Article
Clinical Neurology
Julia S. Yarrington, Meghan Vinograd, Alexander L. Williams, Kate B. Wolitzky-Taylor, Richard E. Zinbarg, Susan Mineka, Allison M. Waters, Michelle G. Craske
Summary: This study used SR and SCR to predict longitudinal changes in anxiety and depression symptoms. The results showed that SR and SCR were associated with an increase in these symptom factors over time.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Judith C. Kreutzmann, Marie-France Marin, Markus Fendt, Mohammed R. Milad, Kerry Ressler, Tanja Jovanovic
Summary: The study found that individuals with lower responses to aversive stimuli also displayed lower fear responses to conditioned safety stimuli, while traumatized individuals showed responses to fear and safety stimuli influenced by their unconditioned response to aversive stimuli.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Vanessa A. van Ast, Floris Klumpers, Raoul P. P. P. Grasman, Angelos-Miltiadis Krypotos, Karin Roelofs
Summary: Freezing in response to impending threat is a core defensive mechanism in humans. Research has shown that human freezing is highly sensitive to fear conditioning and intensifies with the proximity of threat. This animal-like freezing response aids in active preparation for unexpected attacks and captures real-life expressions of anxiety.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Christopher Reist, Tanja Jovanovic, Diana Kantarovich, Leah Weingast, Michael Hollifield, Mahmood Novin, Sakineh Khalaghizadeh, Behrouz Jafari, Renie George, Manessa Riser, Jessica Woodford, Seth D. Norrholm
Summary: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) showed significant improvements in fear acquisition, inhibition, and extinction after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. More severe OSA patients were more likely to show enhanced fear inhibition and extinction after CPAP usage. Patients with OSA and co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) displayed impairments in discriminating between reinforced and nonreinforced conditioned stimuli, fear inhibition, and fear extinction, suggesting the need to address disrupted sleep prior to PTSD exposure therapies.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Deachul Seo, Nicholas L. L. Balderston, Howard Berenbaum, Juyoen Hur
Summary: A large body of research suggests that exaggerated response to uncertainty of a future threat is central to anxiety and related disorders. However, little is known about which elements of uncertainty are more susceptible to cognitive modulation in shaping aversive responses. This study used a novel paradigm to investigate the effects of cognitive load on different facets of uncertainty in psychophysiological responses. The results provide insight into the model of fear and anxiety and the etiology of psychological disorders characterized by maladaptive uncertainty responses.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Philip Newsome, Sonia G. Ruiz, Andrea L. Gold, Daniel S. Pine, Rany Abend
Summary: An alternative fear potentiated startle (FPS) scoring method was used to examine threat conditioning and extinction in individuals with anxiety disorders. The study found that individuals with anxiety disorders exhibited stronger retention of threat contingency during extinction. These findings support extinction theories of anxiety and suggest the importance of further research on aberrant extinction in pathological anxiety.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Judith C. Kreutzmann, Markus Fendt
Summary: Research found that intranasal oxytocin could enhance conditioned safety memory in female rats but had no effect on male rats. Furthermore, analysis showed that OT treatment could compensate for reduced safety memory in rats in the metestrus phase of the estrous cycle.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF STRESS
(2021)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Yan Zhang, Lun Luo, Pan Li, Zi Chen
Summary: Severe burn patients often experience anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders. Psychological treatment can help improve startle response and reduce nervousness in patients.
JOURNAL OF BURN CARE & RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Patrick A. F. Laing, Ben J. Harrison
Summary: Safety learning, the process by which organisms utilize safety information to inhibit fear and anxiety in nonthreatening environments, remains inconsistently defined and under-researched. Although Pavlovian conditioned inhibition presents a theoretically sound model for safety learning, it has been investigated infrequently and with notable methodological variability, indicating that its full potential remains untapped. We propose revisiting conditioned inhibition as a framework for addressing timely questions in the behavioural and clinical sciences.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yuanhui Li, Nan Li, Liqun Zhang, Yanru Liu, Tianjiao Zhang, Dai Li, Dexiang Bai, Xiang Liu, Lingjiang Li
Summary: This study develops a fear-potentiated startle paradigm and a machine learning approach to accurately predict PTSD symptoms in Chinese firefighters. The machine learning model can identify firefighters with a PCL-C score of 38 or above with sensitivity and specificity both above 0.85 when 5-fold cross validated on a 1107-person sample.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Mackenzie L. Brown, Cheri A. Levinson
Summary: Fear of food, weight gain, and judgment are the most frequently endorsed fears for individuals with eating disorders (EDs). The study highlights the importance of assessing specific ED fears at the beginning of treatment due to the heterogeneity of these fears.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Lucianne Groenink, P. Monika Verdouw, Yulong Zhao, Freija ter Heegde, Kimberley E. Wever, Elisabeth Y. Bijlsma
Summary: Fear conditioning is an important aspect in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. This study aimed to synthesize the available data on drugs tested in the fear-potentiated startle test to further understand the neurotransmitter systems involved in conditioned fear expression. The results showed that most clinically active anxiolytics can reduce fear and certain drug classes have significant effects on conditioned fear.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florian Bublatzky, Sabine Schellhaas, Pedro Guerra
Summary: Research has shown that viewing pictures of loved ones can alleviate pain and reduce defensive reactions. However, little is known about the effects on threat and safety learning and the psychophysiological processes involved.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Elischa Krause, Christoph Benke, Alfons O. Hamm, Christiane A. Pane-Farre
Summary: The study found that maximal voluntary breath-holding time (mvBHT) can predict sensitivity to respiratory threats, with shorter breath-holding time associated with enhanced defensive mobilization when anticipating a respiratory threat. Additionally, when both threats were avoidable, the startle reflex was comparably inhibited.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Rimenez R. Souza, Nicole M. Robertson, Christa K. McIntyre, Robert L. Rennaker, Seth A. Hays, Michael P. Kilgard
Summary: Studies in rodents show that a specific range of VNS intensities enhances extinction learning and reduces conditioned fear. The intensity of 0.8 mA VNS has shown significant effects in pairing with extinction training, suggesting it may be the optimal choice for using VNS as an adjuvant in exposure therapies for PTSD.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
N. G. Harnett, N. M. Dumornay, M. Delity, L. D. Sanchez, K. Mohiuddin, P. I. Musey, M. J. Seamon, S. A. McLean, R. C. Kessler, K. C. Koenen, F. L. Beaudoin, L. A. M. Lebois, S. J. H. van Rooij, N. A. Sampson, V Michopoulos, J. L. Maples-Keller, J. P. Haran, A. B. Storrow, C. Lewandowski, P. L. Hendry, S. Sheikh, C. W. Jones, B. E. Punches, M. C. Kurz, R. A. Swor, M. E. McGrath, L. A. Hudak, J. L. Pascual, S. L. House, X. An, J. S. Stevens, T. C. Neylan, T. Jovanovic, S. D. Linnstaedt, L. T. Germine, E. M. Datner, A. M. Chang, C. Pearson, D. A. Peak, R. C. Merchant, R. M. Domeier, N. K. Rathlev, B. J. O'Neil, P. Sergot, S. E. Bruce, M. W. Miller, R. H. Pietrzak, J. Joormann, D. M. Barch, D. A. Pizzagalli, J. F. Sheridan, J. W. Smoller, B. Luna, S. E. Harte, J. M. Elliott, K. J. Ressler
Summary: Racial and ethnic differences exist in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among various groups in the USA. While there are no consistent racial/ethnic differences in posttraumatic stress in the early aftermath of trauma, it appears that differences in chronic PTSD rates may be related to differences in recovery over time. In this study, racial/ethnic groups did not differ in symptoms over time, but Black participants showed reduced posttraumatic depression and anxiety symptoms compared to Hispanic and White participants. These differences in depression and anxiety were no longer significant after accounting for greater prior trauma exposure and childhood emotional abuse in White participants.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Family Studies
Alexandra D. W. Sullivan, Zoe M. F. Brier, Alison C. Legrand, Katherine van Stolk-Cooke, Tanja Jovanovic, Seth D. Norrholm, Hugh Garavan, Rex Forehand, Matthew Price
Summary: This study examined the risk of psychological pathology in emerging adults with a history of childhood maltreatment and the influence of positive parenting on PTSD symptom severity and a transdiagnostic maladjustment biomarker. The findings suggest that positive parenting can moderate the increase in reactivity and provide better psychological outcomes for emerging adults with childhood maltreatment histories.
