Neural correlated of individual differences in anxiety sensitivity: An fMRI study using semantic priming

Yang Y, Lueken U, Wittmann A, Holtz K, Kleint NI, Hermann MJ, Sass K, Jansen A, Konrad C, Ströhle A, Pfleiderer B, Lotze M, Hamm A, Deckert J, Arolt V, Wittchen HU, Kircher T, Straube B

Abstract

To summarize, our results suggest that the anterior insula plays a crucial role in AS during the semantic processing of fear-symptom words. Furthermore, the enhanced semantic association between fear-trigger and fear-symptom words in high-AS individuals modulated processing in semantic and fear-related brain regions. Thus, cognitive biases and the corresponding neural correlates are already present in healthy subjects with high AS, and this may contribute to the development of anxiety disorders.