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 Altered Resting-State Amygdala Functional Connectivity after Real-Time fMRI Emotion Self-Regulation Training

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhonglin Li ◽  
Li Tong ◽  
Min Guan ◽  
Wenjie He ◽  
Linyuan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Basolateral Amygdala ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Study Participants

Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) is a promising tool for enhancing emotion regulation capability of subjects and for the potential alleviation of neuropsychiatric disorders. The amygdala is composed of structurally and functionally distinct nuclei, such as the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and centromedial amygdala (CMA), both of which are involved in emotion processing, generation, and regulation. However, the effect of rtfMRI-nf on the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of BLA and CMA remains to be elucidated. In our study, participants were provided with ongoing information on their emotion states by using real-time multivariate voxel pattern analysis. Results showed that participants presented significantly increased rsFC of BLA and CMA with prefrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and some others related to emotion after rtfMRI-nf training. The findings provide important evidence for the emotion regulation effectiveness of rtfMRI-nf training and indicate its usefulness as a tool for the self-regulation of emotion.

scholarly journals Discriminating Suicide Attempters and Predicting Suicide Risk Using Altered Frontolimbic Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients With Bipolar II Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongxin Zhu ◽  
Shui Tian ◽  
Huan Wang ◽  
Haiteng Jiang ◽  
Xinyi Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Bipolar Ii Disorder ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Bipolar Ii ◽  
The Individual

Bipolar II disorder (BD-II) major depression episode is highly associated with suicidality, and objective neural biomarkers could be key elements to assist in early prevention and intervention. This study aimed to integrate altered brain functionality in the frontolimbic system and machine learning techniques to classify suicidal BD-II patients and predict suicidality risk at the individual level. A cohort of 169 participants were enrolled, including 43 BD-II depression patients with at least one suicide attempt during a current depressive episode (SA), 62 BD-II depression patients without a history of attempted suicide (NSA), and 64 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs). We compared resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the frontolimbic system among the three groups and explored the correlation between abnormal rsFCs and the level of suicide risk (assessed using the Nurses' Global Assessment of Suicide Risk, NGASR) in SA patients. Then, we applied support vector machines (SVMs) to classify SA vs. NSA in BD-II patients and predicted the risk of suicidality. SA patients showed significantly decreased frontolimbic rsFCs compared to NSA patients. The left amygdala-right middle frontal gyrus (orbital part) rsFC was negatively correlated with NGASR in the SA group, but not the severity of depressive or anxiety symptoms. Using frontolimbic rsFCs as features, the SVMs obtained an overall 84% classification accuracy in distinguishing SA and NSA. A significant correlation was observed between the SVMs-predicted NGASR and clinical assessed NGASR (r = 0.51, p = 0.001). Our results demonstrated that decreased rsFCs in the frontolimbic system might be critical objective features of suicidality in BD-II patients, and could be useful for objective prediction of suicidality risk in individuals.

scholarly journals Task-generic and task-specific connectivity modulations in the ADHD brain: An integrated analysis across multiple tasks

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roselyne J. Chauvin ◽  
Jan K. Buitelaar ◽  
Emma Sprooten ◽  
Marianne Oldehinkel ◽  
Barbara Franke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Similar Degree ◽  
Total N ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Processing Pathways ◽  
Neural Underpinnings ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Novel Strategy ◽  
The Individual

AbstractAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with altered functioning in multiple cognitive domains and neural networks. This paper offers an overarching biological perspective across these. We applied a novel strategy that extracts functional connectivity modulations in the brain across one (Psingle), two (Pmix) or three (Pall) cognitive tasks and compared the pattern of modulations between participants with ADHD (n-89), unaffected siblings (n=93) and controls (n=84; total N=266; age range=8-27 years).Participants with ADHD had significantly fewer Pall connections (modulated regardless of task), but significantly more task-specific (Psingle) connectivity modulations than the other groups. The amplitude of these Psingle modulations was significantly higher in ADHD. Unaffected siblings showed a similar degree of Pall connectivity modulation as controls but a similar degree of Psingle connectivity modulation as ADHD probands. Pall connections were strongly reproducible at the individual level in controls, but showed marked heterogeneity in both participants with ADHD and unaffected siblings.The pattern of reduced task-generic and increased task-specific connectivity modulations in ADHD may be interpreted as reflecting a less efficient functional brain architecture due to a reduction in the ability to generalise processing pathways across multiple cognitive domains. The higher amplitude of unique task-specific connectivity modulations in ADHD may index a more “effortful” coping strategy. Unaffected siblings displayed a task connectivity profile in between that of controls and ADHD probands, supporting an endophenotype view. Our approach provides a new perspective on the core neural underpinnings of ADHD.

