Abstract
This study capitalizes on individual episodic memories to investigate the question, how dif-ferent environments affect us on a neural level. Instead of using predefined environmental stimuli, this study relied on individual representations of beauty and pleasure. Drawing upon episodic memories we conducted two experiments. Healthy subjects imagined pleasant and non-pleasant environments, as well as beautiful and non-beautiful environments while neural activity was measured by using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Although subjects found the different conditions equally simple to visualize, our results revealed more distribut-ed brain activations for non-pleasant and non-beautiful environments than for pleasant and beautiful environments. The additional regions activated in non-pleasant (left lateral prefrontal cortex) and non-beautiful environments (supplementary motor area, anterior cortical midline structures) are involved in self-regulation and top-down cognitive control. Taken together, the results show that perceptual experiences and emotional evaluations of environments within a positive and a negative frame of reference are based on distinct patterns of neural activity. We interpret the data in terms of a different cognitive and processing load placed by exposure to different environments. The results hint at the efficiency of subject-generated representations as stimulus material.
Highlights
IntroductionHow do different environments affect us on a neural level?
How do different environments affect us on a neural level? This study capitalizes on individually unique mental imagery to address the issue of environment in a novel way
The study participants were informed about the standard fMRI exclusion criteria, and a written consent was obtained from all participants
Summary
How do different environments affect us on a neural level? This study capitalizes on individually unique mental imagery to address the issue of environment in a novel way. Instead of using predefined stimuli, this study focuses on the individual and his/her conceptualization of beautiful. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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