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

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Published on: August 26, 2011

Endogenous testosterone and cortisol modulate neural responses during induced anger control.

Thomas F Denson1, Richard Ronay, William von Hippel

  • 1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. t.denson@unsw.edu.au

Social Neuroscience
|January 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Testosterone and cortisol levels interact to influence brain activity related to anger control. Low cortisol amplifies testosterone's effect on self-regulation neural pathways, impacting emotional responses.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Social Neuroscience
  • Psychophysiology

Background:

  • Previous research links testosterone and cortisol to aggression and violence.
  • The interaction between these hormones and self-regulation remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how testosterone and cortisol interact to affect neural activation during anger provocation.
  • To examine the relationship between these hormones and brain connectivity supporting self-regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 19 healthy Asian males.
  • Participants were subjected to anger provocation (insult) while attempting to control their anger.
  • Blood samples were collected to measure endogenous testosterone and cortisol concentrations.

Main Results:

  • Testosterone positively correlated with activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and thalamus when cortisol levels were low.
  • This correlation was not observed when cortisol levels were high.
  • Increased functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex during anger control was observed, strongest in individuals with high testosterone and low cortisol.

Conclusions:

  • Testosterone and cortisol interact to modulate neural activity in brain regions critical for self-regulation.
  • This hormonal interplay may provide a neural mechanism underlying individual differences in anger control.
  • Findings suggest a biological basis for how hormonal profiles influence emotional regulation and aggressive behavior.