An fMRI Investigation of the Neural Pathways Behind Emotional Acceptance

描述（由申请人提供）：该奖学金的具体研究目标是使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）来更好地理解情绪接受作为一种情绪调节技术的神经机制，同时提供使用功能磁共振成像作为研究工具的宝贵培训。通过使用功能磁共振成像，该研究将在临床样本中检查神经结构中激活和去激活的模式，同时将情绪接受作为一种情绪调节策略。具体而言，本研究将研究以下内容：1)在消极情绪诱导中，相对于“参与”和“抑制”条件，“接受”条件下特定兴趣区域（roi、杏仁核、岛叶、海马、前扣带皮层、眶额皮质、前额叶皮质）的激活；2)接受过和未接受过情绪接受技能训练的受试者在这两种情况下的激活模式存在差异；(3)消极情绪激活模式变化与自我报告消极情绪主观体验变化的关系。情绪接受技能培训将基于《情绪障碍治疗统一方案》中目前使用的程序（Barlow, Allen, Ellard & Fairholme, 2008），并将在治疗后成像会议之前进行5次1小时的培训。本研究的更大目标是将情感神经科学和情绪调节研究联系起来，研究与情绪接受相关的神经机制，从而更好地理解这种方法在治疗焦虑和情绪障碍方面的最终效用。公共卫生相关性：焦虑和情绪障碍扰乱了数百万美国人的生活，焦虑症的终生患病率估计为人口的29%，情绪障碍为21% （Kessler et al., 2005）。此外，仅焦虑症一项每年就给这个国家造成超过420亿美元的损失（Greenberg et al., 1999）。希望通过了解情绪调节策略（如情绪接受）在情绪处理过程中如何影响皮层和边缘结构之间的交流，我们不仅可以在神经水平上更好地了解焦虑和情绪障碍的病因，还可以通过统一的跨诊断方法有效地改善或纠正这些障碍中的不适应情绪处理。进行这项研究的经验将为追求长期职业目标提供坚实的基础-将情感神经科学和情绪调节研究联系起来，以改善焦虑和情绪障碍的社会心理治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific goals of the research study proposed for this fellowship are to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to gain a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying emotional acceptance as an emotion regulation technique, while simultaneously providing invaluable training in the use of fMRI as a research tool. Through the use of fMRI, the proposed study will examine patterns of activation and de-activation in neural structures while engaging in emotional acceptance as an emotion regulation strategy in a clinical sample. Specifically, this study will examine the following: 1) activation of specific regions of interest (ROIs; amygdala, insula, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, prefrontal cortex) of an "Accept" condition relative to "Attend" and "Suppress" conditions during a negative emotion induction; 2) differences in patterns of activation in these two conditions between those who have and have not undergone skills training in emotional acceptance as an emotion regulation strategy; and 3) the relationship between changes in patterns of activation and self-reported changes in the subjective experience of negative emotion. Skills training in emotional acceptance skills will be based upon procedures currently used in the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders (Barlow, Allen, Ellard & Fairholme, 2008), and will be carried out over five, 1-hour sessions prior to a post-treatment imaging session. The broader aim of this study is to bridge affective neuroscience and emotion regulation research to investigate the neural mechanisms associated with emotional acceptance to gain a better understanding of the ultimate utility of this approach as applied to the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Anxiety and mood disorders disrupt the lives of millions of Americans, with lifetime prevelance rates for anxiety disorders estimated at 29% of the population, and mood disorders at 21% (Kessler et al., 2005). Further, anxiety disorders alone represent a cost to this country of over $42 billion annually (Greenberg et al., 1999). It is hoped that by understanding how emotion regulation strategies such as emotional acceptance affect communication between cortical and limbic structures during emotional processing, we might gain a better understanding not only of the etiology of anxiety and mood disorders at a neural level, but also of how to effectively ameliorate or correct maladaptive emotional processing in these disorders using a unified, transdiagnostic approach. The experience of conducting this study will provide a strong foundation from which to pursue long-term career goals - to bridge affective neuroscience and emotion regulation research to improve psychosocial treatments for anxiety and mood disorders.