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. 2018 Dec;8(12):e01137.
doi: 10.1002/brb3.1137. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Worry is associated with inefficient functional activity and connectivity in prefrontal and cingulate cortices during emotional interference

Holly Barker  1 , James Munro  1   2 , Natasza Orlov  1   3 , Elenor Morgenroth  1 , Jason Moser  4 , Michael W Eysenck  1   5 , Paul Allen  1   3   6
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Worry is associated with inefficient functional activity and connectivity in prefrontal and cingulate cortices during emotional interference

Holly Barker et al. Brain Behav. 2018 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety is known to impair attentional control particularly when Task demands are high. Neuroimaging studies generally support these behavioral findings, reporting that anxiety is associated with increased (inefficient) activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during attentional control Tasks. However, less is known about the relationship between worry (part of the cognitive dimension of trait anxiety) and DLPFC/ACC function and connectivity during attentional control. In the present study, we sought to clarify this relationship.

Methods: Forty-one participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a composite Faces and Scenes Task with high and low emotional interference conditions. Individual worry levels were assessed using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire.

Results: During high but not low emotional interference, worry was associated with increased activity in ACC, DLPFC, insula, and inferior parietal cortex. During high emotional interference, worry was also associated with reduced functional connectivity between ACC and DLPFC. Trait anxiety was not associated with changes in DLPFC/ACC activity or connectivity during either Task condition.

Conclusions: The results are consistent with cognitive models that propose worry competes for limited processing resources resulting in inefficient DLPFC and ACC activity when Tasks demands are high. Limitations of the present study and directions for future work are discussed.

Keywords: anterior cingulate; anxiety; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; functional magnetic resonance imaging; worry.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Bar charts showing behavioral data during the Attend Face and Attend Scene conditions (accuracy and reaction times), (b) Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) showing main effect of emotional interference (Attend Face [Fearful > Neutral Face trials) > Attend Scene [Fearful > Neutral trials); INS = Insula, ACC = anterior cingulate cortex). The left side of the brain is shown on the left hand side of the image
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) showing effects of worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire [PSWQ] scores positive association) on regional activation during the Attend Face condition, (b) PSWQ regression on functional connectivity during Attend Face Condition, with scatter plot showing PPI parameter estimates (functional connectivity) against PSWQ scores. (ACC = anterior cingulate cortex; INS = insula; IPG = inferior parietal gyrus; MFG = middle frontal gyrus). Left side of the brain is shown on the left side of the image
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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