Intracranial Neurophysiological Signatures of Fear and Anxiety in Humans

项目摘要/摘要 对啮齿动物的研究积累的证据表明，对威胁刺激的情绪反应依赖于 包括内侧前额叶皮质在内的焦虑处理网络内的神经生理学变化 杏仁基底外侧核(BLA)和腹侧海马区(VHPC)[1]。由于啮齿动物研究经常使用 实验动物模型(类似于健康的人类)目前还不清楚这些发现是否会转化为人类 MPFC-BLA-vHPC网络，尤其是在患有不同程度焦虑的个体中，如创伤后应激 精神障碍(PTSD)或广泛性焦虑症(GAD)。拟议中的项目将实施首个此类项目 脑电(IEEG)记录和脑电刺激(IES)平台 使用沉浸式虚拟技术在实验室和基于自然恐惧的任务中的mPFC-BLA-vHPC振荡活动 现实(VR)技术和能够记录生理(眨眼、心率)的可穿戴生物识别传感器 变异性[HRV]、皮肤电导反应[SCR]和瞳孔大小)。通过跨学科协作 在加州大学洛杉矶分校和退伍军人管理局大洛杉矶医疗系统(VAGLAHS)之间 拟议的项目将可以接触到80名癫痫患者，植入mPFC、BLA和/或vHPC深度 具有不同水平的失调焦虑相关处理的电极。由于我们的研究针对的是基本的 关于mPFC-BLA-vHPC振荡在人类恐惧和焦虑中的作用的问题，结果将成为桥梁 跨物种的研究结果，为帮助未来患有衰弱焦虑的患者奠定了科学基础 精神错乱。

Project Summary/Abstract Accumulating evidence from studies in rodents suggests that emotional reactions to threatening stimuli rely on neurophysiological changes within an anxiety-processing network that includes the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral hippocampus (vHPC) [1]. Since rodent studies often use laboratory animal models (similar to healthy humans) it is unclear whether findings will translate to the human mPFC-BLA-vHPC network especially in individuals with various levels of anxiety such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The proposed project will implement a first-of-its-kind platform for intracranial electroencephalographic (iEEG) recording and intracranial electrical stimulation (iES) of mPFC-BLA-vHPC oscillatory activity during laboratory and naturalistic fear-based tasks using immersive virtual reality (VR) technology and wearable biometric sensors capable of recording physiology (eye-blinks, heart rate variability [HRV], skin conductance response [SCR], and pupil size). Through an interdisciplinary collaboration between UCLA and the Veteran’s Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) the proposed project will have access to 80 epilepsy participants implanted with mPFC, BLA, and/or vHPC depth electrodes with varying levels of dysregulatory anxiety-related processing. Since our studies address basic questions about the role of mPFC-BLA-vHPC oscillations in human fear and anxiety, the results will bridge findings across species and lay the scientific foundation for helping future patients with debilitating anxiety disorders.