• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2018

It has been suggested that aberrant self-referential processing (SRP) is one of the important components of the explanatory models of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The default mode network (DMN), which reflects intrinsic brain functions, is known to play a critical role in SRP. Recently, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on the functional connectivity in the brain network has gained greater attention as a tool to elucidate the neurobiological basis of various psychiatric disorders. We reviewed resting state fMRI studies that investigated the resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the DMN in SAD. Despite of the heterogeneity of the analytic methods and occasional negative findings, most studies consistently reported abnormalities of RSFC within the DMN, suggesting that the DMN may be significant neural correlates of aberrant SRP in SAD. Also, changes in RSFC of the DMN are associated with clinical improvements of therapeutic interventions. Moreover, emerging findings provide the basis for potential use of RSFC as a complementary method in diagnosis of SAD. Ongoing and future research to investigate RSFC of the DMN could broaden our understanding regarding the neurobiological basis of SAD, and contribute to the development of novel treatments for SAD.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.177-186
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• 2021

This review aims to propose a model that can reinterpret the abnormal and functional connections between cognitive processes and emotional regulations based on the neurocognitive networks for a comprehensive understanding of pathologic processes and treatment approach of depression and anxiety disorder. Through the processes of rebuilding the network model for depression and anxiety disorder, it was confirmed that depression can be said to be 'over-immersion in self-referencing' due to hyper-activation of default mode network (DMN), and anxiety disorders to be 'disconnection with self-referencing' due to hypo-activation of DMN. The attempts to link up between abnormal activation and pathological function of DMN which is thought to be involved in self-referential processing associated with self-consciousness and projection among neurocognitive networks may be another starting point that can afford to be suggestive in integrated interpretation and therapeutic approach to depression and anxiety disorder.