title: Neural response to emotional stimuli during experimental human endotoxemia.
abstract: Increases in peripheral cytokines during acute inflammation may affect various neuropsychological functions. The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to investigate the effects of acute endotoxemia on mood and the neural response to emotionally aversive visual stimuli in healthy human subjects. In a double-blind, randomized crossover study, 18 healthy males received a bolus injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.4 ng/kg) or saline. Plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and cortisol as well as mood ratings were analyzed together with the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response during the presentation of aversive versus neutral pictures. Endotoxin administration induced pronounced transient increases in plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-10, and cortisol. Positive mood was decreased and state anxiety increased. In addition, activation of right inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in response to emotional visual stimuli was significantly increased in the LPS condition. Increased prefrontal activation during the presentation of emotional material may reflect enhanced cognitive regulation of emotions as an adaptive response during an acute inflammation. These findings may have implications for the putative role of inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology of depression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kullmann
authors.forename: Jan-Sebastian
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Grigoleit
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichte
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kobbe
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosenberger
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banner
authors.forename: Oliver T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Engler
authors.forename: Reiner
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oberbeck
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elsenbruch
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bingel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forsting
authors.forename: Elke R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Gizewski
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schedlowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007249:Inflammation / Q000523:psychology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D006854:Hydrocortisone