Neural correlates of self-focused attention in social anxiety
Böhme S, Miltner WHR, Straube T (2014)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2014
Journal
Book Volume: 10
Pages Range: 856-862
Article Number: nsu128
Journal Issue: 6
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsu128
Abstract
Socially anxious individuals tend to shift their attention away from external socially threatening cues and instead become highly self-focused. Such heightened self-focused attention has been suggested to be involved in the development and maintenance of social anxiety disorder. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural correlates of self-focused attention in 16 high socially anxious (HSA) and 16 low socially anxious (LSA) individuals. Participants were instructed to focus their attention either inwardly or outwardly during a simulated social situation. Results indicate hyperactivation of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) and temporal pole during inward vs outward attention in HSA compared with LSA participants. Furthermore, activation of mPFC, right anterior insula, TPJ and posterior cingulate cortex was positively correlated with the trait of self-focused attention in HSA subjects. Results highlight the prominent role of the mPFC and other cortical structures in abnormal self-focused attention in social anxiety. Finally, findings for the insula suggest increased processing of bodily states that is related to the amount of habitual self-focused attention in social anxiety.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum Würzburg
Germany (DE)
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum Würzburg
Germany (DE)
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Böhme, S., Miltner, W.H.R., & Straube, T. (2014). Neural correlates of self-focused attention in social anxiety. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(6), 856-862. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsu128
MLA:
Böhme, Stephanie, Wolfgang H. R. Miltner, and Thomas Straube. "Neural correlates of self-focused attention in social anxiety." Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 10.6 (2014): 856-862.
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