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Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
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Amygdala-based functional connectivity mediates the relationship between thought control ability and trait anxiety
1Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing 400715, China.
Brain and Cognition
|April 22, 2023
Summary
Higher thought control ability (TCA) protects against anxiety by influencing specific brain connections. This study reveals how resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) mediates the relationship between TCA and reduced anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Thought control ability (TCA) is the capacity to suppress unwanted thoughts, with higher TCA linked to lower anxiety levels.
- The precise neural mechanisms underlying the protective effect of TCA on anxiety remain largely undetermined.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective interventions for anxiety disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) in the relationship between TCA and trait anxiety.
- To identify specific brain pathways through which TCA exerts its anxiety-reducing effects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis in a large sample (N=495).
- Assessed the association between TCA and trait anxiety, controlling for demographic and psychological factors.
- Performed mediation analyses to examine the role of RSFC in the TCA-anxiety relationship.
Main Results:
- Replicated the negative association between TCA and trait anxiety.
- Identified significant negative associations between TCA and connectivity in the left amygdala-left frontal pole (LA-LFP), left amygdala-left inferior temporal gyrus (LA-LITG), and left hippocampus-left inferior frontal gyrus (LH-LIFG) circuits.
- LA-LFP and LA-LITG connectivity significantly mediated the effect of TCA on trait anxiety.
Conclusions:
- Revealed specific neural pathways (LA-LFP and LA-LITG RSFC) underlying the anxiety-protective effects of TCA.
- Provides a neural basis for the observed relationship between thought control and reduced anxiety.
- Suggests potential for targeted TCA training interventions to alleviate anxiety.
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