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Scalabrini A. Through the cracks of consciousness - The relevance of temporal dynamics for the psychological baseline of the self and its dissociative counterpart: A commentary on "Beyond task response-Pre-stimulus activity modulates contents of consciousness" by Northoff, Zilio, and Zhang. Phys Life Rev 2024; 50:100-102. [PMID: 39018893 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- University of Bergamo, Department of Human and Social Sciences, Bergamo, Italy.
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Scalabrini A, De Amicis M, Brugnera A, Cavicchioli M, Çatal Y, Keskin K, Pilar JG, Zhang J, Osipova B, Compare A, Greco A, Benedetti F, Mucci C, Northoff G. The self and our perception of its synchrony - Beyond internal and external cognition. Conscious Cogn 2023; 116:103600. [PMID: 37976779 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103600] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The self is the core of our mental life which connects one's inner mental life with the external perception. Since synchrony is a key feature of the biological world and its various species, what role does it play for humans? We conducted a large-scale psychological study (n = 1072) combining newly developed visual analogue scales (VAS) for the perception of synchrony and internal and external cognition complemented by several psychological questionnaires. Overall, our findings showed close connection of the perception of synchrony of the self with both internal (i.e., body and cognition) and external (i.e., others, environment/nature) synchrony being associated positively with adaptive and negatively with maladaptive traits of self. Moreover, we have demonstrated how external (i.e., life events like the COVID-19 pandemic) variables modulate the perception of the self's internal-external synchrony. These findings suggest how synchrony with self plays a central role during times of uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy.
| | | | - Agostino Brugnera
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | - Yasir Çatal
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa. Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Kaan Keskin
- Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 35100 Bornova-İzmir, Turkey
| | - Javier Gomez Pilar
- Biomedical Engineering Group, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER‑BBN), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bella Osipova
- Moscow State University of Psychology and Education (MSUPE)
| | - Angelo Compare
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Andrea Greco
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- University Vita- Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- University Vita- Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa. Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4, Canada; Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310013, China; Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310013, China.
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Scalabrini A, Palladini M, Mazza MG, Mucci C, Northoff G, Benedetti F. In Between the Psychological and Physiological Self - The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Neuro-Socio-Ecological and Inflammatory Mind-Body-Brain System. CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2023; 20:342-350. [PMID: 37791086 PMCID: PMC10544257 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20230414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals' sense of self perturbating the sense of connectedness with the others, touching upon deep existential fears and deep intersubjective and cultural layers, emphasizing the importance of a neuro-socio-ecological alignment for the sense of security of psychological self. We can still observe after years how social distancing measures, quarantines, and lockdowns have disrupted social connections and routines, leading to feelings of isolation, anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Furthermore, from a physiological perspective, some people continue to experience health problems long after having COVID-19, and these ongoing health problems are sometimes called post-COVID-19 syndrome or post-COVID conditions (PASC). In this complex scenario, through the operationalization of the sense of self and its psychological and physiological baseline, our aim is to try to shed some new light on elements of resilience vs. vulnerability. Here we intend the self and its baseline as the crossroads between psychology and physiology and we show how COVID-19 pandemic, especially in post-COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), left traces in the mind-body-brain system at a neuro-socio-ecological and inflammatory level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Palladini
- University Vita- Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Gennaro Mazza
- University Vita- Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa. Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Z 7K412
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310013, China
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310013, China
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- University Vita- Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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Amianto F, Arletti L, Vesco S, Davico C, Vitiello B. Therapeutic outcome and long-term naturalistic follow-up of female adolescent outpatients with AN: clinical, personality and psychopathology evolution, process indicators and outcome predictors. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:366. [PMID: 37231436 PMCID: PMC10210459 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04855-0] [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: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness of growing prevalence in childhood and adolescence. Despite its severity, there are still no completely satisfactory evidence-based treatments. Follow-up studies represent the most effective attempt to enlighten treatment effectiveness, outcome predictors and process indicators. METHODS Seventy-three female participants affected with AN were assessed at intake (T0) and at 6 (T1) and 12 (T2) months of an outpatient multimodal treatment program. Nineteen participants were assessed 15 years after discharge (T3). Changes in diagnostic criteria were compared with the chi-square test. Clinical, personality and psychopathology evolution were tested with ANOVA for repeated measures, using the t-test or Wilcoxon test as post-hoc. T0 features among dropout, stable and healed participants were compared. Healed and unhealed groups at long-term follow-up were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Treatment changes were correlated to each other and with intake features using multivariate regression. RESULTS The rate of complete remission was 64.4% at T2, and 73.7% at T3. 22% of participants maintained a full diagnosis at T2, and only 15.8% at T3. BMI significantly increased at each time-point. A significant decrease of persistence and increase in self-directedness were evidenced between T0 and T2. Interoceptive awareness, drive to thinness, impulsivity, parent-rated, and adolescent-rated general psychopathology significantly decreased after treatment. Lower reward dependence and lower cooperativeness characterized the dropout group. The healed group displayed lower adolescent-rated aggressive and externalizing symptoms, and lower parent-rated delinquent behaviors. BMI, personality and psychopathology changes were related with each other and with BMI, personality and psychopathology at intake. CONCLUSION A 12-months outpatient multimodal treatment encompassing psychiatric, nutritional and psychological approaches is an effective approach for the treatment of mild to moderate AN in adolescence. Treatment was associated not only with increased BMI but also with positive personality development, and changes in both eating and general psychopathology. Lower relational abilities may be an obstacle to healing. Approaches to treatment resistance should be personalized according to these finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Amianto
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Turin, Via Cherasco, 15 - 10126, Turin, Italy.
