Reappraisal of Interpersonal Criticism in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Brain Network Hierarchy Perspective

Abstract

Emotion regulation is thought to involve communication between and within large-scale brain networks that underlie emotion reactivity and cognitive control. Aberrant network interaction might therefore be a key neural feature of mental disorders that involve emotion dysregulation. Here we tested whether connectivity hierarchies within and between emotion reactivity and cognitive reappraisal networks distinguishes social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients (n = 70) from healthy controls (HC) (n = 25). To investigate network organization, we implemented a graph-theory method called Dependency Network Analysis. Participants underwent fMRI while watching or reappraising video clips involving interpersonal verbal criticism. During reappraisal, the reappraisal network exerted less influence on the reactivity network in SAD participants. Specifically, the influence of the right inferior frontal gyrus on both reappraisal and reactivity networks was significantly reduced in SAD compared with HC, and correlated negatively with negative emotion ratings among SAD participants. Surprisingly, the amygdala exhibited reduced influence on the reappraisal network in SAD relative to HC. Yet, during the watch condition, the left amygdala's influence on the reactivity network increased with greater social anxiety symptoms among SAD participants. These findings refine our understanding of network organization that contributes to efficient reappraisal or to disturbances in applying this strategy in SAD.

Live from the “regulating brain”: Harnessing the brain to change emotion.

“…In another NF study, upregulation of the amygdala increased IFG-amygdala connectivity (Young et al, 2018). This aligns well with the IFG's function in cognitive reappraisal to influence emotion via connectivity with the amygdala (Jacob, Shany, Goldin, Gross, & Hendler, 2019). Overlapping neural networks mediate voluntary control of the brain with neurofeedback (NF) and with cognitive emotion regulation (ER; yellow).…”

In search of convergent regional brain abnormality in cognitive emotion regulation: a transdiagnostic neuroimaging meta-analysis

“…19 (Fitzgerald et al, 2017b) Non-significant results 20 (Schmitt et al, 2016) Non-significant results 21 (Light et al, 2011) Non-significant results 22 (Yip et al, 2018) Non-significant results 23 (Hilland et al, 2018) Lacking healthy controls 24 Lacking healthy controls Table S1. List of excluded studies with reasons 25 (Contreras-Rodríguez et al, 2020) Lacking healthy controls 26 (Fitzgerald et al, 2019) Lacking healthy controls 27 (Schmitgen et al, 2019) Lacking healthy controls 28 (Gorka et al, 2019) Lacking healthy controls 29 (Klumpp et al, 2017b) Lacking healthy controls 30 (Fonzo et al, 2017b) Lacking healthy controls 31 (Fonzo et al, 2017a) Lacking healthy controls 32 (Klumpp et al, 2017a) Lacking healthy controls 33 (Reinecke et al, 2018) Lacking healthy controls 34 (Klumpp et al, 2017c) Lacking healthy controls 35 (Goldin et al, 2014) Lacking healthy controls 36 (Reinecke et al, 2014) Lacking healthy controls 37 (Brühl et al, 2013) Lacking healthy controls 38 (Goldin et al, 2013a) Lacking healthy controls 39 (Heller et al, 2013) Lacking healthy controls 40 (Goldin et al, 2013b) Lacking healthy controls 41 (Hermann et al, 2009) Lacking healthy controls 42 (Kanske et al, 2015) Non-whole-brain analysis 43 (Rabinak et al, 2014) Non-whole-brain analysis 44 (Kanske et al, 2012) Non-whole-brain analysis 45 (Lang et al, 2012) Non-whole-brain analysis 46 (Erk et al, 2010) Non-whole-brain analysis 47 (Douw et al, 2020) Non-whole-brain analysis 48 (Klumpp et al, 2019) Non-whole-brain analysis 49 (Jacob et al, 2019) Non-whole-brain analysis 50 (Young et al, 2019) Non-whole-brain analysis 51 (Zhang et al, 2018) Non-whole-brain analysis 52 …”

White Matter Structural Brain Connectivity of Young Healthy Individuals With High Trait Anxiety

“…Yang et al found that functional connectivity among the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and the limbic regions was enhanced in the frontal marginal circuit of emotional regulation in patients with social anxiety disorder (40). Jacob et al found that in people with social anxiety disorders, emotion was associated with decreased connectivity between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (41). A task-based fMRI study concerning social anxiety disorders reported abnormal emotion processing areas (e.g., amygdala and insula) (42).…”