CHILD MALTREATMENT
(2023)
Article
Emergency Medicine
Christopher W. Jones, Xinming An, Yinyao Ji, Mochuan Liu, Donglin Zeng, Stacey L. House, Francesca L. Beaudoin, Jennifer S. Stevens, Thomas C. Neylan, Gari D. Clifford, Tanja Jovanovic, Sarah D. Linnstaedt, Laura T. Germine, Kenneth A. Bollen, Scott L. Rauch, John P. Haran, Alan B. Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Paul I. Musey Jr, Phyllis L. Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Brittany E. Punches, Michael S. Lyons, Michael C. Kurz, Robert A. Swor, Meghan E. McGrath, Lauren A. Hudak, Jose L. Pascual, Mark J. Seamon, Elizabeth M. Datner, Erica Harris, Anna M. Chang, Claire Pearson, David A. Peak, Roland C. Merchant, Robert M. Domeier, Niels K. Rathlev, Brian J. O'Neil, Paulina Sergot, Leon D. Sanchez, Steven E. Bruce, Mark W. Miller, Robert H. Pietrzak, Jutta Joormann, Deanna M. Barch, Diego A. Pizzagalli, John F. Sheridan, Jordan W. Smoller, Steven E. Harte, James M. Elliott, Karestan C. Koenen, Kerry J. Ressler, Ronald C. Kessler, Samuel A. McLean
Summary: The study aimed to develop and validate a simple bedside clinical decision support tool for identifying emergency department patients at high risk of substantial posttraumatic stress symptoms after a motor vehicle collision. The tool consisted of 8 questions and showed good discriminative ability and predictive accuracy in risk assessment.
ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Anthony N. Reffi, Christopher L. Drake, David A. Kalmbach, Tanja Jovanovic, Seth D. Norrholm, Thomas Roth, Melynda D. Casement, Philip Cheng
Summary: This study examines how pre-pandemic sleep reactivity predicts stress reactions and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that higher pre-pandemic sleep reactivity is associated with more stress reactions and depression. Additionally, digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia mitigates the relationship between pre-pandemic sleep reactivity and stress reactions.
JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathaniel G. G. Harnett, Negar Fani, Sierra Carter, Leon D. D. Sanchez, Grace E. E. Rowland, William M. M. Davie, Camilo Guzman, Lauren A. M. Lebois, Timothy D. D. Ely, Sanne J. H. van Rooij, Antonia V. V. Seligowski, Sterling Winters, Lana R. R. Grasser, Paul I. I. Musey Jr, Mark J. J. Seamon, Stacey L. L. House, Francesca L. L. Beaudoin, Xinming An, Donglin Zeng, Thomas C. C. Neylan, Gari D. D. Clifford, Sarah D. D. Linnstaedt, Laura T. T. Germine, Kenneth A. A. Bollen, Scott L. L. Rauch, John P. P. Haran, Alan B. B. Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Phyllis L. L. Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Christopher W. W. Jones, Brittany E. E. Punches, Robert A. A. Swor, Lauren A. A. Hudak, Jose L. L. Pascual, Erica Harris, Anna M. M. Chang, Claire Pearson, David A. A. Peak, Roland C. C. Merchant, Robert M. M. Domeier, Niels K. K. Rathlev, Steven E. E. Bruce, Mark W. W. Miller, Robert H. H. Pietrzak, Jutta Joormann, Deanna M. M. Barch, Diego A. A. Pizzagalli, Steven E. E. Harte, James M. M. Elliott, Ronald C. C. Kessler, Karestan C. C. Koenen, Samuel A. A. McLean, Tanja Jovanovic, Jennifer S. S. Stevens, Kerry J. J. Ressler
Summary: Considerable racial/ethnic disparities persist in exposure to life stressors and socioeconomic resources that affect the amygdala. Limited work has investigated potential racial/ethnic variability in amygdala reactivity or connectivity related to outcomes such as PTSD.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
John McClellan, Tanja Jovanovic
