Have you ever felt like screaming on a really tough day, but somehow managed to hold it in? You can thank the human brain for its ability to regulate emotions, which is essential for navigating daily life. Our capacity to be adaptable and reframe situations not only influences how we feel, but also impacts our behavior and decision-making.
Issues related to mental health often stem from individuals struggling to be flexible, especially when persistent negative thoughts cloud their perception of a situation.
A groundbreaking study led by Dartmouth researchers has successfully distinguished between emotion generation and emotion regulation in the human brain, a first of its kind. The results of the study have been published in Nature Neuroscience.
“As a former biomedical engineer, it was fascinating to discover brain regions solely dedicated to regulating emotions,” explains lead author Ke Bo, a postdoctoral researcher at Dartmouth’s Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab (CANlab). “Our findings offer new insights into the mechanisms of emotion regulation and could have important clinical applications.”
For instance, the brain regions identified in the study could serve as targets for brain stimulation to enhance emotion regulation.
Through computational methods, the researchers analyzed two separate datasets of fMRI studies conducted by co-author Peter Gianaros at the University of Pittsburgh. Participants’ brain activity was monitored in an fMRI scanner while they viewed disturbing images, such as bloody scenes or frightening animals.
Following this, the participants were asked to reinterpret the images by generating alternative thoughts to make them less distressing, before being shown a neutral image and then another negative image.
By studying the neural activity, the researchers could pinpoint the brain regions that are more active during emotion regulation compared to emotion generation.
The study unveiled that emotion regulation, known as “reappraisal” in neuroscience, involves specific areas in the anterior prefrontal cortex and other higher-level cortical networks that play a crucial role in regulating emotions. These regions are also involved in other cognitive functions and are essential for abstract thinking and long-term planning.
Individuals who can activate these emotion regulation-specific brain regions better are more resilient to negative experiences, as they are less likely to let them affect their personal well-being. These findings build upon existing research linking these areas to improved mental health, resistance to temptations, and avoidance of substance abuse.
The study also shed light on the amygdala, a brain region associated with threats and negative emotions, which reacts similarly to aversive experiences whether individuals are using cognitive strategies to regulate their emotions or not. “It is the cortex that primarily generates emotional responses by altering how we perceive and attribute meaning to events in our surroundings,” states Bo.
The researchers also investigated the neurochemicals interacting with the emotion regulation systems. Neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin shape neuronal communication networks and are targets for both illicit drugs and therapeutic treatments. Some neurotransmitters play a crucial role in enabling self-regulation or down-regulation of emotions.
By comparing emotion regulation brain maps from the datasets with neurotransmitter binding maps from other studies, the researchers found overlaps between emotion regulation systems and specific neurotransmitter systems.
“Our findings indicated that receptors for cannabinoids, opioids, and serotonin, including 5H2A, were particularly abundant in regions involved in emotion regulation,” reveals senior author Tor Wager, the Diana L. Taylor Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience and director of the Dartmouth Brain Imaging Center. “Drugs binding to these receptors may preferentially impact the emotion regulation system, potentially affecting our long-term capacity for self-regulation.”
Serotonin, well-known for its role in depression, is targeted by the most commonly used antidepressants that inhibit its reuptake in synapses, which transmit signals between neurons.
5H2A, the serotonin receptor significantly affected by psychedelic drugs, presents a new avenue for mental health treatment. The study suggests that the effects of drugs on depression and other mental health disorders may involve altering how individuals perceive life events and their ability to self-regulate. This insight underscores the importance of combining psychological and pharmaceutical approaches for effective treatment, particularly with psychedelics requiring the right psychological support for efficacy.
“Understanding drug effects necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the brain systems involved and their cognitive functions,” emphasizes Wager. “Basic science insights like these are crucial for improving therapeutic approaches by integrating psychological and pharmaceutical interventions.”
