title: Cortical and cerebellar modulation of autonomic responses to loud sounds.
abstract: Detecting unexpected environmental change causes modulation of autonomic activity essential for survival. Understanding the neural mechanisms associated with responses to loud sounds may provide insights into the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), since individuals with PTSD exhibit heightened autonomic responses to unexpected loud sounds. We combined fMRI with autonomic psychophysiological assessment to investigate central and peripheral reactivity to loud tones in 20 healthy participants. Activity in anterior insula, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, anterior midcingulate cortex, supplementary motor area, supramarginal gyrus, and cerebellar lobules VIII-IX was associated with both tones and concomitant skin conductance responses. Since regions signaling unexpected external events modulate autonomic activity, heightened loud tone autonomic responses in PTSD may reflect sensitization of this "salience" network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Center of Education and Research (COEUR), Psychiatric Services of the County of St. Gallen-North, Wil, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mueller-Pfeiffer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeffiro
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Nellie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spring
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rufer
authors.forename: Roger K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Pitman
authors.forename: Scott P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Orr
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autonomic nervous system; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Heart rate; Saliency; Skin conductance; Unconditioned response