Startle response in behaviorally inhibited adolescents with a lifetime occurrence of anxiety disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Behaviorally inhibited children face increased risk for anxiety disorders, although factors that predict which children develop a disorder remain poorly specified. The current study examines whether the startle reflex response may be used to differentiate between behaviorally inhibited adolescents with and without a history of anxiety.


METHODS
Participants were assessed for behavioral inhibition during toddlerhood and early childhood. They returned to the laboratory as adolescents and completed a fear-potentiated startle paradigm and a clinical diagnostic interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version). Magnitude of the startle reflex was examined at baseline and during cues associated with safety and threat.


RESULTS
Only adolescents who showed high levels of behavioral inhibition and had a lifetime occurrence of anxiety disorders showed increased startle reactivity in the presence of safety cues. Neither behavioral inhibition nor diagnosis was related to startle reactivity during threat cues.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that neurobiological measures, such as the startle reflex, may be a potential risk marker for the development of anxiety disorders among behaviorally inhibited adolescents. These methods may enhance our ability to identify vulnerable individuals before the development of anxious psychopathology.
Reeb-Sutherland
Bethany C
BC
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health. Electronic address: breeb@umd.edu.
Helfinstein
Sarah M
SM
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Degnan
Kathryn A
KA
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Pérez-Edgar
Koraly
K
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Henderson
Heather A
HA
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Lissek
Shmuel
S
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Chronis-Tuscano
Andrea
A
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Grillon
Christian
C
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Pine
Daniel S
DS
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
Fox
Nathan A
NA
Drs. Reeb-Sutherland, Degnan, Chronis-Tuscano, and Fox and Ms. Helfinstein are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pérez-Edgar is with George Mason University; Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami; Drs. Lissek, Grillon, and Pine are with the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health.
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal; D001767:Blinking; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012792:Shyness; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013694:Temperament