The startle response: Developmental effects and a paradigm for children and adults

Quevedo, Karina; Smith, Tom; Donzella, Bonny; Schunk, Emily; Gunnar, Megan R.

doi:10.1002/dev.20415

Cited by 37 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…For example, ASR heritability has been reported to be in the range of 59-61% [55] and 67% [56]. Nevertheless, previous studies reported conflicting results on the impact of sex on ASR: while some found no difference between men and women [32,[35][36][37] others reported larger startle magnitudes in women at least in some ASR parameters [27,38,39]. Aside from differences in the startle paradigms used, these contradictory findings might be partly the result of varying effects of hormonal contraceptives or the menstrual cycle which were not controlled for in the majority of these studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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The impact of sex and menstrual cycle on the acoustic startle response

Armbruster¹,

Strobel²,

Kirschbaum

et al. 2014

Behavioural Brain Research

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Recently, Quevedo et al [39] reported higher response probability in ASR in females in a sample of healthy individuals with an effect size of Á 2 = 0.05. Similarly, women showed an overall greater startle amplitude (effect size: Cohen's d = 0.80) as well as greater FPS than men in an emotional startle paradigm [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The impact of sex and menstrual cycle on the acoustic startle response

Armbruster¹,

Strobel²,

Kirschbaum

et al. 2014

Behavioural Brain Research

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“…These findings may imply that problematic drinking behaviors, beyond just binge drinking, relate to overall threat responding including both fear and anticipatory anxiety. However, it is also important to highlight that the Study 2 sample size was relatively small and the age range of participants was larger, which is noteworthy given that age is associated with greater baseline startle and affect modulated startle potentiation (e.g., Quevedo et al, 2010; Smith et al, 2005). The AUDIT scores by threat condition interaction in Study 2 also approached a trend level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between problematic alcohol use and reactivity to uncertain threat in two independent samples

Gorka

Lieberman

Phan

et al. 2016

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

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Background Recent laboratory studies have shown that acute alcohol intoxication selectively and effectively dampens aversive responding to an uncertain threat. An emerging hypothesis is that individuals who exhibit heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat may be especially motivated to use alcohol to dampen their distress, setting the stage for negative reinforcement processes to drive excessive alcohol use. However, no study to date has directly examined whether current problematic drinkers exhibit heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat as would be expected. Methods The present study was therefore designed to examine the association between current problematic alcohol use and reactivity to an uncertain threat during sobriety in two, independent samples. In Study 1 (n = 221) and Study 2 (n = 74), adult participants completed the same well-validated threat-of-shock task which separately probes responses to temporally predictable and unpredictable threat. Startle potentiation was measured as an index of aversive responding. Problematic alcohol use was defined as number of binge episodes within the past 30 days in Study 1 and total scores on a self-report measure of hazardous drinking in Study 2. Results As hypothesized, across both studies greater levels of problematic drinking were associated with greater startle potentiation to an unpredictable threat. In Study 2, hazardous drinking scores were also positively associated with startle potentiation to predictable threat. Conclusions The findings are notably consistent with the notion that heightened reactivity to an uncertain threat is an important individual difference factor associated with the onset and/or maintenance of problematic drinking behaviors and may therefore be a novel prevention and intervention target.

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“…Previous studies have indicated that both anxiety disorders and symptoms in youth are associated with an increased startle reflex (Barker et al, 2014; Borelli et al, 2015; Quevedo et al, 2010; Reeb-Sutherland et al, 2009; Waters et al, 2014); however, these associations have spanned baseline, safety, and threat conditions. Interestingly, most of these conditions contain some element of uncertainty or unpredictability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In children and adolescents, anxiety disorders and symptoms have been associated with an increased startle reflex during baseline (Borelli et al, 2015; Quevedo, Smith, Donzella, Schunk, & Gunnar, 2010), safety (Barker, Reeb-Sutherland, & Fox, 2014; Borelli et al, 2015; Reeb-Sutherland et al, 2009; Waters et al, 2014), and aversive/threat conditions (Waters et al, 2014). In addition, children of parents with an anxiety disorder have demonstrated an increased startle reflex across multiple conditions (Grillon, Dierker, & Merikangas, 1997; Kujawa, Glenn, Hajcak, & Klein, 2015; Merikangas, Avenevoli, Dierker, & Grillon, 1999), and an increased startle reflex during safety cues has been shown to prospectively predict first onset of anxiety disorders (Craske et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety and Depression Symptom Dimensions Demonstrate Unique Relationships with the Startle Reflex in Anticipation of Unpredictable Threat in 8 to 14 Year-Old Girls

Nelson

Hajcak

2016

J Abnorm Child Psychol

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There is growing evidence that heightened sensitivity to unpredictability is a core mechanism of anxiety disorders. In adults, multiple anxiety disorders have been associated with a heightened startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat. Child and adolescent anxiety has been linked to an increased startle reflex across baseline, safety, and threat conditions. However, it is unclear whether anxiety in youth is related to the startle reflex as a function of threat predictability. In a sample of 90 8 to 14 year-old girls, the present study examined the association between anxiety symptom dimensions and startle potentiation during a no, predictable, and unpredictable threat task. Depression symptom dimensions were also examined given their high comorbidity with anxiety and mixed relationship with the startle reflex and sensitivity to unpredictability. To assess current symptoms, participants completed the self-report Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders and Children’s Depression Inventory. Results indicated that social phobia symptoms were associated with heightened startle potentiation in anticipation of unpredictable threat and attenuated startle potentiation in anticipation of predictable threat. Negative mood and negative self-esteem symptoms were associated with attenuated and heightened startle potentiation in anticipation of unpredictable threat, respectively. All results remained significant after controlling for the other symptom dimensions. The present study provides initial evidence that anxiety and depression symptom dimensions demonstrate unique associations with the startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat in children and adolescents.

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The startle response: Developmental effects and a paradigm for children and adults

Cited by 37 publications

References 47 publications

The impact of sex and menstrual cycle on the acoustic startle response

The impact of sex and menstrual cycle on the acoustic startle response

Association between problematic alcohol use and reactivity to uncertain threat in two independent samples

Anxiety and Depression Symptom Dimensions Demonstrate Unique Relationships with the Startle Reflex in Anticipation of Unpredictable Threat in 8 to 14 Year-Old Girls

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