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Cited by 141Attachment and Relationship DynamicsPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchPsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Measuring attachment representation in an fMRI environment: a pilot study

Buchheim, Anna, Erk, Susanne, George, Carol, Kächele, Horst, Ruchsow, Martin, Spitzer, Manfred, Kircher, Tilo, Walter, Henrik·2006·Psychopathology
DOI 10.1159/000091800
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Abstract

This exploratory study is the first to examine the neural correlates of attachment status in adults. The study examined the feasibility of assessing attachment narratives in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) environment by challenging subjects to tell attachment stories to specific attachment pictures from the Adult Attachment Projective (AAP) while being scanned. We investigated theoretically derived hypotheses regarding predicted differences in the brain activation patterns of individuals whose attachment status was organized (resolved) versus disorganized (unresolved) with respect to attachment trauma (e.g., as associated with loss through death, abuse, threat of abandonment). Adult attachment was assessed using the AAP, a new representational attachment measure that we thought might be suitable for use in the fMRI environment. This measure was used to obtain a preliminary picture of the neural processes associated with the activation of attachment in 11 healthy female adults. Results are reported from a second-level analysis (p < 0.001 uncorrected) and confirm that the AAP is a feasible measure for use in a neuroimaging environment. Cerebral activation during continuous speech yielded results consistent with the literature. Brain activation was demonstrated in expected visual and semantic brain regions. Furthermore, we found that the rate of articulation was positively correlated with activation in the right superior temporal gyrus. The results of theoretically derived attachment hypotheses showed no differences at the chosen level of significance when comparing the 'all attachment pictures' effect between both groups (resolved vs. unresolved). More interestingly, we found a significant interaction effect between the sequence of pictures and attachment category. Only the unresolved participants showed increasing activation of medial temporal regions, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, in the course of the AAP task. This pattern was demonstrated especially at the end of the AAP task where the pictures are drawn to portray traumatic situations. We interpret these results as confirming our hypothesis, linking unresolved attachment to emotional dysregulation of the attachment system. These results are discussed in relation to assessing attachment in an fMRI environment and future research in this area.

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  • Neuroimaging evidence points to hyperactive mentalizing (TPJ activation) in BPD patients in response to attachment-related stimuli.

    “There is also neuroimaging evidence that points to hyperactive mentalizing (at least in terms of TPJ/ temporal parietal sulcus activation) in BPD patients in response to attachment related stimuli (Buchheim et al., 2006).”

    From A developmental, mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of borderline personality disorder (2009) · cites this paper as Buchheim et al., 2006

  • Subjects with organized compared to disorganized attachment patterns showed increased activity in the right amygdala, left hippocampus and right inferior frontal gyrus.

    “Subjects with organized compared to disorganized attachment patterns showed increased activity in the right amygdala, left hippocampus and right inferior frontal gyrus—areas considered to be important to social bonding and attachment.”

    From The human parental brain: In vivo neuroimaging (2011) · cites this paper as Buchheim et al., 2006

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Authors
Buchheim, A., Erk, S., George, C., Kächele, H., Ruchsow, M., Spitzer, M., Kircher, T., & Walter, H.
Affiliations
  • Universität Ulm (DE)
  • Mills College (US)
  • RWTH Aachen University (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Psychopathology
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2006
Volume
39
Issue
3
Pages
144-152
ISSN
  • 0254-4962 (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-033X
DOI
10.1159/000091800
OpenAlex
W2133342966
Cited by
141
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 10
FWCI
11.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Keywords
adult attachment, attachment narratives, attachment trauma, disorganized attachment, amygdala, hippocampus, medial temporal lobe, emotional dysregulation, speech articulation
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Female, Humans, Language, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Object Attachment, Pilot Projects, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Vocabulary, Cognitive Science

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