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Updated: Sep 28, 2025
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Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
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Threat vigilance and intrinsic amygdala connectivity
Peter A Kirk1,2,3, Avram J Holmes3,4, Oliver J Robinson1,5
1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK.
Human Brain Mapping
|April 1, 2022
Summary
This study found that trait anxiety does not correlate with chronic amygdala-prefrontal circuit engagement. However, threat vigilance behavior, not anxiety, linked to amygdala-periaqueductal gray connectivity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- The amygdala-dorsomedial prefrontal circuit is theorized to mediate threat vigilance.
- Previous research suggests links between anxiety, vigilance, and environmental threat cues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if high trait anxiety and threat vigilance are associated with chronic engagement of the amygdala-prefrontal circuit, even without anxiogenic stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 639 participants were analyzed.
- Correlations were examined between self-reported anxiety, behavioral threat vigilance, and brain circuit connectivity.
Main Results:
- No evidence was found supporting a relationship between high self-reported anxiety/threat vigilance and chronic amygdala-prefrontal circuit engagement.
- Exploratory analyses revealed a significant association between threat vigilance behavior and intrinsic amygdala-periaqueductal gray connectivity.
Conclusions:
- The amygdala-prefrontal circuit may not be chronically engaged in individuals with high trait anxiety.
- Subcortical circuitry involving the amygdala and periaqueductal gray might be chronically engaged in hypervigilant individuals, while the amygdala-prefrontal circuit responds to specific anxiogenic stimuli.
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