title: Human ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the positive affective processing of safety signals.
abstract: Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) contributes to the learned discrimination of threat and safety signals, although its precise contribution to these processes remains unclear. One hypothesis is that the vmPFC supports the positive affective processing of safety signals linked to their implicit stress-relieving properties. We set out to test this hypothesis and to examine the specificity of vmPFC responses to safety signal processing versus its high level of 'default mode' activity. Sixty participants completed an fMRI conditioning task that involved the generation of a conditioned threat (CS+) and safety (CS-) signal following the completion of a pre-conditioning baseline. Confirming past findings, activation of the vmPFC and other midline cortical and parietal areas - broadly resembling the default mode network - robustly discriminated between the CS- and CS+. However, when adjusting for this network's characteristic 'baseline' activity, only a subset of regions, including the vmPFC, was activated by the CS-. Regional selectivity for safety signal processing was confirmed by demonstrating a significant correlation between the magnitude of vmPFC responses and self-rated positive affect evoked by the CS-. Taken together, our current findings confirm a link between human vmPFC activity and the positive affective processing of safety signals. We discuss these findings with regards a broader model of human vmPFC function and its suggested higher-order contribution to emotionally adaptive behavior.
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Level 3, 161 Barry St. Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia. Electronic address: habj@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Anxiety Unit, Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Hospital del Mar, CIBERSAM G21, Barcelona 08003, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08193, Spain; Hospital del Mar Medical Research Unit (IMIM), Barcelona 08003, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fullana
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell 08208, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, CIBERSAM G17, Barcelona 08907, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Via
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, CIBERSAM G17, Barcelona 08907, Spain; Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Spain.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soriano-Mas
authors.affiliation: Center for Excellence on Generalization, Department of Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vervliet
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, CIBERSAM G17, Barcelona 08907, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martínez-Zalacaín
authors.affiliation: MRI Research Unit, Department of Radiology, Hospital del Mar, CIBERSAM G21, Barcelona 08003, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Level 3, 161 Barry St. Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Str. 8, 35039, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kircher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Str. 8, 35039, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Straube
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell 08208, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08193, Spain.
authors.forename: Narcís
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cardoner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D012449:Safety; D055815:Young Adult