Abstract：
Hormonal changes in ovarian hormones like estradiol (E2) during the menstrual cycle affect emotional processes, including emotion recognition, memory, and regulation. So far, the neural underpinnings of the effect of E2 on emotional experience have been investigated using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional connectivity. In the present study, we examined whether the intrinsic network dynamics at rest (i.e., directed effective connectivity) related to emotion regulation are (1) modulated by E2 levels and (2) linked to behavioral emotion regulation ability. Hence, 29 naturally cycling women participated in two resting-state fMRI scans in their early follicular phase after being administered a placebo or an E2 valerate, respectively. Emotion regulation ability was assessed using a standard emotion regulation task in which participants were asked to down-regulate their emotions in response to negative images. The regions of two functionally predefined neural networks related to emotional down-regulation and reactivity were used to investigate effective connectivity at rest using spectral dynamic causal modelling. We found that E2, compared to placebo, resulted in changes in effective connectivity in both networks. In the regulation network, prefrontal regions showed distinct connectivity in the E2 compared to the placebo condition, while mixed results evolved in the emotional reactivity network. Stepwise regressions revealed that in the E2 condition a connection from the parietal to the prefrontal cortex predicted regulation ability. Our results demonstrate that E2 levels influence effective connectivity in networks underlying emotion regulation and emotional reactivity. Thus, E2 and its potential modification via hormonal administration may play a supporting role in the treatment of mental disorders that show a dysregulation of emotions.
摘要：
月经周期中卵巢激素如雌二醇（E2）的激素变化会影响情绪过程，包括情感识别，记忆,和监管。到目前为止,已经使用基于任务的功能磁共振成像(fMRI)和功能连接研究了E2对情绪体验影响的神经基础.在本研究中,我们检查了静止时的内在网络动力学(即，与情绪调节相关的定向有效连接）（1）受E2水平调节，（2）与行为情绪调节能力相关。因此，29名自然骑自行车的妇女在接受安慰剂或E2戊酸酯后，在卵泡早期参加了两次静息状态fMRI扫描。分别。使用标准的情绪调节任务来评估情绪调节能力，在该任务中，要求参与者下调情绪以响应负面图像。使用光谱动态因果模型，使用与情绪下调和反应性相关的两个功能预定义神经网络的区域来研究静止时的有效连通性。我们发现E2与安慰剂相比，导致两个网络的有效连接发生变化。在监管网络中，与安慰剂条件相比，前额叶区域在E2中显示出明显的连通性，而情绪反应网络中出现了混合的结果。逐步回归表明，在E2条件下，从顶叶到前额叶皮层的连接预测了调节能力。我们的结果表明，E2水平影响潜在的情绪调节和情绪反应性网络中的有效连通性。因此，E2及其通过激素给药的潜在修饰可能在治疗表现出情绪失调的精神障碍中起辅助作用。
