@article{ref1,
title="Using Startle to Objectively Measure Anger and Other Emotional Responses After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study",
journal="Journal of head trauma rehabilitation",
year="2011",
author="Neumann, Dawn Radice and Hammond, Flora and Norton, James and Blumenthal, Terry",
volume="26",
number="5",
pages="375-383",
abstract="OBJECTIVE:: To determine the effectiveness of a modulated acoustic startle reflex paradigm with emotional imagery in studying physiological changes associated with emotional responses in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING:: Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS:: Six individuals with moderate to severe TBI. Mean age was 32 years and mean years post injury were 9.9. METHOD:: The modulated acoustic startle reflex procedure involved imagery of emotional scripts (joy, anger,fear, and neutral) followed by a startle noise, versus startle noise alone (no script). MEASURES:: Eyeblink and skin conductance response, subjective arousal and valence ratings of the scripts, and general anger questionnaire. RESULTS:: Startle blink responses following anger imagery were significantly smaller than those following fear (P = .006) and neutral (P = .023) imagery. Skin conductance response did not change significantly based on the content of the scripts (P = .070). CONCLUSIONS:: Large startle blink responses indicate avoidance of a stimulus. Our findings suggest that participants with TBI did not have an avoidant reaction to anger-inducing stimuli. Skin conductance response findings may imply arousal impairments. The modulated acoustic startle reflex was effective in measuring emotional responses; however, larger studies comparing persons with TBI with control groups are needed to further explore these findings.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0885-9701",
doi="10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181f8d52d",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181f8d52d"
}