scholarly journals Improving Emotion Regulation Through Real-Time Neurofeedback Training on the Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex: Evidence From Behavioral and Brain Network Analyses

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linlin Yu ◽  
Quanshan Long ◽  
Yancheng Tang ◽  
Shouhang Yin ◽  
Zijun Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

We investigated if emotion regulation can be improved through self-regulation training on non-emotional brain regions, as well as how to change the brain networks implicated in this process. During the training period, the participants were instructed to up-regulate their right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) activity according to real-time functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neurofeedback signals, and there was no emotional element. The results showed that the training significantly increased emotion regulation, resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within the emotion regulation network (ERN) and frontoparietal network (FPN), and rsFC between the ERN and amygdala; however, training did not influence the rsFC between the FPN and the amygdala. However, self-regulation training on rDLPFC significantly improved emotion regulation and generally increased the rsFCs within the networks; the rsFC between the ERN and amygdala was also selectively increased. The present study also described a safe approach that may improve emotion regulation through self-regulation training on non-emotional brain regions.

Measuring Real-Time Team Cognition During Team Training

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 825-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie C. Gorman ◽  
David A. Grimm ◽  
Ronald H. Stevens ◽  
Trysha Galloway ◽  
Ann M. Willemsen-Dunlap ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mutual Information ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Cognitive Skill ◽  
Time Response ◽  
Team Cognition ◽  
Leadership Emergence ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Post Hoc

Objective A method for detecting real-time changes in team cognition in the form of significant communication reorganizations is described. We demonstrate the method in the context of scenario-based simulation training. Background We present the dynamical view that individual- and team-level aspects of team cognition are temporally intertwined in a team’s real-time response to challenging events. We suggest that this real-time response represents a fundamental team cognitive skill regarding the rapidity and appropriateness of the response, and methods and metrics are needed to track this skill. Method Communication data from medical teams (Study 1) and submarine crews (Study 2) were analyzed for significant communication reorganization in response to training events. Mutual information between team members informed post hoc filtering to identify which team members contributed to reorganization. Results Significant communication reorganizations corresponding to challenging training events were detected for all teams. Less experienced teams tended to show delayed and sometimes ineffective responses that more experienced teams did not. Mutual information and post hoc filtering identified the individual-level inputs driving reorganization and potential mechanisms (e.g., leadership emergence, role restructuring) underlying reorganization. Conclusion The ability of teams to rapidly and effectively reorganize coordination patterns as the situation demands is a team cognitive skill that can be measured and tracked. Application Potential applications include team monitoring and assessment that would allow for visualization of a team’s real-time response and provide individualized feedback based on team member’s contributions to the team response.

Allostasis and metastasis: The yin and yang of childhood self-regulation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Samuel V. Wass
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
The Real ◽  
Chain Reactions ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Yin And Yang ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Regulation Of Emotion ◽  
Dynamical Principle

Abstract Most research has studied self-regulation by presenting experimenter-controlled test stimuli and measuring change between baseline and stimulus. In the real world, however, stressors do not flash on and off in a predetermined sequence, and there is no experimenter controlling things. Rather, the real world is continuous and stressful events can occur through self-sustaining interactive chain reactions. Self-regulation is an active process through which we adaptively select which aspects of the social environment we attend to from one moment to the next. Here, we describe this dynamic interactive process by contrasting two mechanisms that underpin it: the “yin” and “yang” of self-regulation. The first mechanism is allostasis, the dynamical principle underlying self-regulation, through which we compensate for change to maintain homeostasis. This involves upregulating in some situations and downregulating in others. The second mechanism is metastasis, the dynamical principle underling dysregulation. Through metastasis, small initial perturbations can become progressively amplified over time. We contrast these processes at the individual level (i.e., examining moment-to-moment change in one child, considered independently) and also at the inter-personal level (i.e., examining change across a dyad, such as a parent–child dyad). Finally, we discuss practical implications of this approach in improving the self-regulation of emotion and cognition, in typical development and psychopathology.

The Development and Validation of a Momentary Self-Regulation Scale (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Scherer ◽  
Sunny Jung Kim ◽  
Stephen A. Metcalf ◽  
Mary Ann Sweeney ◽  
Jialing Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Health Risk Behaviors ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Underlying Structure ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Development And Validation

BACKGROUND Self-regulation refers to a person’s ability to manage their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes to achieve long-term goals. Most prior research has examined self-regulation at the individual-level, but individual-level assessments does not allow examining dynamic patterns of intra-individual variability in self-regulation and and thus cannot aid in understanding potential malleable processes of self-regulation that may occur in response to daily environment. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to advance the scope of self-regulation measurements by developing a brief, psychometrically sound momentary self-regulation scale that can be practically administered through participants’ mobile devices at a momentary level. METHODS The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, in a sample of 522 adults, we examined 23 previously validated assessments of self-regulation containing 594 items in total to evaluate the underlying structure of self-regulation via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. We then selected 20 trait-level items to be carried forward to the second phase. In the second phase, we converted each item to a momentary question and piloted the momentary items in a sample of 60 adults over 14 days. Using results from the momentary pilot, we explored the psychometric properties of the items and assessed their underlying structure. We then proposed a set of subscale and total score calculations. RESULTS In the first phase, the selected individual-level items appeared to measure four factors of self-regulation. The factors identified were: perseverance, sensation seeking, emotion regulation, and mindfulness. In the second phase EMA pilot, the selected items demonstrated strong construct validity as well as predictive validity for health risk behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a 12-item momentary self-regulation scale comprising four subscales designed to capture self-regulatory dynamics at a momentary level.

Real-Time Measurement of Tourists’ Objective and Subjective Emotions in Time and Space

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noam Shoval ◽  
Yonatan Schvimer ◽  
Maya Tamir
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Physiological Measures ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Real Time Measurement ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
The Individual

The examination of tourists’ experiences is an essential subject in tourism scholarship. This study presents novel methods by which spatio-temporal data can be combined with physiological measures of emotion and semantic contextual information in order to obtain a comprehensive and integrative understanding of tourists’ experience in time and space. Four data collection techniques were combined and applied to a sample of 68 tourists in Jerusalem: high-resolution locational data, real-time surveying techniques using the experience sampling method, physiological measures of emotion (electrodermal activity), and traditional surveying techniques. We present methods for using these techniques in exploring data on the individual level, comparing pairs of individuals, and examining a sample, providing insight both on the individual’s personal experience and, more broadly, on the emotional characteristics of locations and tourist attractions in a city. Theoretical and methodological implications as well as the limitations of these techniques are discussed.

scholarly journals Your pleasure is mine; when people share a musical emotional experience during a live music performance in a concert hall

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibault Chabin ◽  
Damien Gabriel ◽  
Alexandre Comte ◽  
Emmanuel Haffen ◽  
Thierry Moulin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Live Music ◽  
Skin Conductance Levels ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Shed Light

AbstractOver the years, several publications have proposed that musical sound could be an ancestral emotional way of communication, thus positing an ancestral biological function for music. Understanding how musical emotions, and the pleasure derived from music regardless of the musical valence, can be shared between individuals is a fascinating question, and investigating it can shed light on the function of musical reward. Is the pleasure felt at the individual level transmitted on a collective level? And if so, how? We investigated these questions in a natural setting during an international competition for orchestra conductors. Participants (n=15) used a dedicated smartphone app to report their subjective emotional experiences in real time during a concert. We recorded participant’s electrodermal activity (EDA) and cerebral activity with electroencephalography (EEG). The overall behavioral real time ratings suggest a possible social influence on the reported and felt pleasure. The physically closer the participants, the more similar their reported pleasure. We estimated the inter-individual cerebral coherence, which indicates the degree of mutual cerebral information between pairs of participants in the frequency domain. The results show that when people simultaneously reported either high or low pleasure, their cerebral activities were closer than for simultaneous neutral pleasure reports. Participants’ skin conductance levels were also more coupled when reporting higher emotional degrees simultaneously. More importantly, the participants who were physically closer had higher cerebral coherence, but only when they simultaneously reported intense pleasure. We propose that mechanisms of emotional contagion and/or emotional resonance could explain why a form of ‘emotional connecting force’ could arise between people.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document