| | - Luca Arletti
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Serena Vesco
- Department of Pathology and Care of the Children, Regina Margherita Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Davico
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Benedetto Vitiello
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Section of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Lucherini Angeletti L, Scalabrini A, Ricca V, Northoff G. Topography of the Anxious Self: Abnormal Rest-Task Modulation in Social Anxiety Disorder. Neuroscientist 2023; 29:221-244. [PMID: 34282680 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211030497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by social anxiety/fear, self-attention, and interoception. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrate increased activity during symptom-sensitive tasks in regions of the default-mode network (DMN), amygdala (AMG), and salience network (SN). What is the source of this task-unspecific symptom-sensitive hyperactivity in DMN? We address this question by probing SAD resting state (rs) changes in DMN including their relation to other regions as possible source of task-unspecific hyperactivity in the same regions. Our findings show the following: (1) rs-hypoconnectivity within-DMN regions; (2) rs-hyperconnectivity between DMN and AMG/SN; (3) task-evoked hyperactivity in the abnormal rs-regions of DMN and AMG/SN during different symptom-sensitive tasks; (4) negative relationship of rest and task changes in especially anterior DMN regions as their rs-hypoconnectivity is accompanied by task-unspecific hyperactivity; (5) abnormal top-down/bottom-up modulation between anterior DMN regions and AMG during rest and task. Findings demonstrate that rs-hypoconnectivity among DMN regions is negatively related to task-unspecific hyperactivity in DMN and AMG/SN. We propose a model of "Topography of the Anxious Self" in SAD (TAS-SAD). Abnormal DMN-AMG/SN topography during rest, as trait feature of an "unstable social self", is abnormally aggravated during SAD-sensitive situations resulting in task-related hyperactivity in the same regions with an "anxious self" as state feature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Valdo Ricca
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Yi X, Fu Y, Zhang Z, Jiang F, Xiao Q, Chen BT. Altered regional homogeneity and its association with cognitive function in adolescents with borderline personality disorder. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2023; 48:E1-E10. [PMID: 36596589 PMCID: PMC9829058 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.220144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents with borderline personality disorder often have cognitive impairment, but the underlying mechanism for this is not clear. This study was aimed at assessing alterations in regional homogeneity using resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) in adolescents with borderline personality disorder, and evaluating the associations between regional homogeneity and cognitive testing scores. METHODS We enrolled 50 adolescents with borderline personality disorder (age 12-17 years) and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We performed regional homogeneity and seed-based functional connectivity analysis for both groups. We also performed correlative analysis for regional homogeneity and cognitive testing scores. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, adolescents with borderline personality disorder had reduced regional homogeneity values in the frontal cortex (including the left inferior orbitofrontal cortex and the bilateral superior frontal cortex) as well as in the left precuneus in the default mode network. Adolescents with borderline personality disorder also had higher regional homogeneity values in several cortical regions: the right middle temporal gyrus, the right cuneus, the right precentral gyrus and the left middle occipital gyrus. Regional homogeneity values in the left middle occipital gyrus, left inferior orbitofrontal cortex and right superior frontal gyrus were associated with cognitive testing scores in adolescents with borderline personality disorder. We also found increased functional connectivity between the left middle occipital gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus in adolescents with borderline personality disorder. LIMITATIONS This study had a modest sample size, with a possible case selection bias for patients with more severe illness. This cohort also included patients with comorbidities or taking psychotropic medications, which may have confounded study results. CONCLUSION Alterations in regional homogeneity and functional connectivity in brain regions that involve the limbic-cortical circuit could be neural correlates for cognitive impairment in adolescents with borderline personality disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Qian Xiao
- From the Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China (Yi, Fu); the National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China (Yi, Fu); the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China (Yi); the Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China (Zhang); the Mental Health Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China (Jiang, Xiao); the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif., USA (Chen)
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Cera N, Monteiro J, Esposito R, Di Francesco G, Cordes D, Caldwell JZK, Cieri F. Neural correlates of psychodynamic and non-psychodynamic therapies in different clinical populations through fMRI: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1029256. [PMID: 36644207 PMCID: PMC9832372 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1029256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing crisis in psychiatric and psychological care, contributing to what we have identified as a new psychological and psychiatric pandemic. Psychotherapy is an effective method for easing the psychological suffering experienced also by the various impacts of COVID-19. This treatment can be examined from a neurological perspective, through the application of brain imaging techniques. Specifically, the meta-analysis of imaging studies can aid in expanding researchers' understanding of the many beneficial applications of psychotherapy. Objectives We examined the functional brain changes accompanying different mental disorders with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), through a meta-analysis, and systematic review in order to better understand the general neural mechanism involved in psychotherapy and the potential neural difference between psychodynamic and non-psychodynamic approaches. Data sources The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were employed for our systematic review and meta-analysis. We conducted a computer-based literature search, following the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes (PICO) approach, to retrieve all published articles in English regarding the above-described topics from PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and Web of Science. Study eligibility criteria participants and interventions We combined terms related to psychotherapy and fMRI: ("psychotherapy" [All Fields] OR "psychotherapy" [MeSH Terms] OR "psychotherapy" [All Fields] OR "psychotherapies" [All Fields] OR "psychotherapy s" [All Fields]) AND ("magnetic resonance imaging" [MeSH Terms]) OR ("magnetic"[All Fields] AND "resonance"[All Fields] AND "imaging"[All Fields]) OR ("magnetic resonance imaging"[All Fields] OR "fmri"[All Fields]). We considered (1) whole brain fMRI studies; (2) studies in which participants have been involved in a clinical trial with psychotherapy sessions, with pre/post fMRI; (3) fMRI results presented in coordinate-based (x, y, and z) in MNI or Talairach space; (4) presence of neuropsychiatric patients. The exclusion criteria were: (1) systematic review or meta-analysis; (2) behavioral study; (3) single-case MRI or fMRI study; and (4) other imaging techniques (i.e., PET, SPECT) or EEG. Results After duplicates removal and assessment of the content of each published study, we included 38 sources. The map including all studies that assessed longitudinal differences in brain activity showed two homogeneous clusters in the left inferior frontal gyrus, and caudally involving the anterior insular cortex (p < 0.0001, corr.). Similarly, studies that assessed psychotherapy-related longitudinal changes using emotional or cognitive tasks (TASK map) showed a left-sided homogeneity in the anterior insula (p < 0.000) extending to Broca's area of the inferior frontal gyrus (p < 0.0001) and the superior frontal gyrus (p < 0.0001). Studies that applied psychodynamic psychotherapy showed Family-Wise Error (FWE) cluster-corrected (p < 0.05) homogeneity values in the right superior and inferior frontal gyri, with a small cluster in the putamen. No FWE-corrected homogeneity foci were observed for Mindful- based and cognitive behavioral therapy psychotherapy. In both pre- and post-therapy results, studies showed two bilateral clusters in the dorsal anterior insulae (p = 0.00001 and p = 0.00003, respectively) and involvement of the medial superior frontal gyrus (p = 0.0002). Limitations Subjective experiences, such as an individual's response to therapy, are intrinsically challenging to quantify as objective, factual realities. Brain changes observed both pre- and post-therapy could be related to other factors, not necessary to the specific treatment received. Therapeutic modalities and study designs are generally heterogeneous. Differences exist in sample characteristics, such as the specificity of the disorder and number and duration of sessions. Moreover, the sample size is relatively small, particularly due to the paucity of studies in this field and the little contribution of PDT. Conclusions and implications of key findings All psychological interventions seem to influence the brain from a functional point of view, showing their efficacy from a neurological perspective. Frontal, prefrontal regions, insular cortex, superior and inferior frontal gyrus, and putamen seem involved in these neural changes, with the psychodynamic more linked to the latter three regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Cera
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- CIBIT-Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jessica Monteiro
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Roberto Esposito
- Department of Radiology, Area Vasta 1/ASUR Marche, Pesaro, Italy
| | | | - Dietmar Cordes
- Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Jessica Z. K. Caldwell
- Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Filippo Cieri
- Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, United States
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Scalabrini A, Mucci C, Northoff G. The nested hierarchy of self and its trauma: In search for a synchronic dynamic and topographical re-organization. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:980353. [PMID: 36118976 PMCID: PMC9478193 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.980353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The sense of self has always been a topic of high interest in both psychoanalysis and most recently in neuroscience. Nowadays, there is an agreement in psychoanalysis that the self emerges from the relationship with the other (e.g., the caregiver) in terms of his/her capacity to attune, regulate, and synchronize with the emergent self of the infant. The outcome of this relational/intersubjective synchronization is the development of the sense of self and its regulatory processes both in dynamic psychology and neuroscience. In this work, we propose that synchrony is a fundamental biobehavioral factor in these dialectical processes between self and others which shapes the brain-body-mind system of the individuals, including their sense of self. Recently in neuroscience, it has been proposed by the research group around Northoff that the self is constituted by a brain-based nested hierarchical three-layer structure, including interoceptive, proprio-exteroceptive, and mental layers of self. This may be disrupted, though, when traumatic experiences occur. Following the three levels of trauma theorized by Mucci, we here suggest how different levels of traumatic experiences might have an enduring effect in yielding a trauma-based topographic and dynamic re-organization of the nested model of self featured by dissociation. In conclusion, we propose that different levels and degrees of traumatic experience are related to corresponding disruptions in the topography and dynamic of the brain-based three-layer hierarchical structure of the self.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neural Dynamics, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
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Li Y, Zhuang K, Yi Z, Wei D, Sun J, Qiu J. The trait and state negative affect can be separately predicted by stable and variable resting-state functional connectivity. Psychol Med 2022; 52:813-823. [PMID: 32654675 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720002391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many emotional experiences such as anxiety and depression are influenced by negative affect (NA). NA has both trait and state features, which play different roles in physiological and mental health. Attending to NA common to various emotional experiences and their trait-state features might help deepen the understanding of the shared foundation of related emotional disorders. METHODS The principal component of five measures was calculated to indicate individuals' NA level. Applying the connectivity-based correlation analysis, we first identified resting-state functional connectives (FCs) relating to NA in sample 1 (n = 367), which were validated through an independent sample (n = 232; sample 2). Next, based on the variability of FCs across large timescale, we further divided the NA-related FCs into high- and low-variability groups. Finally, FCs in different variability groups were separately applied to predict individuals' neuroticism level (which is assumed to be the core trait-related factor underlying NA), and the change of NA level (which represents the state-related fluctuation of NA). RESULTS The low-variability FCs were primarily within the default mode network (DMN) and between the DMN and dorsal attention network/sensory system and significantly predicted trait rather than state NA. The high-variability FCs were primarily between the DMN and ventral attention network, the fronto-parietal network and DMN/sensory system, and significantly predicted the change of NA level. CONCLUSIONS The trait and state NA can be separately predicted by stable and variable spontaneous FCs with different attentional processes and emotion regulatory mechanisms, which could deepen our understanding of NA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zili Yi
- Beibei Mental Health Center, Chongqing400715, China
| | - Dongtao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University
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Assessment of personality functioning in psychosomatic medicine. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2022; 134:602-610. [PMID: 35344100 PMCID: PMC9418278 DOI: 10.1007/s00508-021-01993-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Personality functioning, also referred to as structural integration, describes basic emotion-related perception and regulation capacities directed towards the self and others. Patients with impairments of personality functioning experience difficulties in self-regulation and interpersonal relations. Although personality functioning has become increasingly important in psychotherapeutic and psychiatric diagnoses and treatment planning, there is little systematic evidence on the role of personality functioning in patients with chronic and somatic diseases. This article reviews empirical studies using standardized assessments of personality functioning in patients with chronic and somatic diseases and discusses the role of personality structure in psychosomatic medicine. Results Currently, there are only a limited number of studies using standardized assessments of personality functioning in patients with chronic or somatic diseases. The available evidence points to correlations of personality functioning with pain perception and the development of chronic pain. In addition, patients with lower levels of personality functioning may have difficulties in managing chronic conditions that require enduring changes in health behavior, such as in diabetes or posttransplantation therapy. Conclusion The review suggests a systematic link between personality functioning and health behavior in patients with chronic diseases that relate to self-regulation and coping strategies. These findings underline the importance of assessing personality functioning for diagnostics and treatment planning in psychosomatic medicine. Finally, an assessment of personality functioning could be helpful in choosing specific psychotherapeutic treatment strategies; however, more empirical studies are needed to comprehensively prove these assumptions.
