While rodent research suggests that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and centromedial amygdala (CM) coordinate the hormonal stress response, little is known about the BNST's role in the human stress response. The human BNST responds to negatively valenced stimuli, which likely subserves its role in responding to threat. Thus, variation in BNST reactivity to negatively valenced stimuli may relate to differences in the stress response. We measured participants' blood oxygenated level-dependent response to affective images and salivary cortisol and α-amylase (AA) levels in response to a subsequent Trier social stress test (TSST). Greater BNST activation to emotionally evocative images was associated with a larger TSST-evoked AA, but not cortisol response. This association remained after controlling for CM activation, which was not related to the cortisol or AA response. These results suggest that the BNST response to negatively valenced images subserves its role in coordinating the stress response, a BNST role in the stress response independent from the CM, and highlight the need for investigation of the conditions under which BNST activation predicts the cortisol response. Our findings are critical for the future study of mood and anxiety disorders, as dysregulation of the stress system plays a key role in their pathogenesis.

中文翻译：

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BNST对情感图像的反应性增加与对社会压力更大的α-淀粉酶反应有关。

啮齿动物的研究表明，终末皮层的床核（BNST）和中央杏仁核（CM）协调激素的应激反应，但人们对BNST在人类应激反应中的作用知之甚少。人类BNST对负价刺激做出反应，这很可能在应对威胁中发挥了作用。因此，BNST对负价刺激的反应性变化可能与应激反应的差异有关。我们测量了参与者对情感图像和唾液皮质醇和α-淀粉酶（AA）水平的血氧水平依赖性反应，以响应随后的Trier社会压力测试（TSST）。BNST对情绪唤起图像的更大激活与更大的TSST诱发的AA相关，但与皮质醇反应无关。在控制CM激活后，这种关联仍然存在，与皮质醇或AA反应无关。这些结果表明，BNST对负价图像的反应在协调应激反应中起其应有的作用，而BNST在独立于CM的应激反应中的作用，并强调需要研究BNST激活预测皮质醇反应的条件。我们的发现对于情绪和焦虑症的未来研究至关重要，因为压力系统的失调在其发病机理中起着关键作用。并强调需要研究BNST激活可预测皮质醇反应的条件。我们的发现对于情绪和焦虑症的未来研究至关重要，因为压力系统的失调在其发病机理中起着关键作用。并强调需要研究BNST激活可预测皮质醇反应的条件。我们的发现对于情绪和焦虑症的未来研究至关重要，因为压力系统的失调在其发病机理中起着关键作用。