52 research outputs found

    Distributed affective space represents multiple emotion categories across the human brain

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    The functional organization of human emotion systems as well as their neuroanatomical basis and segregation in the brain remains unresolved. Here, we used pattern classification and hierarchical clustering to characterize the organization of a wide array of emotion categories in the human brain. We induced 14 emotions (6 'basic', e.g. fear and anger; and 8 'non-basic', e.g. shame and gratitude) and a neutral state using guided mental imagery while participants' brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twelve out of 14 emotions could be reliably classified from the haemodynamic signals. All emotions engaged a multitude of brain areas, primarily in midline cortices including anterior and posterior cingulate gyri and precuneus, in subcortical regions, and in motor regions including cerebellum and premotor cortex. Similarity of subjective emotional experiences was associated with similarity of the corresponding neural activation patterns. We conclude that different basic and non-basic emotions have distinguishable neural bases characterized by specific, distributed activation patterns in widespread cortical and subcortical circuits. Regionally differentiated engagement of these circuits defines the unique neural activity pattern and the corresponding subjective feeling associated with each emotion

    CBT Reduces CBF

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    Background: Imaging studies have provided evidence that cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT ) is able to change brain activation in phobic patients in response to threatening stimuli. The changes occurred in both emotion‐generating and modulatory regions. In this study, we use a data‐driven approach to explore resting state cerebral blood flow (CBF ) measured by arterial spin labeling (ASL ), before and after CBT. Methods: Eight female patients with spider phobia were scanned before and 1 month after an exposure‐based group therapy for spider phobia. Each MRI session consisted of an ASL resting state measurement acquired before and after a symptom provocation task involving the showing of spider pictures in the scanner. The first ASL acquisition measured anticipatory anxiety and the second measured postprocessing of phobia‐relevant stimuli. Results: Cognitive‐behavioral therapy significantly reduced spider phobic symptoms in all patients. Symptom reduction during anticipatory anxiety was accompanied by reduced bilateral CBF in the parahippocampal gyrus, ventral anterior thalamus, Brodmann area 8, and the anterior cingulate cortex. During postprocessing of phobia‐relevant stimuli, patients showed reduced CBF in the bilateral insula, components of the motor cortex, and areas associated with language functions. Conclusions: Longitudinal CBF dynamics following CBT were in concordance with results from several studies using BOLD fMRI to investigate the effects of psychotherapy on brain activity. CBF can be quantified by ASL , with the principal advantage of sensitivity to slow variations in neural activity and task independence. Therefore, ASL may be a suitable method for monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy approaches

    Keeping the breath in mind: Respiration, neural oscillations, and the free energy principle

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    Scientific interest in the brain and body interactions has been surging in recent years. One fundamental yet underexplored aspect of brain and body interactions is the link between the respiratory and the nervous systems. In this article, we give an overview of the emerging literature on how respiration modulates neural, cognitive and emotional processes. Moreover, we present a perspective linking respiration to the free-energy principle. We frame volitional modulation of the breath as an active inference mechanism in which sensory evidence is recontextualized to alter interoceptive models. We further propose that respiration-entrained gamma oscillations may reflect the propagation of prediction errors from the sensory level up to cortical regions in order to alter higher level predictions. Accordingly, controlled breathing emerges as an easily accessible tool for emotional, cognitive, and physiological regulation

    The Association of Cognitive Function with Autonomic-Cardiovascular Reactivity to and Recovery From Stress

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    The contribution of stress in the development of chronic and terminal disease has garnered significant interest in contemporary research. The current study aims to look at how performance in domains of cognitive function may affect autonomic-cardiovascular reactivity and recovery to psychologically stressful tasks as such reactions, over time, may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. The current study analyzed data from 209 healthy middle-age adults. This included four neuropsychological tests utilized here to represent abilities in four different cognitive domains: response inhibition, mental flexibility, verbal memory, and nonverbal memory. The participants were also introduced to three psychologically stressful tasks while blood pressure, heart rate, and spectral components of heart rate variability measurements were taken during the tasks and the post-task recovery period. Results showed no significant relationship between blood pressure reactivity or recovery and cognitive function. No significant relationship was found between heart rate variability reactivity and cognitive function. Results showed no significant relationship between blood pressure reactivity or recovery and cognitive function. No significant relationship was found between heart rate variability reactivity and cognitive function. However, superior performance in response inhibition was significantly positively associated with both LF-HRV (p = .04) and HF-HRV (p = .02) in the immediate recovery phase and HF-HRV (p = .02) in the delayed recovery phase. Such findings suggest that greater response inhibition abilities may contribute to greater vagally induced recovery from stressful tasks. Such a response can be considered healthy and likely acts as a protective factor against the development of cardiovascular disease

    Effect of Psycho-Pharmacological Modulation of the Autonomic Nervous System on Human Oesophageal Pain Hypersensitivity

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    Background: Altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) function has been proposed as a mechanism in the development of central sensitisation (CS) and visceral pain hypersensitivity (VPH). The contribution of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the factors that mediate differences in sensitisation to acid are unclear and their study will clarify risk factors for oesophageal pain hypersensitivity (OPH) in gastrooesophageal reflux disease. Aims: To investigate psychophysiological and pharmacological manipulation of PNS tone in the development of OPH, and to determine factors which predict the development of OPH to acid infusion in healthy volunteers in a validated model of acid induced OPH. Methods: Pain thresholds to electrical stimulation in the proximal oesophagus were determined before and after a 30-minute distal oesophageal infusion of 0.15 mol/L hydrochloric acid in subjects. Sympathetic (SNS) and PNS parameters were measured at baseline and continuously thereafter. Subjects underwent psychological profiling for anxiety, depression, attachment vulnerability and personality type. Using this model, five studies were undertaken: Study 1 a pilot study to trail modulation suitability for further study used. In Study 2, subjects who demonstrated secondary hyperalgesia in the proximal non-acid-exposed oesophagus performed deep or sham breathing. Study 3 subjects, who did not sensitise to acid, underwent a validated stress test to induce OPH. With Study 4, deep breathing with IV saline (placebo) or atropine (PNS antagonist) was used to evaluate deep breathing’s induced PNS tone in OPH reduction. Study 5, a genetic pilot study, exploring the role of the GCH-1 haplotype in VPH. Results: ANS control’s key role in CS was clarified. Deep breathing increased PNS tone and prevented acid-induced OPH in comparison to sham breathing and confirmed increased PNS tone’s reversal of OPH. Psychological factors of anxiety, alexithymia and attachment status influence ANS modulation of CS. Individuals’ predisposition to VPH due to psychogenetic profiles were clarified and their biopsychosocial role illustrated. Conclusions and Inferences: A mechanistic explanation for the analgesic effect of deep breathing is provided with potential therapeutic implications in the treatment of VPH syndromes. Further clinical study is warranted to develop cost-effective treatments for chronic VPH syndromes

    Corticospinal excitability, mental rotation task, motor performance and disability in subjects with musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist and hand

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    L'objectif de cette thĂšse Ă©tait de dĂ©montrer la prĂ©sence de modifications des processus sensorimoteurs du systĂšme nerveux central (excitabilitĂ© corticospinale et schĂ©ma corporel tels que mesurĂ©s avec la TĂąche de Reconnaissance de la LatĂ©ralitĂ© des Images droite gauche (TRLI)) chez des participants ayant des dĂ©sordres musculosquelettiques au poignet et Ă  la main. Un deuxiĂšme objectif Ă©tait de dĂ©terminer la relation entre les changements de ces processus sensorimoteurs corticaux et des mesures sensorielles, de la fonction motrice, d'incapacitĂ© autodĂ©clarĂ©e, de la douleur et des facteurs psychosociaux liĂ©s Ă  la douleur. Une Ă©tude observationnelle transversale a d'abord Ă©tĂ© menĂ©e pour mesurer l'excitabilitĂ© corticospinale des muscles de la main en utilisant la stimulation magnĂ©tique transcrĂąnienne et la TRLI chez des participants en santĂ© et des participants prĂ©sentant des douleurs chroniques au poignet et Ă  la main. L’excitabilitĂ© corticospinale du muscle court abducteur du pouce de la main affectĂ©e Ă©tait augmentĂ©e chez les participants prĂ©sentant une douleur chronique et ces changements Ă©taient significativement corrĂ©lĂ©s avec l'intensitĂ© de la douleur, l'incapacitĂ© autodĂ©clarĂ©e, et nĂ©gativement corrĂ©lĂ©s avec l'excitabilitĂ© motoneuronale. Des diffĂ©rences de performances sur le TRLI, Ă  la fois pour la prĂ©cision et le temps de rĂ©action, ont Ă©galement Ă©tĂ© trouvĂ©es entre les participants du groupe contrĂŽle et les participants avec douleur. Dans une deuxiĂšme Ă©tude transversale, le TRLI, des mesures de motricitĂ©, sensibilitĂ© et des fonctions cognitives ont Ă©tĂ© administrĂ©es Ă  soixante et un participants prĂ©sentant des dĂ©sordres musculosquelettiques du poignet ou de la main droite. Les modĂšles de rĂ©gression linĂ©aire multiple ont rĂ©vĂ©lĂ© que la prise de mĂ©dicaments pour contrer la douleur, la participation Ă  des activitĂ©s (sociales, professionnelles, domestiques et rĂ©crĂ©atives), la discrimination tactile de deux points et le niveau de performance motrice expliquent les performances au TRLI. Les participants ayant pris des mĂ©dicaments pour la douleur la journĂ©e de l’évaluation avaient une performance diminuĂ©e sur la prĂ©cision et le temps de rĂ©action sur le TRLI pour la main droite (affectĂ©e). Ces participants prĂ©sentaient aussi une sĂ©vĂ©ritĂ© de douleur et d'incapacitĂ© plus Ă©levĂ©e et une diminution de fonctions cognitives et motrices plus Ă©levĂ©e que le reste des participants avec douleur qui ont Ă©tĂ© Ă©valuĂ©s. Dans l’ensemble, ces rĂ©sultats suggĂšrent que les participants prĂ©sentant des dĂ©sordres musculosquelettiques hĂ©tĂ©rogĂšnes du poignet ou de la main montrent des changements des processus sensorimoteurs corticaux. Alors que l'excitabilitĂ© corticospinale semble ĂȘtre liĂ©e Ă  l'intensitĂ© de la douleur et Ă  l’incapacitĂ© autodĂ©clarĂ©e, le TRLI peut ĂȘtre associĂ© Ă  une confluence de facteurs (sensoriels, moteurs, cognitifs-affectifs et comportementaux). Ces rĂ©sultats suggĂšrent aussi que les changements sensorimoteurs corticaux ne sont pas simplement le rĂ©sultat du dĂ©sordre musculosquelettique, mais impliquent plutĂŽt une interaction complexe entre la douleur, les processus sensorimoteurs et cognitivo-affectifs, et peut-ĂȘtre aussi des rĂ©ponses comportementales Ă  l’atteinte musculosquelettique. Les rĂ©sultats fournissent Ă©galement des informations prĂ©cieuses Ă  propos des personnes qui pourraient bĂ©nĂ©ficier d'interventions orientĂ©es vers le rĂ©tablissement des processus centraux en plus des traitements de rĂ©adaptation axĂ©s sur les structures pĂ©riphĂ©riques.The objective of the thesis was to investigate for the presence of changes in cortical sensorimotor processes (corticospinal excitability and the body schema measured with the Left Right Judgment Task (LRJT) performance), in participants with Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) of the wrist/hand. A second objective was to determine the relationship between these cortical sensorimotor processes and measures of sensory and hand motor function, disability, pain and pain related psychosocial factors. First, an observational cross-sectional study was conducted to explore corticospinal excitability of muscles in the hand and cortical sensorimotor processes, utilizing transcranial magnetic stimulation and the LRJT in healthy, pain-free participants and participants with chronic wrist/hand pain. Increased corticospinal excitability for the abductor pollicis brevis of the affected hand in participants with chronic MSD of the wrist/hand was found and these changes were significantly correlated with pain intensity, disability, and negatively correlated with spinal motoneuronal excitability. Differences in LRJT performance were also found between healthy control participants and participants with pain for both LRJT accuracy and reaction time. In a second cross-sectional study, LRJT performance, motor, sensory and cognitive assessments were performed on sixty-one participants with MSD of the right dominant wrist/hand. The multiple linear regression model revealed that taking pain medication, participating in (social, work, household and leisure) activities, two-point discrimination, and motor performance explained performance on the LRJT of the right (affected) hand. Those participants that took pain medication on the day of the evaluation performed more poorly on both LRJT accuracy and reaction time of the right (affected) hand. These participants had higher pain severity and disability scores and decreased cognitive and motor function. Collectively, these results suggest that participants with heterogeneous MSD of the wrist/hand display altered cortical sensorimotor processes. Whereas corticospinal excitability appears to be related to pain intensity and disability, the LRJT may be associated with a confluence of factors (sensory, motor, cognitive-affective, and behaviours). These findings suggest that cortical sensorimotor changes do not simply appear to be the result of the condition but involve a complex interaction between pain, sensorimotor and cognitive-affective processes, and possibly behavioural responses to the condition. The findings also provide valuable insight as to those persons who may benefit from cognitively directed interventions in addition to peripherally driven rehabilitative treatments

    CBT reduces CBF: cognitive-behavioral therapy reduces cerebral blood flow in fear‐relevant brain regions in spider phobia

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    Background Imaging studies have provided evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is able to change brain activation in phobic patients in response to threatening stimuli. The changes occurred in both emotion-generating and modulatory regions. In this study, we use a data-driven approach to explore resting state cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by arterial spin labeling (ASL), before and after CBT. Methods Eight female patients with spider phobia were scanned before and 1 month after an exposure-based group therapy for spider phobia. Each MRI session consisted of an ASL resting state measurement acquired before and after a symptom provocation task involving the showing of spider pictures in the scanner. The first ASL acquisition measured anticipatory anxiety and the second measured postprocessing of phobia-relevant stimuli. Results Cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduced spider phobic symptoms in all patients. Symptom reduction during anticipatory anxiety was accompanied by reduced bilateral CBF in the parahippocampal gyrus, ventral anterior thalamus, Brodmann area 8, and the anterior cingulate cortex. During postprocessing of phobia-relevant stimuli, patients showed reduced CBF in the bilateral insula, components of the motor cortex, and areas associated with language functions. Conclusions Longitudinal CBF dynamics following CBT were in concordance with results from several studies using BOLD fMRI to investigate the effects of psychotherapy on brain activity. CBF can be quantified by ASL, with the principal advantage of sensitivity to slow variations in neural activity and task independence. Therefore, ASL may be a suitable method for monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy approaches

    The effect of exercise-induced pain on endurance performance, and strategies to mitigate its impact

