title: The relationship between dorsolateral prefrontal activation and speech performance-based social anxiety using functional near infrared spectroscopy.
abstract: Functional near-infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy is a promising new technology that has demonstrated utility in the study of normal human cognition. We utilized fNIR spectroscopy to examine the effect of social anxiety and performance on hemodynamic activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Socially phobic participants and non-clinical participants with varying levels of social anxiety completed a public speaking task in front of a small virtual audience while the DLPFC was being monitored by the fNIR device. The relationship between anxiety and both blood volume (BV) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (Hb) varied significantly as a function of speech performance, such that individuals with low social anxiety who performed well showed an increase in DLPFC activation relative to those who did not perform well. This result suggests that effortful thinking and/or efficient top-down inhibitory control may have been required to complete an impromptu speech task with good performance. In contrast, good performers who were highly socially anxious showed lower DLPFC activation relative to good performers who were low in social anxiety, suggesting autopilot thinking or less-effortful thinking. In poor performers, slight increases in DLPFC activation were observed from low to highly anxious individuals, which may reflect a shift from effortless thinking to heightened self-focused attention. Heightened self-focused attention, poor inhibitory control resulting in excessive fear or anxiety, or low motivation may lower performance. These results suggest that there can be different underlying mechanisms in the brain that affect the level of speech performance in individuals with varying degrees of social anxiety. This study highlights the utility of the fNIR device in the assessment of changes in DLPFC in response to exposure to realistic phobic stimuli, and further supports the potential utility of this technology in the study of the neurophysiology of anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. LHG28@drexel.edu.|University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. LHG28@drexel.edu.|Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. LHG28@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Glassman
authors.affiliation: Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Anootnara T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kuster
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Jena A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Evan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izzetoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matteucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Herbert
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001810:Blood Volume; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D010551:Personality; D000072861:Phobia, Social / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D000076142:Virtual Reality; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins
keywords: Anxiety/anxiety disorders; Brain imaging/neuroimaging; SAD/social anxiety disorder/social phobia