Neural processing of emotional facial stimuli in specific phobia: An fMRI study

Background Patients with specific phobia (SP) show altered brain activation when confronted phobia-specific stimuli. It is unclear whether this pathogenic pattern generalizes to other emotional This study addresses question by employing a well-powered sample while implementing an established paradigm using nonspecific aversive facial Methods N = 111 patients SP, spider subtype, and healthy controls (HCs) performed supraliminal face-matching contrasting faces versus shapes in 3-T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. We region of interest (ROI) analyses for the amygdala, insula, anterior cingulate cortex univariate as well machine-learning-based multivariate statistics based on data. Additionally, we investigated functional connectivity means psychophysiological interaction (PPI). Results Although presentation showed significant all three ROIs across both groups, no group differences emerged ROIs. Across groups HC > SP contrast, PPI task-related areas typically linked higher-order emotion processing amygdala. The machine learning approach whole-brain activity patterns could significantly differentiate 73% balanced accuracy. Conclusions suffering from are characterized amygdala response stimuli (inferior parietal cortex, fusiform gyrus, middle cingulate, postcentral insula). might implicate subtle difference warrants more research furthering our understanding neurofunctional alteration SP.