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Chan A, Northoff G, Karasik R, Ouyang J, Williams K. Flights and Perchings of the BrainMind: A Temporospatial Approach to Psychotherapy. Front Psychol 2022; 13:828035. [PMID: 35444594 PMCID: PMC9014955 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.828035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This article introduces a process-oriented approach for improving present moment conceptualization in psychotherapy that is in alignment with neuroscience: the Temporospatial movements of mind (TSMM) model. We elaborate on seven temporal movements that describe the moment-to-moment morphogenesis of emotional feelings and thoughts from inception to maturity. Temporal refers to the passage of time through which feelings and thoughts develop, and electromagnetic activity, that among other responsibilities, bind information across time. Spatial dynamics extend from an undifferentiated to three dimensional experiences of emotional and cognitive processes. Neurophysiologically, spatial refers to structures within the brain and their varying interactions with one another. This article culminates in the development of an atheoretical temporospatial grid that may help clinicians conceptualize where patients are in their cognitive and emotional development to further guide technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldrich Chan
- Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States
- Center for Neuropsychology and Consciousness, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Aldrich Chan,
| | - Georg Northoff
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neural Dynamics, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ryan Karasik
- Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States
- Center for Neuropsychology and Consciousness, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Jason Ouyang
- Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States
- Center for Neuropsychology and Consciousness, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Kathryn Williams
- Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, United States
- Center for Neuropsychology and Consciousness, Miami, FL, United States
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12
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Scalabrini A, Schimmenti A, De Amicis M, Porcelli P, Benedetti F, Mucci C, Northoff G. The self and its internal thought: In search for a psychological baseline. Conscious Cogn 2021; 97:103244. [PMID: 34847513 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Self-consciousness is neuronally associated with the brain's default mode network as its "neuronal baseline" while, psychologically the self is characterized by different thought modes and dynamics. We here raise the question whether they reflect the "psychological baseline" of the self. We investigate the psychological relationship of the self with thought modes (rumination, reflection) and mind-wandering dynamics (spontaneous, deliberate), as well as with depressive symptomatology. Our findings show a relationship between self-consciousness and i) mind-wandering dynamics, and ii) thought functional modes, in their respective forms. At the same time, self-consciousness is more related to spontaneous mind-wandering than deliberate and to rumination than reflection. Furthermore, iii) rumination acts as a mediator between self-consciousness and spontaneous mind-wandering dynamics; and iv) the relationship between high levels of self-consciousness and depressive symptoms is mediated by ruminative modes and spontaneous mind-wandering dynamics. Together, these findings support the view of the self as "psychological baseline".
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti, CH, Italy.
| | - Adriano Schimmenti
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE - Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria 94100, Enna, EN, Italy
| | - Michelangelo De Amicis
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti, CH, Italy
| | - Piero Porcelli
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti, CH, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- Psychiatry &Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino, 2, 24129 Bergamo, BG, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa. Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4, Canada; Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310013, China; Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310013, China; TMU Research Centre for Brain and Consciousness, Shuang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan.
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13
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Cruciani G, Boccia M, Lingiardi V, Giovanardi G, Zingaretti P, Spitoni GF. An Exploratory Study on Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Individuals with Disorganized Attachment: Evidence for Key Regions in Amygdala and Hippocampus. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111539. [PMID: 34827538 PMCID: PMC8615787 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111539] [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: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies comparing organized (O) and unresolved/disorganized (UD) attachment have consistently shown structural and functional brain abnormalities, although whether and how attachment patterns may affect resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) is still little characterized. Here, we investigated RSFC of temporal and limbic regions of interest for UD attachment. Participants’ attachment was classified via the Adult Attachment Interview, and all participants underwent clinical assessment. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 11 UD individuals and seven matched O participants during rest. A seed-to-voxel analysis was performed, including the anterior and the posterior cingulate cortex, the bilateral insula, amygdala and hippocampus as seed regions. No group differences in the clinical scales emerged. Compared to O, the UD group showed lower RSFC between the left amygdala and the left cerebellum (lobules VIII), and lower functional coupling between the right hippocampus and the posterior portion of the right middle temporal gyrus. Moreover, UD participants showed higher RSFC between the right amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex. Our findings suggest RSFC alterations in regions associated with encoding of salient events, emotion processing, memories retrieval and self-referential processing in UD participants, highlighting the potential role of attachment experiences in shaping brain abnormalities also in non-clinical UD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Cruciani
- Department of Psychology, Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0)6-49917711
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), 00179 Rome, Italy;
| | - Vittorio Lingiardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Guido Giovanardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Pietro Zingaretti
- Villa von Siebenthal Neuropsychiatric Clinic and Hospital, Genzano di Roma, 00045 Rome, Italy;
| | - Grazia Fernanda Spitoni
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), 00179 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (G.G.)
