Prefrontal-posterior coupling mediates transitions between emotional states and influences executive functioning

Emotions often result from fluctuating experiences with self-regulation unfolding over time. However, most research has been focused on neural responses to static, affective stimuli. We studied emotion transitions, which correspond to dynamic conditions of varying affective valence or intensities. Functional coupling of prefrontal and posterior cortex (EEG coherence) was recorded during exposure to stable versus changing emotion-eliciting images (static vs. dynamic conditions). Prefrontal-posterior coupling was decreased in the dynamic conditions compared to the static conditions. A decrease in prefrontal-posterior coupling implies less control of the prefrontal cortex over perceptual information, which may allow the brain to become more affected by emotional fluctuations. We also assessed the aftereffect of EEG coherence on executive functioning, utilizing the flanker task. Among individuals reporting higher chronic stress, executive functioning decreased after dynamic conditions. This decrease in executive functioning was mediated by the decrease in prefrontal-posterior coupling in the dynamic conditions. These findings suggest that the strength of prefrontal-posterior coupling is not only related to emotional transitions but also to executive functioning. The deterioration of executive functioning after dynamic emotional processing may reflect the additional cognitive effort required to process dynamic shifts in affective stimuli, and this relationship is exacerbated by chronic stress.