Differential correlation of the BOLD response to different types of emotional valence processing with the availability of GABAA receptors: A combined fMRI and [11C]flumazenil-PET study

Ziel/Aim One of the core components of emotional processing is the processing of emotional valence which has been studied thoroughly using fMRI. More recently, in order to elucidate the relationship to neurotransmitters, GABA levels were measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). So far only few studies addressed the relationship of GABAA-receptor availability with fMRI BOLD signal. In this study we investigated for the first time this relationship during different types of emotional valence processing. We hypothesised a correlation between the BOLD signal and the binding potential of a GABAA receptor ligand in the medial prefrontal cortex.