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14
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Northoff G, Scalabrini A. "Project for a Spatiotemporal Neuroscience" - Brain and Psyche Share Their Topography and Dynamic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:717402. [PMID: 34721166 PMCID: PMC8552334 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
What kind of neuroscience does psychoanalysis require? At his time, Freud in his "Project for a Scientific Psychology" searched for a model of the brain that could relate to incorporate the psyche's topography and dynamic. Current neuropsychoanalysis builds on specific functions as investigated in Affective and Cognitive (and Social) Neuroscience including embodied approaches. The brain's various functions are often converged with prediction as operationalized in predictive coding (PC) and free energy principle (FEP) which, recently, have been conceived as core for a "New Project for Scientific Psychology." We propose to search for a yet more comprehensive and holistic neuroscience that focuses primarily on its topography and dynamic analogous to Freud's model of the psyche. This leads us to what we describe as "Spatiotemporal Neuroscience" that focuses on the spatial topography and temporal dynamic of the brain's neural activity including how they shape affective, cognitive, and social functions including PC and FEP (first part). That is illustrated by the temporally and spatially nested neural hierarchy of the self in the brain's neural activity (second and third part). This sets the ground for developing our proposed "Project for a Spatiotemporal Neuroscience," which complements and extends both Freud's and Solms' projects (fourth part) and also carries major practical implications as it lays the ground for a novel form of neuroscientifically informed psychotherapy, namely, "Spatiotemporal Psychotherapy." In conclusion, "Spatiotemporal Neuroscience" provides an intimate link of brain and psyche by showing topography and dynamic as their shared features, that is, "common currency."
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Northoff
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neural Dynamics, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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15
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Scalabrini A, Esposito R, Mucci C. Dreaming the unrepressed unconscious and beyond: repression vs dissociation in the oneiric functioning of severe patients. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2021; 24:545. [PMID: 34568112 PMCID: PMC8451207 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Starting with Freud and Jung, dreams have always been considered a core source of information for psychoanalysis. Nowadays, neuroscientific findings suggest that dreams are related especially to limbic and right emotional brain circuit, and that during REM stages they engage self-related and visual internally generated processing. These neuroscientific findings together with contemporary psychoanalysis suggest that dreams are related to the sense of self and serve the purpose of re-integrating and re-structuring the integrity of the psyche. However, while dreams are still viewed as 'the via regia to the unconscious', it is the unconscious that has been reconsidered. The repressed unconscious seems to be related with left brain activity while the unrepressed unconscious based on dissociation seems to be associated with limbic and cortical areas of the right hemisphere. This notion of the unconscious might be seen as an implicit self-system encoded in the right brain that evolves in the interaction with a primary caregiver developing through preverbal and bodily stages of maturation enhanced by signals of dual communication. What kind of dreams for which unconscious? What are the differences regarding the capacity to dream for neurotic and borderline personality organizations? Our research aims to integrate psychodynamics, infant research, and neuroscientific findings to better understand the role of dreams in the assessment and treatment of, especially, traumatized and borderline patients. The capacity to dream is here proposed as a sort of enacted manifestation of emotional memories for the development of a more cohesive, coherent and symbolic vs fragmented, diffuse and alexithymic sense of self.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti
| | - Rosy Esposito
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
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16
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Wang Y, Hu X, Han J, Scalabrini A, Hu Y, Hu Z, Tan Z, Zhang J, Northoff G. Time is of essence - Abnormal time perspectives mediate the impact of childhood trauma on depression severity. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 137:534-541. [PMID: 33153758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a multifaceted mental disorder where participants, in addition to various symptoms, often suffer from increased focus on past time perspective and higher incidence of childhood trauma. Whether the abnormal time perspective is a result of the depressive symptoms or, alternatively, mediates between childhood trauma and depression remains unclear. AIMS To examine the triangular relationship between early life trauma, time perspective, and depressive symptoms. METHOD We investigated a large-scale MDD sample (n = 93) and healthy subject sample (n = 69) with Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck hopelessness scale (BHS), childhood traumatic questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), and the Zimbardo time perspective inventory (ZTPI). RESULTS The MDD patients reported more childhood trauma experiences, and were featured by abnormal time perspectives on past and future when compared to healthy control. By applying two alternative mediation models, we observed that the time perspective acted as a mediator between childhood trauma and depressive symptom severity, rather than as a consequence of depressive symptom. Furthermore, this abnormal time perspective was a risk factor to MDD, as the childhood trauma only mediated the time perspective in MDD. Finally, we showed that time perspective was a long-term personal trait and unchanged after the remission of depression symptoms under five-day transcranial magnetic stimulation. CONCLUSIONS Abnormal time perspective mediates the impact of early childhood trauma on depressive symptomatology. Besides better understanding of the temporal basis of depressive symptoms, we highlight the importance of preventive time perspective therapy in subjects with childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Wang
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiwen Hu
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinfang Han
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100, Chieti, CH, Italy
| | - Yuting Hu
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Zhiguo Hu
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Institute of Psychological Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhonglin Tan
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Georg Northoff
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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17
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D’Agata F, Caroppo P, Spalatro A, Lavagnino L, Abbate Daga G, Boghi A, Bergui M, Cicerale A, Vitiello B, Fassino S, Derntl B, Amianto F. Emotional imagination of negative situations: Functional neuroimaging in anorexia and bulimia. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0231684. [PMID: 33836002 PMCID: PMC8034744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim The present study aims to extend the knowledge of the neural correlates of emotion processing in first episode subjects affected by anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN). We applied an emotional distress paradigm targeting negative emotions thought to be relevant for interpersonal difficulties and therapeutic resistance mechanisms. Methods The current study applied to 44 female participants with newly diagnosed AN or BN and 20 matched controls a neuroimaging paradigm eliciting affective responses. The measurements also included an extensive assessment comprising clinical scales, neuropsychological tests, measures of emotion processing and empathy. Results AN and BN did not differ from controls in terms of emotional response, emotion matching, self-reported empathy and cognitive performance. However, eating disorder and psychopathological clinical scores, as well as alexithymia levels, were increased in AN and BN. On a neural level, no significant group differences emerged, even when focusing on a region of interest selected a priori: the amygdala. Some interesting findings put in relation the hippocampal activity with the level of Body Dissatisfaction of the participants, the relative importance of the key nodes for the common network in the decoding of different emotions (BN = right amygdala, AN = anterior cingulate area), and the qualitative profile of the deactivations. Conclusions Our data do not support the hypothesis that participants with AN or BN display reduced emotional responsiveness. However, peculiar characteristics in emotion processing could be associated to the three different groups. Therefore, relational difficulties in eating disorders, as well as therapeutic resistance, could be not secondary to a simple difficulty in feeling and identifying basic negative emotions in AN and BN participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico D’Agata
