1
|
Haynes JM, Haines N, Sullivan-Toole H, Olino TM. Test-retest reliability of the play-or-pass version of the Iowa Gambling Task. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:740-754. [PMID: 38849641 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01197-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is used to assess decision-making in clinical populations. The original IGT does not disambiguate reward and punishment learning; however, an adaptation of the task, the "play-or-pass" IGT, was developed to better distinguish between reward and punishment learning. We evaluated the test-retest reliability of measures of reward and punishment learning from the play-or-pass IGT and examined associations with self-reported measures of reward/punishment sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. Participants completed the task across two sessions, and we calculated mean-level differences and rank-order stability of behavioral measures across the two sessions using traditional scoring, involving session-wide choice proportions, and computational modeling, involving estimates of different aspects of trial-level learning. Measures using both approaches were reliable; however, computational modeling provided more insights regarding between-session changes in performance, and how performance related to self-reported measures of reward/punishment sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. Our results show promise in using the play-or-pass IGT to assess decision-making; however, further work is still necessary to validate the play-or-pass IGT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Haynes
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
| | | | - Holly Sullivan-Toole
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Thomas M Olino
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mugnol-Ugarte L, Bortolini T, Yao B, Mikkelsen M, Carneiro Monteiro M, Andorinho de Freitas Ferreira AC, Bramatti I, Melo B, Hoefle S, Meireles F, Moll J, Pobric G. Transcranial electrical stimulation modulates emotional experience and metabolites in the prefrontal cortex in a donation task. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14271. [PMID: 38902321 PMCID: PMC11190244 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64876-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the neural, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms underlying human altruism and decision-making is a complex and important topic both for science and society. Here, we investigated whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied to two prefrontal cortex regions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, anode) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, cathode) can induce changes in self-reported emotions and to modulate local metabolite concentrations. We employed in vivo quantitative MR Spectroscopy in healthy adult participants and quantified changes in GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) before and after five sessions of tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 min (active group) and 1 min (sham group) while participants were engaged in a charitable donation task. In the active group, we observed increased levels of GABA in vmPFC. Glx levels decreased in both prefrontal regions and self-reported happiness increased significantly over time in the active group. Self-reported guiltiness in both active and sham groups tended to decrease. The results indicate that self-reported happiness can be modulated, possibly due to changes in Glx concentrations following repeated stimulation. Therefore, local changes may induce remote changes in the reward network through interactions with other metabolites, previously thought to be unreachable with noninvasive stimulation techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Mugnol-Ugarte
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Tiago Bortolini
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bo Yao
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States of America
| | - Marina Carneiro Monteiro
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Ivanei Bramatti
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno Melo
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sebastian Hoefle
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Meireles
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jorge Moll
- Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics Unit, The D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gorana Pobric
- Division of Psychology, Communication and Human Neuroscience, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Arnold ME, Schank JR. Sex differences in neuronal activation in the cortex and midbrain during quinine-adulterated alcohol intake. Alcohol Alcohol 2024; 59:agae031. [PMID: 38742547 PMCID: PMC11091839 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agae031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Continued alcohol consumption despite negative consequences is a core symptom of alcohol use disorder. This is modeled in mice by pairing negative stimuli with alcohol, such as adulterating alcohol solution with quinine. Mice consuming alcohol under these conditions are considered to be engaging in aversion-resistant intake. Previously, we have observed sex differences in this behavior, with females more readily expressing aversion-resistant consumption. We also identified three brain regions that exhibited sex differences in neuronal activation during quinine-alcohol drinking: ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), posterior insular cortex (PIC), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Specifically, male mice showed increased activation in vmPFC and PIC, while females exhibited increased activation in VTA. In this study, we aimed to identify what specific type of neurons are activated in these regions during quinine-alcohol drinking. METHOD We assessed quinine-adulterated alcohol intake using the two-bottle choice procedure. We also utilized RNAscope in situ hybridization in the three brain regions that previously exhibited a sex difference to examine colocalization of Fos, glutamate, GABA, and dopamine. RESULT Females showed increased aversion-resistant alcohol consumption compared to males. We also found that males had higher colocalization of glutamate and Fos in vmPFC and PIC, while females had greater dopamine and Fos colocalization in the VTA. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these experiments suggest that glutamatergic output from the vmPFC and PIC may have a role in suppressing, and dopaminergic activity in the VTA may promote, aversion-resistant alcohol consumption. Future experiments will examine neuronal circuits that contribute to sex differences in aversion resistant consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Arnold
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | - Jesse R Schank
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jaiswal S, Chakravarthula LNC, Padmala S. Additive Effects of Monetary Loss and Positive Emotion in the Human Brain. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0374-23.2024. [PMID: 38565297 PMCID: PMC11026344 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0374-23.2024] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In many real-life scenarios, our decisions could lead to multiple outcomes that conflict with value. Hence, an appropriate neural representation of the net experienced value of conflicting outcomes, which play a crucial role in guiding future decisions, is critical for adaptive behavior. As some recent functional neuroimaging work has primarily focused on the concurrent processing of monetary gains and aversive information, very little is known regarding the integration of conflicting value signals involving monetary losses and appetitive information in the human brain. To address this critical gap, we conducted a functional MRI study involving healthy human male participants to examine the nature of integrating positive emotion and monetary losses. We employed a novel experimental design where the valence (positive or neutral) of an emotional stimulus indicated the type of outcome (loss or no loss) in a choice task. Specifically, we probed two plausible integration patterns while processing conflicting value signals involving positive emotion and monetary losses: interactive versus additive. We found overlapping main effects of positive (vs neutral) emotion and loss (vs no loss) in multiple brain regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, striatum, and amygdala, notably with a lack of evidence for interaction. Thus, our findings revealed the additive integration pattern of monetary loss and positive emotion outcomes, suggesting that the experienced value of the monetary loss was not modulated by the valence of the image signaling those outcomes. These findings contribute to our limited understanding of the nature of integrating conflicting outcomes in the healthy human brain with potential clinical relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sagarika Jaiswal
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | | | - Srikanth Padmala
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wiemer J, Leimeister F, Gamer M, Pauli P. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex in response to threat omission is associated with subsequent explicit safety memory. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7378. [PMID: 38548770 PMCID: PMC10979006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57432-0] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to memorize and discriminate threatening and safe stimuli, the processing of the actual absence of threat seems crucial. Here, we measured brain activity with fMRI in response to both threat conditioned stimuli and their outcomes by combining threat learning with a subsequent memory paradigm. Participants (N = 38) repeatedly saw a variety of faces, half of which (CS+) were associated with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) and half of which were not (CS-). When an association was later remembered, the hippocampus had been more active (than when forgotten). However, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicted subsequent memory specifically during safe associations (CS- and US omission responses) and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during outcomes in general (US and US omissions). In exploratory analyses of the theoretically important US omission, we found extended involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex and an enhanced functional connectivity to visual and somatosensory cortices, suggesting a possible function in sustaining sensory information for an integration with semantic memory. Activity in visual and somatosensory cortices together with the inferior frontal gyrus also predicted memory performance one week after learning. The findings imply the importance of a close interplay between prefrontal and sensory areas during the processing of safe outcomes-or 'nothing'-to establish declarative safety memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wiemer
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Franziska Leimeister
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Gamer
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paul Pauli
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lettieri G, Handjaras G, Cappello EM, Setti F, Bottari D, Bruno V, Diano M, Leo A, Tinti C, Garbarini F, Pietrini P, Ricciardi E, Cecchetti L. Dissecting abstract, modality-specific and experience-dependent coding of affect in the human brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk6840. [PMID: 38457501 PMCID: PMC10923499 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk6840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Emotion and perception are tightly intertwined, as affective experiences often arise from the appraisal of sensory information. Nonetheless, whether the brain encodes emotional instances using a sensory-specific code or in a more abstract manner is unclear. Here, we answer this question by measuring the association between emotion ratings collected during a unisensory or multisensory presentation of a full-length movie and brain activity recorded in typically developed, congenitally blind and congenitally deaf participants. Emotional instances are encoded in a vast network encompassing sensory, prefrontal, and temporal cortices. Within this network, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex stores a categorical representation of emotion independent of modality and previous sensory experience, and the posterior superior temporal cortex maps the valence dimension using an abstract code. Sensory experience more than modality affects how the brain organizes emotional information outside supramodal regions, suggesting the existence of a scaffold for the representation of emotional states where sensory inputs during development shape its functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giada Lettieri
- Crossmodal Perception and Plasticity Laboratory, Institute of Research in Psychology & Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Giacomo Handjaras
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Elisa M. Cappello
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Francesca Setti
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Davide Bottari
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
- Sensory Experience Dependent Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Diano
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Leo
- Department of of Translational Research and Advanced Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Tinti
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Pietrini
- Forensic Neuroscience and Psychiatry Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Emiliano Ricciardi
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
- Sensory Experience Dependent Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Luca Cecchetti
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang B, Cui C, Chen Y, Liang Z. The mediating effect of 18F-FDG metabolism in right caudate between depressive symptoms and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1328143. [PMID: 38511197 PMCID: PMC10950943 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1328143] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the accumulation of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in the whole brain between Alzheimer's disease (AD) with depressive (ADD) symptoms compared with AD without depressive (ADND) symptoms using positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). Additionally, this study aimed to explore the associations among the accumulation of 18F-FDG in the brain, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function in ADD patients. Methods In this study, 25 AD patients and 22 healthy controls were enrolled. The AD patients were stratified into two groups, namely ADD and ADND, based on their scores of the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). Both AD patients and healthy controls underwent an 18F-FDG PET/MRI scan. A standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) was calculated to examine the accumulation of 18F-FDG in the brain. A simple mediation model was employed to examine the mediation effect between SUVR, depressive symptoms and cognitive function in ADD patients. Results The ADD group exhibited significant cognitive impairment compared to the ADND group (p < 0.001) and healthy controls (p < 0.001). The ADD patients exhibited the reduced SUVR (0.228 ± 0.126) in the right caudate (the voxel level p < 0.005, cluster level p < 0.05, after false discovery rate (FDR) correction) compared to ADND patients (0.459 ± 0.064) and healthy controls (0.706 ± 0.122). The SUVR of the right caudate was correlated with the HAMD scores (r = -0.792, p < 0.001) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) (r = 0.738, p < 0.01). The relationship between depressive symptoms and the cognitive function in ADD patients is mediated by the right caudate SUVR (total effects = -0.385, direct effects = -0.02, total indirect effects = -0.405). Conclusion The ADD group exhibited the reduced SUVR in the right caudate compared to the ADND group and healthy controls. The relationship between depressive symptoms and the cognitive ability of AD patients was mediated by the right caudate SUVR. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms related to AD with depressive symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bojun Wang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunlei Cui
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zhigang Liang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nanni-Zepeda M, DeGutis J, Wu C, Rothlein D, Fan Y, Grimm S, Walter M, Esterman M, Zuberer A. Neural signatures of shared subjective affective engagement and disengagement during movie viewing. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26622. [PMID: 38488450 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
When watching a negative emotional movie, we differ from person to person in the ease with which we engage and the difficulty with which we disengage throughout a temporally evolving narrative. We investigated neural responses of emotional processing, by considering inter-individual synchronization in subjective emotional engagement and disengagement. The neural underpinnings of these shared responses are ideally studied in naturalistic scenarios like movie viewing, wherein individuals emotionally engage and disengage at their own time and pace throughout the course of a narrative. Despite the rich data that naturalistic designs can bring to the study, there is a challenge in determining time-resolved behavioral markers of subjective engagement and disengagement and their underlying neural responses. We used a within-subject cross-over design instructing 22 subjects to watch clips of either neutral or sad content while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants watched the same movies a second time while continuously annotating the perceived emotional intensity, thus enabling the mapping of brain activity and emotional experience. Our analyses revealed that between-participant similarity in waxing (engagement) and waning (disengagement) of emotional intensity was directly related to the between-participant similarity in spatiotemporal patterns of brain activation during the movie(s). Similar patterns of engagement reflected common activation in the bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex, regions often involved in self-referenced evaluation and generation of negative emotions. Similar patterns of disengagement reflected common activation in central executive and default mode network regions often involved in top-down emotion regulation. Together this work helps to better understand cognitive and neural mechanisms underpinning engagement and disengagement from emotionally evocative narratives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanni Nanni-Zepeda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Joseph DeGutis
- Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charley Wu
- Human and Machine Cognition Lab, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - David Rothlein
- Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yan Fan
- Department Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the TU Dortmund (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany
| | - Simone Grimm
- Berlin Institute of Health, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Esterman
- Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Agnieszka Zuberer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gamble RS, Henry JD, Decety J, Vanman EJ. The role of external factors in affect-sharing and their neural bases. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105540. [PMID: 38211739 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105540] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Affect-sharing, the ability to vicariously feel another person's emotions, is the primary component of empathy that is typically thought to rely on the observer's capacity to feel the emotions of others. However, external signals, such as the target's physical characteristics, have been demonstrated to influence affect-sharing in the neuroscientific literature that speaks to the underappreciated role of external factors in eliciting affect-sharing. We consider factors that influence affect-sharing, including physical cues, emotional cues, situational factors, and observer-target relationships, as well as the neural circuits involved in these processes. Our review reveals that, while neural network activation is primarily responsible for processing affect-sharing, external factors also co-activate a top-down cognitive processing network to modulate the conscious process of affect-sharing. From this knowledge, an integrative framework of external factor interactions with affect-sharing are explained in detail. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research in social and affective neuroscience, including research gaps and incorporation of ecologically valid paradigms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roger S Gamble
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Julie D Henry
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eric J Vanman
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jamieson AJ, Leonards CA, Davey CG, Harrison BJ. Major depressive disorder associated alterations in the effective connectivity of the face processing network: a systematic review. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:62. [PMID: 38272868 PMCID: PMC10810788 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02734-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is marked by altered processing of emotional stimuli, including facial expressions. Recent neuroimaging research has attempted to investigate how these stimuli alter the directional interactions between brain regions in those with MDD; however, methodological heterogeneity has made identifying consistent effects difficult. To address this, we systematically examined studies investigating MDD-associated differences present in effective connectivity during the processing of emotional facial expressions. We searched five databases: PsycINFO, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, using a preregistered protocol (registration number: CRD42021271586). Of the 510 unique studies screened, 17 met our inclusion criteria. These studies identified that compared with healthy controls, participants with MDD demonstrated (1) reduced connectivity from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to the amygdala during the processing of negatively valenced expressions, and (2) increased inhibitory connectivity from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to amygdala during the processing of happy facial expressions. Most studies investigating the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex noted differences in their connectivity; however, the precise nature of these differences was inconsistent between studies. As such, commonalities observed across neuroimaging modalities warrant careful investigation to determine the specificity of these effects to particular subregions and emotional expressions. Future research examining longitudinal connectivity changes associated with treatment response may provide important insights into mechanisms underpinning therapeutic interventions, thus enabling more targeted treatment strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alec J Jamieson
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Christine A Leonards
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher G Davey
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ben J Harrison
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Denny BT, Jungles ML, Goodson PN, Dicker EE, Chavez J, Jones JS, Lopez RB. Unpacking reappraisal: a systematic review of fMRI studies of distancing and reinterpretation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad050. [PMID: 37757486 PMCID: PMC10561539 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, a substantial volume of work has examined the neural mechanisms of cognitive reappraisal. Distancing and reinterpretation are two frequently used tactics through which reappraisal can be implemented. Theoretical frameworks and prior evidence have suggested that the specific tactic through which one employs reappraisal entails differential neural and psychological mechanisms. Thus, we were motivated to assess the neural mechanisms of this distinction by examining the overlap and differentiation exhibited by the neural correlates of distancing (specifically via objective appraisal) and reinterpretation. We analyzed 32 published functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in healthy adults using multilevel kernel density analysis. Results showed that distancing relative to reinterpretation uniquely recruited right bilateral dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) and left posterior parietal cortex, previously associated with mentalizing, selective attention and working memory. Reinterpretation relative to distancing uniquely recruited left bilateral ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC), previously associated with response selection and inhibition. Further, distancing relative to reinterpretation was associated with greater prevalence of bilateral amygdala attenuation during reappraisal. Finally, a behavioral meta-analysis showed efficacy for both reappraisal tactics. These results are consistent with prior theoretical models for the functional neural architecture of reappraisal via distancing and reinterpretation and suggest potential future applications in region-of-interest specification and neural network analysis in studies focusing on specific reappraisal tactics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan T Denny
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Mallory L Jungles
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Pauline N Goodson
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Eva E Dicker
- Department of Psychology, Seattle University, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
| | - Julia Chavez
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jenna S Jones
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Richard B Lopez
- Department of Psychological & Cognitive Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
He Z, Li S, Mo L, Zheng Z, Li Y, Li H, Zhang D. The VLPFC-Engaged Voluntary Emotion Regulation: Combined TMS-fMRI Evidence for the Neural Circuit of Cognitive Reappraisal. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6046-6060. [PMID: 37507228 PMCID: PMC10451149 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1337-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A clear understanding of the neural circuit underlying emotion regulation (ER) is important for both basic and translational research. However, a lack of evidence based on combined neuroimaging and neuromodulation techniques calls into question (1) whether the change of prefrontal-subcortical activity intrinsically and causally contributes to the ER effect; and (2) whether the prefrontal control system directly modulates the subcortical affective system. Accordingly, we combined fMRI recordings with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to map the causal connections between the PFC and subcortical affective structures (amygdala and insula). A total of 117 human adult participants (57 males and 60 females) were included in the study. The results revealed that TMS-induced ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC) facilitation led to enhanced activity in the VLPFC and ventromedial PFC (VMPFC) as well as attenuated activity in the amygdala and insula during reappraisal but not during nonreappraisal (i.e., baseline). Moreover, the activated VLPFC intensified the prefrontal-subcortical couplings via the VMPFC during reappraisal only. This study provides combined TMS-fMRI evidence that downregulating negative emotion involves the prefrontal control system suppressing the subcortical affective system, with the VMPFC serving as a crucial hub within the VLPFC-subcortical network, suggesting an indirect pathway model of the ER circuit. Our findings outline potential protocols for improving ER ability by intensifying the VLPFC-VMPFC coupling in patients with mood and anxiety disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Using fMRI to examine the TMS effect, we uncovered that the opposite neural changes in prefrontal (enhanced) and subcortical (attenuated) regions are not a byproduct of emotion regulation (ER); instead, this prefrontal-subcortical activity per se causally contributes to the ER effect. Furthermore, using TMS to amplify the neural changes within the ER circuit, the "bridge" role of the VMPFC is highlighted under the reappraisal versus nonreappraisal contrast. This "perturb-and-measure" approach overcomes the correlational nature of fMRI data, helping us to identify brain regions that causally support reappraisal (the VLPFC and VMPFC) and those that are modulated by reappraisal (the amygdala and insula). The uncovered ER circuit is important for understanding the neural systems underlying reappraisal and valuable for translational research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhong He
