Brain networks in emotion

Question 1

the perspective of brain networks

Answer 1

 Neuroscientific evidence has supported a brain network perspective in contrast to the modular view that brain function are carried out by distinct brain regions
 It is readily apparent that brain regions participate in many functions (pluripotency) and many functions are carried out by many regions (degeneracy) (Pessoa, 2014)
 Also, brain processes are distributed and parallel rather than sequential and hierarchical (Goldman-Rakic, 1988)
 Massive connectivity has been found between cortical areas, between subcortical and cortical areas, and between subcortical areas
 Functional connectivity=

Question 2

features of brain networks

Answer 2

 Brain networks contain overlapping brain regions, such that specific areas belong to several intersecting networks
 It means that the processes carried out by a given brain region is not fixed to a certain mental function
 Mclntosh (2002) proposed that a regions network affiliation is dynamically determined by the interactions between different parts of the brain at a given time i.e., the neural context
 As an example, when a cue signals the possible of reward (compared to non reward cue), cortical-subcortical functional connections increased systematically (Kinnison et al., 2012)

Question 3

emotion related brain network features

Answer 3

 Neuroimaging data show that the distributed neural systems associated with emotion categories span across cortical and subcortical regions (Kragel and LaBar 2016)
 At the overall network level, emotional processing increases functional connections across cortical and subcortical regions
 Within the cortex, however, functional connectivity increased in the case of reward, and decreased within several cortical regions in the case of threat (Pessoa and McMenamin, 2017)
 Further, stronger signal correlations in the salience network were associated with stronger negative effect (Hermans et al., 2011)

Question 4

the 3 intensively studied brain networks

Answer 4

1. Salience network- thought to be important for orienting attention to conspicuous stimuli (e..g potential threats), and in the taking of rapid, unpremeditated actions
2. Executive control network- thought to be important for the control of executive functions involving goal-orientated processing, deliberate attention, and working memory
3. Default network/ task negative- observed in the absence of effortful tasks, typically during resting state scans; is associated with episodic memory retrieval, autobiographical memory, and semantic memory related to internal thought etc.

Question 5

changes in network organisation over time

Answer 5

 In a neuroimaging study, ppts anticipated either threat (mild electric shocks) or safety (no shocks) for about 60 seconds (McMenamin et al., 2014)
 Initially, threat increased communication within the salience network, and decreased the extent to which the executive control network facilitated communication between other networks
 However, during the intermediate period, threat decreased efficiency in the salience network, and the amygdala became more engaged in communicating between networks
 During sustained threat, the amygdala became more central to communication and play an important role in determining the strength of the anxious state (Pessoa, and McMenamin, 2017)