Neural Systems Underlying the Reappraisal of Personally Craved Foods

Craving of unhealthy food is a common target of self-regulation, but the neural systems underlying this process are understudied. In this study, participants used cognitive reappraisal to regulate their desire to consume idiosyncratically craved or not craved energy-dense foods, and neural activity during regulation was compared with each other and with the activity during passive viewing of energy-dense foods. Regulation of both food types elicited activation in classic top–down self-regulation regions including the dorsolateral prefrontal, inferior frontal, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices. This main effect of regulation was qualified by an interaction, such that activation in these regions was significantly greater during reappraisal of craved (versus not craved) foods and several regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal, inferior frontal, medial frontal, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices, were uniquely active during regulation of personally craved foods. Body mass index significantly negatively correlated with regulation-related activation in the right dorsolateral PFC, thalamus, and bilateral dorsal ACC and with activity in nucleus accumbens during passive viewing of craved (vs. neutral, low-energy density) foods. These results suggest that several of the brain regions involved in the self-regulation of food craving are similar to other kinds of affective self-regulation and that others are sensitive to the self-relevance of the regulation target.

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Effect of Modulating Activity in the Right DLPFC on Revenge Behavior: Evidence From a Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Investigation

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.608205 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Wanjun Zheng ◽

Yuanping Tao ◽

Yuzhen Li ◽

Hang Ye ◽

Jun Luo

Keyword(s):

Brain Stimulation ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

New Paradigm ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Complex Process ◽

Self Interest ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽

The Right

Revenge is common in our daily lives, and people feel good when engaging in revenge behavior. However, revenge behavior is a complex process and remains somewhat of a puzzle of human behavior. Neuroimaging studies have revealed that revenge behaviors are associated with activation of a neural network containing the anterior cingulate cortex, ventral striatum, inferior frontal gyrus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Recent brain stimulation research using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation has shown a causal relationship between brain regions and revenge behaviors, but the findings have been mixed. In the present study, we aimed to study whether stimulation in the DLPFC can change participants’ revenge behavior in conditions where participants’ wealth was taken away in different ways. We adapted the moonlighting game and designed a new paradigm. Our study revealed that revenge behavior increased following activation in the right DLPFC, suggesting that the right DLPFC plays an important role in overriding self-interest and retaliation. In addition, our results revealed that the right DLPFC is crucial in revenge behavior related to the motivation of invasion.

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A Social Neuroscience Perspective on Physical Activity

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/jsep.30.4.432 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 432-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Peter A. Hall ◽

Lorin J. Elias ◽

Geoffrey T. Fong ◽

Amabilis H. Harrison ◽

Ron Borowsky ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Physical Activity Behavior ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Cognitive Resources ◽

Imaging Protocol ◽

Fmri Session ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽

Activity Behavior ◽

The Right

The objective of this investigation was to examine the cognitive characteristics of individuals who demonstrate successful and unsuccessful self-regulation of physical activity behavior. In Study 1, participants articulated 1-week intentions for physical activity and wore a triaxial accelerometer over the subsequent 7 days. Among those who were motivated to increase their physical activity, those who were most and least successful were administered an IQ test. In Study 2, a second sample of participants completed the same protocol and a smaller subset of matched participants attended a functional imaging (fMRI) session. In Study 1, successful self-regulators (SSRs) scored significantly higher than unsuccessful self-regulators (USRs) on a test of general cognitive ability, and this difference could not be accounted for by favorability of attitudes toward physical activity or conscientiousness. In Study 2, the IQ effect was replicated, with SSRs showing a full standard deviation advantage over USRs. In the imaging protocol, USRs showed heavier recruitment of cognitive resources relative to SSRs in the anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal cortex during performance of a Stroop task; SSRs showed heavier recruitment in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

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Comparison of Four fMRI Paradigms Probing Emotion Processing

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11050525 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 525

Author(s):

Corinna Hartling ◽

Sophie Metz ◽

Corinna Pehrs ◽

Milan Scheidegger ◽

Rebecca Gruzman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Activity ◽

Emotion Processing ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Anterior Insula ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Future Research ◽

Activation Patterns ◽

Study Planning ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽

The Right

Previous fMRI research has applied a variety of tasks to examine brain activity underlying emotion processing. While task characteristics are known to have a substantial influence on the elicited activations, direct comparisons of tasks that could guide study planning are scarce. We aimed to provide a comparison of four common emotion processing tasks based on the same analysis pipeline to suggest tasks best suited for the study of certain target brain regions. We studied an n-back task using emotional words (EMOBACK) as well as passive viewing tasks of emotional faces (FACES) and emotional scenes (OASIS and IAPS). We compared the activation patterns elicited by these tasks in four regions of interest (the amygdala, anterior insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC)) in three samples of healthy adults (N = 45). The EMOBACK task elicited activation in the right dlPFC and bilateral anterior insula and deactivation in the pgACC while the FACES task recruited the bilateral amygdala. The IAPS and OASIS tasks showed similar activation patterns recruiting the bilateral amygdala and anterior insula. We conclude that these tasks can be used to study different regions involved in emotion processing and that the information provided is valuable for future research and the development of fMRI biomarkers.

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The Role of the Right Prefrontal Cortex in Self-evaluation of the Face: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2008.20024 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 342-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

Tomoyo Morita ◽

Shoji Itakura ◽

Daisuke N. Saito ◽

Satoshi Nakashita ◽

Tokiko Harada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Face Recognition ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Video Recording ◽

Imaging Study ◽

The Self ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Precentral Gyrus ◽

Self Evaluation ◽

The Right

Individuals can experience negative emotions (e.g., embarrassment) accompanying self-evaluation immediately after recognizing their own facial image, especially if it deviates strongly from their mental representation of ideals or standards. The aim of this study was to identify the cortical regions involved in self-recognition and self-evaluation along with self-conscious emotions. To increase the range of emotions accompanying self-evaluation, we used facial feedback images chosen from a video recording, some of which deviated significantly from normal images. In total, 19 participants were asked to rate images of their own face (SELF) and those of others (OTHERS) according to how photogenic they appeared to be. After scanning the images, the participants rated how embarrassed they felt upon viewing each face. As the photogenic scores decreased, the embarrassment ratings dramatically increased for the participant's own face compared with those of others. The SELF versus OTHERS contrast significantly increased the activation of the right prefrontal cortex, bilateral insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral occipital cortex. Within the right prefrontal cortex, activity in the right precentral gyrus reflected the trait of awareness of observable aspects of the self; this provided strong evidence that the right precentral gyrus is specifically involved in self-face recognition. By contrast, activity in the anterior region, which is located in the right middle inferior frontal gyrus, was modulated by the extent of embarrassment. This finding suggests that the right middle inferior frontal gyrus is engaged in self-evaluation preceded by self-face recognition based on the relevance to a standard self.

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Altered Long- and Short-Range Functional Connectivity in Patients with Betel Quid Dependence: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000453212 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 40 (6) ◽

pp. 1626-1636 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Tao Liu ◽

Jianjun Li ◽

Zhiqiang Zhang ◽

Qiang Xu ◽

Guangming Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Long Range ◽

Short Range ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Betel Quid ◽

Posterior Lobe ◽

Functional Connectivity Density ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽

