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Grasser LR, Jovanovic T. Safety learning during development: Implications for development of psychopathology. Behav Brain Res 2021; 408:113297. [PMID: 33862062 PMCID: PMC8102395 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fear and safety learning are necessary adaptive behaviors that develop over the course of maturation. While there is a large body of literature regarding the neurobiology of fear and safety learning in adults, less is known regarding safety learning during development. Given developmental changes in the brain, there are corresponding changes in safety learning that are quantifiable; these may serve to predict risk and point to treatment targets for fear and anxiety-related disorders in children and adolescents. For healthy, typically developing youth, the main developmental variation observed is reduced discrimination between threat and safety cues in children compared to adolescents and adults, while lower expression of extinction learning is exhibited in adolescents compared to adults. Such distinctions may be related to faster maturation of the amygdala relative to the prefrontal cortex, as well as incompletely developed functional circuits between the two. Fear and anxiety-related disorders, childhood maltreatment, and behavioral problems are all associated with alterations in safety learning for youth, and this dysfunction may proceed into adulthood with corresponding abnormalities in brain structure and function-including amygdala hypertrophy and hyperreactivity. As impaired inhibition of fear to safety may reflect abnormalities in the developing brain and subsequent psychopathology, impaired safety learning may be considered as both a predictor of risk and a treatment target. Longitudinal neuroimaging studies over the course of development, and studies that query change with interventions are needed in order to improve outcomes for individuals and reduce long-term impact of developmental psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Ruvolo Grasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Dr, Tolan Park Suite 2C Room 273, Detroit, MI 48201 United States.
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Dr, Tolan Park Suite 2C, Detroit, MI 48201 United States.
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Fear extinction learning modulates large-scale brain connectivity. Neuroimage 2021; 238:118261. [PMID: 34126211 PMCID: PMC8436785 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploring the neural circuits of the extinction of conditioned fear is critical to advance our understanding of fear- and anxiety-related disorders. The field has focused on examining the role of various regions of the medial prefrontal cortex, insular cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala in conditioned fear and its extinction. The contribution of this 'fear network' to the conscious awareness of fear has recently been questioned. And as such, there is a need to examine higher/multiple cortical systems that might contribute to the conscious feeling of fear and anxiety. Herein, we studied functional connectivity patterns across the entire brain to examine the contribution of multiple networks to the acquisition of fear extinction learning and its retrieval. We conducted trial-by-trial analyses on data from 137 healthy participants who underwent a two-day fear conditioning and extinction paradigm in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. We found that functional connectivity across a broad range of brain regions, many of which are part of the default mode, frontoparietal, and ventral attention networks, increased from early to late extinction learning only to a conditioned cue. The increased connectivity during extinction learning predicted the magnitude of extinction memory tested 24 h later. Together, these findings provide evidence supporting recent studies implicating distributed brain regions in learning, consolidation and expression of fear extinction memory in the human brain.
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53
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Influence of Perceptual and Conceptual Information on Fear Generalization: A Behavioral and Event-Related Potential Study. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1054-1065. [PMID: 34021495 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00912-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Learned fear can be generalized through both perceptual and conceptual information. This study investigated how perceptual and conceptual similarities influence this generalization process. Twenty-three healthy volunteers completed a fear-generalization test as brain activity was recorded in the form of event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants were exposed to a de novo fear acquisition paradigm with four categories of conditioned stimuli (CS): two conceptual cues (animals and furniture); and two perceptual cues (blue and purple shapes). Animals (C+) and purple shapes (P+) were paired with the unconditioned stimulus (US), whereas furniture (C-) and blue shapes (P-) never were. The generalized stimuli were thus blue animals (C+P+, determined danger), blue furniture (C-P+, perceptual danger), purple animals (C+P-, conceptual danger), and purple furniture (C-P-, determined safe). We found that perceptual cues elicited larger fear responses and shorter reaction times than did conceptual cues during fear acquisition. This suggests that a perceptually related pathway might evoke greater fear than a conceptually based route. During generalization, participants were more afraid of C+ exemplars than of C- exemplars. Furthermore, C+ trials elicited greater N400 amplitudes. Thus, participants appear able to use conceptually based cues to infer the value of the current stimuli. Additionally, compared with C+ exemplars, we found an enhanced late positive potential effect in response to C- exemplars, which seems to reflect a late inhibitory process and might index safety learning. These findings may offer new insights into the pathological mechanism of anxiety disorders.
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Neurocircuitry of Contingency Awareness in Pavlovian Fear Conditioning. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1039-1053. [PMID: 33990933 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00909-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In Pavlovian fear conditioning, contingency awareness provides an indicator of explicit fear learning. A less studied aspect of fear-based psychopathologies and their treatment, awareness of learned fear is a common cause of distress in persons with such conditions and is a focus of their treatment. The present work is a substudy of a broader fear-conditioning fMRI study. Following fear conditioning, we identified a subset of individuals who did not exhibit explicit awareness of the CS-US contingency. This prompted an exploratory analysis of differences in "aware" versus "unaware" individuals after fear conditioning. Self-reported expectancies of the CS-US contingency obtained immediately following fear conditioning were used to differentiate the two groups. Results corrected for multiple comparisons indicated significantly greater BOLD signal in the bilateral dlPFC, right vmPFC, bilateral vlPFC, left insula, left hippocampus, and bilateral amygdala for the CS+>CS- contrast in the aware group compared with the unaware group (all p values ≤ 0.004). PPI analysis with a left hippocampal seed indicated stronger coupling with the dlPFC and vmPFC in the aware group compared with the unaware group (all p values ≤ 0.002). Our findings add to our current knowledge of the networks involved in explicit learning and awareness of conditioned fear, with important clinical implications.
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Memories are not written in stone: Re-writing fear memories by means of non-invasive brain stimulation and optogenetic manipulations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:334-352. [PMID: 33964307 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of fear associative memory requires brain processes of coordinated neural activity within the amygdala, prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, thalamus and brainstem. After fear consolidation, a suppression of fear memory in the absence of danger is crucial to permit adaptive coping behavior. Acquisition and maintenance of fear extinction critically depend on amygdala-PFC projections. The robust correspondence between the brain networks encompassed cortical and subcortical hubs involved into fear processing in humans and in other species underscores the potential utility of comparing the modulation of brain circuitry in humans and animals, as a crucial step to inform the comprehension of fear mechanisms and the development of treatments for fear-related disorders. The present review is aimed at providing a comprehensive description of the literature on recent clinical and experimental researches regarding the noninvasive brain stimulation and optogenetics. These innovative manipulations applied over specific hubs of fear matrix during fear acquisition, consolidation, reconsolidation and extinction allow an accurate characterization of specific brain circuits and their peculiar interaction within the specific fear processing.
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Bergmann TO, Varatheeswaran R, Hanlon CA, Madsen KH, Thielscher A, Siebner HR. Concurrent TMS-fMRI for causal network perturbation and proof of target engagement. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118093. [PMID: 33940146 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The experimental manipulation of neural activity by neurostimulation techniques overcomes the inherent limitations of correlative recordings, enabling the researcher to investigate causal brain-behavior relationships. But only when stimulation and recordings are combined, the direct impact of the stimulation on neural activity can be evaluated. In humans, this can be achieved non-invasively through the concurrent combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Concurrent TMS-fMRI allows the assessment of the neurovascular responses evoked by TMS with excellent spatial resolution and full-brain coverage. This enables the functional mapping of both local and remote network effects of TMS in cortical as well as deep subcortical structures, offering unique opportunities for basic research and clinical applications. The purpose of this review is to introduce the reader to this powerful tool. We will introduce the technical challenges and state-of-the art solutions and provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature and the available experimental approaches. We will highlight the unique insights that can be gained from concurrent TMS-fMRI, including the state-dependent assessment of neural responsiveness and inter-regional effective connectivity, the demonstration of functional target engagement, and the systematic evaluation of stimulation parameters. We will also discuss how concurrent TMS-fMRI during a behavioral task can help to link behavioral TMS effects to changes in neural network activity and to identify peripheral co-stimulation confounds. Finally, we will review the use of concurrent TMS-fMRI for developing TMS treatments of psychiatric and neurological disorders and suggest future improvements for further advancing the application of concurrent TMS-fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Til Ole Bergmann
- Neuroimaging Center (NIC), Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstraße 7-9, 55122, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Rathiga Varatheeswaran
- Neuroimaging Center (NIC), Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstraße 7-9, 55122, Mainz, Germany
| | - Colleen A Hanlon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Kristoffer H Madsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Axel Thielscher
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Hartwig Roman Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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Rapid computation of TMS-induced E-fields using a dipole-based magnetic stimulation profile approach. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118097. [PMID: 33940151 PMCID: PMC8353625 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TMS neuronavigation with on-line display of the induced electric field (E-field) has the potential to improve quantitative targeting and dosing of stimulation, but present commercially available solutions are limited by simplified approximations. OBJECTIVE Developing a near real-time method for accurate approximation of TMS induced E-fields with subject-specific high-resolution surface-based head models that can be utilized for TMS navigation. METHODS Magnetic dipoles are placed on a closed surface enclosing an MRI-based head model of the subject to define a set of basis functions for the incident and total E-fields that define the subject's Magnetic Stimulation Profile (MSP). The near real-time speed is achieved by recognizing that the total E-field of the coil only depends on the incident E-field and the conductivity boundary geometry. The total E-field for any coil position can be obtained by matching the incident field of the stationary dipole basis set with the incident E-field of the moving coil and applying the same basis coefficients to the total E-field basis functions. RESULTS Comparison of the MSP-based approximation with an established TMS solver shows great agreement in the E-field amplitude (relative maximum error around 5%) and the spatial distribution patterns (correlation >98%). Computation of the E-field took ~100 ms on a cortical surface mesh with 120k facets. CONCLUSION The numerical accuracy and speed of the MSP approximation method make it well suited for a wide range of computational tasks including interactive planning, targeting, dosing, and visualization of the intracranial E-fields for near real-time guidance of coil positioning.
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Crombie KM, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Ahrenholtz R, Lee S, Matalamaki M, Adams TG, Cisler JM. Aerobic exercise and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder. Behav Res Ther 2021; 142:103867. [PMID: 34020153 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study tested whether aerobic exercise delivered during the consolidation window following fear extinction learning reduces the return of fear among women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants (n=35) completed an initial clinical assessment followed by a 3-day fear acquisition, extinction, and recall protocol. On day 1, participants completed a fear acquisition training task in which one geometric shape (conditioning stimulus; CS+) was paired (with 50% probability) with a mild electric shock (unconditioned stimulus; US), while a different shape (CS-) was never paired with the US. On day 2 (24 h later), participants completed a fear extinction training task in which the CS+ no longer predicted administration of the US. Shortly following extinction, participants were randomly assigned to complete either moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (EX) or a light-intensity exercise control (CON) condition. On day 3 (24 h later), participants completed fear recall tests assessing the return of fear (spontaneous recovery, renewal, and reinstatement). Fear responding was assessed via threat expectancy ratings and skin conductance responses (SCR). In the threat expectancy ratings, there were no significant differences between groups in spontaneous recovery; however, EX significantly (p=.02) reduced threat expectancy ratings following reinstatement relative to CON. In SCR measures, there were no significant differences between groups in spontaneous recovery, renewal, or reinstatement. These results support a role for moderate-intensity aerobic exercise during the consolidation window in reducing threat expectations following reinstatement in women with PTSD. Research should continue to examine exercise as a potential method for improving the efficacy of exposure-based therapies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04113798.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Crombie
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA.
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Rachel Ahrenholtz
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Sierra Lee
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Megan Matalamaki
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Tom G Adams
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, 105 Kastle Hill, Lexington, KY, 40506-0044, USA; Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300 George St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA CT Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
| | - Josh M Cisler
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA.
