Abstract
Prospective memory (PM) describes the ability to execute a previously planned action at the appropriate point in time. Although behavioral studies clearly showed that prospective memory performance is affected by the emotional significance attributed to the intended action, no study so far investigated the brain mechanisms subserving the modulatory effect of emotional salience on PM performance. The general aim of the present study was to explore brain regions involved in prospective memory processes when PM cues are associated with emotional stimuli. In particular, based on the hypothesised critical role of the prefrontal cortex in prospective memory in the presence of emotionally salient stimuli, we expected a stronger involvement of aPFC when the retrieval and execution of the intended action is cued by an aversive stimulus. To this aim BOLD responses of PM trials cued by aversive facial expressions were compared to PM trials cued by neutral facial expressions. Whole brain analysis showed that PM task cued by aversive stimuli is differentially associated with activity in the right lateral prefrontal area (BA 10) and in the left caudate nucleus. Moreover a temporal shift between the response of the caudate nucleus that preceded that of aPFC was observed. These findings suggest that the caudate nucleus might provide an early analysis of the affective properties of the stimuli, whereas the anterior lateral prefrontal cortex (BA10) would be involved in a slower and more deliberative analysis to guide goal-directed behaviour.
Highlights
Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember executing an intended action at some future point in time [1,2]
Subjects were significantly slower in responding to PM trials than to gender discrimination (GD) trials
The general aim of the present study was to investigate brain regions involved in prospective memory processes when aversive stimuli cue the retrieval and execution of a previously planned action, with a specific focus on the role of aPFC
Summary
Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember executing an intended action at some future point in time [1,2]. A recent study by Altgassen and colleagues [15] investigating the impact of emotional valence on event-based prospective memory performance in depression showed that healthy participants better remember positively valenced cues whereas this effect was absent in participants with depression. Both groups tended to be less accurate in response to negative PM cues with respect to positive and neutral cues and no significant difference has been found between them. A decrease in performance associated with age was only observed when neutral (but not positive or negative) prospective cues were presented
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