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Ireton R, Hughes A, Klabunde M. A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Meta-Analysis of Childhood Trauma. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:561-570. [PMID: 38311289 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic experiences during childhood significantly impact the developing brain and contribute to the development of numerous physical and mental health problems. To date, however, a comprehensive understanding of the functional impairments within the brain associated with childhood trauma histories does not exist. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) meta-analytical tools required homogeneity of task types and the clinical populations studied, thus preventing the comprehensive pooling of brain-based deficits present in children who have trauma histories. We hypothesized that the use of the novel, data-driven Bayesian author-topic model approach to fMRI meta-analyses would reveal deficits in brain networks that span fMRI task types in children with trauma histories. METHODS To our knowledge, this is the first study to use the Bayesian author-topic model approach to fMRI meta-analyses within a clinical population. Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we present data-driven results obtained by combining activation patterns across heterogeneous tasks from 1428 initially screened studies and combining data from 14 studies that met study criteria (285 children with trauma histories, 297 healthy control children). RESULTS Altered brain activity was revealed within 2 clusters in children with trauma histories compared to control children: the default mode/affective network/posterior insula and the central executive network. Our identified clusters were associated with tasks pertaining to cognitive processing, emotional/social stress, self-referential thought, memory, unexpected stimuli, and avoidance behaviors in youths who have experienced childhood trauma. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal disturbances in children with trauma histories within the modulation of the default mode and central executive networks-but not the salience network-regardless of whether children also presented with posttraumatic stress symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Ireton
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Brain Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Hughes
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Brain Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Klabunde
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Brain Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe, United Kingdom.
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2
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Rosencrans PL, Zoellner LA, Feeny NC. A network approach to posttraumatic stress disorder: Comparing interview and self-report networks. PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA : THEORY, RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY 2024; 16:340-346. [PMID: 34672659 PMCID: PMC10225153 DOI: 10.1037/tra0001151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Trauma-related fear (e.g., reexperiencing), impaired reward (e.g., anhedonia), and interpersonal (e.g., detachment) processes may be functionally intertwined, giving rise to chronic psychopathology after a trauma. Network analyses can help pinpoint symptom drivers and treatment targets, but studies examining posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment-seeking individuals are lacking. METHOD Treatment-seeking adults with primary PTSD (N = 350) completed interview and self-report measures of PTSD severity (PSS-I; PSS-SR). Self-report and interview-based networks were estimated and compared. RESULTS Both networks suggested distinct but interconnected communities of reexperiencing and dysphoric symptoms (e.g., interpersonal detachment, numbing). Centrality profiles were strongly associated across networks (rs = .71), with cued reexperiencing and interpersonal detachment showing strong centrality. Self-reported symptoms were more interconnected, suggesting lower specificity. CONCLUSIONS For those seeking treatment, interrelated fear and interpersonal processes may drive functional impairment in PTSD, and interview-based networks may help better delineate influential symptoms. Therapeutically, targeting cued reexperiencing and interpersonal detachment may facilitate broader symptom decreases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Norah C Feeny
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
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3
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Yamamori Y, Robinson OJ, Roiser JP. Approach-avoidance reinforcement learning as a translational and computational model of anxiety-related avoidance. eLife 2023; 12:RP87720. [PMID: 37963085 PMCID: PMC10645421 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Although avoidance is a prevalent feature of anxiety-related psychopathology, differences in the measurement of avoidance between humans and non-human animals hinder our progress in its theoretical understanding and treatment. To address this, we developed a novel translational measure of anxiety-related avoidance in the form of an approach-avoidance reinforcement learning task, by adapting a paradigm from the non-human animal literature to study the same cognitive processes in human participants. We used computational modelling to probe the putative cognitive mechanisms underlying approach-avoidance behaviour in this task and investigated how they relate to subjective task-induced anxiety. In a large online study (n = 372), participants who experienced greater task-induced anxiety avoided choices associated with punishment, even when this resulted in lower overall reward. Computational modelling revealed that this effect was explained by greater individual sensitivities to punishment relative to rewards. We replicated these findings in an independent sample (n = 627) and we also found fair-to-excellent reliability of measures of task performance in a sub-sample retested 1 week later (n = 57). Our findings demonstrate the potential of approach-avoidance reinforcement learning tasks as translational and computational models of anxiety-related avoidance. Future studies should assess the predictive validity of this approach in clinical samples and experimental manipulations of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeya Yamamori
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Oliver J Robinson
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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4
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Bennett MM, Davis KE, Fitzgerald JM. Neural Correlates of Reward Processing in the Onset, Maintenance, and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:884-890. [PMID: 37263417 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent, debilitating, and heterogeneous psychiatric condition marked by both exaggerated threat responding and diminished positive affect. While symptom profiles of PTSD differ across individuals, symptoms also vary within individuals over the course of illness. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have provided crucial insights into the neurobiology of heightened threat responsivity in PTSD, which has aided in identifying neurobiological risk factors and treatment targets for this disorder. Despite this demonstrated utility, the application of functional magnetic resonance imaging to understanding deficits in reward responsivity in PTSD remains underexplored. Significantly, over 60% of individuals with PTSD experience anhedonia, or an inability to feel pleasure, which may reflect reward processing deficits. To better understand the neural underpinnings of reward deficits and their relevance to the onset, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD, we reviewed the functional magnetic resonance imaging literature through the framework of disease prognosis. Here, we provide insights on whether reward deficits are central to PTSD or are better explained by comorbid major depressive disorder, and we clarify how reward-related deficiencies in PTSD fit into the context of more intensely studied threat-related deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan M Bennett
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
| | - Kaley E Davis
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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5
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Suarez-Jimenez B, Lazarov A, Zhu X, Pine DS, Bar-Haim Y, Neria Y. Attention allocation to negatively-valenced stimuli in PTSD is associated with reward-related neural pathways. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4666-4674. [PMID: 35652602 PMCID: PMC9715854 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172200157x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a recent eye-tracking study we found a differential dwell time pattern for negatively-valenced and neutral faces among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma-exposed healthy control (TEHCs), and healthy control (HC) participants. Here, we explored whether these group differences relate to resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) patterns of brain areas previously linked to both attention processes and PTSD. These encompass the amygdala, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). METHODS Ten minutes magnetic resonance imaging rsFC scans were recorded in 17 PTSD patients, 21 TEHCs, and 16 HCs. Participants then completed a free-viewing eye-tracking task assessing attention allocation outside the scanner. Dwell time on negatively-valenced stimuli (DT%) were assessed relative to functional connectivity in the aforementioned seed regions of interest (amygdala, dACC, dlPFC, vlPFC, and NAcc) to whole-brain voxel-wise rsFC. RESULTS As previously reported, group differences occurred in attention allocation to negative-valence stimuli, with longer dwell time on negatively valence stimuli in the PTSD and TEHC groups than the HC group. Higher DT% correlated with weaker NAcc-orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) connectivity in patients with PTSD. Conversely, a positive association emerged in the HC group between DT% and NAcc-OFC connectivity. CONCLUSIONS While exploratory in nature, present findings may suggest that reward-related brain areas are involved in disengaging attention from negative-valenced stimuli, and possibly in regulating ensuing negative emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez
- Department of Neuroscience, The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Amit Lazarov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xi Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel S. Pine
- Section on Developmental Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yuval Neria
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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Baca SA, Goger P, Glaser D, Rozenman M, Gonzalez A, Dickerson JF, Lynch FL, Porta G, Brent DA, Weersing VR. Reduction in avoidance mediates effects of brief behavioral therapy for pediatric anxiety and depression. Behav Res Ther 2023; 164:104290. [PMID: 36965232 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Brief behavioral therapy (BBT) is an efficacious transdiagnostic intervention for pediatric anxiety and depression that targets behavioral avoidance as a key mechanism. It is unknown if change in avoidance mediates treatment effects, as theorized. Data on avoidance at baseline and Week 16 were available on 52 youth (ages 8-16 years) from a randomized controlled trial (Weersing, Jeffreys, et al., 2017) comparing BBT and assisted referral to community care (ARC). BBT had significant effects on youth-reported behavioral avoidance, and significant indirect effects on functioning and anxiety, statistically mediated through changes in youth-reported behavioral avoidance. Change in youth-reported avoidance was not a significant mediator of depression. Parent-report of avoidance was not impacted by treatment and was not a significant mediator. Overall, BBT appears to be an effective treatment for targeting behavioral avoidance, which in turn, may improve functioning and lessen anxiety. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01147614.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena A Baca
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Pauline Goger
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, University of California - San Diego, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Dale Glaser
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Michelle Rozenman
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 S. Race St, Denver, CO, 80210, USA
| | - Araceli Gonzalez
- Psychology Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd, PSY-100, Long Beach, CA, 90840-0901, USA
| | - John F Dickerson
- Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, 3800 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR, 97227, USA
| | - Frances L Lynch
- Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, 3800 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR, 97227, USA
| | - Giovanna Porta
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Hospital, 100 N. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, 311 Bellefield Towers, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - David A Brent
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Hospital, 100 N. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, 311 Bellefield Towers, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - V Robin Weersing
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA; Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, University of California - San Diego, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
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Garcia-Guerrero S, O’Hora D, Zgonnikov A, Scherbaum S. The action dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict during decision-making. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2023; 76:160-179. [PMID: 35236183 PMCID: PMC9773158 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221087625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Approach-avoidance conflict is observed in the competing motivations towards the benefits and away from the costs of a decision. The current study investigates the action dynamics of response motion during such conflicts in an attempt to characterise their dynamic resolution. An approach-avoidance conflict was generated by varying the appetitive consequences of a decision (i.e., point rewards and shorter participation time) in the presence of simultaneous aversive consequences (i.e., shock probability). Across two experiments, approach-avoidance conflict differentially affected response trajectories. Approach trajectories were less complex than avoidance trajectories and, as approach and avoidance motivations neared equipotentiality, response trajectories were more deflected from the shortest route to the eventual choice. Consistency in the location of approach and avoidance response options reduced variability in performance enabling more sensitive estimates of dynamic conflict. The time course of competing influences on response trajectories including trial-to-trial effects and conflict between approach and avoidance were estimated using regression analyses. We discuss these findings in terms of a dynamic theory of approach-avoidance that we hope will lead to insights of practical relevance in the field of maladaptive avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Garcia-Guerrero
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland,Santiago Garcia-Guerrero, School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland.
| | - Denis O’Hora
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Arkady Zgonnikov
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Stefan Scherbaum
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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8
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Lange L, Rommerskirchen L, Osinsky R. Midfrontal Theta Activity Is Sensitive to Approach-Avoidance Conflict. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7799-7808. [PMID: 36414005 PMCID: PMC9581558 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2499-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Midfrontal theta (FMθ) in the human EEG is commonly viewed as a generic and homogeneous mechanism of cognitive control in general and conflict processing in particular. However, the role of FMθ in approach-avoidance conflicts and its cross-task relationship to simpler stimulus-response conflicts remain to be examined more closely. Therefore, we recorded EEG data while 59 healthy participants (49 female, 10 male) completed both an approach-avoidance task and a flanker task. Participants showed significant increases in FMθ power in response to conflicts in both tasks. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a direct relationship between FMθ and approach-avoidance conflicts. Crucially, FMθ activity was task dependent and showed no cross-task correlation. To assess the possibility of multiple FMθ sources, we applied source separation [generalized eigendecomposition (GED)] to distinguish independent FMθ generators. The activity of the components showed a similar pattern and was again task specific. However, our results did not yield a clear differentiation between task-specific FMθ sources for each of the participants. Overall, our results show FMθ increases in approach-avoidance conflicts, as has been established only for more simple response conflict paradigms so far. The independence of task-specific FMθ increases suggests differential sensitivity of FMθ to different forms of behavioral conflict.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT FMθ is well established as an indicator for cognitive conflict in tasks involving simple stimulus-response conflicts. However, we do not yet know about its role in more complex forms of goal ambivalence, such as approach-avoidance conflicts. Thus, we implemented an approach-avoidance task and a flanker task to investigate FMθ in response to simple as well as more complex response conflicts. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a direct relationship between FMθ and approach-avoidance conflicts. Although the transient FMθ increase is similar to that induced in a simple response conflict task, individual FMθ responsiveness to these two forms of conflict were independent of each other, suggesting intraindividual differences in the sensitivity of FMθ to different forms of behavioral conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Lange
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Lena Rommerskirchen
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Roman Osinsky
- Differential Psychology and Personality Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrueck, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany
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9
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Rodgers RF, Fischer LE, Murray SB, Franko DL. Integrating fear of fatness into sociocultural models of body image and eating concerns. Eat Behav 2022; 46:101653. [PMID: 35907363 DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
To date, sociocultural models of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating have predominantly focused on the pursuit of thinness and have somewhat neglected sociocultural discourse and pressures that increase fear of fatness. Therefore, we tested a model to determine whether sociocultural pressures from media and interpersonal sources were associated with drive for thinness and fear of fatness. We also examined whether beliefs about the controllability of shape and weight were in turn associated with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. A sample of N = 226 female undergraduate students in the U.S. completed an online survey assessing the variables of interest. After minor modification to the model pathways, the model provided a good fit to the data. Sociocultural influences to pursue thinness and fear fat related to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating through internalization of the thin-ideal and fear of fat. Together, these findings suggest that the pursuit of thinness and fear of fatness are distinct elements in etiologic models of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Additional work, including longitudinal research and studies among more diverse groups of individuals, is warranted to further clarify these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel F Rodgers
- APPEAR, Department of Applied Educational Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, USA; Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, France.
| | - Laura E Fischer
- APPEAR, Department of Applied Educational Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
| | - Stuart B Murray
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Debra L Franko
- APPEAR, Department of Applied Educational Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
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10
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Leone G, Postel C, Mary A, Fraisse F, Vallée T, Viader F, de La Sayette V, Peschanski D, Dayan J, Eustache F, Gagnepain P. Altered predictive control during memory suppression in PTSD. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3300. [PMID: 35676268 PMCID: PMC9177681 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30855-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant predictions of future threat lead to maladaptive avoidance in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). How this disruption in prediction influences the control of memory states orchestrated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is unknown. We combined computational modeling and brain connectivity analyses to reveal how individuals exposed and nonexposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks formed and controlled beliefs about future intrusive re-experiencing implemented in the laboratory during a memory suppression task. Exposed individuals with PTSD used beliefs excessively to control hippocampal activity during the task. When this predictive control failed, the prediction-error associated with unwanted intrusions was poorly downregulated by reactive mechanisms. This imbalance was linked to higher severity of avoidance symptoms, but not to general disturbances such as anxiety or negative affect. Conversely, trauma-exposed participants without PTSD and nonexposed individuals were able to optimally balance predictive and reactive control during the memory suppression task. These findings highlight a potential pathological mechanism occurring in individuals with PTSD rooted in the relationship between the brain’s predictive and control mechanisms. It remains unclear how predictions of future threat affect memory recall, specifically in the case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here, the authors combined computational modeling and brain connectivity analyses to show that individuals with PTSD have exaggerated predictive control and reduced reactive control in a memory suppression task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Leone
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Charlotte Postel
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Alison Mary
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.,Neuropsychology and Functional Imaging Research Group (UR2NF), Centre for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences (CRCN), UNI - ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Florence Fraisse
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Thomas Vallée
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Fausto Viader
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Vincent de La Sayette
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Denis Peschanski
- Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, HESAM Université, EHESS, CNRS, UMR8209, Paris, France
| | - Jaques Dayan
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.,Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier, Université Rennes 1, 35700, Rennes, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Pierre Gagnepain
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000, Caen, France.
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11
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Evans TC, DeGutis J, Rothlein D, Jagger-Rickels A, Yamashita A, Fortier CB, Fonda JR, Milberg W, McGlinchey R, Esterman M. Punishment and reward normalize error-related cognitive control in PTSD by modulating salience network activation and connectivity. Cortex 2021; 145:295-314. [PMID: 34775266 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology disrupts inhibitory control during sustained attention. However, PTSD-related inhibitory control deficits are partially ameliorated when punishments and rewards are administered based on task performance, which suggests motivational processes contribute to these deficits. Additionally, PTSD may also impair error-related cognitive control following inhibitory control failures as measured by post-error slowing (PES). However, it remains unclear if motivational processes also contribute to impaired error-related cognitive control in PTSD. Using an incentivized sustained attention paradigm in two independent samples of post-9/11 veterans, we characterized PTSD-related differences in PES during both non-motivated conditions (no task-based incentives) and motivated conditions (task-based rewards and punishments). In Study 1 (n = 139), PTSD symptom severity was modestly associated with smaller PES in the non-motivated condition, whereas no PTSD-related association was observed in the motivated condition. In Study 2 (n = 35), we replicated and extended these results by using fMRI to characterize modulation of the triple network system comprised of the Salience Network (SN), Frontoparietal Control Network (FPCN), and Default Mode Network (DMN). In the non-motivated condition, PTSD symptom severity was associated with non-specific SN and FPCN hyperactivation during both failed and successful inhibitory control. In the motivated condition, PTSD symptom severity was associated with greater focal activation of both the SN and Superior Parietal Lobule cluster (an FPCN node) during punished inhibitory control failures and weaker SN-FPCN connectivity during rewarded inhibitory control successes. Together, these results suggest that dysregulated motivational processes in PTSD may contribute to impaired error-related cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis C Evans
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Joseph DeGutis
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - David Rothlein
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Audreyana Jagger-Rickels
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA; National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Ayumu Yamashita
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Catherine B Fortier
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Jennifer R Fonda
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA; Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - William Milberg
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Regina McGlinchey
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
| | - Michael Esterman
- Boston Attention and Learning Lab, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, USA; National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA; Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA
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12
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Ben-Zion Z, Shany O, Admon R, Keynan NJ, Avisdris N, Balter SR, Shalev AY, Liberzon I, Hendler T. Neural Responsivity to Reward versus Punishment Shortly after Trauma Predicts Long-term Development of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 7:150-161. [PMID: 34534702 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Processing negative and positive valenced stimuli involve multiple brain regions including the amygdala and ventral striatum (VS). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often associated with hyper-responsivity to negatively valenced, yet recent evidence also points to deficient positive valence functioning. It is yet unclear what is the relative contribution of such opposing valence processing shortly after trauma to the development of chronic PTSD. METHODS Neurobehavioral indicators of motivational positive vs. negative valence sensitivities were longitudinally assessed in 171 adults (87 females, age=34.19±11.47 years) at 1-, 6-, and 14-months following trauma exposure (TP1, TP2, TP3). Using a gambling fMRI paradigm, amygdala and VS functionality (activity and functional connectivity with the prefrontal cortex) in response to rewards vs. punishments were assessed with relation to PTSD severity at different time-points. The effect of valence processing was depicted behaviorally by the amount of risk taken to maximize reward. RESULTS PTSD severity at TP1 was associated with greater neural functionality in the amygdala (but not the VS) towards punishments vs. rewards, and fewer risky choices. PTSD severity at TP3 was associated with decreased neural functionality in both the VS and amygdala towards rewards vs. punishments at TP1 (but not with risky behavior). Explainable machine learning revealed the primacy of VS biased processing, over the amygdala, in predicting PTSD severity at TP3. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight the importance of biased neural responsivity to positive relative to negative motivational outcomes in PTSD development. Novel therapeutic strategies early after trauma may thus target both valence fronts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziv Ben-Zion
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States; United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Ofir Shany
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Roee Admon
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nimrod Jackob Keynan
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Netanell Avisdris
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; School of Computer Science and Engineering, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shira Reznik Balter
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Arieh Y Shalev
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, Texas A&M Health Science Center, TX, USA
| | - Talma Hendler
- Sagol Brain Institute Tel-Aviv, Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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13
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Burton MS, Cooper AA, Mello PG, Feeny NC, Zoellner LA. Latent Profiles of Comorbid Depression as Predictors of PTSD Treatment Outcome. Behav Ther 2021; 52:970-981. [PMID: 34134835 PMCID: PMC8543494 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with major depressive disorder, and empirically supported PTSD treatments consistently improve depression. However, both diagnoses are heterogeneous and specific patterns of symptom overlap may be related to worse treatment outcome. Two hundred individuals with chronic PTSD participated in a doubly randomized preference trial comparing prolonged exposure and sertraline. Latent Profile Analysis was used to identify classes based on PTSD and depression symptoms prior to starting treatment. A three-class model best fit the data, with a high depression and PTSD severity class (distressed), a moderate depression and low PTSD avoidance class (depressive), and a low depression and high PTSD avoidance class (avoidant). The avoidant class showed the lowest rates of major depressive disorder diagnosis and transdiagnostic vulnerabilities to depression. Patients in the distressed class experienced more robust PTSD treatment response, with no differences between prolonged exposure and sertraline. These findings highlight the role of avoidance in nondepressed PTSD presentations while also demonstrating that co-occurring depression is not contraindicated in evidence-based PTSD treatment.
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14
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Allen MT. Explorations of avoidance and approach coping and perceived stress with a computer-based avatar task: detrimental effects of resignation and withdrawal. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11265. [PMID: 33954057 PMCID: PMC8053377 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals differ in how they react to stress or trauma through different coping styles in which they may deal directly with a stressor by adopting approach coping styles or disengage with a stressor by utilizing avoidant coping styles. Avoidant coping styles have been linked to adverse outcomes including psychological distress, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recently, avoidance coping styles as measured by a subset of items on the Brief COPE were found to have a weak positive relationship with performance on a computer-based avatar task which is related to avoidant personality temperaments. This avatar task was developed as an alternative for paper and pencil self-report inventories for measuring avoidant tendencies based on possible response biases of avoidant individuals. In the current study, avoidance and approach coping styles as measured by the Brief Approach/Avoidance Coping Questionnaire (BACQ) were compared to avoidant coping as measured by the Brief COPE and performance on the avatar task. In addition to approach and avoidance coping, the BACQ also measures active avoidance coping (i.e., diversion) and passive avoidance coping (i.e., resignation and withdrawal). The relationships between approach and avoidance coping and performance on the avatar task were also analyzed with the outcome of perceived stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Methods One hundred undergraduates voluntarily completed the BACQ, the Brief COPE, and the PSS. Participants also completed a computer-based task in which they guided an avatar through a series of social situations where they indicated how they would interact with or avoid interacting with strangers. Results Approach coping had a weak negative relationship to avoidance coping as measured by the BACQ and the Brief COPE. Performance on the avatar task had a moderate positive relationship with avoidance coping (diversion as well as resignation and withdrawal) as measured by the BACQ and a moderate negative relationship with approach coping as measured by the BACQ. A model including only approach, diversion, and resignation and withdrawal coping best predicted performance on the avatar task in a linear regression model. While resignation and withdrawal coping and diversion coping had moderate positive relationships to avatar task scores, only resignation and withdrawal had a strong positive relationship to perceived stress. A model than included only resignation and withdrawal coping best predicted perceived stress in a linear regression model. Overall, passive avoidant coping styles (i.e., resignation and withdrawal), but not active avoidant coping style (i.e., diversion), were related to perceived stress. These results support the continued study of multiple aspects of avoidant coping styles as well as the avatar task to increase our understanding of the maladaptive effects of excessive avoidance in the face of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Todd Allen
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, United States of America
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15
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Rattel JA, Miedl SF, Liedlgruber M, Blechert J, Seidl E, Wilhelm FH. Sensation seeking and neuroticism in fear conditioning and extinction: The role of avoidance behaviour. Behav Res Ther 2020; 135:103761. [PMID: 33186828 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2020.103761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Maladaptive avoidance behaviour, a key symptom of anxiety-related disorders, prevents extinction learning and maintains anxiety. Individual personality traits likely influence avoidance propensity: high sensation-seeking may decrease avoidance, thereby increasing extinction, and neuroticism may have the reverse effect. However, research on this is scarce. Using a naturalistic conditioned avoidance paradigm, 163 women underwent differential fear acquisition to a conditioned stimulus (CSplus). Next, during extinction, participants could either choose a risky shortcut, anticipating shock signalled by CSplus, or a time-consuming avoidance option (lengthy detour). Across participants, increased skin conductance (SCR) acquisition learning predicted subsequent instrumental avoidance. Avoidance, in turn, predicted elevated post-extinction SCR and shock-expectancy, i.e., 'protection-from-extinction'. Mediation analyses revealed that sensation seeking decreased protection-from-extinction-both for shock-expectancy and SCR-via attenuating avoidance. Neither sensation seeking nor neuroticism were related to acquisition learning and neuroticism was neither related to avoidance nor extinction. Transcranial direct currentstimulation administered before extinction did not influence present results. Results highlight the important role of elevated avoidance propensity in fear maintenance. Results moreover provide evidence for reduced sensation-seeking and increased acquisition learning to be avoidance-driving mechanisms. Since approach-avoidance conflicts are faced by anxiety patients on a daily basis, strengthening sensation-seeking-congruent attitudes and approach behaviours may optimize individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julina A Rattel
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Stephan F Miedl
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Michael Liedlgruber
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jens Blechert
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Division of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Esther Seidl
- Behavioral Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank H Wilhelm
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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Dissociative Symptoms in a Nationally Representative Sample of Trauma-Exposed U.S. Military Veterans: Prevalence, Comorbidities, and Suicidality. J Affect Disord 2020; 272:138-145. [PMID: 32379605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dissociative symptoms have been documented in diverse clinical and non-clinical populations, and are associated with poor mental health outcomes. Yet, research on dissociative symptoms is frequently limited to PTSD samples, and therefore little is known about the prevalence, clinical correlates, and risk factors related to dissociative symptoms in broader, representative trauma-exposed populations. METHODS The current study assessed dissociative symptoms in a contemporary, nationally representative sample of trauma-exposed U.S. veterans irrespective of PTSD diagnostic status. We then compared sociodemographic, military, and psychiatric characteristics, trauma histories, level of functioning, and quality of life in veterans with dissociative symptoms to those without dissociative symptoms; and determined the incremental association between dissociative symptoms, and suicidality, functioning, and quality of life, independent of comorbidities. RESULTS A total 20.8% of U.S. veterans reported experiencing mild-to-severe dissociative symptoms. Compared to veterans without dissociative symptoms, veterans with dissociative symptoms were younger, and more likely to be non-white, unmarried/partnered and unemployed, had lower education and income, and were more likely to have been combat-exposed and use the VA are their primary source of healthcare. They also had elevated rates of psychiatric comorbidities, lower functioning and quality of life, and a 5-fold greater likelihood of current suicidal ideation and 4-fold greater likelihood of lifetime suicide attempt history. LIMITATIONS Cross-sectional data limit inference of the directionality of findings, and results may not generalize to non-veteran populations. CONCLUSIONS Dissociative symptoms are prevalent in U.S. veterans and may be an important transdiagnostic marker of heightened risk for suicidality and psychiatric comorbidities. These results underscore the importance of assessing, monitoring, and treating dissociative symptoms in this population.
