Neural underpinnings of emotional responding and regulation: antecedents and correlates

我们的研究将考察大脑对负面情绪材料反应的个体差异的起源。科学家们注意到，个体的大脑对情感材料的反应存在显著差异。在某些情况下，大脑的情绪区域对负面物质反应过度，而相关的调节区域在控制这种反应方面效果较差。这种大脑活动模式可能会导致比正常情况下更强烈的情绪反应，以及随后抑制情绪反应的困难。到目前为止，人们对这种对消极情绪暗示做出反应的个体差异的起源知之甚少。基因似乎是影响因素之一，但也有证据表明，环境经历可能也很重要，尤其是那些发生在个体生命早期的环境经历。我们将通过对一大群年轻人进行脑部扫描来研究与情绪相关的大脑活动的起源，我们从他们出生起就一直在研究他们。我们将使用与这些个体的早期家庭和人际经历有关的详细信息来检查影响大脑活动关键方面的因素。反过来，这可能会告诉我们更多关于涉及情绪反应紊乱的心理困难的起源，比如抑郁症。

Our research will examine the origins of individual differences in brain responding to negative emotional material. Scientists have noted that individuals show significant variation in how their brains respond to emotional material. In some cases, emotional areas of the brain overrespond to negative material, and associated regulatory areas are less effective in controlling this responding. This pattern of brain activity may lead to stronger emotional reactions than normal, as well as difficulties in subsequently damping down emotional reactions. As yet, little is known about the origins of such individual differences in responding to negative emotional cues. Genes appear to be one source of influence, but there is also evidence to suggest that environmental experiences may be important, particularly those that occur early in an individual’s life. We will study the origins of emotion-relevant brain activity by conducting brain scans in a large group of young adults whom we have been studying since birth. We will use detailed information relating to the early family and interpersonal experiences of these individuals to examine the factors that contribute to key aspects of brain activity. This, in turn, may tell us more about the origins of psychological difficulties that involve disturbances in emotional responding, such as depressive disorder.