Processing of Affective Pictures: A Study Based on Functional Connectivity Network in the Cerebral Cortex

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Affective Science

Background:

• Emotion significantly impacts human life, yet its neural underpinnings, particularly brain functional networks, remain incompletely understood.
• Existing research lacks a unified conclusion on how brain networks function across different emotional states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in brain function network connectivity under varying emotional states (positive, negative, neutral).
• To identify specific brain regions and frequency bands involved in emotional processing using electroencephalography (EEG).

Main Methods:

• Utilized the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) to induce emotions.
• Employed stable state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and source localization techniques on EEG signals.
• Analyzed differences in SSVEP amplitudes and brain functional network connections in cortical space.

Main Results:

• Positive and negative emotions showed greater activation in the prefrontal, temporal, and parietal lobes compared to neutral emotions.
• Significant differences in network connections were observed in alpha and gamma bands between emotional states.
• Key differences in network connections between positive and negative emotions were found in the right middle temporal gyrus and bilateral superior frontal gyrus.

Conclusions:

• Emotional states distinctly modulate brain activation patterns and functional network connectivity.
• Long-range neural connections, particularly involving the frontal, middle temporal, and middle occipital gyri, are crucial for emotional processing.
• Findings provide a scientific basis for understanding the neural mechanisms of emotion and inform EEG-based emotion recognition strategies.