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Startle reflex modulation during threat of shock and "threat" of reward.
Psychophysiology. 2018 02; 55(2)P

Abstract

During threat of shock, the startle reflex is potentiated, suggesting modulation by defensive mobilization. To determine whether startle potentiation is specific to aversive anticipation, startle reflexes were measured in the context of either aversive or appetitive anticipation in a between-subject study. Participants wore a device on the wrist that could deliver electrical shock (n = 49), or vibrotactile stimulation indicating monetary reward (n = 48). Cues signaling "threat" or "safe" periods were presented alone, or accompanied by presentation of affective and neutral pictures on half of the trials. Results indicated that the startle reflex was significantly potentiated when anticipating either shock or reward, compared to safe periods, both when no picture was presented, as well as during picture viewing. The difference between threat and safety in both reflex magnitude and skin conductance changes was larger for those anticipating shock, suggesting that the aversive context was more motivationally engaging. The pattern of reflex modulation as a function of picture valence varied under threat and safety, but was identical in the shock and reward groups, consistent with a hypothesis that anticipation of either aversive or appetitive events prompts heightened perceptual vigilance, potentiating the acoustic startle reflex.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Bradley MM
Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Zlatar ZZ
Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Lang PJ
Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

MeSH

Anticipation, PsychologicalAnxietyElectric StimulationElectromyographyEmotionsFemaleGalvanic Skin ResponseHumansMalePhotic StimulationReflex, StartleReward

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Language

eng

PubMed ID

28881032

Citation

Bradley, Margaret M., et al. "Startle Reflex Modulation During Threat of Shock and "threat" of Reward." Psychophysiology, vol. 55, no. 2, 2018.
Bradley MM, Zlatar ZZ, Lang PJ. Startle reflex modulation during threat of shock and "threat" of reward. Psychophysiology. 2018;55(2).
Bradley, M. M., Zlatar, Z. Z., & Lang, P. J. (2018). Startle reflex modulation during threat of shock and "threat" of reward. Psychophysiology, 55(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12989
Bradley MM, Zlatar ZZ, Lang PJ. Startle Reflex Modulation During Threat of Shock and "threat" of Reward. Psychophysiology. 2018;55(2) PubMed PMID: 28881032.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Startle reflex modulation during threat of shock and "threat" of reward. AU - Bradley,Margaret M, AU - Zlatar,Zvinka Z, AU - Lang,Peter J, Y1 - 2017/09/07/ PY - 2017/05/08/received PY - 2017/07/26/revised PY - 2017/08/07/accepted PY - 2017/9/8/pubmed PY - 2018/12/19/medline PY - 2017/9/8/entrez KW - anxiety KW - emotion KW - startle blink JF - Psychophysiology JO - Psychophysiology VL - 55 IS - 2 N2 - During threat of shock, the startle reflex is potentiated, suggesting modulation by defensive mobilization. To determine whether startle potentiation is specific to aversive anticipation, startle reflexes were measured in the context of either aversive or appetitive anticipation in a between-subject study. Participants wore a device on the wrist that could deliver electrical shock (n = 49), or vibrotactile stimulation indicating monetary reward (n = 48). Cues signaling "threat" or "safe" periods were presented alone, or accompanied by presentation of affective and neutral pictures on half of the trials. Results indicated that the startle reflex was significantly potentiated when anticipating either shock or reward, compared to safe periods, both when no picture was presented, as well as during picture viewing. The difference between threat and safety in both reflex magnitude and skin conductance changes was larger for those anticipating shock, suggesting that the aversive context was more motivationally engaging. The pattern of reflex modulation as a function of picture valence varied under threat and safety, but was identical in the shock and reward groups, consistent with a hypothesis that anticipation of either aversive or appetitive events prompts heightened perceptual vigilance, potentiating the acoustic startle reflex. SN - 1540-5958 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/28881032/Startle_reflex_modulation_during_threat_of_shock_and_"threat"_of_reward_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -