title: A neural correlate of visceral emotional responses: evidence from fMRI of the thoracic spinal cord.
abstract: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of thoracic spinal cord neurons was used to examine the neural correlates of visceral emotional responses. Participants completed four spinal fMRI runs involving passive viewing (i.e. no movement) and motoric responses to negative or neutral images. Negative images, particularly in the movement condition, elicited robust activity in motoric nuclei, indicating 'action preparedness'. These images also enhanced activity in autonomic and sensory nuclei, thus providing a clear neural representation of visceral responses to emotional stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Jennifer.Kornelsen@umanitoba.ca.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornelsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: McIver
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: emotion; functional MRI; magnetic resonance imaging; spinal cord; thoracic spinal cord