Research Article

Neural response to emotional stimuli during experimental human endotoxemia

  1. Jennifer S. Kullmann1,2,
  2. Jan-Sebastian Grigoleit1,
  3. Philipp Lichte3,
  4. Philipp Kobbe3,
  5. Christina Rosenberger1,
  6. Christina Banner1,
  7. Oliver T. Wolf4,
  8. Harald Engler1,
  9. Reiner Oberbeck3,
  10. Sigrid Elsenbruch1,
  11. Ulrike Bingel5,
  12. Michael Forsting2,
  13. Elke R. Gizewski3,6,
  14. Manfred Schedlowski1,*

Article first published online: 28 MAR 2012

DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22063

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kullmann, J. S., Grigoleit, J.-S., Lichte, P., Kobbe, P., Rosenberger, C., Banner, C., Wolf, O. T., Engler, H., Oberbeck, R., Elsenbruch, S., Bingel, U., Forsting, M., Gizewski, E. R. and Schedlowski, M. (2012), Neural response to emotional stimuli during experimental human endotoxemia. Hum. Brain Mapp.. doi: 10.1002/hbm.22063

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany

  2. 2

    Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany

  3. 3

    Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany

  4. 4

    Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany

  5. 5

    Department of Neurology, University of Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany

  6. 6

    Department of Neuroradiology, Centre for Radiology, University Clinic of Gießen and Marburg, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany

*Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 28 MAR 2012
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 25 JAN 2012
  3. Manuscript Revised: 12 DEC 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 13 JUL 2011

Funded by

  • German Research Foundation. Grant Number: Sche 341/14-1

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Keywords:

  • cytokines;
  • endotoxin;
  • emotional processing;
  • fMRI;
  • sickness behavior;
  • peripheral inflammation

Abstract

Increases in peripheral cytokines during acute inflammation may affect various neuropsychological functions. The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to investigate the effects of acute endotoxemia on mood and the neural response to emotionally aversive visual stimuli in healthy human subjects. In a double-blind, randomized crossover study, 18 healthy males received a bolus injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.4 ng/kg) or saline. Plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and cortisol as well as mood ratings were analyzed together with the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response during the presentation of aversive versus neutral pictures. Endotoxin administration induced pronounced transient increases in plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-10, and cortisol. Positive mood was decreased and state anxiety increased. In addition, activation of right inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in response to emotional visual stimuli was significantly increased in the LPS condition. Increased prefrontal activation during the presentation of emotional material may reflect enhanced cognitive regulation of emotions as an adaptive response during an acute inflammation. These findings may have implications for the putative role of inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology of depression. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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