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17
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Kwon CY, Kim JW, Chung SY. Liver-associated patterns as anger syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine: A preliminary literature review with theoretical framework based on the World Health Organization standards of terminologies and pattern diagnosis standards. Eur J Integr Med 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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18
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Weaver SS, Kroska EB, Ross MC, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow KA, Schaumberg K, Kiehl KA, Koenigs M, Cisler JM. Sacrificing reward to avoid threat: Characterizing PTSD in the context of a trauma-related approach-avoidance conflict task. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 129:457-468. [PMID: 32437204 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by heightened avoidance, cognitive inflexibility, and impaired reward processing. Maladaptive behavior in PTSD may reflect an imbalance between approach and avoidance, but no research has investigated approach-avoidance conflict (AAC) in PTSD. The current study investigated approach-avoidance behavior in PTSD using a trauma-related AAC (trAAC) task in two independent samples. In Study 1, 43 women with a current diagnosis of PTSD and 18 healthy comparison subjects were recruited from the community. In Study 2, 53 women with trauma exposure and a range of PTSD symptoms were recruited from a correctional institution. Trials were separated into two phases: conflict (the option most likely to win points was most likely to show a trauma-related image) and congruent (the option most likely to win points was least likely to show a trauma-related image). In Study 1, reward obtainment varied with the task manipulation (i.e., fewer points earned during conflict compared to congruent Phase) in PTSD but not healthy subjects. These results indicate that when avoidance is advantageous (congruent phase), individuals with PTSD show increased task performance, whereas when avoidance is maladaptive (conflict phase), individuals with PTSD show increased sacrifice of reward. In Study 2, higher PTSD symptoms predicted decreased reward earning during the conflict phase, again indicating a sacrifice of reward when avoidance is maladaptive. Across both studies, PTSD associated with increased AAC and sacrifice of reward in the presence of trauma-related stimuli. These studies shed light on AAC in PTSD and could inform more targeted therapy approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily B Kroska
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Marisa C Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Josh M Cisler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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19
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Xu P, Van Dam NT, van Tol MJ, Shen X, Cui Z, Gu R, Qin S, Aleman A, Fan J, Luo YJ. Amygdala-prefrontal connectivity modulates loss aversion bias in anxious individuals. Neuroimage 2020; 218:116957. [PMID: 32442639 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxious individuals tend to make pessimistic judgments in decision making under uncertainty. While this phenomenon is commonly attributed to risk aversion, loss aversion is a critical but often overlooked factor. In this study, we simultaneously examined risk aversion and loss aversion during decision making in high and low trait anxious individuals in a variable gain/loss gambling task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Although high relative to low anxious individuals showed significant increased risk aversive behavior reflected by decreased overall gamble decisions, there was no group difference in subjective aversion to risk. Instead, loss aversion rather than risk aversion dominantly contributed to predict behavioral decisions, which was associated with attenuated functional connectivity between the amygdala-based emotional system and the prefrontal control regions. Our findings suggest a dominant role of loss aversion in maladaptive risk assessment of anxious individuals, underpinned by disorganization of emotion-related and cognitive-control-related brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China; Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, 518057, China; Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AW, Groningen, the Netherlands; Great Bay Neuroscience and Technology Research Institute (Hong Kong), Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nicholas T Van Dam
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Marie-José van Tol
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AW, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Xueyi Shen
- National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ruolei Gu
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - André Aleman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China; Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AW, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Flushing, NY, 11367, USA.
| | - Yue-Jia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China; Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
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20
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Mary A, Dayan J, Leone G, Postel C, Fraisse F, Malle C, Vallée T, Klein-Peschanski C, Viader F, de la Sayette V, Peschanski D, Eustache F, Gagnepain P. Resilience after trauma: The role of memory suppression. Science 2020; 367:367/6479/eaay8477. [PMID: 32054733 DOI: 10.1126/science.aay8477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In the aftermath of trauma, little is known about why the unwanted and unbidden recollection of traumatic memories persists in some individuals but not others. We implemented neutral and inoffensive intrusive memories in the laboratory in a group of 102 individuals exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 73 nonexposed individuals, who were not in Paris during the attacks. While reexperiencing these intrusive memories, nonexposed individuals and exposed individuals without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could adaptively suppress memory activity, but exposed individuals with PTSD could not. These findings suggest that the capacity to suppress memory is central to positive posttraumatic adaptation. A generalized disruption of the memory control system could explain the maladaptive and unsuccessful suppression attempts often seen in PTSD, and this disruption should be targeted by specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Mary
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Jacques Dayan
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France.,Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier, Université Rennes 1, 35700 Rennes, France
| | - Giovanni Leone
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Charlotte Postel
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Florence Fraisse
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Carine Malle
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Thomas Vallée
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Carine Klein-Peschanski
- Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, HESAM Université, EHESS, CNRS, UMR8209, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Fausto Viader
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Vincent de la Sayette
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Denis Peschanski
- Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, HESAM Université, EHESS, CNRS, UMR8209, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Francis Eustache
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Pierre Gagnepain
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM, U1077, CHU de Caen, GIP Cyceron, Neuropsychologie et Imagerie de la Mémoire Humaine, 14000 Caen, France.
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Barkus E, Badcock JC. A Transdiagnostic Perspective on Social Anhedonia. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:216. [PMID: 31105596 PMCID: PMC6491888 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are highly social beings, yet people with social anhedonia experience reduced interest in or reward from social situations. Social anhedonia is a key facet of schizotypal personality, an important symptom of schizophrenia, and increasingly recognized as an important feature in a range of other psychological disorders. However, to date, there has been little examination of the similarities and differences in social anhedonia across diagnostic borders. Here, our goal was to conduct a selective review of social anhedonia in different psychological and life course contexts, including the psychosis continuum, depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and autism spectrum disorders, along with developmental and neurobiological factors. Current evidence suggests that the nature and expression of social anhedonia vary across psychological disorders with some groups showing deficient learning about, enjoyment from, and anticipation of the pleasurable aspects of social interactions, while for others, some of these components appear to remain intact. However, study designs and methodologies are diverse, the roles of developmental and neurobiological factors are not routinely considered, and direct comparisons between diagnostic groups are rare-which prevents a more nuanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved. Future studies, parsing the wanting, liking, and learning components of social reward, will help to fill gaps in the current knowledge base. Consistent across disorders is diminished pleasure from social situations, subsequent withdrawal, and poorer social functioning in those who express social anhedonia. Nonetheless, feelings of loneliness often remain, which suggests the need for social connection is not entirely absent. Adolescence is a particularly important period of social and neural development and may provide a valuable window on the developmental origins of social anhedonia. Adaptive social functioning is key to recovery from mental health disorders; therefore, understanding the intricacies of social anhedonia will help to inform treatment and prevention strategies for a range of diagnostic categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Barkus
- Cognitive Basis of Atypical Behaviour Initiative (CBABi), School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Johanna C. Badcock
- Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry (CCRN), Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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22
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Torrisi SA, Leggio GM, Drago F, Salomone S. Therapeutic Challenges of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Focus on the Dopaminergic System. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:404. [PMID: 31057408 PMCID: PMC6478703 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness developed by vulnerable individuals exposed to life-threatening events. The pharmacological unresponsiveness displayed by the vast majority of PTSD patients has raised considerable interest in understanding the poorly known pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disorder. Most studies in the field focused, so far, on noradrenergic mechanisms, because of their well-established role in either tuning arousal or in encoding emotional memories. However, less attention has been paid to other neural systems. Manipulations of the dopaminergic system alter behavioral responses to stressful situations and recent findings suggest that dopaminergic dysfunction might play an overriding role in the pathophysiology of PTSD. In the present review, dopaminergic mechanisms relevant for the pathogenesis of PTSD, as well as potential dopaminergic-based pharmacotherapies are discussed in the context of addressing the unmet medical need for new and effective drugs for treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gian Marco Leggio
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Salomone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Patrick F, Kempton MJ, Marwood L, Williams SCR, Young AH, Perkins AM. Brain activation during human defensive behaviour: A systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:71-84. [PMID: 30611801 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of defensive behaviour have implications for both basic research and clinical translation. This review systematically collates published research on neural response during simple avoidance of threat and approach-avoidance behaviour during goal-conflicting situations and presents an exploratory meta-analysis of available whole-brain data. Scopus, PsychInfo and Web of Science databases were searched for the period up to March 2018. 1348 simple avoidance and 1910 goal-conflict publications were initially identified; following review, 8 simple avoidance and 11 goal-conflict studies were included, with 5 datasets used in a preliminary meta-analysis. A move from forebrain-to-midbrain activation as threat becomes more pertinent was noted, indicating support for the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of behaviour and general compatibility with animal work. However, these findings were not reflected in the subsequent preliminary meta-analysis. This review highlights the considerable heterogeneity in currently available defensive behaviour paradigms and the lack of research in clinically relevant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Patrick
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Matthew J Kempton
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Lindsey Marwood
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Steven C R Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Allan H Young
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Adam M Perkins
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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24
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Serrano-Ibáñez ER, Ramírez-Maestre C, Esteve R, López-Martínez AE. The behavioural inhibition system, behavioural activation system and experiential avoidance as explanatory variables of comorbid chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2019; 10:1581013. [PMID: 30891160 PMCID: PMC6419650 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1581013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The variables that underlie comorbid chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are not yet clearly established. Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyse the role of the behavioural inhibition system (BIS), behavioural approach system (BAS) and experiential avoidance (EA) in pain adjustment (i.e. pain intensity, daily functioning and pain-related impairment) in patients with chronic pain and PTSS. Methods: A battery of instruments was administered to 388 chronic pain patients. The sample was divided into those with PTSS (n = 194) and those without PTSS (n =194). Results: Significant differences were found between groups in the BIS, EA, impairment and daily functioning. No differences were found between groups in the BAS. Structural equation modelling showed that the BIS and EA were associated with worse adjustment in the 194 patients with both chronic pain and PTSS. The BAS was associated with a lower level of pain and greater daily functioning. Conclusion: The findings provide evidence that BIS and BAS activation and EA play a role in adjustment to chronic pain in patients with concurrent PTSS. These results may help guide the development of psychological treatments for patients with both conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena R Serrano-Ibáñez
- Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Carmen Ramírez-Maestre
- Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Rosa Esteve
- Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alicia E López-Martínez
- Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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25
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George SA, Sheynin J, Gonzalez R, Liberzon I, Abelson JL. Diminished Value Discrimination in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Prospect Theory Model of Decision-Making Under Risk. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:469. [PMID: 31338043 PMCID: PMC6628634 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: It has been hypothesized that people diagnosed with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibit behavioral aberrations when faced with the potential for negative outcomes, but the specific cognitive aspects of decision-making that may be altered have not been systematically studied in clinical populations. Here, we studied decision-making in a clinical cohort using a task that allows for examination of the decision weights and values associated with different choice outcomes. Methods: Patients diagnosed with OCD (n = 10), generalized anxiety disorder (n = 15), social anxiety disorder (n = 14), and healthy controls (n = 20) were given a decision-making task and choices were modeled using a cumulative prospect theory framework. Results: We found OCD patients to have lower value discrimination than controls, as well as less optimal performance on the task, an effect that was mostly driven by trials with only positive outcomes. Discussion: Our results shed light on the cognitive processes that drive altered decision-making under risk in OCD. Specifically, they demonstrate that OCD patients have diminished sensitivity to positive outcomes, which might be associated with risk aversion and altered learning of gain. These findings also extend prior reports, suggesting that altered cognitive processing during decision-making is linked to altered perception of value, but not probability, in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie A George
- Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Dixie State University, St George, UT, United States
| | - Jony Sheynin
- Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - James L Abelson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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26
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Fonzo GA. Diminished positive affect and traumatic stress: A biobehavioral review and commentary on trauma affective neuroscience. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:214-230. [PMID: 30450386 PMCID: PMC6234277 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress manifests in disturbed affect and emotion, including exaggerated severity and frequency of negative valence emotions, e.g., fear, anxiety, anger, shame, and guilt. However, another core feature of common post-trauma psychopathologies, i.e. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression, is diminished positive affect, or reduced frequency and intensity of positive emotions and affective states such as happiness, joy, love, interest, and desire/capacity for interpersonal affiliation. There remains a stark imbalance in the degree to which the neuroscience of each affective domain has been probed and characterized in PTSD, with our knowledge of post-trauma diminished positive affect remaining comparatively underdeveloped. This remains a prominent barrier to realizing the clinical breakthroughs likely to be afforded by the increasing availability of neuroscience assessment and intervention tools. In this review and commentary, the author summarizes the modest extant neuroimaging literature that has probed diminished positive affect in PTSD using reward processing behavioral paradigms, first briefly reviewing and outlining the neurocircuitry implicated in reward and positive emotion and its interrelationship with negative emotion and negative valence circuitry. Specific research guidelines are then offered to best and most efficiently develop the knowledge base in this area in a way that is clinically translatable and will exert a positive impact on routine clinical care. The author concludes with the prediction that the development of an integrated, bivalent theoretical and predictive model of how trauma impacts affective neurocircuitry to promote post-trauma psychopathology will ultimately lead to breakthroughs in how trauma treatments are conceptualized mechanistically and developed pragmatically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A. Fonzo
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, 401 Quarry Road, MC 5722, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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27
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Herzog S, DePierro J, D’Andrea W. Driven to distraction: Childhood trauma and dissociation, but not PTSD symptoms, are related to threat avoidance. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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28
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Fenster RJ, Lebois LAM, Ressler KJ, Suh J. Brain circuit dysfunction in post-traumatic stress disorder: from mouse to man. Nat Rev Neurosci 2018; 19:535-551. [PMID: 30054570 PMCID: PMC6148363 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-018-0039-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent, debilitating and sometimes deadly consequence of exposure to severe psychological trauma. Although effective treatments exist for some individuals, they are limited. New approaches to intervention, treatment and prevention are therefore much needed. In the past few years, the field has rapidly developed a greater understanding of the dysfunctional brain circuits underlying PTSD, a shift in understanding that has been made possible by technological revolutions that have allowed the observation and perturbation of the macrocircuits and microcircuits thought to underlie PTSD-related symptoms. These advances have allowed us to gain a more translational knowledge of PTSD, have provided further insights into the mechanisms of risk and resilience and offer promising avenues for therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Fenster
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Lauren A M Lebois
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.
| | - Junghyup Suh
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.
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29
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Abstract
Evidences from psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and systems biology studies support a conceptual framework of "Yin-Yang dynamics" for understanding the "whole mind-body system." The Yin-Yang dynamical balances in the stress response networks may be critical for health and diseases, especially mental health and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, the neuroimmune imbalances have been found as the important features and potential biomarkers of stress, anxiety, depression, and systemic inflammation. At the system levels, factors such as psychosocial stress and obesity, especially a leaky gut, may result in the imbalance between regulatory and proinflammatory T cells. At the molecular and cellular levels, the imbalances in multiple networks including the cytokine and redox pathways, immune-kynurenine networks, HPA axis, and synaptic plasticity in the hypothalamus are the key factors in depression. The recognition of the neuroimmune imbalances and the restoration of the Yin-Yang dynamical balances need to become a high priority toward the development of dynamical systems medicine for psychiatric diseases including depression and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yan
- PharmTao, Santa Clara, CA, USA.
- University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MD, USA.
