Frontal Brain Asymmetry as a Biological Substrate of Emotions in Patients With Panic Disorders

Wiedemann, Georg; Pauli, Paul; Dengler, Wilhelm; Lutzenberger, Werner; Birbaumer, Niels; Buchkremer, Gerhard

doi:10.1001/archpsyc.56.1.78

Cited by 200 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 51 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…In clinical samples, asymmetrical frontal activity has often~Allen et al, 1993Gotlib et al, 1998;, 1991Wiedemann et al, 1999! but not ubiquitously~Reid et al, 1998!…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Manipulation of frontal EEG asymmetry through biofeedback alters self‐reported emotional responses and facial EMG

2001

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Individual differences in resting asymmetrical frontal brain activity have been found to predict subsequent emotional responses. The question of whether frontal brain asymmetry can cause emotional responses has yet to be addressed. Biofeedback training designed to alter the asymmetry of frontal brain activity was therefore examined. Eighteen right-handed female participants were randomly assigned to receive biofeedback training designed to increase right frontal alpha relative to left frontal alpha~n ϭ 9! or to receive training in the opposite direction~n ϭ 9!. Five consecutive days of biofeedback training provided signals of reward or nonreward depending on whether the difference between right~F4! and left~F3! frontal alpha exceeded a criterion value in the specified direction. Systematic alterations of frontal EEG asymmetry were observed as a function of biofeedback training. Moreover, subsequent self-reported affect and facial muscle activity in response to emotionally evocative film clips were influenced by the direction of biofeedback training.Descriptors: Frontal EEG asymmetry, Biofeedback, Emotion, Approach-withdrawal model Asymmetrical activation of the anterior cortical regions appears to influence emotional responding, with left hemisphere activity relating to approach-related emotional responses and right hemisphere activity relating to withdrawal-related emotional responses. This observation is based on studies that have examined relationships between individual difference measures and resting cortical electroencephalographic~EEG! activity-particularly in the alpha frequency band, which is inversely associated with cortical activation. To illustrate, less right than left frontal alpha~i.e. increased relative right activity! is seen in depression and those with a history of depression~Allen, Iacono, Depue, & Arbisi, 1993;Gotlib, Ranganath, & Rosenfeld, 1998; Davidson, 1990, 1991!, and Davidson, 1993Davidson, , 1998 HarmonJones & Allen, 1997;Sutton & Davidson, 1997!, and that the asymmetry-depending on its magnitude and direction-taps a propensity to respond to emotionally evocative events with predictable emotional responses.Although the neurophysiological underpinnings of this model remain to be fully elucidated, individual differences in and alterations of asymmetrical frontal brain activity are likely to be functional, and not the result of underlying structural differences Davidson, 1998!. Several authors~e.g. Davidson, 1998 HarmonJones & Allen, 1997, 1998Sutton & Davidson, 1997;Wiedemann et al., 1999! have suggested that these frontal asymmetries tap not positive or negative affect per se, but a broader motivational tendency towards approach-related or withdrawal-related behaviors and emotions. In this view, depression and sad states represent a reduction in the left-frontally mediated propensity to approach and engage with the environment, and panic and fear represent a

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“…In clinical samples, asymmetrical frontal activity has often~Allen et al, 1993Gotlib et al, 1998;, 1991Wiedemann et al, 1999! but not ubiquitously~Reid et al, 1998!…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several authors~e.g. Davidson, 1998HarmonJones & Allen, 1997, 1998Sutton & Davidson, 1997;Wiedemann et al, 1999! have suggested that these frontal asymmetries tap not positive or negative affect per se, but a broader motivational tendency towards approach-related or withdrawal-related behaviors and emotions.…”

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confidence: 99%

Manipulation of frontal EEG asymmetry through biofeedback alters self‐reported emotional responses and facial EMG

2001

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“…(3) Converging evidence points toward a crucial role of unflexible and maladaptive processing of emotional stimuli in the pathogenesis of anxiety and anxiety disorders: anxiety-related emotional stimuli are rated as more threatening by patients than by control individuals and seem to be processed differently within the limbic-medial prefrontal circuit, partly driven by genetic factors (eg, Domschke et al, 2006Domschke et al, , 2008bDomschke and Dannlowski, 2010;Etkin, 2010;Lang and Cuthbert, 1984;Mathews, 1993;Mühlberger et al, 2006Mühlberger et al, , 2007Pauli et al, 1996;Wiedemann et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

ADORA2A Gene Variation, Caffeine, and Emotional Processing: A Multi-level Interaction on Startle Reflex

Domschke

Gajewska

Winter

et al. 2011

Neuropsychopharmacol

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There is converging evidence for genetic, biochemical, and neuropsychological factors to increase the risk for anxiety and anxiety disorders. The pathogenesis of anxiety disorders is assumed to be influenced by a complex interaction of these individual risk factors on several levels, affecting intermediate phenotypes of anxiety such as the startle reflex. Thus, in the present double-blind, placebocontrolled study we attempted to paradigmatically investigate a multi-level pathogenetic model of anxiety by testing the effect of 300 mg caffeine citrate as an antagonist at the adenosine A2A receptor vs placebo on the emotion-potentiated (unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant International Affective Picture System pictures) startle reflex in 110 healthy individuals (male ¼ 56, female ¼ 54) stratified for the adenosine A2A receptor (ADORA2A) 1976T4C polymorphism (rs5751876). In addition to the expected main effect of picture category (highest startle amplitude for unpleasant, lowest for pleasant pictures) groups across all ADORA2A 1976T4C genotype and intervention (caffeine vs placebo) groups, an interaction effect of genotype, intervention, and picture category was discerned: In ADORA2A 1976TT risk genotype carriers, highest startle magnitudes were observed after caffeine administration in response to unpleasant pictures, with this effect arising particularly from the female subgroup. Our data point to a complex, multi-level, and potentially gender-specific pathogenetic model of anxiety, with genetic and biochemical factors interactively increasing the risk of maladaptive emotional processing and thereby possibly also anxiety disorders. The present findings may eventually aid in improving primary and secondary prevention by sharpening the risk profiles of anxiety-prone individuals.

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“…Wiedemann Showed frontal brain waves' asymmetry as a biological substrate of emotions in patients with panic disorders [12]. Biriukova Showed clinical and neurophysiological efficacy of neurofeedback in the combined therapy of anxiety disorders resistant to psychopharmaco therapy [13]. La Vaque and colleagues in evaluating neurofeedback treatment of anxiety disorders showed it was an efficacious treatment [14].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Therapy in Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder

Sadjadi¹,

Hashemian

2014

J Psychiatry

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Frontal Brain Asymmetry as a Biological Substrate of Emotions in Patients With Panic Disorders

Cited by 200 publications

References 51 publications

Manipulation of frontal EEG asymmetry through biofeedback alters self‐reported emotional responses and facial EMG

Manipulation of frontal EEG asymmetry through biofeedback alters self‐reported emotional responses and facial EMG

ADORA2A Gene Variation, Caffeine, and Emotional Processing: A Multi-level Interaction on Startle Reflex

Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Therapy in Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder

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