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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
Published on: August 26, 2011
Neural correlates of affective picture processing--a depth ERP study.
Milan Brázdil1, Robert Roman, Tomás Urbánek
1Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. mbrazd@med.muni.cz
Neuroimage
|April 14, 2009
Summary
This study used intracerebral recordings to identify brain regions involved in processing emotional pictures. Unpleasant images activated widespread areas beyond the limbic system, including frontal and temporal cortices.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Affective Neuroscience
Background:
- Functional neuroimaging (PET, fMRI) has identified limbic and cortical structures in human emotion.
- A deeper understanding of specific neural substrates involved in affective processing is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate specific brain regions involved in affective picture processing using intracerebral recordings of event-related potentials (ERPs).
Main Methods:
- Ten epilepsy patients undergoing pre-surgical depth electrode recording viewed pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures.
- Intracerebral event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 752 cortical and subcortical sites.
- Analysis focused on differences in ERPs associated with emotional valence.
Main Results:
- Significant ERP differences were observed for unpleasant versus neutral/pleasant pictures in mesial and lateral temporal cortex, mesial and lateral prefrontal cortex.
- Earlier activation was noted in lateral prefrontal areas compared to mesial prefrontal cortex, and longer latencies in temporal regions.
- Novel activations were found in the posterior parietal cortex, precuneus, and insula, with bilateral hemispheric involvement.
Conclusions:
- Human emotion processing involves a distributed network extending beyond the traditional limbic system.
- Lateral aspects of the frontal lobes play a substantial role in affective picture processing.
- Findings support a multisystem model of emotion encompassing diverse cortical and subcortical regions.
