Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Cognitive Science

Brain imaging study finds recent heartbreak is associated with alterations in working memory

by Beth Ellwood
June 29, 2021
in Cognitive Science, Relationships and Sexual Health
(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

[Follow PsyPost on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience]

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A brain imaging study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found evidence that the low mood that accompanies a romantic breakup can affect executive functioning. The researchers found that greater depressive symptomology among heartbroken subjects was associated with reduced activation of a network of brain areas involved in working memory.

The study’s authors Anne M. Verhallen and her colleagues were motivated by numerous studies suggesting that stress and depression are associated with neural and behavioral changes in executive functioning — and particularly, changes in working memory. The researchers proposed that one way to investigate these effects might be by studying people experiencing a recent breakup.

The researchers conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study among a sample of 71 subjects who had experienced a breakup in the past six months and 46 subjects who were currently in a relationship. Brain activity was monitored using an MRI scanner, while participants completed a series of n-back tasks — a working memory task commonly used in neuroscience studies. The task exercises varying degrees of cognitive workload, asking subjects to match a stimulus presented on the screen with a stimulus presented a number of trials ago. Participants also completed a measure of depressive symptom severity.

As expected, depressive symptomology was greater among the heartbreak group than the relationship group. Interestingly, while the two groups performed similarly during the high workload trials, the heartbreak group showed greater accuracy and a faster reaction time during the low workload trials when compared to the relationship group. The study authors say that this superior performance among the heartbreak group might be evidence of improved sensory information processing, which has previously been reported among people dealing with acute stress.

Next, the researchers looked for group differences in brain activation during the tasks. Compared to the relationship group, the heartbreak group showed reduced activation in the precuneus, an area of the brain implicated in memory retrieval. They also found that when the heartbreak group took part in the high workload trials, changes in precuneus activation were accompanied by changes in brain regions that make up the working memory network — the anterior cingulate gyrus, the supplementary motor cortex, and the lateral occipital cortex.

Moreover, among the heartbreak group, as depressive symptomology increased, activation decreased among a cluster of brain regions that included the anterior cingulate gyrus,  precuneus, and the supplementary motor cortex — again, key areas involved in working memory processing.

“Given that our heartbreak sample includes otherwise healthy individuals reporting elevated depression scores after a stressful event, this specific working memory-related network may be of importance with regard to the transition from healthy behavior, and corresponding brain activity, to depressive behavior during a disturbing period in life,” Verhallen and her colleagues discuss.

While the sample did not include many subjects with clinical-level depressive symptoms (only a quarter of subjects), the findings offer evidence that even those who present with mild depressive symptomology can show changes in brain activation during a working memory task.

The researchers conclude that studying people who are going through a relationship breakup can offer insight into the relations between stressful events, depression, and executive functioning. Importantly, such research might shed light on possible risk factors for the development of clinical depression following stress.

The study, “Working Memory Alterations After a Romantic Relationship Breakup”, was authored by Anne M. Verhallen, Remco J. Renken, Jan-Bernard C. Marsman, and Gert J. ter Horst.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePin17Send
Previous Post

Emotionally reactive, impulsive, and insecure individuals are more likely to abuse their romantic partners online

Next Post

Ayahuasca use associated with greatly improved anxiety and depression symptoms in large international study

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

New study uncovers a “vicious cycle” between feeling less socially connected and increased smartphone use

Psychedelic mushrooms and quiet quitting: Psilocybin use tied to working fewer overtime hours

New psychology research shows how narcissistic tendencies influence perceptions of intellectual humility

REM sleep and the science of dreams: A deep dive into the unconscious mind

Exposure to wood smoke leads to complex and long-lasting neuroinflammatory and neurometabolomic alterations

Modafinil and caffeine improve vigilance of individuals deprived of sleep, study finds

RECENT

Brain stimulation technique combined with cognitive training reduces ADHD symptoms in children

Mindfulness study: Practicing self-compassion reduces impulse buying

Male weightlifters who use steroids are more prone to psychopathology than those who do not

Psychedelic mushrooms and quiet quitting: Psilocybin use tied to working fewer overtime hours

Exposure to negative gender stereotypes stunts motor performance in adolescent girls, study finds

Sexualized body-positive content boosts young women’s body satisfaction

Are “beer goggles” a myth? New research cast doubt on widespread belief about alcohol’s effects

Eye movement behavior during a VR game can be used to identify children with ADHD

Currently Playing

New psychology research shows how narcissistic tendencies influence perceptions of intellectual humility

New psychology research shows how narcissistic tendencies influence perceptions of intellectual humility

New psychology research shows how narcissistic tendencies influence perceptions of intellectual humility

Narcissism
Unintended pregnancies take a toll on the mental health of new fathers

Unintended pregnancies take a toll on the mental health of new fathers

Mental Health
New study provides insight into the psychological core of dark personality traits

Four distinct trajectories of psychopathic traits identified among youth in the legal system

Psychopathy
Social working memory abnormalities may be a neurocognitive mechanism underlying poorer social connection in PTSD

Exposure to wood smoke leads to complex and long-lasting neuroinflammatory and neurometabolomic alterations

Mental Health
People who were better supervised by parents as early adolescents tend to have higher earnings as adults

People who were better supervised by parents as early adolescents tend to have higher earnings as adults

Business
People who consume more ultra-processed foods are more likely to experience psychological distress later in life

People who consume more ultra-processed foods are more likely to experience psychological distress later in life

Mental Health
  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychedelic Drugs
  • Dark Triad
  • Political Psychology

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist