scholarly journals Common and dissociable effects of oxytocin and lorazepam on the neurocircuitry of fear

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (21) ◽  
pp. 11781-11787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann-Kathrin Kreuder ◽  
Dirk Scheele ◽  
Johannes Schultz ◽  
Juergen Hennig ◽  
Nina Marsh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Basolateral Amygdala ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Peptide Hormone ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Fearful Faces ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Emotional Face ◽  
Addictive Potential

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) represent the gold standard of anxiolytic pharmacotherapy; however, their clinical benefit is limited by side effects and addictive potential. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop novel and safe anxiolytics. The peptide hormone oxytocin (OXT) exhibits anxiolytic-like properties in animals and humans, but whether OXT and BZDs share similar effects on the neural circuitry of fear is unclear. Therefore, the rationale of this ultra-high-field functional MRI (fMRI) study was to test OXT against the clinical comparator lorazepam (LZP) with regard to their neuromodulatory effects on local and network responses to fear-related stimuli. One hundred twenty-eight healthy male participants volunteered in this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study. Before scanning using an emotional face-matching paradigm, participants were randomly administered a single dose of OXT (24 IU), LZP (1 mg), or placebo. On the behavioral level, LZP, but not OXT, caused mild sedation, as evidenced by a 19% increase in reaction times. On the neural level, both OXT and LZP inhibited responses to fearful faces vs. neutral faces within the centromedial amygdala (cmA). In contrast, they had different effects on intra-amygdalar connectivity; OXT strengthened the coupling between the cmA and basolateral amygdala, whereas LZP increased the interplay between the cmA and superficial amygdala. Furthermore, OXT, but not LZP, enhanced the coupling between the cmA and the precuneus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. These data implicate inhibition of the cmA as a common denominator of anxiolytic action, with only OXT inducing large-scale connectivity changes of potential therapeutic relevance.

scholarly journals Effects of ketamine on brain function during metacognition of episodic memory

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Lehmann ◽  
Claudia Neumann ◽  
Sven Wasserthal ◽  
Johannes Schultz ◽  
Achilles Delis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Lingual Gyrus ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Confidence Ratings

Abstract Only little research has been conducted on the pharmacological underpinnings of metacognition. Here, we tested the modulatory effects of a single intravenous dose (100 ng/ml) of the N-methyl-D-aspartate-glutamate-receptor antagonist ketamine, a compound known to induce altered states of consciousness, on metacognition and its neural correlates. Fifty-three young, healthy adults completed two study phases of an episodic memory task involving both encoding and retrieval in a double-blind, placebo-controlled fMRI study. Trial-by-trial confidence ratings were collected during retrieval. Effects on the subjective state of consciousness were assessed using the 5D-ASC questionnaire. Confirming that the drug elicited a psychedelic state, there were effects of ketamine on all 5D-ASC scales. Acute ketamine administration during retrieval had deleterious effects on metacognitive sensitivity (meta-d′) and led to larger metacognitive bias, with retrieval performance (d′) and reaction times remaining unaffected. However, there was no ketamine effect on metacognitive efficiency (meta-d′/d′). Measures of the BOLD signal revealed that ketamine compared to placebo elicited higher activation of posterior cortical brain areas, including superior and inferior parietal lobe, calcarine gyrus, and lingual gyrus, albeit not specific to metacognitive confidence ratings. Ketamine administered during encoding did not significantly affect performance or brain activation. Overall, our findings suggest that ketamine impacts metacognition, leading to significantly larger metacognitive bias and deterioration of metacognitive sensitivity as well as unspecific activation increases in posterior hot zone areas of the neural correlates of consciousness.

scholarly journals Amygdala activation and symptom dimensions in obsessive–compulsive disorder

2014 ◽  
Vol 204 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Via ◽  
Narcís Cardoner ◽  
Jesús Pujol ◽  
Pino Alonso ◽  
Marina López-Solà ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Symptom Dimensions ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Amygdala Activation ◽  
Fearful Faces ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Fear And Anxiety ◽  
Emotional Face

BackgroundDespite knowledge of amygdala involvement in fear and anxiety, its contribution to the pathophysiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) remains controversial. In the context of neuroimaging studies, it seems likely that the heterogeneity of the disorder might have contributed to a lack of consistent findings.AimsTo assess the influence of OCD symptom dimensions on amygdala responses to a well-validated emotional face-matching paradigm.MethodCross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of 67 patients with OCD and 67 age-, gender- and education-level matched healthy controls.ResultsThe severity of aggression/checking and sexual/religious symptom dimensions were significantly associated with heightened amygdala activation in those with OCD when responding to fearful faces, whereas no such correlations were seen for other symptom dimensions.ConclusionsAmygdala functional alterations in OCD appear to be specifically modulated by symptom dimensions whose origins may be more closely linked to putative amygdala-centric processes, such as abnormal fear processing.

scholarly journals Effects of diazepam on BOLD activation during the processing of aversive faces

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina M Del-Ben ◽  
Cesar AQ Ferreira ◽  
Tiago A Sanchez ◽  
Wolme C Alves-Neto ◽  
Vinicius G Guapo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recognition Task ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Experimental Session ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Emotional Faces ◽  
Fearful Faces ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Emotional Face ◽  
Left Insula

This study aimed to measure, using fMRI, the effect of diazepam on the haemodynamic response to emotional faces. Twelve healthy male volunteers (mean age = 24.83 ± 3.16 years), were evaluated in a randomized, balanced-order, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Diazepam (10 mg) or placebo was given 1 h before the neuroimaging acquisition. In a blocked design covert face emotional task, subjects were presented with neutral (A) and aversive (B) (angry or fearful) faces. Participants were also submitted to an explicit emotional face recognition task, and subjective anxiety was evaluated throughout the procedures. Diazepam attenuated the activation of right amygdala and right orbitofrontal cortex and enhanced the activation of right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to fearful faces. In contrast, diazepam enhanced the activation of posterior left insula and attenuated the activation of bilateral ACC to angry faces. In the behavioural task, diazepam impaired the recognition of fear in female faces. Under the action of diazepam, volunteers were less anxious at the end of the experimental session. These results suggest that benzodiazepines can differentially modulate brain activation to aversive stimuli, depending on the stimulus features and indicate a role of amygdala and insula in the anxiolytic action of benzodiazepines.

scholarly journals Limits of data anonymity: lack of public awareness risks trust in health system activities

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Gille ◽  
Caroline Brall
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Public Trust ◽  
Online News ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
The Public ◽  
Privacy And Anonymity

AbstractPublic trust is paramount for the well functioning of data driven healthcare activities such as digital health interventions, contact tracing or the build-up of electronic health records. As the use of personal data is the common denominator for these healthcare activities, healthcare actors have an interest to ensure privacy and anonymity of the personal data they depend on. Maintaining privacy and anonymity of personal data contribute to the trustworthiness of these healthcare activities and are associated with the public willingness to trust these activities with their personal data. An analysis of online news readership comments about the failed care.data programme in England revealed that parts of the public have a false understanding of anonymity in the context of privacy protection of personal data as used for healthcare management and medical research. Some of those commenting demanded complete anonymity of their data to be willing to trust the process of data collection and analysis. As this demand is impossible to fulfil and trust is built on a false understanding of anonymity, the inability to meet this demand risks undermining public trust. Since public concerns about anonymity and privacy of personal data appear to be increasing, a large-scale information campaign about the limits and possibilities of anonymity with respect to the various uses of personal health data is urgently needed to help the public to make better informed choices about providing personal data.

Distinct Effects of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Fusar-Poli
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
Fearful Faces ◽  
Scanning Session

Aims:Cannabis use can both increase and reduce anxiety in humans. The neurophysiological substrates of these effects are unknown.Method:Fifteen healthy English-native right-handed men were studied on three separate occasions using an event-related fMRI paradigm while viewing faces that implicitly elicited different levels of anxiety. Each scanning session was preceded by the ingestion of either 10mg of D-9-THC, 600mg of CBD, or a placebo, in a double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled design. Electrodermal activity (Skin Conductance Response, SCR) and objective and subjective ratings of anxiety were recorded durign the scanning.Results:D-9THC increased anxiety, as well as levels of intoxication, sedation and psychotic symptoms, whereas there was a trend for a reduction in anxiety following administration of CBD. The number of SCR fluctuations during the processing of intensely fearful faces increased following administration of D-9THC but decreased following administration of CBD. CBD attenuated the BOLD signal in the amygdala and the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex while subjects were processing intensely fearful faces, and its suppression of the amygdalar and posterior cingulate responses was correlated with the concurrent reduction in SCR fluctuations. D-9-THC mainly modulated activation in frontal and parietal areas.Conclusions:D-9-THC and CBD had clearly distinct effects on the neural, eclectrodermal and symptomatic response to fearful faces. The effects of CBD on activation in limbic and paralimbic regions may contribute to its ability to reduce autonomic arousal and subjective anxiety, whereas the anxiogenic effects of D-9-THC may be related to effects in other brain regions.

