Does Neuroticism in Adolescents Moderate Contextual and Explicit Threat Cue Modulation of the Startle Reflex?

Michelle G. Craske*, Allison M. Waters, Maria Nazarian, Susan Mineka, Richard E. Zinbarg, James W. Griffith, Bruce Naliboff, Edward M. Ornitz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the relationship between neuroticism (N), a probable risk factor for emotional disorders, and modulation of startle reflexes (SRs). Methods: One hundred thirty-two adolescents with varying levels of N but without anxiety or depressive disorders were evaluated in contextual cue and explicit threat cue paradigms. Results: Within the explicit threat cue paradigm, N potentiated SRs more in conditions that were intermediately associated with threat of an aversive biceps contraction than conditions that were the furthest from and conditions that were the closest to the same threat. Also, N potentiated SRs across the entire experiment, regardless of experimental conditions, in male and not in female subjects. Conclusions: These results suggest that adolescents with high levels of N show greater sensitivity to contexts intermediately associated with threat. Results are discussed in comparison with other studies of groups at risk for anxiety and depressive disorders.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)220-226
Number of pages7
JournalBiological psychiatry
Volume65
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2009

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health to Dr. Craske ( MH065651 ) and Drs. Zinbarg and Mineka ( MH065652 ) and from the Virginia Friedhofer Charitable Trust to Dr. Ornitz.

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • context
  • explicit threat
  • risk for anxiety and depression
  • startle reflexes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biological Psychiatry

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