The integrate model of emotion, thinking and self regulation: an application to the "paradox of aging".
This study was undertaken using the INTEGRATE Model of brain organization, which is based on a temporal continuum of emotion, thinking and self regulation. In this model, the key organizing principle of self adaption is the motivation to minimize danger and maximize reward. This principle drives brain organization across a temporal continuum spanning milliseconds to seconds, minutes and hours. The INTEGRATE Model comprises three distinct processes across this continuum. Emotion is defined by automatic action tendencies triggered by signals that are significant due to their relevance to minimizing danger-maximizing reward (such as abrupt, high contrast stimuli). Thinking represents cognitive functions and feelings that rely on brain and body feedback emerging from around 200 ms post-stimulus onwards. Self regulation is the modulation of emotion, thinking and feeling over time, according to more abstract adaptions to minimize danger-maximize reward. Here, we examined the impact of dispositional factors, age and genetic variation, on this temporal continuum. Brain Resource methodology provided a standardized platform for acquiring genetic, brain and behavioral data in the same 1000 healthy subjects. Results showed a "paradox" of declining function in the "thinking" time scale over the lifespan (6 to 80+ years), but a corresponding preservation or even increase in automatic functions of "emotion" and "self regulation". This paradox was paralleled by a greater loss of grey matter in cortical association areas (assessed using MRI) over age, but a relative preservation of subcortical grey matter. Genetic polymorphisms associated with both healthy function and susceptibility to disorder (including the BDNFVal(66)Met, COMTVal(158/108)Met, MAOA and DRD4 tandem repeat and 5HTT-LPR polymorphisms) made specific contributions to emotion, thinking and self regulatory functions, which also varied according to age.
Williams
Leanne M
LM
Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Australia.
Gatt
Justine M
JM
Hatch
Ainslie
A
Palmer
Donna M
DM
Nagy
Marie
M
Rennie
Christopher
C
Cooper
Nicholas J
NJ
Morris
Charlotte
C
Grieve
Stuart
S
Dobson-Stone
Carol
C
Schofield
Peter
P
Clark
C Richard
CR
Gordon
Evian
E
Arns
Martijn
M
Paul
Robert H
RH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor