Contextual Modulation of Amygdala Responsivity to Surprised Faces

Abstract

We recently demonstrated a functional relationship between fMRI responses within the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex based upon whether subjects interpreted surprised facial expressions positively or negatively. In the present fMRI study, we sought to assess amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex responsivity when the interpretations of surprised faces were determined by contextual experimental stimuli, rather than subjective judgment. Subjects passively viewed individual presentations of surprised faces preceded by either a negatively or positively valenced contextual sentence (e. g., She just found $500 vs. She just lost $500). Negative and positive sentences were carefully matched in terms of length, situations described, and arousal level. Negatively cued surprised faces produced greater ventral amygdala activation compared to positively cued surprised faces. Responses to negative versus positive sentences were greater within the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas responses to positive versus negative sentences were greater within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The present study demonstrates that amygdala response to surprised facial expressions can be modulated by negatively versus positively valenced verbal contextual information. Connectivity analyses identified candidate cortical-subcortical systems subserving this modulation.

COMT genotype influences prefrontal response to emotional distraction

“…In the present study, a basic correlational analysis (averaging across the time series for each event type) indicated a substantial extent of covariation between regions associated with controlled processing (VLPFC and OFC) and those associated with task-related processing (PPA), as well as a relationship between OFC and amygdala activity during trials with negative distractors potentially reflecting inhibitory connections (Kim et al, 2004;Logothetis, 2003). More advanced functional connectivity analyses have been used successfully in two recent studies of 5HTT-LPR genotype effects on prefrontal and limbic activation in affective processing paradigms (Heinz et al, 2005;Pezawas et al, 2005).…”

Affective Flexibility: Evaluative Processing Goals Shape Amygdala Activity

“…Although amygdala processing has been shown to occur rapidly and unconsciously, these data add to the growing evidence that goals may modulate amygdala activation to generate contextually appropriate and nuanced evaluations (Kim et al, 2004). Although complex neural networks play an important role in rendering an evaluation, we suggest that flexibility may be a core operating characteristic of specific components within these networks.…”

Interfering with activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex via TMS affects social impressions updating

“…While the amygdala and/or other cortical and subcortical structures could be more relevant in the analysis of face appearance (Tamietto et al, 2005), the dmPFC is likely to intervene at a later stage, combining face appearance with available information about the agent's behavior (Baron et al, 2011; see also Costa et al, 2013). Accordingly, it has been suggested that the dmPFC works as a convergence area for face and behavioral information, interacting with the amygdala's signals (Baron et al, 2011;Kim et al, 2004). In light of this, we cannot exclude that TMS had indirectly affected the amygdala as well as other cortical or subcortical regions, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (important in conflict monitoring; see Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, & Cohen, 2001), and the orbitofrontal cortex (important in processing of positive/rewarding stimuli, e.g., Blair et al, 2013;O'Doherty, Kringelbach, Rolls, Hornak, & Andrews, 2001;Rolls, 2000).…”