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PRESENTATION TYPE: Organized Paper Symposium
CATEGORY/THEME: Epidemiology and Etiology
ABSTRACT BODY:
TITLE: Addiction Prevention: Promoting Emotional Regulation and Its Related Brain Activity
Introduction:
Research indicates that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in both cognitive control and emotional regulation. Neuroimaging studies show that the ventral part of ACC and its adjacent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is mainly associated with emotional regulation (Bush et al 2000; Posner et al, 2007). One mechanism for addiction has been shown to involve a deficit in a self-regulation network, including PFC and ACC. Improving PFC/ACC activity may serve as a biomarker for better emotional regulation and addiction prevention.
Methods:
In the series of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we tested whether increased ACC/mPFC activity is related to better self-regulation abilities in executive functions, emotion regulation and stress response in smokers and nonsmokers using a brief behavioral training (Integrative Body-Mind Training, IBMT). We used the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Profile of Mood States (POMS) to measure emotion regulation, the Attention Network Test (ANT) for executive control measurement and salivary cortisol for the stress response. Relaxation training served as an active control.
Results:
In nonsmokers, improved self-regulation abilities in executive control, emotion regulation and stress reduction were found and these changes were related to increased ACC/mPFC activity following training. Compared with nonsmokers, a reduced ACC/mPFC activity in the self-regulation network in smokers was detected before training, and these deficits were ameliorated after training.
Conclusions:
These results indicate promoting emotional regulation and improving ACC/mPFC brain activity may serve as a biomarker for addiction prevention.