scholarly journals Amygdala Functional Connectivity Is Associated With Emotion Regulation and Amygdala Reactivity in 4- to 6-Year-Olds

2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 176-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Gaffrey ◽  
Deanna M. Barch ◽  
Joan L. Luby ◽  
Steven E. Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Amygdala Reactivity

Neural responses during down-regulation of negative emotion in patients with recently diagnosed bipolar disorder and their unaffected relatives

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Hanne Lie Kjærstad ◽  
Julian Macoveanu ◽  
Gitte Moos Knudsen ◽  
Sophia Frangou ◽  
K. Luan Phan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Down Regulation

Abstract Background Aberrant emotion regulation has been posited as a putative endophenotype of bipolar disorder (BD). We therefore aimed to compare the neural responses during voluntary down-regulation of negative emotions in a large functional magnetic resonance imaging study of BD, patients' unaffected first-degree relatives (URs), and healthy controls (HCs). Methods We compared neural activity and fronto-limbic functional connectivity during emotion regulation in response to aversive v. neutral pictures in patients recently diagnosed with BD (n = 78) in full/partial remission, their URs (n = 35), and HCs (n = 56). Results Patients showed hypo-activity in the left dorsomedial, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (DMPFC and DLPFC) during emotion regulation while viewing aversive pictures compared to HCs, with URs displaying intermediate neural activity in these regions. There were no significant differences between patients with BD and HCs in functional connectivity from the amygdala during emotion regulation. However, exploratory analysis indicated that URs displayed more negative amygdala–DMPFC coupling compared with HCs and more negative amygdala-cingulate DLPFC coupling compared to patients with BD. At a behavioral level, patients and their URs were less able to dampen negative emotions in response aversive pictures. Conclusions The findings point to deficient recruitment of prefrontal resources and more negative fronto-amygdala coupling as neural markers of impaired emotion regulation in recently diagnosed remitted patients with BD and their URs, respectively.

P.0072 Anxious distress in major depression: an fMRI study of amygdala reactivity and functional connectivity

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. S51-S52
Author(s):  
L. Nawijn ◽  
R. Dinga ◽  
M. Aghajani ◽  
N.J.A. Van der Wee ◽  
M.J. Van Tol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Amygdala Reactivity

scholarly journals Atypical Prefrontal–Amygdala Circuitry Following Childhood Exposure to Abuse: Links With Adolescent Psychopathology

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Peverill ◽  
Margaret A. Sheridan ◽  
Daniel S. Busso ◽  
Katie A. McLaughlin
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Adolescent Psychopathology ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Abuse Severity ◽  
History Of ◽  
Negative Coupling

Adverse childhood experiences have been associated with more negative coupling between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and amygdala, a brain network involved in emotion regulation in both children and adults. This pattern may be particularly likely to emerge in individuals exposed to threatening experiences during childhood (e.g., exposure to child abuse), although this has not been examined in prior research. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data on 57 adolescents during an emotion regulation task. Greater negative functional connectivity between vmPFC and amygdala occurred during viewing of negative compared to neutral images. This vmPFC-amygdala task-related functional connectivity was more negative in adolescents exposed to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse than those without a history of maltreatment and was associated with abuse severity. This pattern of more negative functional connectivity was associated with higher levels of externalizing psychopathology concurrently and 2 years later. Greater negative connectivity in the vmPFC-amygdala network during passive viewing of negative images may reflect disengagement of regulatory responses from vmPFC in situations eliciting strong amygdala reactivity, potentially due to stronger appraisals of threat in children exposed to early threatening environments. This pattern may be adaptive in the short term but place adolescents at higher risk of psychopathology later in life.

EP 63. Altered functional connectivity of action and emotion regulation networks in Schizophrenia

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 (9) ◽  
pp. e265
Author(s):  
R.N. Pläschke ◽  
V.I. Müller ◽  
E.C. Cieslik ◽  
F. Hoffstaedter ◽  
S.B. Eickhoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity

scholarly journals Real-time functional connectivity-based neurofeedback of amygdala-frontal pathways reduces anxiety

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiying Zhao ◽  
Shuxia Yao ◽  
Keshuang Li ◽  
Cornelia Sindermann ◽  
Feng Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Anxiety Reduction ◽  
Regulatory Control ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Novel Strategy ◽  
The Individual

AbstractDeficient emotion regulation and exaggerated anxiety represent a major transdiagnostic psychopathological marker. On the neural level these deficits have been closely linked to impaired, yet treatment-sensitive, prefrontal regulatory control over the amygdala. Gaining direct control over these pathways could therefore provide an innovative and promising strategy to regulate exaggerated anxiety. To this end the current proof-of-concept study evaluated the feasibility, functional relevance and maintenance of a novel connectivity-informed real-time fMRI neurofeedback training. In a randomized within-subject sham-controlled design high anxious subjects (n = 26) underwent real-time fMRI-guided training to enhance connectivity between the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) and the amygdala (target pathway) during threat exposure. Maintenance of regulatory control was assessed after three days and in the absence of feedback. Training-induced changes in functional connectivity of the target pathway and anxiety ratings served as primary outcomes. Training of the target, yet not the sham-control, pathway significantly increased amygdala-vlPFC connectivity and decreased subjective anxiety levels. On the individual level stronger connectivity increases were significantly associated with anxiety reduction. At follow-up, volitional control over the target pathway and decreased anxiety level were maintained in the absence of feedback. The present results demonstrate for the first time that successful self-regulation of amygdala-prefrontal top-down regulatory circuits may represent a novel strategy to control anxiety. As such, the present findings underscore both the critical contribution of amygdala-prefrontal circuits to emotion regulation and the therapeutic potential of connectivity-informed real-time neurofeedback.

