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Circuit dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict in humans
Brooke R Staveland1,2, Julia Oberschulte3, Barbara Berger1,2
1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 13, 2025
Summary
Researchers identified a brain circuit for approach-avoidance decisions using intracranial EEG. This circuit, involving theta oscillations and high-frequency activity, influences how long individuals approach rewards versus threats.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Decision-Making
Background:
- Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive avoidance behaviors.
- Understanding the neural basis of approach-avoidance decisions is crucial for treating anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the prefrontal-limbic neural circuit underlying approach-avoidance conflict.
- To investigate the role of theta oscillations and high-frequency activity in this circuit.
Main Methods:
- Intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) in presurgical epilepsy patients (n=20).
- A continuous-choice, approach-avoidance decision-making task.
- Analysis of theta power, theta band connectivity, and high-frequency activity.
Main Results:
- A limbic circuit (hippocampus, amygdala, OFC, ACC) showed increased theta power during approach, decreasing during avoidance.
- Theta band connectivity within this circuit and with lateral prefrontal cortex increased during approach and decreased during avoidance.
- Amygdala and lateral frontal activity Granger-caused theta oscillations in OFC and ACC.
- Network connectivity predicted approach duration, with greater synchrony extending approach times.
- Imminent threat triggered sustained high-frequency activity (70-150Hz) in the middle frontal gyrus (MFG).
Conclusions:
- A distributed prefrontal-limbic circuit, mediated by theta and high-frequency activity, underlies human approach-avoidance conflict.
- Neural synchrony within this network influences decision-making duration.
- Specific brain regions and oscillatory patterns dynamically support approach and avoidance behaviors.
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