Recruitment of orbitofrontal cortex during unpredictable threat among adults at risk for affective disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mood and anxiety disorders are characterized by altered prefrontal-amygdala function and increased behavioral inhibition (BI) in response to potential threat. Whether these alterations constitute a vulnerability or a symptom of illness remains unclear. The medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) is thought to play a central role in estimating probability and cost of threat, in turn informing selection of subsequent behaviors. To better understand the behavioral and neural processes that may be associated with risk for psychopathology, we used a virtual reality paradigm to examine behavioral and neural responses of psychiatrically healthy adults with familial history of affective disorders during anticipation of unpredictable threat.

Methods

Twenty psychiatrically healt

SUBMITTER: Kirlic N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5561318 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature