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Endogenous salivary α-amylase does not interact with skin conductance response during fear extinction in posttraumatic stress disorder
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 01:00 authored by Daniel ZujDaniel Zuj, Matthew PalmerMatthew Palmer, Malhi, GS, Bryant, RA, Felmingham, KLPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated noradrenergic signaling, which has an impact on emotional learning and memory. Fear extinction is thought to underlie the processes of exposure therapy, however the relationship between noradrenaline and extinction in PTSD is unclear. Participants with PTSD (n= 21), trauma-exposure without PTSD (TC; n = 36), and non-trauma-exposed controls (NTC; n = 27) completed a fear conditioning and extinction paradigm, and conditioned fear was indexed by skin conductance response (SCR). Salivary α-amylase (sAA) collected at baseline and immediately post-fear acquisition was used as an index of noradrenaline, and we examined whether sAA in response to fear acquisition was a moderator between fear extinction and PTSD symptoms. While there was a significant increase in sAA from baseline to postfear acquisition, this was not modulated by group. Compared to TC and NTC, the PTSD group displayed a slower decline in SCRs during early extinction, which generalized across stimulus type, and was not moderated by sAA. These findings suggest that the relationship between fear extinction and PTSD symptoms does not change as a function of sAA levels; however previous research suggests other processes of fear learning may be associated with noradrenergic activity in PTSD.
History
Publication title
Psychiatry ResearchVolume
262Pagination
316-322ISSN
0165-1781Department/School
School of Psychological SciencesPublisher
Elsevier Sci Ireland LtdPlace of publication
Customer Relations Manager, Bay 15, Shannon Industrial Estate Co, Clare, IrelandRights statement
Copyright 2018 Crown CopyrightRepository Status
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