Data_Sheet_1_Role of the right anterior insula for the emergence of flow—A combined task-based fMRI activation and connectivity study.PDF

The emergence of flow is a situation of high salience because externally oriented attention on the task and access to resources for goal-directed behavior are enhanced, while internally oriented or self-related cognition is decreased. The right anterior insula has been reported as a causal out-flow hub of the salience resting-state network, orchestrating the engagement of the central executive network (CEN) and the disengagement of the default-mode network (DMN) during a functional challenge. In the present study, we employed a combined task-based activation and connectivity analysis to investigate the role of the right anterior insula during the emergence of flow. A sample of 41 healthy male subjects was confronted with a functional challenge that permitted the emergence of flow during BOLD-based functional magnetic resonance imaging. Comparing connectivity changes in the right anterior insula during the flow condition against connectivity changes associated with control conditions of boredom and overload, relatively increased couplings were observed with the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Activation data for these regions did, however, not show the flow-typical inverted U-shaped (invU) response pattern. Relatively decreased functional couplings encompassed ventral aspects of the striatum, but neither the amygdala nor the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). For the ventral striatum, activation data were consistent with the flow-typical U-shaped activation pattern, which supports the notion that under the high salience of autotelic situations, the anterior insula is much less positively coupled with the ventral striatum than under boundary conditions of boredom and overload. Taken together, present functional connectivity results were in alignment with the assumed role of the right anterior insula under conditions of different salience. However, this particular region does not appear to mediate the most typical flow-associated activation patterns.</p

Selected coronal sections showing significantly attenuated neural semantic priming after hypnotic-suggestive treatment relative to normal wakefulness.

<p>The statistical parametric map associated with the contrast [(U_noT - R_noT) - (U_Treat - R_Treat)] was overlaid on the group averaged T1 image using MRIcron (<a href="http://www.mccauslandcenter.sc.edu/mricro/mricron/" target="_blank">http://www.mccauslandcenter.sc.edu/mricro/mricron/</a>). Numbers in white color denote the y-coordinates of the slices in MNI space. From selected regions (yellow circles) the magnitude of neural activation associated with related, and unrelated trials at normal wakefulness (noT), and after treatment (Treat) was extracted and averaged. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean (24 participants). Abbreviations: L: left, R: right, FFG: fusiform gyrus, MTG: middle temporal gyrus, PoG: postcentral gyrus, PrG: precentral gyrus, STG: superior temporal gyrus.</p

Brain regions demonstrating effects of significantly attenuated priming after hypnotic-suggestive treatment compared to normal wakefulness, tested by the contrast [(U_noT - R_noT) - (U_Treat - R_Treat)].

<p>Cluster size refers to number of voxels.</p><p>Abbreviations: L: left, R: right, BA: Brodmann area, MNI: Montreal Neurological Institute.</p><p>Brain regions demonstrating effects of significantly attenuated priming after hypnotic-suggestive treatment compared to normal wakefulness, tested by the contrast [(U_noT - R_noT) - (U_Treat - R_Treat)].</p

Effects of significantly attenuated neural semantic priming after hypnotic-suggestive treatment relative to normal wakefulness.

<p>The statistical parametric map reflecting the directed Treatment-by-Semantic Relatedness interaction t-contrast [(U_noT - R_noT) - (U_Treat - R_Treat)] was surface-rendered on the group averaged T1 image using SPM8.</p

Positive correlations with Conscientiousness in the left inferior frontal gyrus bordering the anterior insula and in ACC reaching into the medial superior frontal gyrus.

<p>Correlation coefficients were computed within an inclusive mask consisting of voxels with significant (p<0.025, family-wise corrected) error signaling during incongruent NoGo trials (see also <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0042930#pone-0042930-t004" target="_blank">Table 4</a>.).</p

Main effects of error signaling for incongruent NoGo trials.

<p>Main effects are reported at a level of <i>p</i><0.025 to account for the one-sidedness of the directed t-contrast, and family-wise (FWE) corrected at the voxel level to control for multiple comparisons. x, y and z are MNI coordinates of the peak voxel within a cluster. Z: z-value of standard normal distribution; BA = Brodmann area; c: activation cluster sizes, in voxels.</p

Combined Eriksen Flanker and GoNoGo fMRI paradigm, exemplary shown for all four incongruent trials.

<p>After the fixation period, one of eight possible letter strings, either congruent or incongruent, appeared on a black screen. Subjects were instructed to give a right hand index finger response, if the target letter was a “R”, to give a right hand middle finger response, if the target letter was an “U”, or to withhold response in case of appearance of target letters “P” or “V”. One of three possible feedbacks (“correct”, “wrong”, “faster”) about the subjects' response was given after a defined delay following response (in this example “correct”). <i>Upper panel</i>: Go trials. <i>Lower panel</i>: NoGo trials.</p

Main effects of error signaling for incongruent NoGo trials.

<p>Main effects are reported at a level of <i>p</i><0.025 to account for the one-sidedness of the directed t-contrast, and family-wise (FWE) corrected at the voxel level to control for multiple comparisons (see also <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0042930#pone-0042930-t003" target="_blank">Table 3</a>).</p

Summary of significant positive and negative correlations between NoGo error signaling and NEO-PI-R major domain scores obtained from the reduced model after excluding scales Agreeableness, Extraversion and Openness not showing any significant correlations in the full model.

<p>Correlation coefficients were computed within an inclusive mask consisting of voxels with significant (p<0.025, family-wise corrected) error signaling during incongruent NoGo trials; x,/y/z: MNI-coordinates of the significant peak voxel in correlation analyses; Pv(FEW) indicates family-wise corrected significance of peak voxel; extent: number of significant (p<0.05, FWE) voxels; Pc(FWE): associated family-wise corrected p-value at the cluster-level; Partial R²: cluster averaged partial determination coefficient.</p

Inter-correlations among NEO-PI-R major domain scores.

<p>N, E, O, A, and C are the following subscales from the NEO-PI-R: N = Neuroticism; E = Extraversion; O = Openness to Experience; A = Agreeableness; C = Conscientiousness. Values are correlation coefficients; if significant associated p-values are reported in italics; n.s.: not significant.</p