Type of Trauma Exposure Impacts Neural Reactivity to Errors

Abstract. Studies suggest that individuals with a history of trauma exposure display abnormal reactivity to threat, though the pattern of findings across prior studies has been inconsistent. At least two factors likely contribute to previous discrepant findings: (1) the type of index trauma event and (2) the type of threat paradigm. Accordingly, the current study aimed to examine the impact of trauma type on a specific psychophysiological index of threat sensitivity – error negativity (Ne), also described as error-related negativity (ERN). Young adults were classified into three groups: lifetime history of interpersonal trauma (i.e., sexual assault, physical assault, or immediate family violence; n = 30), lifetime history of a non-interpersonal trauma (e.g., accidents, natural disasters; n = 30), or no lifetime history of trauma ( n = 64). All participants completed a well-validated flanker task designed to elicit the Ne/ERN during continuous electroencephalographic (EEG) data collection. Results indicated that individuals with non-interpersonal trauma exposure displayed reduced Ne/ERN amplitude compared with the other two groups (who did not differ from each other). Broadly, these findings highlight the importance of trauma type and theory suggesting different forms of trauma may result in different neurobiological profiles. These findings also add to a growing literature indicating that non-interpersonal traumas may be uniquely associated with blunted threat sensitivity and deficiencies in self-monitoring.

Impact of Trauma Type on Startle Reactivity to Predictable and Unpredictable Threats

ABSTRACT

Trauma exposure has been repeatedly linked to psychophysiological threat reactivity, although the directionality of this association has been inconsistent. Several factors likely contribute to inconsistent findings including type of trauma and threat paradigm. The present study therefore examined the impact of trauma type on psychophysiological reactivity to predictable (P-) and unpredictable (U-) threat in young adults (N = 112). Participants were classified into three groups: history of interpersonal or noninterpersonal trauma, or no history of trauma. Startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded during a well-validated threat-of-shock paradigm. Results indicated individuals with interpersonal trauma exposure displayed exaggerated startle reactivity to U-threat (only) compared with both other groups. In contrast, individuals with noninterpersonal trauma exhibited blunted startle reactivity to U-threat (only) compared with both other groups. Findings reveal that trauma and threat type influence threat reactivity and that those with a history of interpersonal trauma may uniquely display exaggerated sensitivity to stressors that are uncertain.