Cholinergic Modulation of Exposure Disrupts Hippocampal Processes and Augments Extinction: Proof-of-Concept Study With Social Anxiety Disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In rodents, context specificity of Pavlovian extinction is attenuated by manipulations that impair hippocampal function, including systemic administration of scopolamine, a muscarinic-cholinergic receptor antagonist. Context renewal translates into return of fear following exposure therapy to feared situations. We evaluated the effectiveness of scopolamine for attenuating context renewal of phobic fear in humans.

Methods

A total of 60 participants (35 female, 22 male, 1 transgender, 2 undeclared) with social anxiety disorder and fear of public speaking were randomized to placebo, 0.5 mg scopolamine, or 0.6 mg scopolamine. They completed seven exposure sessions in an exposure context and subsequently tested in the exposure context (extinction retest) versus a diffe

SUBMITTER: Craske MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6788956 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature