The Heterogeneity of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in DSM-5

A guided single session intervention to reduce intrusive memories of work-related trauma: a randomised controlled trial with healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Intrusive memories of psychologically traumatic events bring distress both sub-clinically and clinically. This parallel-group, two-arm randomised controlled trial evaluated the effect of a brief behavioural intervention on reducing intrusive memories in frontline healthcare workers exposed to traumatic events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Participants with at least two intrusive memories of work-related trauma in the week before recruitment were randomised 1:1 to an imagery-competing task intervention (n = 73) or attention-based control task (n = 71). The number of intrusive memories was assessed at baseline and 5 weeks after the guided session (primary endpoint).

RESULTS

The intervention significantly reduced intrusive memory frequency compared with control [intervention Mdn = 1.0 (IQR = 0-3), control Mdn = 5.0 (IQR = 1-17); p < 0.0001, IRR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.17-0.53] and led to fewer post-traumatic stress-related symptoms at 1, 3 and 6 month follow-ups (secondary endpoints). Participants and statisticians were blinded to allocation. Adverse events data were acquired throughout the trial, demonstrating safety. There was high adherence and low attrition.

CONCLUSIONS

This brief, single-symptom, repeatable digital intervention for subclinical-to-clinical samples after trauma allows scalability, taking a preventing-to-treating approach after trauma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

2020-07-06, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04460014.

Evidence for Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine System Abnormality in Military Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Revealed by Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND

The complex neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) calls for the characterization of specific disruptions in brain functions that require targeted treatment. One such alteration could be an overactive locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine system, which may be linked to hyperarousal symptoms, a characteristic and burdensome aspect of the disorder.

METHODS

Study participants were Canadian Armed Forces veterans with PTSD related to deployment to combat zones (n = 34) and age- and sex-matched healthy control participants (n = 32). Clinical measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5, and neuroimaging measures included a neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure the LC signal. Robust linear regression analyses related the LC signal to clinical measures.

RESULTS

Compared with control participants, the LC signal was significantly elevated in the PTSD group (t62 = 2.64, p = .010), and this group difference was most pronounced in the caudal LC (t56 = 2.70, Cohen's d = 0.72). The caudal LC signal was also positively correlated with the severity of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 hyperarousal symptoms in the PTSD group (t26 = 2.16, p = .040).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence indicative of elevated LC-norepinephrine system function in PTSD. Furthermore, they indicate the promise of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging as a noninvasive method to probe the LC-norepinephrine system that has the potential to support subtyping and treatment of PTSD or other neuropsychiatric conditions.

Unveiling the Structure in Mental Disorder Presentations

Importance

DSM criteria are polythetic, allowing for heterogeneity of symptoms among individuals with the same disorder. In empirical research, most combinations were not found or only rarely found, prompting criticism of this heterogeneity.

Objective

To elaborate how symptom-based definitions and assessments contribute to a distinct probability pattern for the occurrence of symptom combinations.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study involved a theoretical argument, simulation, and secondary data analysis of 4 preexisting datasets, each consisting of symptoms from 1 of the following syndromes: posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Data were obtained from various sources, including the National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive and Department of Veteran Affairs. A total of 155 474 participants were included (individual studies were 3930 to 63 742 individuals in size). Data were analyzed between July 2021 and January 2024.

Exposure

For each participant, the presence or absence of each assessed symptom and their combination was determined. The number of all combinations and their individual frequencies were assessed.

Main Outcome and Measure

Probability or frequency of unique symptom combinations and their distribution.

Results

Among the 155 474 participants, the mean (SD) age was 47.5 (14.8) years; 33 933 (21.8%) self-identified as female and 121 541 (78.2%) as male. Because of the interrelation between symptoms, some symptom combinations were significantly more likely than others. The distribution of the combinations' probability was heavily skewed with most combinations having a very low probability. Across all 4 empirical samples, the 1% most common combinations were prevalent in a total of 33.1% to 78.6% of the corresponding sample. At the same time, many combinations (ranging from 41.7% to 99.8%) were reported by less than 1% of the sample.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study found that within-disorder symptom heterogeneity followed a specific pattern consisting of few prevalent, prototypical combinations and numerous combinations with a very low probability of occurrence. Future discussions about the revision of diagnostic criteria should take this specific pattern into account by focusing not only on the absolute number of symptom combinations but also on their individual and cumulative probabilities. Findings from clinical populations using common diagnostic criteria may have limited generalizability to the large group of individuals with a low-probability symptom combination.

The absurdity of the latent disease model in mental health: 10,130,814 ways to have a DSM-5-TR psychological disorder

BACKGROUND

Latent disease classification is currently the accepted approach to mental illness diagnosis. In the United States, this takes the form of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5-Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Latent disease classification has been criticized for reliability and validity problems, particularly regarding diagnostic heterogeneity. No authors have calculated the scope of the heterogeneity problem of the entire DSM-5-TR.

AIMS

We addressed this issue by calculating the unique diagnostic profiles that exist for every DSM-5-TR diagnosis.

METHODS

We did this by applying formulas previously used in smaller heterogeneity analyses to all diagnoses within the DSM-5-TR.

RESULTS

We found that there are 10,130,814 ways to be diagnosed with a mental illness using DSM-5-TR criteria. When specifiers are considered, this number balloons to over 161 septillion unique diagnostic presentations (driven mainly by bipolar II disorder). Additionally, there are 1,951,065 ways to present with psychiatric symptoms, yet not meet diagnostic criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Latent disease classification leads to considerable heterogeneity in possible presentations. We provide examples of how latent disease classification harms research and treatment programs. We echo recommendations for the dismissal of latent disease classification as a mental illness diagnostic program.

Is factor analysis useful for revising diagnostic criteria for PTSD? A systematic review of five issues ten years after DSM-5

BACKGROUND

Based on factor analysis research, DSM-5 revised the diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by increasing symptom clusters from three to four.

AIMS

To question whether that is an appropriate use of factor analysis.

METHODS

Reviewed the literature on five issues of factor analysis relevant to diagnostic criteria: (1) discovery of factors identical to symptom clusters, (2) consensus about the number of factors in best-fitting models, (3) configural variance between subpopulations to explain inconsistent model results, (4) methods to externally validate factors after discovery, and (5) treatment response of symptom clusters to externally validate factors. Two hundred four articles using DSM-IV or DSM-5 symptoms were included.

RESULTS

Two of four DSM-5 clusters were discovered with exploratory factor analysis. Support for a best-fitting model was inconsistent. Models with the highest number of factors were the best mathematical fit 87% of the time. Subpopulations did not reveal a pattern of configural variance to explain inconsistent findings. External validation of factors relied entirely on questionnaires. A review of 143 randomized controlled trials did not reveal differential treatment response of any symptom cluster.

CONCLUSION

Findings did not support the usefulness of factor analysis because the findings are too disparate to be helpful.

A month in review: longitudinal dynamics between daily PTSD symptom networks, affect, and drinking behaviors in female college students

Introduction

Sexual victimization (SV) is common among college women, with approximately half of those who have experienced SV meeting criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within a year. Both SV and PTSD are associated with alcohol misuse among college women, often explained by the self-medication hypothesis. Existing literature focuses on overall PTSD severity rather than potential day-to-day fluctuations in specific symptoms, which might play a crucial role in understanding alcohol misuse risk. Studies also examine only same-day or next-day associations between PTSD and drinking, neglecting the potential for longer-term changes.

Methods

This study explores the short-term longitudinal stability and time-lagged predictive dynamics of PTSD symptoms, affect, and drinking behavior among 174 female college heavy episodic drinkers over four weeks. Participants were categorized into three groups: those with a history of SV and PTSD (n = 77), women with SV but without PTSD (n = 59), and women without prior trauma history (n = 38) to be able to examine differences by trauma exposure, and PTSD. We compared the longitudinal stability of PTSD symptom networks, affect (arousal, positive affect, and negative affect), and drinking behavior across groups. Support vector regression determined which PTSD symptom networks and affect best predict drinking behavior at specific time lags within a 0-7 day range.

