FMRI STUDIES OF AMYGDALA RESPONSE TO FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

迄今为止，人类神经成像研究已经提供了重要的见解杏仁核功能使用面部表情的情绪作为呈现刺激。我们的目标是通过集中精力研究数据收集策略来增强这些初步研究，这些策略将提供有关我们个体受试者的信息。具体来说，我们将使用功能性磁共振成像（fHRI）来验证这样一个假设，即对模糊评价的面部表情的主观评分可以用来预测杏仁核对这些表情的反应，以及对更明显的消极面孔（例如，恐惧的面孔）的反应。除了杏仁核反应性，我们还将收集更多的测量方法，旨在更全面地定义对面部表情进行积极和消极评价的受试者的心理特征。此外，我们将通过在三个单独的时间点（受试者内）评估杏仁核fMRI反应和效价评分来评估我们测量方法的可靠性。最后，该项目在与Essex项目V的合作中达到高潮，该项目评估杏仁核信号，因为它与我们的效价评定任务有关，在一组72名具有不同内化问题风险的青少年受试者中，因此需要进行精神病理学检查。平行的离线行为研究将

To date, human neuroimaging studies have offered important insights into amygdala function using facial expressions of emotion as presented stimuli. Our aim is to augment these initial studies by concentrating our efforts on data collection strategies that will provide information about our individual subjects. Specifically, we will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fHRI) to test the hypothesis that subjective ratings of ambiguously-valenced facial expressions can be used to predict amygdala response to these expressions as well as to more clearly negative faces (e.g., fearful faces). In addition to amygdala responsivity, we will collect additional measures aimed at more comprehensively defining the psychological profile of subjects who rate facial expressions positively vs. negatively. In addition, we will assess the reliability of our measures by assessing both amygdala fMRI response and valence ratings at three separate time points (within-subject). Finally, the project culminates with a collaboration with the Essex Project V in assessing amygdala signal as it relates to our valence rating task, in a group of 72 well characterized adolescent subjects with varying risk for internalizing problems, and thus dsk for psychopathology. Parallel offline behavioral studies that will determine the generalizability of our task. These offline studies will be cdtical in determining the applicability of this task for future field studies. The proposed studies build upon the work of our laboratory and that of others demonstrating that fMRI tasks involving the presentation of facial expressions can provide useful information about normal amygdala function and its aberrance in psychopathology. These studies will provide much needed data concerning a) individual subject differences in these responses b) the generalizability of these data to adolescents and c) the relationship of these measures with others related to vulnerability to psychopathology.