Attachment-security priming attenuates amygdala activation to social and linguistic threat

Abstract

A predominant expectation that social relationships with others are safe (a secure attachment style), has been linked with reduced threat-related amygdala activation. Experimental priming of mental representations of attachment security can modulate neural responding, but the effects of attachment-security priming on threat-related amygdala activation remains untested. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study examined the effects of trait and primed attachment security on amygdala reactivity to threatening stimuli in an emotional faces and a linguistic dot-probe task in 42 healthy participants. Trait attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were positively correlated with amygdala activation to threatening faces in the control group, but not in the attachment primed group. Furthermore, participants who received attachment-security priming showed attenuated amygdala activation in both the emotional faces and dot-probe tasks. The current findings demonstrate that variation in state and trait attachment security modulates amygdala reactivity to threat. These findings support the potential use of attachment security-boosting methods as interventions and suggest a neural mechanism for the protective effect of social bonds in anxiety disorders.

Adult attachment style is associated with cerebral μ‐opioid receptor availability in humans

“…In line with these findings, haemodynamic responses in the striatal reward circuit to signals conveying positive emotional signals are negatively associated with attachment avoidance [Vrticka et al, 2008], whereas amygdala responses to negative emotional signals have been positively associated with both attachment avoidance [Norman et al, 2015] and anxiety [Vrticka et al, 2008]. At subjective level, avoidant attachment is associated with lowered experience of pleasantness when viewing positive social scenes, whereas anxious attachment is associated with heightened experience of arousal when viewing negative social scenes .…”

“…At subjective level, avoidant attachment is associated with lowered experience of pleasantness when viewing positive social scenes, whereas anxious attachment is associated with heightened experience of arousal when viewing negative social scenes . In line with these findings, haemodynamic responses in the striatal reward circuit to signals conveying positive emotional signals are negatively associated with attachment avoidance [Vrticka et al, 2008], whereas amygdala responses to negative emotional signals have been positively associated with both attachment avoidance [Norman et al, 2015] and anxiety [Vrticka et al, 2008]. Finally, the putative human social distress circuit (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [dACC] and insula) is more responsive to social rejection in anxiously attached and less responsive in avoidantly attached individuals [DeWall et al, 2012].…”

Enhancing the “Broaden and Build” Cycle of Attachment Security in Adulthood: From the Laboratory to Relational Contexts and Societal Systems

“…For example, Mikulincer, Hirschberger, Nachmias, and Gillath [24] found that implicit exposure to the names of participants' security providers (nominated in the WHOTO questionnaire), compared with the names of close others or acquaintances who were not nominated as attachment figures, improved implicit mood (greater liking of previously unfamiliar Chinese ideographs) even in a threatening context. Subsequent studies showed that security priming accelerated emotional recovery after recalling an upsetting event [25], inhibited unwanted intrusions of distressing memories [26], attenuated activation in brain areas implicated in reactivity to social threats [27,28], and increased physiological signs of relaxation during stress exposure [29]. There is also evidence that security priming reduces anxiety and depression in clinical and non-clinical samples, enhances mindful attention, and causes distressed people to become more open-minded about therapy [30][31][32][33].…”

Thriving through relationships

“…In another study, emotional support from a romantic partner prior to a stressful speech task reduced cortisol reactivity, facilitated emotional recovery, and increased expressions of gratitude and affection [21]. Recent experimental research also shows that the actual or symbolic presence of attachment figures can attenuate neural activation in brain regions associated with threat and emotion regulation [24,25] and reduce perceptions of pain [26]. …”