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　　标题：Feelinganxious？Checkyourorbitofrontalcortex，cultivateyouroptimism
　　source：sciencedaily
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　　Anewstudylinksanxiety，abrainstructurecalledtheorbitofrontalcortex，andoptimism，findingthathealthyadultswhohavelargerOFCstendtobemoreoptimisticandlessanxious。
　　Thenewanalysis，reportedinthejournalSocial，CognitiveandAffectiveNeuroscience，offersthefirstevidencethatoptimismplaysamediatingroleintherelationshipbetweenthesizeoftheOFCandanxiety。
　　Anxietydisordersafflictroughly44millionpeopleintheU。S。Thesedisordersdisruptlivesandcostanestimated42billionto47billionannually，scientistsreport。
　　Theorbitofrontalcortex，abrainregionlocatedjustbehindtheeyes，isknowntoplayaroleinanxiety。TheOFCintegratesintellectualandemotionalinformationandisessentialtobehavioralregulation。PreviousstudieshavefoundlinksbetweenthesizeofapersonsOFCandhisorhersusceptibilitytoanxiety。Forexample，inawellknownstudyofyoungadultswhosebrainswereimagedbeforeandafterthecolossal2011earthquakeandtsunamiinJapan，researchersdiscoveredthattheOFCactuallyshrankinsomestudysubjectswithinfourmonthsofthedisaster。ThosewithmoreOFCshrinkagewerelikelytoalsobediagnosedwithposttraumaticstressdisorder，theresearchersfound。
　　Otherstudieshaveshownthatmoreoptimisticpeopletendtobelessanxious，andthatoptimisticthoughtsincreaseOFCactivity。
　　TheteamonthenewstudyhypothesizedthatalargerOFCmightactasabufferagainstanxietyinpartbyboostingoptimism。
　　Moststudiesofanxietyfocusonthosewhohavebeendiagnosedwithanxietydisorders，saidUniversityofIllinoisresearcherSandaDolcos，wholedtheresearchwithgraduatestudentYifanHuandpsychologyprofessorFlorinDolcos。Wewantedtogointheoppositedirection，shesaid。Iftherecanbeshrinkageoftheorbitofrontalcortexandthatshrinkageisassociatedwithanxietydisorders，whatdoesitmeaninhealthypopulationsthathavelargerOFCs？Couldthathaveaprotectiverole？
　　TheresearchersalsowantedtoknowwhetheroptimismwaspartofthemechanismlinkinglargerOFCbrainvolumestolesseranxiety。
　　TheteamcollectedMRIsof61healthyyoungadultsandanalyzedthestructureofanumberofregionsintheirbrains，includingtheOFC。Theresearcherscalculatedthevolumeofgraymatterineachbrainregionrelativetotheoverallvolumeofthebrain。Thestudysubjectsalsocompletedteststhatassessedtheiroptimismandanxiety，depressionsymptoms，andpositive（enthusiastic，interested）andnegative（irri，upset）affect。
　　Astatisticalanalysisandmodelingrevealedthatathickerorbitofrontalcortexontheleftsideofthebraincorrespondedtohigheroptimismandlessanxiety。ThemodelalsosuggestedthatoptimismplayedamediatingroleinreducinganxietyinthosewithlargerOFCs。Furtheranalysesruledouttheroleofotherpositivetraitsinreducinganxiety，andnootherbrainstructuresappearedtobeinvolvedinreducinganxietybyboostingoptimism。
　　Youcansay，OK，thereisarelationshipbetweentheorbitofrontalcortexandanxiety。WhatdoIdotoreduceanxiety？SandaDolcossaid。Andourmodelissaying，thisisworkingpartiallythroughoptimism。Sooptimismisoneofthefactorsthatcanbetargeted。
　　Optimismhasbeeninvestigatedinsocialpsychologyforyears。Butsomehowonlyrecentlydidwestarttolookatfunctionalandstructuralassociationsofthistraitinthebrain，Husaid。Wewantedtoknow：Ifweareconsistentlyoptimisticaboutlife，wouldthatleaveamarkinthebrain？
　　FlorinDolcossaidfuturestudiesshouldtestwhetheroptimismcanbeincreasedandanxietyreducedbytrainingpeopleintasksthatengagetheorbitofrontalcortex，orbyfindingwaystoboostoptimismdirectly。
　　Ifyoucantrainpeoplesresponses，thetheoryisthatoverlongerperiods，theirabilitytocontroltheirresponsesonamomentbymomentbasiswilleventuallybeembeddedintheirbrainstructure，hesaid。