Trait self-compassion enhances activation in the medial prefrontal cortex during fear extinction: An fNIRS study

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100516
• Publication Date: 2024-11-06T04:47:31Z
• Authors: Tingyuan Chen; Ying Mei; Siyuan Zhou; Haoran Dou; Yi Lei
• Keywords: Extinction (optical mineralogy); Trait; Ventromedial prefrontal cortex; Self-Compassion; Self-reference effect

Fear acquisition and fear extinction are the most widely used experimental models to study anxiety related disorders, with medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) playing an important role in this process. Previous research suggests that trait self-compassion is associated lower anxiety, but neural mechanisms underlying relationship remain unclear. Women generally exhibit than men, making them more vulnerable anxiety. In study, female participants were divided into two groups - high low self-compassion, based on their scores Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). Both completed tasks, during which conditioned responses (CRs) measured using self-reported unconditioned stimulus (US) expectancy ratings, skin conductance response (SCR), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The results showed phase, all successfully acquired fear, showing greater threat stimuli safety stimuli. However, exhibited SCR those self-compassion. compared individuals effective learning, characterized by US SCR, higher mPFC activation. Moreover, was significantly correlated behavioral ability activation late phase of extinction, findings suggest have better physiological flexibility may through enhancing facilitate extinction. provide new insights pathological