Virginie Chloé Perizzolo Pointet1, Dominik Andrea Moser2,3, Marylène Vital4, Sandra Rusconi Serpa5, Alexander Todorov6, Daniel Scott Schechter1,2,7. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 2. University Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lausanne University Medical Center, Lausanne, Switzerland. 3. Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. 5. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 6. Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States. 7. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The present study investigates the association of lifetime interpersonal violence (IPV) exposure, related posttraumatic stress disorder (IPV-PTSD), and appraisal of the degree of threat posed by facial avatars. METHODS: We recorded self-rated responses and high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) among women, 16 of whom with lifetime IPV-PTSD and 14 with no PTSD, during a face-evaluation task that displayed male face avatars varying in their degree of threat as rated along dimensions of dominance and trustworthiness. RESULTS: The study found a significant association between lifetime IPV exposure, under-estimation of dominance, and over-estimation of trustworthiness. Characterization of EEG microstates supported that lifetime IPV-PTSD modulates emotional appraisal, specifically in encoding and decoding processing associated with N170 and LPP evoked potentials. EEG source localization demonstrated an overactivation of the limbic system, in particular the parahippocampal gyrus, in response to non-threatening avatars. Additionally, dysfunctional involvement of attention-related processing anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) was found in response to relatively trustworthy avatars in IPV-PTSD individuals compared with non-PTSD controls. DISCUSSION: This study showed that IPV exposure and related PTSD modulate individuals' evaluation of facial characteristics suggesting threat. Atypical processing of these avatar characteristics was marked by group differences in brain regions linked to facial processing, emotion regulation, and memory.
INTRODUCTION: The present study investigates the association of lifetime interpersonal violence (IPV) exposure, related posttraumatic stress disorder (IPV-PTSD), and appraisal of the degree of threat posed by facial avatars. METHODS: We recorded self-rated responses and high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) among women, 16 of whom with lifetime IPV-PTSD and 14 with no PTSD, during a face-evaluation task that displayed male face avatars varying in their degree of threat as rated along dimensions of dominance and trustworthiness. RESULTS: The study found a significant association between lifetime IPV exposure, under-estimation of dominance, and over-estimation of trustworthiness. Characterization of EEG microstates supported that lifetime IPV-PTSD modulates emotional appraisal, specifically in encoding and decoding processing associated with N170 and LPP evoked potentials. EEG source localization demonstrated an overactivation of the limbic system, in particular the parahippocampal gyrus, in response to non-threatening avatars. Additionally, dysfunctional involvement of attention-related processing anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) was found in response to relatively trustworthy avatars in IPV-PTSD individuals compared with non-PTSD controls. DISCUSSION: This study showed that IPV exposure and related PTSD modulate individuals' evaluation of facial characteristics suggesting threat. Atypical processing of these avatar characteristics was marked by group differences in brain regions linked to facial processing, emotion regulation, and memory.
Authors: Anke Karl; Michael Schaefer; Loretta S Malta; Denise Dörfel; Nicolas Rohleder; Annett Werner Journal: Neurosci Biobehav Rev Date: 2006-05-26 Impact factor: 8.989
Authors: Courtney E Detillion; Tara K S Craft; Erica R Glasper; Brian J Prendergast; A Courtney DeVries Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Daniel S Schechter; Dominik A Moser; Tatjana Aue; Marianne Gex-Fabry; Virginie C Pointet; Maria I Cordero; Francesca Suardi; Aurelia Manini; Marylène Vital; Ana Sancho Rossignol; Molly Rothenberg; Alexandre G Dayer; Francois Ansermet; Sandra Rusconi Serpa Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-08-02 Impact factor: 3.240