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Berretz G, Dutschke C, Leonard E, Packheiser J. Ewww-Investigating the neural basis of disgust in response to naturalistic and pictorial nauseating stimuli. Front Psychiatry 2023; 13:1054224. [PMID: 36756635 PMCID: PMC9899807 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1054224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotion induction in psychological and neuroscientific research has been mostly done by presenting participants with picture or film material. However, it is debatable whether this passive approach to emotion induction results in an affective state comparable to real-life emotions, and if the neural correlates of emotion processing are ecologically valid. To investigate the appropriateness of pictures for the induction of emotions, we presented 56 participants in a within-subjects design with naturalistic disgusting and neutral stimuli as well as with pictures of said stimulus material while recording continuous EEG data. We calculated asymmetry indices (AIs) for alpha power as an index of emotion processing and emotion regulation at the F3/4, F5/6, F7/8, and O1/2 electrode pairs. Participants reported higher disgust ratings for disgusting naturalistic compared to disgusting pictorial stimuli. Investigating changes in the EEG signal in participants with a pronounced disgust response (n = 38), we found smaller AIs for naturalistic stimuli compared to pictures. Moreover, in this disgusted sub-sample, there were smaller AIs in response to naturalistic disgusting stimuli compared to pictorial disgusting and neutral stimuli at the O1/2 electrode pair indicating stronger activation of the right relative to the left hemisphere by naturalistic stimuli. As the right hemisphere has been shown to display dominance in processing negative and withdrawal-associated emotions, this might indicate that naturalistic stimuli are more appropriate for the induction of emotions than picture stimuli. To improve the validity of results from emotion induction, future research should incorporate stimulus material that is as naturalistic as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Berretz
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Canan Dutschke
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Elodie Leonard
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julian Packheiser
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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de Vries OT, Grasman RPPP, Kindt M, van Ast VA. Threat learning impairs subsequent associative inference. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18878. [PMID: 36344549 PMCID: PMC9640532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21471-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite it being widely acknowledged that the most important function of memory is to facilitate the prediction of significant events in a complex world, no studies to date have investigated how our ability to infer associations across distinct but overlapping experiences is affected by the inclusion of threat memories. To address this question, participants (n = 35) encoded neutral predictive associations (A → B). The following day these memories were reactivated by pairing B with a new aversive or neutral outcome (B → CTHREAT/NEUTRAL) while pupil dilation was measured as an index of emotional arousal. Then, again 1 day later, the accuracy of indirect associations (A → C?) was tested. Associative inferences involving a threat learning memory were impaired whereas the initial memories were retroactively strengthened, but these effects were not moderated by pupil dilation at encoding. These results imply that a healthy memory system may compartmentalize episodic information of threat, and so hinders its recall when cued only indirectly. Malfunctioning of this process may cause maladaptive linkage of negative events to distant and benign memories, and thereby contribute to the development of clinical intrusions and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier T. de Vries
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Raoul P. P. P. Grasman
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Department of Psychological Methods, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Merel Kindt
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.7177.60000000084992262Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa A. van Ast
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.7177.60000000084992262Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Mennella R, Bavard S, Mentec I, Grèzes J. Spontaneous instrumental avoidance learning in social contexts. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17528. [PMID: 36266316 PMCID: PMC9585085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22334-6] [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] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptation to our social environment requires learning how to avoid potentially harmful situations, such as encounters with aggressive individuals. Threatening facial expressions can evoke automatic stimulus-driven reactions, but whether their aversive motivational value suffices to drive instrumental active avoidance remains unclear. When asked to freely choose between different action alternatives, participants spontaneously-without instruction or monetary reward-developed a preference for choices that maximized the probability of avoiding angry individuals (sitting away from them in a waiting room). Most participants showed clear behavioral signs of instrumental learning, even in the absence of an explicit avoidance strategy. Inter-individual variability in learning depended on participants' subjective evaluations and sensitivity to threat approach feedback. Counterfactual learning best accounted for avoidance behaviors, especially in participants who developed an explicit avoidance strategy. Our results demonstrate that implicit defensive behaviors in social contexts are likely the product of several learning processes, including instrumental learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocco Mennella
- grid.508487.60000 0004 7885 7602Laboratoire des Interactions Cognition, Action, Émotion (LICAÉ), Université Paris Nanterre, 200 Avenue de La République, 92001 Nanterre Cedex, France ,grid.440907.e0000 0004 1784 3645Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory (LNC2), Inserm U960, Department of Cognitive Studies, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 29 Rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sophie Bavard
- grid.440907.e0000 0004 1784 3645Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory (LNC2), Inserm U960, Department of Cognitive Studies, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 29 Rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France ,grid.9026.d0000 0001 2287 2617Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Inès Mentec
- grid.440907.e0000 0004 1784 3645Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory (LNC2), Inserm U960, Department of Cognitive Studies, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 29 Rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Julie Grèzes
- grid.440907.e0000 0004 1784 3645Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory (LNC2), Inserm U960, Department of Cognitive Studies, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, 29 Rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
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Wong AH, Pittig A. Threat belief determines the degree of costly safety behavior: Assessing rule-based generalization of safety behavior with a dimensional measure of avoidance. Behav Res Ther 2022; 156:104158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Gostolupce D, Lay BPP, Maes EJP, Iordanova MD. Understanding Associative Learning Through Higher-Order Conditioning. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:845616. [PMID: 35517574 PMCID: PMC9062293 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.845616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Associative learning is often considered to require the physical presence of stimuli in the environment in order for them to be linked. This, however, is not a necessary condition for learning. Indeed, associative relationships can form between events that are never directly paired. That is, associative learning can occur by integrating information across different phases of training. Higher-order conditioning provides evidence for such learning through two deceptively similar designs – sensory preconditioning and second-order conditioning. In this review, we detail the procedures and factors that influence learning in these designs, describe the associative relationships that can be acquired, and argue for the importance of this knowledge in studying brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Gostolupce
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Belinda P P Lay
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Etienne J P Maes
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mihaela D Iordanova
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Wong AH, Wirth FM, Pittig A. Avoidance of learnt fear: Models, potential mechanisms, and future directions. Behav Res Ther 2022; 151:104056. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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