The unpleasantness of perceived dyspnea is processed in the anterior insula and amygdala.
BACKGROUND
The subjective perception of dyspnea, which is an impairing symptom in various cardiopulmonary diseases, consists of sensory (intensity) and affective aspects (unpleasantness). However, little is known about the cortical processing of the perception of dyspnea.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the cortical areas associated with the processing of the affective unpleasantness of perceived dyspnea.


METHODS
Brain imaging study using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 14 healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
Dyspnea was induced by inspiratory resistive loaded breathing with concomitant positive and negative emotional stimulation by viewing standardized emotional picture series. The blood oxygen level-dependent contrast was measured as an index of local neuronal activity while respiration was continuously monitored. Negative emotional stimulation during loaded breathing was associated with higher unpleasantness of perceived dyspnea when compared with loaded breathing with concomitant positive emotional stimulation (P < 0.05). The levels of intensity of perceived dyspnea, respiratory responses, and load magnitude were similar between both conditions. Higher unpleasantness of dyspnea was associated with neuronal activations in the limbic system-that is, in the right anterior insula and in the right amygdala (respective Z values = 3.93 and 3.15; P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present brain imaging study suggest that the unpleasantness of subjectively perceived dyspnea is processed in the right human anterior insula and amygdala.
von Leupoldt
Andreas
A
Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 5, 20146 Hamburg, Germany. andreas.vonleupoldt@uni-hamburg.de
Sommer
Tobias
T
Kegat
Sarah
S
Baumann
Hans Jörg
HJ
Klose
Hans
H
Dahme
Bernhard
B
Büchel
Christian
C
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012013:Reference Books; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index