Results

The PTSD group showed higher longitudinal stability for PTSD symptom networks (adjusted ps <.049) and arousal (adjusted ps <.048), but lower stability for negative affect (adjusted p =.013) and drinking behavior, including alcohol cravings (adjusted p =.019) and consumption (adjusted ps =.012), compared to the comparison groups. This suggests individuals with PTSD have more stable symptoms and arousal levels but greater fluctuations in negative affect and alcohol-related behaviors. Secondary analysis revealed PTSD symptom networks optimally predicted alcohol cravings with a three-day time lag (r=.88, p <.001) and consumption with a four-day time lag (r=.82, p <.001).

Discussion

These findings challenge assumptions regarding immediate effects of PTSD and affect on drinking behavior and underscore the need for therapeutic approaches that consider longer-range effects. Future research should expand on these findings by incorporating longer-range assessments and exploring a broader range of symptom interactions.

Rethinking trauma-related psychopathology in the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP)

Research on trauma exposure and its consequences has made tremendous progress in elucidating the role of traumatic life events in the development and maintenance of psychopathology as well as in evaluating interventions aimed at addressing the personal and public burden of trauma-related psychopathology. However, there is growing concern that problems with predominant definitions of posttraumatic syndrome (e.g., content coverage and scope, within-category heterogeneity, excessive diagnostic comorbidity) limit further efforts to fully conceptualize trauma-related psychopathology and deliver appropriate, personalized interventions. As demonstrated by an impressive body of research over the past several years, the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) presents a compelling alternative to traditional nosologies in terms of empirically based characterizations of psychopathology phenotypes, with evidence of strong utility for research and clinical applications. However, HiTOP's primary focus on descriptive psychopathology has resulted in an unacceptable gap regarding the conceptualization of trauma-related psychopathology from a dimensional, transdiagnostic perspective. We see an important opportunity to clarify what HiTOP can offer the field of traumatic stress research and articulate a future for trauma-related psychopathology within HiTOP. We argue for disaggregating psychopathology symptoms from their purported causes and, instead, developing a detailed taxonomy of traumatic events alongside an ever-evolving HiTOP model. Doing so will help identify empirically based phenotypes of trauma-related psychopathology that (a) go beyond the traditional PTSD criterion sets and (b) allow for the possibility that different features of traumatic experiences (e.g., type, duration, subjective meaning) may be associated with different symptom sequelae across different psychopathology spectra.

The future of psychological treatments: The Marburg Declaration

Although psychological treatments are broadly recognized as evidence-based interventions for various mental disorders, challenges remain. For example, a substantial proportion of patients receiving such treatments do not fully recover, and many obstacles hinder the dissemination, implementation, and training of psychological treatments. These problems require those in our field to rethink some of our basic models of mental disorders and their treatments, and question how research and practice in clinical psychology should progress. To answer these questions, a group of experts of clinical psychology convened at a Think-Tank in Marburg, Germany, in August 2022 to review the evidence and analyze barriers for current and future developments. After this event, an overview of the current state-of-the-art was drafted and suggestions for improvements and specific recommendations for research and practice were integrated. Recommendations arising from our meeting cover further improving psychological interventions through translational approaches, improving clinical research methodology, bridging the gap between more nomothetic (group-oriented) studies and idiographic (person-centered) decisions, using network approaches in addition to selecting single mechanisms to embrace the complexity of clinical reality, making use of scalable digital options for assessments and interventions, improving the training and education of future psychotherapists, and accepting the societal responsibilities that clinical psychology has in improving national and global health care. The objective of the Marburg Declaration is to stimulate a significant change regarding our understanding of mental disorders and their treatments, with the aim to trigger a new era of evidence-based psychological interventions.

Understanding trauma as contextualized adverse life events that threaten the individual: Commentary in response to Marx et al. (2024)

In this commentary, I propose that a person-oriented and research-focused approach can stimulate the discussion on the definition of a traumatic stressor and help to refine Criterion A in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Particularly, I suggest that a contextual perspective focusing on the interaction between event features and person-related factors captures more adequately the individual perception of and cognitions related to extremely threatening adverse life events for a diversity of individuals exposed to trauma. In future debate, I encourage the involvement of patients and the public and urge consideration of all potential consequences for practice and research that can directly result from changes to Criterion A (e.g., the heterogenization of posttraumatic stress disorder).

