Habitual emotion regulation strategies and baseline brain perfusion

Abstract

Specific emotion regulation styles like the frequent use of expressive suppression and low capacity for cognitive reappraisal has been associated with poorer mental health and a risk for depressive symptoms. Using arterial spin labeling, we investigated the effects of these regulation styles on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy participants during rest. Suppression scores correlated with increased rCBF in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Blood flow in this region was associated with elevated rCBF in other areas involved in emotional appraisal and control, and may represent neurobiological correlates of increased habitual self-monitoring as common in depression and anxiety. By linking default brain functioning to emotional styles, we provide an insight into the neurobiology of the predisposition to depression.