@article {14222,
	title = {Neural activity to a partner{\textquoteright}s facial expression predicts self-regulation after conflict},
	journal = {Biological Psychiatry},
	volume = {67},
	number = {5},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {406-13},
	abstract = {Background: Failure to self-regulate after an interpersonal conflict can result in persistent negative mood and maladaptive behaviors.\&nbsp;Research indicates that lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) activity is related to emotion regulation in response to laboratory-based affective\&nbsp;challenges, such as viewing emotional pictures. This suggests that compromised LPFC function may be a risk factor for mood and behavior\&nbsp;problems after an interpersonal conflict. However, it remains unclear whether LPFC activity to a laboratory-based affective challenge\&nbsp;predicts self-regulation in real life.
Methods: We investigated whether LPFC activity to a laboratory-based affective challenge (negative facial expressions of a partner)\&nbsp;predicts self-regulation after a real-life affective challenge (interpersonal conflict). During a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan,\&nbsp;healthy, adult participants in committed relationships (n=27) viewed positive, negative, and neutral facial expressions of their partners. In\&nbsp;a three-week online daily diary, participants reported conflict occurrence, level of negative mood, rumination, and substance use.
Results: LPFC activity in response to the laboratory-based affective challenge predicted self-regulation after an interpersonal conflict in\&nbsp;daily life. When there was no interpersonal conflict, LPFC activity was not related to mood or behavior the next day. However, when an\&nbsp;interpersonal conflict did occur, ventral LPFC (VLPFC) activity predicted mood and behavior the next day, such that lower VLPFC activity was\&nbsp;related to higher levels of negative mood, rumination, and substance use.
Conclusions: Low LPFC function may be a vulnerability and high LPFC function may be a protective factor for the development of mood\&nbsp;and behavior problems after an interpersonal stressor.},
	author = {Hooker, C.I and Gyurak, A and Verosky, S.C and Ayduk, O}
}
