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Fischer DJ, Schröer F, Denecke S, Murphy L, Kühn S. Are we afraid of the woods? - An investigation of the implicit and explicit fear reactions to forests. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 260:119573. [PMID: 38972339 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The beneficial effects of nature exposure have been repeatedly documented and encourage frequent and regular contact with nature and especially highlight forests. However, in human history, forests have also been associated with negative emotions such as fear and were seen as dangerous environments. While existing literature could demonstrate that natural environments can evoke fear, the focus was on the explicit perception. Given that research has shown the significance of additional implicit processes in fear-related behaviour, we aim to explore the presence of an implicit fear response to forests. Therefore, in an online study, we investigated the explicit and implicit fear reactions to forests by a Northern German sample of N = 256. Using three explicit measurements, we investigated fear and danger perception on a semantic and visual level of the stimulus category "forest" compared to the human-made urban green space "park" and the urban setting "house". Additionally, we assessed the unconscious response tendencies towards the forest within three implicit tasks: Subliminal Priming Procedure (SPP), Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) and Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT). Within the analyzed sample, the subliminally presented word forest evoked a stronger positive valence response compared to park (SPP). In contrast to houses, the forest showed a stronger approach and weaker avoidance tendency (AAT). At the same time, both the three explicit and one implicit measurement (AMP) showed a stronger fear perception of forests compared to parks or houses. Considering the increasingly utilised beneficial effects of nature in interventions, these findings should be acknowledged when implementing nature exposure in interventions and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djo Juliette Fischer
- University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Frederik Schröer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for the History of Emotions, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Saskia Denecke
- University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lawrence Murphy
- University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lise Meiter Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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Jimenez MJD, Kantak P, Raskin J. Why Pimping Works: The Neurophysiology of Emotional Memories. Cureus 2024; 16:e64237. [PMID: 39130900 PMCID: PMC11313157 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A time-honored medical ritual that combines emotion and cognition into a seamless consolidation of lucid memories is a feared teaching method in medical education. The resulting neurophysiology is explained from a neurosurgeon's perspective - equal parts guilt and dread as a prescription for an improved and sustained trainee fund of knowledge. Much of the available literature published with regard to pimping explores its pedagogy and use in medical practice. This review aims to explore the neurobehavioral and biological aspects of pimping in why it remains a popular teaching model. We describe the neuromodulatory process of integrating emotions and memory as observed during pimping. Additionally, we explore the neuronal pathways and circuits involved in memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. Finally, we explored the effects of this methodology as it is currently used in the United States medical education system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Med Jimson D Jimenez
- Medicine, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, USA
| | - Pranish Kantak
- Neurological Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, USA
| | - Jeffrey Raskin
- Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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3
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Terburg D, van Honk J, Schutter DJLG. Doubling down on dual systems: A cerebellum-amygdala route towards action- and outcome-based social and affective behavior. Cortex 2024; 173:175-186. [PMID: 38417390 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.002] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
The amygdala and cerebellum are both evolutionary preserved brain structures containing cortical as well as subcortical properties. For decades, the amygdala has been considered the fear-center of the brain, but recent advances have shown that the amygdala acts as a critical hub between cortical and subcortical systems and shapes social and affective behaviors beyond fear. Likewise, the cerebellum is a dedicated control unit that fine-tunes motor behavior to fit contextual requirements. There is however increasing evidence that the cerebellum strongly influences subcortical as well as cortical processes beyond the motor domain. These insights broadened the view on the cerebellum's functions to also include social and affective behavior. Here we explore how the amygdala and cerebellum might interact in shaping social and affective behaviors based on their roles in threat reactivity and reinforcement learning. A novel mechanistic neural framework of cerebellum-amygdala interactions will be presented which provides testable hypotheses for future social and affective neuroscientific research in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Terburg
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Jack van Honk
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, South Africa
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Lin TY, Zhang YH, Zhang YN, Yang Y, Du L, Li QY, He Y, Liu FC, Tang XY, Tang LL, Sun YS. Resting state functional connectome in breast cancer patients with fear of cancer recurrence. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae062. [PMID: 38436464 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate network-level brain functional changes in breast cancer patients and their relationship with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Resting-state functional MRI was collected from 43 patients with breast cancer and 40 healthy controls (HCs). Graph theory analyses, whole-brain voxel-wise functional connectivity strength (FCS) analyses and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analyses were performed to identify connection alterations in breast cancer patients. Correlations between brain functional connections (i.e. FCS and FC) and FCR level were assessed to further reveal the neural mechanisms of FCR in breast cancer patients. Graph theory analyses indicated a decreased clustering coefficient in breast cancer patients compared to HCs (P = 0.04). Patients with breast cancer exhibited significantly higher FCS in both higher-order function networks (frontoparietal, default mode, and dorsal attention systems) and primary somatomotor networks. Among the hyperconnected regions in breast cancer, the left inferior frontal operculum demonstrated a significant positive correlation with FCR. Our findings suggest that breast cancer patients exhibit less segregation of brain function, and the left inferior frontal operculum is a key region associated with FCR. This study offers insights into the neural mechanisms of FCR in breast cancer patients at the level of brain connectome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Ye Lin
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yi-He Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 10 Xitucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100876, China
| | - Ye-Ning Zhang
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Breast Center, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Lei Du
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Qing-Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yi He
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Fu-Chao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Tang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Li-Li Tang
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Psycho-Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Ying-Shi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fu Cheng Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing 100142, China
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Qiu Z, Li X, Pegna AJ. Decoding neural patterns for the processing of fearful faces under different visual awareness conditions: A multivariate pattern analysis. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14368. [PMID: 37326452 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have provided mixed findings regarding the nonconscious processing of fearful faces. Here, we used multivariate pattern analysis on electroencephalography data from three backward masking experiments to examine the processing of fearful faces under different visual awareness conditions. Three groups of participants were shown pairs of face images presented very briefly (for 16 ms) or for sufficiently long (for 266 ms), and completed tasks where the faces were either relevant to the experimental task (Experiment 1) or not (Experiments 2 and 3). Three main decoding analyses were performed. First, in the visual awareness decoding, the visibility of the faces, and hence participants' awareness of them, was maximally decodable in three time windows: 158-168 ms, 235-260 ms and 400-600 ms where the earlier neural patterns were generalized to the later stage activity. Second, we found that the spatial location of a fearful face in the face pairs was decodable, however only when the faces were consciously seen and task-relevant. Finally, we successfully decoded distinct neural patterns associated with the fearful-face-present conditions, compared to the fearful-face-absent conditions, and these patterns were decodable during both short and long presentations of the faces. Together, our results suggest that, while the processing of the spatial location of fearful faces requires awareness and task-relevancy, the mere presence of fearful faces can be processed even when visual awareness is highly restricted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeguo Qiu
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Xuqian Li
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alan J Pegna
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Byrne ME, Tanofsky-Kraff M, Liuzzi L, Holroyd T, Parker MN, Bloomer BF, Nugent A, Brady SM, Yang SB, Turner SA, Pine DS, Yanovski JA. Neural underpinnings of threat bias in relation to loss-of-control eating behaviors among adolescent girls with high weight. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1276300. [PMID: 37965354 PMCID: PMC10642175 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1276300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Loss-of-control (LOC) eating, a key feature of binge-eating disorder, may relate attentional bias (AB) to highly salient interpersonal stimuli. The current pilot study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to explore neural features of AB to socially threatening cues in adolescent girls with and without LOC-eating. Methods Girls (12-17 years old) with overweight or obesity (BMI >85th percentile) completed an AB measure on an affective dot-probe AB task during MEG and evoked neural responses to angry or happy (vs. neutral) face cues were captured. A laboratory test meal paradigm measured energy intake and macronutrient consumption patterns. Results Girls (N = 34; Mage = 15.5 ± 1.5 years; BMI-z = 1.7 ± 0.4) showed a blunted evoked response to the presentation of angry face compared with neutral face cues in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a neural region implicated in executive control and regulation processes, during attention deployment (p < 0.01). Compared with those without LOC-eating (N = 21), girls with LOC-eating (N = 13) demonstrated a stronger evoked response to angry faces in the visual cortex during attention deployment (p < 0.001). Visual and cognitive control ROIs had trends suggesting interaction with test meal intake patterns among girls with LOC-eating (ps = 0.01). Discussion These findings suggest that girls with overweight or obesity may fail to adaptively engage neural regions implicated in higher-order executive processes. This difficulty may relate to disinhibited eating patterns that could lead to excess weight gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E. Byrne
