Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake01:30

Regulation of Food Intake

Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
Behavior Modification01:21

Behavior Modification

Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
Sympathetic Activation01:16

Sympathetic Activation

The sympathetic division can influence tissues and organs by releasing norepinephrine at peripheral synapses and distributing epinephrine and norepinephrine through the bloodstream. In times of crisis or stress, sympathetic activation occurs, which is regulated by sympathetic centers in the hypothalamus. As a result, sympathetic activation prepares the body for physical exertion, rapid ATP production, and heightened alertness, allowing individuals to respond effectively to challenging or...
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior01:28

Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior

Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Hemispheric consistency in language production, comprehension, and reading in typically and atypically lateralized left-handers: Implications for reading performance.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026
Same author

A two-week period of detraining reduces hippocampal volume in regularly active young adults: a structural MRI study.

Behavioral and brain functions : BBF·2026
Same author

Neural Topologies of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory: A Latent Variable Approach to Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data.

Biological psychiatry global open science·2025
Same author

Effects of Lateralization of Language on Cognition Among Left-Handers.

Neurobiology of language (Cambridge, Mass.)·2025
Same author

Striatal functional connectivity associated with Sahaja Yoga meditation.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Authoritarianism and the brain: Structural MR correlates associated with polarized left- and right-wing ideology traits.

Neuroscience·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
08:07

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Published on: August 24, 2016

Behavioral activation system modulation on brain activation during appetitive and aversive stimulus processing.

Alfonso Barrós-Loscertales1, Noelia Ventura-Campos, Ana Sanjuán-Tomás

  • 1Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain. barros@psb.uji.es

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|February 12, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Individual differences in behavioral activation system (BAS) functioning correlate with brain activity during emotional picture processing. Higher BAS sensitivity is linked to specific prefrontal and occipital cortex activations when viewing appetitive and aversive stimuli.

More Related Videos

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
14:04

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
08:07

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Published on: August 24, 2016

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
14:04

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation

Published on: August 26, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Brain Imaging

Background:

  • Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) posits the behavioral activation system (BAS) as a dopamine-dependent neurobehavioral system.
  • Individual differences in BAS sensitivity influence reactivity to appetitive and aversive stimuli.
  • High BAS sensitivity theoretically involves enhanced processing of rewarding stimuli and diminished processing of aversive stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between individual differences in BAS functioning and brain activation patterns.
  • To examine neural responses to erotic (appetitive) and aversive stimuli during a goal-directed task.
  • To explore how BAS sensitivity modulates cortical activity in response to emotional content.

Main Methods:

  • Forty-five male participants completed a task involving viewing erotic and aversive pictures.
  • Brain activation was measured using functional neuroimaging during the task.
  • Self-report (SR) scores were used to assess individual differences in BAS functioning.

Main Results:

  • Task activation confirmed reward and punishment brain network engagement with erotic and aversive pictures, respectively.
  • Higher SR scores positively correlated with left lateral prefrontal, mesial prefrontal, and right occipital cortex activation during erotic picture viewing.
  • Higher SR scores negatively correlated with right lateral prefrontal and left occipital cortex activation during aversive picture viewing.

Conclusions:

  • Individual differences in BAS functioning, as measured by SR scores, modulate cortical activity in the prefrontal and occipital regions.
  • These findings support the role of specific cortical areas in mediating BAS functions and responses to emotional stimuli.
  • The study highlights the neural underpinnings of individual differences in sensitivity to appetitive and aversive stimuli.