title: Brain mechanisms underlying the impact of attachment-related stress on social cognition.
abstract: Mentalizing, in particular the successful attribution of complex mental states to others, is crucial for navigating social interactions. This ability is highly influenced by external factors within one's daily life, such as stress. We investigated the impact of stress on the brain basis of mentalization in adults. Using a novel modification of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET-R) we compared the differential effects of two personalized stress induction procedures: a general stress induction (GSI) and an attachment-related stress induction (ASI). Participants performed the RMET-R at baseline and after each of the two inductions. Baseline results replicated and extended previous findings regarding the neural correlates of the RMET-R. Additionally, we identified brain regions associated with making complex age judgments from the same stimuli. Results after stress exposure showed that the ASI condition resulted in reduced mentalization-related activation in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS), left inferior frontal gyrus and left temporoparietal junction (TPJ). Moreover, the left middle frontal gyrus and left anterior insula showed greater functional connectivity to the left posterior STS after the ASI. Our findings indicate that attachment-related stress has a unique effect on the neural correlates of mentalization.
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA ; Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London London, UK.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Bolling
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Caitlin M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hudac
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London London, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fonagy
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mayes
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pelphrey
keywords: Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test; attachment; bio-behavioral switch model; mentalizing; social cognition; stress