Biology subjects

Klaassen, F. H.

Publications and source records attributed to Klaassen, F. H..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Defensive freezing sharpens threat-reward information processing during approach-avoidance decision making

People regularly face approach-avoidance dilemmas which require minimization of potential threat whilst maximizing potential reward. Defensive reactions to threat, such as transient states of freezing, influence integration of reward/threat information in the dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC). However, the mechanism of this integration between internal state and external value (state-value integration) remains unknown. Here, we decoded approach-avoidance decisions under threat using high-precision magnetoencephalography (MEG). Threat-induced cardiac deceleration (indicative of defensive freezing) was trial-by-trial associated with more pronounced effects of reward and threat magnitudes on approach-avoidance choices. Time-resolved decoding of threat-reward information from neural signals predicted approach-avoidance choices several seconds before the actual response. Crucially, during freezing, 6-12 Hz coherence between threat-reward information and dACC neural activity increased, suggesting that defensive freezing sharpens threat/reward processing during approach-avoidance decision making. These findings provide a potential neural mechanism by which threat-induced freezing can facilitate information integration, essential for optimal decision making under threat.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

How distributed subcortical integration of reward and threat may inform approach-avoidance decisions

Healthy and successful living involves carefully navigating rewarding and threatening situations by balancing approach and avoidance behaviours. Excessive avoidance to evade potential threats often leads to forfeiting potential rewards. However, little is known about how reward and threat information is integrated neurally to inform approach or avoidance decisions. In this preregistered study, participants (Nbehaviour=31, 17F; NMRI=28, 15F) made approach-avoidance decisions under varying reward (monetary gains) and threat (electrical stimulations) prospects during functional MRI scanning. In contrast to theorized parallel subcortical processing of reward and threat information before cortical integration, Bayesian Multivariate Multilevel analyses revealed subcortical reward and threat integration prior to indicating approach-avoidance decisions. This integration occurred in the ventral striatum, thalamus, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). When reward was low, risk-diminishing avoidance decisions dominated, which was linked to more positive tracking of threat magnitude prior to indicating avoidance than approach decisions across these regions. In contrast, the amygdala exhibited dual sensitivity to reward and threat. While anticipating outcomes of risky approach decisions, we observed positive tracking of threat magnitude within the salience network (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, periaqueductal gray, BNST). Conversely, after risk-diminishing avoidance, characterized by reduced reward prospects, we observed more negative tracking of reward magnitude in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum. These findings shed light on the temporal dynamics of approach-avoidance decision-making. Importantly, they demonstrate the role of subcortical integration of reward and threat information in balancing approach and avoidance, challenging theories positing predominantly separate subcortical processing prior to cortical integration.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

The neurocomputational link between defensive cardiac states and approach-avoidance arbitration under threat

Fearful avoidance is a hallmark of anxiety disorders and often comes at a cost. It reduces the probability of threat and of obtaining rewards. Theoretical models predict that threat-induced psychophysiological states, such as freezing-related bradycardia, facilitate arbitration of approach-avoidance decisions. We indeed show that bradycardia states are linked to the neurocomputational underpinnings of approach-avoidance arbitration when facing varying reward and threat magnitudes. Bradycardia was not only linked to aversive value-related avoidance decisions but also to value comparison (a stronger tendency to approach vs. avoid when expected reward outweighs potential threat). An amygdala-striatal-prefrontal neural circuit supported approach-avoidance arbitration under threat, with specific involvement of the amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) in integrating subjective outcome values and bradycardia states. These findings highlight the role of human freezing states in value-based decision making, relevant for optimal threat coping. They point to a specific role for amygdala/dACC in state-value integration under threat.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Defensive freezing and its relation to approach-avoidance decision-making under threat

Successful responding to acutely threatening situations requires adequate approach-avoidance decisions. However, it is unclear how threat-induced states-like freezing-related bradycardia-impact the weighing of the potential outcomes of such value-based decisions. Insight into the underlying computations is essential, not only to improve our models of decision-making but also to improve interventions for maladaptive decisions, for instance in anxiety patients and first-responders who frequently have to make decisions under acute threat. Forty-two participants made passive and active approach-avoidance decisions under threat-of-shock when confronted with mixed outcome-prospects (i.e., varying money and shock amounts). Choice behavior was best predicted by a model including individual action-tendencies and bradycardia, beyond the subjective value of the outcome. Moreover, threat-related bradycardia interacted with subjective value, depending on the action-context (i.e., passive vs. active). Specifically, in action-contexts incongruent with participants intrinsic action-tendencies, strong freezers showed diminished effects of subjective value on choice. These findings illustrate the relevance of testing approach-avoidance decisions in relatively ecologically valid conditions of acute and primarily reinforced threat. These mechanistic insights into approach-avoidance conflict-resolution may inspire biofeedback-related techniques to optimize decision-making under threat. Critically, the findings demonstrate the relevance of incorporating internal psychophysiological states and external action-contexts into models of approach-avoidance decision-making.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

Stimulus predictability does not modulate bottom-up attentional capture

Attention can be involuntarily captured by physically salient stimuli, a phenomenon known as bottom-up attention. Typically, these salient stimuli occur unpredictably in time and space. Therefore, in a series of three behavioral experiments, we investigated the extent to which such bottom-up attentional capture is a function of ones prior expectations. In the context of an exogenous cueing task, we systematically manipulated participants spatial (Experiment 1) or temporal (Experiment 2 and 3) expectations about an uninformative cue, and examined the extent of attentional capture by the cue. We anticipated larger attentional capture for unexpected compared to expected cues. However, while we observed robust attentional capture in all experiments, we did not find any evidence for a modulation of attentional capture by prior expectation. This underscores the automatic and reflexive nature of bottom-up attention.

neuroscience↗