A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Distributed affective space represents multiple emotion categories across the human brain
Authors: Saarimäki H, Ejtehadian LF, Glerean E, Jääskeläinen IP, Vuilleumier P, Sams M, Nummenmaa L
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Publication year: 2018
Journal: Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Journal name in source: SOCIAL COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
Journal acronym: SOC COGN AFFECT NEUR
Volume: 13
Issue: 5
First page : 471
Last page: 482
Number of pages: 12
ISSN: 1749-5016
eISSN: 1749-5024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy018
Web address : https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/13/5/471/4956228
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/35446485
The functional organization of human emotion systems as well as their neuroanatomical basis and segregation in the brain remains unresolved. Here, we used pattern classification and hierarchical clustering to characterize the organization of a wide array of emotion categories in the human brain. We induced 14 emotions (6 'basic', e.g. fear and anger; and 8 'non-basic', e.g. shame and gratitude) and a neutral state using guided mental imagery while participants' brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twelve out of 14 emotions could be reliably classified from the haemodynamic signals. All emotions engaged a multitude of brain areas, primarily in midline cortices including anterior and posterior cingulate gyri and precuneus, in subcortical regions, and in motor regions including cerebellum and premotor cortex. Similarity of subjective emotional experiences was associated with similarity of the corresponding neural activation patterns. We conclude that different basic and non-basic emotions have distinguishable neural bases characterized by specific, distributed activation patterns in widespread cortical and subcortical circuits. Regionally differentiated engagement of these circuits defines the unique neural activity pattern and the corresponding subjective feeling associated with each emotion.
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