Awareness of Emotional Stimuli Determines the Behavioral Consequences of Amygdala Activation and Amygdala-Prefrontal Connectivity

• DOI: 10.1038/srep25826
• Publication Date: 2016-05-16T09:32:15Z
• Authors: R. C. Lapate; B. Rokers; D. P. M. Tromp; N. S. Orfali; J. A. Oler; S. T. Doran; N. Adluru; A. L. Alexander; R. J. Davidson
• Keywords: Misattribution of memory; Stimulus (psychology); Ventromedial prefrontal cortex; Affect

Abstract Conscious awareness of negative cues is thought to enhance emotion-regulatory capacity, but the neural mechanisms underlying this effect are unknown. Using continuous flash suppression (CFS) in MRI scanner, we manipulated visual fearful faces during an affect misattribution paradigm, which preferences for neutral objects can be biased by valence a previously presented stimulus. The amygdala responded independently awareness. However, when was prevented, individuals with greater responses displayed bias toward unrelated novel faces. In contrast, aware condition, inverse coupling between and prefrontal cortex reduced bias, particularly among higher structural connectivity major white matter pathway connecting amygdala. Collectively, these results indicate that promotes function critical network targeting amygdala, providing mechanistic account role emotion regulation.