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Abstract:
Evidence suggests that emotional states can have selective
effects on the cognitive control of behavior. Using fMRI, we tested
the hypothesis that induced emotional states can selectively
influence neural activity in areas critical for cognitive control
(e.g., lateral prefrontal cortex). In a 2 x 3 factorial design, 14
normal, right-handed participants were scanned while performing an
n-back working memory task (faces or words as stimuli) that
immediately followed a 9-10 minute video intended to induce an
emotional state (approach, neutral, or withdrawal). A bilateral
region in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 9) showed an Emotion x
Stimulus crossover interaction, with activity correlated with task
performance across conditions. Other task-related areas in lateral
PFC showed hemispheric asymmetries for emotion and stimuli
separately, suggesting a possible hemispheric basis of integration.
The crossover interaction supports our hypothesis, and suggests
that emotional signals are selectively integrated with stimulus
information in order to enhance control over cognitive
processing.
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