title: Neural basis of individual differences in the response to mental stress: a magnetoencephalography study.
abstract: Stress is a risk factor for the onset of mental disorders. Although stress response varies across individuals, the mechanism of individual differences remains unclear. Here, we investigated the neural basis of individual differences in response to mental stress using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Twenty healthy male volunteers completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The experiment included two types of tasks: a non-stress-inducing task and a stress-inducing task. During these tasks, participants passively viewed non-stress-inducing images and stress-inducing images, respectively, and MEG was recorded. Before and after each task, MEG and electrocardiography were recorded and subjective ratings were obtained. We grouped participants according to Novelty seeking (NS) - tendency to be exploratory, and Harm avoidance (HA) - tendency to be cautious. Participants with high NS and low HA (n = 10) assessed by TCI had a different neural response to stress than those with low NS and high HA (n = 10). Event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the beta frequency band was observed only in participants with high NS and low HA in the brain region extending from Brodmann's area 31 (including the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus) from 200 to 350 ms after the onset of picture presentation in the stress-inducing task. Individual variation in personality traits (NS and HA) was associated with the neural response to mental stress. These findings increase our understanding of the psychological and neural basis of individual differences in the stress response, and will contribute to development of the psychotherapeutic approaches to stress-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. emiyamano@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, 940-2188, Japan.
authors.forename: Shusaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.|RIKEN, Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Kobe, Chuo-ku, 650-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007206:Individuality; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010556:Personality Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Event-related desynchronization; Individual differences; Magnetoencephalography; Stress