early prefrontal brain responses to the Hedonic quality of emotional words--a simultaneous EEG and MEG study. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70788. [PMID: 23940642 PMCID: PMC3733636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The hedonic meaning of words affects word recognition, as shown by behavioral, functional imaging, and event-related potential (ERP) studies. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics and cognitive functions behind are elusive, partly due to methodological limitations of previous studies. Here, we account for these difficulties by computing combined electro-magnetoencephalographic (EEG/MEG) source localization techniques. Participants covertly read emotionally high-arousing positive and negative nouns, while EEG and MEG were recorded simultaneously. Combined EEG/MEG current-density reconstructions for the P1 (80–120 ms), P2 (150–190 ms) and EPN component (200–300 ms) were computed using realistic individual head models, with a cortical constraint. Relative to negative words, the P1 to positive words predominantly involved language-related structures (left middle temporal and inferior frontal regions), and posterior structures related to directed attention (occipital and parietal regions). Effects shifted to the right hemisphere in the P2 component. By contrast, negative words received more activation in the P1 time-range only, recruiting prefrontal regions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Effects in the EPN were not statistically significant. These findings show that different neuronal networks are active when positive versus negative words are processed. We account for these effects in terms of an “emotional tagging” of word forms during language acquisition. These tags then give rise to different processing strategies, including enhanced lexical processing of positive words and a very fast language-independent alert response to negative words. The valence-specific recruitment of different networks might underlie fast adaptive responses to both approach- and withdrawal-related stimuli, be they acquired or biological.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kati Keuper
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|