Attention and amygdala activity: an fMRI study with spider pictures in spider phobia.

Journal of Neural Transmission
G W AlpersRudolf Stark

Abstract

Facilitated detection of threatening visual cues is thought to be adaptive. In theory, detection of threat cues should activate the amygdala independently from allocation of attention. However, previous studies using emotional facial expressions as well as phobic cues yielded contradictory results. We used fMRI to examine whether the allocation of attention to components of superimposed spider and bird displays modulates amygdala activation. Nineteen spider-phobic women were instructed to identify either a moving or a stationary animal in briefly presented double-exposure displays. Amygdala activation followed a dose-response relationship: Compared to congruent neutral displays (two birds), amygdala activation was most pronounced in response to congruent phobic displays (two spiders) and less but still significant in response to mixed displays (spider and bird) when attention was focused on the phobic component. When attention was focused on the neutral component, mixed displays did not result in significant amygdala activation. This was confirmed in a significant parametric graduation of the amygdala activation in the order of congruent phobic displays, mixed displays with attention focus on the spider, mixed displays with foc...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 22, 2009·Journal of Neural Transmission·Antje B M GerdesGeorg W Alpers
Jan 1, 2011·Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders·Thomas StraubeWolfgang Hr Miltner
Jun 28, 2013·PloS One·Maria Ida GobbiniCarlo Cipolli
Aug 8, 2014·Journal of Ophthalmology·Elisa BerdicaGeorg W Alpers
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Apr 1, 2014·Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience·Luis Carretié
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Apr 1, 2014·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Andre PittigGeorg W Alpers
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Dec 19, 2014·Frontiers in Psychology·Antje B M GerdesGeorg W Alpers
Aug 16, 2016·Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry·Elisa BerdicaGeorg W Alpers
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Sep 9, 2017·Frontiers in Psychology·Alessia CeleghinMarco Tamietto
Aug 8, 2018·Frontiers in Psychology·Elisa BerdicaGeorg W Alpers
Nov 30, 2019·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Amélie RobergeBenoit Brisson
Apr 3, 2021·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Kristina M Hengen, Georg W Alpers

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