Brain, Vol. 124, No. 5, 1003-1012,
May 2001
© 2001 Oxford University Press
Brain activity during biofeedback relaxation
A functional neuroimaging investigation
1 Wellcome Department of Cognitive Neurology, Institute of Neurology, UCL, 2 Autonomic Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurology, UCL, 3 Department of Neurovascular Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College School of Medicine, 4 Royal Free Hospital, University College Hospital School of Medicine, UCL, London, UK and 5 Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Correspondence to:
H. D. Critchley, Wellcome Department of Cognitive Neurology, 12 Queen Square, ION, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK E-mail: h.critchley@fil.ion.ucl.uk
The mechanisms by which cognitive processes influence states of bodily arousal are important for understanding the pathogenesis and maintenance of stress-related morbidity. We used PET to investigate cerebral activity relating to the cognitively driven modulation of sympathetic activity. Subjects were trained to perform a biofeedback relaxation exercise that reflected electrodermal activity and were subsequently scanned performing repetitions of four tasks: biofeedback relaxation, relaxation without biofeedback and two corresponding control conditions in which the subjects were instructed not to relax. Relaxation was associated with significant increases in left anterior cingulate and globus pallidus activity, whereas no significant increases in activity were associated with biofeedback compared with random feedback. The interaction between biofeedback and relaxation, highlighting activity unique to biofeedback relaxation, was associated with enhanced anterior cingulate and cerebellar vermal activity. These data implicate the anterior cingulate cortex in the intentional modulation of bodily arousal and suggest a functional neuroanatomy of how cognitive states are integrated with bodily responses. The findings have potential implications for a mechanistic account of how therapeutic interventions, such as relaxation training in stress-related disorders, mediate their effects.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Y.-Y. Tang, Y. Ma, Y. Fan, H. Feng, J. Wang, S. Feng, Q. Lu, B. Hu, Y. Lin, J. Li, et al. Central and autonomic nervous system interaction is altered by short-term meditation PNAS, June 2, 2009; 106(22): 8865 - 8870. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. J. MacIntosh, W. E. McIlroy, R. Mraz, W. R. Staines, S. E. Black, and S. J. Graham Electrodermal Recording and fMRI to Inform Sensorimotor Recovery in Stroke Patients Neurorehabil Neural Repair, November 1, 2008; 22(6): 728 - 736. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. L. Green, S. Wang, S. Purvis, S. L. F. Owen, P. G. Bain, J. F. Stein, A. Guz, T. Z. Aziz, and D. J. Paterson Identifying cardiorespiratory neurocircuitry involved in central command during exercise in humans J. Physiol., January 15, 2007; 578(2): 605 - 612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Kanwisher and G. Yovel The fusiform face area: a cortical region specialized for the perception of faces Phil Trans R Soc B, December 29, 2006; 361(1476): 2109 - 2128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. P. Kennedy, E. Redcay, and E. Courchesne Failing to deactivate: Resting functional abnormalities in autism PNAS, May 23, 2006; 103(21): 8275 - 8280. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. R. Irwin, E. M. Valladares, S. Motivala, J. F. Thayer, and C. L. Ehlers Association Between Nocturnal Vagal Tone and Sleep Depth, Sleep Quality, and Fatigue in Alcohol Dependence Psychosom Med, January 1, 2006; 68(1): 159 - 166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Schreckenberger, T. Siessmeier, A. Viertmann, C. Landvogt, H. -G. Buchholz, R. Rolke, R. -D. Treede, P. Bartenstein, and F. Birklein The unpleasantness of tonic pain is encoded by the insular cortex Neurology, April 12, 2005; 64(7): 1175 - 1183. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. S. Milak, R. V. Parsey, J. Keilp, M. A. Oquendo, K. M. Malone, and J. J. Mann Neuroanatomic Correlates of Psychopathologic Components of Major Depressive Disorder Arch Gen Psychiatry, April 1, 2005; 62(4): 397 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. D. Critchley, C. J. Mathias, O. Josephs, J. O'Doherty, S. Zanini, B.-K. Dewar, L. Cipolotti, T. Shallice, and R. J. Dolan Human cingulate cortex and autonomic control: converging neuroimaging and clinical evidence Brain, October 1, 2003; 126(10): 2139 - 2152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. O'Doherty, H. Critchley, R. Deichmann, and R. J. Dolan Dissociating Valence of Outcome from Behavioral Control in Human Orbital and Ventral Prefrontal Cortices J. Neurosci., August 27, 2003; 23(21): 7931 - 7939. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. J. Dolan Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior Science, November 8, 2002; 298(5596): 1191 - 1194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Berthoz, J. L. Armony, R. J. R. Blair, and R. J. Dolan An fMRI study of intentional and unintentional (embarrassing) violations of social norms Brain, August 1, 2002; 125(8): 1696 - 1708. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Hilz, O. Devinsky, W. Doyle, A. Mauerer, and M. Dutsch Decrease of sympathetic cardiovascular modulation after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery Brain, May 1, 2002; 125(5): 985 - 995. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. D. Critchley Book Review: Electrodermal Responses: What Happens in the Brain Neuroscientist, April 1, 2002; 8(2): 132 - 142. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|