具有高测试焦虑(HTA)的个体在面对测试时在注意力控制和应激反应方面存在缺陷。然而,对潜在的神经机制知之甚少。前扣带皮质(ACC)参与注意力和情绪网络,因此,本研究使用双侧ACC作为感兴趣区域,从功能连接(FC)的角度研究了考试焦虑中的神经功能失调.
51名参与者被分为HTA(n=23)和低测试焦虑(LTA,n=28)根据其测试焦虑量表(TAS)评分进行分组。休息时的脑成像数据,准备,并收集了修改后的社会评估威胁任务的恢复阶段,并评估情绪变化。
与LTA组相比,HTA组表现出显著较低的FC在ACC和额上回(SFG)在所有3个阶段,ACC和顶叶下回(IPG)之间的FC显着降低,在准备阶段,ACC颞上回(STG)之间的FC明显更高。此外,在HTA组,静息状态IPG-ACCFC与他们的TAS评分相关,准备状态STG-ACCFC与焦虑增加相关.
患有HTA的人有一般的前额叶控制缺陷。当面临考验时,他们倾向于招募更多的资源来应对高情绪干扰。额叶-顶叶网络对ACC的失调控制可能是测试焦虑的病理生理学基础。
Individuals with high test anxiety (HTA) have deficits in attentional control and in stress responses when faced with tests. However, little is known about the underlying neural mechanism. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in both attention and emotion networks, therefore this
study examined the neural functional dysregulation in test anxiety from the perspective of functional connectivity (FC) using bilateral ACC as the regions of interest.
Fifty-one participants were divided into HTA (n = 23) and low test anxiety (LTA, n = 28) group according to their Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) scores. Brain imaging data in resting, preparing, and recovering phases of a modified social evaluative threat task were collected, and emotional changes were assessed.
Compared with the LTA group, the HTA group exhibited significantly lower FCs between the ACC and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) in all 3 phases, significantly lower FCs between the ACC and inferior parietal gyrus (IPG), and significantly higher FCs between the ACC superior temporal gyrus (STG) in the preparing phase. Moreover, in the HTA group, the resting state IPG-ACC FC was associated with their TAS score, the preparing state STG-ACC FC was associated with the increased anxiety.
Individuals with HTA have general prefrontal control deficits. When facing a test, they tend to recruit more resources to deal with high emotional interference. The dysregulated control of the ACC by the frontal-parietal network may underlie the pathophysiology of test anxiety.