Kun Fu

Rapid offline reactivation of recently learned experiences support adaptive behaviors in changing environments, but whether positive and negative experiences are differentially reactivated immediately after learning and how this shapes decisions remains unclear. Combining fMRI, multivariate predictive modeling and a probabilistic reward-learning task with learning and transfer stages, we examined how gain- and loss-related experiences are encoded during learning, reactivated during post-learning rest, and influence subsequent choices. We used computational modeling to dissociate gain- and loss-related learned experiences, spanning observable stimulus and outcome information as well as latent expected values and prediction errors. Gain- and loss-related experiences were encoded in dissociable neural expressions and were differentially reactivated during post-learning rest. While gain-related experiences exhibited stronger overall reactivation, loss-related reactivation specifically predicted accurate loss avoidance in the subsequent transfer. Moreover, coordinated engagement of a distributed memory network encompassing the posterior cingulate cortex, middle temporal gyrus and hippocampus increased across post-learning rest periods, consistent with systems-level consolidation supporting adaptive loss avoidance. Together, these findings provide evidence that rapid offline reactivation is valence-sensitive and functionally asymmetric, with negative experiences exerting a disproportionate influence on subsequent avoidance despite weaker reinstatement, a pattern that may have broader relevance for understanding persistent negative thoughts in affective disorders.

Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests a fear‐regulating potential of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT), yet the clinical translation into novel interventions for pathological fear requires a behavioral and neurofunctional characterization under close‐to‐real‐life conditions. Here, we combined a naturalistic fMRI‐design that elicited strong and immersive fear experience in social and non‐social contexts with a preregistered between‐subjects randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled intranasal OT trial (24 IU, n = 67 healthy men). OT selectively reduced subjective fear in social contexts but not in non‐social contexts. On the neural level OT enhanced left middle cingulate cortex (lMCC) activation and its functional connectivity with the contralateral amygdala, with both neural indices significantly and inversely associated with subjective fear following OT. On the network level, OT enhanced communication between the dorsal attention network (DAN) with the fronto‐parietal (FPN) and the default‐mode network (DMN), and modulated brain‐wide communication patterns. Utilizing an independent activity‐connectivity neuromarker for fear in naturalistic contexts (CAFE) confirmed that OT attenuated brain‐wide fear expressions. Findings indicate an ecologically valid and socially specific fear‐reducing effect of OT, highlighting its promise as a treatment option for disorders characterized by excessive fear in social situations.

Traditional decision-making models conceptualize humans as adaptive learners utilizing the differences between expected and actual rewards (prediction errors, PEs) to maximize outcomes, but rarely consider the influence of violations of emotional expectations (emotional PEs) and how it differs from reward PEs. Here, we conducted a fMRI experiment (n = 43) using a modified Ultimatum Game to examine how reward and emotional PEs affect punishment decisions in terms of rejecting unfair offers. Our results revealed that reward relative to emotional PEs exerted a stronger prediction to punishment decisions. On the neural level, the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) was strongly activated during reward receipt whereas the emotions engaged the bilateral anterior insula. Reward and emotional PEs were also encoded differently in brain-wide multivariate patterns, with a more sensitive neural signature observed within fronto-insular circuits for reward PE. We further identified a fronto-insular network encompassing the left anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral insula, left dmPFC and inferior frontal gyrus that encoded punishment decisions. In addition, a stronger fronto-insular pattern expression under reward PE predicted more punishment decisions. These findings underscore that reward and emotional violations interact to shape decisions in complex social interactions, while the underlying neurofunctional PEs computations are distinguishable.

Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests a fear-regulating potential of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT), yet the clinical translation into novel interventions for pathological fear requires a behavioral and neurofunctional characterization under close-to-real life conditions. Here, we combined a naturalistic fMRI-design inducing high and immersive fear experience in social and non-social contexts with a preregistered between-subjects randomized double-blind placebo-controlled intranasal OT trial (24 IU, n = 67 healthy men). OT selectively reduced subjective fear in social contexts but not in non-social contexts. Specifically, OT enhanced left middle cingulate cortex (lMCC) activation and its functional connectivity with the contralateral amygdala, with both neural indices significantly and inversely associated with subjective fear following OT. On the network level, OT enhanced communication between the dorsal attention network (DAN) with the fronto-parietal (FPN) and the default-mode network (DMN) as well as on the more fine-grained level brain-wide communication. Utilizing an independent activity-connectivity neuromarker for fear in naturalistic contexts (CAFE) confirmed that OT attenuated brain-wide fear expressions. Findings indicate an ecologically valid and social-specific fear-reducing potential of OT, highlighting its potential value as a treatment option for disorders characterized by excessive fear in social situations.