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Marković V, Vicario CM, Yavari F, Salehinejad MA, Nitsche MA. A Systematic Review on the Effect of Transcranial Direct Current and Magnetic Stimulation on Fear Memory and Extinction. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:655947. [PMID: 33828472 PMCID: PMC8019721 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.655947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders. Present treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy and pharmacological treatments show only moderate success, which emphasizes the importance for the development of new treatment protocols. Non-invasive brain stimulation methods such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been probed as therapeutic option for anxiety disorders in recent years. Mechanistic information about their mode of action, and most efficient protocols is however limited. Here the fear extinction model can serve as a model of exposure therapies for studying therapeutic mechanisms, and development of appropriate intervention protocols. We systematically reviewed 30 research articles that investigated the impact of rTMS and tDCS on fear memory and extinction in animal models and humans, in clinical and healthy populations. The results of these studies suggest that tDCS and rTMS can be efficient methods to modulate fear memory and extinction. Furthermore, excitability-enhancing stimulation applied over the vmPFC showed the strongest potential to enhance fear extinction. We further discuss factors that determine the efficacy of rTMS and tDCS in the context of the fear extinction model and provide future directions to optimize parameters and protocols of stimulation for research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vuk Marković
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University-Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Fatemeh Yavari
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Mohammad A. Salehinejad
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Michael A. Nitsche
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University-Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
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60
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Deng J, Fang W, Gong Y, Bao Y, Li H, Su S, Sun J, Shi J, Lu L, Shi L, Sun H. Augmentation of fear extinction by theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation of the prefrontal cortex in humans. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E292-E302. [PMID: 33844484 PMCID: PMC8061738 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.200053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fear extinction alone does not erase the original fear memory. Interventions that enhance extinction can be beneficial for the treatment of fear-related disorders. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been shown to improve memory performance. The present study examined the effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on fear extinction and the return of fear memory in humans. METHODS Ninety-one young healthy volunteers underwent 3 experiments using a randomized controlled experimental design. Participants first acquired fear conditioning, after which they received 30 Hz iTBS before and after extinction training. The iTBS was applied to 1 of 2 targets: the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the vertex (control). Fear responses were measured 24 hours later and 1 month later. RESULTS During the spontaneous recovery and reinstatement tests, iTBS of the left dlPFC before and after extinction significantly reduced fear response, whereas iTBS of the vertex had no effect on fear memory performance. This combined approach had a relatively long-lasting effect (i.e., at least 1 month). LIMITATIONS We did not explore the effect of iTBS of the dlPFC on the expression of fear without extinction training. The neural mechanisms of iTBS with fear extinction to inhibit the fear response are unclear. Our results are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION `The present results showed that 30 Hz iTBS of the left dlPFC enhanced retention of fear extinction. Our study introduces a new intervention for fear memory and suggests that the left dlPFC may be a treatment target for fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Deng
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Wenmei Fang
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Yimiao Gong
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Yanping Bao
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Hui Li
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Sizhen Su
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Jie Sun
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Jie Shi
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Lin Lu
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Le Shi
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
| | - Hongqiang Sun
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Deng, Gong, Li, Su, Sun, Lu, Shi, Sun); the Psychological Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Hefei 230022, China (Feng); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Bao); and the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China (Lu)
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Javanbakht A, Grasser LR, Madaboosi S, Chowdury A, Liberzon I, Diwadkar VA. The Neurocircuitry Underlying Additive Effects of Safety Instruction on Extinction Learning. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:576247. [PMID: 33510623 PMCID: PMC7835842 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.576247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extinction learning is the dominant laboratory model for exposure therapy, a treatment involving both experience of safety near the feared object, and safety instructions relayed by a therapist. While the experiential aspect of extinction learning is well researched, less is known about instructed extinction learning and its neurocircuitry. Here, in 14 healthy participants we examined the neural correlates of, and the network interactions evoked by instructed extinction learning. Following fear conditioning to two CS+ stimuli, participants were instructed about the absence of the aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) for one of the CS+s (instructed CS; CS+I) but not the second CS+ (uninstructed CS+; CS+U). Early during extinction learning, greater activation was observed for the CS+I > CS+U contrast in regions including the vmPFC, dmPFC, vlPFC, and right parahippocampus. Subsequently, psychophysiological interaction (PPI) was applied to investigate functional connectivity of a seed in the vmPFC. This analyses revealed significant modulation of the dmPFC, parahippocampus, amygdala, and insula. Our findings suggest that the addition of cognitive instruction yields greater activation of emotion regulation and reappraisal networks during extinction learning. This work is a step in advancing laboratory paradigms that more accurately model exposure therapy and identifies regions which may be potential targets for neuromodulation to enhance psychotherapy effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Javanbakht
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Lana Ruvolo Grasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Shantanu Madaboosi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, Texas A&M University Central Texas, Killeen, TX, United States
| | - Vaibhav A. Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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Ney LJ, Vicario CM, Nitsche MA, Felmingham KL. Timing matters: Transcranial direct current stimulation after extinction learning impairs subsequent fear extinction retention. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 177:107356. [PMID: 33278591 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has previously been shown to improve fear extinction learning and retention when administered prior to or during extinction learning. This study investigates whether tDCS immediately following extinction learning improves efficacy of extinction memory retention. METHODS 30 participants completed a 2-day fear learning and extinction paradigm, where they acquired fear of a stimulus conditioned to an aversive electric shock on day 1. Extinction learning occurred on day 1, with tDCS or sham tDCS administered immediately following the learning phase. Participants returned for a second day test of extinction memory recall. Skin conductance was measured as the primary outcome. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS Participants in the tDCS group showed impaired fear extinction retention on day 2, marked by significant generalisation of fear to the safety stimulus. This contrasts with earlier studies showing improved extinction retention when stimulation occurred during encoding of extinction learning, compared to immediate consolidation as in our study. These findings may have important implications for the use of tDCS during exposure therapy for anxiety and trauma disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Carmelo M Vicario
- University of Messina, Department of Scienze Cognitive Della Formazione e Degli Studi Culturali, Messina, Italy.
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Deptartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Abstract
Optimizing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and co-occurring conditions may benefit from neuroimaging-based customization. PARTICIPANTS Our total sample (N = 97) included 58 individuals with TBI (49 mild, 8 moderate, and 1 severe in a state of disordered consciousness), of which 24 had co-occurring conditions (depression in 14 and alcohol use disorder in 10). Of those without TBI, 6 individuals had alcohol use disorder and 33 were healthy controls. Of our total sample, 54 were veterans and 43 were civilians. DESIGN Proof-of-concept study incorporating data from 5 analyses/studies that used multimodal approaches to integrate neuroimaging with TMS. MAIN MEASURES Multimodal neuroimaging methods including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MRI-guided TMS navigation, functional MRI, diffusion MRI, and TMS-induced electric fields. Outcomes included symptom scales, neuropsychological tests, and physiological measures. RESULTS It is feasible to use multimodal neuroimaging data to customize TMS targets and understand brain-based changes in targeted networks among people with TBI. CONCLUSIONS TBI is an anatomically heterogeneous disorder. Preliminary evidence from the 5 studies suggests that using multimodal neuroimaging approaches to customize TMS treatment is feasible. To test whether this will lead to increased clinical efficacy, studies that integrate neuroimaging and TMS targeting data with outcomes are needed.
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64
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Månsson KNT, Lueken U, Frick A. Enriching CBT by Neuroscience: Novel Avenues to Achieve Personalized Treatments. Int J Cogn Ther 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s41811-020-00089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAlthough cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an established and efficient treatment for a variety of common mental disorders, a considerable number of patients do not respond to treatment or relapse after successful CBT. Recent findings and approaches from neuroscience could pave the way for clinical developments to enhance the outcome of CBT. Herein, we will present how neuroscience can offer novel perspectives to better understand (a) the biological underpinnings of CBT, (b) how we can enrich CBT with neuroscience-informed techniques (augmentation of CBT), and (c) why some patients may respond better to CBT than others (predictors of therapy outcomes), thus paving the way for more personalized and effective treatments. We will introduce some key topics and describe a selection of findings from CBT-related research using tools from neuroscience, with the hope that this will provide clinicians and clinical researchers with a brief and comprehensible overview of the field.
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Revaluing the Role of vmPFC in the Acquisition of Pavlovian Threat Conditioning in Humans. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8491-8500. [PMID: 33020217 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0304-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in human pavlovian threat conditioning has been relegated largely to the extinction or reversal of previously acquired stimulus-outcome associations. However, recent neuroimaging evidence questions this view by also showing activity in the vmPFC during threat acquisition. Here we investigate the casual role of vmPFC in the acquisition of pavlovian threat conditioning by assessing skin conductance response (SCR) and declarative memory of stimulus-outcome contingencies during a differential pavlovian threat-conditioning paradigm in eight patients with a bilateral vmPFC lesion, 10 with a lesion outside PFC and 10 healthy participants (each group included both females and males). Results showed that patients with vmPFC lesion failed to produce a conditioned SCR during threat acquisition, despite no evidence of compromised SCR to unconditioned stimulus or compromised declarative memory for stimulus-outcome contingencies. These results suggest that the vmPFC plays a causal role in the acquisition of new learning and not just in the extinction or reversal of previously acquired learning, as previously thought. Given the role of the vmPFC in schema-related processing and latent structure learning, the vmPFC may be required to construct a detailed representation of the task, which is needed to produce a sustained conditioned physiological response in anticipation of the unconditioned stimulus during threat acquisition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Pavlovian threat conditioning is an adaptive mechanism through which organisms learn to avoid potential threats, thus increasing their chances of survival. Understanding what brain regions contribute to such a process is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying adaptive as well as maladaptive learning, and has the potential to inform the treatment of anxiety disorders. Importantly, the role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in the acquisition of pavlovian threat conditioning has been relegated largely to the inhibition of previously acquired learning. Here, we show that the vmPFC actually plays a causal role in the acquisition of pavlovian threat conditioning.
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66
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Borgomaneri S, Battaglia S, Garofalo S, Tortora F, Avenanti A, di Pellegrino G. State-Dependent TMS over Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts Fear-Memory Reconsolidation and Prevents the Return of Fear. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3672-3679.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Ozawa M, Davis P, Ni J, Maguire J, Papouin T, Reijmers L. Experience-dependent resonance in amygdalo-cortical circuits supports fear memory retrieval following extinction. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4358. [PMID: 32868768 PMCID: PMC7459312 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18199-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Learned fear and safety are associated with distinct oscillatory states in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). To determine if and how these network states support the retrieval of competing memories, we mimicked endogenous oscillatory activity through optogenetic stimulation of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in mice during retrieval of contextual fear and extinction memories. We found that exogenously induced 4 Hz and 8 Hz oscillatory activity in the BLA exerts bi-directional control over conditioned freezing behavior in an experience- and context-specific manner, and that these oscillations have an experience-dependent ability to recruit distinct functional neuronal ensembles. At the network level we demonstrate, via simultaneous manipulation of BLA and mPFC, that experience-dependent 4 Hz resonance across BLA-mPFC circuitry supports post-extinction fear memory retrieval. Our findings reveal that post-extinction fear memory retrieval is supported by local and interregional experience-dependent resonance, and suggest novel approaches for interrogation and therapeutic manipulation of acquired fear circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minagi Ozawa
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Combined Residency Program (Child Neurology), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jianguang Ni
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jamie Maguire
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Papouin
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Leon Reijmers
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Cisler JM, Privratsky AA, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Ross M, Weaver S, Hahn E, Herringa RJ, James GA, Kilts CD. L-DOPA and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:287. [PMID: 32801342 PMCID: PMC7429959 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00975-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This study tested whether L-DOPA delivered during the consolidation window following fear extinction learning reduces subsequent fear responding among women with PTSD. Adult women diagnosed with PTSD completed a contextual fear acquisition and extinction task during fMRI and then immediately received either placebo (n = 34), 100/25 mg L-DOPA/carbidopa (n = 28), or 200/50 mg L-DOPA/carbidopa (n = 29). Participants completed a resting-state scan before the task and again 45 min following drug ingestion to characterize effects of L-DOPA on extinction memory neural reactivation patterns during consolidation. Twenty-four hours later, participants returned for tests of context renewal, extinction recall, and reinstatement during fMRI with concurrent skin conductance responding (SCR) assessment. Both active drug groups demonstrated increased reactivation of extinction encoding in the amygdala during the post-task resting-state scan. For SCR data, both drug groups exhibited decreased Day 2 reinstatement across all stimuli compared to placebo, and there was some evidence for decreased context renewal to the fear stimulus in the 100 mg group compared to placebo. For imaging data, both drug groups demonstrated decreased Day 2 reinstatement across stimuli in a bilateral insula network compared to placebo. There was no evidence in SCR or neural activity that L-DOPA improved extinction recall. Reactivation of extinction encodings in the amygdala during consolidation on Day 1 predicted Day 2 activation of the insula network. These results support a role for dopamine during the consolidation window in boosting reactivation of amygdala extinction encodings and reducing reinstatement, but not improving extinction recall, in women with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh M. Cisler
