A modified counterconditioning procedure prevents the renewal of conditioned fear in rats

Thomas, Brian L.; Cutler, Marlo; Novak, Cheryl

doi:10.1016/j.lmot.2012.01.001

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Our results combined with the human work implicating the dopamine system in extinction suggest that enhancing dopamine signaling, and particularly dopamine release in the NAc during extinction could be an important therapeutic adjuvant when combined with exposure therapy. This could be accomplished through pharmacological means 64 and/or through counterconditioning 45 , 65 , 66 (but see ref. 67 ), a treatment technique which combines exposure therapy with rewarding experiences and may preferentially engage the NAc projecting dopamine circuit.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions

et al. 2018

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Overcoming aversive emotional memories requires neural systems that detect when fear responses are no longer appropriate so that they can be extinguished. The midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine system has been implicated in reward and more broadly in signaling when a better-than-expected outcome has occurred. This suggests that it may be important in guiding fear to safety transitions. We report that when an expected aversive outcome does not occur, activity in midbrain dopamine neurons is necessary to extinguish behavioral fear responses and engage molecular signaling events in extinction learning circuits. Furthermore, a specific dopamine projection to the nucleus accumbens medial shell is partially responsible for this effect. In contrast, a separate dopamine projection to the medial prefrontal cortex opposes extinction learning. This demonstrates a novel function for the canonical VTA-dopamine reward system and reveals opposing behavioral roles for different dopamine neuron projections in fear extinction learning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions

et al. 2018

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“…Furthermore, rats that underwent graded extinction were given a compound solution of target NaCl and favorable sucrose in the initial days of extinction. Accordingly, the renewal effects observed here, especially in the graded extinction rats, might have been considered as renewal of responding eliminated by counterconditioning upon return to the acquisition context (Peck & Bouton, 1990;Thomas, Cutler, & Novak, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Relapse of generalized bait shyness in rats after constant and graded extinction procedures

Nakajima

Onza

Nakagawa

2015

Learning and Motivation

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“…Interestingly, with a success rate of a 69.3% according to the owners, relaxation training was nearly as effective as counterconditioning in alleviating firework fears in dogs. Although relaxation was an inherent component of the original concept of “systematic desensitization” in people sensu Wolpe, (1958, reviewed in Thomas et al, 2012; Wilson and Davison, 1971), relaxation training is less prominently mentioned in the current literature on clinical animal behavior. Nonetheless, a relatively high number of respondents in the sample (N=433) had attempted this techniques.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs

Riemer

2019

Preprint

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AbstractAn online questionnaire survey investigated (1) management and (2) treatment methods for firework fears in dogs employed by dog owners and their (perceived) effectiveness. A PCA on data from 1225 respondents revealed four management strategies (i.e. interventions during firework exposure): the principal components “Environmental modification” (e.g. providing a hiding place, keeping windows and blinds closed, and playing music), “Feed/Play” (providing the dog with chews, play and food during fireworks in general, as well as contingent on loud bangs), “Alternative” (use of calming nutraceuticals, pheromones, herbal products, homeopathic products, Bach flowers, and essential oils) and “Interaction” (allowing body contact, petting and talking to the dog when loud bangs occurred). To explore possible effects of these management methods on fear development, the components were correlated with a score for fear progression. Of the four components, only “Feed/Play” was statistically associated with an improvement in fear responses to fireworks. To evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment strategies, owners were asked to select from a range of options which interventions they had used and whether they considered them as effective. With prescription medication (N=202), improvements were noted by 69% of owners, with high success rates reported for the most frequently prescribed drugs, alprazolam (91%) and Sileo® (74%). While individual products were not evaluated, the reported success rates for the categories “pheromones” (N=316), “herbal products” (N=282), “nutraceuticals” (N=211), “essential oils” (N=183), “homeopathic remedies” (N=250) and “Bach flowers” (N=281) were all in the range of 27-35%, which is not higher than would be expected based on a placebo effect. Pressure vests were deemed as effective by 44% of respondents (N=300). Counterconditioning (providing desirable stimuli after the occurrence of noises) was the most successful training technique according to the owners (N=694), with a reported effectiveness of over 70%. Relaxation training (N=433) was reported to be almost as successful at 69%, while noise CDs (N=377) were effective in 55% of cases. Thus, counterconditioning, relaxation training and anxiolytic medication appear to be the most effective strategies in the treatment of firework fears in dogs. On this basis it is recommended that ad-hoc counterconditioning and relaxation training should complement the standard behavioral technique of desensitization/ counterconditioning with noise recordings.HighlightsAn online survey on treatment options for firework fears in dogs was performedFeeding or playing with dogs during fireworks was associated with fear improvementSuccess was highest for ad-hoc counterconditioning, relaxation training and medicationSuccess was similar for pheromones, nutraceuticals and other alternative productsSuccess rates for these alternative products are consistent with a placebo effect

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A modified counterconditioning procedure prevents the renewal of conditioned fear in rats

Cited by 16 publications

References 35 publications

A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions

A dopaminergic switch for fear to safety transitions

Relapse of generalized bait shyness in rats after constant and graded extinction procedures

Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs

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