TY - JOUR
T1 - Central nervous system signatures of affect in asthma
T2 - Associations with emotion-induced bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, and asthma control
AU - Ritz, Thomas
AU - Kroll, Juliet L.
AU - Patel, Sheenal V.
AU - Chen, Justin R.
AU - Yezhuvath, Uma S.
AU - Aslan, Sina
AU - Khan, David A.
AU - Pinkham, Amy E.
AU - Rosenfield, David
AU - Brown, E. Sherwood
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The effects of asthma on affect have been noted for some time, but little is known about associated brain processes. We therefore examined whether emotioninduced bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, and asthma control are related to specific patterns of brain activity during processing negative affective stimuli. Fifteen adults with asthma viewed alternating blocks of distressing film clips (negative condition), affectively neutral film clips (neutral condition), and a crosshair image (baseline condition) while undergoing blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI). Block-design fMRI analysis evaluated the BOLD response to "negative-baseline" and "neutral-baseline" contrasts. Airway response to these film clips was also assessed with impulse oscillometry in a separate session. Measures of airway inflammation [fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)] and asthma control [Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ)] were additionally obtained. A whole brain voxel-based regression analysis of contrast maps was performed against respiratory resistance increase during negative and neutral films, FENO, and ACQ. Peak airway obstruction to negative affective stimulation was associated with stronger activation of the anterior and middle cingulate gyrus, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Stronger airway inflammation and lower asthma control were associated with reduced activation to negative stimuli in the superior frontal gyrus, middle cingulate gyrus, and supplementary motor area. Activation of the dACC in negativeaffect- induced airway obstruction could be part of an integrated defensive response to critical environmental change. In addition, reduced frontal and limbic activation during processing of negative affect may reflect consequences of pathophysiological processes for CNS functioning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This functional magnetic resonance imaging study shows, for the first time, that the degree of airway constriction due to negative affective stimuli in asthma is associated with stronger response to these stimuli in the dorsal anterior and middle cingulate cortex. Asthma patients with stronger airway inflammation and reduced asthma control also show reduced activation in a number of cortical and subcortical areas relevant for affective processing and breathing control.
AB - The effects of asthma on affect have been noted for some time, but little is known about associated brain processes. We therefore examined whether emotioninduced bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, and asthma control are related to specific patterns of brain activity during processing negative affective stimuli. Fifteen adults with asthma viewed alternating blocks of distressing film clips (negative condition), affectively neutral film clips (neutral condition), and a crosshair image (baseline condition) while undergoing blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI). Block-design fMRI analysis evaluated the BOLD response to "negative-baseline" and "neutral-baseline" contrasts. Airway response to these film clips was also assessed with impulse oscillometry in a separate session. Measures of airway inflammation [fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)] and asthma control [Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ)] were additionally obtained. A whole brain voxel-based regression analysis of contrast maps was performed against respiratory resistance increase during negative and neutral films, FENO, and ACQ. Peak airway obstruction to negative affective stimulation was associated with stronger activation of the anterior and middle cingulate gyrus, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Stronger airway inflammation and lower asthma control were associated with reduced activation to negative stimuli in the superior frontal gyrus, middle cingulate gyrus, and supplementary motor area. Activation of the dACC in negativeaffect- induced airway obstruction could be part of an integrated defensive response to critical environmental change. In addition, reduced frontal and limbic activation during processing of negative affect may reflect consequences of pathophysiological processes for CNS functioning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This functional magnetic resonance imaging study shows, for the first time, that the degree of airway constriction due to negative affective stimuli in asthma is associated with stronger response to these stimuli in the dorsal anterior and middle cingulate cortex. Asthma patients with stronger airway inflammation and reduced asthma control also show reduced activation in a number of cortical and subcortical areas relevant for affective processing and breathing control.
KW - Affect-induced bronchoconstriction affect
KW - Airway inflammation
KW - Asthma
KW - Asthma control
KW - Cingulate cortex
KW - Functional magnetic resonance imaging
KW - Respiratory resistance
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U2 - 10.1152/japplphysiol.01018.2018
DO - 10.1152/japplphysiol.01018.2018
M3 - Article
C2 - 30920889
AN - SCOPUS:85067906761
VL - 126
SP - 1725
EP - 1736
JO - Journal of Applied Physiology
JF - Journal of Applied Physiology
SN - 0161-7567
IS - 6
ER -