Neural systems for Neural systems for attention to threat in attention to threat in

anxiety: an fMRI studyanxiety: an fMRI study

Leor Shoker, Nazanin Derakshan, Leor Shoker, Nazanin Derakshan, Anne Richards & Elaine FoxAnne Richards & Elaine Fox

BackgroundBackground Anxiety is associated with enhanced attention to threat and poor top-down regulation Anxiety is associated with enhanced attention to threat and poor top-down regulation

of threat (Bishop, 2007; Eysenck, Derakshan, et al. 2007; Fox, Derakshan, & of threat (Bishop, 2007; Eysenck, Derakshan, et al. 2007; Fox, Derakshan, & Shoker, under review)Shoker, under review)

Dorsal fronto-parietal networks contribute to top-down selection of Dorsal fronto-parietal networks contribute to top-down selection of stimulistimuli

Intraparietal sulcus (IPS) & frontal eye fieldsIntraparietal sulcus (IPS) & frontal eye fields• Involved in orienting visiospatial attention Involved in orienting visiospatial attention (Corbetta & Shulman 2002, Ettinger et al. 2007, Ford et al. 2005)(Corbetta & Shulman 2002, Ettinger et al. 2007, Ford et al. 2005)

Orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex promote Orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex promote shifts in processing resources in attentional conflict situations shifts in processing resources in attentional conflict situations (Pourtois et al. 2006).(Pourtois et al. 2006).

Question: Question: Whether OFC and ventral networks react differently towards Whether OFC and ventral networks react differently towards threat and if this is modulated by anxiety?threat and if this is modulated by anxiety?

IPS Orbito-frontalcortex

Attention TaskAttention Task• Pre-test for anxiety (high vs. low)Pre-test for anxiety (high vs. low)• Visual field of emotional face (left vs. right)Visual field of emotional face (left vs. right)• Valence of face (fearful vs. happy)Valence of face (fearful vs. happy)• Validity of target (valid vs. invalid)Validity of target (valid vs. invalid)

100-300ms

cue

target

Predictions

More activity in the OFC for targets invalidly cued by fearful faces compared to validly cued targets. This effect will be greater in HA compared with LA.

More activity in IPS for valid targets preceded by fearful faces. This effect will be greater in HA compared with LA.

Proposed StudyProposed StudyParticipants

• 32, right-handed, 16 high and 16 low-anxious (pre-screened)

Task Details

• 300 trials in total (160 cue + target (50% match), 80 cue only, 60 null trials (just fixation)),

• 20 trials per condition

• duration ~= 45 mins

Scanning details

• Whole brain fMRI

(TR=2400ms, TE=40ms, 3x3x3mm resolution)

• 32 slices

• ISI: 4-6 seconds

• Event related design