Neural network of fear emotion based on stereo⁃electroencephalography recording

Abstract

Objective To investigate the neural network mechanism of fear induced by cortical functional electrical stimulation with stereotactic electrodes. Methods and Results A total of 20 patients with intractable epilepsy who were diagnosed and underwent stereotactic electrode implantation in Sanbo Brain Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2021 to June 2022 were selected. Among them, 7 patients (35%) received 75 reconstructed electrode contacts [9.66% (75/776)] to induce fear emotional response. They were mainly distributed in temporal lobe [45.33% (34/75)], insula lobe [32% (24/75)] and cingulate gyrus [13.33% (10/75)]. According to the "seed and discovery" calculation method, the occurrence probability of evoked fear response electrode contacts in 9 general brain networks (auditory, left executive control, right executive control, sensorimotor, visuospatial, dorsal default mode, advanced vision, posterior salience and primary vision) was the highest in the dorsal default mode network, accounting for 84% (63/75). The whole brain functional connection values of the fear⁃inducing electrode contacts were retrieved from the neurosynth database, and the differences between the in⁃brain and out⁃brain functional connection values were calculated. It was found that the matching degree between the fear⁃inducing electrode contacts and the dorsal default mode network was the highest, followed by the posterior prominence network. Conclusions Based on stereo⁃electroencephalography (EEG), the fear response induced by cortical functional electrical stimulation was mainly related to the dorsal default mode network. The hippocampus, insula and cingulate gyrus are important network nodes of fear response. It is suggested that there is a shared neural circuit between the fear response induced by electrical stimulation and the fear experience acquired through conditioning.

doi：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2023.03.007