Abstract
To explore the neural substrates of autonomic regulation during emotion, we correlated the vagal [high frequency (HF)] component of heart rate variability (HRV) with cerebral blood flow in a PET 15O-water study in 12 healthy women. Happiness, sadness, disgust, and three neutral conditions were each induced by film and recall of personal experiences (12 conditions). Interbeat intervals during scans were spectral analyzed, generating 12 measures of HF-HRV in each subject. Correlations between HR-HRV and rCBF specifically due to emotion were observed in medial prefrontal cortex (Z = 3.20, p < .001) and left posterior orbitofrontal/ anterior insular cortices (Z = 3.58, p < .001). These findings are consistent with an inhibitory role of prefrontal cortex and evidence that the anterior insular cortex and medial prefrontal cortex participate in visceral interoception and autonomic regulation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 97-100 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Brain and Cognition |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| State | Published - 2001 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Cognitive Neuroscience