Corticolimbic Function in Impulsive Aggressive Behavior

Can taking the perspective of other people modify our own affective responses to stimuli? To address this question, we examined the neurobiological mechanisms supporting the ability to take another person's perspective and thereby emotionally experience the world as they would. We measured participants' neural activity as they attempted to predict the emotional responses of two individuals that differed in terms of their proneness to experience negative affect. Results showed that behavioral and neural signatures of negative affect (amygdala activity and a distributed multivoxel pattern reflecting affective negativity) simulated the presumed affective state of the target person. Furthermore, the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-a region implicated in mental state inference-exhibited a perspective-dependent pattern of connectivity with the amygdala, and the multivoxel pattern of activity within the mPFC differentiated between the two targets. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on perspective-taking and self-regulation.T he ability to respond adaptively in the face of emotionally challenging situations is essential to mental and physical health. So much so, in fact, that emotion dysregulation is a core feature of virtually every form of psychopathology. Given this, it isn't surprising that the last decade has seen enormous growth in behavioral and brain research asking how we can effectively regulate our emotions. Although this work has made many important advances (1, 2), it has focused almost entirely on cognitive regulatory strategies that involve controlling attention to and/or rethinking the meaning of stimuli and events. As such, this work has completely overlooked the way in which social cognitive processes can be used to regulate our emotions.The use of social cognition to regulate emotion was suggested by classic works in social psychology (3), which noted that by simulating others' perspective on the world we could shape our own experience and behavior. It is exemplified by "(Stanislavski) method actors" who understand a role by attempting to generate within themselves the presumed thoughts and feelings of a character, thereby allowing themselves to go beyond the written words in the script and respond as their character would (4). It is also present in everyday life when we seek guidance with respect to emotional dilemmas by asking ourselves how a friend, family member, mentor or religious figure (e.g., "What would Jesus do?") would respond in that situation.In the current research we asked whether and how taking the perspective of other people can modify our own affective responses to stimuli. For example, by thinking of how someone more brave than ourselves would respond to a situation, we might downregulate negative emotions, decrease aggression, and calm frazzled nerves. Alternatively, by thinking of how someone more sensitive and anxious would respond to the situation, we might enhance vigilance and increase reactivity to threatening situations.To address these possi...

Adaptive behavior involves interactions between systems regulating Pavlovian and instrumental control of actions. Here, we present the first investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying aversive Pavlovian-instrumental transfer using fMRI in humans. Recent evidence indicates that these Pavlovian influences on instrumental actions are action-specific: Instrumental approach is invigorated by appetitive Pavlovian cues but inhibited by aversive Pavlovian cues. Conversely, instrumental withdrawal is inhibited by appetitive Pavlovian cues but invigorated by aversive Pavlovian cues. We show that BOLD responses in the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens were associated with behavioral inhibition by aversive Pavlovian cues, irrespective of action context. Furthermore, BOLD responses in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex differed between approach and withdrawal actions. Aversive Pavlovian conditioned stimuli modulated connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the caudate nucleus. These results show that action-specific aversive control of instrumental behavior involves the modulation of fronto-striatal interactions by Pavlovian conditioned stimuli.

Purpose -The aim of this paper is to present and provide a critical review of most recent studies inquiring into brain abnormalities in psychopathy.Design/methodology/approach -The authors provide an overview of the findings of neurobiological studies conducted in the last five years. Publications chosen for review were found using Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus search engines. Originality/value -The current paper provides an in-depth review of most recent neurobiological studies inquiring into brain abnormalities associated with psychopathic personality traits. Moreover, a particular attention has been paid to identifying abnormalities in brain structures not previously studied in relation to psychopathy (e.g. mirror neuron system, white matter connections).