Neural network of cognitive emotion regulation — An ALE meta-analysis and MACM analysis

The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive emotion regulation are vital for social functioning and psychological well-being, yet a consensus on the brain network responsible for this process has remained elusive. This study sought to move beyond qualitative reviews by conducting a quantitative meta-analysis of 23 fMRI and PET studies (involving 479 subjects) using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE). To further understand how these regions interact, the authors performed Meta-Analytic Connectivity Modeling (MACM) and functional decoding based on the BrainMap database, aiming to characterize the functional profiles of key regions and propose a cohesive neural model for conscious emotion regulation.

The meta-analysis revealed consistent activation across several brain regions, including the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior middle cingulate cortex (aMCC), superior temporal gyrus (STG), angular gyrus, and the (pre-)supplementary motor area. Through MACM and functional characterization, the authors suggest a specialized division of labor:

• VLPFC (IFG): Acts as a detector of emotional salience, appraising affective information rather than performing the regulatory act itself.
• DLPFC: Functions as an initiator of regulation, likely managing higher-order "cold" cognitive processes that then trigger executive regulatory mechanisms.
• STG, Angular Gyrus, and (Pre-)SMA: Represent the "executive arm" of regulation, potentially simulating somatosensory or motor representations to reformulate the emotional state.
• aMCC: Functions as a central, integrative hub, ideally positioned to influence subcortical areas and behavior.

This work provides a rigorous, data-driven framework that challenges earlier, less nuanced views of prefrontal function in emotion regulation. By distinguishing between emotional evaluation, regulatory initiation, and execution, the proposed model offers a structured approach for future clinical research. It suggests that psychiatric disorders associated with emotion dysregulation may not reflect global deficits but rather specific malfunctions in these distinct neural relay points. This a priori model facilitates more hypothesis-driven investigations into how clinical populations, such as those with depression or borderline personality disorder, deviate from standard regulation pathways.