The resting brain and our self: Self-relatedness modulates resting state neural activity in cortical midline structures

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.08.014

Neuroscience

Volume 157, Issue 1, 11 November 2008, Pages 120-131

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.08.014 Get rights and content

Abstract

The resting brain shows high neural activity in various regions, the default-mode network, chief among them the cortical midline structures (CMS). The psychological correlate of high resting state neural activity in CMS remains however unclear though speculatively it has been associated with processing of internally-oriented self-relatedness. We used functional MRI to examine internally-oriented self-relatedness during the resting state period. This was indirectly done by letting subjects perceive emotional pictures followed by a fixation cross; the very same pictures were then rated subjectively according to their degree of self-relatedness in a postscanning session. This allowed us to correlate the picture ratings of self-relatedness with signal changes in the subsequent resting state period, i.e. fixation period. The emotional pictures' degree of self-relatedness parametrically modulated subsequent resting state signal changes in various CMS, including ventro- and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. This modulation could be distinguished from effects of emotion dimensions (e.g. valence, intensity) and evoked effects of self-relatedness during the stimulus period itself the latter being observed rather in subcortical regions, e.g. amygdala, ventral striatum, and tectum. In sum, our findings suggest that resting state neural activity in CMS is parametrically and specifically modulated by the preceding stimulus's degree of self-relatedness. This lends further support to the presumed involvement of these regions in processing internally-oriented self-relatedness as distinguished from externally-oriented self-relatedness.

Section snippets

Subjects

We investigated 15 female and male subjects (seven females, eight males; age: 24.4±2.72, mean±S.D., min: 21, max: 31). All were right-handed as assessed by the Edinburgh Inventory for Handedness (Oldfield, 1971). After detailed explanation of the study design and potential risks all subjects gave written informed consent. The study was approved by the institutional review board of the Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg.

Experimental stimuli and design

Photographs from the International Affective Picture System

Behavioral data

We divided postscanning ratings of self-relatedness and emotional intensity into three different categories, high (7–9), medium (4–6), and low (1–3) and, analogously, emotional valence ratings into negative (1–3), neutral (4–6) and positive (7–9) categories. The following values were obtained for self-relatedness: High (7.47±0.63), medium (5.08±0.80), and low 1.89±0.82) (see also Supplementary Fig. 1a). Values were also obtained for emotional intensity (high (7.74±0.74), medium (5.32±0.67), and

Discussion

We here demonstrate modulatory effects of stimulus-associated degree of self-relatedness on neural activity in the subsequent resting state in various CMS including the VMPFC, the DMPFC and the PCC. Since the resting state effects of self-relatedness could clearly be distinguished from effects of self-relatedness during the stimulus period and effects of emotion dimensions in both stimulus-period and resting state, our results lend supportive evidence though preliminary to our assumption that

Conclusion

In sum, our data suggest that the prior stimulus's degree of self-relatedness parametrically modulates CMS neural activity in the subsequent resting state. Since such modulation could clearly be distinguished from effects of self-relatedness during the stimulus period and effects of emotion dimensions (valence, intensity) during both stimulus and resting state periods, our results provide indirect and preliminary evidence for involvement of CMS resting state neural activity in

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a research assistant grant from the German Research Foundation to F.S., a student grant from the German Research Foundation to M.W. and by grants from the German Research Foundation and the Hope of Depression research Foundation (HDRF) to G.N. (DFG, 304/4–1 to G.N.; SFB 426, Salus Foundation).

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Cognitive neuroscienceThe resting brain and our self: Self-relatedness modulates resting state neural activity in cortical midline structures

Abstract

Section snippets

Subjects

Experimental stimuli and design

Behavioral data

Discussion

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Neuropsychologia

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Neuroimage

Trends Cogn Sci

Neuroimage

Trends Cogn Sci

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Neuropsychologia

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Neuroimage

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Cognitive neuroscience
The resting brain and our self: Self-relatedness modulates resting state neural activity in cortical midline structures