A 7-Tesla MRI study of the periaqueductal gray: resting state and task activation under threat

Weis, Carissa; Bennett, Kenneth P.; Huggins, Ashley A.; Parisi, Elizabeth; Gorka, Stephanie M.; Larson, Christine L.

doi:10.1093/scan/nsab085

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 58 publications

(136 reference statements)

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“…For exploratory analyses, we were also interested in the hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), periaqueductal gray (PAG), medial orbitofrontal cortex/anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and anterior insula. Subcortical structures were defined anatomically: BNST and periaqueductal gray masks were based on previous manual tracings (in MNI space) of 10 and 53 subjects respectively (Theiss et al, 2017;Weis et al, 2021); and hypothalamus was defined through Freesurfer parcellations (Billot et al, 2020). Cortical structures were defined functionally from Participants with failed Freesurfer segmentations (N=10) were excluded from analyses.…”

Section: Regions Of Interest Masksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threat Vigilance and Intrinsic Amygdala Connectivity

Kirk¹,

Holmes²,

Robinson³

2022

Preprint

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A well documented amygdala-dorsomedial prefrontal circuit is theorized to promote attention to threat (‘threat vigilance’). Prior research has implicated a relationship between individual differences in trait anxiety/vigilance, engagement of this circuitry, and anxiogenic features of the environment (e.g. through threat-of-shock and movie-watching). In the present study, we predicted that—for those scoring high in self-reported anxiety and a behavioral measure of threat vigilance—this circuitry is chronically engaged, even in the absence of anxiogenic stimuli. Our analyses of resting-state fMRI data (N=639) did not, however, provide evidence for such a relationship. Nevertheless, in our planned exploratory analyses, we saw a relationship between threat vigilance behavior (but not self-reported anxiety) and intrinsic amygdala-periaqueductal gray connectivity. Here, we suggest this subcortical circuitry may be chronically engaged in hypervigilant individuals, but that the amygdala-prefrontal circuitry may only be engaged in response to anxiogenic stimuli.

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Section: Regions Of Interest Masksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threat Vigilance and Intrinsic Amygdala Connectivity

Kirk¹,

Holmes²,

Robinson³

2022

Preprint

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“…Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have reported BNST activation to uncertain threat anticipation [27][28][29][30][31][32] , yet evidence that the BNST encodes subjective anticipatory experience remains controversial. Previous fMRI studies comparing conditions of uncertain threat versus safe anticipation (overview see 33 ) have revealed increased activity in a broad range of brain regions such as BNST 30,31,34,35 , amygdala [36][37][38] , periaqueductal gray (PAG) 29,34,39 , anterior insula (aINS) [27][28][29]40,41 , anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) 28,29,40,42,43 and lateral and medial frontal regions 41,[44][45][46] . However, the comparison does not allow to specifically isolate the subjective feeling of uncertain threat anticipation given that the conditions may differ in several other mental processes (e.g., defensive responses or arousal), and the identified regions are involved in fundamental cognitive processes including salience or arousal 13 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A neural signature for the subjective experience of threat anticipation under uncertainty

Liu,

Jiao,

Zhou

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Uncertainty about potential future threats and the associated anxious anticipation represents a key feature of anxiety. However, the neural systems that underlie the subjective experience of threat anticipation under uncertainty remain unclear. Combining a novel uncertain shock anticipation paradigm that allows precise modulation of the level of momentary anxious arousal during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with multivariate predictive modeling, we trained a brain model that accurately predicted the intensity of subjective experience of anxious arousal on the population and individual level. In a series of analyses utilizing available fMRI datasets, we further demonstrate that the signature specifically predicted anxious anticipation and was not sensitive in predicting pain, general anticipation or unspecific arousal. The signature was functionally and spatially distinguishable from representations of subjective fear or negative affect. We developed a sensitive, generalizable, and specific neuromarker for subjective anxious arousal experienced during uncertain threat anticipation that can facilitate model development and clinical translation.

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“…For exploratory analyses, we were also interested in the hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), periaqueductal gray (PAG), medial orbitofrontal cortex/anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and anterior insula. Subcortical structures were defined anatomically: BNST and periaqueductal gray masks were based on previous manual tracings (in MNI space) of 10 and 53 subjects, respectively (Theiss et al, 2017 ; Weis et al, 2021 ); and hypothalamus was defined through Freesurfer parcellations (Billot et al, 2020 ; all subunits combined due to the EPI voxel resolution). Cortical structures were defined functionally from meta‐analytic clusters (Chavanne & Robinson, 2021; Anterior Insula = “Induced (+) vs. Pathological anxiety (+) 20 mm”, anterior vmPFC = “Induced anxiety (threat > safe) 20 mm”; subgenual ACC = “transdiagnostic anxiety (patients > controls)”).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threat vigilance and intrinsic amygdala connectivity

Kirk

Holmes

Robinson

2022

Human Brain Mapping

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A well-documented amygdala-dorsomedial prefrontal circuit is theorized to promote attention to threat ("threat vigilance"). Prior research has implicated a relationship between individual differences in trait anxiety/vigilance, engagement of this circuitry, and anxiogenic features of the environment (e.g., through threat-of-shock and movie-watching). In the present study, we predicted that-for those scoring high in self-reported anxiety and a behavioral measure of threat vigilance-this circuitry is chronically engaged, even in the absence of anxiogenic stimuli. Our analyses of resting-state fMRI data (N = 639) did not, however, provide evidence for such a relationship. Nevertheless, in our planned exploratory analyses, we saw a relationship between threat vigilance behavior (but not self-reported anxiety) and intrinsic amygdala-periaqueductal gray connectivity. Here, we suggest this subcortical circuitry may be chronically engaged in hypervigilant individuals, but that amygdalaprefrontal circuitry may only be engaged in response to anxiogenic stimuli.

show abstract

A 7-Tesla MRI study of the periaqueductal gray: resting state and task activation under threat

Cited by 9 publications

References 58 publications

Threat Vigilance and Intrinsic Amygdala Connectivity

Threat Vigilance and Intrinsic Amygdala Connectivity

A neural signature for the subjective experience of threat anticipation under uncertainty

Threat vigilance and intrinsic amygdala connectivity

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