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Anthony A. Privratsky
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Marisa Ross
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Shelby Weaver
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Emily Hahn
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ryan J. Herringa
- grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - George Andrew James
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Clinton D. Kilts
- grid.241054.60000 0004 4687 1637University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, Little Rock, AR USA
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69
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Papalini S, Beckers T, Vervliet B. Dopamine: from prediction error to psychotherapy. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:164. [PMID: 32451377 PMCID: PMC7248121 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0814-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine, one of the main neurotransmitters in the mammalian brain, has been implicated in the coding of prediction errors that govern reward learning as well as fear extinction learning. Psychotherapy too can be viewed as a form of error-based learning, because it challenges erroneous beliefs and behavioral patterns in order to induce long-term changes in emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Exposure therapy, for example, relies in part on fear extinction principles to violate erroneous expectancies of danger and induce novel safety learning that inhibits and therefore reduces fear in the long term. As most forms of psychotherapy, however, exposure therapy suffers from non-response, dropout, and relapse. This narrative review focuses on the role of midbrain and prefrontal dopamine in novel safety learning and investigates possible pathways through which dopamine-based interventions could be used as an adjunct to improve both the response and the long-term effects of the therapy. Convincing evidence exists for an involvement of the midbrain dopamine system in the acquisition of new, safe memories. Additionally, prefrontal dopamine is emerging as a key ingredient for the consolidation of fear extinction. We propose that applying a dopamine prediction error perspective to psychotherapy can inspire both pharmacological and non-pharmacological studies aimed at discovering innovative ways to enhance the acquisition of safety memories. Additionally, we call for further empirical investigations on dopamine-oriented drugs that might be able to maximize consolidation of successful fear extinction and its long-term retention after therapy, and we propose to also include investigations on non-pharmacological interventions with putative prefrontal dopaminergic effects, like working memory training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Papalini
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology (LBP), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. .,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Tom Beckers
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology (CLEP), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Vervliet
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Biological Psychology (LBP), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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70
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Sohn JMB, de Souza STF, Raymundi AM, Bonato J, de Oliveira RMW, Prickaerts J, Stern CA. Persistence of the extinction of fear memory requires late-phase cAMP/PKA signaling in the infralimbic cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 172:107244. [PMID: 32376452 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fear extinction is a form of new learning that inhibits expression of the original fear memory without erasing the conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus association. Much is known about the mechanisms that underlie the acquisition of extinction, but the way in which fear extinction is maintained has been scarcely explored. Evidence suggests that protein kinase A (PKA) in the frontal cortex might be related to the persistence of extinction. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) specifically hydrolyzes cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The present study evaluated the effect of the selective PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast (ROF; 0.01, 0.03, and 0.1 mg/kg given i.p.) on acquisition and consolidation of the extinction of fear memory in male Wistar rats in a contextual fear conditioning paradigm. When administered before acquisition, 0.1 mg/kg ROF disrupted short-term (1 day) extinction recall. In contrast, 0.03 mg/kg ROF administration in the late consolidation phase (3 h after extinction learning) but not in the early phase immediately after learning improved long-term extinction recall at 11 days, suggesting potentiation of the persistence of extinction. This effect of ROF requires the first (day 1) exposure to the context. A similar effect was observed when 9 ng ROF or 30 µM 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cAMP (PKA activator) was directly infused in the infralimbic cortex (IL), a brain region necessary for memory extinction. The PKA activity-dependent ROF-induced effect in the IL was correlated with an increase in its brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression, while blockade of PKA with 10 µM H89 in the IL abolished the ROF-induced increase in BDNF expression and prevented the effect of ROF on extinction recall. These effects were not associated with changes in anxiety-like behavior or general exploratory behavior. Altogether, these findings suggest that cAMP-PKA activity in the IL during the late consolidation phase after extinction learning underlies the persistence of extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ana Maria Raymundi
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Bonato
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, University of Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Kreutzmann JC, Fendt M. Chronic inhibition of GABA synthesis in the infralimbic cortex facilitates conditioned safety memory and reduces contextual fear. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:120. [PMID: 32332716 PMCID: PMC7182568 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0788-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate discrimination between danger and safety cues is essential for survival. Recent findings in humans indicate that patients suffering from anxiety disorders cannot reliably use safety cues in order to inhibit fear responses. However, the neuroanatomical pathways of conditioned safety are still unclear. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic inhibition of GABA synthesis in the infralimbic (IL) cortex, a critical region for fear inhibition, would lead to enhanced conditioned safety memory. Male Sprague Dawley rats were equipped with osmotic mini-pumps attached to an infusion cannula aimed at the IL. Mini-pumps were either filled with the glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) inhibitor L-allylglycine (L-AG) or the inactive enantiomer D-allylglycine (D-AG). Previous studies demonstrated that chronic infusions of L-AG lead to lower GABA levels and overall enhanced neural activity. The effect of IL disinhibition on conditioned safety was investigated utilizing the acoustic startle response. Chronic disinhibition of the IL facilitated conditioned safety memory, along with reduced contextual fear and lower corticosterone levels. The present findings suggest that the IL is a key brain region for conditioned safety memory. Because anxiety disorder patients are often not capable to use safety cues to inhibit unnecessary fear responses, the present findings are of clinical relevance and could potentially contribute to therapy optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith C. Kreutzmann
- grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Institute for Pharmacology & Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany ,grid.418723.b0000 0001 2109 6265Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Institute for Pharmacology & Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany ,grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Center of Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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72
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Rosenbaum D, Leehr EJ, Rubel J, Maier MJ, Pagliaro V, Deutsch K, Hudak J, Metzger FG, Fallgatter AJ, Ehlis AC. Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy - in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 26:102219. [PMID: 32135488 PMCID: PMC7052440 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This is the first study that assessed cortical hemodynamic reactions during exposure therapy in situ. During exposure patients showed increased activity in the cognitive control network (CCN) compared to a control condition. CCN activity deceased during the session. Further, CCN activity was associated with fear ratings at the beginning of the session and this relationship decreased from session to session.
