title: Preexposure to (un)predictable shock modulates discriminative fear learning between cue and context: an investigation of the interaction between fear and anxiety.
abstract: It has been suggested that prior experiences with unpredictable/uncontrollable stressors facilitate subsequent fear learning and the development of anxiety disorders. However, animal research documents that preexposure to unpredictable stressors (USs) impede later fear conditioning with that US. These differential predictions were tested in a human experimental model of clinical anxiety. One (US-only) group was preexposed to unpredictable shocks, a second (Unpaired) group received explicitly unpaired presentations of a neutral shape and the shock, and a third (Paired) group received paired shape-shock presentations. Next, all groups received training with a novel shape, using the same shock (50% reinforcement). Fear responding was assessed through startle modulation and online shock-expectancy ratings. Results showed retarded fear learning in the unpredictable groups compared to the predictable group. We argue that prior experiences of unpredictability may still contribute to the development of clinical anxiety, by impeding adaptive fear learning and perpetuating the perception of unpredictability/uncontrollability.
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Department of Psychology, Belgium. ann.meulders@psy.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meulders
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vervliet
authors.forename: Riet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fonteyne
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vansteenwegen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003463:Cues; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004597:Electroshock / Q000379:methods*; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult