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Crombie KM, Azar A, Botsford C, Heilicher M, Moughrabi N, Gruichich TS, Schomaker CM, Dunsmoor JE, Cisler JM. Aerobic exercise after extinction learning reduces return of fear and enhances memory of items encoded during extinction learning. Ment Health Phys Act 2023; 24:100510. [PMID: 37065640 PMCID: PMC10104454 DOI: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2023.100510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Fear conditioning paradigms are widely used in laboratory settings to discover treatments that enhance memory consolidation and various fear processes (extinction learning, limit return of fear) that are relevant targets of exposure-based therapies. However, traditional lab-based paradigms often use the exact same conditioned stimuli for acquisition and extinction (typically differentiated with a context manipulation), whereas the opposite is true in clinical settings, as exposure therapy rarely (if ever) uses precisely the exact same stimuli from an individual's learning history. Accordingly, this study utilized a novel three-day category-based fear conditioning protocol (that uses categories of non-repeating objects [animals and tools] as conditioned stimuli during fear conditioning and extinction) to determine if aerobic exercise enhances the consolidation of extinction learning (reduces return of fear) and memory (for items encoded during extinction) during subsequent tests of extinction recall. Participants (n=40) completed a fear acquisition (day 1), fear extinction (day 2), and extinction recall (day 3) protocol. On day 1, participants completed a fear acquisition task in which they were trained to associate a category of conditioned stimuli (CS+) with the occurrence of an unconditioned stimulus (US). On day 2, participants were administered a fear extinction procedure during which CS+ and CS- categorical stimuli were presented in absence of the occurrence of the US. After completing the task, participants were randomly assigned to either receive moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (EX) or a light-intensity control (CON) condition. On day 3, participants completed fear recall tests (during which day 1, day 2, and novel CS+ and CS- stimuli were presented). Fear responding was assessed via threat expectancy ratings and skin conductance responses (SCR). During the fear recall tests, the EX group reported significantly lower threat expectancy ratings to the CS+ and CS- and exhibited greater memory of CS+ and CS- stimuli that were previously presented during day 2. There were no significant group differences for SCR. These results suggests that administration of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise following extinction learning contributes to reduced threat expectancies during tests of fear recall and enhanced memory of items encoded during extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Crombie
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
| | - Ameera Azar
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
| | - Chloe Botsford
- University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America, 53719
| | - Mickela Heilicher
- University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America, 53719
| | - Nicole Moughrabi
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
| | - Tijana Sagorac Gruichich
- University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America, 53719
| | - Chloe M. Schomaker
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
| | - Joseph E. Dunsmoor
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
| | - Josh M. Cisler
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
- Institute for Early Life Adversity Research, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, 1601 Trinity Street, Building B, Austin, Texas, United States of America 78712
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Sperl MFJ, Panitz C, Skoluda N, Nater UM, Pizzagalli DA, Hermann C, Mueller EM. Alpha-2 Adrenoreceptor Antagonist Yohimbine Potentiates Consolidation of Conditioned Fear. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 25:759-773. [PMID: 35748393 PMCID: PMC9515133 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hyperconsolidation of aversive associations and poor extinction learning have been hypothesized to be crucial in the acquisition of pathological fear. Previous animal and human research points to the potential role of the catecholaminergic system, particularly noradrenaline and dopamine, in acquiring emotional memories. Here, we investigated in a between-participants design with 3 groups whether the noradrenergic alpha-2 adrenoreceptor antagonist yohimbine and the dopaminergic D2-receptor antagonist sulpiride modulate long-term fear conditioning and extinction in humans. METHODS Fifty-five healthy male students were recruited. The final sample consisted of n = 51 participants who were explicitly aware of the contingencies between conditioned stimuli (CS) and unconditioned stimuli after fear acquisition. The participants were then randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 groups and received either yohimbine (10 mg, n = 17), sulpiride (200 mg, n = 16), or placebo (n = 18) between fear acquisition and extinction. Recall of conditioned (non-extinguished CS+ vs CS-) and extinguished fear (extinguished CS+ vs CS-) was assessed 1 day later, and a 64-channel electroencephalogram was recorded. RESULTS The yohimbine group showed increased salivary alpha-amylase activity, confirming a successful manipulation of central noradrenergic release. Elevated fear-conditioned bradycardia and larger differential amplitudes of the N170 and late positive potential components in the event-related brain potential indicated that yohimbine treatment (compared with a placebo and sulpiride) enhanced fear recall during day 2. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that yohimbine potentiates cardiac and central electrophysiological signatures of fear memory consolidation. They thereby elucidate the key role of noradrenaline in strengthening the consolidation of conditioned fear associations, which may be a key mechanism in the etiology of fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias F J Sperl
- Correspondence: Matthias F. J. Sperl, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Department of Psychology, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10F, 35394 Giessen, Germany ()