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Computational Imaging Group for MR diagnostics & therapy, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Paola Caroppo
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Spalatro
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Lavagnino
- UT Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Andrea Boghi
- ASL TO2 San Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Mauro Bergui
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Benedetto Vitiello
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Secondo Fassino
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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18
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Wrege JS, Carcone D, Lee ACH, Cane C, Lang UE, Borgwardt S, Walter M, Ruocco AC. Attentional salience and the neural substrates of response inhibition in borderline personality disorder. Psychol Med 2021; 52:1-9. [PMID: 33722320 PMCID: PMC9772916 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721000118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impulsivity is a central symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and its neural basis may be instantiated in a frontoparietal network involved in response inhibition. However, research has yet to determine whether neural activation differences in BPD associated with response inhibition are attributed to attentional saliency, which is subserved by a partially overlapping network of brain regions. METHODS Patients with BPD (n = 45) and 29 healthy controls (HCs; n = 29) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while completing a novel go/no-go task with infrequent odd-ball trials to control for attentional saliency. Contrasts reflecting a combination of response inhibition and attentional saliency (no-go > go), saliency processing alone (oddball > go), and response inhibition controlling for attentional saliency (no-go > oddball) were compared between BPD and HC. RESULTS Compared to HC, BPD showed less activation in the combined no-go > go contrast in the right posterior inferior and middle-frontal gyri, and less activation for oddball > go in left-hemispheric inferior frontal junction, frontal pole, superior parietal lobe, and supramarginal gyri. Crucially, BPD and HC showed no activation differences for the no-go > oddball contrast. In BPD, higher vlPFC activation for no-go > go was correlated with greater self-rated BPD symptoms, whereas lower vlPFC activation for oddball > go was associated with greater self-rated attentional impulsivity. CONCLUSIONS Patients with BPD show frontoparietal disruptions related to the combination of response inhibition and attentional saliency or saliency alone, but no specific response inhibition neural activation difference when attentional saliency is controlled. The findings suggest a neural dysfunction in BPD underlying attention to salient or infrequent stimuli, which is supported by a negative correlation with self-rated impulsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. S. Wrege
- Department of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinics of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - D. Carcone
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A. C. H. Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C. Cane
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - U. E. Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinics of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - M. Walter
- Department of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinics of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - A. C. Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Scalabrini A, Xu J, Northoff G. What COVID-19 tells us about the self: The deep intersubjective and cultural layers of our brain. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 75:37-45. [PMID: 33305486 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 crisis is affecting our sense of self and touches upon our existential fears. This extends to the self-other relationship, as there is both being infected and infecting the other. What does this pandemic crisis tell us about our self and relatedness, its cultural differences, and how these are rooted in the brain's relation to the world? First, we discuss the psychological and neuronal features of self and self-other relation and how they are rooted in a deeper layer of the brain's neural activity complementing its cognitive surface layer. Second, we demonstrate cultural differences of Eastern and Western concepts of the self (i.e., independency and interdependency) and how these reflect the manifestation of the brain's neuro-social and neuro-ecological alignment. Finally, we highlight the intersubjective and cultural nature of the self and its surface in the COVID-19 crisis. Discussing various lines of empirical data showing the brain's intimate alignment to both social and ecological environmental contexts, our results support the assumption of the brain's deep layer features by laying bare a continuum of different degrees of neuro-social and neuro-ecological alignment. This entails a two-stage model of self with neuro-social-ecological and psychological levels that extends the previously suggested basis model of self-specificity. We conclude that the current pandemic shows the importance of the deeper intersubjective and cultural layers of both the self and brain; their neglect can be life-threatening for the self and others and, paradoxically, might reduce, rather than enlarge, the self's sense of freedom and independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Jiawei Xu
- Department of Philosophy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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20
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Amianto F, Martini M, Olandese F, Davico C, Abbate-Daga G, Fassino S, Vitiello B. Affectionless control: A parenting style associated with obesity and binge eating disorder in adulthood. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2020; 29:178-192. [PMID: 33247868 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Obesity is rising globally with a heavy health and economic burden. Early attachment experiences are relevant to the development of obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate if parental care and attachment style experienced in childhood is associated with obesity, with or without binge eating disorder (BED), in adulthood. METHOD Parental style, personality traits, and psychopathology were assessed in 810 clinically referred adults with obesity, of whom 357 with BED and 453 without BED (non-BED), and 463 healthy subjects (HS). Assessments included the Parental Bonding Instrument, Temperament and Character Inventory, Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Symptom Checklist-90 and Beck Depression Inventory-II. RESULTS Both BED and non-BED reported lower maternal and paternal care and higher overprotection than HS. BED reported worse levels of parental care than non-BED and HS. 'Affectionless control' parenting style was more frequently reported by both BED and non-BED than HS. No significant differences in parenting style emerged between BED and non-BED. CONCLUSIONS Perception of parental 'affectionless control' was associated with obesity in adults, and lower quality of parental care was more frequently reported by participants with BED. Parental style may constitute an important target for early interventions to prevent obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Amianto
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, Regional Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Matteo Martini
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, Regional Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Francesco Olandese
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, Regional Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Chiara Davico
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanni Abbate-Daga
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, Regional Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Secondo Fassino
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, Regional Pilot Centre for Eating Disorders, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Benedetto Vitiello
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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21
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Scalabrini A, Vai B, Poletti S, Damiani S, Mucci C, Colombo C, Zanardi R, Benedetti F, Northoff G. All roads lead to the default-mode network-global source of DMN abnormalities in major depressive disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:2058-2069. [PMID: 32740651 PMCID: PMC7547732 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0785-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by abnormal resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in various neural networks and especially in default-mode network (DMN). However, inconsistent findings, i.e., increased and decreased DMN rsFC, have been reported, which raise the question for the source of DMN changes in MDD. Testing whether the DMN abnormalities in MDD can be traced to either a local, i.e., intra-network, or a global, i.e., inter-network, source, we conducted a novel sequence of rsFC analyses, i.e., global FC, intra-network FC, and inter-network FC. Moreover, all analyses were conducted without global signal regression (non-GSR) and with GSR in order to identify the impact of specifically the global component of functional connectivity on within-network functional connectivity within specifically the DMN. In MDD our findings demonstrate (i) increased representation of global signal correlation (GSCORR) in DMN regions, as confirmed independently by degree of centrality (DC) and by an independent DMN template, (ii) increased within-network DMN rsFC, (iii) highly increased inter-network rsFC of both lower- and higher order non-DMN networks with DMN, (iv) high accuracy in classifying MDD vs. healthy subjects by using GSCORR as predictor. Further supporting the global, i.e., non-DMN source of within-network rsFC of the DMN, all results were obtained only when including the global signal, i.e., non-GSR, but not when conducting GSR. Together, we show for the first time increased global signal representation within rsFC of DMN as stemming from inter-network sources as distinguished from local sources, i.e., within- or intra-DMN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100, Chieti (CH), Italy. .,Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Benedetta Vai
- grid.18887.3e0000000417581884Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy ,grid.15496.3fDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Poletti
- grid.18887.3e0000000417581884Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy ,grid.15496.3fDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Damiani
- grid.8982.b0000 0004 1762 5736Department of Brain and Behavioral Science, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- grid.412451.70000 0001 2181 4941Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti (CH), Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- grid.15496.3fDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy ,grid.18887.3e0000000417581884Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4 Canada
| | - Raffaella Zanardi
- grid.18887.3e0000000417581884Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4 Canada
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- grid.18887.3e0000000417581884Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy ,grid.15496.3fDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. .,The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada. .,Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang Province, China. .,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang Province, China.
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22
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Kolvoort IR, Wainio‐Theberge S, Wolff A, Northoff G. Temporal integration as "common currency" of brain and self-scale-free activity in resting-state EEG correlates with temporal delay effects on self-relatedness. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:4355-4374. [PMID: 32697351 PMCID: PMC7502844 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The self is a multifaceted phenomenon that integrates information and experience across multiple time scales. How temporal integration on the psychological level of the self is related to temporal integration on the neuronal level remains unclear. To investigate temporal integration on the psychological level, we modified a well-established self-matching paradigm by inserting temporal delays. On the neuronal level, we indexed temporal integration in resting-state EEG by two related measures of scale-free dynamics, the power law exponent and autocorrelation window. We hypothesized that the previously established self-prioritization effect, measured as decreased response times or increased accuracy for self-related stimuli, would change with the insertion of different temporal delays between the paired stimuli, and that these changes would be related to temporal integration on the neuronal level. We found a significant self-prioritization effect on accuracy in all conditions with delays, indicating stronger temporal integration of self-related stimuli. Further, we observed a relationship between temporal integration on psychological and neuronal levels: higher degrees of neuronal integration, that is, higher power-law exponent and longer autocorrelation window, during resting-state EEG were related to a stronger increase in the self-prioritization effect across longer temporal delays. We conclude that temporal integration on the neuronal level serves as a template for temporal integration of the self on the psychological level. Temporal integration can thus be conceived as the "common currency" of neuronal and psychological levels of self.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivar R. Kolvoort
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Unit, Institute of Mental Health ResearchUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Psychology, Programme Group Psychological MethodsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Soren Wainio‐Theberge
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Unit, Institute of Mental Health ResearchUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Annemarie Wolff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Unit, Institute of Mental Health ResearchUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Unit, Institute of Mental Health ResearchUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
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23
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Zhang W, Zhu X, Guan H, Li T. Self-Conscious or Fear of Hurting Another’s Feeling? An Experimental Investigation on Promise-Keeping. Front Psychol 2020; 11:576824. [PMID: 33117242 PMCID: PMC7561381 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted an experimental investigation into whether the effect of non-binding verbal promises in enhancing cooperation among promisors is derived from the internalized norm mechanism or the expectation-based mechanism. We proposed a new experimental design based on the standard trust game to separate the two possible influence mechanisms of promises and assess the empirical support for these two mechanisms for the effect of promises. We also identified individuals’ cooperation preferences to further investigate whether the effect of promises and its underlying mechanism differ between individuals with different preferences. The results show that promises significantly improve promisors’ cooperation level, and this effect is only in line with the internalized norm mechanism rather than with the expectation-based mechanism. Additionally, the introduction of non-binding promises has different impacts on the behavior of selfish individuals and conditional cooperators, but both sets of the impacts can be interpreted as evidence for the internalized norm mechanism, while neither is supportive of the expectation-based mechanism. This paper provides empirical evidence consistent with the internalized norm mechanism for the effect of promises in promoting cooperation. There appears to be no support for the expectation-based mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zhang
- School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianchen Zhu
- School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongyu Guan
- Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Tao Li
- School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Li,
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24
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Scalabrini A, Mucci C, Esposito R, Damiani S, Northoff G. Dissociation as a disorder of integration - On the footsteps of Pierre Janet. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 101:109928. [PMID: 32194203 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
At the end of the 19th century Pierre Janet described dissociation as an altered state of consciousness manifested in disrupted integration of psychological functions. Clinically, such disruption comprises compartmentalization symptoms like amnesia, detachment symptoms like depersonalization/derealization, and structural dissociation of personality with changes in the sense of self. The exact neuronal mechanisms leading to these different symptoms remain unclear. We here suggest to put Janet's original account of dissociation as disrupted integration of psychological functions into a novel context, that is, a neuronal context as related to current brain imaging. This requires a combined theoretical and empirical approach on data supporting such neuronal reframing of Janet. For that, we here review (i) past and (ii) recent psychological and neuronal views on dissociation together with neuroscientific theories of integration, which (iii) are supported and complemented by preliminary fMRI data. We propose three neuronal mechanisms of dynamic integration operating at different levels of the brain's spontaneous activity - temporo-spatial binding on the regional level, temporo-spatial synchronization on the network level, and temporo-spatial globalization on the global level. These neuronal mechanisms, in turn, may be related to different symptomatic manifestation of dissociation operating at different levels, e.g., compartmentalization, detachment, and structural, which, as we suggest, can all be traced to disrupted integration of neuronal and psychological functions as originally envisioned by Janet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, Chieti (CH) 66100, Italy.