An examination of the potential core symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder: What is integral after removing general psychopathology & distress?

Many confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) have examined the structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with some suggesting increased complexity (i.e., 6+ factors), while others suggesting a more refined structure (i.e., 2-factors). These competing PTSD structures may be due to conflation of non-trauma specific symptoms that have been added overtime. However, none of these studies examined if all symptoms being examined are specific to PTSD or potentially more related to general distress and psychopathology. The current study re-evaluated the structure of PTSD using bifactor exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify the construct's core symptoms. Data for EFA models were taken from a sample of Veterans (N = 694) attending outpatient therapy for PTSD and were cross-validated using CFA in a sample of 297 Veterans attending residential treatment. Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) at pre-treatment was used across sample. Factor analyses resulted in a 2-factor, bifactor model comprised of eight total items. Model fit was robust, RMSEA = 0 [0.000, 0.036]; robust CFI = 1; robust TLI = 1.017. The bifactor analytic approach captured what might be the core structure of PTSD, which were pathognomonic symptoms of PTSD (Factor one). A distinct second factor related to depression was also found. In identifying this structure, the model eliminates redundancies and lesser performing items and differentiates depressive reactions as potentially distinct and separate. Overall, these findings may assist in future research of PTSD by determining the unique elements of the construct within a veteran sample versus associated features, general psychological distress, and comorbid psychopathology.

The Middle-Out Approach to reconceptualizing, assessing, and analyzing traumatic stress reactions

Alternative models of traumatic stress and broader psychopathology have been proposed to address issues of heterogeneity, comorbidity, clinical utility, and equitable representation. However, systematic and practical methods and guidelines to organize and apply these models remain scarce. The Middle-Out Approach is a novel, integrative, contextually informed framework for organizing and applying existing empirical methods to evaluate current and alternative traumatic stress reactions. Rather than beginning to identify traumatic stress reactions from the top-down (i.e., disorder-first approach) or bottom-up (i.e., symptom-first approach), constructs are evaluated from the middle out (i.e., presentation-first approach), unconstrained by higher-order disorders or lower-order diagnostic symptoms. This approach provides innovation over previous methods at multiple levels, including the conceptualization of traumatic stress reactions as well as the type of assessments and data sources used and how they are used in statistical analyses. Conceptualizations prioritize the identification of middle-order phenotypes, representing person-centered clinical presentations, which are informed by the integration of multidimensional, transdiagnostic, and multimodal (e.g., psychosocial, physiological) assessments and/or data sources. Integrated data are then analyzed concurrently using person-centered statistical models to identify precise, discrete, and representative health outcomes within broader heterogeneous samples. Subsequent variable-centered analyses are then used to identify culturally sensitive and contextually informed correlates of phenotypes, their clinical utility, and the differential composition within and between broader traumatic stress reactions. Examples from the moral injury literature are used to illustrate practical applications that may increase clinical utility and the accurate representation of health outcomes for diverse individuals and communities.

Ecological Momentary Assessments of Trauma-Related Intrusive Memories: Potential Clinical Utility

As the global prevalence of trauma rises, there is a growing need for accessible and scalable treatments for trauma-related disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma-related intrusive memories (TR-IMs) are a central PTSD symptom and a target of exposure-based therapies, gold-standard treatments that are effective but resource-intensive. This study examined whether a brief ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol assessing the phenomenology of TR-IMs could reduce intrusion symptoms in trauma-exposed adults. Participants (N=131) experiencing at least 2 TR-IMs per week related to a DSM-5 criterion A trauma completed a 2-week EMA protocol during which they reported on TR-IM properties three times per day, and on posttraumatic stress symptoms at the end of each day. Longitudinal symptom measurements were entered into linear mixed-effects models to test the effect of Time on TR-IMs. Over the 2-week EMA protocol, intrusion symptom severity (cluster B scores) significantly declined (t = -2.78, p = 0.006), while other symptom cluster scores did not significantly change. Follow-up analyses demonstrated that this effect was specific to TR-IMs (t = -4.02, p < 0.001), and was not moderated by survey completion rate, total PTSD symptom severity, or ongoing treatment. Our findings indicate that implementing an EMA protocol assessing intrusive memories could be an effective trauma intervention. Despite study limitations like its quasi-experimental design and absence of a control group, the specificity of findings to intrusive memories argues against a mere regression to the mean. Overall, an EMA approach could provide a cost-effective and scalable treatment option targeting intrusive memory symptoms.

The Psychedelic Future of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur following exposure to a traumatic experience. An estimated 12 million U.S. adults are presently affected by this disorder. Current treatments include psychological therapies (e.g., exposure-based interventions) and pharmacological treatments (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)). However, a significant proportion of patients receiving standard-of-care therapies for PTSD remain symptomatic, and new approaches for this and other trauma-related mental health conditions are greatly needed. Psychedelic compounds that alter cognition, perception, and mood are currently being examined for their efficacy in treating PTSD despite their current status as Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)- scheduled substances. Initial clinical trials have demonstrated the potential value of psychedelicassisted therapy to treat PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the state of the science of PTSD clinical care, including current treatments and their shortcomings. We review clinical studies of psychedelic interventions to treat PTSD, trauma-related disorders, and common comorbidities. The classic psychedelics psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and DMT-containing ayahuasca, as well as the entactogen 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and the dissociative anesthetic ketamine, are reviewed. For each drug, we present the history of use, psychological and somatic effects, pharmacology, and safety profile. The rationale and proposed mechanisms for use in treating PTSD and traumarelated disorders are discussed. This review concludes with an in-depth consideration of future directions for the psychiatric applications of psychedelics to maximize therapeutic benefit and minimize risk in individuals and communities impacted by trauma-related conditions.

Examining the associations between control (primary and secondary) appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Malaysian and Australian trauma survivors

Background

Little research has considered the influence of culture on control appraisals in the context of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate whether cultural group moderated the relationship between control (primary and secondary) appraisals and PTSD symptoms in trauma survivors from Western (Australian) and Asian (Malaysian) cultural contexts.

Methods

Trauma survivors (107 Australian with European cultural heritage; 121 Malaysian with Malay, Indian or Chinese cultural heritage) completed an online survey assessing PTSD symptoms and appraisals of control.

Results

Cultural group moderated the association between primary control and PTSD symptoms; the positive association was significant for the Australian group but not the Malaysian group. While cultural group did not moderate the association between secondary control and PTSD symptoms, there was an indirect pathway between secondary control appraisals and PTSD symptoms through interdependent self-construal for both cultural groups.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that cultural group and self-construal influence the associations between different types of control appraisals and PTSD. Further research exploring the role of culture and different appraisal types in PTSD is needed.

Mapping PTSD, depression, and anxiety: A network analysis of co-occurring symptoms in treatment-seeking first responders

First responders are at high risk for a range of co-occurring mental health conditions due to their repeated exposure to traumatic events. When first responders present for treatment, their complex presentation of symptoms including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can prove challenging to differentiate for clinical purposes. Network analysis provides a means to identify the nuanced associations between the symptoms of these conditions and to identify groups of related symptoms. In this study, a treatment-seeking sample of first responders (N = 432) completed self-report measures of PTSD, depression, and GAD. Network analysis was used to identify symptom clusters within the sample. Our cross-sectional data yielded six empirically distinct communities: depression symptoms, GAD symptoms, and four communities comprising PTSD symptoms - intrusion and avoidance; irritability and aggression; negative affect; and arousal and sleep. Network associations underscore the heterogeneity of PTSD and also highlight overlapping and diverging symptoms of depression and GAD. These findings are discussed within the context of existing research on first responders, and recommendations for further study and treatment interventions are provided.

Introduction to the special issue on the Neurobiology of Human Fear and Anxiety

Pathological fear and anxiety are a leading cause of human misery and morbidity, afflicting millions of individuals worldwide. Yet existing treatments are inconsistently effective or associated with significant adverse effects, underscoring the urgency of developing a more complete understanding of the neural systems governing fear and anxiety in humans. This emphasis reflects the fact that fear and anxiety disorders are defined and diagnosed based on subjective symptoms, and human studies are essential for understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie the experience of fear and anxiety. Human studies are also crucial for identifying the features of animal models that are conserved and, hence, most relevant to human disease and treatment development ('forward translation'). Finally, human studies afford opportunities for developing objective biomarkers of disease or disease risk, accelerating the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies, and generating novel hypotheses that can be mechanistically assessed in animal models ('reverse translation'). The present Special Issue-The Neurobiology of Human Fear and Anxiety-provides a concise survey of recent progress in this burgeoning area of research. Here we provide an Introduction to the Special Issue, highlighting some of the most significant and exciting advances.

The nature and neurobiology of fear and anxiety: State of the science and opportunities for accelerating discovery

Fear and anxiety play a central role in mammalian life, and there is considerable interest in clarifying their nature, identifying their biological underpinnings, and determining their consequences for health and disease. Here we provide a roundtable discussion on the nature and biological bases of fear- and anxiety-related states, traits, and disorders. The discussants include scientists familiar with a wide variety of populations and a broad spectrum of techniques. The goal of the roundtable was to take stock of the state of the science and provide a roadmap to the next generation of fear and anxiety research. Much of the discussion centered on the key challenges facing the field, the most fruitful avenues for future research, and emerging opportunities for accelerating discovery, with implications for scientists, funders, and other stakeholders. Understanding fear and anxiety is a matter of practical importance. Anxiety disorders are a leading burden on public health and existing treatments are far from curative, underscoring the urgency of developing a deeper understanding of the factors governing threat-related emotions.

Pharmacokinetic Markers of Clinical Outcomes in Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Review

The term severe mental illness (SMI) encompasses those psychiatric disorders exerting the highest clinical burden and socio-economic impact on the affected individuals and their communities. Pharmacogenomic (PGx) approaches hold great promise in personalizing treatment selection and clinical outcomes, possibly reducing the burden of SMI. Here, we sought to review the literature in the field, focusing on PGx testing and particularly on pharmacokinetic markers. We performed a systematic review on PUBMED/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus. The last search was performed on the 17 September 2022, and further augmented with a comprehensive pearl-growing strategy. In total, 1979 records were screened, and after duplicate removal, 587 unique records were screened by at least 2 independent reviewers. Ultimately, forty-two articles were included in the qualitative analysis, eleven randomized controlled trials and thirty-one nonrandomized studies. The observed lack of standardization in PGx tests, population selection, and tested outcomes limit the overall interpretation of the available evidence. A growing body of evidence suggests that PGx testing might be cost-effective in specific settings and may modestly improve clinical outcomes. More efforts need to be directed toward improving PGx standardization, knowledge for all stakeholders, and clinical practice guidelines for screening recommendations.

Is Fear Extinction Impairment Central to Psychopathology?

As discussed in this chapter, there have been enormous advances in our understanding of how anxiety disorders develop, are maintained, and can be treated. Many of these advances have been the result of translational studies using fear conditioning and extinction models. Despite these successes, we recognize, as a field, that there are important limitations in the extent to which extinction can explain how anxiety disorders and behaviors remit. Clinically speaking, the outstanding challenge for treatment of anxiety disorders is to improve the current suboptimal success rates. Over the past 30 years, we have not improved our treatment success rates despite employing many pharmacological and pharmacological strategies. While extinction and related fear circuitry mechanisms most certainly appear to play a role in treatment of anxiety disorders, they are also apparently insufficient to fully accommodate the varied responses individuals exhibit with this treatment approach. Increasingly diverse and innovative approaches are needed that accommodate the multitude of change mechanisms involved in treating anxiety. However, this is not to suggest ignoring the key role that extinction and memory updating processes play in overcoming anxiety.