Neural correlates of fear conditioning are associated with treatment-outcomes to behavioral exposure in spider phobia - Evidence from magnetoencephalography.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Models of anxiety disorders and the rationale of exposure therapy (ET) are grounded on classical fear conditioning. Yet, it is unclear whether lower fear ratings of conditioned safety versus threat cues and corresponding neural markers of safety-learning and/or fear inhibition assessed before treatment would predict better outcomes of behavioral exposure.

Methods

Sixty-six patients with spider phobia completed pre-treatment clinical and experimental fear conditioning assessments, one session of virtual reality ET, a post-treatment clinical assessment, and a 6-month follow-up assessment. Tilted Gabor gratings served as conditioned stimuli (CS) that were either paired (CS+) or remained unpaired (CS-) with an aversive phobia-related and phobia-unrelated unconditioned

SUBMITTER: Roesmann K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9125677 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature