On the Neuroscience of Approach and Withdrawal Motivation, with a Focus on the Role of Asymmetrical Frontal Cortical Activity

AbstractA model of asymmetric contributions to the control of different subcomponents of approach- and withdrawal-related emotion and psychopathology is presented. Two major forms of positive affect are distinguished. An approach-related form arises prior to goal attainment, and another form follows goal attainment. The former is hypothesized to be associated with activation of the left prefrontal cortex. Individual differences in patterns of prefrontal activation are stable over time. Hypoactivation in this region is proposed to result in approach-related deficits and increase an individual's vulnerability to depression. Data in support of these proposals are presented. The issue of plasticity is then considered from several perspectives. Contextual factors are superimposed upon tonic individual differences and modulate the magnitude of asymmetry. Pharmacological challenges also alter patterns of frontal asymmetry. A diverse array of evidence was then reviewed that lends support to the notion that these patterns of asymmetry may be importantly influenced by early environmental factors that result in enduring changes in brain function and structure.

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The role of asymmetrical frontal cortical activity in aggression

Psychophysiology ◽

10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00597.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

pp. 070915195953006-??? ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Carly K. Peterson ◽

Alexander J. Shackman ◽

Eddie Harmon-Jones

Keyword(s):

Cortical Activity

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Maternal Regulation of Pups’ Cortical Activity: Role of Serotonergic Signaling

eNeuro ◽

10.1523/eneuro.0093-18.2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. ENEURO.0093-18.2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Emmanuelle Courtiol ◽

Donald A. Wilson ◽

Relish Shah ◽

Regina M. Sullivan ◽

Catia M. Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Cortical Activity ◽

Maternal Regulation

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Cortex commands the performance of skilled movement

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.10774 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

Jian-Zhong Guo ◽

Austin R Graves ◽

Wendy W Guo ◽

Jihong Zheng ◽

Allen Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Cortex ◽

Motor Control ◽

Food Pellet ◽

Cortical Activity ◽

Cortical Inhibition ◽

Skilled Movement ◽

Voluntary Motor ◽

Rest Periods ◽

Forelimb Movements

Mammalian cerebral cortex is accepted as being critical for voluntary motor control, but what functions depend on cortex is still unclear. Here we used rapid, reversible optogenetic inhibition to test the role of cortex during a head-fixed task in which mice reach, grab, and eat a food pellet. Sudden cortical inhibition blocked initiation or froze execution of this skilled prehension behavior, but left untrained forelimb movements unaffected. Unexpectedly, kinematically normal prehension occurred immediately after cortical inhibition, even during rest periods lacking cue and pellet. This ‘rebound’ prehension was only evoked in trained and food-deprived animals, suggesting that a motivation-gated motor engram sufficient to evoke prehension is activated at inhibition’s end. These results demonstrate the necessity and sufficiency of cortical activity for enacting a learned skill.

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