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, China
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Sijin Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Licheng Mo
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Zixin Zheng
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Yiwei Li
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Hong Li
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Newton-Fenner A, Hewitt D, Henderson J, Roberts H, Mari T, Gu Y, Gorelkina O, Giesbrecht T, Fallon N, Roberts C, Stancak A. Economic value in the Brain: A meta-analysis of willingness-to-pay using the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak auction. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286969. [PMID: 37428744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Forming and comparing subjective values (SVs) of choice options is a critical stage of decision-making. Previous studies have highlighted a complex network of brain regions involved in this process by utilising a diverse range of tasks and stimuli, varying in economic, hedonic and sensory qualities. However, the heterogeneity of tasks and sensory modalities may systematically confound the set of regions mediating the SVs of goods. To identify and delineate the core brain valuation system involved in processing SV, we utilised the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) auction, an incentivised demand-revealing mechanism which quantifies SV through the economic metric of willingness-to-pay (WTP). A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis analysed twenty-four fMRI studies employing a BDM task (731 participants; 190 foci). Using an additional contrast analysis, we also investigated whether this encoding of SV would be invariant to the concurrency of auction task and fMRI recordings. A fail-safe number analysis was conducted to explore potential publication bias. WTP positively correlated with fMRI-BOLD activations in the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex with a sub-cluster extending into anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral ventral striatum, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right inferior frontal gyrus, and right anterior insula. Contrast analysis identified preferential engagement of the mentalizing-related structures in response to concurrent scanning. Together, our findings offer succinct empirical support for the core structures participating in the formation of SV, separate from the hedonic aspects of reward and evaluated in terms of WTP using BDM, and show the selective involvement of inhibition-related brain structures during active valuation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Newton-Fenner
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Institute of Risk and Uncertainty, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Hewitt
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Henderson
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tyler Mari
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Yiquan Gu
- Henley Business School, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Olga Gorelkina
- Management School, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Timo Giesbrecht
- Unilever, Research and Development, Port Sunlight, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Fallon
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Carl Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrej Stancak
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Institute of Risk and Uncertainty, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Faraji J, Metz GAS. Toward reframing brain-social dynamics: current assumptions and future challenges. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1211442. [PMID: 37484686 PMCID: PMC10359502 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1211442] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary analyses suggest that the human social brain and sociality appeared together. The two fundamental tools that accelerated the concurrent emergence of the social brain and sociality include learning and plasticity. The prevailing core idea is that the primate brain and the cortex in particular became reorganised over the course of evolution to facilitate dynamic adaptation to ongoing changes in physical and social environments. Encouraged by computational or survival demands or even by instinctual drives for living in social groups, the brain eventually learned how to learn from social experience via its massive plastic capacity. A fundamental framework for modeling these orchestrated dynamic responses is that social plasticity relies upon neuroplasticity. In the present article, we first provide a glimpse into the concepts of plasticity, experience, with emphasis on social experience. We then acknowledge and integrate the current theoretical concepts to highlight five key intertwined assumptions within social neuroscience that underlie empirical approaches for explaining the brain-social dynamics. We suggest that this epistemological view provides key insights into the ontology of current conceptual frameworks driving future research to successfully deal with new challenges and possible caveats in favour of the formulation of novel assumptions. In the light of contemporary societal challenges, such as global pandemics, natural disasters, violent conflict, and other human tragedies, discovering the mechanisms of social brain plasticity will provide new approaches to support adaptive brain plasticity and social resilience.
Collapse
|
15
|
Puccetti NA, Villano WJ, Stamatis CA, Hall KA, Torrez VF, Neta M, Timpano KR, Heller AS. Negative interpretation bias connects to real-world daily affect: A multistudy approach. J Exp Psychol Gen 2023; 152:1690-1704. [PMID: 36780262 PMCID: PMC10478317 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001351] [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: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Negative interpretation bias, the tendency to appraise ambiguous stimuli as threatening, shapes our emotional lives. Various laboratory tasks, which differ in stimuli features and task procedures, can quantify negative interpretation bias. However, it is unknown whether these tasks globally predict individual differences in real-world negative (NA) and positive (PA) affect. Across two studies, we tested whether different lab-based negative interpretation bias tasks predict daily NA and PA, measured via mobile phone across months. To quantify negative interpretation bias, Study 1 (N = 69) used a verbal, self-referential task whereas Study 2 (N = 110) used a perceptual, emotional image task with faces and scenes. Across tasks, negative interpretation bias was linked to heightened daily NA. However, only negative interpretation bias in response to ambiguous faces was related to decreased daily PA. These results illustrate the ecological validity of negative interpretation bias tasks and highlight converging and unique relationships between distinct tasks and naturalistic emotion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Caitlin A. Stamatis
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami
- Department of Psychiatry, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College
- Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
| | | | | | - Maital Neta
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Garr AK. The role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in moral cognition: A value-centric hypothesis. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2023.2166820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna K. Garr
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Duell N, Kwon SJ, Do KT, Turpyn CC, Prinstein MJ, Lindquist KA, Telzer EH. Positive risk taking and neural sensitivity to risky decision making in adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 57:101142. [PMID: 35930925 PMCID: PMC9356152 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examines associations between adolescents' positive risk taking and neural activation during risky decision-making. Participants included 144 adolescents ages 13-16 years (Mage = 14.23; SDage = 0.7) from diverse racial and ethnic groups. Participants self-reported their engagement in positive and negative risk taking. Additionally, participants played the Cups task during fMRI, where they chose between a safe choice (guaranteed earning of 15 cents) and a risky choice (varying probabilities of earning more than 15 cents). Using a risk-return framework, we examined adolescents' sensitivity to both risks (safe versus risky) and returns (expected value, or potential reward as a function of its probability of occurring) at the behavioral and neural levels. All participants took more risks when the expected value of the choice was high. However, high positive risk taking was uniquely associated with dampened dmPFC tracking of expected value. Together, results show that adolescents' positive risk taking is associated with neural activity during risky decision-making. Findings are among the first to identify brain-behavior correlations associated with positive risk taking during adolescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Duell
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States.
| | - Seh-Joo Kwon
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| | - Kathy T Do
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| | - Caitlin C Turpyn
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| | - Kristen A Lindquist
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Laing PAF, Felmingham KL, Davey CG, Harrison BJ. The neurobiology of Pavlovian safety learning: Towards an acquisition-expression framework. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104882. [PMID: 36150453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Safety learning creates associations between conditional stimuli and the absence of threat. Studies of human fear conditioning have accumulated evidence for the neural signatures of safety over various paradigms, aligning on several common brain systems. While these systems are often interpreted as underlying safety learning in a generic sense, they may instead reflect the expression of learned safety, pertaining to processes of fear inhibition, positive affect, and memory. Animal models strongly suggest these can be separable from neural circuits implicated in the conditioning process itself (or safety acquisition). While acquisition-expression distinctions are ubiquitous in behavioural science, this lens has not been applied to safety learning, which remains a novel area in the field. In this mini-review, we overview findings from prevalent safety paradigms in humans, and synthesise these with insights from animal models to propose that the neurobiology of safety learning be conceptualised along an acquisition-expression model, with the aim of stimulating richer brain-based characterisations of this important process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A F Laing
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Kim L Felmingham
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher G Davey
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ben J Harrison
