Biology subjects

Klumpers, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Klumpers, F..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

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↗

bioRxiv2019

Human defensive freezing is associated with acute threat coping, long term hair cortisol levels and trait anxiety.

The detection and anticipation of threat facilitates innate defensive behaviours including freezing reactions. Freezing in humans is characterized by reductions in body sway and heart rate and limited evidence suggests that individual differences in freezing reactions are associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and anxiety. However, previous measurements of human freezing reactions were largely based on passive threat contexts where natural variations in adaptive threat coping could not be assessed. In a well powered sample (N=419), we studied individual differences in anticipatory freezing reactions, by measuring body sway and heart rate, during an active shooting task where shooting decisions had to be taken under threat of shock. We linked freezing measures to subsequent actions and predictors of anxiety-related psychopathology, including accumulated long-term (3 months) hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and trait anxiety. The anticipation of threat of shock elicited significant body sway- and heart rate reductions consistent with freezing. Whereas both freezing-related reductions in body sway and heart rate were associated with faster correct shooting decisions, body sway reductions were additionally related to more impulsive shooting (false alarms). Individual differences in threat-related reductions in body sway but not heart rate were further associated to lower HCC and higher trait anxiety. The observed links between freezing and subsequent defensive actions as well as predictors of stress-related psychopathology suggest the potential value of defensive freezing reactions as somatic marker for stress-vulnerability and resilience.

physiology↗