ABSTRACT
The question of whether distinct or similar neural substrates underlie primary emotions has not been resolved yet. To address this issue, we used fMRI to scan professional actors during self-induced states of sadness and happiness. Results demonstrated that, relative to an emotionally Neutral state, both the Sad and the Happy states were associated with significant loci of activation, bilaterally, in the orbitofrontal cortex, and in the left medial prefrontal cortex, left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, left anterior temporal pole, and right pons. These loci of activation were localized distinctly within these regions, that is, in different sub-regions. These results suggest that sadness and happiness may be associated with similar brain regions but distinct sub-regions and neural circuits.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Cortex/physiology , Ego , Emotions/physiology , Neural Pathways/physiology , Adult , Brain Mapping , Cerebral Cortex/anatomy & histology , Female , Humans , Image Enhancement/methods , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Oxygen Radioisotopes/pharmacokineticsABSTRACT
Animal studies and observations of neglect patients suggest that the posterior parietal cortex is part of a system that codes ego-centred space. Few studies show the existence of areas involved in the representation of egocentred space in healthy humans. We investigated with fMRI and a conjunction protocol, the overlap of activity between optokinetic stimulation and a task of midline computation. Results showed that the right posterior parietal and frontal cortices were involved in both tasks (p < 0.0001). The evidence presented in this study provides the neuroanatomical substrate involved in the recovery of neglect during vestibular stimulation. This last point is of clinical interest for the rehabilitation of hemineglect.
