Leibenluft Ellen, Gobbini M Ida, Harrison Tara, Haxby James V
Pediatrics and Developmental Neuropsychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Biol Psychiatry. 2004 Aug 15;56(4):225-32. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.05.017.
Considerable literature has focused on neural responses evoked by face viewing. We extend that literature and explore the neural correlates of maternal attachment with an fMRI study in which mothers view photographs of their own children.
Seven mothers performed a one-back repetition detection task while viewing photographs of their own child, friends of their child, unfamiliar children, and unfamiliar adults.
Viewing one's own child versus a familiar child was associated with activation in the amygdala, insula, anterior paracingulate cortex, and posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS). Viewing familiar versus unfamiliar children elicited increased activation in regions associated with familiarity in adults. Viewing unfamiliar children versus unfamiliar adults was associated with activation in the fusiform gyrus, intraparietal sulcus, precuneus, and posterior STS.
The sight of one's own child versus that of a familiar child activates regions that mediate emotional responses (amygdala, insula) and are associated with theory of mind functions (anterior paracingulate cortex, posterior superior temporal sulcus). These activations may reflect the intense attachment, vigilant protectiveness, and empathy that characterize normal maternal attachment. The sight of an unfamiliar child's face compared with that of an unfamiliar adult engages areas associated with attention as well as face perception.
大量文献聚焦于观看面部所引发的神经反应。我们拓展了该领域文献，并通过一项功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究来探索母婴依恋的神经关联，在该研究中母亲们观看自己孩子的照片。
七位母亲在观看自己孩子、孩子的朋友、陌生孩子以及陌生成年人的照片时执行一项1-back重复检测任务。
观看自己的孩子与观看熟悉孩子相比，杏仁核、脑岛、前扣带旁皮质和颞上沟后部（STS）出现激活。观看熟悉孩子与陌生孩子相比，在与成年人熟悉度相关的区域激活增加。观看陌生孩子与陌生成年人相比，梭状回、顶内沟、楔前叶和颞上沟后部出现激活。
看到自己的孩子与看到熟悉孩子相比，会激活介导情绪反应的区域（杏仁核、脑岛），并与心理理论功能相关（前扣带旁皮质、颞上沟后部）。这些激活可能反映了正常母婴依恋所特有的强烈依恋、警惕的保护欲和同理心。与看到陌生成年人的脸相比，看到陌生孩子的脸会激活与注意力以及面部感知相关的区域。
