Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Is Critical for the Regulation of Amygdala Activity in Humans

摘要

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is believed to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of mood and anxiety disorders. Leading neurocircuitry models of these disorders propose that hypoactivity in the vmPFC engenders disinhibited activity of the amygdala and, consequently, pathologically elevated levels of negative affect. This model predicts that a selective loss or diminution of function of the vmPFC would result in heightened activity of the amygdala. Although this prediction has been borne out in rodent lesion and electrophysiologic studies using fear conditioning and extinction paradigms, there has not yet been a definitive test of this prediction in humans.