Abstract:

There is a large body of evidence from previous research that non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can be used to improve negative emotions through emotional regulation. A summary of the effects and applicability of NIBS in emotional regulation is important for enriching emotional regulation theory and promoting translational research. Literature reviews have shown that NIBS can effectively influence the activity of relevant brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, and intervene in explicit and implicit emotional regulation processes. By improving emotional regulation, NIBS has the potential to improve symptoms of mental disorders. However, there are still several issues that need to be addressed in this field. Firstly, there is too much heterogeneity between studies, leading to inconsistent results. Secondly, the brain neural circuit mechanisms of emotional regulation intervention are still unclear, and the measurement indicators of emotional regulation are too singular. In addition, previous NIBS schemes have problems with low localization accuracy, weak effects in a single time period, inability to meet new needs, and some side effects. Therefore, we propose the following suggestions and outlooks: (1) adopting meta-analysis to comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the effectiveness and universality of NIBS in emotion regulation; (2) integrating brain monitoring techniques to investigate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying NIBS intervention in emotion regulation. For example, using multi-target NIBS for precise control of brain regions corresponding to emotion regulation, and combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), and other brain monitoring techniques to observe changes in the neural mechanisms under the joint action of multi-target NIBS, in order to clarify the causal relationships among various brain regions in the process of emotion regulation (an example is using dual-coil TMS technology to explore the working sequence of different brain regions in explicit emotion regulation); (3) taking individual differences into account as much as possible to optimize NIBS intervention plans. For example, targeting the target area in the patient's PFC accurately through MRI can optimize the stimulation site and frequency for individuals who are unresponsive to TMS/tDCS treatment (no responders); (4) using a combination of multi-brain NIBS and hyperscanning techniques to explore the inter-brain synchronization in interpersonal emotion regulation is a potential research direction; (5) verifying the occurrence and intervention effects of emotion regulation by combining subjective experiences, physiological indicators, and neural characteristics; (6) Neurofeedback technology can compensate for the “side effects” of NIBS. Neurofeedback training, combined with techniques such as fMRI and functional near-infrared spectroscopy, can also be used to enhance the emotion regulation ability of mental disorders with emotion regulation disorders as the main symptoms. We believe that these measures can better address the above issues and improve the effectiveness and applicability of NIBS in emotion regulation intervention.

Key words: non-invasive brain stimulation, prefrontal cortex, emotion regulation, neural circuit