Exposure therapy is a well-studied and highly efficacious treatment for phobic disorders. Although the neurobiological model of fear is well underpinned by various studies, the mechanisms of exposure therapy are still under discussion. Partly, this is due to the fact that most neurophysiological methods like fMRI are not able to be used in the natural therapeutic settings. The current study used in situ measurements of cortical blood oxygenation (O2Hb) during exposure therapy by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 37 subjects (N = 30 completers) underwent exposure therapy during 5 adapted sessions in which subjects were exposed to Tegenaria Domestica (domestic house spider – experimental condition) and Dendrobaena Veneta/ Eisenaia hortensis (red earthworm – control condition). Compared to the control condition, patients showed higher O2Hb levels in the anticipation and exposure phase of spider exposure in areas of the cognitive control network (CCN). Further, significant decreases in O2Hb were observed during the session accompanied by reductions in fear related symptoms. However, while symptoms decreased in a linear quadratic manner, with higher reductions in the beginning of the session, CCN activity decreased linearly. Further, higher anxiety at the beginning of session one was associated with increased O2Hb in the CCN. This association decreased within the following sessions. The current study sheds light on the neuronal mechanisms of exposure therapy. The results are discussed in light of a phase model of exposure therapy that posits a role of cognitive control in the beginning and routine learning at the end of the therapy session.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rosenbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | | | - Julian Rubel
- Psychotherapy Research Lab, Psychology and Sport Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Moritz J Maier
- Fraunhofer IAO
- Center for Responsible Research and Innovation, Berlin, Germany
| | - Valeria Pagliaro
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Kira Deutsch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Justin Hudak
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Florian G Metzger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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De Raedt R. Contributions from neuroscience to the practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Translational psychological science in service of good practice. Behav Res Ther 2020; 125:103545. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.103545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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74
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Kreutzmann JC, Jovanovic T, Fendt M. Infralimbic cortex activity is required for the expression but not the acquisition of conditioned safety. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:2161-2172. [PMID: 32363439 PMCID: PMC7306044 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05527-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to discriminate between danger and safety is crucial for survival across species. Whereas danger signals predict the onset of a potentially threatening event, safety signals indicate the non-occurrence of an aversive event, thereby reducing fear and stress responses. While the neural basis of conditioned safety remains to be elucidated, fear extinction studies provide evidence that the infralimbic cortex (IL) modulates fear inhibition. In the current study, the IL was temporarily inactivated with local muscimol injections in male and female rats. The effect of IL inactivation on the acquisition and expression of conditioned safety was investigated utilizing the startle response. Temporary inactivation of the IL prior to conditioning did not affect the acquisition of conditioned safety, whereas IL inactivation during the expression test completely blocked the expression of conditioned safety in male and female rats. Inactivation of the neighboring prelimbic (PL) cortex during the expression test did not affect the expression of safety memory. Our findings suggest that the IL is a critical brain region for the expression of safety memory. Because patients suffering from anxiety disorders are often unable to make use of safety cues to inhibit fear, the present findings are of clinical relevance and could potentially contribute to therapy optimization of anxiety-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith C Kreutzmann
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Pharmacology & Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University Detroit, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Markus Fendt
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Pharmacology & Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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75
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Fullana M, Dunsmoor J, Schruers K, Savage H, Bach D, Harrison B. Human fear conditioning: From neuroscience to the clinic. Behav Res Ther 2020; 124:103528. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.103528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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76
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Uniyal A, Singh R, Akhtar A, Dhaliwal J, Kuhad A, Sah SP. Pharmacological rewriting of fear memories: A beacon for post-traumatic stress disorder. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 870:172824. [PMID: 31778672 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychopathological response that develops after exposure to an extreme life-threatening traumatic event. Its prevalence ranges from 0.5% to 14.5% worldwide. Due to the complex pathophysiology of PTSD, currently available treatment approaches are associated with high chances of failure, thus further research to identify better pharmacotherapeutic approaches is needed. The traumatic event associated with fear memories plays an important role in the development of PTSD and could be considered as the main culprit. PTSD patient feels frightened in a safe environment as the memories of the traumatic event are revisited. Neurocircuit involving normal processing of fear memories get disturbed in PTSD hence making a fear memory to remain to dominate even after years of trauma. Persistence of fear memories could be explained by acquisition, re-(consolidation) and extinction triad as all of these processes have been widely explored in preclinical as well as clinical studies and set a therapeutic platform for fear memory associated disorders. This review focuses on neurocircuit and pathophysiology of PTSD in context to fear memories and pharmacological targeting of fear memory for the management of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Uniyal
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India; Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.) Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Raghunath Singh
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Ansab Akhtar
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Jatinder Dhaliwal
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Anurag Kuhad
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Sangeeta Pilkhwal Sah
- Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-CAS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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77
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Carpenter JK, Pinaire M, Hofmann SG. From Extinction Learning to Anxiety Treatment: Mind the Gap. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9070164. [PMID: 31336700 PMCID: PMC6680899 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9070164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Laboratory models of extinction learning in animals and humans have the potential to illuminate methods for improving clinical treatment of fear-based clinical disorders. However, such translational research often neglects important differences between threat responses in animals and fear learning in humans, particularly as it relates to the treatment of clinical disorders. Specifically, the conscious experience of fear and anxiety, along with the capacity to deliberately engage top-down cognitive processes to modulate that experience, involves distinct brain circuitry and is measured and manipulated using different methods than typically used in laboratory research. This paper will identify how translational research that investigates methods of enhancing extinction learning can more effectively model such elements of human fear learning, and how doing so will enhance the relevance of this research to the treatment of fear-based psychological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K Carpenter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 900 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Megan Pinaire
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 900 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Stefan G Hofmann
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 900 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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78
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Lonsdorf TB, Merz CJ, Fullana MA. Fear Extinction Retention: Is It What We Think It Is? Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:1074-1082. [PMID: 31005240 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
There has been an explosion of research on fear extinction in humans in the past 2 decades. This has not only generated major insights, but also brought a new goal into focus: how to maintain extinction memory over time (i.e., extinction retention). We argue that there are still important conceptual and procedural challenges in human fear extinction research that hamper advancement in the field. We use extinction retention and the extinction retention index to exemplarily illustrate these challenges. Our systematic literature search identified 16 different operationalizations of the extinction retention index. Correlation coefficients among these different operationalizations as well as among measures of fear/anxiety show a wide range of variability in four independent datasets, with similar findings across datasets. Our results suggest that there is an urgent need for standardization in the field. We discuss the conceptual and empirical implications of these results and provide specific recommendations for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina B Lonsdorf
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Christian J Merz
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Miquel A Fullana
- Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
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79
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Herrmann MJ, Cybinski LM, Unterecker S, Deckert J, Polak T. Nichtinvasive Hirnstimulation in Kombination mit Psychotherapie bei Angsterkrankungen. PSYCHOTHERAPEUT 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00278-019-0349-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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80
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Paredes D, Morilak DA. A Rodent Model of Exposure Therapy: The Use of Fear Extinction as a Therapeutic Intervention for PTSD. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:46. [PMID: 30914932 PMCID: PMC6421316 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include cognitive impairment related to medial prefrontal cortical dysfunction. Indeed, a deficit of cognitive flexibility, i.e., an inability to modify previously learned thoughts and behaviors based on changes in the environment, may underlie many of the other symptoms of PTSD, such as changes in mood, hyper-arousal, intrusive thoughts, exaggerated and over-generalized fear, and avoidance behavior. Cognitive-behavioral therapies target the cognitive dysfunction observed in PTSD patients, training them to recalibrate stress-related perceptions, interpretations and responses. Preclinically, the extinction of conditioned fear bears resemblance to one form of cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, whereby an individual learns, through repeated exposure to a fear-provoking stimulus in a safe environment, that the stimulus no longer signals imminent threat, and their fear response is suppressed. In this review article, we highlight recent findings from our lab using fear extinction as a preclinical model of exposure therapy in rodents exposed to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). We specifically focus on the therapeutic effects of extinction on stress-compromised set-shifting as a measure of cognitive flexibility, and active vs. passive coping behavior as a measure of avoidance. Finally, we discuss mechanisms involving activity and plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) necessary for the therapeutic effects of extinction on cognitive flexibility and active coping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denisse Paredes
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.,South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), San Antonio, TX, United States
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81
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Lebois LAM, Seligowski AV, Wolff JD, Hill SB, Ressler KJ. Augmentation of Extinction and Inhibitory Learning in Anxiety and Trauma-Related Disorders. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2019; 15:257-284. [PMID: 30698994 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although the fear response is an adaptive response to threatening situations, a number of psychiatric disorders feature prominent fear-related symptoms caused, in part, by failures of extinction and inhibitory learning. The translational nature of fear conditioning paradigms has enabled us to develop a nuanced understanding of extinction and inhibitory learning based on the molecular substrates to systems neural circuitry and psychological mechanisms. This knowledge has facilitated the development of novel interventions that may augment extinction and inhibitory learning. These interventions include nonpharmacological techniques, such as behavioral methods to implement during psychotherapy, as well as device-based stimulation techniques that enhance or reduce activity in different regions of the brain. There is also emerging support for a number of psychopharmacological interventions that may augment extinction and inhibitory learning specifically if administered in conjunction with exposure-based psychotherapy. This growing body of research may offer promising novel techniques to address debilitating transdiagnostic fear-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A M Lebois
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Antonia V Seligowski
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Jonathan D Wolff
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Sarah B Hill
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
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82
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Pinter A, Szatmari S, Horvath T, Penzlin AI, Barlinn K, Siepmann M, Siepmann T. Cardiac dysautonomia in depression - heart rate variability biofeedback as a potential add-on therapy. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:1287-1310. [PMID: 31190834 PMCID: PMC6529729 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s200360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Depressive disorders are among the most important health problems and are predicted to constitute the leading cause of disease burden by the year 2030. Aside significant impact on quality of life, psychosocial well-being and socioeconomic status of affected patients, depression is associated with impaired cardiovascular health and increased mortality. The link between affective and cardiovascular disease has largely been attributed to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system resulting in a chronic shift toward increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity and, consecutively, cardiac dysautonomia. Among proposed surrogate parameters to capture and quantitatively analyze this shift, heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity have emerged as reliable tools. Attenuation of these parameters is frequently seen in patients suffering from depression and is closely linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Therefore, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies were designed to assess and counteract cardiac dysautonomia. While psychopharmacological treatment can effectively improve affective symptoms of depression, its effect on cardiac dysautonomia is limited. HRV biofeedback is a non-invasive technique which is based on a metronomic breathing technique to increase parasympathetic tone. While some small studies observed beneficial effects of HRV biofeedback on dysautonomia in patients with depressive disorders, larger confirmatory trials are lacking. We reviewed the current literature on cardiac dysautonomia in patients suffering from depression with a focus on the underlying pathophysiology as well as diagnostic workup and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Pinter
- Division of Health Care Sciences, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Family Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Szatmari
- Division of Health Care Sciences, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Janos Szentagothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamas Horvath
- Department of Hydrodynamic Systems, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ana Isabel Penzlin
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristian Barlinn
- Department of Neurology, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Siepmann
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Timo Siepmann
- Division of Health Care Sciences, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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83
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Combined transcranial direct current stimulation with virtual reality exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder: Feasibility and pilot results. Brain Stimul 2018; 12:41-43. [PMID: 30266416 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Facilitating neural activity using non-invasive brain stimulation may improve extinction-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS Here, we examined the feasibility of simultaneous transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) application during virtual reality (VR) to reduce psychophysiological arousal and symptoms in Veterans with PTSD. METHODS Twelve Veterans with PTSD received six combat-related VR exposure sessions during sham-controlled tDCS targeting ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Primary outcome measures were changes in skin conductance-based arousal and self-reported PTSD symptom severity. RESULTS tDCS + VR components were combined without technical difficulty. We observed a significant interaction between reduction in arousal across sessions and tDCS group (p = .03), indicating that the decrease in physiological arousal was greater in the tDCS + VR versus sham group. We additionally observed a clinically meaningful reduction in PTSD symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates feasibility of applying tDCS during VR. Preliminary data suggest a reduction in psychophysiological arousal and PTSD symptomatology, supporting future studies.