Summary: Human studies have identified neural circuits in the brain that are activated by fearful stimuli. Recent research has used data-driven methods to derive brain biotypes that describe individual variation in psychopathology and identify individuals at greater risk for fear-based disorders. This review discusses how leveraging fear neurobiology studies can lead to improved treatment.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Francesca L. Beaudoin, Xinming An, Archana Basu, Yinyao Ji, Mochuan Liu, Ronald C. Kessler, Robert F. Doughtery, Donglin Zeng, Kenneth A. Bollen, Stacey L. House, Jennifer S. Stevens, Thomas C. Neylan, Gari D. Clifford, Tanja Jovanovic, Sarah D. Linnstaedt, Laura T. Germine, Scott L. Rauch, John P. Haran, Alan B. Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Paul I. Musey Jr, Phyllis L. Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Christopher W. Jones, Brittany E. Punches, Michael C. Kurz, Robert A. Swor, Vishnu P. Murty, Meghan E. McGrath, Lauren A. Hudak, Jose L. Pascual, Elizabeth M. Datner, Anna M. Chang, Claire Pearson, David A. Peak, Roland C. Merchant, Robert M. Domeier, Niels K. Rathlev, Brian J. O'Neil, Paulina Sergot, Leon D. Sanchez, Steven E. Bruce, Justin T. Baker, Jutta Joormann, Mark W. Miller, Robert H. Pietrzak, Deanna M. Barch, Diego A. Pizzagalli, John F. Sheridan, Jordan W. Smoller, Steven E. Harte, James M. Elliott, Karestan C. Koenen, Kerry J. Ressler, Samuel A. McLean
Summary: The study aimed to characterize adverse posttraumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS) symptom trajectories in a large sample of motor vehicle collision survivors. They found that APNS across ten symptom domains were common in the first two months after trauma, and many risk factors and associations were shared across domains.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Lana Ruvolo Grasser, Bassem Saad, Celine Bazzi, Hiba Abu Suhaiban, Dalia F. Mammo, Ragda Izar, Noor Abou Rass, Sterling J. Winters, Raya Nashef, Ayat Abed Ali, Arash Javanbakht, Tanja Jovanovic
Summary: Fear-potentiated startle (FPS) can be used as a biomarker to measure fear and safety learning behaviors affected by trauma, particularly in youth with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a study on Syrian youth exposed to war trauma, it was found that FPS during fear extinction was associated with symptoms of PTSD. The results suggest the potential use of trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy based on extinction learning principles for youth with PTSD.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yara Mekawi, Martha N. Ishiekwene, Asha N. Jimenez, Maryam Ware, Sierra E. Carter, Anais F. Stenson, Tanja Jovanovic, Bekh Bradley-Davino, Abigail Powers
Summary: This study found that experiences of racism among Black mothers are associated with both maternal and child depression. Maternal experiences of racism indirectly influence child depression through the effect of maternal depression. The study also found that the level of maternal trauma exposure moderates the indirect effect of racism on child depression.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Samantha A. Wong, Lauren A. M. Lebois, Timothy D. Ely, Sanne J. H. van Rooij, Steven E. Bruce, Vishnu P. Murty, Tanja Jovanovic, Stacey L. House, Francesca L. Beaudoin, Xinming An, Donglin Zeng, Thomas C. Neylan, Gari D. Clifford, Sarah D. Linnstaedt, Laura T. Germine, Kenneth A. Bollen, Scott L. Rauch, John P. Haran, Alan B. Storrow, Christopher Lewandowski, Paul I. Musey Jr, Phyllis L. Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Christopher W. Jones, Brittany E. Punches, Michael C. Kurz, Robert A. Swor, Lauren A. Hudak, Jose L. Pascual, Mark J. Seamon, Claire Pearson, David A. Peak, Roland C. Merchant, Robert M. Domeier, Niels K. Rathlev, Brian J. O'Neil, Paulina Sergot, Leon D. Sanchez, Mark W. Miller, Robert H. Pietrzak, Jutta Joormann, Deanna M. Barch, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Steven E. Harte, James M. Elliott, Ronald C. Kessler, Karestan C. Koenen, Samuel A. McLean, Kerry J. Ressler, Jennifer S. Stevens, Nathaniel G. Harnett
Summary: Childhood trauma has a significant impact on white matter microstructure and future posttraumatic dysfunction. The internal capsule (IC) microstructure plays a crucial role in connecting childhood trauma with PTSD symptoms, while other white matter tracts do not show such mediation. This study highlights the importance of IC as a stable neural pathway between childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Dominik R. Bach, Juliana Sporrer, Rany Abend, Tom Beckers, Joseph E. Dunsmoor, Miquel A. Fullana, Matthias Gamer, Dylan G. Gee, Alfons Hamm, Catherine A. Hartley, Ryan J. Herringa, Tanja Jovanovic, Raffael Kalisch, David C. Knight, Shmuel Lissek, Tina B. Lonsdorf, Christian J. Merz, Mohammed Milad, Jayne Morriss, Elizabeth A. Phelps, Daniel S. Pine, Andreas Olsson, Carien M. van Reekum, Daniela Schiller
Summary: This article introduces a laboratory model called fear conditioning, which is widely used to investigate learning, memory, and psychopathology. Quantification of learning in this model is diverse in humans, and establishing psychometric properties of different quantification methods can be challenging. To address this issue, the researchers propose a calibration procedure in which well-defined values are generated to serve as a validity criterion for ranking methods. They develop a specific calibration protocol for fear conditioning in humans and suggest 25 design variables for measurement calibration. The general calibration process outlined in this study can be used as a blueprint for refining measurements in other subfields of behavioral neuroscience.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Psychology, Clinical
Tanja Jovanovic, Andrea Roberts, Anke Huels
Summary: This commentary summarizes the discussions of a panel at the 2022 ISTSS annual meeting, which focused on the intergenerational transmission of trauma from a biological perspective. The panel included scholars from various disciplines, who shared their approaches to understanding the underlying mechanisms of this transmission. The commentary synthesizes the current knowledge gained from these different approaches and identifies future directions for research.
JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Corinne Meinhausen, Gabriel J. Sanchez, Donald Edmondson, Ian M. Kronish, Joseph E. Schwartz, Rebecca Hinrichs, Tanja Jovanovic, Jennifer A. Sumner
Summary: This study explores a potential biomarker of PTSD risk, skin conductance (SC) measurement, in a medical trauma population. It found a significant positive association between SC reactivity to recalling the traumatic event and fear-related symptoms of PTSD at 1-month follow-up. These findings suggest that mobile SC reactivity measures may be useful for identifying individuals at risk for fear-related PTSD symptoms following a medical event and shed light on the potential mechanisms involved in their development.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
(2023)
Correction
Psychology, Clinical
Sheila A. M. Rauch, Carly W. Yasinski, Loren M. Post, Tanja Jovanovic, Seth Norrholm, Andrew M. Sherrill, Vasiliki Michopoulos, Brittany Lannert, Monika Stojek, Laura Watkins, Mark Burton, Kelsey Sprang, Lauren McSweeney, Katie Ragsdale, Barbara O. Rothbaum
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lana Ruvolo Grasser, Bassem Saad, Celine Bazzi, Cassandra Wanna, Hiba Abu Suhaiban, Dalia Mammo, Tanja Jovanovic, Arash Javanbakht
Summary: This study provides evidence for the feasibility of using skin conductance response as a candidate biomarker of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in youth. It is the first study to examine skin conductance response to trauma interview in youth resettled as refugees, and it is part of the limited but growing body of research on biomarkers in refugee populations.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY
(2022)