Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis
| Autor: | Wakonig, K., Eitel, F., Ritter, K., Hetzer, S., Schmitz-Hübsch, T., Bellmann-Strobl, J., Haynes, J.D., Brandt, A.U., Gold, S.M., Paul, F., Weygandt, M. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
psychophysiological stress responses
Neurology psychological relaxation autoimmunity ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) gray matter brain reward system Function and Dysfunction of the Nervous System multiple sclerosis 600 Technik Medizin angewandte Wissenschaften::610 Medizin und Gesundheit::610 Medizin und Gesundheit Original Research neuroinflammation |
| Zdroj: | Frontiers in Neurology |
| ISSN: | 1664-2295 |
| Popis: | BACKGROUND: Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. OBJECTIVE: To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). METHODS: 36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t = 2.20, p = 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t = 1.99, p = 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t = 1.62, p = 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t = −5.55, p(family−wise−error(FWE)corrected) = 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t = −4.89, p(FWE) = 0.039). CONCLUSION: PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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