Generalization of Conditioned Contextual Anxiety and the Modulatory Effects of Anxiety Sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: Anxiety patients overgeneralize fear responses, possibly because they cannot distinguish between cues never been associated with a threat (i.e., safe) and threat-associated cues. However, as contexts and not cues are discussed as the relevant triggers for prolonged anxiety responses characterizing many anxiety disorders, we speculated that it is rather overgeneralization of contextual anxiety, which constitutes a risk factor for anxiety disorders. To this end, we investigated generalization of conditioned contextual anxiety and explored modulatory effects of anxiety sensitivity, a risk factor for anxiety disorders. Fifty-five participants underwent context conditioning in a virtual reality paradigm. On Day 1 (acquisition), participants received unpredictable mildly painful electric stimuli

SUBMITTER: Andreatta M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7609477 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature