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Neural correlates of emotional reactivity and regulation in youth with and without anxiety
Author(s) -
Padgaonkar Namita Tanya,
Phuong Uy Jessica,
DePasque Samantha,
Galván Adriana,
Peris Tara S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.23154
Subject(s) - anxiety , psychology , amygdala , reactivity (psychology) , cognitive reappraisal , functional magnetic resonance imaging , emotionality , aversive stimulus , emotional dysregulation , prefrontal cortex , developmental psychology , ventromedial prefrontal cortex , clinical psychology , emotional regulation , affect (linguistics) , cognition , neuroscience , psychiatry , medicine , alternative medicine , communication , pathology
Background Youth with anxiety disorders struggle with managing emotions relative to peers, but the neural basis of this difference has not been examined. Methods Youth (M age = 13.6; range = 8–17) with ( n = 37) and without ( n = 24) anxiety disorders completed a cognitive reappraisal task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Emotional reactivity and regulation, functional activation, and beta‐series connectivity were compared across groups. Results Groups did not differ on emotional reactivity or regulation. However, fronto‐limbic activation after viewing aversive imagery with and without regulation, as well as affect ratings without regulation, were higher for anxious youth. Neither group demonstrated age‐related changes in regulation, though anxious youth became less reactive with age. Stronger amygdala‐ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity related to greater anxiety in control youth, but less anxiety in anxious youth. Conclusion Anxious youth regulated when instructed, but regulation ability did not relate to age. Viewing aversive imagery related to heightened fronto‐limbic activation even after reappraisal. Emotion dysregulation in youth anxiety disorders may stem from heightened emotionality and potent bottom‐up neurobiological responses to aversive stimuli. Findings suggest the importance of treatments focused on both reducing initial emotional reactivity and bolstering regulatory capacity.