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Desai S, Zundel CG, Evanski JM, Gowatch LC, Bhogal A, Ely S, Carpenter C, Shampine M, O'Mara E, Rabinak CA, Marusak HA. Genetic variation in endocannabinoid signaling: Anxiety, depression, and threat- and reward-related brain functioning during the transition into adolescence. Behav Brain Res 2024; 463:114925. [PMID: 38423255 PMCID: PMC10977105 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The endocannabinoid system modulates neural activity throughout the lifespan. In adults, neuroimaging studies link a common genetic variant in fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH C385A)-an enzyme that regulates endocannabinoid signaling-to reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and altered threat- and reward-related neural activity. However, limited research has investigated these associations during the transition into adolescence, a period of substantial neurodevelopment and increased psychopathology risk. METHODS This study included FAAH genotype and longitudinal neuroimaging and neurobehavioral data from 4811 youth (46% female; 9-11 years at Baseline, 11-13 years at Year 2) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study. Linear mixed models examined the effects of FAAH and the FAAH x time interaction on anxiety and depressive symptoms, amygdala reactivity to threatening faces, and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) response to happy faces during the emotional n-back task. RESULTS A significant main effect of FAAH on depressive symptoms was observed, such that depressive symptoms were lower across both timepoints in those with the AA genotype compared to both AC and CC genotypes (p's<0.05). There were no significant FAAH x time interactions for anxiety, depression, or neural responses (p's>0.05). Additionally, there were no main effects of FAAH on anxiety or neural responses (p's>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings add to emerging evidence linking the FAAH C385A variant to lower risk of psychopathology, and extend these findings to a developmental sample. In particular, we found lower depressive symptoms in FAAH AA genotypes compared to AC and CC genotypes. Future research is needed to characterize the role of the FAAH variant and the eCB system more broadly in neurodevelopment and psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Desai
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Clara G Zundel
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Julia M Evanski
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Leah C Gowatch
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Amanpreet Bhogal
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Samantha Ely
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carmen Carpenter
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - MacKenna Shampine
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Emilie O'Mara
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA; Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, USA
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, USA.
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Labuschagne I, Dominguez JF, Grace S, Mizzi S, Henry JD, Peters C, Rabinak CA, Sinclair E, Lorenzetti V, Terrett G, Rendell PG, Pedersen M, Hocking DR, Heinrichs M. Specialization of amygdala subregions in emotion processing. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26673. [PMID: 38590248 PMCID: PMC11002533 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is important for human fear processing. However, recent research has failed to reveal specificity, with evidence that the amygdala also responds to other emotions. A more nuanced understanding of the amygdala's role in emotion processing, particularly relating to fear, is needed given the importance of effective emotional functioning for everyday function and mental health. We studied 86 healthy participants (44 females), aged 18-49 (mean 26.12 ± 6.6) years, who underwent multiband functional magnetic resonance imaging. We specifically examined the reactivity of four amygdala subregions (using regions of interest analysis) and related brain connectivity networks (using generalized psycho-physiological interaction) to fear, angry, and happy facial stimuli using an emotional face-matching task. All amygdala subregions responded to all stimuli (p-FDR < .05), with this reactivity strongly driven by the superficial and centromedial amygdala (p-FDR < .001). Yet amygdala subregions selectively showed strong functional connectivity with other occipitotemporal and inferior frontal brain regions with particular sensitivity to fear recognition and strongly driven by the basolateral amygdala (p-FDR < .05). These findings suggest that amygdala specialization to fear may not be reflected in its local activity but in its connectivity with other brain regions within a specific face-processing network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izelle Labuschagne
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of PsychologyThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Sally Grace
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Simone Mizzi
- School of Health and Biomedical ScienceRMIT UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Julie D. Henry
- School of PsychologyThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy PracticeWayne State UniversityDetroitMichiganUSA
| | | | - Erin Sinclair
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Gill Terrett
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Peter G. Rendell
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Mangor Pedersen
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceAuckland University of TechnologyAucklandNew Zealand
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Darren R. Hocking
- Institute for Health & SportVictoria UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Department of PsychologyAlbert‐Ludwigs‐University of FreiburgFreiburg im BreisgauGermany
- Freiburg Brain Imaging CenterUniversity Medical Center, Albert‐Ludwigs University of FreiburgFreiburg im BreisgauGermany
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Geers AL, Seligman LD, Pituch KA, Colagiuri B, Marusak HA, Rabinak CA, Al-Ado SL, Turner N, Nedley M. A test of pre-exposure spacing and multiple context pre-exposure on the mechanisms of latent inhibition of dental fear: A study protocol. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:85. [PMID: 38383546 PMCID: PMC10882743 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01580-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Latent inhibition occurs when exposure to a stimulus prior its direct associative conditioning impairs learning. Results from naturalistic studies suggest that latent inhibition disrupts the learning of dental fear from aversive associative conditioning and thereby reduces the development of dental phobia. Although theory suggests latent inhibition occurs because pre-exposure changes the expected relevance and attention directed to the pre-exposed stimulus, evidence supporting these mechanisms in humans is limited. The aim of this study is to determine if two variables, pre-exposure session spacing and multiple context pre-exposure, potentiate the hypothesized mechanisms of expected relevance and attention and, in turn, increase latent inhibition of dental fear. METHODS In a virtual reality simulation, child and adult community members (ages 6 to 35) will take part in pre-exposure and conditioning trials, followed by short- and long-term tests of learning. A 100ms puff of 60 psi air to a maxillary anterior tooth will serve as the unconditioned stimulus. Pre-exposure session spacing (no spacing vs. sessions spaced) and multiple context pre-exposure (single context vs. multiple contexts) will be between-subject factors. Stimulus type (pre-exposed to-be conditioned stimulus, a non-pre-exposed conditioned stimulus, and an unpaired control stimulus) and trial will serve as within-subject factors. Baseline pain sensitivity will also be measured as a potential moderator. DISCUSSION It is hypothesized that spaced pre-exposure and pre-exposure in multiple contexts will increase the engagement of the mechanisms of expected relevance and attention and increase the latent inhibition of dental fear. It is expected that the findings will add to theory on fear learning and provide information to aid the design of future interventions that leverage latent inhibition to reduce dental phobia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Geers
- Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 43606, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
| | - Laura D Seligman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
| | - Keenan A Pituch
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sena L Al-Ado
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Natalie Turner
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael Nedley
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio, USA
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Evanski JM, Iadipaolo A, Ely SL, Zundel CG, Gowatch LC, Bhogal A, Owens Z, Cohen C, Goldberg E, Bluth MH, Taub J, Harper FWK, Rabinak CA, Marusak HA. Smaller Hippocampal Volume Is Associated With Reduced Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children With Cancer and Survivors Following a Brief Novel Martial Arts-Based Intervention. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 39:167-174. [PMID: 37518896 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acad056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Children with cancer and survivors frequently report posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), which are associated with volumetric changes in stress-sensitive brain regions, including the hippocampus. METHODS We examined the impact of a novel, 4-week martial-arts-based meditative intervention on cancer-related PTSS in 18 pediatric patients and survivors and whether baseline hippocampal volumes correlate with PTSS severity and/or PTSS changes over time. RESULTS Overall, PTSS did not significantly change from baseline to post-intervention. Smaller hippocampal volume was correlated with more severe re-experiencing PTSS at baseline, and greater reductions in PTSS post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS Together, hippocampal volume may be a biomarker of PTSS severity and intervention response. Identifying hippocampal volume as a potential biomarker for PTSS severity and intervention response may allow for more informed psychosocial treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Evanski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | | | - Samantha L Ely
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Clara G Zundel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Leah C Gowatch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Amanpreet Bhogal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Zazai Owens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | | | - Elimelech Goldberg
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Martin H Bluth
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Taub
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Felicity W K Harper
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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Geers AL, Seligman LD, Pituch KA, Colagiuri B, Marusak HA, Rabinak CA, Turner N, Al-Ado SL, Nedley M. A study protocol testing pre-exposure dose and compound pre-exposure on the mechanisms of latent inhibition of dental fear. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:36. [PMID: 38238866 PMCID: PMC10797709 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01527-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dental stimuli can evoke fear after being paired - or conditioned - with aversive outcomes (e.g., pain). Pre-exposing the stimuli before conditioning can impair dental fear learning via a phenomenon known as latent inhibition. Theory suggests changes in expected relevance and attention are two mechanisms responsible for latent inhibition. In the proposed research, we test whether pre-exposure dose and degree of pre-exposure novelty potentiate changes in expected relevance and attention to a pre-exposed stimulus. We also assess if the manipulations alter latent inhibition and explore the possible moderating role of individual differences in pain sensitivity. METHODS Participants will be healthy individuals across a wide range of ages (6 to 35 years), from two study sites. Participants will undergo pre-exposure and conditioning followed by both a short-term and long-term test of learning, all in a novel virtual reality environment. The unconditioned stimulus will be a brief pressurized puff of air to a maxillary anterior tooth. Pre-exposure dose (low vs. high) and pre-exposure novelty (element stimulus vs. compound stimuli) will be between-subject factors, with stimulus type (pre-exposed to-be conditioned stimulus, a non-pre-exposed conditioned stimulus, and an unpaired control stimulus) and trial as within-subject factors. Pain sensitivity will be measured through self-report and a cold pressor test. It is hypothesized that a larger dose of pre-exposure and compound pre-exposure will potentiate the engagement of the target mechanisms and thereby result in greater latent inhibition in the form of reduced fear learning. Further, it is hypothesized that larger effects will be observed in participants with greater baseline pain sensitivity. DISCUSSION The proposed study will test whether pre-exposure dose and compound stimulus presentation change expected relevance and attention to the pre-exposed stimulus, and thereby enhance latent inhibition of dental fear. If found, the results will add to our theoretical understanding of the latent inhibition of dental fear and inform future interventions for dental phobia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Geers
- Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA.
| | - Laura D Seligman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA
| | - Keenan A Pituch
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Natalie Turner
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sena L Al-Ado
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Michael Nedley
- Department of Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
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Marusak HA, Evanski J, Desai S, Rabinak CA. Impact of Childhood Trauma Exposure, Genetic Variation in Endocannabinoid Signaling, and Anxiety on Frontolimbic Pathways in Children. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023; 8:1079-1089. [PMID: 35944262 PMCID: PMC10714120 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays a key role in modulating brain development, including myelination processes. Recent studies link a common variant (C385A, rs324420) in the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene to higher circulating eCB levels, lower anxiety, and altered frontolimbic development. Frontolimbic pathways, which demonstrate a protracted maturational course across childhood and adolescence, are associated with anxiety, and are vulnerable to environmental stressors such as trauma exposure. Here, we examined the impact of trauma exposure, FAAH genotype, and anxiety on frontolimbic white matter microstructure in children. Materials and Methods: We leveraged baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (n=9969; mean±standard deviation age=9.92±0.62 years; 47.1% female). Saliva samples were used for genotyping, and caregivers reported on their child's anxiety symptoms and trauma exposure. Fractional anisotropy (FA), a nonspecific measure of white matter integrity, was estimated for frontolimbic tracts. Results: Thirty-six percent of youth experienced one or more potentially traumatic events according to DSM-5 Criterion A (64% controls), and 45% were FAAH A-allele carriers (55% noncarriers). Relative to controls, trauma-exposed youth demonstrated higher anxiety and higher FA of the left uncinate. The FAAH A-allele (vs. CC) was associated with lower FA in the left fornix and left parahippocampal cingulum, and there was an indirect effect of FAAH genotype on anxiety through FA of the left fornix. Moreover, genotype moderated the association between FA of the left cingulum and anxiety. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate distinct effects of trauma exposure and the FAAH C385A variant on frontolimbic pathways and subsequent anxiety risk in preadolescent children. This line of work may provide important insights into neurodevelopmental mechanisms leading to anxiety risk, and potential targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Julia Evanski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Shreya Desai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Translational Neuroscience Graduate Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Zabik NL, Rabinak CA, Peters CA, Iadipaolo A. Cannabinoid modulation of corticolimbic activation during extinction learning and fear renewal in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 201:107758. [PMID: 37088409 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Failure to successfully extinguish fear is a hallmark of trauma-related disorders, like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is also characterized by dysfunctional corticolimbic activation and connectivity. The endocannabinoid system is a putative system to target for rescuing these behavioral and neural deficits. In healthy adults, acute, low-dose delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) facilitates fear extinction and increases cortico-limbic activation and connectivity in response to threat. The present study determines the effect of acute, low-dose THC on fear-related brain activation and connectivity during fear extinction in trauma-exposed adults with (PTSD = 19) and without PTSD [trauma-exposed controls (TEC) = 26] and non-trauma-exposed [healthy controls (HC) = 26]. We used a Pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction paradigm, where we measured concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral responses (i.e., skin conductance responding and expectancy ratings). Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, N = 71 subjects were randomized to receive placebo (PBO, n = 37) or THC (n = 34) prior to fear extinction learning. During early extinction learning, individuals with PTSD given THC had greater vmPFC activation than their TEC counterparts. During a test of the return of fear (i.e., renewal), HC and individuals with PTSD given THC had greater vmPFC activation compared to TEC. Individuals with PTSD given THC also had greater amygdala activation compared to those given PBO. We found no effects of trauma group or THC on behavioral fear indices during extinction learning, recall, and fear renewal. These data suggest that low dose, oral THC can affect neural indices of fear learning and memory in adults with trauma-exposure; this may be beneficial for future therapeutic interventions seeking to improve fear extinction learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Zabik
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Tolan Park Medical Building, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Tolan Park Medical Building, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Tolan Park Medical Building, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Tolan Park Medical Building, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
| | - Craig A Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Allesandra Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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Abstract
Urban residents are disproportionately affected by violence exposure and mental health consequences as compared to non-urban residents. The present study examined the prevalence of violence exposure and associated mental health consequences among urban and non-urban youth. Urban participants were drawn from Detroit, Michigan, a city that has led the nation for most of the last decade as one of the most violent big cities in the U.S. Participants included 32 Detroit youth and 32 youth recruited from the surrounding non-urban areas, matched on age (M=10.4±2.8 years) and sex (49% male). Youth completed validated measures of violence exposure, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Urban youth reported more violence exposures than their non-urban counterparts, including hearing gunshots (69% vs. 19%, respectively), witnessing a shooting (24% vs. 6%), and witnessing an arrest (58% vs. 27%). Overall, greater violence exposure was associated with more anxiety symptoms, particularly among urban youth. Although violence exposure was not associated with depressive symptoms overall, urban youth reported significantly higher depressive symptoms than non-urban youth. Exposure to specific violence types, particularly hearing gunshots, was associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms among urban but not non-urban youth. Being beat up predicted depressive symptoms among non-urban but not urban youth. Household income and community distress did not predict mental health outcomes. Taken together, urban youth have more exposure to violence, particularly firearm violence, and associated mental health problems than their non-urban counterparts. Targeted community-wide initiatives to prevent violence and identify exposed youth are needed to improve mental health in at-risk communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna A. Borg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University
- Translational Neuroscience Program, School of Medicine, Wayne State University
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University
| | - Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University
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Seligman LD, Geers AL, Kramer L, Clemens KS, Pituch KA, Colagiuri B, Marusak HA, Rabinak CA, Turner N, Nedley M. Study protocol of an investigation of attention and prediction error as mechanisms of action for latent inhibition of dental fear in humans. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:23. [PMID: 36698206 PMCID: PMC9875450 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01054-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that dental anxiety and phobia are frequently the result of direct associative fear conditioning but that pre-exposure to dental stimuli prior to conditioning results in latent inhibition of fear learning. The mechanisms underlying the pre-exposure effect in humans, however, are poorly understood. Moreover, pain sensitivity has been linked to dental fear conditioning in correlational investigations and theory suggests it may moderate the latent inhibition effect, but this hypothesis has not been directly tested. These gaps in our understanding are a barrier to the development of evidence-based dental phobia prevention efforts. METHODS Healthy volunteers between the ages of 6 and 35 years will be enrolled across two sites. Participants will complete a conditioning task in a novel virtual reality environment, allowing for control over pre-exposure and the examination of behaviour. A dental startle (a brief, pressurized puff of air to a tooth) will serve as the unconditioned stimulus. Using a within-subjects experimental design, participants will experience a pre-exposed to-be conditioned stimulus, a non-pre-exposed to-be conditioned stimulus, and a neutral control stimulus. Two hypothesized mechanisms, changes in prediction errors and attention, are expected to mediate the association between stimulus condition and fear acquisition, recall, and retention. To ascertain the involvement of pain sensitivity, this construct will be measured through self-report and the cold pressor task. DISCUSSION Dental phobia negatively affects the dental health and overall health of individuals. This study aims to determine the mechanisms through which pre-exposure retards conditioned dental fear acquisition, recall, and retention. A randomized control trial will be used to identify these mechanisms so that they can be precisely targeted and maximally engaged in preventative efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D. Seligman
- grid.449717.80000 0004 5374 269XDepartment of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78539 USA
| | - Andrew L. Geers
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Lauren Kramer
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Kelly S. Clemens
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Keenan A. Pituch
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ USA
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XDepartment of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hilary A. Marusak
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Natalie Turner
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Michael Nedley
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH USA
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Pacitto R, Peters C, Iadipaolo A, Rabinak CA. Cannabinoid modulation of brain activation during volitional regulation of negative affect in trauma-exposed adults. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109222. [PMID: 35981598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Emotion dysregulation is considered a core component of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cognitive reappraisal is one therapeutic emotion regulation strategy that has been widely studied among individuals with mood and anxiety disorders, and numerous differences in brain activation patterns have been shown between individuals with and without PTSD during tasks of cognitive reappraisal. Prior research among healthy subjects suggests that an acute, low dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could attenuate the neurophysiological discrepancies that exist between individuals with and without PTSD during tasks of emotional processing; however, the effect of an acute, low dose of THC on corticolimbic activity during emotion regulation among individuals with PTSD has not yet been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of THC on negative affect and brain activation in a priori regions of interest during cognitive reappraisal among trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD. Using a double-blind design, 51 individuals were randomized to receive THC or placebo (PBO) before participating in a well-established emotion regulation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). THC but not PBO reduced negative affect during reappraisal, and THC increased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation in response to neutral images. Individuals with PTSD displayed less activation in the angular gyrus, overall, compared to the trauma-exposed control (TEC) group, however THC increased angular gyrus activation in the PTSD group so that there was no significant difference in angular gyrus activation between the TEC and PTSD groups that received THC. Compared to PBO, THC also increased cerebellar activation during exposure to neutral images in individuals with PTSD. Lastly, in participants that received THC, greater posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus activation during reappraisal was associated with less self-reported negative affect following reappraisal blocks. Together these findings suggest that THC may prove to be a beneficial pharmacological adjunct to cognitive reappraisal therapy in the treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Pacitto
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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11
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Hehr A, Iadipaolo AS, Morales A, Cohen C, Taub JW, Harper FW, Goldberg E, Bluth MH, Rabinak CA, Marusak HA. Meditation reduces brain activity in the default mode network in children with active cancer and survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29917. [PMID: 35927934 PMCID: PMC9420817 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mounting evidence demonstrates that meditation can lower pain and emotional distress in adults, and more recently, in children. Children may benefit from meditation given its accessibility across a variety of settings (e.g., surgical preparation). Recent neuroimaging studies in adults suggest that meditation techniques are neurobiologically distinct from other forms of emotion regulation, such as distraction, that rely on prefrontal control mechanisms, which are underdeveloped in youth. Rather, meditation techniques may not rely on "top-down" prefrontal control and may therefore be utilized across the lifespan. PROCEDURE We examined neural activation in children with cancer, a potentially distressing diagnosis. During neuroimaging, children viewed distress-inducing video clips while using martial arts-based meditation (focused attention, mindful acceptance) or non-meditation (distraction) emotion regulation techniques. In a third condition (control), participants passively viewed the video clip. RESULTS We found that meditation techniques were associated with lower activation in default mode network (DMN) regions, including the medial frontal cortex, precuneus, and posterior cingulate cortex, compared to the control condition. Additionally, we found evidence that meditation techniques may be more effective for modulating DMN activity than distraction. There were no differences in self-reported distress ratings between conditions. CONCLUSION Together, these findings suggest that martial arts-based meditation modulates negative self-referential processing associated with the DMN, and may have implications for the management of pediatric pain and negative emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesh Hehr
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Allesandra S. Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Austin Morales
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | | | - Jeffrey W. Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Felicity W.K. Harper
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | | | - Martin H. Bluth
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, Michigan
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Pathology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
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12
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Desai S, Borg B, Cuttler C, Crombie KM, Rabinak CA, Hill MN, Marusak HA. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Exercise on the Endocannabinoid System. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2022; 7:388-408. [PMID: 34870469 PMCID: PMC9418357 DOI: 10.1089/can.2021.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis, including the regulation of metabolism and stress responses. Chronic stress may blunt eCB signaling, and disruptions in eCB signaling have been linked to stress-related psychiatric disorders and physical health conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), diabetes, and obesity. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological behavioral interventions (e.g., exercise) that target the eCB system may be promising therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of stress-related diseases. In this study, we perform a systematic review and the first meta-analysis to examine the impact of exercise on circulating eCB concentrations. Materials and Methods: We performed a review of the MEDLINE (PubMed) database for original articles examining the impact of exercise on eCBs in humans and animal models. A total of 262 articles were screened for initial inclusion. Results: Thirty-three articles (reporting on 57 samples) were included in the systematic review and 10 were included in the meta-analysis. The majority of samples that measured anandamide (AEA) showed a significant increase in AEA concentrations following acute exercise (74.4%), whereas effects on 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) were inconsistent. The meta-analysis, however, revealed a consistent increase in both AEA and 2-AG following acute exercise across modalities (e.g., running, cycling), species (e.g., humans, mice), and in those with and without pre-existing health conditions (e.g., PTSD, depression). There was substantial heterogeneity in the magnitude of the effect across studies, which may relate to exercise intensity, physical fitness, timing of measurement, and/or fasted state. Effects of chronic exercise were inconsistent. Conclusions: Potential interpretations and implications of exercise-induced mobilization of eCBs are discussed, including refilling of energy stores and mediating analgesic and mood elevating effects of exercise. We also offer recommendations for future work and discuss therapeutic implications for exercise in the prevention and treatment of stress-related psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Desai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Breanna Borg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Carrie Cuttler
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin M. Crombie
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthew N. Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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13
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Mayo LM, Rabinak CA, Hill MN, Heilig M. Targeting the Endocannabinoid System in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Promising Case of Preclinical-Clinical Translation? Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:262-272. [PMID: 34598785 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is one the most ubiquitous signaling systems of the brain and offers a rich pharmacology including multiple druggable targets. Preclinical research shows that eCB activity influences functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala and thereby influences an organism's ability to cope with threats and stressful experiences. Animal studies show that CB1 receptor activation within the amygdala is essential for extinction of fear memories. Failure to extinguish traumatic memories is a core symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder, suggesting that potentiating eCB signaling may have a therapeutic potential in this condition. However, it has been unknown whether animal findings in this domain translate to humans. Data to inform this critical question are now emerging and are the focus of this review. We first briefly summarize the biology of the eCB system and the animal studies that support its role in fear extinction and stress responding. We then discuss the pharmacological eCB-targeting strategies that may be exploited for therapeutic purposes: direct CB1 receptor activation, using Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or its synthetic analogs; or indirect potentiation, through inhibition of eCB-degrading enzymes, the anandamide-degrading enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase; or the 2-AG (2-arachidonoyl glycerol)-degrading enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase. We then review recent human data on direct CB1 receptor activation via Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide potentiation through fatty acid amide hydrolase blockade. The available human data consistently support a translation of animal findings on fear memories and stress reactivity and suggest a potential therapeutic utility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Mayo
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Translational Neuroscience Program, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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14
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Zabik NL, Iadipaolo AS, Marusak HA, Peters C, Burghardt K, Rabinak CA. A common genetic variant in fatty acid amide hydrolase is linked to alterations in fear extinction neural circuitry in a racially diverse, nonclinical sample of adults. J Neurosci Res 2021; 100:744-761. [PMID: 34051704 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Poor fear extinction learning and recall are linked to the development of fear-based disorders, like posttraumatic stress disorder, and are associated with aberrant activation of fear-related neural circuitry. This includes greater amygdala activation during extinction learning and lesser hippocampal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activation during recall. Emerging data indicate that genetic variation in fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH C385A; rs324420) is associated with increased peripheral endocannabinoid (eCB) levels and lesser threat-related amygdala reactivity. Preclinical studies link increased eCB signaling to better extinction learning and recall, thus FAAH C385A may protect against the development of trauma-related psychopathology by facilitating extinction learning. However, how this FAAH variant affects fear extinction neural circuitry remains unknown. In the present study, we used a novel, immersive-reality fear extinction paradigm paired with functional neuroimaging to assess FAAH C385A effects on fear-related neural circuitry and conditioned fear responding (US expectancy ratings, subjective units of distress, and skin conductance responding) in healthy adults from an urban area (Detroit, MI; N = 59; C/C = 35, A-carrier = 24). We found lesser amygdala activation in A-allele carriers, compared to C/C homozygotes, during early extinction recall. Likewise, we found lesser dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and greater hippocampus activation in early extinction learning in A-carriers compared to C/C homozygotes. We found no effects of FAAH C385A on vmPFC activation or behavioral fear indices. These data support and extend previous findings that FAAH genetic variation, associated with increased eCB signaling and subsequent enhanced fear extinction, may predict individual differences in successful fear learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Zabik
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kyle Burghardt
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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15
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Sharif L, Marusak HA, Peters C, Elrahal F, Rabinak CA. Trustworthiness and electrocortical processing of emotionally ambiguous faces in student police officers. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2021; 307:111237. [PMID: 33338977 PMCID: PMC7819151 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Perceptions of emotional facial expressions and trustworthiness of others guides behavior and has considerable implications for individuals who work in fields that require rapid decision making, such as law enforcement. This is particularly complicated for more ambiguous expressions, such as 'neutral' faces. We examined behavioral and electrocortical responses to facial expressions in 22 student police officers (18 males; 23.2 ± 3.63 years). Participants completed an emotional face appraisal task that involved viewing three expressions (fearful, neutral, happy) and were asked to identify the emotion and rate the trustworthiness of each face. The late positive potential (LPP), an event-related potential that tracks emotional intensity and/or salience of a stimulus, was measured during the task. Overall, participants rated neutral faces similarly to fearful faces and responded fastest to these expressions. Neutral faces also elicited a robust late LPP response that did not differ from LPP to fearful or happy faces, and there was substantial individual variation in trustworthiness ratings for neutral faces. Together, 'neutral' facial expressions elicited similar trustworthiness ratings to negatively-valenced stimuli. Brain and behavioral responses to neutral faces also varied across student officers; thus, encounters with ambiguous faces in the field may promote increased perceived threat in some officers, which may have real-world consequences (e.g., decision to shoot, risk of psychopathology).
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Affiliation(s)
- Limi Sharif
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States.
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16
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Marusak HA, Iadipaolo AS, Cohen C, Goldberg E, Taub JW, Harper FWK, Bluth MH, Rabinak CA. Martial Arts-Based Therapy Reduces Pain and Distress Among Children with Chronic Health Conditions and Their Siblings. J Pain Res 2020; 13:3467-3478. [PMID: 33402843 PMCID: PMC7778380 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s283364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Test whether a martial arts-based therapy, Kids Kicking Cancer (KKC), can reduce pain and emotional distress in children with cancer, other chronic health conditions (e.g., sickle cell), and healthy siblings. Methods This study surveyed children’s pain and distress levels immediately before and after a 1-hr in-person KKC class. Eligible participants were enrolled in standard KKC classes, were diagnosed with a chronic health condition (e.g., cancer, sickle cell) or were the sibling of a child diagnosed and were between the ages of 5–17 years (inclusive). Children reported on their pain and distress using Likert-style scales (Coloured Analog Scale and modified FACES scale, respectively). Friedman test was used to test for overall changes in pain and distress, and within subgroups. Age and sex effects were evaluated using Spearman’s rank-order correlation. Additional Yes/No questions were administered regarding KKC satisfaction and use of techniques. Results Fifty-nine youth (19 cancer patients, 17 non-cancer patients, 23 siblings; 5–17 yrs, 26 females) completed this study. Overall, there was a significant reduction in pain (p = 0.033) and emotional distress (p < 0.001) after a 1-hr class, with 50% and 89% of youth reporting a reduction in pain and distress, respectively. On average, pain levels remained within the mild/moderate range on average (i.e., pre vs. post levels; pre: M = 1.67, post: M = 1.33) and emotional distress went from mild/moderate to none/mild distress, on average (pre: M = 1.92, post: M = 1.08). Youth with higher pre-class pain and distress reported greater reductions (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The reduction in pain appeared to be most pronounced with cancer and non-cancer patients. In contrast, the reduction in distress appeared to be most pronounced among healthy siblings. However, overall, reductions in pain and distress did not significantly differ among subgroups (i.e., cancer patients, non-cancer patients, siblings), and change in pain and distress was not associated with age or sex. Ninety-six percent of youth would recommend KKC to others and 81% reported using KKC techniques (e.g., the Breath BrakeTM or other martial arts techniques) outside of class, such as at home. Conclusion Results support the more widespread application of KKC as a psychosocial intervention for reducing pain and distress in various pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Allesandra S Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Elimelech Goldberg
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Felicity W K Harper
- Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Martin H Bluth
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, USA.,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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17
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Marusak HA, Hehr A, Bhogal A, Peters C, Iadipaolo A, Rabinak CA. Alterations in fear extinction neural circuitry and fear-related behavior linked to trauma exposure in children. Behav Brain Res 2020; 398:112958. [PMID: 33069739 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to childhood trauma is extremely common (>60 %) and is a leading risk factor for fear-based disorders, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. These disorders are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction in underlying neural circuitry. Given the strong and pervasive link between childhood trauma and the development of psychopathology, fear extinction may be a key mechanism. The present study tests the impact of childhood trauma exposure on fear extinction and underlying neural circuitry. Children (N = 44, 45 % trauma-exposed; 6-11 yrs) completed a novel two-day virtual reality fear extinction experiment. On day one, participants underwent fear conditioning and extinction. Twenty-four hours later, participants completed a test of extinction recall during fMRI. Conditioned fear was measured throughout the experiment using skin conductance and fear-related behavior, and activation in fear-related brain regions was estimated during recall. There were no group differences in conditioned fear during fear conditioning or extinction learning. During extinction recall, however, trauma-exposed children kept more distance from both the previously extinguished and the safety cue, suggesting poor differentiation between threat and safety cues. Trauma-exposed youth also failed to approach the previously extinguished cue over the course of extinction recall. The effects on fear-related behavior during extinction recall were accompanied by higher activation to the previously extinguished cue in fear-relevant brain regions, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, in trauma-exposed relative to control children. Alterations in fear-related brain regions and fear-related behavior may be a core mechanism through which childhood trauma confers heightened vulnerability to psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
| | - Aneesh Hehr
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Amanpreet Bhogal
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Allesandra Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
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18
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Rabinak CA, Blanchette A, Zabik NL, Peters C, Marusak HA, Iadipaolo A, Elrahal F. Cannabinoid modulation of corticolimbic activation to threat in trauma-exposed adults: a preliminary study. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1813-1826. [PMID: 32162103 PMCID: PMC7244361 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05499-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Excessive fear and anxiety, coupled with corticolimbic dysfunction, are core features of stress- and trauma-related psychopathology, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Interestingly, low doses of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can produce anxiolytic effects, reduce threat-related amygdala activation, and enhance functional coupling between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex and adjacent rostral cingulate cortex (mPFC/rACC) during threat processing in healthy adults. Together, these findings suggest the cannabinoid system as a potential pharmacological target in the treatment of excess fear and anxiety. However, the effects of THC on corticolimbic functioning in response to threat have not be investigated in adults with trauma-related psychopathology. OBJECTIVE To address this gap, the present study tests the effects of an acute low dose of THC on corticolimbic responses to threat in three groups of adults: (1) non-trauma-exposed healthy controls (HC; n = 25), (2) trauma-exposed adults without PTSD (TEC; n = 27), and (3) trauma-exposed adults with PTSD (n = 19). METHODS Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design, 71 participants were randomly assigned to receive either THC or placebo (PBO) and subsequently completed a well-established threat processing paradigm during functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS In adults with PTSD, THC lowered threat-related amygdala reactivity, increased mPFC activation during threat, and increased mPFC-amygdala functional coupling. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data suggest that THC modulates threat-related processing in trauma-exposed individuals with PTSD, which may prove advantageous as a pharmacological approach to treating stress- and trauma-related psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Ashley Blanchette
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Nicole L Zabik
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Allesandra Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
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19
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Huntley ED, Marusak HA, Berman SE, Zundel CG, Hatfield JRB, Keating DP, Rabinak CA. Adolescent substance use and functional connectivity between the ventral striatum and hippocampus. Behav Brain Res 2020; 390:112678. [PMID: 32413469 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental explanations for adolescent substance use have focused on heightened sensitivity of mesolimbic circuitry, centered on the ventral striatum (VS). Recent evidence suggests that, relative to adults, adolescents show a stronger link between reinforcement learning and episodic memory for rewarding outcomes and greater functional connectivity between the VS and hippocampus, which may reflect a heightened reward modulation of memory. However, a link between VS-hippocampal circuitry and adolescent substance use has yet to be established. Two separate studies were conducted to evaluate whether variation in VS-hippocampal resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) predicts subsequent adolescent substance use exposure. A pilot study (Study 1) was conducted in 19 youth recruited from a high sociodemographic risk population (N = 19; mean age = 13.3 SD = 1.4; 14 females; 47% Black Non-Hispanic, 32% White Non-Hispanic). To replicate results of Study 1, Study 2 utilized data from the National Consortium on Adolescent Neurodevelopment and Alcohol (N = 644; mean age = 16.3 SD = 2.5; 339 females; 11% Black Non-Hispanic, 11% Hispanic/Latino, 66% White Non-Hispanic). Resting-state fMRI data were collected at a baseline time point and lifetime and past year self-reported substance use was collected at a follow up visit. Regression models tested whether baseline VS-hippocampal rs-FC predicted substance use exposure at follow up, as measured by an index score reflecting the number of substance classes (e.g., alcohol, marijuana) tried and overall frequency of use. Across both studies, higher VS-hippocampal rs-FC at baseline predicted greater substance use exposure at follow up (pFWE < 0.05). These data provide the first evidence linking increased VS-hippocampal connectivity with greater adolescent substance use exposure. Results fit with the emerging idea that variation in adolescent substance use may relate to not only individual differences in mesolimbic sensitivity to reward, but also to an individuals' memory sensitivity to reward as measured by connectivity between canonical memory and reward regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward D Huntley
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Detroit, MI, United States.
| | | | - Clara G Zundel
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joshua R B Hatfield
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniel P Keating
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States
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20
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Hammoud MZ, Peters C, Hatfield JRB, Gorka SM, Phan KL, Milad MR, Rabinak CA. Influence of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on long-term neural correlates of threat extinction memory retention in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1769-1777. [PMID: 31096264 PMCID: PMC6784991 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The neural mechanisms and durability of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impact on threat processing in humans are not fully understood. Herein, we used functional MRI and psychophysiological tools to examine the influence of THC on the mechanisms of conditioned threat extinction learning, and the effects of THC on extinction memory retention when assessed 1 day and 1 week from learning. Healthy participants underwent threat conditioning on day 1. On day 2, participants were randomized to take one pill of THC or placebo (PBO) 2-h before threat extinction learning. Extinction memory retention was assessed 1 day and 1 week after extinction learning. We found that THC administration increased amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activation during early extinction learning with no significant impact on skin conductance responses (SCR). When extinction memory retention was tested 24 h after learning, the THC group exhibited lower SCRs to the extinguished cue with no significant extinction-induced activations within the extinction network. When extinction memory retention was tested 1 week after learning, the THC group exhibited significantly decreased responses to the extinguished cues within the vmPFC and amygdala, but significantly increased functional coupling between the vmPFC, hippocampus, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during this extinction retention test. Our results are the first to report a long-term impact of one dose of THC on the functional activation of the threat extinction network and unveil a significant change in functional connectivity emerging after a week from engagement. We highlight the need for further investigating the long-term impact of THC on threat and anxiety circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Z. Hammoud
- 0000 0001 2175 0319grid.185648.6Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Craig Peters
- 0000 0001 1456 7807grid.254444.7Department of Pharmacy Practice and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
| | - Joshua R. B. Hatfield
- 0000 0001 1456 7807grid.254444.7Department of Pharmacy Practice and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
| | - Stephanie M. Gorka
- 0000 0001 2175 0319grid.185648.6Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - K. Luan Phan
- 0000 0001 2175 0319grid.185648.6Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA ,0000 0001 2175 0319grid.185648.6Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA ,grid.280892.9Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, USA
| | - Mohammed R. Milad
- 0000 0001 2175 0319grid.185648.6Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- 0000 0001 1456 7807grid.254444.7Department of Pharmacy Practice and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
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21
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Abstract
This review examines the neurobiological effects of pediatric cancer-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). We first consider studies on prevalence and predictors of childhood cancer-related PTSS and compare these studies to those in typically developing (i.e., noncancer) populations. Then, we briefly introduce the brain regions implicated in PTSS and review neuroimaging studies examining the neural correlates of PTSS in noncancer populations. Next, we present a framework and recommendations for future research. In particular, concurrent evaluation of PTSS and neuroimaging, as well as sociodemographic, medical, family factors, and other life events, are needed to uncover mechanisms leading to cancer-related PTSS. We review findings from neuroimaging studies on childhood cancer and one recent study on cancer-related PTSS as a starting point in this line of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Population Studies & Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Felicity W Harper
- Population Studies & Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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22
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Gellci K, Marusak HA, Peters C, Elrahal F, Iadipaolo AS, Rabinak CA. Community and household-level socioeconomic disadvantage and functional organization of the salience and emotion network in children and adolescents. Neuroimage 2019; 184:729-740. [PMID: 30287301 PMCID: PMC6230495 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.09.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) during childhood has been linked to disparities in physical and mental health. A growing body of research has focused on identifying neurodevelopmental consequences of SED, commonly measured using within-household factors (e.g., household income), to better understand the processes underlying SED-related disparities. These studies suggest that childhood SED has a widespread impact on brain development, altering development of multiple brain regions simultaneously. These findings also raise the possibility that childhood SED impacts development of key brain systems, such as the salience and emotion network (SEN), which is positioned at the intersection of brain systems involved in cognitive and emotion-related functioning and is thought to mediate information flow within and between these networks. The present study tests for associations between household- and community-level SED, as well as their interaction, and measures of SEN-based functional neural organization in 57 children and adolescents (ages 6-17). We applied graph theoretical analyses to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to examine SEN-based functional network topology. Results showed that youth residing in more distressed communities demonstrate lower hub-like properties (i.e., less efficient global information transfer and fewer connections) of two core SEN nodes - the anterior cingulate cortex and the left supramarginal gyrus. Similarly, lower household income was associated with lower efficiency of the anterior cingulate, but had no effect on the supramarginal gyrus. There was, however, an interaction between income and community SED in the rostral prefrontal cortex, such that higher income was associated with higher clustering coefficient and lower betweenness centrality, suggesting greater local processing and lower influence of this region on information flow across the network. These effects were significant only among youth living in low (but not high) SED communities, suggesting that within-household SED factors may not protect against the detrimental effects of a disadvantaged community context. Similarly, the age-related increase in average path length of the left rostral prefrontal cortex was only significant among youth living in low (but not high) SED communities. Given that maturation of the SEN is considered to be a critical functional backbone supporting the development of more flexible cognitive and emotional processes into adulthood, we tested for links between SEN graph metrics and measures of cognitive and emotion-related functioning. We found that higher community SED and lower income were both associated with lower IQ. Lower IQ, in turn, was associated with global efficiency of the left supramarginal gyrus. Observed effects of SED on SEN-based functional neural organization may help to explain the strong and pervasive link between childhood SED and disparities in cognitive and emotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Gellci
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Dr., Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Allesandra S Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
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23
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Hehr A, Marusak HA, Huntley ED, Rabinak CA. Effects of Duration and Midpoint of Sleep on Corticolimbic Circuitry in Youth. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks) 2019; 3:2470547019856332. [PMID: 31511841 PMCID: PMC6739076 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019856332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive and emotion-related functioning, and 9 to 12 hr of sleep is recommended for children ages 6 to 12 years and 8 to 10 hr for children ages 13 to 18 years. However, national survey data indicate that older youth sleep for fewer hours and fall asleep later than younger youth. This shift in sleep duration and timing corresponds with a sharp increase in onset of emotion-related problems (e.g., anxiety, depression) during adolescence. Given that both sleep duration and timing have been linked to emotion-related outcomes, the present study tests the effects of sleep duration and timing, and their interaction, on resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) of corticolimbic emotion-related neural circuitry in children and adolescents. METHODS A total of 63 children and adolescents (6-17 years, 34 females) completed a weekend overnight sleep journal and a 10-min resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan the next day (Sunday). Whole-brain RS-FC of the amygdala was computed, and the effects of sleep duration, timing (i.e., midpoint of sleep), and their interaction were explored using regression analyses. RESULTS Overall, we found that older youth tended to sleep later and for fewer hours than younger youth. Controlling for age, shorter sleep duration was associated with lower RS-FC between the amygdala and regions implicated in emotion regulation, including ventral anterior cingulate cortex, precentral gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus. Interestingly, midpoint of sleep was associated with altered connectivity in a distinct set of brain regions involved in interoception and sensory processing, including insula, supramarginal gyrus, and postcentral gyrus. Our data also indicate widespread interactive effects of sleep duration and midpoint on brain regions implicated in emotion regulation, sensory processing, and motor control. CONCLUSION These results suggest that both sleep duration and midpoint of sleep are associated with next-day RS-FC within corticolimbic emotion-related neural circuitry in children and adolescents. The observed interactive effects of sleep duration and timing on RS-FC may reflect how homeostatic and circadian process interact in the brain and explain the complex patterns observed with respect to emotional health when considering sleep duration and timing. Sleep-related changes in corticolimbic circuitry may contribute to the onset of emotion-related problems during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesh Hehr
- Department of Pharmacy Practice,
Wayne
State University College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice,
Wayne
State University College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Edward D. Huntley
- Survey Research Center, Institute for
Social Research,
University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice,
Wayne
State University College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA
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24
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Marusak HA, Iadipaolo AS, Paulisin S, Harper FW, Taub JW, Dulay K, Elrahal F, Peters C, Sala-Hamrick K, Crespo LM, Rabinak CA. Emotion-related brain organization and behavioral responses to socioemotional stimuli in pediatric cancer survivors with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2019; 66:e27470. [PMID: 30270517 PMCID: PMC6249085 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.27470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric cancer is a life-changing, stressful experience for children and their families. Although most children adjust well, psychologically, a significant subset report posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), with nearly 75% reexperiencing traumatic parts of cancer and/or its treatment. However, little research has examined the effects of pediatric cancer and related PTSS on emotional processing, and on functional properties of key emotional centers in the brain (e.g., amygdala). PROCEDURE We examined cancer-related PTSS, behavioral responses during an emotion-processing task, and resting-state functional connectivity of the amygdala in 17 pediatric cancer survivors (ages 6-11) and 17 age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS Cancer survivors, relative to controls, were more likely to rate ambiguous (i.e., neutral) faces as negative (i.e., "negativity bias"). Higher reexperiencing PTSS was associated with faster responses to neutral faces. Although there were no group differences in amygdala centrality, within survivors, both higher reexperiencing PTSS and faster reaction times were associated with increased centrality of the amygdala-a functional property associated with hubs of information processing in the brain. In an exploratory mediation analysis, we found that amygdala centrality mediated the link between reaction time and PTSS, suggesting that changes in the brain may be a proximal marker of the expression of emotion-related symptomology. CONCLUSIONS Negativity bias in cancer survivors may reflect their stressful experiences with cancer and/or its treatment. This negativity bias may represent a susceptibility to changes in emotion-related brain functioning, which may, in turn, lead to PTSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A. Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI;,Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI
| | - Allesandra S. Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Shelley Paulisin
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Felicity W. Harper
- Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI;,Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Jeffrey W. Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI,,Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI
| | | | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | | | - Laura M. Crespo
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI;,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI;,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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25
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Marusak HA, Peters C, Hehr A, Elrahal F, Rabinak CA. Poor between-session recall of extinction learning and hippocampal activation and connectivity in children. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 156:86-95. [PMID: 30347237 PMCID: PMC6286149 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In healthy adults, successful between-session recall of extinction learning depends on the hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), especially when tested in the extinction context. Poor extinction recall and dysfunction within hippocampal-vmPFC circuitry are associated with fear-based disorders (e.g., anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder). Despite the early age of onset of virtually all fear-based disorders and the protracted development of the hippocampus and vmPFC across the first two decades of life, little is known about extinction recall and the underlying neural correlates in children. METHODS Here, we tested extinction recall in 43 pre-adolescent children (ages 6-11 yrs) by coupling functional magnetic resonance imaging and virtual reality with a novel interpersonal threat-related two-day (ABBA) fear-extinction paradigm. Conditioned fear responding was assessed at behavioral, subjective, physiological, and neural levels. RESULTS Although children demonstrated intact within-session extinction, there was poor between-session recall of extinction learning (retention index: 13.56%), evidenced by elevations in skin conductance, avoidant behavioral responses, and subjective ratings. Elevations in conditioning fear responding were accompanied by activation in the hippocampus and insula, and increased connectivity of the hippocampus with the insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex - regions implicated in the return of fear in adult studies. Children who kept more distance from the extinguished cue during extinction subsequently demonstrated heightened hippocampal-cingulate coupling during recall, suggesting that avoidant behavior interferes with extinction retention. CONCLUSIONS Poor extinction recall in children may have implications for developmental vulnerability to fear-based disorders, and for the application of therapeutic strategies that rely on principles of extinction (e.g., exposure therapy) to pediatric samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States.
| | - Craig Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Aneesh Hehr
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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Rabinak CA, Peters C, Marusak HA, Ghosh S, Phan KL. Effects of acute Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on next-day extinction recall is mediated by post-extinction resting-state brain dynamics. Neuropharmacology 2018; 143:289-298. [PMID: 30291940 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that an acute dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocanninbinol (THC), administered prior to extinction learning, facilitates later recall of extinction learning and modulates the underlying neural circuitry, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), hippocampus (HPC), and amygdala (AMYG). It remains unknown whether THC-induced changes in fear-extinction neural circuitry can be detected following extinction learning, which may reflect ongoing processes involved consolidation of the extinction memory. To address this gap, we used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design to compare acute pharmacological effects of THC (7.5 mg) vs. placebo (PBO) on post-extinction resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) within fear-extinction circuitry in 77 healthy adults (THC = 40; PBO = 37). RS-FC was examined between vmPFC, HPC, and AMYG using two complementary approaches: 1) static RS-FC (average correlation in ROI-ROI pairs across the entire scan); and 2) dynamic (i.e., time-varying) RS-FC (sliding window correlation time series' variance). RS-FC was then linked to behavioral and brain measures of extinction recall. Compared to PBO, THC administration was associated with lower AMYG-HPC static RS-FC, but higher AMYG-vmPFC dynamic RS-FC. Lower AMYG-HPC static RS-FC was associated with higher HPC activation, as well as, better extinction recall. Moreover, lower AMYG-HPC static RS-FC following extinction learning mediated the link between THC administration and extinction recall. Post-extinction RS-FC patterns may reflect sustained effects of THC on fear-extinction circuitry even in the absence of an overt task, and/or effects of ongoing processes that serve to strengthen the neural connections supporting the consolidation of the memory and better extinction recall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Rabinak
- Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States.
| | - Craig Peters
- Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Samiran Ghosh
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Family Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - K Luan Phan
- Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60608, United States; Psychology and Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60608, United States; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60608, United States; Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
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27
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Iadipaolo AS, Marusak HA, Paulisin SM, Sala-Hamrick K, Crespo LM, Elrahal F, Peters C, Brown S, Rabinak CA. Distinct neural correlates of trait resilience within core neurocognitive networks in at-risk children and adolescents. Neuroimage Clin 2018; 20:24-34. [PMID: 29988970 PMCID: PMC6034583 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Most children who are exposed to threat-related adversity (e.g., violence, abuse, neglect) are resilient - that is, they show stable trajectories of healthy psychological development. Despite this, most research on neurodevelopmental changes following adversity has focused on the neural correlates of negative outcomes, such as psychopathology. The neural correlates of trait resilience in pediatric populations are unknown, and it is unclear whether they are distinct from those related to adversity exposure and the absence of negative outcomes (e.g., depressive symptomology). Methods This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study reports on a diverse sample of 55 children and adolescents (ages 6-17 years) recruited from a range of stressful environments (e.g., lower income, threat-related adversity exposure). Participants completed a multi-echo multi-band resting-state fMRI scan and self-report measures of trait resilience and emotion-related symptomology (e.g., depressive symptoms). Resting-state data were submitted to an independent component analysis (ICA) to identify core neurocognitive networks (salience and emotion network [SEN], default mode network [DMN], central executive network [CEN]). We tested for links among trait resilience and dynamic (i.e., time-varying) as well as conventional static (i.e., averaged across the entire session) resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of core neurocognitive networks. Results Youth with higher trait resilience spent a lower fraction of time in a particular dynamic rsFC state, characterized by heightened rsFC between the anterior DMN and right CEN. Within this state, trait resilience was associated with lower rsFC of the SEN with the right CEN and anterior DMN. There were no associations among trait resilience and conventional static rsFC. Importantly, although more resilient youth reported lower depressive symptoms, the effects of resilience on rsFC were independent of depressive symptoms and adversity exposure. Conclusions The present study is the first to report on the neural correlates of trait resilience in youth, and offers initial insight into potential adaptive patterns of brain organization in the context of environmental stressors. Understanding the neural dynamics underlying positive adaptation to early adversity will aid in the development of interventions that focus on strengthening resilience rather than mitigating already-present psychological problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
| | - Shelley M Paulisin
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | | | - Laura M Crespo
- Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Craig Peters
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Suzanne Brown
- Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
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Marusak HA, Iadipaolo AS, Harper FW, Elrahal F, Taub JW, Goldberg E, Rabinak CA. Neurodevelopmental consequences of pediatric cancer and its treatment: applying an early adversity framework to understanding cognitive, behavioral, and emotional outcomes. Neuropsychol Rev 2018; 28:123-175. [PMID: 29270773 PMCID: PMC6639713 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-017-9365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Today, children are surviving pediatric cancer at unprecedented rates, making it one of modern medicine's true success stories. However, we are increasingly becoming aware of several deleterious effects of cancer and the subsequent "cure" that extend beyond physical sequelae. Indeed, survivors of childhood cancer commonly report cognitive, emotional, and psychological difficulties, including attentional difficulties, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Cognitive late- and long-term effects have been largely attributed to neurotoxic effects of cancer treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, cranial irradiation, surgery) on brain development. The role of childhood adversity in pediatric cancer - namely, the presence of a life-threatening disease and endurance of invasive medical procedures - has been largely ignored in the existing neuroscientific literature, despite compelling research by our group and others showing that exposure to more commonly studied adverse childhood experiences (i.e., domestic and community violence, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) strongly imprints on neural development. While these adverse childhood experiences are different in many ways from the experience of childhood cancer (e.g., context, nature, source), they do share a common element of exposure to threat (i.e., threat to life or physical integrity). Therefore, we argue that the double hit of early threat and cancer treatments likely alters neural development, and ultimately, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional outcomes. In this paper, we (1) review the existing neuroimaging research on child, adolescent, and adult survivors of childhood cancer, (2) summarize gaps in our current understanding, (3) propose a novel neurobiological framework that characterizes childhood cancer as a type of childhood adversity, particularly a form of early threat, focusing on development of the hippocampus and the salience and emotion network (SEN), and (4) outline future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
| | - Allesandra S Iadipaolo
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Felicity W Harper
- Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Elimelech Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Ave., Suite 2190, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Marshall NA, Marusak HA, Sala-Hamrick KJ, Crespo LM, Rabinak CA, Thomason ME. Socioeconomic disadvantage and altered corticostriatal circuitry in urban youth. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1982-1994. [PMID: 29359526 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) experienced in early life is linked to a range of risk behaviors and diseases. Neuroimaging research indicates that this association is mediated by functional changes in corticostriatal reward systems that modulate goal-directed behavior, reward evaluation, and affective processing. Existing research has focused largely on adults and within-household measures as an index of SED, despite evidence that broader community-level SED (e.g., neighborhood poverty levels) has significant and sometimes distinct effects on development and health outcomes. Here, we test effects of both household- and community-level SED on resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the ventral striatum (VS) in 100 racially and economically diverse children and adolescents (ages 6-17). We observed unique effects of household income and community SED on VS circuitry such that higher community SED was associated with reduced rsFC between the VS and an anterior region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas lower household income was associated with increased rsFC between the VS and the cerebellum, inferior temporal lobe, and lateral prefrontal cortex. Lower VS-mPFC rsFC was also associated with higher self-reported anxiety symptomology, and rsFC mediated the link between community SED and anxiety. These results indicate unique effects of community-level SED on corticostriatal reward circuitry that can be detected in early life, which carries implications for future interventions and targeted therapies. In addition, our findings raise intriguing questions about the distinct pathways through which specific sources of SED can affect brain and emotional development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narcis A Marshall
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Kelsey J Sala-Hamrick
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Laura M Crespo
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Pediatrics Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.,Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Detroit, MI, Bethesda, Maryland
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30
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Marusak HA, Thomason ME, Sala-Hamrick K, Crespo L, Rabinak CA. What's parenting got to do with it: emotional autonomy and brain and behavioral responses to emotional conflict in children and adolescents. Dev Sci 2017; 21:e12605. [PMID: 28913886 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Healthy parenting may be protective against the development of emotional psychopathology, particularly for children reared in stressful environments. Little is known, however, about the brain and behavioral mechanisms underlying this association, particularly during childhood and adolescence, when emotional disorders frequently emerge. Here, we demonstrate that psychological control, a parenting strategy known to limit socioemotional development in children, is associated with altered brain and behavioral responses to emotional conflict in 27 at-risk (urban, lower income) youth, ages 9-16. In particular, youth reporting higher parental psychological control demonstrated lower activity in the left anterior insula, a brain area involved in emotion conflict processing, and submitted faster but less accurate behavioral responses-possibly reflecting an avoidant pattern. Effects were not replicated for parental care, and did not generalize to an analogous nonemotional conflict task. We also find evidence that behavioral responses to emotional conflict bridge the previously reported link between parental overcontrol and anxiety in children. Effects of psychological control may reflect a parenting style that limits opportunities to practice self-regulation when faced with emotionally charged situations. Results support the notion that parenting strategies that facilitate appropriate amounts of socioemotional competence and autonomy in children may be protective against social and emotional difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Merill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Perinatology Research Branch, National Institutes of Health, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Laura Crespo
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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31
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MacNamara A, Rabinak CA, Kennedy AE, Phan KL. Convergence of fMRI and ERP measures of emotional face processing in combat-exposed U. S. military veterans. Psychophysiology 2017; 55. [PMID: 28881021 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The late positive potential (LPP) and fMRI blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) activity can provide complementary measures of the processing of affective and social stimuli. Separate lines of research using these measures have often employed the same stimuli, paradigms, and samples; however, there remains relatively little understanding of the way in which individual differences in one of these measures relates to the other, and all prior research has been conducted in psychiatrically healthy samples and using emotional scenes (not faces). Here, 32 combat-exposed U. S. military veterans with varying levels of posttraumatic stress symptomatology viewed affective social stimuli (angry, fearful, and happy faces) and geometric shapes during separate EEG and fMRI BOLD recordings. Temporospatial principal component analysis was used to quantify the face-elicited LPP in a data-driven manner, prior to conducting whole-brain correlations between resulting positivities and fMRI BOLD elicited by faces. Participants with larger positivities to fearful faces (> shapes) showed increased activation in the amygdala; larger positivities to angry and happy faces (> shapes) were associated with increased BOLD activation in the posterior fusiform gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, respectively. Across all face types, larger positivities were associated with increased activation in the fusiform "face" area. Correlations using mean area amplitude LPPs showed an association with increased activation in the anterior insula for angry faces (> shapes). LPP-BOLD associations were not moderated by PTSD. Findings provide the first evidence of correspondence between face-elicited LPP and BOLD activation across a range of (normal to disordered) psychiatric health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annmarie MacNamara
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice and Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Amy E Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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32
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Marusak HA, Elrahal F, Peters CA, Kundu P, Lombardo MV, Calhoun VD, Goldberg EK, Cohen C, Taub JW, Rabinak CA. Mindfulness and dynamic functional neural connectivity in children and adolescents. Behav Brain Res 2017; 336:211-218. [PMID: 28887198 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interventions that promote mindfulness consistently show salutary effects on cognition and emotional wellbeing in adults, and more recently, in children and adolescents. However, we lack understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mindfulness in youth that should allow for more judicious application of these interventions in clinical and educational settings. METHODS Using multi-echo multi-band fMRI, we examined dynamic (i.e., time-varying) and conventional static resting-state connectivity between core neurocognitive networks (i.e., salience/emotion, default mode, central executive) in 42 children and adolescents (ages 6-17). RESULTS We found that trait mindfulness in youth relates to dynamic but not static resting-state connectivity. Specifically, more mindful youth transitioned more between brain states over the course of the scan, spent overall less time in a certain connectivity state, and showed a state-specific reduction in connectivity between salience/emotion and central executive networks. The number of state transitions mediated the link between higher mindfulness and lower anxiety, providing new insights into potential neural mechanisms underlying benefits of mindfulness on psychological health in youth. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new evidence that mindfulness in youth relates to functional neural dynamics and interactions between neurocognitive networks, over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States.
| | - Farrah Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Craig A Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Prantik Kundu
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, United States
| | - Michael V Lombardo
- Department of Psychology and Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, 1678, Cyprus; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States; The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States
| | - Elimelech K Goldberg
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, 48034, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Cindy Cohen
- Kids Kicking Cancer, Southfield, MI, 48034, United States
| | - Jeffrey W Taub
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, United States
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Iadipaolo AS, Marusak HA, Sala-Hamrick K, Crespo LM, Thomason ME, Rabinak CA. Behavioral activation sensitivity and default mode network-subgenual cingulate cortex connectivity in youth. Behav Brain Res 2017; 333:135-141. [PMID: 28666840 PMCID: PMC5555380 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Increased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the default mode network (DMN) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is consistently reported in adults and youth with psychopathologies related to affect dysregulation (e.g. depression, posttraumatic stress disorder). This pattern of increased rsFC is thought to underlie ruminative thought patterns through integration of negative affect (via sgACC) into self-referential operations supported by the DMN. Neurobiological studies in adults show that behavioral activation system (BAS) sensitivity is a potential protective factor against the development of psychopathology, particularly in the context of stress and trauma exposure. However, whether BAS sensitivity is associated with variation in DMN-sgACC stress-vulnerability circuitry in youth, particularly those at risk for affect dysregulation, has not yet been studied. This association was tested in a sample of ninety-eight children and adolescents (ages 6-17) at high sociodemographic risk for psychopathology (i.e., urban, lower income, high frequency of violence and abuse exposure). Participants underwent a six-minute resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Using a targeted, small-volume corrected approach, we found that youth with higher BAS sensitivity demonstrated lower DMN-sgACC rsFC, suggesting a potential link between the purported protective effects of BAS sensitivity and stress-vulnerability circuitry. This work suggests that interventions that augment BAS sensitivity, such as behavioral activation therapy, may protect against the development of stress-related psychopathology by modifying a critical rumination circuitry in the brain. Such interventions may be especially important for bolstering resiliency in at-risk urban youth, who are disproportionately burdened by early stress and associated psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | | | - Laura M Crespo
- Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Perinatology Research Branch, National Institutes of Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
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Rabinak CA, Mori S, Lyons M, Milad MR, Luan Phan K. Acquisition of CS-US contingencies during Pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction in social anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. J Affect Disord 2017; 207:76-85. [PMID: 27716541 PMCID: PMC6642659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fear-based disorders, like social anxiety disorder (SAD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are characterized by an exaggerated fear response and avoidance to trigger cues, suggesting a transdiagnostic mechanism of psychopathology. Current theories suggest that abnormalities in conditioned fear is a primary contributor to the pathophysiology of these disorders. The primary goal of this study was to compare acquisition of conditioned stimulus (CS) and aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) contingencies during fear learning and extinction in individuals with SAD and PTSD. METHODS In a standard Pavlovian fear conditioning-extinction paradigm we measured subjective US expectancy ratings to different CSs in patients with SAD (n=16) compared to patients with PTSD (n=13) and healthy controls (n=15) RESULTS: Both patient groups (SAD, PTSD) acquired differential conditioning between a CS that predicted US (CS+) and a CS that never predicted the US (CS-), however, both groups reported an increased expectancy that the US would occur following the CS-. Additionally, the PTSD group overestimated that the US would occur in general. Neither patient group showed evidence of successful extinction of the CS+-US contingency nor differentiated their expectation of US occurrence between the CS+ and CS- during extinction learning. LIMITATIONS Group sample sizes were small and we did not include a trauma-exposed group without PTSD CONCLUSIONS: Both SAD and PTSD generalize expectations of an aversive outcome across CSs, even when a CS never signals an aversive outcome and PTSD may tend to over-expect threat. Fear learning and extinction abnormalities may be a core feature underlying shared symptoms across fear-based disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Correspondence to: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI 48201, United States. (C.A. Rabinak)
| | - Shoko Mori
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Maryssa Lyons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Mohammed R. Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - K. Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States,Anatomy and Cell Biology and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Fitzgerald JM, MacNamara A, Kennedy AE, Rabinak CA, Rauch SA, Liberzon I, Phan KL. Individual differences in cognitive reappraisal use and emotion regulatory brain function in combat-exposed veterans with and without PTSD. Depress Anxiety 2017; 34:79-88. [PMID: 27559724 PMCID: PMC5222751 DOI: 10.1002/da.22551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit marked deficits in emotion regulation. Past research has demonstrated underengagement of the prefrontal cortex during regulation of negative affect in those with PTSD, but has been unable to find evidence of impaired downregulation of the amygdala. One possibility is that there exists variability in amygdala reactivity that cuts across diagnostic status and which can be characterized using a continuous measure of individual differences. In healthy/nontraumatized volunteers, individual variability in amygdala engagement during emotion processing and regulation has been shown to relate to habitual use of regulation strategies. METHODS The current study examined whether self-reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression regulation strategies correlated with brain activation during cognitive reappraisal in combat-exposed veterans with (n = 28) and without PTSD (combat-exposed controls, CEC; n = 20). RESULTS Results showed that greater self-reported use of cognitive reappraisal was associated with less activation in the right amygdala during volitional attempts to attenuate negative affect using reappraisal, irrespective of PTSD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS This finding is in line with prior work and extends evidence of an association between habitual use of regulation strategies and amygdala engagement during emotion regulation to a trauma-exposed sample of individuals both with and without PTSD. Furthermore, by providing evidence of individual differences in regulation-related amygdala response in a traumatized sample, this result may increase understanding of the neural mechanisms that support variability in symptom manifestation observed across individuals with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Annmarie MacNamara
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amy E. Kennedy
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Pharmacy Practice, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sheila A.M. Rauch
- Emory University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA and Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI and Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - K. Luan Phan
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA,University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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Marusak HA, Zundel CG, Brown S, Rabinak CA, Thomason ME. Convergent behavioral and corticolimbic connectivity evidence of a negativity bias in children and adolescents. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 12:517-525. [PMID: 28175919 PMCID: PMC5390736 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals differ in their tendency to perceive negativity in ambiguous situations or facial expressions. Prior research demonstrates that this so-called “negativity bias” is exaggerated in children; for instance, when they rate the emotional content of neutral facial expressions. However, neutral faces are frequently used as a baseline condition in pediatric emotion processing studies, as they are thought to be emotionally neutral. Here, we present data that challenge that notion. We demonstrate that children and adolescents rate neutral faces, particularly of adults, as negative, similar to ratings elicited by angry faces. In addition, we found a lack of age-related decrease in reaction time for neutral adult faces, suggesting that these stimuli remain salient across development. Demonstrating the relevance of individual differences, higher negativity bias was associated with lower self-reported reward sensitivity and increased functional connectivity of the amygdala. Together, these findings indicate that neutral faces are not perceived as emotionally neutral in children, thus discouraging their use as baseline condition in pediatric research. These data also offer a potential neurobiological substrate of the negativity bias in children. The link to corticolimbic emotion-processing circuitry and affective experience implies that exaggerations in these biases may be relevant for the development of emotional psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Clara G Zundel
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Suzanne Brown
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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Marusak HA, Thomason ME, Peters C, Zundel C, Elrahal F, Rabinak CA. You say 'prefrontal cortex' and I say 'anterior cingulate': meta-analysis of spatial overlap in amygdala-to-prefrontal connectivity and internalizing symptomology. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e944. [PMID: 27824358 PMCID: PMC5314129 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Connections between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are considered critical for the expression and regulation of emotional behavior. Abnormalities in frontoamygdala circuitry are reported across several internalizing conditions and associated risk factors (for example, childhood trauma), which may underlie the strong phenotypic overlap and co-occurrence of internalizing conditions. However, it is unclear if these findings converge on the same localized areas of mPFC or adjacent anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Examining 46 resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging studies of internalizing conditions or risk factors (for example, early adversity and family history), we conducted an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of frontoamygdala circuitry. We included all reported amygdala to frontal coordinate locations that fell within a liberal anatomically defined frontal mask. Peak effects across studies were centered in two focal subareas of the ACC: pregenual (pgACC) and subgenual (sgACC). Using publicly available maps and databases of healthy individuals, we found that observed subareas have unique connectivity profiles, patterns of neural co-activation across a range of neuropsychological tasks, and distribution of tasks spanning various behavioral domains within peak regions, also known as 'functional fingerprints'. These results suggest disruptions in unique amygdala-ACC subcircuits across internalizing, genetic and environmental risk studies. Based on functional characterizations and the studies contributing to each peak, observed amygdala-ACC subcircuits may reflect separate transdiagnostic neural signatures. In particular, they may reflect common neurobiological substrates involved in developmental risk (sgACC), or the broad expression of emotional psychopathology (pgACC) across disease boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- H A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Suite 2190, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. E-mail:
| | - M E Thomason
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA,Unit on Perinatal Neural Connectivity, Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - C Peters
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - C Zundel
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - F Elrahal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - C A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Gorka SM, MacNamara A, Aase DM, Proescher E, Greenstein JE, Walters R, Passi H, Babione JM, Levy DM, Kennedy AE, DiGangi JA, Rabinak CA, Schroth C, Afshar K, Fitzgerald J, Hajcak G, Phan KL. Impact of alcohol use disorder comorbidity on defensive reactivity to errors in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychol Addict Behav 2016; 30:733-742. [PMID: 27786513 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Converging lines of evidence suggest that individuals with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may be characterized by heightened defensive reactivity, which serves to maintain drinking behaviors and anxiety/hyperarousal symptoms. However, it is important to note that very few studies have directly tested whether individuals with PTSD and AUD exhibit greater defensive reactivity compared with individuals with PTSD without AUD. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to test this emerging hypothesis by examining individual differences in error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related component that is larger among anxious individuals and is thought to reflect defensive reactivity to errors. Participants were 66 military veterans who completed a well-validated flanker task known to robustly elicit the ERN. Veterans were comprised of 3 groups: controls (i.e., no PTSD or AUD), PTSD-AUD (i.e., current PTSD but no AUD), and PTSD + AUD (i.e., current comorbid PTSD and AUD). Results indicated that individuals with PTSD and controls generally did not differ in ERN amplitude. However, among individuals with PTSD, those with comorbid AUD had significantly larger ERNs than those without AUD. These findings suggest that PTSD + AUD is a neurobiologically unique subtype of PTSD, and the comorbidity of AUD may enhance defensive reactivity to errors in individuals with PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Darrin M Aase
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - Eric Proescher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Justin E Greenstein
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - Robert Walters
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - Holly Passi
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - Joseph M Babione
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - David M Levy
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center
| | - Amy E Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
| | | | | | | | - Kaveh Afshar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
| | | | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
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Gorka SM, Phan KL, Lyons M, Mori S, Angstadt M, Rabinak CA. Cannabinoid Modulation of Frontolimbic Activation and Connectivity During Volitional Regulation of Negative Affect. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1888-96. [PMID: 26647971 PMCID: PMC4869058 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral and brain research indicates that administration of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alters threat perception and enhances the suppression of conditioned fear responses via modulation of the frontolimbic circuit. No prior studies, however, have examined whether THC also affects volitional forms of emotion processing such as cognitive reappraisal. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the effects of THC on frontolimbic activation and functional connectivity during cognitive reappraisal in a sample of healthy adults. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject design and all participants ingested either an oral dose of synthetic THC (n=41) or placebo (n=37) before completion of an emotion regulation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Functional connectivity was assessed using generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analyses. Results indicated that although there were no group differences in self-reported attenuation of negative affect during cognitive reappraisal, relative to placebo, THC increased amygdala activation and reduced amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) functional coupling during cognitive reappraisal of emotionally negative pictures. This suggests that in addition to automatic emotional processes, THC affects frontolimbic functioning during cognitive reappraisal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Gorka
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Departments of Psychology and Anatomy & Cell Biology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maryssa Lyons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shoko Mori
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mike Angstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Fitzgerald JM, MacNamara A, DiGangi JA, Kennedy AE, Rabinak CA, Patwell R, Greenstein JE, Proescher E, Rauch SAM, Hajcak G, Phan KL. An electrocortical investigation of voluntary emotion regulation in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Res 2016; 249:113-121. [PMID: 26922156 PMCID: PMC4890599 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - a debilitating disorder characterized by severe deficits in emotion regulation - is prevalent among U.S. military veterans. Research into the pathophysiology of PTSD has focused primarily on emotional reactivity, showing evidence of heightened neural response during negative affect provocation. By comparison, studies of brain functioning during the voluntary regulation of negative affect are limited. In the current study, combat-exposed U.S. military veterans with (n=25) and without (n=25) PTSD performed an emotion regulation task during electroencephalographic (EEG) recording. The late positive potential (LPP) was used as a measure of sustained attention toward, and processing of, negative and neutral pictures, and was scored prior to and after instructions to either maintain or down-regulate emotional response using the strategy of cognitive reappraisal. Results showed that groups did not differ in picture-elicited LPP amplitude either prior to or during cognitive reappraisal; reappraisal reduced the LPP in both groups over time. Time-dependent increases in LPP amplitude as a function of emotional reactivity maintenance were evident in the non-PTSD group only. This latter finding may signal PTSD-related deficits in sustained engagement with emotion-processing over the course of several seconds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacklynn M Fitzgerald
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Annmarie MacNamara
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Julia A DiGangi
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amy E Kennedy
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Pharmacy Practice, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ryan Patwell
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Eric Proescher
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sheila A M Rauch
- Emory University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Stony Brook University, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Chicago, IL, USA.
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DiGangi JA, Tadayyon A, Fitzgerald DA, Rabinak CA, Kennedy A, Klumpp H, Rauch SAM, Phan KL. Reduced default mode network connectivity following combat trauma. Neurosci Lett 2016; 615:37-43. [PMID: 26797653 PMCID: PMC4810776 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies show decreased functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) in PTSD; however, few have directly examined combat trauma specifically. There is limited understanding of how combat itself may affect the DMN. Some literature suggests that trauma exposure, rather than PTSD, can disrupt the DMN. To further elucidate the effect of trauma and PTSD on the DMN, we investigated DMN functional connectivity during the resting-state in veterans with PTSD, combat-exposed controls, and never-traumatized healthy controls. Results revealed that DMN connectivity was reduced in veterans exposed to combat trauma with and without PTSD compared to healthy civilian controls. Specifically, both groups of veterans demonstrated weaker connectivity within a network involving the precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and right superior parietal lobule regardless of whether the mPFC or precuneus was chosen as a seed region. Findings suggest that the experience of trauma, rather than the pathology of PTSD, may be related to DMN changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A DiGangi
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Armin Tadayyon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel A Fitzgerald
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Departments of Pharmacy Practice, Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Amy Kennedy
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heide Klumpp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sheila A M Rauch
- Emory University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology and the Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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MacNamara A, Rabinak CA, Kennedy AE, Fitzgerald DA, Liberzon I, Stein MB, Phan KL. Emotion Regulatory Brain Function and SSRI Treatment in PTSD: Neural Correlates and Predictors of Change. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:611-8. [PMID: 26111649 PMCID: PMC5130136 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-a chronic, debilitating condition, broadly characterized by emotion dysregulation-is prevalent among US military personnel who have returned from Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a first-line treatment for PTSD, but treatment mechanisms are unknown and patient response varies. SSRIs may exert their effects by remediating emotion regulatory brain activity and individual differences in patient response might be explained, in part, by pre-treatment differences in neural systems supporting the downregulation of negative affect. Thirty-four OEF/OIF veterans, 17 with PTSD and 17 without PTSD underwent 2 functional magnetic resonance imaging scans 12 weeks apart. At each scan, they performed an emotion regulation task; in the interim, veterans with PTSD were treated with the SSRI, paroxetine. SSRI treatment increased activation in both the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and supplementary motor area (SMA) during emotion regulation, although only change in the SMA over time occurred in veterans with PTSD and not those without PTSD. Less activation of the right ventrolateral PFC/inferior frontal gyrus during pre-treatment emotion regulation was associated with greater reduction in PTSD symptoms with SSRI treatment, irrespective of pre-treatment severity. Patients with the least recruitment of prefrontal emotion regulatory brain regions may benefit most from treatment with SSRIs, which appear to augment activity in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annmarie MacNamara
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 West Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL 60608, USA, Tel: +1 312 413 4707, Fax: +1 312 413 1703, E-mail:
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Amy E Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel A Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan and Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Psychology and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Rabinak CA, Phan KL. Cannabinoid modulation of fear extinction brain circuits: a novel target to advance anxiety treatment. Curr Pharm Des 2015; 20:2212-7. [PMID: 23829364 DOI: 10.2174/13816128113199990437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress (PTSD), panic, and phobic disorders, can be conceptualized as a failure to inhibit inappropriate fear responses. A common, effective treatment strategy involves repeated presentations to the feared cue without any danger (extinction). However, extinction learning has a number of important limitations, and enhancing its effects, generalizability and durability via cognitive enhancers may improve its therapeutic impact. In this review we focus specifically on the role of the cannabinoid system in fear extinction learning and its retention. We address the following questions: What are the neural circuits mediating fear extinction?; Can we make fear extinction more effective?; Can cannabinoids facilitate fear extinction in humans?; How might the cannabinoid system effect fear extinction? Collectively, translational evidence suggest that enhancing cannabinoid transmission may facilitate extinction learning and its recall, and that the cannabinoid system is a potential pharmacological target for improving the active learning that occurs during exposure-based behavioral treatments prompting future research in terms of mechanisms research, novel treatment approaches ('cognitive enhancers'), and pharmacotherapeutic drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Rachel Upjohn Building, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2700.
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Wardle MC, Fitzgerald DA, Angstadt M, Rabinak CA, de Wit H, Phan KL. Effects of oxycodone on brain responses to emotional images. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:4403-15. [PMID: 24800897 PMCID: PMC6720110 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3592-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that opiate drugs decrease emotional responses to negative stimuli and increase responses to positive stimuli. Such emotional effects may motivate misuse of oxycodone (OXY), a widely abused opiate. Yet, we know little about how OXY affects neural circuits underlying emotional processing in humans. OBJECTIVE We examined effects of OXY on brain activity during presentation of positive and negative visual emotional stimuli. We predicted that OXY would decrease amygdala activity to negative stimuli and increase ventral striatum (VS) activity to positive stimuli. Secondarily, we examined the effects of OXY on other emotional network regions on an exploratory basis. METHODS In a three-session study, healthy adults (N = 17) received placebo, 10 and 20 mg OXY under counterbalanced, double-blind conditions. At each session, participants completed subjective and cardiovascular measures and underwent functional MRI (fMRI) scanning while completing two emotional response tasks. RESULTS Our emotional tasks reliably activated emotional network areas. OXY produced subjective effects but did not alter either behavioral responses to emotional stimuli or activity in our primary areas of interest. OXY did decrease right medial orbitofrontal cortex (MOFC) responses to happy faces. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our expectations, OXY did not affect behavioral or neural responses to emotional stimuli in our primary areas of interest. Further, the effects of OXY in the MOFC would be more consistent with a decrease in value for happy faces. This may indicate that healthy adults do not receive emotional benefits from opiates, or the pharmacological actions of OXY differ from other opiates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C. Wardle
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Michael Angstadt
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christine A. Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - K. Luan Phan
- Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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Rabinak CA, MacNamara A, Kennedy AE, Angstadt M, Stein MB, Liberzon I, Phan KL. Focal and aberrant prefrontal engagement during emotion regulation in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Depress Anxiety 2014; 31:851-61. [PMID: 24677490 PMCID: PMC4141895 DOI: 10.1002/da.22243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Collectively, functional neuroimaging studies implicate frontal-limbic dysfunction in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as reflected by altered amygdala reactivity and deficient prefrontal responses. These neural patterns are often elicited by social signals of threat (fearful/angry faces) and traumatic reminders (combat sounds, script-driven imagery). Although PTSD can be conceptualized as a disorder of emotion dysregulation, few studies to date have directly investigated the neural correlates of volitional attempts at regulating negative affect in PTSD. METHODS Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a well-validated task involving cognitive regulation of negative affect via reappraisal and known to engage prefrontal cortical regions, the authors compared brain activation in veterans with PTSD (n = 21) and without PTSD (n = 21, combat-exposed controls/CEC), following military combat trauma experience during deployments in Afghanistan or Iraq. The primary outcome measure was brain activation during cognitive reappraisal (i.e., decrease negative affect) as compared to passive viewing (i.e., maintain negative affect) of emotionally evocative content of aversive images RESULTS The subjects in both groups reported similar successful reduction in negative affect following reappraisal. The PTSD group engaged the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during cognitive reappraisal, albeit to a lesser extent than the CEC group. Although the amygdala was engaged in both groups during passive viewing of aversive images, neither group exhibited attenuation of amygdala activation during cognitive reappraisal. CONCLUSIONS Veterans with combat-related PTSD showed less recruitment of the dlPFC involved in cognitive reappraisal, suggesting focal and aberrant neural activation during volitional, self-regulation of negative affective states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A. Rabinak
- Mental Health Service, Veteran’s Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Annmarie MacNamara
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Amy E. Kennedy
- Mental Health Service, Veteran’s Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
| | - Mike Angstadt
- Mental Health Service, Veteran’s Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Murray B. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Mental Health Service, Veteran’s Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - K. Luan Phan
- Mental Health Service, Veteran’s Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL,Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
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Rabinak CA, Angstadt M, Lyons M, Mori S, Milad MR, Liberzon I, Phan KL. Cannabinoid modulation of prefrontal-limbic activation during fear extinction learning and recall in humans. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2013; 113:125-34. [PMID: 24055595 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pre-extinction administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) facilitates recall of extinction in healthy humans, and evidence from animal studies suggest that this likely occurs via enhancement of the cannabinoid system within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and hippocampus (HIPP), brain structures critical to fear extinction. However, the effect of cannabinoids on the underlying neural circuitry of extinction memory recall in humans has not been demonstrated. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design (N=14/group) coupled with a standard Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm and an acute pharmacological challenge with oral dronabinol (synthetic THC) in healthy adult volunteers. We examined the effects of THC on vmPFC and HIPP activation when tested for recall of extinction learning 24 h after extinction learning. Compared to subjects who received placebo, participants who received THC showed increased vmPFC and HIPP activation to a previously extinguished conditioned stimulus (CS+E) during extinction memory recall. This study provides the first evidence that pre-extinction administration of THC modulates prefrontal-limbic circuits during fear extinction in humans and prompts future investigation to test if cannabinoid agonists can rescue or correct the impaired behavioral and neural function during extinction recall in patients with PTSD. Ultimately, the cannabinoid system may serve as a promising target for innovative intervention strategies (e.g. pharmacological enhancement of exposure-based therapy) in PTSD and other fear learning-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
| | - Mike Angstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Maryssa Lyons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Shoko Mori
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, United States
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
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MacNamara A, Post D, Kennedy AE, Rabinak CA, Phan KL. Electrocortical processing of social signals of threat in combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychol 2013; 94:441-9. [PMID: 24025760 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Revised: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/30/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by avoidance, emotional numbing, increased arousal and hypervigilance for threat following a trauma. Thirty-three veterans (19 with PTSD, 14 without PTSD) who had experienced combat trauma while on deployment in Iraq and/or Afghanistan completed an emotional faces matching task while electroencephalography was recorded. Vertex positive potentials (VPPs) elicited by happy, angry and fearful faces were smaller in veterans with versus without PTSD. In addition, veterans with PTSD exhibited smaller late positive potentials (LPPs) to angry faces and greater intrusive symptoms predicted smaller LPPs to fearful faces in the PTSD group. Veterans with PTSD were also less accurate at identifying angry faces, and accuracy decreased in the PTSD group as hyperarousal symptoms increased. These findings show reduced early processing of emotional faces, irrespective of valence, and blunted prolonged processing of social signals of threat in conjunction with impaired perception for angry faces in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annmarie MacNamara
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
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48
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Wheaton MG, Holman A, Rabinak CA, Macnamara A, Proudfit GH, Phan KL. Danger and disease: electrocortical responses to threat- and disgust-eliciting images. Int J Psychophysiol 2013; 90:235-9. [PMID: 23938878 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 06/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous research suggests facilitated processing of evolutionarily significant stimuli (e.g., depictions of erotica, mutilation, threat), as reflected by augmented event-related potentials (ERPs), including the early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP). Evolutionary models suggest that images that evoke disgust should be high in motivational salience, but evidence that the EPN and LPP are enhanced by disgusting images is lacking. Prior studies have employed only a small number of disgusting images that were limited in the types of content depicted. In the current study, participants viewed larger sets of disgusting, threatening, and neutral images with more varied content while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. Results showed that disgusting and threatening images elicited equivalent LPPs, which were both significantly increased relative to LPPs elicited by neutral images. EPN amplitudes were augmented for both disgusting and threatening relative to neutral images, though significantly more for disgust. These findings offer initial evidence that the EPN and the LPP are sensitive to disgust-eliciting pictures and that these pictures may receive processing that is at least on par with that of threatening images. Limitations of the current study and implications for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Wheaton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
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Rabinak CA, Angstadt M, Sripada CS, Abelson JL, Liberzon I, Milad MR, Phan KL. Cannabinoid facilitation of fear extinction memory recall in humans. Neuropharmacology 2012; 64:396-402. [PMID: 22796109 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Revised: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/28/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
A first-line approach to treat anxiety disorders is exposure-based therapy, which relies on extinction processes such as repeatedly exposing the patient to stimuli (conditioned stimuli; CS) associated with the traumatic, fear-related memory. However, a significant number of patients fail to maintain their gains, partly attributed to the fact that this inhibitory learning and its maintenance is temporary and conditioned fear responses can return. Animal studies have shown that activation of the cannabinoid system during extinction learning enhances fear extinction and its retention. Specifically, CB1 receptor agonists, such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC), can facilitate extinction recall by preventing recovery of extinguished fear in rats. However, this phenomenon has not been investigated in humans. We conducted a study using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design, coupling a standard Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm and simultaneous skin conductance response (SCR) recording with an acute pharmacological challenge with oral dronabinol (synthetic THC) or placebo (PBO) 2 h prior to extinction learning in 29 healthy adult volunteers (THC = 14; PBO = 15) and tested extinction retention 24 h after extinction learning. Compared to subjects that received PBO, subjects that received THC showed low SCR to a previously extinguished CS when extinction memory recall was tested 24 h after extinction learning, suggesting that THC prevented the recovery of fear. These results provide the first evidence that pharmacological enhancement of extinction learning is feasible in humans using cannabinoid system modulators, which may thus warrant further development and clinical testing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.
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Abstract
Clinical research has linked post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with deficits in fear extinction. However, it is not clear whether these deficits result from stress-related changes in the acquisition or retention of extinction or in the regulation of extinction memories by context, for example. In this study, we used the single prolonged stress (SPS) animal model of PTSD and fear conditioning procedures to examine the effects of prior traumatic stress on the acquisition, retention, and context-specificity of extinction. SPS administered one week prior to fear conditioning had no effect on the acquisition of fear conditioning or extinction but disrupted the retention of extinction memories for both contextual and cued fear. This SPS effect required a post-stress incubation period to manifest. The results demonstrate that SPS disrupts extinction retention, leading to enhanced fear renewal; further research is needed to identify the neurobiological processes through which SPS induces these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayan Knox
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
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