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bögge L, Colás-Blanco I, Piolino P. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia during biofeedback is linked to persistent improvements in attention, short-term memory, and positive self-referential episodic memory. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:791498. [PMID: 36177356 PMCID: PMC9514056 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.791498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback, an intervention based on the voluntary self-regulation of autonomic parameters, has been shown to affect prefrontal brain functioning and improve executive functions. The interest in using HRV biofeedback as cognitive training is typically ascribed to parasympathetic activation and optimized physiological functioning deriving from increased cardiac vagal control. However, the persistence of cognitive effects is poorly studied and their association with biofeedback-evoked autonomic changes has not yet been explored. In addition, no study has so far investigated the influence of HRV biofeedback in adults on long-term episodic memory, which is particularly concerned with self-referential encoding processing. Methods In the present study, a novel training system was developed integrating HRV and respiratory biofeedback into an immersive virtual reality environment to enhance training efficacy. Twenty-two young healthy adults were subjected to a blinded randomized placebo-controlled experiment, including six self-regulation training sessions, to evaluate the effect of biofeedback on autonomic and cognitive changes. Cardiac vagal control was assessed before, during, and 5 min after each training session. Executive functions, episodic memory, and the self-referential encoding effect were evaluated 1 week before and after the training program using a set of validated tasks. Results Linear mixed-effects models showed that HRV biofeedback greatly stimulated respiratory sinus arrhythmia during and after training. Moreover, it improved the attentional capabilities required for the identification and discrimination of stimuli ( η p 2 = 0.17), auditory short-term memory ( η p 2 = 0.23), and self-referential episodic memory recollection of positive stimuli ( η p 2 = 0.23). Episodic memory outcomes indicated that HRV biofeedback reinforced positive self-reference encoding processing. Cognitive changes were strongly dependent on the level of respiratory sinus arrhythmia evoked during self-regulation training. Conclusion The present study provides evidence that biofeedback moderates respiration-related cardiac vagal control, which in turn mediates improvements in several cognitive processes crucial for everyday functioning including episodic memory, that are maintained beyond the training period. The results highlight the interest in HRV biofeedback as an innovative research tool and medication-free therapeutic approach to affect autonomic and neurocognitive functioning. Finally, a neurocognitive model of biofeedback-supported autonomic self-regulation as a scaffolding for episodic memory is proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Bögge
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Itsaso Colás-Blanco
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Pascale Piolino
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jiang Y, Sheng F, Belkaya N, Platt ML. Oxytocin and testosterone administration amplify viewing preferences for sexual images in male rhesus macaques. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210133. [PMID: 35858095 PMCID: PMC9272140 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Social stimuli, like faces, and sexual stimuli, like genitalia, spontaneously attract visual attention in both human and non-human primates. Social orienting behaviour is thought to be modulated by neuropeptides as well as sex hormones. Using a free viewing task in which paired images of monkey faces and anogenital regions were presented simultaneously, we found that male rhesus macaques overwhelmingly preferred to view images of anogenital regions over faces. They were more likely to make an initial gaze shift towards, and spent more time viewing, anogenital regions compared with faces, and this preference was accompanied by relatively constricted pupils. On face images, monkeys mostly fixated on the forehead and eyes. These viewing preferences were found for images of both males and females. Both oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide linked to social bonding and affiliation, and testosterone (TE), a sex hormone implicated in mating and aggression, amplified the pre-existing orienting bias for female genitalia over female faces; neither treatment altered the viewing preference for male anogenital regions over male faces. Testosterone but not OT increased the probability of monkeys making the first gaze shift towards female anogenital rather than face pictures, with the strongest effects on anogenital images of young and unfamiliar females. Finally, both OT and TE promoted viewing of the forehead region of both female and male faces, which display sexual skins, but decreased the relative salience of the eyes of older males. Together, these results invite the hypothesis that both OT and TE regulate reproductive behaviours by acting as a gain control on the visual orienting network to increase attention to mating-relevant signals in the environment. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaoguang Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Feng Sheng
- Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- School of Management and MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science & Brain–Machine Integration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Naz Belkaya
- Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Michael L. Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Marketing Department, the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Barbosa DAN, Kuijper FM, Duda J, Wang AR, Cartmell SCD, Saluja S, Cunningham T, Shivacharan RS, Bhati MT, Safer DL, Lock JD, Malenka RC, de Oliveira-Souza R, Williams NR, Grossman M, Gee JC, McNab JA, Bohon C, Halpern CH. Aberrant impulse control circuitry in obesity. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3374-3384. [PMID: 35697760 PMCID: PMC9192250 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01640-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) to nucleus accumbens (NAc) circuit has been implicated in impulsive reward-seeking. This disinhibition has been implicated in obesity and often manifests as binge eating, which is associated with worse treatment outcomes and comorbidities. It remains unclear whether the vmPFC-NAc circuit is perturbed in impulsive eaters with obesity. Initially, we analyzed publicly available, high-resolution, normative imaging data to localize where vmPFC structural connections converged within the NAc. These structural connections were found to converge ventromedially in the presumed NAc shell subregion. We then analyzed multimodal clinical and imaging data to test the a priori hypothesis that the vmPFC-NAc shell circuit is linked to obesity in a sample of female participants that regularly engaged in impulsive eating (i.e., binge eating). Functionally, vmPFC-NAc shell resting-state connectivity was inversely related to body mass index (BMI) and decreased in the obese state. Structurally, vmPFC-NAc shell structural connectivity and vmPFC thickness were inversely correlated with BMI; obese binge-prone participants exhibited decreased vmPFC-NAc structural connectivity and vmPFC thickness. Finally, to examine a causal link to binge eating, we directly probed this circuit in one binge-prone obese female using NAc deep brain stimulation in a first-in-human trial. Direct stimulation of the NAc shell subregion guided by local behaviorally relevant electrophysiology was associated with a decrease in number of weekly episodes of uncontrolled eating and decreased BMI. This study unraveled vmPFC-NAc shell circuit aberrations in obesity that can be modulated to restore control over eating behavior in obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A N Barbosa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Fiene Marie Kuijper
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Duda
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Allan R Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samuel C D Cartmell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sabir Saluja
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tricia Cunningham
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rajat S Shivacharan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mahendra T Bhati
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Debra L Safer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - James D Lock
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza
- Department of Specialized Medicine, Gaffrée e Guinle University Hospital, The Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nolan R Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James C Gee
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer A McNab
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Cara Bohon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Casey H Halpern
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, PA, Philadelphia, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Gee DG, Hanson C, Caglar LR, Fareri DS, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Mills-Finnerty C, Goff B, Caldera CJ, Lumian DS, Flannery J, Hanson SJ, Tottenham N. Experimental evidence for a child-to-adolescent switch in human amygdala-prefrontal cortex communication: A cross-sectional pilot study. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13238. [PMID: 35080089 PMCID: PMC9232876 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex are fundamental to human emotion. Despite the central role of frontoamygdala communication in adult emotional learning and regulation, little is known about how top-down control emerges during human development. In the present cross-sectional pilot study, we experimentally manipulated prefrontal engagement to test its effects on the amygdala during development. Inducing dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activation resulted in developmentally-opposite effects on amygdala reactivity during childhood versus adolescence, such that dACC activation was followed by increased amygdala reactivity in childhood but reduced amygdala reactivity in adolescence. Bayesian network analyses revealed an age-related switch between childhood and adolescence in the nature of amygdala connectivity with the dACC and ventromedial PFC (vmPFC). Whereas adolescence was marked by information flow from dACC and vmPFC to amygdala (consistent with that observed in adults), the reverse information flow, from the amygdala to dACC and vmPFC, was dominant in childhood. The age-related switch in information flow suggests a potential shift from bottom-up co-excitatory to top-down regulatory frontoamygdala connectivity and may indicate a profound change in the circuitry supporting maturation of emotional behavior. These findings provide novel insight into the developmental construction of amygdala-cortical connections and implications for the ways in which childhood experiences may influence subsequent prefrontal function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G. Gee
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: ,
| | - Catherine Hanson
- Rutgers University, Department of Psychology, 101 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102
| | - Leyla Roksan Caglar
- Rutgers University, Department of Psychology, 101 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102
| | - Dominic S. Fareri
- Adelphi University, Department of Psychology, Blodgett Hall, Garden City, NY 11530
| | | | | | - Bonnie Goff
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Christina J. Caldera
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Daniel S. Lumian
- University of Denver, Department of Psychology, 2155 S. Race Street, Denver, CO 80210
| | - Jessica Flannery
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology, 235 E. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Stephen J. Hanson
- Rutgers University, Department of Psychology, 101 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07102
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Columbia University, Department of Psychology, 406 Schermerhorn Hall, 1190 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sun Y, Xu Y, Lv J, Liu Y. Self- and Situation-Focused Reappraisal are not homogeneous: Evidence from behavioral and brain networks. Neuropsychologia 2022; 173:108282. [PMID: 35660514 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reappraisal is an effective emotion regulation strategy which can be divided into self- and situation-focused subtypes. Previous studies have produced inconsistent findings on the moderating effects and neural mechanisms of reappraisal; thus, further research is necessary to clarify these inconsistencies. In this study, a total of 44 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups. 23 participants were assigned to the self-focused group, while 21 participants were assigned to the situation-focused group. The participants' resting EEG data were collected for 6 minutes before the experiment began, followed by an emotional regulation task. During this task, participants were asked to view emotion-provoking images under four emotion regulation conditions (View, Watch, Increase, and Decrease). Late positive potential (LPP) was obtained when these emotional images were observed. LPP is an effective physiological indicator of emotion regulation, enabling this study to explore emotion regulation under different reappraisal strategies, as well as the functional connectivity and node efficiency within the brain. It was found that, in terms of the effect on emotion regulation, situation-focused reappraisal was significantly better than self-focused reappraisal at enhancing the valence of negative emotion, while self-focused reappraisal was significantly better than situation-focused reappraisal at increasing the arousal of negative emotion. In terms of neural mechanisms, multiple brain regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex, the frontal lobe, the parahippocampal gyrus, parts of the temporal lobe, and parts of the parietal lobe were involved in both reappraisal processes. In addition, there were some differences in brain regions associated with different forms of cognitive reappraisal. Self-focused reappraisal was associated with the posterior cingulate gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and lingual gyrus, and situation-focused reappraisal was associated with the parietal lobule, anterior central gyrus, and angular gyrus. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that self- and situation-focused reappraisal are not homogenous in terms of their effects and neural mechanisms and clarifies the uncertainties over their regulatory effects. Different types of reappraisal activate different brain regions when used, and the functional connectivity or node efficiency of these brain regions seems to be a suitable indicator for assessing the effects of different types of reappraisal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Sun
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xu
