TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - Characterizing human safety learning via Pavlovian conditioned inhibition JO - Behaviour research and therapy A1 - Felmingham, Kim L. A1 - Davey, Christopher G. A1 - Savage, Hannah S. A1 - Fullana, Miquel Angel A1 - Vervliet, Bram A1 - Laing, Patrick A. F. A1 - Harrison, Ben J. SP - e103800 EP - e103800 VL - 137 IS - N2 - Deficient safety learning has been implicated in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders. Despite increased translational interest, there has been limited research on the basis of safety learning in humans. Here, we examined safety learning in seventy-three healthy participants via a modified Pavlovian conditioned inhibition paradigm, featuring a conditioned threat stimulus that was reinforced alone (A+), but not when combined with a second stimulus (the conditioned inhibitor, AX-). During a test phase, X and a control safety cue (C) were combined with a second threat stimulus to assess their inhibition of threat responses, measured via skin conductance (SCRs) and US-expectancy ratings. Both stimuli exhibited conditioned inhibition, but X suppressed ratings by a greater magnitude than C. Trait anxiety also predicted increased US-expectancy ratings of X. These findings suggest that a Pavlovian inhibitor accrues greater safety value than a merely unreinforced safety signal. Conditioned inhibition paradigms may have utility in the ongoing study of safety learning and its relevance to anxious psychopathology.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0005-7967 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103800 ID - ref1 ER -