Integrated Representations of Threat and Controllability in the Lateral Frontal Pole
Output Details
Description
Emotions can powerfully modulate behavior, as observed in paradoxical kinesia - a condition wherein individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are suddenly able to move fluidly under surprising or emotionally arousing circumstances. This phenomenon is often observed during salient emotional experience, suggesting a potentially moderating role of subcortical circuits (amygdala, ventral striatum and ventral putamen) on projections to the motor cortex. The present manuscript reveals that individuals tend to produce more accurate, precise motor movements when anticipating an aversive (vs. mild) threat, and that distinct regions of the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) differentially respond to, represent, and integrate emotion- and action-relevant information about an anticipatory motor response. Notably, conjunctive representations of threat and action controllability in the lateral frontal pole (FPl) -- which strengthened with increased amygdalar coupling -- were associated with more successful motor performance under threat. This paper provides insights to the neural mechanisms underlying behavioral control in emotional contexts, and provides evidence for amygdala-originated facilitation of motor control.
Identifier (DOI)
10.1101/2025.08.24.671754