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China
| | - Jiaojiao Lv
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China; Department of Psychology, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, 037009, China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Vaccaro AG, Heydari P, Christov-Moore L, Damasio A, Kaplan JT. Perspective-taking is associated with increased discriminability of affective states in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2022; 17:1082-1090. [PMID: 35579186 PMCID: PMC9714424 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac035] [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: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent work using multivariate-pattern analysis (MVPA) on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data has found that distinct affective states produce correspondingly distinct patterns of neural activity in the cerebral cortex. However, it is unclear whether individual differences in the distinctiveness of neural patterns evoked by affective stimuli underlie empathic abilities such as perspective-taking (PT). Accordingly, we examined whether we could predict PT tendency from the classification of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI activation patterns while participants (n = 57) imagined themselves in affectively charged scenarios. We used an MVPA searchlight analysis to map where in the brain activity patterns permitted the classification of four affective states: happiness, sadness, fear and disgust. Classification accuracy was significantly above chance levels in most of the prefrontal cortex and in the posterior medial cortices. Furthermore, participants' self-reported PT was positively associated with classification accuracy in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and insula. This finding has implications for understanding affective processing in the prefrontal cortex and for interpreting the cognitive significance of classifiable affective brain states. Our multivariate approach suggests that PT ability may rely on the grain of internally simulated affective representations rather than simply the global strength.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G Vaccaro
- Jon Brain and Creativity Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0001, USA
| | - Panthea Heydari
- Jon Brain and Creativity Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0001, USA
| | - Leonardo Christov-Moore
- Jon Brain and Creativity Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0001, USA
| | - Antonio Damasio
- Jon Brain and Creativity Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0001, USA
| | - Jonas T Kaplan
- Correspondence should be addressed to Jonas T. Kaplan, Brain and Creativity Institute, 3620A McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Dennison JB, Sazhin D, Smith DV. Decision neuroscience and neuroeconomics: Recent progress and ongoing challenges. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 13:e1589. [PMID: 35137549 PMCID: PMC9124684 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, decision neuroscience and neuroeconomics have developed many new insights in the study of decision making. This review provides an overarching update on how the field has advanced in this time period. Although our initial review a decade ago outlined several theoretical, conceptual, methodological, empirical, and practical challenges, there has only been limited progress in resolving these challenges. We summarize significant trends in decision neuroscience through the lens of the challenges outlined for the field and review examples where the field has had significant, direct, and applicable impacts across economics and psychology. First, we review progress on topics including reward learning, explore-exploit decisions, risk and ambiguity, intertemporal choice, and valuation. Next, we assess the impacts of emotion, social rewards, and social context on decision making. Then, we follow up with how individual differences impact choices and new exciting developments in the prediction and neuroforecasting of future decisions. Finally, we consider how trends in decision-neuroscience research reflect progress toward resolving past challenges, discuss new and exciting applications of recent research, and identify new challenges for the field. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Reasoning and Decision Making Psychology > Emotion and Motivation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Dennison
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel Sazhin
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David V Smith
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Palamarchuk IS, Vaillancourt T. Integrative Brain Dynamics in Childhood Bullying Victimization: Cognitive and Emotional Convergence Associated With Stress Psychopathology. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:782154. [PMID: 35573445 PMCID: PMC9097078 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.782154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bullying victimization is a form of psychological stress that is associated with poor outcomes in the areas of mental health and learning. Although the emotional maladjustment and memory impairment following interpersonal stress are well documented, the mechanisms of complex cerebral dysfunctions have neither been outlined nor studied in depth in the context of childhood bullying victimization. As a contribution to the cross-disciplinary field of developmental psychology and neuroscience, we review the neuropathophysiology of early life stress, as well as general psychological stress to synthesize the data and clarify the versatile dynamics within neuronal networks linked to bullying victimization. The stress-induced neuropsychological cascade and associated cerebral networks with a focus on cognitive and emotional convergence are described. The main findings are that stress-evoked neuroendocrine reactivity relates to neuromodulation and limbic dysregulation that hinder emotion processing and executive functioning such as semantic cognition, cognitive flexibility, and learning. Developmental aspects and interacting neural mechanisms linked to distressed cognitive and emotional processing are pinpointed and potential theory-of-mind nuances in targets of bullying are presented. The results show that childhood stress psychopathology is associated with a complex interplay where the major role belongs to, but is not limited to, the amygdala, fusiform gyrus, insula, striatum, and prefrontal cortex. This interplay contributes to the sensitivity toward facial expressions, poor cognitive reasoning, and distress that affect behavioral modulation and emotion regulation. We integrate the data on major brain dynamics in stress neuroactivity that can be associated with childhood psychopathology to help inform future studies that are focused on the treatment and prevention of psychiatric disorders and learning problems in bullied children and adolescents.
Collapse
|
27
|
Stretton J, Schweizer S, Dalgleish T. Age-Related Enhancements in Positive Emotionality across The Life Span: Structural Equation Modeling of Brain and Behavior. J Neurosci 2022; 42:3461-3472. [PMID: 35256529 PMCID: PMC9034776 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1453-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with a bias in attention and memories toward positive and away from negative emotional content. In addition, emotion regulation appears to improve with age, despite concomitant widespread cognitive decline coupled with gray matter volume loss in cortical and subcortical regions thought to subserve emotion regulation. Here, we address this emotion-aging paradox using the behavioral data of an emotion regulation task from a population-derived, male and female, human sample (CamCAN) and use structural equation modeling together with multivariate analysis of structural MRI images of the same sample to investigate brain-behavior relationships. In a series of measurement models, we show the relationship between age and emotionality is best explained by a four-factor model, compared with single and hierarchical factor models. These four latent factors are interpreted as Basal Negative Affect, Positive Reactivity, Negative Reactivity and Positive Regulation (upregulating positive emotion to negative content). Increasing age uniquely contributes to increased Basal Negative Affect, Positive Reactivity, and Positive Regulation, but not Negative Reactivity. Furthermore, we show gray matter volumes, namely in the bilateral frontal operculum, medial frontal gyrus, bilateral hippocampal complex, bilateral middle temporal gyri, and bilateral angular gyrus, are distinctly related to these four latent factors. Finally, we show that a subset of these brain-behavior relationships remain significant when accounting for age and demographic data. Our results support the notion of an age-related increase in positivity and are interpreted in the context of the socioemotional selectivity theory of improved emotion regulation in older age.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Aging is associated with a paradoxical increase in well-being and improved emotion regulation despite widespread cognitive decline and gray matter volume loss in neural regions that underlie emotion regulation. Using a population-derived sample, we test the theories behind this emotion/aging paradox with an emotion regulation task and structural MRI data. We report robust age-related increases in positivity across the life span and show structural neural integrity influences this relationship with increasing age. Several brain-behavior relationships remained unaffected by age and may represent empirically derived neural markers to explore the paradox of increased well-being in old age. The results support the predictions of socioemotional selectivity theory of improved emotion regulation in older age and challenge the amygdala-focused neural predictions of the aging brain model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Stretton
- Medical Research Council, Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 7EF, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Schweizer
- Department of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Tim Dalgleish
- Medical Research Council, Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 7EF, United Kingdom
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Yankouskaya A, Denholm-Smith T, Yi D, Greenshaw AJ, Cao B, Sui J. Neural Connectivity Underlying Reward and Emotion-Related Processing: Evidence From a Large-Scale Network Analysis. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:833625. [PMID: 35465191 PMCID: PMC9033203 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.833625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging techniques have advanced our knowledge about neurobiological mechanisms of reward and emotion processing. It remains unclear whether reward and emotion-related processing share the same neural connection topology and how intrinsic brain functional connectivity organization changes to support emotion- and reward-related prioritized effects in decision-making. The present study addressed these challenges using a large-scale neural network analysis approach. We applied this approach to two independent functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets, where participants performed a reward value or emotion associative matching task with tight control over experimental conditions. The results revealed that interaction between the Default Mode Network, Frontoparietal, Dorsal Attention, and Salience networks engaged distinct topological structures to support the effects of reward, positive and negative emotion processing. Detailed insights into the properties of these connections are important for understanding in detail how the brain responds in the presence of emotion and reward related stimuli. We discuss the linking of reward- and emotion-related processing to emotional regulation, an important aspect of regulation of human behavior in relation to mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ala Yankouskaya
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Ala Yankouskaya
| | - Toby Denholm-Smith
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
| | - Dewei Yi
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | - Bo Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jie Sui
- School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
The reward positivity is sensitive to affective liking. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:258-267. [PMID: 34599487 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The EEG feature known as the Reward Positivity (RewP) is elicited by reward receipt and appears to reflect sensitively and specifically positive prediction errors during reinforcement learning. Yet, the RewP also is modulated by state and trait affect, suggesting that it has a more complex computational role than simple reinforcement surprise. We conducted a series of experiments aimed to investigate underlying affect processing reflected in the RewP during a reinforcement learning task. In the first experiment (N = 25), we manipulated the type of rewards a person could win (simple points or hedonically-appraised pictures). Although there were no differences in the amplitudes of the RewP for different types of rewards, there was a significant correlation between the individual rating of liking for the images and RewP amplitude. In a second experiment (N = 25), we manipulated reinforcement rates (easy vs. hard) and affective picture content (liked vs. ambivalent) to examine the potential interaction of prediction error and liking on RewP amplitude. We again found a significant relationship between liking and RewP amplitude, however, only in the hard condition. These findings suggest that the RewP reflects cortical computations of reward surprise as well as hedonic liking, identifying it as a possible nexus where multidimensional value is computed.
Collapse
|
30
|
Parsons JD, Davies J. The Neural Correlates of Analogy Component Processes. Cogn Sci 2022; 46:e13116. [PMID: 35297092 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13116] [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: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Analogical reasoning is a core facet of higher cognition in humans. Creating analogies as we navigate the environment helps us learn. Analogies involve reframing novel encounters using knowledge of familiar, relationally similar contexts stored in memory. When an analogy links a novel encounter with a familiar context, it can aid in problem solving. Reasoning by analogy is a complex process that is mediated by multiple brain regions and mechanisms. Several advanced computational architectures have been developed to simulate how these brain processes give rise to analogical reasoning, like the "learning with inferences and schema abstraction" architecture and the Companion architecture. To obtain this power to simulate human reasoning, theses architectures assume that various computational "subprocesses" comprise analogical reasoning, such as analogical access, mapping, inference, and schema induction, consistent with the structure-mapping framework proposed decades ago. However, little is known about how these subprocesses relate to actual brain processes. While some work in neuroscience has linked analogical reasoning to regions of brain prefrontal cortex, more research is needed to investigate the wide array of specific neural hypotheses generated by the computational architectures. In the current article, we review the association between historically important computational architectures of analogy and empirical studies in neuroscience. In particular, we focus on evidence for a frontoparietal brain network underlying analogical reasoning and the degree to which brain mechanisms mirror the computational subprocesses. We also offer a general vantage on the current- and future-states of neuroscience research in this domain and provide some recommendations for future neuroimaging studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jim Davies
- Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton University
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Liu L, Schwieter JW, Wang F, Liu H. First and Second Languages Differentially Affect Rationality When Making Decisions: An ERP Study. Biol Psychol 2022; 169:108265. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
32
|
Perica MI, Ravindranath O, Calabro FJ, Foran W, Luna B. Hippocampal-Prefrontal Connectivity Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic Predicts Stress Reactivity. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 1:283-290. [PMID: 34849503 PMCID: PMC8612769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND By adolescence, foundational cognitive and affective neurobehavioral processes specialize based on environmental demands, such as stress, to determine the basis of adult trajectories. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress for everyone, particularly adolescents who face unique stressors such as restrictions in socialization and education. However, variability in brain processes supporting stress reactivity is not well understood. Here, we leverage pre-pandemic brain development studies to identify how maturity of prefrontal connectivity with the amygdala and hippocampus (HPC) is associated with response to COVID-19. We hypothesized that age-related changes in connectivity of affective and cognitive brain systems may underlie the emotional response of adolescents during the pandemic. METHODS In this study, 10- to 31-year-old participants (n = 111) completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans prior to the pandemic and then completed a questionnaire 9 months into the pandemic measuring worry, COVID-related stress, sadness, perceived stress, and positive affect. Associations between pairwise functional connectivity of HPC/amygdala subregions with prefrontal cortex subdivisions and affective reactivity during the pandemic were examined. RESULTS Regression analyses indicated that both worry and COVID-19-related stress increased with age (false discovery rate-corrected p < .05). Furthermore, greater connectivity between the anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex and posterior HPC was associated with greater worry and COVID-19-related stress (p < .05 corrected), which was primarily driven by individuals younger than 18 years. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results indicate that increases in stress reactivity to the COVID-19 pandemic across the transition to adulthood are driven by maturation of posterior HPC-ventromedial prefrontal cortex coupling, which integrates stress response and emotional memory processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria I. Perica
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Orma Ravindranath
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Finnegan J. Calabro
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - William Foran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Cheng Q, Han Z, Liu S, Kong Y, Weng X, Mo L. Neural responses to facial attractiveness in the judgments of moral goodness and moral beauty. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:843-863. [PMID: 34767078 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The judgments of moral goodness and moral beauty objectively refer to the perception and evaluation of moral traits, which are generally influenced by facial attractiveness. For centuries, people have equated beauty with the possession of positive qualities, but it is not clear whether the association between beauty and positive qualities exerts a similarly implicit influence on people's responses to moral goodness and moral beauty, how it affects those responses, and what is the neural basis for such an effect. The present study is the first to examine the neural responses to facial attractiveness in the judgments of moral goodness and moral beauty. We found that beautiful faces in both moral judgments activated the left ventral occipitotemporal cortices sensitive to the geometric configuration of the faces, demonstrating that both moral goodness and moral beauty required the automatic visual analysis of geometrical configuration of attractive faces. In addition, compared to beautiful faces during moral goodness judgment, beautiful faces during moral beauty judgment induced unique activity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and midline cortical structures involved in the emotional-valenced information about attractive faces. The opposite comparison elicited specific activity in the left superior temporal cortex and premotor area, which play a critical role in the recognition of facial identity. Our results demonstrated that the neural responses to facial attractiveness in the process of higher order moral decision-makings exhibit both task-general and task-specific characteristics. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the essence of the relationship between morality and aesthetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuping Cheng
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Zhili Han
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Shun Liu
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Yilong Kong
- School of Music, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Xuchu Weng
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Lei Mo
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Sokołowski A, Morawetz C, Folkierska-Żukowska M, Dragan W. Brain Activation During Cognitive Reappraisal Depending on Regulation Goals and Stimulus Valence. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:559-570. [PMID: 34746952 PMCID: PMC9164203 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural bases of cognitive reappraisal may depend on the direction of regulation (up- or downregulation) and stimulus valence (positive or negative). This study aimed to examine this using a cognitive reappraisal task and conjunction analysis on a relatively large sample of 83 individuals. We identified regions in which activations were common for all these types of emotion regulation. We also investigated differences in brain activation between the ‘decrease’ and ‘increase’ emotional response conditions, and between the regulation of negative and positive emotions. The common activation across conditions involved mainly the prefrontal and temporal regions. Decreasing emotions was associated with stronger involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while increasing with activation of the amygdala and hippocampus. Regulation of negative emotions involved stronger activation of the lateral occipital cortex, while regulation of positive emotions involved stronger activation of the anterior cingulate cortex extending to the medial prefrontal cortex. This study adds to previous findings, not only by doing a conjunction analysis on both emotional valences and regulation goals, but also doing this in a bigger sample size. Results suggest that reappraisal is not a uniform process and may have different neural bases depending on regulation goals and stimulus valence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Sokołowski
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carmen Morawetz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
A Neurocomputational Model for Intrinsic Reward. J Neurosci 2021; 41:8963-8971. [PMID: 34544831 PMCID: PMC8549542 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0858-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Standard economic indicators provide an incomplete picture of what we value both as individuals and as a society. Furthermore, canonical macroeconomic measures, such as GDP, do not account for non-market activities (e.g., cooking, childcare) that nevertheless impact well-being. Here, we introduce a computational tool that measures the affective value of experiences (e.g., playing a musical instrument without errors). We go on to validate this tool with neural data, using fMRI to measure neural activity in male and female human subjects performing a reinforcement learning task that incorporated periodic ratings of subjective affective state. Learning performance determined level of payment (i.e., extrinsic reward). Crucially, the task also incorporated a skilled performance component (i.e., intrinsic reward) which did not influence payment. Both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards influenced affective dynamics, and their relative influence could be captured in our computational model. Individuals for whom intrinsic rewards had a greater influence on affective state than extrinsic rewards had greater ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity for intrinsic than extrinsic rewards. Thus, we show that computational modeling of affective dynamics can index the subjective value of intrinsic relative to extrinsic rewards, a “computational hedonometer” that reflects both behavior and neural activity that quantifies the affective value of experience. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Traditional economic indicators are increasingly recognized to provide an incomplete picture of what we value as a society. Standard economic approaches struggle to accurately assign values to non-market activities that nevertheless may be intrinsically rewarding, prompting a need for new tools to measure what really matters to individuals. Using a combination of neuroimaging and computational modeling, we show that despite their lack of instrumental value, intrinsic rewards influence subjective affective state and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity. The relative degree to which extrinsic and intrinsic rewards influence affective state is predictive of their relative impacts on neural activity, confirming the utility of our approach for measuring the affective value of experiences and other non-market activities in individuals.
Collapse
|
36
|
Ling J, Lin X, Li X, Chan NY, Zhang J, Wing YK, Hu X, Li SX. Neural Response to Rewards in Youths with Insomnia. Sleep 2021; 45:6380671. [PMID: 34604904 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsab238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Insomnia and depression are common comorbid conditions in youths. Emerging evidence suggests that disrupted reward processing may be implicated in the association between insomnia and the increased risk for depression. Reduced reward positivity (RewP) as measured by event-related potential (ERP) has been linked to depression, but has not been tested in youths with insomnia. METHODS Twenty-eight participants with insomnia disorder and without any comorbid psychiatric disorders and 29 healthy sleepers aged between 15-24 completed a monetary reward task, the Cued Door task, whilst electroencephalographic activity was recorded. RewP (reward minus non-reward difference waves) was calculated as the mean amplitudes within 200ms to 300ms time window at FCz. Two analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were conducted with age as a covariate on RewP amplitude and latency, respectively. RESULTS Participants with insomnia had a significantly lower RewP amplitude regardless of cue types (Gain, Control, and Loss) than healthy sleepers, F (1, 51) = 4.95, p = .031, indicating blunted reward processing. On the behavioural level, healthy sleepers were more prudential (slower reaction time) in decision making towards Loss/Gain cues than their insomnia counterparts. Trial-by-trial behavioural adjustment analyses showed that, compared with healthy sleepers, participants with insomnia were less likely to dynamically change their choices in response to Loss cues. CONCLUSIONS Dysfunctional reward processing, coupled with inflexibility of behavioural adjustment in decision-making, is associated with insomnia disorder among youth, independent of mood disorders. Future studies with long-term follow-up are needed to further delineate the developmental trajectory of insomnia-related reward dysfunctions in youth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiefan Ling
- Sleep Research Clinic and Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong
| | - Xuanyi Lin
- The Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong
| | - Xiao Li
- Sleep Research Clinic and Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong
| | - Ngan Yin Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
| | - Jihui Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.,Guang Dong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences
| | - Yun Kwok Wing
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoqing Hu
- The Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong.,The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
| | - Shirley Xin Li
- Sleep Research Clinic and Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong.,The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Suzuki Y, Tanaka SC. Functions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in emotion regulation under stress. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18225. [PMID: 34521947 PMCID: PMC8440524 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97751-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging studies suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) contributes to regulation of emotion. However, the adaptive response of the vmPFC under acute stress is not understood. We used fMRI to analyse brain activity of people viewing and rating the emotional strength of emotional images after acute social stress. Here, we show that the vmPFC is strongly activated by highly emotional images, indicating its involvement in emotional regulation, and that the midbrain is activated as a main effect of stress during the emotional response. vmPFC activation also exhibits individual differences in behavioural scores reflecting individual reactions to stress. Moreover, functional connectivity between the vmPFC and midbrain under stress reflects stress-induced emotion regulation. Those results suggest that the functions of the network including the vmPFC in emotion regulation is affected by stress depending on the individuals' level of reaction to the stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Suzuki
- Faculty of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan. .,Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institutes International, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Saori C Tanaka
- Faculty of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan. .,Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institutes International, Kyoto, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Neural underpinning of a personal relationship with God and sense of control: A lesion-mapping study. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 20:575-587. [PMID: 32333240 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A strong personal relationship with God is theoretically and empirically associated with an enhanced sense of control. While a growing body of research is focused on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying religious belief, little is known about the brain basis of the link between a personal relationship with God and sense of control. Here, we used a sample of patients with focal brain lesions (N = 84) and matched healthy controls (N = 22) to determine whether damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)-a region associated with emotionally meaningful religious experiences and with sense of control-will modulate self-reports of a personal relationship with God and sense of control. We also examined potential mediators for these associations. Voxel-based lesion symptom mapping revealed that damage to the right vmPFC resulted in a stronger personal relationship with God, and patients with damage to this region demonstrated an increased sense of control relative to patients with damage to posterior cortex and healthy controls. Moreover, the association between vmPFC damage and greater perceived sense of control was mediated by a stronger personal relationship with God. Collectively, these results suggest that a strong personal relationship with God can serve an important psychological function by affecting sense of control, with both enhanced following damage to the right vmPFC.