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, Chieti (CH) 66100, Italy
| | - Rosy Esposito
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, Chieti (CH) 66100, Italy
| | - Stefano Damiani
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science, University of Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Canada; Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 7K4, Canada; Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310013, China; Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310013, China; TMU Research Centre for Brain and Consciousness, Shuang Hospital, Taipei MedicalUniversity, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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25
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Scalabrini A, Mucci C, Angeletti LL, Northoff G. The Self and its World: A Neuro-Ecological and Temporo-Spatial Account of Existential Fear. CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2020; 17:46-58. [PMID: 34908967 PMCID: PMC8629082 DOI: 10.36131/clinicalnpsych20200203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The current international crisis situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is having a strong psychological impact on our subjectivities. We are constantly threatened by the danger of i) being infected, ii) infecting other people, and (iii) by the loss of social relation. Departing from these premises, we here aim to investigate the psychological and neurodynamics of this complex phenomenon. First, we discuss about recent psychological and neuronal findings on fear and its disorders, related to an unbalanced intero-exteroceptive processing and emotional regulation. Secondly we move to the psychological and neuronal dynamics of self and others characterized by a temporo-spatial alignment with the world. Due to the neural overlap of emotion and self and the deep-reaching neuro-ecological layers of self, emotional feelings like fear and anxiety cannot be detached and dissociated from the world; they signify the world–brain relation, and, more specifically, our self-other relation. The deepest neuro-ecological and neuro-social layers of self are threatened by the loss of subjectivity, which is manifest in our loss of body and thus the fear of dying, and the loss of intersubjectivity that surfaces in our fear of infecting others, which reflect the intimate anchorage of the self with the world. In our opinion the pandemic of COVID-19 deeply affect our sense of self and its spatio-temporal neuronal dynamics providing the prerequisites for the manifestation of fear and existential anxiety, thus disrupting the brain-world relation with significant repercussions on our psyche and on our daily lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti (CH), Italy
| | - Clara Mucci
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer), G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti (CH), Italy
| | - Lorenzo Lucherini Angeletti
- Psychiatry Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Largo G. Alessandro Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa. Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, 145 Carling Avenue, Rm. 6435, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Z 7K4.,Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310013, China.,Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Tianmu Road 305, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310013, China.,TMU Research Centre for Brain and Consciousness, Shuang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu-Xing Street, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan
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26
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Scorolli C. Re-enacting the Bodily Self on Stage: Embodied Cognition Meets Psychoanalysis. Front Psychol 2019; 10:492. [PMID: 31024371 PMCID: PMC6460994 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The embodied approach to cognition consists in a range of theoretical proposals sharing the idea that our concepts are constitutively shaped by the physical and social constraints of our body and environment. Still far from a mutually enriching interplay, in recent years embodied and psychoanalytic approaches are converging on similar constructs as the ones of intersubjectivity, bodily self, and affective quality of verbal communication. Some efforts to cope with the sentient subject were already present in classical cognitivism: having expunged desires and conflicts from the cognitive harmony, bodily emotions re-emerged but only as a noisy dynamic friction. In contrast, the new, neural, embodied cognitive science with its focus on bodily effects/affects has enabled a dialogue between neuro-cognitive perspectives and clinic-psychological ones, through shared conceptual frameworks. I will address crucial issues that should be faced on this reconciling path. With reference to two kinds of contemporary addictions - internet addiction disorder and eating disorders - I will introduce a possible therapeutic approach that is built upon the core role of the acting-sentient bodily self in a dynamic-social and affective environment. In Psychoanalytic Psychodrama, the spontaneous re-enactment of a past (socially and physically constrained) experience is actualized by means of the other, the Auxiliary Ego. This allows homeostatic and social-emotional affects, i.e., drives and instincts, to be re-experienced by the agent, the Protagonist, in a safe scenario. The director-psychoanalyst smoothly traces back this simulation to the motivated, and constrained, early proximal embodied interactions with significant others, and to the related instinctual conflicting aims. The psychoanalytic reframing of classical psychodrama does not merely exploit its original cathartic function, rather stands out for exploring the interpersonal constitution of the self, through an actual "re-somatization" of psychoanalytic therapy. Unspoken/unspeakable feelings pop up on stage: the strength of this treatment mainly rests on re-establishing the priority of the embodied Self over the narrative Self. By pointing out the possible conflicts between these two selves, this method can broaden the embodied cognition perspective. The psychodramatic approach will be briefly discussed in light of connectionist models, to finally address linguistic and methodological pivotal issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Scorolli
- Department of Philosophy and Communication Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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