fMRI neurofeedback of amygdala response to aversive stimuli enhances prefrontal-limbic brain connectivity.
Down-regulation of the amygdala with real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI NF) potentially allows targeting brain circuits of emotion processing and may involve prefrontal-limbic networks underlying effective emotion regulation. Little research has been dedicated to the effect of rtfMRI NF on the functional connectivity of the amygdala and connectivity patterns in amygdala down-regulation with neurofeedback have not been addressed yet. Using psychophysiological interaction analysis of fMRI data, we present evidence that voluntary amygdala down-regulation by rtfMRI NF while viewing aversive pictures was associated with increased connectivity of the right amygdala with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in healthy subjects (N=16). In contrast, a control group (N=16) receiving sham feedback did not alter amygdala connectivity (Group×Condition t-contrast: p<.05 at cluster-level). Task-dependent increases in amygdala-vmPFC connectivity were predicted by picture arousal (β=.59, p<.05). A dynamic causal modeling analysis with Bayesian model selection aimed at further characterizing the underlying causal structure and favored a bottom-up model assuming predominant information flow from the amygdala to the vmPFC (xp=.90). The results were complemented by the observation of task-dependent alterations in functional connectivity of the vmPFC with the visual cortex and the ventrolateral PFC in the experimental group (Condition t-contrast: p<.05 at cluster-level). Taken together, the results underscore the potential of amygdala fMRI neurofeedback to influence functional connectivity in key networks of emotion processing and regulation. This may be beneficial for patients suffering from severe emotion dysregulation by improving neural self-regulation.
Department Neuroimaging, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany. Electronic address: christian.paret@zi-mannheim.de.
Christian
C
Paret
Department Neuroimaging, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Matthias
M
Ruf
Department of Clinical Psychology, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg/Mannheim, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Martin Fungisai
MF
Gerchen
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Rosemarie
R
Kluetsch
Department Neuroimaging, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Traute
T
Demirakca
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Martin
M
Jungkunz
Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Voßstr. 2, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
Katja
K
Bertsch
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Christian
C
Schmahl
Department Neuroimaging, Germany; Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Gabriele
G
Ende
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D065726:Limbic Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000379:methods*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
Amygdala; Brain connectivity; Emotion; fMRI neurofeedback; vmPFC