scholarly journals Unmasking Anxiety in Autism: Explicit and Implicit Threat Dissociate Amygdala-centered Functional Connectivity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Chun Chen ◽  
Chenyi Chen ◽  
Chia-Chien Liu ◽  
Róger Marcelo Martínez ◽  
Yang-Tang Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Backward Masking ◽  
Threat Processing ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Socially Relevant ◽  
Amygdala Reactivity

Abstract Background Anxiety is the most prevalent comorbidity in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Amygdala reactivity to explicit and implicit threat processing offers a platform to assess anxiety. The neural mechanisms underlying the link between anxiety and ASD remains elusive.Methods In this fMRI study, we recruited young adults with ASD (N = 31) and matched them with controls, then proceeded to assess their autistic and anxiety traits by the use of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), respectively; and scanned their amygdala reactivity in response to explicit and implicit (backward masking) perception of threatening faces.Results As compared to controls, the amygdala reactivity in ASD subjects was significantly reduced to explicit threat, but comparable to implicit threat. The correlations of the amygdala reactivity with the AQ and STAI-S were dissociated depending on threat processing (explicit or implicit). Furthermore, the amygdala in ASD relative to controls had a more negative functional connectivity with the superior parietal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and hippocampus for explicit threat, whereas a more positive connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex, temporal pole, and hippocampus for implicit threat.Conclusion In ASD, the transmission of socially relevant information along dorsal and ventral neural pathways centered on the amygdala is dissociated depending on explicit and implicit threat processing. This dissociation, ascribed to their failure to compromise pre-existing hyperarousal, might contribute to anxiety in ASD.

scholarly journals Maternal Protection in Childhood is Associated with Amygdala Reactivity and Structural Connectivity in Adulthood

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeline J. Farber ◽  
M. Justin Kim ◽  
Annchen R. Knodt ◽  
Ahmad R. Hariri
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Paternal Care ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Controlling Parenting ◽  
Interpersonal Threat ◽  
Maternal Protection ◽  
Amygdala Reactivity

ABSTRACTRecently, we reported that variability in early-life caregiving experiences maps onto individual differences in threat-related brain function. Specifically, we found that greater familial affective responsiveness is associated with increased amygdala reactivity to interpersonal threat, particularly in adolescents having experienced relatively low recent stress. Here, we conceptually replicate and extend on our previous work to provide further evidence that subtle variability in specific features of early caregiving shapes structural and functional connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in a cohort of 312 young adult volunteers. Multiple regression analyses revealed that participants who reported higher maternal but not paternal protection exhibited increased amygdala reactivity to explicit signals of interpersonal threat (i.e., angry facial expressions) but not implicit signals of broad environmental threat (i.e., fearful facial expressions). While amygdala functional connectivity with regulatory regions of the mPFC was not significantly associated with maternal protection, participants who reported higher maternal protection exhibited relatively decreased structural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus (UF), a white matter tract connecting these same brain regions. The observed associations were independent of the potential confounding influences of participant sex, socioeconomic status, and self-reported childhood trauma. There were no significant associations between structural or functional brain measures and either maternal or paternal care ratings. These findings suggest that an over controlling parenting style in mothers during childhood is associated with functional and structural alterations of brain regions involved in generating and regulating responses to threat in young adulthood.

scholarly journals The Neurocircuitry Underlying Additive Effects of Safety Instruction on Extinction Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Javanbakht ◽  
Lana Ruvolo Grasser ◽  
Shantanu Madaboosi ◽  
Asadur Chowdury ◽  
Israel Liberzon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Unconditioned Stimulus ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Laboratory Model ◽  
Additive Effects ◽  
Extinction Learning ◽  
Psychophysiological Interaction ◽  
Healthy Participants

Extinction learning is the dominant laboratory model for exposure therapy, a treatment involving both experience of safety near the feared object, and safety instructions relayed by a therapist. While the experiential aspect of extinction learning is well researched, less is known about instructed extinction learning and its neurocircuitry. Here, in 14 healthy participants we examined the neural correlates of, and the network interactions evoked by instructed extinction learning. Following fear conditioning to two CS+ stimuli, participants were instructed about the absence of the aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) for one of the CS+s (instructed CS; CS+I) but not the second CS+ (uninstructed CS+; CS+U). Early during extinction learning, greater activation was observed for the CS+I > CS+U contrast in regions including the vmPFC, dmPFC, vlPFC, and right parahippocampus. Subsequently, psychophysiological interaction (PPI) was applied to investigate functional connectivity of a seed in the vmPFC. This analyses revealed significant modulation of the dmPFC, parahippocampus, amygdala, and insula. Our findings suggest that the addition of cognitive instruction yields greater activation of emotion regulation and reappraisal networks during extinction learning. This work is a step in advancing laboratory paradigms that more accurately model exposure therapy and identifies regions which may be potential targets for neuromodulation to enhance psychotherapy effects.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document