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30
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Nawijn L, van Zuiden M, Koch SBJ, Frijling JL, Veltman DJ, Olff M. Intranasal oxytocin increases neural responses to social reward in post-traumatic stress disorder. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:212-223. [PMID: 27614769 PMCID: PMC5390752 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic alliance and perceived social support are important predictors of treatment response for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Intranasal oxytocin administration may enhance treatment response by increasing sensitivity for social reward and thereby therapeutic alliance and perceived social support. As a first step to investigate this therapeutical potential, we investigated whether intranasal oxytocin enhances neural sensitivity to social reward in PTSD patients. Male and female police officers with (n = 35) and without PTSD (n = 37) were included in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over fMRI study. After intranasal oxytocin (40 IU) and placebo administration, a social incentive delay task was conducted to investigate neural responses during social reward and punishment anticipation and feedback. Under placebo, PTSD patients showed reduced left anterior insula (AI) responses to social rewards (i.e. happy faces) compared with controls. Oxytocin administration increased left AI responses during social reward in PTSD patients, such that PTSD patients no longer differed from controls under placebo. Furthermore, in PTSD patients, oxytocin increased responses to social reward in the right putamen. By normalizing abberant insula responses and increasing putamen responses to social reward, oxytocin administration may enhance sensitivity for social support and therapeutic alliance in PTSD patients. Future studies are needed to investigate clinical effects of oxytocin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Nawijn
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam van Zuiden
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia B J Koch
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jessie L Frijling
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dick J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007?MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miranda Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, Nienoord 5, 1112 XE Diemen, The Netherlands
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31
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Chrysikou EG, Gorey C, Aupperle RL. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alters decision making during approach-avoidance conflict. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:468-475. [PMID: 27694531 PMCID: PMC5390716 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Approach-avoidance conflict (AAC) refers to situations associated with both rewarding and threatening outcomes. The AAC task was developed to measure AAC decision-making. Approach behavior during this task has been linked to self-reported anxiety sensitivity and has elicited anterior cingulate, insula, caudate and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activity, with right lateral PFC tracking the extent of approach behavior. Guided by these results, we used excitatory transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to demonstrate the causal involvement of right dlPFC in AAC decision-making. Participants received anodal tDCS at 1.5mA over either left or right dlPFC or sham stimulation, while performing the AAC task and a control short-term memory task. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed that for individuals with high anxiety sensitivity excitatory right (but not left or sham) dlPFC stimulation elicited measurable decreases in approach behavior during conflict. Excitatory left (but not right or sham) dlPFC simulation improved performance on the control task. These results support a possible asymmetry between the contributions of right and left dlPFC to AAC resolution during emotional decision-making. Increased activity in right dlPFC may contribute to anxiety-related symptoms and, as such, serve as a neurobehavioral target of anxiolytic treatments aiming to decrease avoidance behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robin L Aupperle
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, and.,University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
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32
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Rattel JA, Miedl SF, Blechert J, Wilhelm FH. Higher threat avoidance costs reduce avoidance behaviour which in turn promotes fear extinction in humans. Behav Res Ther 2017; 96:37-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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33
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Sheynin J, Shind C, Radell M, Ebanks-Williams Y, Gilbertson MW, Beck KD, Myers CE. Greater avoidance behavior in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Stress 2017; 20:285-293. [PMID: 28322068 PMCID: PMC5490437 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2017.1309523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While avoidance is a core symptom of PTSD, little is known about whether individuals with PTSD show a general cognitive bias to acquire and express avoidance, in situations not related to trauma or fear. Here, we used a computer-based task to examine operant acquisition and extinction of avoidance in participants with and without severe self-reported PTSD symptoms. A total of 119 participants (77 male, 42 female; 74 veteran, 45 civilian) with symptoms (PTSS; n = 63) or with few/no symptoms (noPTSS; n = 56) performed a task, in which they controlled a spaceship and could shoot a target to gain points or hide in "safe areas" to escape or avoid on-screen aversive events. Results show that participants with PTSS exhibited more avoidance across trials than noPTSS participants, particularly due to more avoidance behavior in PTSS females compared to noPTSS females. Avoidance behavior decreased across extinction trials but interactions with PTSS and gender fell short of significance. Overall, PTSD symptoms were associated with propensity to acquire and express avoidance behavior, in both civilians and veterans, and even in a cognitive task that does not explicitly involve trauma or fear. This effect was more pronounced in females, highlighting the role of gender differences in PTSD symptomatology. Importantly, this study also demonstrates the potential of an objective assessment of avoidance behavior, which could be used to supplement the common but limited self-report tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jony Sheynin
- Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christine Shind
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Milen Radell
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Kevin D. Beck
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Catherine E. Myers
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
- Corresponding Author: Catherine E. Myers, Research Services, VA New Jersey Health Care System, 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018, , Phone: 973-676-1000 x(1)1810
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34
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Saga Y, Richard A, Sgambato-Faure V, Hoshi E, Tobler PN, Tremblay L. Ventral Pallidum Encodes Contextual Information and Controls Aversive Behaviors. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:2528-2543. [PMID: 27114173 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful avoidance of aversive outcomes is crucial for the survival of animals. Although accumulating evidence indicates that an indirect pathway in the basal ganglia is involved in aversive behavior, the ventral pallidum (VP), which is an important component of this pathway, has so far been implicated primarily in appetitive behavior. In this study, we used single-cell recordings and bicuculline (GABAA antagonist) injections to elucidate the role of VP both in the encoding of aversive context and in active avoidance. We found 2 populations of neurons that were preferentially activated by appetitive and aversive conditioned stimuli (CSs). In addition, VP showed appetitive and aversive outcome anticipatory activities. These activity patterns indicate that VP is involved in encoding and maintaining CS-induced aversive contextual information. Furthermore, the disturbance of VP activity by bicuculline injection increased the number of error trials in aversive trials. In particular, the subjects released the response bar prematurely, showed no response at all, or failed to avoid the aversive outcome. Overall, these results suggest that VP plays a central role in controlling CS-induced negative motivation to produce avoidance behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Saga
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, UMR-5229 CNRS, Bron, Cedex, France
| | - Augustin Richard
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, UMR-5229 CNRS, Bron, Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Sgambato-Faure
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, UMR-5229 CNRS, Bron, Cedex, France.,Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Eiji Hoshi
- Frontal Lobe Function Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - Philippe N Tobler
- Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Léon Tremblay
- Centre de Neuroscience Cognitive, UMR-5229 CNRS, Bron, Cedex, France.,Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
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Renna ME, Quintero JM, Fresco DM, Mennin DS. Emotion Regulation Therapy: A Mechanism-Targeted Treatment for Disorders of Distress. Front Psychol 2017; 8:98. [PMID: 28220089 PMCID: PMC5292405 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
"Distress disorders," which include generalized anxiety disorder and major depression are often highly comorbid with each other and appear to be characterized by common temperamental features that reflect heightened sensitivity to underlying motivational systems related to threat/safety and reward/loss. Further, individuals with distress disorders tend to utilize self-referential processes (e.g., worry, rumination, self-criticism) in a maladaptive attempt to respond to motivationally relevant distress, often resulting in suboptimal contextual learning. Despite the success of cognitive behavioral therapies for emotional disorders, a sizable subgroup of patients with distress disorders fail to evidence adequate treatment response. Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) is a theoretically derived, evidence based, treatment that integrates principles (e.g., skills training, exposure) from traditional and contemporary therapies with findings from basic and translational affective science to offer a framework for improving intervention by focusing on the motivational responses and corresponding regulatory characteristics of individuals with high levels of chronic distress. Open and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated preliminary support for the utility of ERT as reflected by strong effect sizes comparable to and exceeding established intervention approaches. In addition, pilot findings support the role of underlying proposed mechanisms in this efficacious response. This article presents the functional model associated with ERT and describes the proposed mechanisms of the treatment. Additionally, a clinical case is presented, allowing the reader to gain a greater applied understanding of the different components of the ERT model and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Renna
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
| | - Jean M. Quintero
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
| | - David M. Fresco
- Psychology Department, Kent State University, KentOH, USA
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, ClevelandOH, USA
| | - Douglas S. Mennin
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
- Hunter College, City University of New York, New YorkNY, USA
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37
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Schlund MW, Brewer AT, Magee SK, Richman DM, Solomon S, Ludlum M, Dymond S. The tipping point: Value differences and parallel dorsal–ventral frontal circuits gating human approach–avoidance behavior. Neuroimage 2016; 136:94-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.04.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
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Clausen AN, Youngren W, Sisante JFV, Billinger SA, Taylor C, Aupperle RL. Combat PTSD and Implicit Behavioral Tendencies for Positive Affective Stimuli: A Brief Report. Front Psychol 2016; 7:758. [PMID: 27252673 PMCID: PMC4877383 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior cognitive research in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has focused on automatic responses to negative affective stimuli, including attentional facilitation or disengagement and avoidance action tendencies. More recent research suggests PTSD may also relate to differences in reward processing, which has lead to theories of PTSD relating to approach-avoidance imbalances. The current pilot study assessed how combat-PTSD symptoms relate to automatic behavioral tendencies to both positive and negative affective stimuli. METHOD Twenty male combat veterans completed the approach-avoidance task (AAT), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-II. During the AAT, subjects pulled (approach) or pushed (avoid) a joystick in response to neutral, happy, disgust, and angry faces based on border color. Bias scores were calculated for each emotion type (avoid-approach response latency differences). Main and interaction effects for psychological symptom severity and emotion type on bias score were assessed using linear mixed models. RESULTS There was a significant interaction between PTSD symptoms and emotion type, driven primarily by worse symptoms relating to a greater bias to avoid happy faces. Post hoc tests revealed that veterans with worse PTSD symptoms were slower to approach as well as quicker to avoid happy faces. Neither depressive nor anger symptoms related to avoid or approach tendencies of emotional stimuli. CONCLUSION Posttraumatic stress disorder severity was associated with a bias for avoiding positive affective stimuli. These results provide further evidence that PTSD may relate to aberrant processing of positively valenced, or rewarding stimuli. Implicit responses to rewarding stimuli could be an important factor in PTSD pathology and treatment. Specifically, these findings have implications for recent endeavors in using computer-based interventions to influence automatic approach-avoidance tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Clausen
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, TulsaOK, USA; University of Tulsa, TulsaOK, USA
| | - Westley Youngren
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, TulsaOK, USA; University of Tulsa, TulsaOK, USA
| | | | | | | | - Robin L Aupperle
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, TulsaOK, USA; University of Tulsa, TulsaOK, USA; University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas CityMO, USA
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Pittig A, Alpers GW, Niles AN, Craske MG. Avoidant decision-making in social anxiety disorder: A laboratory task linked to in vivo anxiety and treatment outcome. Behav Res Ther 2015; 73:96-103. [PMID: 26301755 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies on reward-based decision-making in the presence of anxiety-related stimuli demonstrated that approach-avoidance conflicts can be assessed under controlled laboratory conditions. However, the clinical relevance of these decision conflicts has not been demonstrated. To this end, the present study investigated avoidant decisions in treatment-seeking individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). In a gambling task, advantageous choices to maximize gains were associated with task-irrelevant angry faces and disadvantageous choices with happy faces. The clinical relevance of avoidant decisions for in vivo anxiety in a social stress situation (public speaking) were examined (n = 44). In a subsample (n = 20), the predictive value for a reduction of avoidance following behavioral therapy was also evaluated. Results indicated a close link between more frequent avoidant decisions and elevated in vivo anxiety. Moreover, individuals who showed a deficit in the goal-directed adjustment of their decisions also showed higher and sustained distress during the social stressor and reported less decrease of avoidance following treatment. The findings highlight the importance of an avoidant decision-making style for the experience of acute distress and the maintenance of avoidance in SAD. Assessing avoidant decision-making may help to predict the response to behavioral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Pittig
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Germany; Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.
