Sujin Bae1, Kyoung Doo Kang2, Si Won Kim3, Yee Jin Shin4, Jae Jun Nam5, Doug Hyun Han6. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, 102 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06973, South Korea. Electronic address: sujinbae@cau.ac.kr. 2. Department of Medi-soft, S.E.A. Group, A-Chsan ro, Seong Dong gu, 67-16, KIMG building Seoul 04793, South Korea. 3. Department of Medi-soft, S.E.A. Group, A-Chsan ro, Seong Dong gu, 67-16, KIMG building Seoul 04793, South Korea. Electronic address: swkim78@sea-group.kr. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Yeonsei University Hospital, Yeonse-ro 50-1, Seoul 03722, South Korea. 5. Department of Golf, Korea Golf University, Hoeng Seong, South Korea. 6. Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, 102 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06973, South Korea. Electronic address: hduk70@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with mood disorders are known to have an emotion recognition deficit in facial emotion processing. Emotion perception involves two systems of cognitive and affective processes associated with brain activation in the fusiform gyrus and prefrontal cortices. To overcome the limitations of existing emotion perception tests, we designed an emotion perception index to assess the individuals' mood status. METHODS: We selected 66 emotional faces (22 pleasant, 22 unpleasant, and 22 neutral) for the emotion perception test and recruited 40 healthy participants to verify the test. The participants completed a demographic data questionnaire and were administered the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI). They were also scanned to assess the brain functional connectivity (FC) between seeds of the fusiform gyrus and other brain regions using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). After rs-fMRI scanning, the participants were administered the emotion perception test on a computer. RESULTS: In response to 108 questions regarding emotional face differentiation, the study group showed an average correct-answer rate of 90.7 ± 6.4% and a mean reaction time of 1.4 ± 0.4 s. We created an emotion perception index from the calculation of correct rate, number of correct responses, and reaction time in response to 108 questions; the mean of the emotion perception index in the study group was 3.8 ± 0.2. The emotion perception index was positively correlated with the BDI scores (r = 0.4, p = 0.01); further, it was positively correlated with the FC from the fusiform gyrus to the left superior frontal gyrus (FDRq < 0.01), left medial frontal gyrus (FDRq < 0.01), left frontal precentral gyrus (FDRq = 0.02), left insula (FDRq < 0.01), and left occipital cuneus (FDRq = 0.01). The FC from the fusiform gyrus to the left insula was positively correlated with the BDI scores (r = 0.59, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The emotion perception index designed in this study may correctly indicate the mood status of individuals. In addition, the emotion perception test was associated with brain FC from the fusiform gyrus to the frontal and insular cortices.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Patients with mood disorders are known to have an emotion recognition deficit in facial emotion processing. Emotion perception involves two systems of cognitive and affective processes associated with brain activation in the fusiform gyrus and prefrontal cortices. To overcome the limitations of existing emotion perception tests, we designed an emotion perception index to assess the individuals' mood status. METHODS: We selected 66 emotional faces (22 pleasant, 22 unpleasant, and 22 neutral) for the emotion perception test and recruited 40 healthy participants to verify the test. The participants completed a demographic data questionnaire and were administered the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI). They were also scanned to assess the brain functional connectivity (FC) between seeds of the fusiform gyrus and other brain regions using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). After rs-fMRI scanning, the participants were administered the emotion perception test on a computer. RESULTS: In response to 108 questions regarding emotional face differentiation, the study group showed an average correct-answer rate of 90.7 ± 6.4% and a mean reaction time of 1.4 ± 0.4 s. We created an emotion perception index from the calculation of correct rate, number of correct responses, and reaction time in response to 108 questions; the mean of the emotion perception index in the study group was 3.8 ± 0.2. The emotion perception index was positively correlated with the BDI scores (r = 0.4, p = 0.01); further, it was positively correlated with the FC from the fusiform gyrus to the left superior frontal gyrus (FDRq < 0.01), left medial frontal gyrus (FDRq < 0.01), left frontal precentral gyrus (FDRq = 0.02), left insula (FDRq < 0.01), and left occipital cuneus (FDRq = 0.01). The FC from the fusiform gyrus to the left insula was positively correlated with the BDI scores (r = 0.59, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The emotion perception index designed in this study may correctly indicate the mood status of individuals. In addition, the emotion perception test was associated with brain FC from the fusiform gyrus to the frontal and insular cortices.