The purpose of this research is to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how the brain forms associations between neutral and negative stimuli. The ultimate goal is to understand the neural systems involved in regulating negative emotional responses to fearful stimuli.
This study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how the brain forms associations between neutral stimuli and a mildly uncomfortable electrical stimulation to the wrist. Referred to as Pavlovian fear conditioning. The goal is to compare brain activity between individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and healthy control subjects without PTSD. PTSD is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety, including in harmless situations. The data here will help us better understand dysregulation in neural circuitry involved in fear recovery, which has implications for improving treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
240
Participants will learn to associate neutral stimuli with a mildly uncomfortable electrical stimulation to the wrist. The intensity of the electrical stimulus is calibrated prior to the start of the experiment to a level deemed highly annoying but not painful by the participant.
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGBiomedical Imaging Center
Austin, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGChange in physiological arousal throughout the experimental phases, compared between healthy controls and PTSD participants
Skin conductance responses measure sweating throughout the experiment. We compare the magnitude of this response during each phase of the experiment between groups.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 month.
Change in functional MRI data in fear-learning circuitry throughout the experimental phases, compared between healthy controls and PTSD participants
Participants undergo scanning on a 3-Tesla MRI during all experimental phases. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in key brain regions will be compared between groups.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 month.
Individual differences in brain-behavior responses
Individual participants arousal, as well as trait variable of anxiety and symptom severity, will be used as a covariate in neuroimaging analyses to assess brain-behavior correlations.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 month.
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