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Marian Tanofsky-Kraff
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USUHS, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lucrezia Liuzzi
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tom Holroyd
- MEG Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Megan N. Parker
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, USUHS, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bess F. Bloomer
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Allison Nugent
- MEG Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sheila M. Brady
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shanna B. Yang
- Nutrition Department, Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sara A. Turner
- Nutrition Department, Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Daniel S. Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jack A. Yanovski
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
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Frynta D, Elmi HSA, Janovcová M, Rudolfová V, Štolhoferová I, Rexová K, Král D, Sommer D, Berti DA, Landová E, Frýdlová P. Are vipers prototypic fear-evoking snakes? A cross-cultural comparison of Somalis and Czechs. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1233667. [PMID: 37928591 PMCID: PMC10620321 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Snakes are known as highly fear-evoking animals, eliciting preferential attention and fast detection in humans. We examined the human fear response to snakes in the context of both current and evolutionary experiences, conducting our research in the cradle of humankind, the Horn of Africa. This region is characterized by the frequent occurrence of various snake species, including deadly venomous viperids (adders) and elapids (cobras and mambas). We conducted experiments in Somaliland and compared the results with data from Czech respondents to address the still unresolved questions: To which extent is human fear of snakes affected by evolutionary or current experience and local culture? Can people of both nationalities recognize venomous snakes as a category, or are they only afraid of certain species that are most dangerous in a given area? Are respondents of both nationalities equally afraid of deadly snakes from both families (Viperidae, Elapidae)? We employed a well-established picture-sorting approach, consisting of 48 snake species belonging to four distinct groups. Our results revealed significant agreement among Somali as well as Czech respondents. We found a highly significant effect of the stimulus on perceived fear in both populations. Vipers appeared to be the most salient stimuli in both populations, as they occupied the highest positions according to the reported level of subjectively perceived fear. The position of vipers strongly contrasts with the fear ranking of deadly venomous elapids, which were in lower positions. Fear scores of vipers were significantly higher in both populations, and their best predictor was the body width of the snake. The evolutionary, cultural, and cognitive aspects of this phenomenon are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Hassan Sh Abdirahman Elmi
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Amoud University, Borama, Somalia
| | - Markéta Janovcová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Veronika Rudolfová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Iveta Štolhoferová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Kateřina Rexová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - David Král
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - David Sommer
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Daniel Alex Berti
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Eva Landová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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MacLean MW, Hadid V, Spreng RN, Lepore F. Revealing robust neural correlates of conscious and unconscious visual processing: activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses. Neuroimage 2023; 273:120088. [PMID: 37030413 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Our ability to consciously perceive information from the visual scene relies on a myriad of intrinsic neural mechanisms. Functional neuroimaging studies have sought to identify the neural correlates of conscious visual processing and to further dissociate from those pertaining to preconscious and unconscious visual processing. However, delineating what core brain regions are involved in eliciting a conscious percept remains a challenge, particularly regarding the role of prefrontal-parietal regions. We performed a systematic search of the literature that yielded a total of 54 functional neuroimaging studies. We conducted two quantitative meta-analyses using activation likelihood estimation to identify reliable patterns of activation engaged by i. conscious (n = 45 studies, comprising 704 participants) and ii. unconscious (n = 16 studies, comprising 262 participants) visual processing during various task performances. Results of the meta-analysis specific to conscious percepts quantitatively revealed reliable activations across a constellation of regions comprising the bilateral inferior frontal junction, intraparietal sulcus, dorsal anterior cingulate, angular gyrus, temporo-occipital cortex and anterior insula. Neurosynth reverse inference revealed conscious visual processing to be intertwined with cognitive terms related to attention, cognitive control and working memory. Results of the meta-analysis on unconscious percepts revealed consistent activations in the lateral occipital complex, intraparietal sulcus and precuneus. These findings highlight the notion that conscious visual processing readily engages higher-level regions including the inferior frontal junction and unconscious processing reliably recruits posterior regions, mainly the lateral occipital complex.
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Qiu Z, Lei X, Becker SI, Pegna AJ. Neural activities during the Processing of unattended and unseen emotional faces: a voxel-wise Meta-analysis. Brain Imaging Behav 2022; 16:2426-2443. [PMID: 35739373 PMCID: PMC9581832 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-022-00697-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Voxel-wise meta-analyses of task-evoked regional activity were conducted for healthy individuals during the unconscious processing of emotional and neutral faces with an aim to examine whether and how different experimental paradigms influenced brain activation patterns. Studies were categorized into sensory and attentional unawareness paradigms. Thirty-four fMRI studies including 883 healthy participants were identified. Across experimental paradigms, unaware emotional faces elicited stronger activation of the limbic system, striatum, inferior frontal gyrus, insula and the temporal lobe, compared to unaware neutral faces. Crucially, in attentional unawareness paradigms, unattended emotional faces elicited a right-lateralized increased activation (i.e., right amygdala, right temporal pole), suggesting a right hemisphere dominance for processing emotional faces during inattention. By contrast, in sensory unawareness paradigms, unseen emotional faces elicited increased activation of the left striatum, the left amygdala and the right middle temporal gyrus. Additionally, across paradigms, unconsciously processed positive emotions were found associated with more activation in temporal and parietal cortices whereas unconsciously processed negative emotions elicited stronger activation in subcortical regions, compared to neutral faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeguo Qiu
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia.
| | - Xue Lei
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Stefanie I Becker
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Alan J Pegna
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
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Lee J, Kim N, Jeong H, Jun JY, Yoo SY, Lee SH, Lee J, Lee YJ, Kim SJ. Gray Matter Volume of Thalamic Nuclei in Traumatized North Korean Refugees. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:756202. [PMID: 35573348 PMCID: PMC9095986 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.756202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated differences in the regional gray matter (GM) volume of specific thalamic nuclei between North Korean (NK) refugees and South Korean (SK) residents. It also investigated associations between thalamic GM volume changes and psychological symptoms. Psychological evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging were conducted on 50 traumatized NK refugees and 55 non-traumatized SK residents. The regional GM volume ratios in the bilateral thalami were calculated for all participants using voxel-based morphometry. NK refugees showed greater GM volume ratios in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei compared with SK residents. NK refugees also exhibited more depressive symptoms than SK residents. However, increased GM volume ratios in both right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei were correlated with fewer depressive symptoms in NK refugees, but not in SK residents. The findings indicate that traumatized NK refugees had increased GM volumes in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei, which were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The enlarged specific thalamic nuclei presented among refugees in the current study might be associated with a neurobiological compensatory mechanism that prevents the development or progression of depression in refugees after repetitive traumatic experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiye Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nambeom Kim
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Jeong
- Geumsan-gun Public Health Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin Yong Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - So Hee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jooyoung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yu Jin Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Sleep and Chronobiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seog Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Neurogenic Interventions for Fear Memory via Modulation of the Hippocampal Function and Neural Circuits. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073582. [PMID: 35408943 PMCID: PMC8998417 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear memory helps animals and humans avoid harm from certain stimuli and coordinate adaptive behavior. However, excessive consolidation of fear memory, caused by the dysfunction of cellular mechanisms and neural circuits in the brain, is responsible for post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety-related disorders. Dysregulation of specific brain regions and neural circuits, particularly the hippocampus, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex, have been demonstrated in patients with these disorders. These regions are involved in learning, memory, consolidation, and extinction. These are also the brain regions where new neurons are generated and are crucial for memory formation and integration. Therefore, these three brain regions and neural circuits have contributed greatly to studies on neural plasticity and structural remodeling in patients with psychiatric disorders. In this review, we provide an understanding of fear memory and its underlying cellular mechanisms and describe how neural circuits are involved in fear memory. Additionally, we discuss therapeutic interventions for these disorders based on their proneurogenic efficacy and the neural circuits involved in fear memory.
