Biology subjects

Saldarini, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Saldarini, F..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

The devil is in the detail: The role of threat level and intolerance of uncertainty in extinction

Recent evidence suggests that individual differences in intolerance of uncertainty (IU) are associated with disrupted threat extinction. However, it is unknown what maintains the learned threat association in high IU individuals: is it the experienced uncertainty during extinction or the combination of experienced uncertainty with potential threat during extinction? Here we addressed this question by running two independent experiments with uncertain auditory stimuli that varied in threat level (Experiment 1, aversive human scream (n = 30); Experiment 2, benign tone (n = 47) and mildly aversive tone (n = 49)). During the experiments, we recorded skin conductance responses and subjective ratings to the learned cues during acquisition and extinction. In experiment 1, high IU was associated with heightened skin conductance responding to the learned threat vs. safe cue during extinction. In experiment 2, high IU was associated only with larger skin conductance responding to the learned cues with threatening properties during extinction i.e. mildly aversive tone. These findings suggest that uncertainty in combination with threat, even when mild, disrupts extinction in high IU individuals. Such findings help us understand the link between IU and threat extinction, and its relevance to anxiety disorder pathology.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

Out with the old and in with the new: The role of intolerance of uncertainty in reversal of threat and safety

The ability to learn and reverse threat associations is crucial for survival. The extent to which old threat associations are inhibited and new threat associations are formed may depend on sensitivity to future threat uncertainty. To assess the extent to which Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) predicts threat learning and reversal, we recorded expectancy ratings and skin conductance in 44 healthy participants during an associative learning paradigm, where threat and safety contingencies were reversed. During acquisition and reversal, we observed larger SCR magnitude and expectancy ratings for threat vs. safety cues. However, during reversal higher IU was associated with larger SCR magnitude to new threat vs. new safety cues, compared to lower IU. These results were specific to IU-related variance, over shared variance with trait anxiety (STAIX-2). Overall, these findings suggest that individuals high in IU are able to reverse threat and safety associations in the presence of direct threat. Such findings help us understand the recently revealed link between IU and threat extinction, where direct threat is absent. Moreover, these findings highlight the potential relevance of IU in clinical intervention and treatment for anxiety disorders.

neuroscience↗