The neuroscience of sadness: A multidisciplinary synthesis and collaborative review

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews 2020-04, Vol.111, p.199-228
• Main Authors: Arias, Juan A., Williams, Claire, Raghvani, Rashmi, Aghajani, Moji, Baez, Sandra, Belzung, Catherine, Booij, Linda, Busatto, Geraldo, Chiarella, Julian, Fu, Cynthia HY, Ibanez, Agustin, Liddell, Belinda J., Lowe, Leroy, Penninx, Brenda W.J.H., Rosa, Pedro, Kemp, Andrew H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affective neuroscience; Autonomic Nervous System - metabolism; Autonomic Nervous System - physiopathology; Basic emotions; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Epigenesis, Genetic - physiology; Genetics; GENIAL model; Health and wellbeing; Heart rate variability; Humans; Interoception - physiology; Major depressive disorder; Mood Disorders - genetics; Mood Disorders - metabolism; Mood Disorders - physiopathology; Nerve Net - metabolism; Nerve Net - physiopathology; Neuroimaging; Neurosciences; Psychological constructionism; Psychological Theory; Psychophysiology; Sadness; Sadness - physiology; Vagal function
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.006

•Sadness involves reduction of cortical control over evolutionarily ancient brain systems.•Basic emotion theorists have identified a SADNESS circuit, based on animal research.•Psychological constructionists have identified patterns of activity that dependent on context.•Competing models may relate to different levels on a phylogenetic hierarchy.•Dedicated funding to facilitate collaborative and transdisciplinary opportunities is needed. Sadness is typically characterized by raised inner eyebrows, lowered corners of the mouth, reduced walking speed, and slumped posture. Ancient subcortical circuitry provides a neuroanatomical foundation, extending from dorsal periaqueductal grey to subgenual anterior cingulate, the latter of which is now a treatment target in disorders of sadness. Electrophysiological studies further emphasize a role for reduced left relative to right frontal asymmetry in sadness, underpinning interest in the transcranial stimulation of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as an antidepressant target. Neuroimaging studies – including meta-analyses – indicate that sadness is associated with reduced cortical activation, which may contribute to reduced parasympathetic inhibitory control over medullary cardioacceleratory circuits. Reduced cardiac control may – in part – contribute to epidemiological reports of reduced life expectancy in affective disorders, effects equivalent to heavy smoking. We suggest that the field may be moving toward a theoretical consensus, in which different models relating to basic emotion theory and psychological constructionism may be considered as complementary, working at different levels of the phylogenetic hierarchy.