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Disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory in humans by a noradrenergic β-blocker.
J Vis Exp. 2014 Dec 18JV

Abstract

The basic design used in our human fear-conditioning studies on disrupting reconsolidation includes testing over different phases across three consecutive days. On day 1 - the fear acquisition phase, healthy participants are exposed to a series of picture presentations. One picture stimulus (CS1+) is repeatedly paired with an aversive electric stimulus (US), resulting in the acquisition of a fear association, whereas another picture stimulus (CS2-) is never followed by an US. On day 2 - the memory reactivation phase, the participants are re-exposed to the conditioned stimulus without the US (CS1-), which typically triggers a conditioned fear response. After the memory reactivation we administer an oral dose of 40 mg of propranolol HCl, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist that indirectly targets the protein synthesis required for reconsolidation by inhibiting the noradrenaline-stimulated CREB phosphorylation. On day 3 - the test phase, the participants are again exposed to the unreinforced conditioned stimuli (CS1- and CS2-) in order to measure the fear-reducing effect of the manipulation. This retention test is followed by an extinction procedure and the presentation of situational triggers to test for the return of fear. Potentiation of the eye blink startle reflex is measured as an index for conditioned fear responding. Declarative knowledge of the fear association is measured through online US expectancy ratings during each CS presentation. In contrast to extinction learning, disrupting reconsolidation targets the original fear memory thereby preventing the return of fear. Although the clinical applications are still in their infancy, disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory seems to be a promising new technique with the prospect to persistently dampen the expression of fear memory in patients suffering from anxiety disorders and other psychiatric disorders.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Kindt M
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam; M.Kindt@uva.nl.
Soeter M
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam.
Sevenster D
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam.

MeSH

Adrenergic beta-AntagonistsConditioning, ClassicalDouble-Blind MethodExtinction, PsychologicalFearHumansMemoryPropranololReflex, Startle

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Video-Audio Media

Language

eng

PubMed ID

25549103

Citation

Kindt, Merel, et al. "Disrupting Reconsolidation of Fear Memory in Humans By a Noradrenergic Β-blocker." Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE, 2014.
Kindt M, Soeter M, Sevenster D. Disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory in humans by a noradrenergic β-blocker. J Vis Exp. 2014.
Kindt, M., Soeter, M., & Sevenster, D. (2014). Disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory in humans by a noradrenergic β-blocker. Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE, (94). https://doi.org/10.3791/52151
Kindt M, Soeter M, Sevenster D. Disrupting Reconsolidation of Fear Memory in Humans By a Noradrenergic Β-blocker. J Vis Exp. 2014 Dec 18;(94) PubMed PMID: 25549103.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory in humans by a noradrenergic β-blocker. AU - Kindt,Merel, AU - Soeter,Marieke, AU - Sevenster,Dieuwke, Y1 - 2014/12/18/ PY - 2014/12/31/entrez PY - 2014/12/31/pubmed PY - 2016/1/29/medline JF - Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE JO - J Vis Exp IS - 94 N2 - The basic design used in our human fear-conditioning studies on disrupting reconsolidation includes testing over different phases across three consecutive days. On day 1 - the fear acquisition phase, healthy participants are exposed to a series of picture presentations. One picture stimulus (CS1+) is repeatedly paired with an aversive electric stimulus (US), resulting in the acquisition of a fear association, whereas another picture stimulus (CS2-) is never followed by an US. On day 2 - the memory reactivation phase, the participants are re-exposed to the conditioned stimulus without the US (CS1-), which typically triggers a conditioned fear response. After the memory reactivation we administer an oral dose of 40 mg of propranolol HCl, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist that indirectly targets the protein synthesis required for reconsolidation by inhibiting the noradrenaline-stimulated CREB phosphorylation. On day 3 - the test phase, the participants are again exposed to the unreinforced conditioned stimuli (CS1- and CS2-) in order to measure the fear-reducing effect of the manipulation. This retention test is followed by an extinction procedure and the presentation of situational triggers to test for the return of fear. Potentiation of the eye blink startle reflex is measured as an index for conditioned fear responding. Declarative knowledge of the fear association is measured through online US expectancy ratings during each CS presentation. In contrast to extinction learning, disrupting reconsolidation targets the original fear memory thereby preventing the return of fear. Although the clinical applications are still in their infancy, disrupting reconsolidation of fear memory seems to be a promising new technique with the prospect to persistently dampen the expression of fear memory in patients suffering from anxiety disorders and other psychiatric disorders. SN - 1940-087X UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/25549103/Disrupting_reconsolidation_of_fear_memory_in_humans_by_a_noradrenergic_β_blocker_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -