We have located links that may give you full text access.
Functional neuroimaging of associative learning and generalization in specific phobia.
Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 2018 September 26
BACKGROUND: Theoretical models have implicated classical fear conditioning, fear generalization, and extinction learning in the development of anxiety disorders. To date, it is largely unknown to what extent these mechanisms and the underlying neurobiology may be altered in specific phobia, a disorder characterized by focal fears. The current study systematically examined fear conditioning, fear generalization, extinction learning, and extinction recall in a sample of individuals with a specific phobia.
METHODS: Participants with a specific phobia (SP) of spiders (n = 46) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 48) underwent a 3-day fMRI cue-conditioning protocol, including a fear acquisition and a fear generalization phase (day 1), an extinction learning phase (day 2), and an extinction recall phase (day 3). Stimuli were phobia-irrelevant, as geometrical shapes served as conditioned threat (CS+) and safety stimuli (CS-), and an electrical shock as the unconditioned stimulus (US). Self-reported fear, US expectancy, and blood-oxygen-level dependent responses were measured.
RESULTS: Behavioral results only revealed enhanced CS+/CS-differentiation in fear scores during acquisition retention in SP. Some neural differences were observed during other task phases. During early fear acquisition, SP showed enhanced differential activation in the angular gyrus and lateral occipital cortex, and during extinction recall, more precuneus deactivation was found in SP compared to HC. There were no clear indications of altered neural fear generalization or extinction learning mechanisms in the SP group.
CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that spider phobia may be characterized by enhanced differential fear retention and altered brain activation patterns during fear acquisition and extinction recall. The findings provide insight into the nature of fear learning alterations in specific phobia, and how these may differ from those found in disorders characterized by broad anxious distress.
METHODS: Participants with a specific phobia (SP) of spiders (n = 46) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 48) underwent a 3-day fMRI cue-conditioning protocol, including a fear acquisition and a fear generalization phase (day 1), an extinction learning phase (day 2), and an extinction recall phase (day 3). Stimuli were phobia-irrelevant, as geometrical shapes served as conditioned threat (CS+) and safety stimuli (CS-), and an electrical shock as the unconditioned stimulus (US). Self-reported fear, US expectancy, and blood-oxygen-level dependent responses were measured.
RESULTS: Behavioral results only revealed enhanced CS+/CS-differentiation in fear scores during acquisition retention in SP. Some neural differences were observed during other task phases. During early fear acquisition, SP showed enhanced differential activation in the angular gyrus and lateral occipital cortex, and during extinction recall, more precuneus deactivation was found in SP compared to HC. There were no clear indications of altered neural fear generalization or extinction learning mechanisms in the SP group.
CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that spider phobia may be characterized by enhanced differential fear retention and altered brain activation patterns during fear acquisition and extinction recall. The findings provide insight into the nature of fear learning alterations in specific phobia, and how these may differ from those found in disorders characterized by broad anxious distress.
Full text links
Related Resources
Trending Papers
Challenges in Septic Shock: From New Hemodynamics to Blood Purification Therapies.Journal of Personalized Medicine 2024 Februrary 4
Molecular Targets of Novel Therapeutics for Diabetic Kidney Disease: A New Era of Nephroprotection.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024 April 4
The 'Ten Commandments' for the 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of endocarditis.European Heart Journal 2024 April 18
A Guide to the Use of Vasopressors and Inotropes for Patients in Shock.Journal of Intensive Care Medicine 2024 April 14
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app