The Right ◽

Mri Study

Objective: Addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease. Brain structural abnormalities may constitute an abnormal neural network that underlies the risk of drug dependence. We hypothesized that individuals with Betel Quid Dependence (BQD) have functional connectivity alterations that can be described by long- and short-range functional connectivity density(FCD) maps. Methods: We tested this hypothesis using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from subjects of the Han ethnic group in Hainan, China. Here, we examined BQD individuals (n = 33) and age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) (n = 32) in a rs-fMRI study to observe FCD alterations associated with the severity of BQD. Results: Compared with HCs, long-range FCD was decreased in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and increased in the left cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL) and bilateral inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in the BQD group. Short-range FCD was reduced in the right ACC and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and increased in the left CPL. The short-range FCD alteration in the right ACC displayed a negative correlation with the Betel Quid Dependence Scale (BQDS) (r=-0.432, P=0.012), and the long-range FCD alteration of left IPL showed a positive correlation with the duration of BQD(r=0.519, P=0.002) in BQD individuals. Conclusions: fMRI revealed differences in long- and short- range FCD in BQD individuals, and these alterations might be due to BQ chewing, BQ dependency, or risk factors for developing BQD.

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Connectivity changes in major depressive disorder after rTMS: a review of functional and structural connectivity data

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796021000482 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

Author(s):

G. Schiena ◽

G. Franco ◽

A. Boscutti ◽

G. Delvecchio ◽

E. Maggioni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Structural Connectivity ◽

Unipolar Depression ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Small Sample ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Antidepressant Effect ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Abstract Aims In the search for effective therapeutic strategies for depression, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) emerged as a non-invasive, promising treatment. This is because the antidepressant effect of rTMS might be related to neuronal plasticity mechanisms possibly reverting connectivity alterations often observed in depression. Therefore, in this review, we aimed at providing an overview of the findings reported by studies investigating functional and structural connectivity changes after rTMS in depression. Methods A bibliographic search was conducted on PubMed, including studies that used unilateral, excitatory (⩾10 Hz) rTMS treatment targeted on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in unipolar depressed patients. Results The majority of the results showed significant TMS-induced changes in functional connectivity (FC) between areas important for emotion regulation, including the DLPFC and the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and among regions that are part of the major resting-state networks, such as the Default Mode Network, the Salience Networks and the Central Executive Network. Finally, in diffusion tensor imaging studies, it has been reported that rTMS appeared to increase fractional anisotropy in the frontal lobe. Limitations The small sample size, the heterogeneity of the rTMS stimulation parameters, the concomitant use of psychotropic drugs might have limited the generalisability of the results. Conclusions Overall, rTMS treatment induces structural and FC changes in brain regions and networks implicated in the pathogenesis of unipolar depression. However, whether these changes underlie the antidepressant effect of rTMS still needs to be clarified.

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Effects on Mood and EEG States After Meditation in Augmented Reality With and Without Adjunctive Neurofeedback

Frontiers in Virtual Reality ◽

10.3389/frvir.2021.618381 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Jeremy Viczko ◽

Jeff Tarrant ◽

Ray Jackson

Keyword(s):

Augmented Reality ◽

Resting State ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Mood State ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Current Source ◽

The Self ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Open Heart ◽

The Impact

Research and design of virtual reality technologies with mental-health focused applications has increased dramatically in recent years. However, the applications and psychological outcomes of augmented reality (AR) technologies still remain to be widely explored and evaluated. This is particularly true for the use of AR for the self-management of stress, anxiety, and mood. In the current study, we examined the impact of a brief open heart meditation AR experience on participants with moderate levels of anxiety and/or depression. Using a randomized between-group design subjects participated in the AR experience or the AR experience plus frontal gamma asymmetry neurofeedback integrated into the experience. Self-reported mood state and resting-state EEG were recorded before and after the AR intervention for both groups. Participants also reported on engagement and perceived use of the experience as a stress and coping tool. EEG activity was analyzed as a function of the frontal, midline, and parietal scalp regions, and with sLORETA current source density estimates of anterior cingulate and insular cortical regions of interest. Results demonstrated that both versions of the AR meditation significantly reduced negative mood and increased positive mood. The changes in resting state EEG were also comparable between groups, with some trending differences observed, in line with existing research on open heart and other loving-kindness and compassion-based meditations. Engagement was favorable for both versions of the AR experience, with higher levels of engagement reported with the addition of neurofeedback. These results provide early support for the therapeutic potential of AR-integrated meditations as a tool for the self-regulation of mood and emotion, and sets the stage for more research and development into health and wellness-promoting AR applications.

