title: Rapid plasticity in the prefrontal cortex during affective associative learning.
abstract: MultiCS conditioning is an affective associative learning paradigm, in which affective categories consist of many similar and complex stimuli. Comparing visual processing before and after learning, recent MultiCS conditioning studies using time-sensitive magnetoencephalography (MEG) revealed enhanced activation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions towards emotionally paired versus neutral stimuli already during short-latency processing stages (i.e., 50 to 80 ms after stimulus onset). The present study aimed at showing that this rapid differential activation develops as a function of the acquisition and not the extinction of the emotional meaning associated with affectively paired stimuli. MEG data of a MultiCS conditioning study were analyzed with respect to rapid changes in PFC activation towards aversively (electric shock) paired and unpaired faces that occurred during the learning of stimulus-reinforcer contingencies. Analyses revealed an increased PFC activation towards paired stimuli during 50 to 80 ms already during the acquisition of contingencies, which emerged after a single pairing with the electric shock. Corresponding changes in stimulus valence could be observed in ratings of hedonic valence, although participants did not seem to be aware of contingencies. These results suggest rapid formation and access of emotional stimulus meaning in the PFC as well as a great capacity for adaptive and highly resolving learning in the brain under challenging circumstances.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Maimu A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rehbein
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wessing
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Jaume I University, Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: María Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.affiliation: Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Pienie
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zwitserlood
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keuper
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Junghöfer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*