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Related Experiment Videos

Emotion-modulated performance and activity in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

John D Herrington1, Aprajita Mohanty1, Nancy S Koven1

  • 1Department of Psychology.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
|June 29, 2005
PubMed
Summary

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Functional MRI studies show pleasant words increase dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity more than unpleasant words. This links positive emotions, better performance, and frontal brain function.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Affective Science

Background:

  • The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in emotional processing and cognitive control.
  • Previous research, primarily using electroencephalography (EEG), suggests frontal brain asymmetry related to emotional valence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between processing pleasant and unpleasant stimuli and brain activity in the prefrontal cortex using functional MRI (fMRI).
  • To provide fMRI evidence supporting models of emotional valence and frontal brain asymmetry.

Main Methods:

  • Functional MRI (fMRI) was employed to measure brain activity.
  • Twenty volunteers performed a task involving identifying the colors of pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant words.

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Main Results:

  • Processing pleasant words elicited greater bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity compared to unpleasant words.
  • Activity in the left DLPFC was greater than in the right DLPFC for pleasant words.
  • Response speed to pleasant words showed a positive correlation with DLPFC activity.

Conclusions:

  • These findings directly link positive affect, enhanced cognitive performance, and prefrontal cortex activity.
  • The study provides novel fMRI evidence supporting theories of emotional valence and frontal asymmetry.