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Ottaviani et al. - 2016 - Neurobiological substrates of cognitive rigidity and autonomic inflexibility in generalized anxiety disorder-annotated.pdf (934.5 kB)

Neurobiological substrates of cognitive rigidity and autonomic inflexibility in generalized anxiety disorder

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posted on 2023-06-09, 02:22 authored by Christina Ottaviani, David R Watson, Frances Meeten, Elena Makovac, Sarah Garfinkel, Hugo CritchleyHugo Critchley
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by difficulties in inhibiting both perseverative thoughts (worry and rumination) and autonomic arousal. We investigated the neurobiological substrates of such abnormal inhibitory processes, hypothesizing aberrant functional coupling within ‘default mode’ (DMN) and autonomic brain networks. Functional imaging and heart rate variability (HRV) data were acquired from GAD patients and controls during performance of three tracking tasks interspersed with a perseverative cognition (PC) induction. After detection of infrequent target stimuli, activity within putative DMN hubs was suppressed, consistent with a redirection of attentional resources from internal to external focus. This magnitude of activity change was attenuated in patients and individuals with higher trait PC, but was predicted by individual differences in HRV. Following the induction of PC in controls, this pattern of neural reactivity became closer to that of GAD patients. Results support, at a neural level, the association between cognitive inflexibility and autonomic rigidity.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Biological Psychology

ISSN

0301-0511

Publisher

Elsevier

Volume

119

Page range

31-41

Department affiliated with

  • BSMS Neuroscience Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • No

Legacy Posted Date

2016-08-03

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2017-09-02

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-08-03

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