Coen Steven J, Yágüez Lidia, Aziz Qasim, Mitterschiffthaler Martina T, Brammer Mick, Williams Steven C R, Gregory Lloyd J
Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology, Queen Mary University of London, London, England.
Gastroenterology. 2009 Jul;137(1):253-61, 261.e1-2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2009.02.052.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: A link between negative emotional state and abnormal visceral sensation has been frequently reported. However, the influence of negative emotion on brain processing of painful visceral sensations has not been investigated. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and negative emotional stimuli to investigate the effects of negative emotion on brain processing of esophageal sensation.
Twelve healthy male volunteers (age range, 21-32 years) participated in the study. Negative emotion was induced using emotionally valent music. fMRI images were acquired during 2 experimental runs; throughout these, volunteers received randomized nonpainful and painful distentions to the esophagus during neutral and negative emotion. Subjective perception of each stimulus was acquired, as were mood ratings.
Sadness ratings increased significantly following negative mood induction (P < .01). There was no significant effect of emotion on subjective perception of painful and nonpainful stimulation (P > .05). Following painful stimulation, brain activity increased in the right hemisphere during negative emotion and was localized to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; BA24/32), anterior insula, and inferior frontal gyrus. Following nonpainful stimulation during negative emotion, brain activity increased in the right anterior insula and ACC (BA24 and 32).
This study provides new information about the influence of negative affect on central processing of visceral pain. Evidence of right hemispheric dominance during negative emotion indicates this hemisphere is predominately associated with sympathetic activity (arousal, negative affect) and that the right insula and right ACC are integral to subjective awareness of emotion through interoception.
负面情绪状态与异常内脏感觉之间的联系已被频繁报道。然而，负面情绪对疼痛性内脏感觉的大脑处理过程的影响尚未得到研究。我们使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）和负面情绪刺激来研究负面情绪对食管感觉的大脑处理过程的影响。
12名健康男性志愿者（年龄范围21 - 32岁）参与了本研究。使用具有情感色彩的音乐诱导负面情绪。在2次实验过程中采集fMRI图像；在此期间，志愿者在中性和负面情绪状态下接受对食管的随机非疼痛性和疼痛性扩张刺激。获取了对每种刺激的主观感受以及情绪评分。
诱导负面情绪后悲伤评分显著增加（P <.01）。情绪对疼痛性和非疼痛性刺激的主观感受没有显著影响（P >.05）。在疼痛刺激后，负面情绪期间右侧半球的大脑活动增加，且定位于前扣带回皮质（ACC；BA24/32）、前岛叶和额下回。在负面情绪期间非疼痛刺激后，右侧前岛叶和ACC（BA24和32）的大脑活动增加。
本研究提供了关于负面情绪对内脏疼痛中枢处理过程影响的新信息。负面情绪期间右侧半球优势的证据表明，该半球主要与交感神经活动（唤醒、负面情绪）相关，并且右侧岛叶和右侧ACC通过内感受对于情绪的主观意识至关重要。