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Gan X, Zhou X, Li J, Jiao G, Jiang X, Biswal B, Yao S, Klugah-Brown B, Becker B. Common and distinct neurofunctional representations of core and social disgust in the brain: Coordinate-based and network meta-analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104553. [PMID: 35122784 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Disgust represents a multifaceted defensive-avoidance response. On the behavioral level, the response includes withdrawal and a disgust-specific facial expression. While both serve the avoidance of pathogens, the latter additionally transmits social-communicative information. Given that common and distinct brain representation of the primary defensive-avoidance response (core disgust) and encoding of the social-communicative signal (social disgust) remain debated, we employed neuroimaging meta-analyses to (1) determine brain systems generally engaged in disgust processing, and (2) segregate common and distinct brain systems for core and social disgust. Disgust processing, in general, engaged a bilateral network encompassing the insula, amygdala, occipital and prefrontal regions. Core disgust evoked stronger reactivity in left-lateralized threat detection and defensive response network including amygdala, occipital and frontal regions, while social disgust engaged a right-lateralized superior temporal-frontal network engaged in social cognition. Anterior insula, inferior frontal and fusiform regions were commonly engaged during core and social disgust, suggesting a shared neurofunctional basis. We demonstrate a common and distinct neural basis of primary disgust responses and encoding of associated social-communicative signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyang Gan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China
| | - Jialin Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China; Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Guojuan Jiao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China
| | - Xi Jiang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China
| | - Bharat Biswal
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ 7102, United States
| | - Shuxia Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China
| | - Benjamin Klugah-Brown
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China.
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China.
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13
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Hudson M, Johnson MI. Split-Second Unlearning: Developing a Theory of Psychophysiological Dis-ease. Front Psychol 2021; 12:716535. [PMID: 34912263 PMCID: PMC8666476 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.716535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychophysiological “stress” underpins many conditions including anxiety, depression, phobias, chronic fatigue syndrome and non-specific musculoskeletal pain such as fibromyalgia. In this article we develop an understanding of chronic psychophysiological stress from a psychological educational perspective, by drawing on supporting evidence that significant emotional events in early life (traumatic and benign) can influence health and well-being later in life. We suggest that traumatic events instigate psychophysiological “stress” responses and the formation of emotional memory images (EMIs) within very short time frames, i.e., “split-second learning.” Once formed these emotional memories are triggered in daily living “re-playing” psychophysiological stress responses, resulting in chronic psychophysiological “dis-ease.” We describe a novel therapeutic approach to scan clients for mannerisms signifying a subconscious “freeze-like” stress response that involves the client as a curious observer within their own experience, feeding back the non-verbal cues as they arrive in the moment. By breaking down the observable fragments of their split-second Pavlovian response to the trigger, clients can detach their EMI from the psychophysiology stress response, i.e., “split-second unlearning.” Our split-second unlearning model recognizes the EMI as a barrier to moving forward and needs to be unlearned before the client can become naturally adaptive again. We argue that this approach places the client at the center of the work without the need of getting bogged down in a life-long narrative.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark I Johnson
- Centre for Pain Research, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom
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14
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Feng C, Gu R, Li T, Wang L, Zhang Z, Luo W, Eickhoff SB. Separate neural networks of implicit emotional processing between pictures and words: A coordinate-based meta-analysis of brain imaging studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:331-344. [PMID: 34562542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Both pictures and words are frequently employed as experimental stimuli to investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms of emotional processing. However, it remains unclear whether emotional picture processing and emotional word processing share neural underpinnings. To address this issue, we focus on neuroimaging studies examining the implicit processing of affective words and pictures, which require participants to meet cognitive task demands under the implicit influence of emotional pictorial or verbal stimuli. A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis was conducted on these studies, which revealed no common activation maximum between the picture and word conditions. Specifically, implicit negative picture processing (35 experiments, 393 foci, and 932 subjects) engages the bilateral amygdala, left hippocampus, fusiform gyri, and right insula, which are mainly located in the subcortical network and visual network associated with bottom-up emotional responses. In contrast, implicit negative word processing (34 experiments, 316 foci, and 799 subjects) engages the default mode network and fronto-parietal network including the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, indicating the involvement of top-down semantic processing and emotion regulation. Our findings indicate that affective pictures (that intrinsically have an affective valence) and affective words (that inherit the affective valence from their object) modulate implicit emotional processing in different ways, and therefore recruit distinct brain systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ruolei Gu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Ting Li
- Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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