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84
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Liston C. A novel neurostimulation strategy for facilitating fear regulation. Sci Transl Med 2018. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aau7385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting a human homolog of a rodent fear regulation circuit enhances extinction learning in healthy human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor Liston
- Brain and Mind Research Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
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85
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Pennington ZT, Fanselow MS. Indirect Targeting of Subsuperficial Brain Structures With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Reveals a Promising Way Forward in the Treatment of Fear. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:80-81. [PMID: 31178062 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary T Pennington
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York.
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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86
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Abend R, Sar-El R, Gonen T, Jalon I, Vaisvaser S, Bar-Haim Y, Hendler T. Modulating Emotional Experience Using Electrical Stimulation of the Medial-Prefrontal Cortex: A Preliminary tDCS-fMRI Study. Neuromodulation 2018; 22:884-893. [PMID: 29741803 DOI: 10.1111/ner.12787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Implicit regulation of emotions involves medial-prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regions exerting regulatory control over limbic structures. Diminished regulation relates to aberrant mPFC functionality and psychopathology. Establishing means of modulating mPFC functionality could benefit research on emotion and its dysregulation. Here, we tested the capacity of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting mPFC to modulate subjective emotional states by facilitating implicit emotion regulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Stimulation was applied concurrently with functional magnetic resonance imaging to validate its neurobehavioral effect. Sixteen participants were each scanned twice, counterbalancing active and sham tDCS application, while undergoing negative mood induction (clips featuring negative vs. neutral contents). Effects of stimulation on emotional experience were assessed using subjective and neural measures. RESULTS Subjectively, active stimulation led to significant reduction in reported intensity of experienced emotions to negatively valenced (p = 0.005) clips but not to neutral clips (p > 0.99). Active stimulation further mitigated a rise in stress levels from pre- to post-induction (sham: p = 0.004; active: p = 0.15). Neurally, stimulation increased activation in mPFC regions associated with implicit emotion regulation (ventromedial-prefrontal cortex; subgenual anterior-cingulate cortex, sgACC), and in ventral striatum, a core limbic structure (all ps < 0.05). Stimulation also altered functional connectivity (assessed using whole-brain psycho-physiological interaction) between these regions, and with additional limbic regions. Stimulation-induced sgACC activation correlated with reported emotion intensity and depressive symptoms (rs > 0.64, ps < 0.018), suggesting individual differences in stimulation responsivity. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study indicate the potential capacity of tDCS to facilitate brain activation in mPFC regions underlying implicit regulation of emotion and accordingly modulate subjective emotional experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rany Abend
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Roy Sar-El
- Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Gonen
- Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Itamar Jalon
- Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sharon Vaisvaser
- Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Talma Hendler
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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87
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Dittert N, Hüttner S, Polak T, Herrmann MJ. Augmentation of Fear Extinction by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:76. [PMID: 29922133 PMCID: PMC5996916 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; DSM-V 309.82) and anxiety disorders (DSM-V 300.xx) are widely spread mental disorders, the effectiveness of their therapy is still unsatisfying. Non-invasive brain-stimulation techniques like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might be an option to improve extinction learning, which is a main functional factor of exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders. To examine this hypothesis, we used a fear conditioning paradigm with female faces as conditioned stimuli (CS) and a 95-dB female scream as unconditioned stimulus (UCS). We aimed to perform a tDCS of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), which is mainly involved in the control of extinction-processes. Therefore, we applied two 4 × 4 cm electrodes approximately at the EEG-positions F7 and F8 and used a direct current of 1.5 mA. The 20-min stimulation was started during a 10-min break between acquisition and extinction and went on overall extinction-trials. The healthy participants were randomly assigned in two double-blinded process into two sham stimulation and two verum stimulation groups with opposite current flow directions. To measure the fear reactions, we used skin conductance responses (SCR) and subjective ratings. We performed a generalized estimating equations model for the SCR to assess the impact of tDCS and current flow direction on extinction processes for all subjects that showed a successful conditioning (N = 84). The results indicate that tDCS accelerates early extinction processes with a significantly faster loss of CS+/CS– discrimination. The discrimination loss was driven by a significant decrease in reaction toward the CS+ as well as an increase in reaction toward the CS– in the tDCS verum groups, whereas the sham groups showed no significant reaction changes during this period. Therefore, we assume that tDCS of the vmPFC can be used to enhance early extinction processes successfully. But before it should be tested in a clinical context further investigation is needed to assess the reason for the reaction increase on CS–. If this negative side effect can be avoided, tDCS may be a tool to improve exposure-based anxiety therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Dittert
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sandrina Hüttner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Polak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin J Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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