Cited by 146Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesEmotion and Mood RecognitionFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Distributed affective space represents multiple emotion categories across the human brain

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Saarimäki, Heini, Ejtehadian, Lara Farzaneh, Glerean, Enrico, Jääskeläinen, Iiro P, Vuilleumier, Patrik, Sams, Mikko, Nummenmaa, Lauri·2018·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

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Abstract

The functional organization of human emotion systems as well as their neuroanatomical basis and segregation in the brain remains unresolved. Here, we used pattern classification and hierarchical clustering to characterize the organization of a wide array of emotion categories in the human brain. We induced 14 emotions (6 'basic', e.g. fear and anger; and 8 'non-basic', e.g. shame and gratitude) and a neutral state using guided mental imagery while participants' brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twelve out of 14 emotions could be reliably classified from the haemodynamic signals. All emotions engaged a multitude of brain areas, primarily in midline cortices including anterior and posterior cingulate gyri and precuneus, in subcortical regions, and in motor regions including cerebellum and premotor cortex. Similarity of subjective emotional experiences was associated with similarity of the corresponding neural activation patterns. We conclude that different basic and non-basic emotions have distinguishable neural bases characterized by specific, distributed activation patterns in widespread cortical and subcortical circuits. Regionally differentiated engagement of these circuits defines the unique neural activity pattern and the corresponding subjective feeling associated with each emotion.

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  • On the subjectively experienced level, universalism extends beyond the canonical Ekman's 6 basic emotions to a variety of non-basic or social emotions known to have discrete neural and expressive bases.

    “This suggests that on subjectively experienced level, the universalism extends beyond the canonical”

    From Bodily maps of emotions are culturally universal (2020) · cites this paper as Saarimaki et al., 2018

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  1. Jenkinson M., Beckmann C.F., Behrens T.E.J., Woolrich M.W., Smith S.M. (2012). FSL. Neuroimage, 62(2), 782– 90. 21979382

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Authors
Saarimäki, H., Ejtehadian, L. F., Glerean, E., Jääskeläinen, I. P., Vuilleumier, P., Sams, M., & Nummenmaa, L.
Affiliations
  • Aalto University (FI)
  • University of Turku (FI)
  • University of Geneva (CH)
Corresponding author
Saarimäki, Heini
Venue
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Published
2018-05-01
Volume
13
Issue
5
Pages
471-482
ISSN
  • 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
  • 1749-5024
OpenAlex
W2953286634
Cited by
146
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI
9.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Aaltodoc (Aalto University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • Aalto University, Academy of Finland (#265917, #294897, #138145, #276643, #313000)
  • Finnish Cultural Foundation (#00140220)
  • Swiss National Science Foundation National Center of Competence in Research for Affective Sciences (#51NF40-104897)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Emotion and Mood Recognition
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
emotion classification, basic emotions, cingulate cortex, precuneus, cerebellum, premotor cortex, subjective emotional experience, emotion induction
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cerebellum, Cerebral Cortex, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Emotions, Female, Hemodynamics, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cluster Analysis, Young Adult

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