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Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Selective attention to emotion in the aging brain.

Gregory R Samanez-Larkin¹, Elaine R Robertson¹, Joseph A Mikels²

¹Department of Psychology, Stanford University.

Psychology and Aging

|September 11, 2009

Summary

Older adults maintain emotional regulation by prioritizing emotional goals, showing reduced attentional interference on emotional tasks despite typical cognitive control challenges. This highlights adaptive emotional attention in aging.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive psychology
Neuroscience of aging
Emotion regulation

Background:

Research indicates stable or improved emotion regulation across adulthood.
Socioemotional selectivity theory posits emotional goal prioritization drives this.
Goal-directed behavior necessitates attentional control.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate age differences in selective attention to emotional stimuli.
Examine attentional control under emotional interference.
Compare neural and behavioral responses in younger and older adults.

Main Methods:

Participants completed a flanker task with emotional and nonemotional stimuli.
Behavioral measures assessed reaction times and accuracy.
Neural measures captured brain activity during the task.

Main Results:

Older adults exhibited behavioral and neural interference on control trials.
This interference was absent on emotion trials for older adults.
Older adults successfully reduced interference in emotional tasks.

Conclusions:

Older adults demonstrate effective selective attention to emotional stimuli.
Emotional prioritization may facilitate cognitive control in aging.
Findings support socioemotional selectivity theory's implications for attention.