Amygdala-prefrontal cortex functional connectivity during threat-induced anxiety and goal distraction.

dc.contributor.author

Gold, Andrea L

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Morey, Rajendra A

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McCarthy, Gregory

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United States

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2015-12-03T15:07:57Z

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2015-02-15

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BACKGROUND: Anxiety produced by environmental threats can impair goal-directed processing and is associated with a range of psychiatric disorders, particularly when aversive events occur unpredictably. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to implement controls that minimize performance disruptions from threat-induced anxiety and goal distraction by modulating activity in regions involved in threat detection, such as the amygdala. The inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) have been linked to the regulation of anxiety during threat exposure. We developed a paradigm to determine if threat-induced anxiety would enhance functional connectivity between the amygdala and IFG, OFC, and vmPFC. METHODS: Healthy adults performed a computer-gaming style task involving capturing prey and evading predators to optimize monetary rewards while exposed to the threat of unpredictable shock. Psychophysiological recording (n = 26) and functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning (n = 17) were collected during the task in separate cohorts. Task-specific changes in functional connectivity with the amygdala were examined using psychophysiological interaction analysis. RESULTS: Threat exposure resulted in greater arousal measured by increased skin conductance but did not influence performance (i.e., monetary losses or rewards). Greater functional connectivity between the right amygdala and bilateral IFG, OFC, vmPFC, anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex was associated with threat exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to unpredictable threat modulates amygdala-PFC functional connectivity that may help maintain performance when experiencing anxiety induced by threat. Our paradigm is well-suited to explore the neural underpinnings of the anxiety response to unpredictable threat in patients with various anxiety disorders.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24882566

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S0006-3223(14)00265-0

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1873-2402

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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10968

dc.language

eng

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Biol Psychiatry

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10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.03.030

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Amygdala

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Functional connectivity

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Inferior frontal gyrus

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Orbitofrontal cortex

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Psychophysiological interaction

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Ventromedial prefrontal cortex

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Adult

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Amygdala

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Anxiety

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Arousal

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Brain Mapping

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Electroshock

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Female

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Galvanic Skin Response

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Goals

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Humans

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Male

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Prefrontal Cortex

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Young Adult

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Amygdala-prefrontal cortex functional connectivity during threat-induced anxiety and goal distraction.

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Journal article

pubs.author-url

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24882566

pubs.begin-page

394

pubs.end-page

403

pubs.issue

4

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Clinical Science Departments

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Duke

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Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

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Duke-UNC Center for Brain Imaging and Analysis

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Institutes and Centers

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Institutes and Provost's Academic Units

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Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

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Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Translational Neuroscience

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School of Medicine

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University Institutes and Centers

pubs.publication-status

Published

pubs.volume

77

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