Open AccessHuman attachment security is mediated by the amygdala: Evidence from combined fMRI and psychophysiological measures
Author(s) -
Lemche Erwin,
Giampietro Vincent P.,
Surguladze Simon A.,
Amaro Edson J.,
Andrew Christopher M.,
Williams Steven C.R.,
Brammer Michael J.,
Lawrence Natalia,
Maier Markus A.,
Russell Tamara A.,
Simmons Andrew,
Ecker Christine,
Joraschky Peter,
Phillips Mary L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.20206
Subject(s) - amygdala , psychology , functional magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , priming (agriculture) , cognitive psychology , botany , germination , biology
The neural basis of human attachment security remains unexamined. Using event‐related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simultaneous recordings of skin conductance levels, we measured neural and autonomic responses in healthy adult individuals during a semantic conceptual priming task measuring human attachment security “by proxy”. Performance during a stress but not a neutral prime condition was associated with response in bilateral amygdalae. Furthermore, levels of activity within bilateral amygdalae were highly positively correlated with attachment insecurity and autonomic response during the stress prime condition. We thereby demonstrate a key role of the amygdala in mediating autonomic activity associated with human attachment insecurity. Hum Brain Mapp, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.