Final answer:
Emotion contact insensitivity refers to reduced ability to experience or respond to emotions. In MDD, individuals exhibit decreased activation in areas associated with positive emotions. In GAD, individuals show increased emotional reactivity and sensitivity to negative emotions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emotion contact insensitivity refers to a reduced ability to experience or respond to emotions. In Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), individuals may exhibit diminished emotional reactivity and have difficulty feeling joy or pleasure. This can be seen in their neural response to facial expressions, with decreased activation in areas associated with positive emotions, such as the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
In contrast, individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) may display heightened emotional reactivity and sensitivity to negative emotions. They may be more prone to experience fear or worry in response to certain stimuli. This can be seen in their increased amygdala activation in response to fearful facial expressions.
Overall, while both MDD and GAD involve alterations in emotion processing and regulation, the specific pattern of emotional reactivity differs between the two disorders.