Collapse
|
39
|
Mitchell WJ, Tepfer LJ, Henninger NM, Perlman SB, Murty VP, Helion C. Developmental Differences in Affective Representation Between Prefrontal and Subcortical Structures. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:nsab093. [PMID: 34331538 PMCID: PMC8881632 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental studies have identified differences in prefrontal and subcortical affective structures between children and adults, which correspond with observed cognitive and behavioral maturations from relatively simplistic emotional experiences and expressions to more nuanced, complex ones. However, developmental changes in the neural representation of emotions have not yet been well explored. It stands to reason that adults and children may demonstrate observable differences in the representation of affect within key neurological structures implicated in affective cognition. Forty-five participants (25 children; 20 adults) passively viewed positive, negative, and neutral clips from popular films while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Using representational similarity analysis (RSA) to measure variability in neural pattern similarity, we found developmental differences between children and adults in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), such that children generated less pattern similarity within subcortical structures relative to the vmPFC; a phenomenon not replicated among their older counterparts. Furthermore, children generated valence-specific differences in representational patterns across regions; these valence-specific patterns were not found in adults. These results may suggest that affective representations grow increasingly dissimilar over development as individuals mature from visceral affective responses to more evaluative analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William J Mitchell
- Department of Psychology, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Lindsey J Tepfer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Moore Hall, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Nicole M Henninger
- Klein College of Media and Communication, Annenberg Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Susan B Perlman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University of St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Vishnu P Murty
- Department of Psychology, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Chelsea Helion
- Department of Psychology, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Salehinejad MA, Paknia N, Hosseinpour AH, Yavari F, Vicario CM, Nitsche MA, Nejati V. Contribution of the right temporoparietal junction and ventromedial prefrontal cortex to theory of mind in autism: A randomized, sham-controlled tDCS study. Autism Res 2021; 14:1572-1584. [PMID: 34018333 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute subjective mental states to oneself and others and is significantly impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A frontal-posterior network of regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is involved in ToM. Previous studies show an underactivation of these regions in ASD. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method for causally investigating brain-behavior relationships via induction of cortical excitability alterations. tDCS, mostly over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, has been increasingly applied for improving behavioral problems in ASD leaving other potentially interesting regions untouched. Here we investigated contribution of the vmPFC and right TPJ in ToM abilities of ASD children via tDCS in a pilot study. Sixteen children with ASD (mean age = 10.7 ± 1.9) underwent three tDCS sessions (1 mA, 20 min) in a randomized, sham-controlled design. Stimulation protocols included: (a) anodal vmPFC tDCS, (b) anodal r-TPJ tDCS, and (c) sham tDCS. ToM abilities were explored during tDCS using the theory of mind test (TOMT). Our results show that activation of the vmPFC with anodal tDCS significantly improved ToM in children with ASD compared with both, r-TPJ tDCS, and sham stimulation. Specifically, precursors of ToM (e.g., emotion recognition, perception, and imitation) and elementary ToM skills (e.g., first-order mental state reasoning) were significantly improved by anodal vmPFC tDCS. Based on these results, the vmPFC could be a potential target region for the reduction of ASD symptoms via noninvasive brain stimulation, which should be examined in larger detail in future studies. LAY SUMMARY: Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to infer mental states of oneself and others, which is impaired in autism. Brain imaging studies have shown involvement of two brain regions in ToM (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction) which are underactivated in autism. We increased activation of these regions via noninvasive brain stimulation in this experiment to see how it would affect ToM abilities in autism. We found that increased activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex improved ToM abilities in children with autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Salehinejad
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Nasim Paknia
- Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Hosseinpour
- Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yavari
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Carmelo M Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Universita' di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany.,University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Department of Neurology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ai M, Morris TP, Ordway C, Quinoñez E, D'Agostino F, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Hillman CH, Pindus DM, McAuley E, Mayo N, de la Colina AN, Phillips S, Kramer AF, Geddes M. The Daily Activity Study of Health (DASH): A pilot randomized controlled trial to enhance physical activity in sedentary older adults. Contemp Clin Trials 2021; 106:106405. [PMID: 33945886 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Sedentary behavior increases the risk for multiple chronic diseases, early mortality, and accelerated cognitive decline in older adults. Interventions to reduce sedentary behavior among older adults are needed to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems. We designed a randomized controlled trial that uses a self-affirmation manipulation and gain-framed health messaging to effectively reduce sedentary behavior in older adults. This message-based intervention lasts 6 weeks, recruiting 80 healthy but sedentary older adults from the community, between the ages of 60 and 95 years. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) an intervention group, which receives self-affirmation followed by gain-framed health messages daily or 2) a control group, which receives daily loss-framed health messages only. Objective physical activity engagement is measured by accelerometers. Accelerometers are deployed a week before, during, and the last week of intervention to examine potential changes in sedentary time and physical activity engagement. Participants undertake structural and functional (resting and task-based) MRI scans, neuropsychological tests, computerized behavioral measures, and neurobehavioral inventories at baseline and after the intervention. A 3-month follow-up assesses the long-term maintenance of any engendered behaviors from the intervention period. This study will assess the effectiveness of a novel behavioral intervention at reducing sedentarism in older adults and examine the neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying any such changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meishan Ai
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, USA.
| | | | - Cora Ordway
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, USA
| | | | | | | | - Charles H Hillman
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, USA; Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, & Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, USA
| | - Dominika M Pindus
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Edward McAuley
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Nancy Mayo
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Canada
| | | | - Siobhan Phillips
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, USA
| | - Arthur F Kramer
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Maiya Geddes
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Canada; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Szczepaniak M, Chowdury A, Soloff PH, Diwadkar VA. Stimulus valence, episodic memory, and the priming of brain activation profiles in borderline personality disorder. Psychol Med 2021; 52:1-11. [PMID: 33858552 PMCID: PMC9275123 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by instability in affective regulation that can result in a loss of cognitive control. Triggers may be neuronal responses to emotionally valenced context and/or stimuli. 'Neuronal priming' indexes the familiarity of stimuli, and may capture the obligatory effects of affective valence on the brain's processing system, and how such valence mediates responses to the repeated presentation of stimuli. We investigated the effects of affective valence of stimuli on neuronal priming (i.e. changes in activation to repeated presentation of stimuli), and if these effects distinguished BPD patients from controls. METHODS Forty BPD subjects and 25 control subjects (age range: 18-44) participated in an episodic memory task during fMRI. Stimuli were presented in alternating epochs of encoding (six images of positive, negative, and neutral valence) and recognition (six images for 'old' v. 'new' recognition). Analyses focused on inter-group differences in the change in activation to repeated stimuli (presented during Encoding and Recognition). RESULTS Relative to controls, BPD showed greater priming (generally greater decrease from encoding to recognition) for negatively valenced stimuli. Conversely, BPD showed less priming for positively valenced stimuli (generally greater increase from encoding to recognition). CONCLUSION Plausibly, the relative familiarity of negative valence to patients with BPD exerts an influence on obligatory responses to repeated stimuli leading to repetition priming of neuronal profiles. The specific effects of valence on memory and/or attention, and consequently on priming can inform the understanding of mechanisms of altered salience for affective stimuli in BPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Szczepaniak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
| | - Paul H. Soloff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Vaibhav A. Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Intrinsic functional connectivity of medial prefrontal cortex predicts the individual moral bias in economic valuation partially through the moral sensitivity trait. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:2024-2036. [PMID: 31250264 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00152-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
An individual's economic valuation of a given object is biased by the moral status of the persons to whom the object is attached. The neural basis for how such "moral bias" occurs, especially how it is maintained in the resting state, are largely unknown. In the current study, we explored this question by correlating the functional connectivity with participants' behavioral performance measured in a novel task which captured how the economic valuation was influenced by given moral information. Seed-based FC analysis showed that the functional connectivity between the mPFC and the orbital mPFC (omPFC), the mPFC and the precuneus, the mPFC and the left anterior cingulum, were significantly associated with the behavioral index of morality effect on economic valuation. Multivariate machine learning-based regression analysis showed that connections in the mPFC network, as well as in the putamen network could well predict the behavior performance, indicating that this mPFC network and the putamen network were crucial for this moral bias. Our results further revealed that the individuals' personal trait of moral sensitivity served as a mediator between the rsFC of mPFC network and the behavioral index of morality effect on economic valuation.
Collapse
|
44
|
Differential Modulation of Effective Connectivity in the Brain's Extended Face Processing System by Fearful and Sad Facial Expressions. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0380-20.2021. [PMID: 33658311 PMCID: PMC8174049 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0380-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The processing of emotional facial expressions is underpinned by the integration of information from a distributed network of brain regions. Despite investigations into how different emotional expressions alter the functional relationships within this network, there remains limited research examining which regions drive these interactions. This study investigated effective connectivity during the processing of sad and fearful facial expressions to better understand how these stimuli differentially modulate emotional face processing circuitry. Ninety-eight healthy human adolescents and young adults, aged between 15 and 25 years, underwent an implicit emotional face processing fMRI task. Using dynamic causal modeling (DCM), we examined five brain regions implicated in face processing. These were restricted to the right hemisphere and included the occipital and fusiform face areas, amygdala, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Processing sad and fearful facial expressions were associated with greater positive connectivity from the amygdala to dlPFC. Only the processing of fearful facial expressions was associated with greater negative connectivity from the vmPFC to amygdala. Compared with processing sad faces, processing fearful faces was associated with significantly greater connectivity from the amygdala to dlPFC. No difference was found between the processing of these expressions and the connectivity from the vmPFC to amygdala. Overall, our findings indicate that connectivity from the amygdala and dlPFC appears to be responding to dimensional features which differ between these expressions, likely those relating to arousal. Further research is necessary to examine whether this relationship is also observable for positively valenced emotions.
Collapse
|
45
|
Jackson RL, Bajada CJ, Lambon Ralph MA, Cloutman LL. The Graded Change in Connectivity across the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Reveals Distinct Subregions. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:165-180. [PMID: 31329834 PMCID: PMC7029692 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional heterogeneity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) suggests it may include distinct functional subregions. To date these have not been well elucidated. Regions with differentiable connectivity (and as a result likely dissociable functions) may be identified using emergent data-driven approaches. However, prior parcellations of the vmPFC have only considered hard splits between distinct regions, although both hard and graded connectivity changes may exist. Here we determine the full pattern of change in structural and functional connectivity across the vmPFC for the first time and extract core distinct regions. Both structural and functional connectivity varied along a dorsomedial to ventrolateral axis from relatively dorsal medial wall regions to relatively lateral basal orbitofrontal cortex. The pattern of connectivity shifted from default mode network to sensorimotor and multimodal semantic connections. This finding extends the classical distinction between primate medial and orbital regions by demonstrating a similar gradient in humans for the first time. Additionally, core distinct regions in the medial wall and orbitofrontal cortex were identified that may show greater correspondence to functional differences than prior hard parcellations. The possible functional roles of the orbitofrontal cortex and medial wall are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Jackson
- Medical Research Council Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claude J Bajada
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, MSD, Malta
| | - Matthew A Lambon Ralph
- Medical Research Council Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lauren L Cloutman
- Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit (NARU), Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology (Zochonis Building), University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
The neurobiology of human aggressive behavior: Neuroimaging, genetic, and neurochemical aspects. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 106:110059. [PMID: 32822763 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In modern societies, there is a strive to improve the quality of life related to risk of crimes which inevitably requires a better understanding of brain determinants and mediators of aggression. Neurobiology provides powerful tools to achieve this end. Pre-clinical and clinical studies show that changes in regional volumes, metabolism-function and connectivity within specific neural networks are related to aggression. Subregions of prefrontal cortex, insula, amygdala, basal ganglia and hippocampus play a major role within these circuits and have been consistently implicated in biology of aggression. Genetic variations in proteins regulating the synthesis, degradation, and transport of serotonin and dopamine as well as their signal transduction have been found to mediate behavioral variability observed in aggression. Gene-gene and gene-environment interactions represent additional important risk factors for aggressiveness. Considering the social burden of pathological forms of aggression, more basic and translational studies should be conducted to accelerate applications to clinical practice, justice courts, and policy making.
Collapse
|
47
|
Beckes LA, Medina-DeVilliers SE, Coan JA. The social regulation of emotion: Inconsistencies suggest no mediation through ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Soc Neurosci 2021; 16:6-17. [PMID: 32394803 PMCID: PMC7738398 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2020.1767686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Physical touch in the form of holding a loved one's hand attenuates the neural response to threat. Speculation regarding the neural mediation of this effect points to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), which is known to have inhibitory connections with threat responsive brain regions such as the amygdala. Despite the attractiveness of this hypothesis, a link between the vmPFC and diminished threat during handholding has been difficult to demonstrate empirically. Here we report that in a sample of 110 participants no evidence for vmPFC mediation of the handholding effect was obtained. Indeed, results indicated that connectivity patterns between threat responsive salience network structures and the vmPFC were in the opposite direction one would predict if the vmPFC mediated reductions in neural threat-responding caused by partner handholding. Our findings suggest that the vmPFC does not mediate the regulating effect of physical contact on neural threat responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lane A Beckes
- Department of Psychology, Bradley University , Peoria, USA
| | | | - James A Coan
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Finlayson-Short L, Davey CG, Harrison BJ. Neural correlates of integrated self and social processing. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:941-949. [PMID: 32901818 PMCID: PMC7647375 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-referential and social processing are often engaged concurrently in naturalistic judgements and elicit activity in overlapping brain regions. We have termed this integrated processing ‘self-other referential processing’ and developed a task to measure its neural correlates. Ninety-eight healthy young people aged 16–25 (M = 21.5 years old, 67% female) completed our novel functional magnetic resonance imaging task. The task had two conditions, an active self-other referential processing condition in which participants rated how much they related to emotional faces and a control condition. Rating relatedness required thinking about oneself (self-referential processing) and drawing a comparison to an imagined other (social processing). Self-other referential processing elicited activity in the default mode network and social cognition system; most notably in the ‘core self’ regions of the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. Relatedness and emotional valence directly modulated activity in these core self areas, while emotional valence additionally modulated medial prefrontal cortex activity. This shows the key role of the medial prefrontal cortex in constructing the ‘social-affective self’. This may help to unify disparate models of medial prefrontal cortex function, demonstrating its role in coordinating multiple processes—self-referential, social and affective processing—to allow the self to exist in a complex social world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Finlayson-Short
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Orygen, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher G Davey
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Ben J Harrison
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria 3052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Manuel AL, Roquet D, Landin-Romero R, Kumfor F, Ahmed RM, Hodges JR, Piguet O. Interactions between decision-making and emotion in behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:681-694. [PMID: 32613246 PMCID: PMC7393308 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative and positive emotions are known to shape decision-making toward more or less impulsive responses, respectively. Decision-making and emotion processing are underpinned by shared brain regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the amygdala. How these processes interact at the behavioral and brain levels is still unclear. We used a lesion model to address this question. Study participants included individuals diagnosed with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD, n = 18), who typically present deficits in decision-making/emotion processing and atrophy of the vmPFC, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n = 12) who present with atrophy in limbic structures and age-matched healthy controls (CTRL, n = 15). Prior to each choice on the delay discounting task participants were cued with a positive, negative or neutral picture and asked to vividly imagine witnessing the event. As hypothesized, our findings showed that bvFTD patients were more impulsive than AD patients and CTRL and did not show any emotion-related modulation of delay discounting rate. In contrast, AD patients showed increased impulsivity when primed by negative emotion. This increased impulsivity was associated with reduced integrity of bilateral amygdala in AD but not in bvFTD. Altogether, our results indicate that decision-making and emotion interact at the level of the amygdala supporting findings from animal studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie L Manuel
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging LREN, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Roquet
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ramon Landin-Romero
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona Kumfor
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebekah M Ahmed
- Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Clinical Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - John R Hodges
- Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia.,Clinical Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Olivier Piguet
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Brain & Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition & its Disorders, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Christov-Moore L, Reggente N, Douglas PK, Feusner JD, Iacoboni M. Predicting Empathy From Resting State Brain Connectivity: A Multivariate Approach. Front Integr Neurosci 2020; 14:3. [PMID: 32116582 PMCID: PMC7033456 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2020.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent task fMRI studies suggest that individual differences in trait empathy and empathic concern are mediated by patterns of connectivity between self-other resonance and top-down control networks that are stable across task demands. An untested implication of this hypothesis is that these stable patterns of connectivity should be visible even in the absence of empathy tasks. Using machine learning, we demonstrate that patterns of resting state fMRI connectivity (i.e. the degree of synchronous BOLD activity across multiple cortical areas in the absence of explicit task demands) of resonance and control networks predict trait empathic concern (n = 58). Empathic concern was also predicted by connectivity patterns within the somatomotor network. These findings further support the role of resonance-control network interactions and of somatomotor function in our vicariously driven concern for others. Furthermore, a practical implication of these results is that it is possible to assess empathic predispositions in individuals without needing to perform conventional empathy assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Christov-Moore
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
- Brain and Creativity Institute, School of International Relations, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nicco Reggente
- The Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, Santa Monica, CA, United States
| | - Pamela K. Douglas
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Jamie D. Feusner
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Marco Iacoboni
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|