Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Stress Physiology Lab, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Italy.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Feb;124:105070. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105070. Epub 2020 Dec 1.
The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) has been implicated in the regulation of stress-related cognitive processes and physiological responses and is the principal target of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques applied to psychiatric conditions. However, existing studies are mostly correlational and causal evidence on the role of this region in mediating specific psychophysiological mechanisms underpinning stress-related responses are needed to make the application of such techniques more efficient. To fill this gap, this study used inhibitory continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) in healthy individuals to examine the extent to which activity of the left dlPFC is associated with cognitive (subjective focus on a tracking task), behavioral (reaction times and variability), and physiological responses (heart rate and its variability and cortisol level) following induction of perseverative cognition. Compared to sham and left ventral PreMotor area stimulation (as active control area), inhibition of left dlPFC determined sustained autonomic and neuroendocrine activation and increased the subjective perception of being task-focused, while not changing the behavioral and self-reported stress-related responses. Adopting a causative approach, we describe a role of left dlPFC in inhibitory control of the physiological stress-response associated to perseverative thinking.
左侧背外侧前额叶皮层（dlPFC）被认为参与了应激相关认知过程和生理反应的调节，是应用于精神疾病的非侵入性脑刺激技术的主要靶点。然而，现有的研究大多是相关的，需要因果证据来证明该区域在介导应激相关反应背后的特定心理生理机制中的作用，以使这些技术的应用更加有效。为了填补这一空白，本研究在健康个体中使用抑制性连续 theta 爆发刺激（cTBS），以检查在诱发持续认知后，左侧 dlPFC 的活动与认知（对跟踪任务的主观关注）、行为（反应时间和变异性）以及生理反应（心率及其变异性和皮质醇水平）之间的关联程度。与假刺激和左侧运动前区刺激（作为主动对照区）相比，抑制左侧 dlPFC 导致持续的自主和神经内分泌激活，并增加了对任务关注的主观感知，而不改变行为和与压力相关的自我报告反应。通过采用因果方法，我们描述了左侧 dlPFC 在抑制与持续思维相关的生理应激反应中的作用。
