Acute stress leaves fear generalization in healthy individuals intact
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Acute stress leaves fear generalization in healthy individuals intact. / Kausche, Franziska Magdalena; Zerbes, Gundula; Kampermann, Lea; Müller, Jana Christina; Wiedemann, Klaus; Büchel, Christian; Schwabe, Lars.
In: COGN AFFECT BEHAV NE, Vol. 21, No. 2, 04.2021, p. 372-389.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Acute stress leaves fear generalization in healthy individuals intact
AU - Kausche, Franziska Magdalena
AU - Zerbes, Gundula
AU - Kampermann, Lea
AU - Müller, Jana Christina
AU - Wiedemann, Klaus
AU - Büchel, Christian
AU - Schwabe, Lars
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Because threatening situations often occur in a similar manner, the generalization of fear to similar situations is adaptive and can avoid harm to the organism. However, the overgeneralization of fear to harmless stimuli is maladaptive and assumed to contribute to anxiety disorders. Thus, elucidating factors that may modulate fear (over)generalization is important. Based on the known effects of acute stress on learning, which are at least partly due to noradrenergic arousal, we investigated whether stress may promote fear overgeneralization and whether we could counteract this effect by reducing noradrenergic arousal. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, between-subjects design, 120 healthy participants underwent a fear-conditioning procedure on Day 1. Approximately 24 hours later, participants received orally either a placebo or the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol and were exposed to a stress or control manipulation before they completed a test of fear generalization. Skin conductance responses as well as explicit rating data showed a successful acquisition of conditioned fear on Day 1 and a pronounced fear generalization 24 hours later. Although physiological data confirmed the successful stress manipulation and reduction of noradrenergic arousal, the extent of fear generalization remained unaffected by stress and propranolol. The absence of a stress effect on fear generalization was confirmed by a second study and a Bayesian analysis across both data sets. Our findings suggest that acute stress leaves fear generalization processes intact, at least in a sample of healthy, young individuals.
AB - Because threatening situations often occur in a similar manner, the generalization of fear to similar situations is adaptive and can avoid harm to the organism. However, the overgeneralization of fear to harmless stimuli is maladaptive and assumed to contribute to anxiety disorders. Thus, elucidating factors that may modulate fear (over)generalization is important. Based on the known effects of acute stress on learning, which are at least partly due to noradrenergic arousal, we investigated whether stress may promote fear overgeneralization and whether we could counteract this effect by reducing noradrenergic arousal. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, between-subjects design, 120 healthy participants underwent a fear-conditioning procedure on Day 1. Approximately 24 hours later, participants received orally either a placebo or the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol and were exposed to a stress or control manipulation before they completed a test of fear generalization. Skin conductance responses as well as explicit rating data showed a successful acquisition of conditioned fear on Day 1 and a pronounced fear generalization 24 hours later. Although physiological data confirmed the successful stress manipulation and reduction of noradrenergic arousal, the extent of fear generalization remained unaffected by stress and propranolol. The absence of a stress effect on fear generalization was confirmed by a second study and a Bayesian analysis across both data sets. Our findings suggest that acute stress leaves fear generalization processes intact, at least in a sample of healthy, young individuals.
U2 - 10.3758/s13415-021-00874-0
DO - 10.3758/s13415-021-00874-0
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 33629258
VL - 21
SP - 372
EP - 389
JO - COGN AFFECT BEHAV NE
JF - COGN AFFECT BEHAV NE
SN - 1530-7026
IS - 2
ER -