The Influence of Conscious and Unconscious Body Threat Expressions on Motor Evoked Potentials Studied With Continuous Flash Suppression.

ABSTRACT: The observation of threatening expression in others is a strong cue for triggering an action response. One method of capturing such action responses is by measuring the amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited with single pulse TMS over the primary motor cortex. Indeed, it has been shown that viewing whole body expressions of threat modulate the size of MEP amplitude. Furthermore, emotional cues have been shown to act on certain brain areas even outside of conscious awareness. In the current study, we explored if the influence of viewing whole body expressions of threat extends to stimuli that are presented outside of conscious awareness in healthy participants. To accomplish this, we combined the measurement of MEPs with a continuous flash suppression task. In experiment 1, pa

SUBMITTER: Engelen T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6054979 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature