Always look on the bad side of life: Brain systems underlying motivation for reward and punishment in Behavioral Inhibition

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Always look on the bad side of life: Brain systems underlying motivation for reward and punishment in Behavioral Inhibition Nathan A. Fox1* 1 University of Maryland , Department of Human Development, United States The temperamental style of behavioral inhibition (BI) is characterized by heightened sensitivity to novelty and enhanced withdrawal from perceived social threat. We have completed a number of studies that have shown that adolescents characterized in childhood with BI display heightened amygdala activation to faces displaying threat or fear. In addition, in two recent studies we have found enhanced striatal response in BI adolescents to cues signaling the potential to earn reward or avoid punishment. These findings suggest that unique functional patterns in the mesencephalic dopaminergic system may contribute to the expression of BI. In this paper, we will present data from functional neuroimaging studies of BI adolescents that suggest a fundamental perturbation in the striatal system associated not only with BI but with the probability of risk for anxiety disorder within the BI population. We suggest, in particular, that BI individuals may differ in their dopaminergic response to negative feedback from non-inhibited age mates. Enhanced striatal response to anticipation of reward among BI subjects may reflect enhanced sensitivity to potentially missing a reward, rather than potentially winning a reward. Conference: Conference on Neurocognitive Development, Berkeley, CA, United States, 12 Jul - 14 Jul, 2009. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation Topic: Emotional and social behavior Citation: Fox NA (2009). Always look on the bad side of life: Brain systems underlying motivation for reward and punishment in Behavioral Inhibition. Conference Abstract: Conference on Neurocognitive Development. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.09.2009.10.026 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 06 Jul 2009; Published Online: 06 Jul 2009. * Correspondence: Nathan A Fox, University of Maryland, Department of Human Development, College Park, MD, United States, fox@umd.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Nathan A Fox Google Nathan A Fox Google Scholar Nathan A Fox PubMed Nathan A Fox Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.