| | - Christian Panitz
- Department of Psychology, Personality Psychology and Assessment, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany,Department of Psychology, Experimental Psychology and Methods, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany,Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Urs M Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, & Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christiane Hermann
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Erik M Mueller
- Department of Psychology, Personality Psychology and Assessment, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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Crombie KM, Privratsky AA, Schomaker CM, Heilicher M, Ross MC, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Binder EB, Andrew James G, Cisler JM. The influence of FAAH genetic variation on physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear acquisition and extinction learning in women with PTSD. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 33:102922. [PMID: 34952353 PMCID: PMC8715233 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PTSD is often treated with psychotherapies based on principles of fear acquisition and extinction. Increased AEA has resulted in enhanced extinction learning and recall among healthy adults. These effects have not yet been comprehensively examined in a PTSD population. Results suggest that genetic variation within the FAAH gene affects how fear learning is tuned in women with PTSD.
Background Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is commonly treated with exposure-based cognitive therapies that are based on the principles of fear acquisition and extinction learning. Elevations in one of the major endocannabinoids (anandamide) either via inhibition of the primary degrading enzyme (fatty acid amide hydrolase; FAAH) or via a genetic variation in the FAAH gene (C385A; rs324420) has resulted in accelerated extinction learning and enhanced extinction recall among healthy adults. These results suggest that targeting FAAH may be a promising therapeutic approach for PTSD. However, these effects have not yet been comprehensively examined in a PTSD population. Methods The current study examined whether genetic variation in the FAAH gene (CC [n = 49] vs AA/AC [n = 36] allele carriers) influences physiological (skin conductance), cognitive (threat expectancy), and neural (network and voxel-wise activation) indices of fear acquisition and extinction learning among a sample of adult women with PTSD (N = 85). Results The physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear acquisition and extinction learning varied as a function of whether or not individuals possess the FAAH C385A polymorphism. For instance, we report divergent responding between CC and AA/AC allele carriers to CS + vs CS- in limbic and striatum networks and overall greater activation throughout the task among AA/AC allele carriers in several regions [e.g., inferior frontal, middle frontal, parietal] that are highly consistent with a frontoparietal network involved in higher-order executive functions. Conclusions These results suggest that genetic variation within the FAAH gene influences physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear learning in women with PTSD. In order to advance our understanding of the efficacy of FAAH inhibition as a treatment for PTSD, future clinical trials in this area should assess genetic variation in the FAAH gene in order to fully depict and differentiate the acute effects of a drug manipulation (FAAH inhibition) from more chronic (genetic) influences on fear extinction processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Crombie
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Anthony A Privratsky
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, 4301 W. Markham Street #554, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Chloe M Schomaker
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Mickela Heilicher
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Marisa C Ross
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munchen, Germany; Emory University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - G Andrew James
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, 4301 W. Markham Street #554, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Josh M Cisler
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Correlation between laboratory-based vicarious threat learning and emotional disorder symptom dimensions. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2022; 74:101696. [PMID: 34678632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Vicarious threat conditioning abnormalities are theorized to confer vulnerability to a wide range of emotional problems. We tested two different conceptual models of this non-specificity. First, hypersensitivity to socially conditioned danger cues might predict standing on a general internalizing dimension that represents commonalities among various forms of anxiety and depression. Second, this hypersensitivity might predict specific symptom clusters, such as panic or social anxiety. METHODS We examined university students' (N = 150) defensive responses during a vicarious threat conditioning task in relation to both broad and specific components of the internalizing domain. RESULTS Vicarious conditioning was successful, such that participants exhibited larger subjective and skin conductance responses during their first direct encounters with threatening, as compared to nonthreatening, conditioned stimuli. But, contrary to hypotheses, individual differences in this threat learning process were not robustly correlated with any internalizing dimension. LIMITATIONS The threat value of the conditioned stimuli was readily apparent, possibly limiting individual differences in defensive responding and, in turn, the correlations between conditioned responses and symptom dimensions. Also, results may differ in clinical populations. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the association between vicarious threat learning and emotional disorder risk-whether it is conceptualized in terms of broad symptom dimensions that span many categorical diagnoses or more fine-grain symptom processes-is weaker than previously believed, at least in this population. Data, analysis code, and stimulus materials are available at https://osf.io/m3xst/.
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Crombie KM, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Ahrenholtz R, Lee S, Matalamaki M, Adams TG, Cisler JM. Aerobic exercise and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder. Behav Res Ther 2021; 142:103867. [PMID: 34020153 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study tested whether aerobic exercise delivered during the consolidation window following fear extinction learning reduces the return of fear among women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants (n=35) completed an initial clinical assessment followed by a 3-day fear acquisition, extinction, and recall protocol. On day 1, participants completed a fear acquisition training task in which one geometric shape (conditioning stimulus; CS+) was paired (with 50% probability) with a mild electric shock (unconditioned stimulus; US), while a different shape (CS-) was never paired with the US. On day 2 (24 h later), participants completed a fear extinction training task in which the CS+ no longer predicted administration of the US. Shortly following extinction, participants were randomly assigned to complete either moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (EX) or a light-intensity exercise control (CON) condition. On day 3 (24 h later), participants completed fear recall tests assessing the return of fear (spontaneous recovery, renewal, and reinstatement). Fear responding was assessed via threat expectancy ratings and skin conductance responses (SCR). In the threat expectancy ratings, there were no significant differences between groups in spontaneous recovery; however, EX significantly (p=.02) reduced threat expectancy ratings following reinstatement relative to CON. In SCR measures, there were no significant differences between groups in spontaneous recovery, renewal, or reinstatement. These results support a role for moderate-intensity aerobic exercise during the consolidation window in reducing threat expectations following reinstatement in women with PTSD. Research should continue to examine exercise as a potential method for improving the efficacy of exposure-based therapies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04113798.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Crombie
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA.
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Rachel Ahrenholtz
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Sierra Lee
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Megan Matalamaki
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA
| | - Tom G Adams
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, 105 Kastle Hill, Lexington, KY, 40506-0044, USA; Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300 George St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA CT Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
| | - Josh M Cisler
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI, 53719-1176, USA.
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Memories of 100 years of human fear conditioning research and expectations for its future. Behav Res Ther 2020; 135:103732. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2020.103732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Marin MF, Bilodeau-Houle A, Morand-Beaulieu S, Brouillard A, Herringa RJ, Milad MR. Vicarious conditioned fear acquisition and extinction in child-parent dyads. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17130. [PMID: 33051522 PMCID: PMC7555483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74170-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological mechanisms involved in fear transmission within families have been scarcely investigated in humans. Here we studied (1) how children acquired conditioned fear from observing their parent, or a stranger, being exposed to a fear conditioning paradigm, and (2) the subsequent fear extinction process in these children. Eighty-three child-parent dyads were recruited. The parent was filmed while undergoing a conditioning procedure where one cue was paired with a shock (CS + Parent) and one was not (CS −). Children (8 to 12 years old) watched this video and a video of an adult stranger who underwent conditioning with a different cue reinforced (CS + Stranger). Children were then exposed to all cues (no shocks were delivered) while skin conductance responses (SCR) were recorded. Children exhibited higher SCR to the CS + Parent and CS + Stranger relative to the CS −. Physiological synchronization between the child’s SCR during observational learning and the parent’s SCR during the actual process of fear conditioning predicted higher SCR for the child to the CS + Parent. Our data suggest that children acquire fear vicariously and this can be measured physiologically. These data lay the foundation to examine observational fear learning mechanisms that might contribute to fear and anxiety disorders transmission in clinically affected families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-France Marin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke West Street, Montreal, QC, H2X 3P2, Canada. .,Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada.
| | - Alexe Bilodeau-Houle
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke West Street, Montreal, QC, H2X 3P2, Canada.,Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Simon Morand-Beaulieu
- Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Blvd, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Alexandra Brouillard
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke West Street, Montreal, QC, H2X 3P2, Canada.,Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Ryan J Herringa
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 750 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 530 1st Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA
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