The role of the amygdala in the perception of positive emotions: an "intensity detector"

Louise Bonnet, Alexandre Comte, Laurent Tatu, Jean-Louis Millot, Thierry Moulin, Elisabeth Medeiros de Bustos, Louise Bonnet, Alexandre Comte, Laurent Tatu, Jean-Louis Millot, Thierry Moulin, Elisabeth Medeiros de Bustos

Abstract

The specific role of the amygdala remains controversial even though the development of functional imaging techniques has established its implication in the emotional process. The aim of this study was to highlight the sensitivity of the amygdala to emotional intensity (arousal). We conducted an analysis of the modulation of amygdala activation according to variation in emotional intensity via an fMRI event-related protocol. Monitoring of electrodermal activity, a marker of psychophysiological emotional perception and a reflection of the activation of the autonomic nervous system, was carried out concurrently. Eighteen subjects (10 men; aged from 22 to 29 years) looked at emotionally positive photographs. We demonstrated that the left and right amygdalae were sensitive to changes in emotional intensity, activating more in response to stimuli with higher intensity. Furthermore, electrodermal responses were more frequent for the most intense stimuli, demonstrating the concomitant activation of the autonomic nervous system. These results highlight the sensitivity of the amygdala to the intensity of positively valenced visual stimuli, and in conjunction with results in the literature on negative emotions, reinforce the role of the amygdala in the perception of intensity.

Keywords: IAPS; amygdala; electrodermal response; emotion; emotional intensity; fMRI.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Distribution of the mean intensity ratings by our subjects for each of the 75 selected IAPS pictures against the IAPS norms of intensity. R, correlation coefficient (Pearson test, p < 0.001). (B) Distribution of the mean intensity ratings by our subjects for each of the 75 selected IAPS pictures against the IAPS norms of valence. Dashed lines represent the mean valence (m = 5.9) and the mean ± 1.96 SD (4.94 and 6.87). Blue (or respectively red/green) points form the low (or respectively medium/high) intensity groups. Points with a black edge represent the means of the sub-groups. Error bars are the standard error of the mean.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bold curves as well as mean beta weight calculated from 18 subjects by image group in four regions of interest: left and right amygdalae, right pulvinar, and the medial thalami and hypothalamus complex. Group 1 is the image set with the lowest intensity, and Group 3 the image set with the highest intensity (Group 2 is an intermediate intensity image set). Regions of interest were obtained from the contrast Group 3 minus Group 1 after a statistical threshold of q(FDR) < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean (± s.e.m.) * indicates a <0.05 p-value.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Magnitudes and frequencies of the SCRs during viewing of stimuli in the first session inside the scanner. There was a statistical difference between groups of low and moderate intensity compared to the group of high intensity in terms of magnitude and frequency of SCRs. (B) Magnitudes and frequencies of the SCR during the viewing of the stimuli outside the scanner, in the second session. There was no statistical difference between the magnitudes of the 3 groups (p = 0.28). There was a statistical difference in frequencies of SCRs between groups of low and moderate intensity compared to the group of high intensity. *indicates a <0.005 p-value.

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