scholarly journals Cognitive Aftereffects of Acute tDCS Coupled with Cognitive Training: An fMRI Study in Healthy Seniors

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
P. Šimko ◽  
M. Pupíková ◽  
M. Gajdoš ◽  
I. Rektorová
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Sham Stimulation ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Enhancing cognitive functions through noninvasive brain stimulation is of enormous public interest, particularly for the aging population in whom processes such as working memory are known to decline. In a randomized double-blind crossover study, we investigated the acute behavioral and neural aftereffects of bifrontal and frontoparietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with visual working memory (VWM) training on 25 highly educated older adults. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis was performed prior to and after each stimulation session with a focus on the frontoparietal control network (FPCN). The bifrontal montage with anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhanced VWM accuracy as compared to the sham stimulation. With the rs-FC within the FPCN, we observed significant stimulation × time interaction using bifrontal tDCS. We found no cognitive aftereffects of the frontoparietal tDCS compared to sham stimulation. Our study shows that a single bifrontal tDCS combined with cognitive training may enhance VWM performance and rs-FC within the relevant brain network even in highly educated older adults.

scholarly journals Review of the Studies in the Use of Biofeedback Therapy in Rehabilitation and Physiatrics of Neurological Patients

Doctor Ru ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
E.Yu. Mozheyko ◽  
◽  
O.V. Petryaeva ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Biofeedback Therapy ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Neurological Patients ◽  
Drug Free

Objective of the Review: To collect information, analyse and evaluate previous studies in the use of biofeedback in neurological patients. Key Points. Despite the wide practical application and a lot of available publications, the level of evidence of this method is low because of a small sample size and the challenges with biofeedback mechanism description. A review of various types of biocontrol, its mechanisms and developments shows that drug-free therapy using only patient’s resources (organic, psychological, emotional and volitional) can activate the mechanisms of neuroplasticity, which are poorly studied. Still, it does not prevent from using biocontrol for the therapy of patients and/or prevention of various diseases in healthy population. Conclusion. Biofeedback therapy has proven to be a safe, relatively efficient and easy-to-use method. However, organisation of a large-scale double blind randomized trial is one of the predominant directions in the future. Keywords: biofeedback, biocontrol, neurofeedback, biofeedback therapy.

scholarly journals Basolateral and central amygdala orchestrate how we learn whom to trust

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Sladky ◽  
Federica Riva ◽  
Lisa Anna Rosenberger ◽  
Jack van Honk ◽  
Claus Lamm
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Choice Behavior ◽  
Basolateral Amygdala ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Trust Game ◽  
Central Amygdala ◽  
Learning Success ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Human Neuroimaging

AbstractCooperation and mutual trust are essential in our society, yet not everybody is trustworthy. In this fMRI study, 62 healthy volunteers performed a repeated trust game, placing trust in a trustworthy or an untrustworthy player. We found that the central amygdala was active during trust behavior planning while the basolateral amygdala was active during outcome evaluation. When planning the trust behavior, central and basolateral amygdala activation was stronger for the untrustworthy player compared to the trustworthy player but only in participants who actually learned to differentiate the trustworthiness of the players. Independent of learning success, nucleus accumbens encoded whether trust was reciprocated. This suggests that learning whom to trust is not related to reward processing in the nucleus accumbens, but rather to engagement of the amygdala. Our study overcomes major empirical gaps between animal models and human neuroimaging and shows how different subnuclei of the amygdala and connected areas orchestrate learning to form different subjective trustworthiness beliefs about others and guide trust choice behavior.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document