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    Exercise-induced pain (EIP) is a natural consequence of exercising intensely, and results due to an accumulation of endogenous algesic substances, an increase in muscular pressure and muscular distortion or tissue damage. However, the presence of EIP may have negative consequences for exercise and endurance performance, brought about by the physiological and/or psychological effect of pain. EIP has not been widely addressed in sport and exercise science research, and much of the contemporary literature has ignored its potential role in endurance exercise performance, despite the wide acknowledgement it gains in interviews with athletes, coaches, exercise scientists and health and fitness practitioners. Therefore, more empirical research needs to be completed that explores the role of EIP in endurance performance, and the physiological and/or psychological contribution it may make to fatigue and work rate regulation. Therefore, the main purpose of this thesis was to examine the effect of EIP on endurance exercise performance, and identify strategies to mitigate its impact in various endurance exercise tasks. Consequently, this thesis consists of 5 experimental studies, as outlined below. The 1st experimental study (Chapter 3) assessed the relationship between traditional experimental measures of pain (the cold pressor test (CPT) and algometry), EIP tolerance and participants' performance of a 10 mile (16.1 km) cycling time trial. The primary finding was that no correlation was found between experimental pain measures and TT performance (mean pain in CPT; R = 0.222; time lasted in the CPT; R = -0.292; PPT; R = -0.016). However, there was a significant correlation between EIP tolerance and TT performance (R = -0.83, P 0.05). The ANOVA also revealed a significant main effect of condition for exercise-induced pain during the TTE test (P = 0.035). No significant changes in rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were found between the three conditions (P > 0.05). A 3 x 8 (condition x iso-time) ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect for exercise-induced pain over time between conditions during the TTE test with lower pain intensity in the TENS and IFC conditions (F (3.4, 58.4) = 3.671, P = 0.013). No interaction and main effects for RPE were found between the three conditions (P > 0.05). For the MVC, paired-sample t-tests demonstrated that MVC was significantly reduced following the TTE in the Sham (t (17) = 9.069, P 0.05). No significant differences in mean RPE were found between conditions during the TT (P > 0.05). Interestingly, this study also showed that TENS elicits an analgesic effect on EIP and improves the TT performance, whereas IFC technique does not elicit any reduction of EIP and consequently has no effect on whole-body endurance performance. This experiment demonstrated the first time that TENS intervention significantly improved completion time of the cycling TT, and that this was attained by the cyclists sustaining a greater power output (PO), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (B[La]). Regardless of the increased physiological stress and metabolic rate induced by the higher PO, participants perceived EIP in the TENS strategy alongside in the absence of a difference in RPE between conditions. The improvement in dynamic endurance was probably the result of reduction in EIP for a given load. This is the first experiment showing that a TENS intervention can be used to elicit this analgesia to EIP, and suggests that there may be scope for TENS to be used during exercise in those where EIP negatively effects their engagement in physical activity. The final experiment in this thesis (Chapter 7) examined the effect of mood and emotional state on EIP and endurance performance. The use of painful images prior to endurance cycling performance was used to negatively affect mood, which was hypothesised to increase EIP. The primary finding was that the ANOVA revealed a significant difference in completion time between conditions (F (2, 40) = 8.480, P = 0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed that participants performed a significantly faster TT (P = 0.003) in the pleasant condition (29 min 38 s ± 4 min 35 s) and the neutral condition (29 min 39 s ± 3 min 34 s) compared to the painful condition (30 min 19 s ± 5 min 7 s). There were no significant differences between the neutral condition and the pleasant (P = 1.000). The ANOVA also revealed a significant difference in PO (F (2, 40) = 6.318, P = 0.004), mean HR ((F (2, 40) = 4.502, P = 0.017) and mean B[La] (F (2, 40) = 5.724, P = 0.007) between conditions during ?the TT cycling performance, but no significant effect of condition for mean RPE or EIP (P > 0.05). In the FP, a ?significant main effect of condition for EIP (F (2, 40) = 4.363, P = 0.019), but no difference for RPE, HR or B[La]. This experiment demonstrated the first time that painful images negatively affect mood and elicit a compassionate hyperalgesia response to exercise. The results demonstrate that an increased pain sensation during exercise (induced via compassional hyperalgesia) can decrease TT performance, and highlights there is an emotional element to the processing of EIP that can be influenced by compassional hyperalgesia. This is probably the consequence of 'top-down' processing increasing the pain sensation elicited by a given 'bottom-up' stimulus. These results highlight the importance of maintaining a positive mood and emotional state prior to and during exercise. The experimental studies performed as part of this thesis provides unique empirical evidence to advance scientific knowledge and understanding of the phenomenon of EIP. This thesis provides further new insights into how different interventions both alleviate and exacerbate EIP, which subsequently influences endurance exercise performance. Furthermore, considering the lack of knowledge regarding the testing and role of EIP in exercise, this thesis contributes to and enhances scientific understanding for how to test for and control these variables
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