| | - Georg W Alpers
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andrea N Niles
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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Mennin DS, Fresco DM. Advancing Emotion Regulation Perspectives on Psychopathology: The Challenge of Distress Disorders. PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRY 2015; 26:80-92. [PMID: 27917029 PMCID: PMC5132184 DOI: 10.1080/1047840x.2015.969624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S Mennin
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - David M Fresco
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
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Testing the role of reward and punishment sensitivity in avoidance behavior: a computational modeling approach. Behav Brain Res 2015; 283:121-38. [PMID: 25639540 PMCID: PMC4351139 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Exaggerated avoidance behavior is a predominant symptom in all anxiety disorders and its degree often parallels the development and persistence of these conditions. Both human and non-human animal studies suggest that individual differences as well as various contextual cues may impact avoidance behavior. Specifically, we have recently shown that female sex and inhibited temperament, two anxiety vulnerability factors, are associated with greater duration and rate of the avoidance behavior, as demonstrated on a computer-based task closely related to common rodent avoidance paradigms. We have also demonstrated that avoidance is attenuated by the administration of explicit visual signals during "non-threat" periods (i.e., safety signals). Here, we use a reinforcement-learning network model to investigate the underlying mechanisms of these empirical findings, with a special focus on distinct reward and punishment sensitivities. Model simulations suggest that sex and inhibited temperament are associated with specific aspects of these sensitivities. Specifically, differences in relative sensitivity to reward and punishment might underlie the longer avoidance duration demonstrated by females, whereas higher sensitivity to punishment might underlie the higher avoidance rate demonstrated by inhibited individuals. Simulations also suggest that safety signals attenuate avoidance behavior by strengthening the competing approach response. Lastly, several predictions generated by the model suggest that extinction-based cognitive-behavioral therapies might benefit from the use of safety signals, especially if given to individuals with high reward sensitivity and during longer safe periods. Overall, this study is the first to suggest cognitive mechanisms underlying the greater avoidance behavior observed in healthy individuals with different anxiety vulnerabilities.
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42
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Reward functioning in PTSD: a systematic review exploring the mechanisms underlying anhedonia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 51:189-204. [PMID: 25639225 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder. An important diagnostic feature of PTSD is anhedonia, which may result from deficits in reward functioning. This has however never been studied systematically in PTSD. To determine if PTSD is associated with reward impairments, we conducted a systematic review of studies in which reward functioning was compared between PTSD patients and healthy control participants, or investigated in relation to PTSD symptom severity. A total of 29 studies were included, covering reward anticipation and approach ('wanting'), and hedonic responses to reward ('liking'). Overall, results were mixed, although decreased reward anticipation and approach and reduced hedonic responses were repeatedly observed in PTSD patients compared to healthy controls. Decreased reward functioning was seen more often in female than in male PTSD samples and most often in response to social positive stimuli. Though more research is needed, these findings are a first step in understanding the possible mechanisms underlying anhedonia in PTSD.
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43
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Spielberg JM, Miller GA, Warren SL, Sutton BP, Banich M, Heller W. Transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety and depression moderate motivation-related brain networks during goal maintenance. Depress Anxiety 2014; 31:805-13. [PMID: 24753242 PMCID: PMC4418555 DOI: 10.1002/da.22271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advancing research on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology requires the field to move beyond modular conceptualizations of neural dysfunction toward understanding disturbance in key brain networks. Although some studies of anxiety and depression have begun doing so, they typically suffer from several drawbacks, including: (1) a categorical approach ignoring transdiagnostic processes, (2) failure to account for substantial anxiety and depression comorbidity, (3) examination of networks at rest, which overlooks disruption manifesting only when networks are challenged. Accordingly, the present study examined relationships between transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression and patterns of functional connectivity while goal maintenance was challenged. METHODS Participants (n = 179, unselected community members and undergraduates selected to be high/low on anxiety/depression) performed a task in which goal maintenance was challenged (color-word Stroop) while fMRI data were collected. Analyses examined moderation by anxiety/depression of condition-dependent coupling between regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) previously associated with approach and avoidance motivation and amygdala/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). RESULTS Anxious arousal was positively associated with amygdala↔right dlPFC coupling. Depression was positively associated with OFC↔right dlPFC coupling and negatively associated with OFC↔left dlPFC coupling. CONCLUSIONS Findings advance the field toward an integrative model of the neural instantiation of anxiety/depression by identifying specific, distinct dysfunctions associated with anxiety and depression in networks important for maintaining approach and avoidance goals. Specifically, findings shed light on potential neural mechanisms involved in attentional biases in anxiety and valuation biases in depression and underscore the importance of examining transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression while networks are challenged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M. Spielberg
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, Champaign, Illinois,Correspondence to: Dr. Jeffrey M. Spielberg, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue (182 JP), Boston, MA 02130.
| | - Gregory A. Miller
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, Champaign, Illinois,University of California, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, California
| | - Stacie L. Warren
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, Champaign, Illinois,St. Louis VA Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Bradley P. Sutton
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Marie Banich
- University of Colorado, Department of Psychology, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Wendy Heller
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Psychology, Champaign, Illinois
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Pittig A, Pawlikowski M, Craske MG, Alpers GW. Avoidant decision making in social anxiety: the interaction of angry faces and emotional responses. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1050. [PMID: 25324792 PMCID: PMC4178379 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research indicates that angry facial expressions are preferentially processed and may facilitate automatic avoidance response, especially in socially anxious individuals. However, few studies have examined whether this bias also expresses itself in more complex cognitive processes and behavior such as decision making. We recently introduced a variation of the Iowa Gambling Task which allowed us to document the influence of task-irrelevant emotional cues on rational decision making. The present study used a modified gambling task to investigate the impact of angry facial expressions on decision making in 38 individuals with a wide range of social anxiety. Participants were to find out which choices were (dis-) advantageous to maximize overall gain. To create a decision conflict between approach of reward and avoidance of fear-relevant angry faces, advantageous choices were associated with angry facial expressions, whereas disadvantageous choices were associated with happy facial expressions. Results indicated that higher social avoidance predicted less advantageous decisions in the beginning of the task, i.e., when contingencies were still uncertain. Interactions with specific skin conductance responses further clarified that this initial avoidance only occurred in combination with elevated responses before choosing an angry facial expressions. In addition, an interaction between high trait anxiety and elevated responses to early losses predicted faster learning of an advantageous strategy. These effects were independent of intelligence, general risky decision-making, self-reported state anxiety, and depression. Thus, socially avoidant individuals who respond emotionally to angry facial expressions are more likely to show avoidance of these faces under uncertainty. This novel laboratory paradigm may be an appropriate analog for central features of social anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Pittig
- Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim Mannheim, Germany ; Anxiety Disorders Research Center, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mirko Pawlikowski
- General Psychology: Cognition, Department for Informatics and Applied Cognitive Science, University of Duisburg-Essen Essen, Germany
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Anxiety Disorders Research Center, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Georg W Alpers
- Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim Mannheim, Germany
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Simmons AN, Norman SB, Spadoni AD, Strigo IA. Neurosubstrates of remission following prolonged exposure therapy in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2014; 82:382-9. [PMID: 24061484 DOI: 10.1159/000348867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is the first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combat veterans. The underlying brain changes of treatment effect in PTSD are currently unknown. METHODS A total of 31 veterans with PTSD completed an fMRI scan performing an affective anticipation task at baseline and were enrolled in PE therapy. Of these, 7 prematurely terminated therapy, while 24 individuals completed PE therapy and an identical follow-up fMRI scan. At follow-up, 15 of the 24 completers still had diagnosable PTSD (NR-PTSD) and 9 of the 24 completers showed complete remission from PTSD (R-PTSD), i.e. they did not meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. RESULTS The left anterior insula showed a significant group by scan session interaction. Specifically, the R-PTSD group showed decreased activation during anticipation of negative images from pre- to posttreatment scans, while the NR-PTSD group showed increased activation during anticipation of positive images in this region. Furthermore, the change in functional activation in the insula co-occurred with increased connectivity between this insular region and the right cingulate and right mid-posterior insular region in R-PTSD. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the capacity to effectively remit from PTSD symptoms after PE treatment requires the ability to connect with physiological signals and moderate the discomfort of anticipatory anxiety of exposure therapy. These processes appear to be controlled by a network where the anterior insula is connected with the cingulate and the mid-posterior insula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan N Simmons
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, Calif., USA
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46
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Pittig A, Brand M, Pawlikowski M, Alpers GW. The cost of fear: avoidant decision making in a spider gambling task. J Anxiety Disord 2014; 28:326-34. [PMID: 24682086 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with anxiety disorders typically avoid fear-relevant stimuli even if they miss potential rewards. However, few studies have accounted for such costs of fear-related avoidance in doing so. In this study, 51 spider fearful and 49 non-fearful participants completed the Spider Gambling Task, our modification of the Iowa Gambling Task, to investigate whether fear-relevant stimuli trigger avoidant decisions in the presence of potential rewards. In one version, advantageous choices were associated with pictures of spiders, whereas the same pictures were associated with disadvantageous choices in another version. Fearful participants generally avoided choices associated with pictures of spiders, which resulted in lower overall gains in the version with advantageous spider decks. Although this relative avoidance was sustained, fearful participants progressively approach more advantageous spider choices. These findings demonstrate that phobic fear results in irrational avoidant decisions which can result in considerable cost. Potential long-term rewards for approach may, however, diminish absolute avoidance behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Pittig
- School of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy and Otto Selz Institute, University of Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Brand
- General Psychology: Cognition, Department for Informatics and Applied Cognitive Science, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Essen, Germany
| | - Mirko Pawlikowski
- General Psychology: Cognition, Department for Informatics and Applied Cognitive Science, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
| | - Georg W Alpers
- School of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy and Otto Selz Institute, University of Mannheim, Germany.
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47
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Wei D, Wang K, Shen Y, Du X, Li W, Dupuis-Roy N, Qiu J, Zhang Q. Exposure to traumatic experiences is associated with abnormal neural mechanism during charitable donation. Psychiatry Res 2013; 214:42-7. [PMID: 23920149 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Revised: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies suggested that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might be associated with dysfunctional reward processing. At present, little is known about the neural mechanisms of reward-related processing during a charitable donation task in trauma survivors who do not go on to develop PTSD. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural basis of charitable donation in non-PTSD survivors of the Sichuan earthquake. Results showed that activations in the striatum of trauma survivors were reduced in both the low donation (donated a small amount to the Red Cross) and the high donation conditions (donated a large amount to the Red Cross) compared with the healthy controls. Furthermore, the trauma survivors also exhibited less activity in the insula than the healthy controls in the high donation condition. These findings suggest that abnormal reward-related activations might be associated with dysfunctions in the reward pathway of trauma survivors. Also, we discuss the possibility that traumatic experiences attenuate the reactivity of reward-related brain areas to positive emotions (as induced by advantageous donations).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongtao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
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48
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United we stand: emphasizing commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies. Behav Ther 2013; 44:234-48. [PMID: 23611074 PMCID: PMC4992341 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2012] [Revised: 02/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has a rich history of alleviating the suffering associated with mental disorders. Recently, there have been exciting new developments, including multicomponent approaches, incorporated alternative therapies (e.g., meditation), targeted and cost-effective technologies, and integrated biological and behavioral frameworks. These field-wide changes have led some to emphasize the differences among variants of CBT. Here, we draw attention to commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies, including shared goals, change principles, and therapeutic processes. Specifically, we offer a framework for examining common CBT characteristics that emphasizes behavioral adaptation as a unifying goal and three core change principles, namely (a) context engagement to promote adaptive imagining and enacting of new experiences; (b) attention change to promote adaptive sustaining, shifting, and broadening of attention; and (c) cognitive change to promote adaptive perspective taking on events so as to alter verbal meanings. Further, we argue that specific intervention components, including behavioral exposure/activation, attention training, acceptance/tolerance, decentering/defusion, and cognitive reframing, may be emphasized to a greater or lesser degree by different treatment packages but are still fundamentally common therapeutic processes that are present across approaches and are best understood by their relationships to these core CBT change principles. We conclude by arguing for shared methodological and design frameworks for investigating unique and common characteristics to advance a unified and strong voice for CBT in a widening, increasingly multimodal and interdisciplinary, intervention science.
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Baker LM, Williams LM, Korgaonkar MS, Cohen RA, Heaps JM, Paul RH. Impact of early vs. late childhood early life stress on brain morphometrics. Brain Imaging Behav 2013; 7:196-203. [PMID: 23247614 PMCID: PMC8754232 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-012-9215-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies of early life trauma suggest that in addition to its emotional impact, exposure to early life stress (ELS) is associated with alterations in brain structure. However, little attention has been devoted to the relationship between emotional processing and brain integrity as a function of age of ELS onset. In the present study we examined whether ELS onset in older ages of youth rather than younger ages is associated with smaller limbic and basal ganglia volumes as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We hypothesized that later age of manifestation during youth is associated with smaller volumetric morphology in limbic and basal ganglia volumes in adulthood. A total of 173 individuals were divided into three groups based on the age of self-reported ELS. The three groups included individuals only experiencing early childhood ELS (1 month-7 years, n = 38), those only experiencing later childhood ELS (8 years -17 years, n = 59), and those who have not experienced ELS (n = 76). Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), hippocampus, amygdala, insula and caudate volumes were measured using a T1-weighted MRI. Analyses confirmed that later childhood ELS was associated with volumetric reductions in the ACC and insula volumes, while ELS experienced between the ages of 1 month and 7 years was not associated with lower brain volumes in these regions. The results may reflect the influence of more fully developed emotional processing of ELS on the developing brain and reinforce a body of research implicating both the ACC and insula in neuropsychiatric disorders and emotional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie M Baker
- University of Missouri, St. Louis, Department of Psychology- 1, University Boulevard, Stadler Hall S443, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA.
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50
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Sokolowska E, Hovatta I. Anxiety genetics - findings from cross-species genome-wide approaches. BIOLOGY OF MOOD & ANXIETY DISORDERS 2013; 3:9. [PMID: 23659354 PMCID: PMC3655048 DOI: 10.1186/2045-5380-3-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are complex diseases, which often occur in combination with major depression, alcohol use disorder, or general medical conditions. Anxiety disorders were the most common mental disorders within the EU states in 2010 with 14% prevalence. Anxiety disorders are triggered by environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals, and therefore genetic research offers a great route to unravel molecular basis of these diseases. As anxiety is an evolutionarily conserved response, mouse models can be used to carry out genome-wide searches for specific genes in a setting that controls for the environmental factors. In this review, we discuss translational approaches that aim to bridge results from unbiased genome-wide screens using mouse models to anxiety disorders in humans. Several methods, such as quantitative trait locus mapping, gene expression profiling, and proteomics, have been used in various mouse models of anxiety to identify genes that regulate anxiety or play a role in maintaining pathological anxiety. We first discuss briefly the evolutionary background of anxiety, which justifies cross-species approaches. We then describe how several genes have been identified through genome-wide methods in mouse models and subsequently investigated in human anxiety disorder samples as candidate genes. These studies have led to the identification of completely novel biological pathways that regulate anxiety in mice and humans, and that can be further investigated as targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Sokolowska
- Department of Biosciences, Viikki Biocenter, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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