title: The electrophysiological effects of the serotonin 1A receptor agonist buspirone in emotional face processing.
abstract: Emotional face processing is critically modulated by the serotonergic system, and serotonin (5-HT) receptor agonists impair emotional face processing. However, the specific contribution of the 5-HT1A receptor remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the spatiotemporal brain mechanisms underpinning the modulation of emotional face processing induced by buspirone, a partial 5-HT1A receptor agonist. In a psychophysical discrimination of emotional faces task, we observed that the discrimination fearful versus neutral faces were reduced, but not happy versus neutral faces. Electrical neuroimaging analyses were applied to visual evoked potentials elicited by emotional face images, after placebo and buspirone administration. Buspirone modulated response strength (i.e., global field power) in the interval 230-248ms after stimulus onset. Distributed source estimation over this time interval revealed that buspirone decreased the neural activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex that was evoked by fearful faces. These results indicate temporal and valence-specific effects of buspirone on the neuronal correlates of emotional face processing. Furthermore, the reduced neural activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in response to fearful faces suggests a reduced attention to fearful faces. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the role of 5-HT1A receptors in emotional face processing and have implications for affective disorders that are characterized by an increased attention to negative stimuli.
authors: Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; Center for Neuroprosthethics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: fosco.bernasconi@gmail.com.
authors: Fosco
authors: F
authors: Bernasconi
authors: Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Kometer
authors: Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Pokorny
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Erich
authors: E
authors: Seifritz
authors: Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging Unit, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Franz X
authors: FX
authors: Vollenweider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002065:Buspirone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011601:Psychophysics; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D002065:Buspirone
keywords: 5-HT1A receptor; Buspirone; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; EEG; Emotional face processing