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Exploring Cortical Attentional System by Using fMRI during a Continuous Perfomance Test

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience ◽

10.1155/2010/329213 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2010 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

M. G. Tana ◽

E. Montin ◽

S. Cerutti ◽

A. M. Bianchi

Keyword(s):

Performance Test ◽

Continuous Performance Test ◽

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Brain Network ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Visual Object ◽

Bold Response ◽

Object Processing ◽

The Right

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in eight healthy subjects to identify the localization, magnitude, and volume extent of activation in brain regions that are involved in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response during the performance of Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT). An extensive brain network was activated during the task including frontal, temporal, and occipital cortical areas and left cerebellum. The more activated cluster in terms of volume extent and magnitude was located in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Analyzing the dynamic trend of the activation in the identified areas during the entire duration of the sustained attention test, we found a progressive decreasing of BOLD response probably due to a habituation effect without any deterioration of the performances. The observed brain network is consistent with existing models of visual object processing and attentional control and may serve as a basis for fMRI studies in clinical populations with neuropsychological deficits in Conners' CPT performance.

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Neuronal Substrates Underlying Performance Variability in Well-Trained Skillful Motor Task in Humans

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2016/1245259 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Nobuaki Mizuguchi ◽

Shintaro Uehara ◽

Satoshi Hirose ◽

Shinji Yamamoto ◽

Eiichi Naito

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Motor Skill ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Motor Task ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Cerebellar Hemisphere ◽

Intensive Training ◽

Performance Variability ◽

The Right

Motor performance fluctuates trial by trial even in a well-trained motor skill. Here we show neural substrates underlying such behavioral fluctuation in humans. We first scanned brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging while healthy participants repeatedly performed a 10 s skillful sequential finger-tapping task. Before starting the experiment, the participants had completed intensive training. We evaluated task performance per trial (number of correct sequences in 10 s) and depicted brain regions where the activity changes in association with the fluctuation of the task performance across trials. We found that the activity in a broader range of frontoparietocerebellar network, including the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate and anterior insular cortices, and left cerebellar hemisphere, was negatively correlated with the task performance. We further showed in another transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) experiment that task performance deteriorated, when we applied anodal tDCS to the right DLPFC. These results indicate that fluctuation of brain activity in the nonmotor frontoparietocerebellar network may underlie trial-by-trial performance variability even in a well-trained motor skill, and its neuromodulation with tDCS may affect the task performance.

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Choosing to view morbid information involves reward circuitry

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-71662-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Suzanne Oosterwijk ◽

Lukas Snoek ◽

Jurriaan Tekoppele ◽

Lara H. Engelbert ◽

H. Steven Scholte

Keyword(s):

Neural Circuits ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Viewing Condition ◽

Verbal Cues ◽

Negative Image ◽

Reward Circuitry ◽

Starting Point ◽

Passive Viewing

Abstract People often seek out stories, videos or images that detail death, violence or harm. Considering the ubiquity of this behavior, it is surprising that we know very little about the neural circuits involved in choosing negative information. Using fMRI, the present study shows that choosing intensely negative stimuli engages similar brain regions as those that support extrinsic incentives and “regular” curiosity. Participants made choices to view negative and positive images, based on negative (e.g., a soldier kicks a civilian against his head) and positive (e.g., children throw flower petals at a wedding) verbal cues. We hypothesized that the conflicting, but relatively informative act of choosing to view a negative image, resulted in stronger activation of reward circuitry as opposed to the relatively uncomplicated act of choosing to view a positive stimulus. Indeed, as preregistered, we found that choosing negative cues was associated with activation of the striatum, inferior frontal gyrus, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex, both when contrasting against a passive viewing condition, and when contrasting against positive cues. These findings nuance models of decision-making, valuation and curiosity, and are an important starting point when considering the value of seeking out negative content.

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